House extends Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress for another year

The House voted to reauthorize the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress for another year on Thursday. 

The panel — which was established at the start of the year to investigate, hold hearings and make recommendations on rules to modernize the legislative branch in areas including diversity, staff recruitment, procedures and technology — has received broad bipartisan support including from members of the Republican Study Committee and the New Democrat Coalition. Lawmakers of both groups sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) last week calling for its extension.

The committee does not produce legislation and rule recommendations require a two-thirds majority to establish new policies. 

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle applauded the extension. 

“It’s important to get Congress working better on behalf of the American people. That’s what the Select Committee is about. It’s why we’ve already passed nearly 30 recommendations, and it’s why we’re working on additional reforms,” Chairman Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) and Vice Chairman Tom Graves (R-Ga.) said in a statement. “We are grateful to our colleagues, House leadership, civic groups and the American people for seeing the value of this work and ensuring the progress continues over the next year.”

Since the committee was established earlier this year, it has held 12 hearings and made 29 recommendations aimed at improving transparency, retaining staff and improving access for people with disabilities.