Skip to content
Project 2025
Search

Latest Stories

Follow Us:
Top Stories
Some MAGA loyalists have turned on Trump. Why the rest haven’t

Some MAGA loyalists have turned on Trump. Why the rest haven’t

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stands in front of a group of National Guard troops.

Trump's and Hegseth’s Officer Firings Put Pentagon Stability at Risk

Iran’s Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi Believes in Iranian Regime Change — Experts Contradict Him

Iran’s Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi Believes in Iranian Regime Change — Experts Contradict Him

​Passengers are evacuated by small boat.

The Story Behind the Hantavirus Outbreak and Why It Matters

Person at home feeling tired and stressed.

The Problem isn’t Masculinity – It’s the Men Modeling It

Ocasio-Cortez, Shalala lead finalists for democracy awards

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is one of several freshmen in Congress who were named finalists in the Democracy Awards competition, which highlights congressional offices that are well run and offer exceptional constituent service.

Brittany Greeson/Getty Images
Bill Theobald
By Bill TheobaldApr 02, 2020
Bill Theobald

Bill Theobald is senior writer at The Fulcrum, where he focuses on everything to do with voting. This December marks his 40th anniversary in the business, and he still believes -- now more than ever -- that the glow from great journalism can truly light the world.

See More Writings by author

Freshman members of Congress, particularly the newest female lawmakers, are leading the way on Capitol Hill in how they run their offices and serve constituent needs.

The Congressional Management Foundation announced Thursday the finalists for its Democracy Awards and nine people in their first terms — the most in the three years the awards have been handed out — made the cut.

Seven women are among the finalists, again the most in the short history of the awards, which honor members of Congress for their work in four categories: constituent service; workplace environment; transparency and accountability; and innovation and modernization.

Also for the first time, two members were chosen as finalists in two categories — prominent first-term House Democrats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, an icon of the progressive movement, and Donna Shalala of Florida, who was Health and Human Services secretary in the Clinton administration.

"Now, more than ever, Americans need to hear about examples of their government officials performing at their best," said foundation CEO Bradford Fitch.

A committee, made up mostly of former members and staffers, will choose one Republican and one Democrat as winners in each category. The winners will be announced in a few months.

Here are the finalists:

Constituent Service

Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill.

Rep. Kendra Horn, D-Okla.

Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass.

Rep. Donna Shalala, D-Fla.

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas

Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Penn.

Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va.

Workplace environment

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

Rep. Donna Shalala, D-Fla.

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont.

Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb.

Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich.

Transparency and accountability

Rep. Cindy Axne, D-Iowa

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa.

Rep. Tom O'Halleran, D-Ariz.

Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas

Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas

Rep. Van Taylor, R-Texas

Innovation and modernization

Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif.

Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas

Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ga.

Rep. Rob Woodall, R-Ga.


Latest news

Pregnant woman holding her belly during a prenatal exam.
Health

The Trump Administration Has a Mommy Problem

Religious leaders hold a press conference at the Episcopal Church Center.
Bridging & Common Ground

Not Forgotten: The Need To Continue The Work of Black-Jewish Legacy

How the Powell Memo Sparked a 50‑Year Shift Toward Today’s “Second Gilded Age” and Project 2025

How the Powell Memo Sparked a 50‑Year Shift Toward Today’s “Second Gilded Age” and Project 2025

America's Political War Is Costing Trillions: An American Union Could Fix It
Money & Politics

America's Political War Is Costing Trillions: An American Union Could Fix It

Read More

Tourists gather at Mather Point on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, enjoying panoramic views of the iconic natural wonder

National Park Service budget cuts are reshaping America’s public lands through underfunding and neglect. Explore how declining park staffing, deferred maintenance, and political inaction threaten national parks, local economies, and public trust in government.

Getty Images, miroslav_1

They Won’t Close the Parks. They’ll Just Let Them Fail.

This summer, before dawn, the Liu family from Buffalo will load up their SUV, coffee in hand, bound for a long-planned trip out west. The Grand Canyon has been on their list for years, something to do before the kids get too old and schedules get too tight. They expect crowds. They expect long lines at the entrance. That is part of the deal. In recent years, national parks have drawn more than 325 million visits annually, near record highs.

What they do not expect are shuttered visitor centers and closed trails, not because of weather but because there are not enough staff to maintain them. What they do not see is the budget decision in Washington that made those trade-offs, quietly, indirectly, and without much debate.

Keep ReadingShow less
The Puncher’s Illusion: Winning the First Round and Losing the War
Toy soldiers in a battle formation
Photo by Saifee Art on Unsplash

The Puncher’s Illusion: Winning the First Round and Losing the War

In the Rumble in the Jungle, George Foreman came in expecting to end the fight early.

At first, it looked that way. He was stronger, faster, and landing clean punches. I watched the 1974 championship on simulcast fifty-two years ago and remember how dominant he was in the opening rounds.

Keep ReadingShow less
Calling Wealthy Benefactors!
A rusty house figure stands over a city.
Photo by Katja Ano on Unsplash

Calling Wealthy Benefactors!

My housing has been conditional on circumstances beyond my control, and the time is up; the owner is selling.

Securing affordable housing is a stressor for much of the working class. According to recent data, nearly 50% of renters are cost-burdened, meaning they spend over 30% of their take-home income on housing costs. Rental prices in California are especially high, 35% higher than the national average. Renting is routinely insecure. The lords of land need to renovate, their kids need to move in. They need to sell.

Keep ReadingShow less
An ICE agent monitors hundreds of asylum seekers being processed upon entering the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building on June 6, 2023 in New York City. New York City has provided sanctuary to over 46,000 asylum seekers since 2013, when the city passed a law prohibiting city agencies from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement agencies unless there is a warrant for the person's arrest.(Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
An ICE agent monitors hundreds of asylum seekers being processed.
(Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

The Power of the Purse and Executive Discretion: ICE Expansion Under the Trump Administration

This nonpartisan policy brief, written by an ACE fellow, is republished by The Fulcrum as part of our partnership with the Alliance for Civic Engagement and our NextGen initiative — elevating student voices, strengthening civic education, and helping readers better understand democracy and public policy.

Key Takeaways

  • Core Constitutional Debate: Expanded ICE enforcement under the Trump Administration raises a core constitutional question: Does Article II executive power override Article I’s congressional power of the purse?
  • Executive Justification: The primary constitutional justification for expanded ICE enforcement is The Unitary Executive Theory.
  • Separation of Powers: Critics argue that the Unitary Executive Theory undermines Congress’s power of the purse.
  • Moral Conflict: Expanded ICE enforcement has sparked a moral debate, as concerns over due process and civil liberties clash with claims of increased public safety and national security.

Where is ICE Funding Coming From?

Since the beginning of the current Trump Administration, immigration enforcement has undergone transformative change and become one of the most contested issues in the federal government. On his first day in office, President Trump issued Executive Order 14159, which directs executive agencies to implement stricter immigration enforcement practices. In order to implement these practices, Congress passed and President Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), a budget reconciliation package that paired state and local tax cuts with immigration funding. This allocated $170.7 billion in immigration-related funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to spend by 2029.

Keep ReadingShow less
© Copyright 2026