J.D. Rackey

Associate Director, @BPC_Bipartisan | Fmr. @ModernizeCmte | Interested in all things Congress 🏛 | Opinions = My Own, RT ≠ Endorsements | he/him

[J.D. Rackey @JDRackey]

Modernizing Congress is a sprawling portfolio of issues that can often be unwieldly! That’s why my @BPC_Bipartisan colleagues & I put together a new -LIVE & searchable- database of the @ModernizeCmte’s 200+ recommendations! https://t.co/QXntYUDAT4

[J.D. Rackey @JDRackey]

Congress has increasingly been described as chaotic! In a new piece for @BPC_Bipartisan, @ThorningMichael & I argue that the nature of the chaos is in the eye of the beholder stemming from the model that one prefers the institution operate under. 🔗👇

[Michael Thorning @ThorningMichael]

No one is happy with Congress--voters, the president, SCOTUS, or even its own members.

@BPC_Bipartisan @JDRackey and I explore what's causing the tension: Congress is trying to be two different kinds of legislatures, and succeeding at neither. 🔗⬇️

[Bipartisan Policy Center @BPC_Bipartisan]

DYK: Congress gets 80+ million constituent contacts a year? That number has grown significantly in recent years, but members’ tools and resources haven’t kept up.

@JDRackey outlines the bipartisan, under-the-radar reforms that are helping modernize how Congress listens and responds to constituents. Listening is governing.

[J.D. Rackey @JDRackey]

This new piece is the second in our budding series where we discuss the current state and potential future of the legislative branch, Congress at a Crossroads. The start of our series is here: https://t.co/lASHm3EOGd

[J.D. Rackey @JDRackey]

Congress has increasingly been described as chaotic! In a new piece for @BPC_Bipartisan, @ThorningMichael & I argue that the nature of the chaos is in the eye of the beholder stemming from the model that one prefers the institution operate under. 🔗👇

[J.D. Rackey @JDRackey]

Members and the public must decide what kind of legislature they want. That discussion is the necessary precursor to any discussions about the internal structures and capacities needed in the First Branch. https://t.co/C1FKyrg2TM

[Andy Hall @ahall_research]

Getting better people to run for political office is maybe our single most important governance problem today. I wrote a book about this back in 2019 called "Who Wants to Run?" It was about why Congress was getting more polarized in part because more-moderate people were not running for Congress very often anymore.

To encourage better candidates, here are some of the policies I argued for:

--Pay legislators more (yes, really)...but not our current legislators. Our future legislators!

--Reduce fundraising demands so that people can run for Congress without spending all their time begging for money

--Enhance congressional capacity so that being a member of Congress is appealing for people who actually care about governing

Some things have held up better than others in the book. If nothing else, I think the title diagnoses the key problem in American politics: who wants to run?

https://t.co/shuX3EMI4A

[Stennis Center @StennisCenter]

Applications are open for the Stennis Program for Congressional Interns. A chance for congressional interns to engage in leadership, public service, and cross-party dialogue. Deadline: Friday, June 5, 2026, at 11:59. Apply: https://t.co/Jz8nGeZEIp #stennisinterns

[Daniel Schuman @danielschuman]

Thank you @pkcapitol and @the535news for having me on to talk about this week's Legislative Branch Approps markup, funding levels for Congress, and the recent Member pay court decision.

[J.D. Rackey @JDRackey]

The Consensus Calendar is a mess! In 2024, a group of us got together to discuss improving it & other rule changes: https://t.co/H1bCCjeZZ6

[Gabe Fleisher @WakeUp2Politics]

This bill has 330 cosponsors and has had supermajority support in the House for months.

It’s sort of crazy how many of these broadly popular bills stall for so long. Moderate Dems got Pelosi to agree to a Consensus Calendar in 2019 to fast-track bills with 290+ backers, but there’s an easy work-around and it basically never gets used.

[Michael Thorning @ThorningMichael]

A scam like this swept through the Congress world, be careful election administration world.

(Apologies to @AmberMcReynolds if this is real).

[J.D. Rackey @JDRackey]

This is very on point given the number of Members and staff that are in my OTF classes during session!

[Oriana González @ReporterOriana]

*orangetheory coach voice*

GOOD MORNING HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ARE WE READY TO KILL IT TODAY

[Daniel Schuman @danielschuman]

Just now, as appropriators are debating the member COLA issue, a federal court ruled that 27th amendment says can't use approps to block COLA.

[J.D. Rackey @JDRackey]

Yet again, tapping the sign: https://t.co/a11mmWBML1

[POLITICO @politico]

Trump demands Senate Republicans fire parliamentarian https://t.co/3BEIC57kxG

[House Admin. Committee GOP @HouseAdmin]

The Cannon House Office Building courtyard is now OPEN to the House community and visitors!

The courtyard is accessible from the first and second floors of Cannon.

[Michael Thorning @ThorningMichael]

2026 has brought headline after headline about how poorly Congress is doing.

@kevinrkosar points out that--against the tide--some members like @RepBice are trying to turn the ship around. @BPC_Bipartisan is proud to continue working with her and the ModSub to deliver Americans the representative government they deserve.

[Kevin R Kosar @kevinrkosar]

My chat with @RepBice, who chairs CHA's Modernization Subcommittee.

"We’re not often covered in national news publications. We’re sort of flying under the radar. But what I would tell you is that we’re making a difference for the House."

https://t.co/6SiWQvPNma

[J.D. Rackey @JDRackey]

The system is not perfect. @ModernizeCmte made several recommendations to improve the schedule & calendar. @BPC_Bipartisan has continued to study the issue and make recommendations. But, let's be accurate in our criticisms & work towards solutions. https://t.co/cxmiGtEcHG

[J.D. Rackey @JDRackey]

Re: The Congressional Calendar & TMZ coverage, a 🧵

It's true, Congress could be in D.C. more often and historically it was here more often.

[J.D. Rackey @JDRackey]

However, the "omg, surprise, they are on break again!" coverage really misses the boat. The congressional calendar is published in advance every year and members of Congress do important work when they are in their districts (though they could communicate that better).