Issue One’s ReFormers Caucus praises Modernization Select Committee, calls for new, permanent subcommittee to help strengthen Congress

In a new letter released today, a bipartisan group of 41 members of Issue One’s ReFormers Caucus — the largest group of former elected officials ever assembled to fix our broken political system — praised the progress the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress has made over the last four years and encouraged the House of Representatives to create a permanent modernization subcommittee on the House Administration Committee in the 118th Congress.

“The creation of the Select Committee was a vital step in identifying and addressing areas of improvement in how Congress functions, thus creating a more modern and productive policymaking institution,” the letter states. “For that, we applaud the leadership in Congress on both sides of the aisle who put partisanship aside in pursuit of this goal.”

The letter continues: “A permanent subcommittee dedicated to the essential issues of congressional modernization would enormously benefit the institution and, most importantly, the citizens it serves… We thank the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress for spearheading this mission and hope the 118th Congress will build on their work for a stronger, more resilient institution.”

Since its establishment at the start of the 116th Congress, the Select Committee has advanced a total of 202 bipartisan recommendations — of which 130 have been fully or partially implemented — under the umbrella of Chair Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Vice Chair William Timmons (R-SC), and previously Tom Graves (R-GA).

“American democracy requires a strong, functioning, and representative legislative branch,” said Issue One Reformers Caucus Co-chair Amb. Tim Roemer (D-IN). “Thanks to the work of the Select Committee under the leadership of Chairman Kilmer and Vice Chair Timmons, more than 100 bipartisan recommendations have been passed and implemented into law. The result of the Select Committee’s work is an improved Congress that is working better for the American people. That is a remarkable legacy that we must build upon in the years ahead. Mandated cyber training and emergency training for Members of Congress are future goals.”

Added Issue One Reformers Caucus Co-chair Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN): “The Select Committee came together with the mission to strengthen and modernize Congress, and four years later, we can say with confidence that it has delivered in spades. Congress is better off because of the Select Committee’s commitment to bipartisanship, and it’s crucial that momentum continues for strengthening the institution of Congress. The leaders of the 118th Congress would be wise to create a permanent subcommittee dedicated to congressional modernization so Congress can most effectively and efficiently fulfill its Article I responsibilities.”

The new letter from Issue One’s ReFormers Caucus members calls on Congress to build on the Select Committee’s success and set a path forward for further implementation of the committee’s 130 recommendations currently in progress as well as the remaining 72 recommendations it has endorsed, including emergency and cybersecurity preparedness training for Members.

Read the full letter here.