(Editor’s note: Robert Harris, writer of this commentary outlines a vision to prepare Congress and the government for the future. He has a keen political eye, understands Congress and the political trends ahead.)
The result of the recent Supreme Court decision on the US Postal Service role in elections is more delay. At least this election will go forward without sanctioned interference from the USPS and the White House.
This is not over! The Court simply allowed the stay to remain in place. Post election the Supremes can come back to address this. Thus, this election becomes much more important.
While I am confident the outcome will bring Democrats majorities in both chambers, We the People need every possible protection against Trump’s shenanigans.
What Next:
There will be a new Congress but the same slugs and miscreants in the White House and Administration.
America needs to call a two-year truce and work diligently on restoring the public’s confidence in their government and our institutions.
A new Democratic Congress should lead this, bringing efforts to rally the country (Red and Blue and Purple) into the work of the Congress. Democratic led congressional committees should hold hearings on a variety of issues raised by Trump — from DEI, to workforce, to military personnel, AI, to military preparedness, to emissions, to federal lands management, to redefining and reorganizing our courts, including the Supreme Court — shoring up the Constitution where necessary, not dragging it through the mud as we have seen over the last 11-12 years.
The Congress needs to pass a continuing appropriation bill paying for the wasted weapons over used by Trump and his team of cartoon characters and other programs targeted by Trump.
During the year 2027, appropriators need to hold hearings and reset the programs — in concert with the authorizing committees — setting the stage for a new President in 2028.
Congress should ask the National Governors’ Association, the Conference of Mayors, the Conference of State Legislatures and the National Association of Counties to appoint task forces to work with Congress in developing priorities for federal involvement in the states (including federal lands, national defense facilities and so on)and better defining (and even redefining) the needs in urban, suburban, exurban and rural populations.
Congressional oversight hearings by each committee of jurisdiction would be held in a month long series of hearings across the country in the summer and fall of 2027 and again in the winter and spring of 2028 –setting the stage for a full summer of work in June, July and August in Washington. Congress would recess by mid-September for Members to return home to campaign.
District work periods for the House and Senate would be once every other month and only over weekends until the next Thursday. If a recess period does not fall on a holiday weekend, work (with votes) would start on Wednesday of the following week. Committee meeting and votes if necessary, would begin at 1:00 pm that Thursday.
The leadership will work with their members and committee chairs to determine schedules for hearings in states and districts. Where possible, joint House/Senate hearings would be preferred. Hearings could last two-three days — depending on regions and programs.
Congress should come to the people, not the other way around. Yes, there will be legislative hearings and regular appropriations, with oversight, hearings in DC to continue to work of oversight and funding priorities at agencies and departments.
Under this plan, Democrats would set the stage for the next Presidential election.
Hopefully, when the new President is inaugurated in January of 2029 Congress will have better defined the needs of the The People in order to help the President reset Administration priorities that align with the People’s priorities as defined by Congress.
By the middle of 2029, Congress will have a new set of recommendations and guidelines to present to a new President. Hopefully, there will be enough buy-in from Members of Congress that the President cannot throw the work in the trash, instead work with Congress by putting bills in the hopper to implement the plans.
Members are going to have to work together, Members from cities and suburban areas as well as Members from rural areas. Governors from Red States and Red State Congress people are going to have to work with Blue State Members and governors.
Let’s get to work…