On March 9th, the Committee for House Administration launched the Subcommittee on Modernization, furthering the efforts of the recently-ended Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. Throughout its tenure, the House Select Committee for the Modernization in Congress drew from the Convergence Dialogue on Building a Better Budget Process recommendations and held hearings with Convergence and other bridgebuilding leaders at the table. Convergence and 25 other organizations sent a letter of thanks to House Representatives Bryan Steil, Joseph D. Morelle as well as Stephanie Bice, and Derek Kilmer.

Here is the text of that letter:

Chairman Steil and Ranking Member Morelle:

On behalf of the undersigned civil society members and organizations we write to thank you for your leadership and commitment in the creation and launch of the Committee on House Administration’s Subcommittee on Modernization. In the past two Congresses, we have sought to support and amplify the work of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress – including as members of a larger informal network of congressional experts and practitioners known as the ‘Fix Congress’ Cohort. We look forward to engaging similarly with the new Subcommittee.

Under the leadership of Chairwoman Stephanie Bice (R-OK) and Ranking Member Derek Kilmer (D-WA), the Subcommittee has the unique opportunity to continue the implementation of the 202 bipartisan recommendations of the sunsetted Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress to make the House function more effectively for the American people.

Following today’s first subcommittee hearing, “A View of House Modernization: Perspectives from the CAO,” we extend our thanks and applaud Chairwoman Bice’s and Ranking Member Kilmer’s leadership in creating a collaborative, bipartisan space for Members to continue the work of implementation. Using bipartisan Member seating in a roundtable setting and allowing for more engaged participation by removing the 5-minute rule for Members to speak was a fitting way to turn the kick-off of the Subcommittee’s crucial work into a collegial example for the rest of Congress.

We look forward to providing support – technical support, encouragement of other Members and committees to track the work, education of media about the work’s importance, socialization of the work publicly and across the breadth of business, civil society, and public institutions – for the Subcommittee’s leadership in implementing the Select Committee’s recommendations. Thank you for ensuring the House remains focused on this work.

Sincerely,