In the News: Additional Materials

Representative Brian Baird (D- Wash.) issued a Dear Colleague letter in response to a proposed rules change to alter the quorum requirement.

Executive Director John Fortier on National Public Radio's Morning Edition.

Commission Executive Director, John Fortier, and Representative Brian Baird (D-Wash.) recently participated on the Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU 88.5 in Washington, DC.

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Representative Brian Baird released statements on June 4, 2003 in support of the Continuity of Government Commission's first report: Preserving Our Institutions: The Continuity of Congress.

For a history of efforts to pass a constitutional amendment to ensure the continuity of Congress in the 1950s and 60s, see an excellent paper prepared by Michael Davidson, former Senate legal counsel.

On March 20, 2002, Rep. Brian Baird held a press conference to unveil a letter to Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.) that calls on them to convene a panel to study the issue of congressional continuity. The speakers included Rep. Brian Baird, Speaker Thomas Foley, Norman Ornstein, who read a statement for Speaker Newt Gingrich, Rep. Chris Cox (R-Calif.), Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), and Rep. Vic Snyder (D-Ark.).

On October 22, 2001, AEI held an event, "What if Congress were Obliterated?" to discuss the security and constitutional issues surrounding a deadly attack on Congress. Norman Ornstein moderated the event. Speakers included Congressman Brian Baird, former Congressman Bill Frenzel, and Brookings Institution scholar Thomas Mann.