Congress and the Executive

For next Tuesday, LaPira, ch. 4.   For next Thursday, Davidson, ch. 12.

Power to Persuade

LBJ and negotiation

Interview with the Bush leg affairs shop

The Biden legislative affairs shop

CQ on presidential success (review from a few weeks ago)

Presidential approval and the "decay curve"

Checking the Executive

NAIL: Nominations, Appropriations, Investigations, Legislation

Nominations 

• Extent of confirmation power (about 1200 jobs)
• Nominations: Senate data
• Cabinet nominations rejected or withdrawn
• Hearings:  Whitehouse and White; DeVos

Appropriations

• Limitation riders and the case of ACA

Investigation and Oversight (more on Monday about congressional capacity)

• GAO -
• CBO
• CRS
• Diminished institutional capacity

Legislation:  Executive Branch Organization and Laws on Reporting 

• Inspectors General  (Trump firings)
• Reporting requirements
• The old legislative veto and the Congressional Review Act.  (A rare example)
• Congress "organizes" the executive:
  --  The "organization" of DHS.
-- DNI and the intelligence community

26 USC 6103

Upon written request from the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, the chairman of the Committee on Finance of the Senate, or the chairman of the Joint Committee on Taxation, the Secretary shall furnish such committee with any return or return information specified in such request, except that any return or return information which can be associated with, or otherwise identify, directly or indirectly, a particular taxpayer shall be furnished to such committee only when sitting in closed executive session unless such taxpayer otherwise consents in writing to such disclosure.

STILL IN COURT! 

Subpoenas and Contempt of Congress

• The definitive encyclopedia article!
• Inherent contempt
• Civil contempt 
• Criminal contempt