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Understanding Congress

AEI Podcasts
Congress
American Enterprise Institute
House Of Representatives
Legislative Norms
Benghazi
Appropriations Committee
Partisan Politics
United States Senate
U.S. Congress
Legislative Effectiveness
Donald J. Trump
Social Theory
Primary Elections
Donald Trump
Congressional Investigations
U.S. Constitution
Legislation
Political Behavior
Partisanship
Electoral Reform

Congress is the least liked and perhaps least understood part of government. But it’s vital to our constitutional government. Congress is the only branch equipped to work through our diverse nation’s disagreements and decide on the law. To better understand the First Branch, join host Kevin Kosar and guests as they explain its infrastructure, culture, procedures, history, and more.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes72Founded6 years ago
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Artwork for Understanding Congress

Latest Episodes

The topic of this episode is, “Does the Congressional Baseball Game increase collaboration in Congress?”

Each June, members of our national legislature play ball. Democrats and Republicans from the House of Representatives each field a team, practic... more

The topic of this episode is, “What’s the status of congressional modernization?"

My guest is Representative Stephanie Bice, who is the chairperson of the Subcommittee on Modernization and Innovation in the US House of Representatives. She also sits... more

The topic of this episode is, “Does Congress need a Congressional Capacity and Technology Office?”

Congress has a reputation for being behind the times when it comes to technology. Legislators often do not understand new technological developments, ... more

The topic of this episode is, “Why should we care about Congress's power of the purse?”

Well, we are just getting through the FY2026 budget process, which Congress was supposed to finish nearly half a year ago. And the next budget process has begun.... more

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Recent Guests

Stephanie Bice
Representative, Oklahoma's 5th District; Chair of the Subcommittee on Modernization and Innovation
U.S. House of Representatives
Episode: What Is the Status of Congressional Modernization? (with Rep. Stephanie Bice)
Aubrey Wilson
POPVOX's Director of Governmental Innovation and Global Initiatives
POPVOX Foundation
Episode: Does Congress Need a Congressional Capacity and Technology Office? (with Aubrey Wilson)
Shalanda Young
Distinguished scholar in residence and adjunct professor of law at NYU's Law School, former Director of the US Office of Management and Budget
New York University
Episode: Why Should We Care About Congress’s Power of the Purse? (with Shalanda Young)
Nick Troiano
Executive director of Unite America and author of The Primary Solution
Unite America
Episode: What Is the Primary Problem? (with Nick Troiano)
Brian Alexander
Associate Professor of Politics at Washington and Lee University, author of A Social Theory of Congress, Legislative Norms in the Twenty-First Century
Washington and Lee University
Episode: What Are Congressional Norms and Why Do They Matter? (with Brian Alexander)
Kurt Couchman
Author and Senior Fellow at Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Prosperity
Episode: Should Congress Pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution? (with Kurt Couchman)
Philip Wallach
Senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, focuses on regulatory policy issues and Congress's relationship with the administrative state.
American Enterprise Institute
Episode: What Are Budget Rescissions and Pocket Rescissions? (with Philip Wallach)
Jay Cost
Gerald R. Ford Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of 'James Madison, America's First Politician'.
American Enterprise Institute
Episode: Was James Madison the First Majority Leader? (with Jay Cost)
Annelise Russell
Associate Professor of Public Policy at the University of Kentucky, studying legislators' use of social media
University of Kentucky
Episode: Why Are Legislators on Social Media? (with Annelise Russell)

Host

Kevin Kosar
Host of Understanding Congress

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 31 ratings
  • Dennis Karpf

    Excellent and knowledgeable guests informed and questioned by concise and cogent moderator. Our citizenship obligations should include every high school civics course to require listening to this podcast. Our fractured republic can be improved by the information of Congress provided by this podcast. Well done.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dennis.karpf
    United States3 years ago
  • PERFECT for learning

    These episodes are so incredibly helpful in understanding congress!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    statedept1515
    United States4 years ago
  • This podcast brings fresh points of view in how Congress runs from experts. It explains the more inside look to those things that everyday citizens only scrap the surface of. I appreciate the book recommendations throughout this series.

    Audible
    5
    WendyLimbaugh
    United States5 years ago
  • Informative

    This podcast brings fresh points of view in how Congress runs from experts. It explains the more inside look to those things that everyday citizens only scrap the surface of. I appreciate the book recommendations throughout this series.

    Audible
    5
    WendyLimbaugh
    United States5 years ago
  • Wonderful, instructive podcast.

    A podcast devoted to understanding Congress has never really been tried. And here we finally are, with perhaps the best guide (Kevin Kosar) to its operations in both theory and practice.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    North Carolina prof
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A valuable resource for understanding Congress and its reforms.
Insightful and well-informed guests, guided by a concise, thoughtful moderator.
Clear, rigorous analysis of complex congressional dynamics and history.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#249
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#131
Canada/Government
Apple Podcasts
#49
Norway/Government
Apple Podcasts
#148
Taiwan/Government
Apple Podcasts
#171
South Korea/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What Is the Status of Congressional Modernization? (with Rep. Stephanie Bice)
Q: All right, I know we're running short on time, and you're going to have to go cast votes. Do you ever get to talk to constituents about this reforming work, or do voters prefer broader topics?
Constituent-facing improvements and modernization work have tangible impact, and while the committee is not always in national headlines, these changes make a real difference in daily operations and service delivery for the public and staff.
What Is the Status of Congressional Modernization? (with Rep. Stephanie Bice)
Q: Well, you guys have gotten so much done. What reforms are you trying to push over the line right now? Are there a few of them that really are high priority for you?
Priorities include a constituent or customer management system to streamline constituent outreach, in-house development of internal tools, cybersecurity enhancements, ADA accessibility, and better visitor navigation, with a focus on practical, implementable changes rather than broad, multi-year projects.
What Is the Status of Congressional Modernization? (with Rep. Stephanie Bice)
Q: All right. Not everybody listening is familiar with the Subcommittee on Modernization and Innovation. Briefly for these listeners, what does this House Subcommittee do?
The Subcommittee was formed to look at how the House functions and to implement hundreds of recommendations from the previous select committee, while also exploring new technologies and improvements to modernize operations for both staff and visitors.
Does Congress Need a Congressional Capacity and Technology Office? (with Aubrey Wilson)
Q: How much would it cost to implement, and how is the budget structured?
The proposal includes a phased budget starting with about a million dollars for six FTEs in the first phase and expanding to roughly four million in later phases for broader operations, reflecting the cost of staffing and establishing a long-term, agency-wide capability.
Does Congress Need a Congressional Capacity and Technology Office? (with Aubrey Wilson)
Q: What would the duties of this new office be?
Aubrey explains that the office would provide proactive education, one-to-one staff support with use cases, and channel resources from existing agencies while filling gaps where none exist, ultimately creating a bicameral, centralized resource that helps staff understand and adopt new technologies.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Understanding Congress

What is Understanding Congress about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show provides in-depth conversations about how Congress works, why it sometimes struggles, and what reforms could improve its effectiveness. Episodes frequently center on modernization, budgeting and appropriations, congressional norms, and structural reforms, often bringing in lawmakers, scholars, and policy experts to discuss practical changes, institutional design, and the balance of power among branches. A standout element is its focus on actionable insights—ranging from staff education and tools for better constituent service to proposals for dedicated capacities and technology offices—while maintaining a nonpartisan, analytic tone that appeals to civics enthusiasts, policymakers, and professionals evaluating governance incentives ... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with Understanding Congress:

1. The Daily Punch
2. The Conversation with Dasha Burns
3. The Lawfare Podcast
4. The Ezra Klein Show
5. The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

How many episodes of Understanding Congress are there?

Understanding Congress launched 6 years ago and published 72 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Understanding Congress?

Recent guests on Understanding Congress include:

1. Stephanie Bice
2. Aubrey Wilson
3. Shalanda Young
4. Nick Troiano
5. Brian Alexander
6. Kurt Couchman
7. Philip Wallach
8. Jay Cost

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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