In The News

Since September 11th, there has been significant discussion of the issue of the continuity of government.

Opinion Pieces

There have been several editorials and op-eds written since the release of the Commission's first report, including those written for the New York Times, Denver Post, and the Boston Herald. After September 11th, Norman Ornstein writing in Roll Call, described the dangers of a mass attack in Congress ("What if Congress were Obliterated? Good Question"). He gave a fuller treatment of the issue in the Wall Street Journal ("Preparing for the Unthinkable"). Syndicated columnists William Safire and Bill Schneider also wrote on the issue. See a full list of opinion pieces.

Articles

Articles about the release of the Commission's first report include those of Adam Clymer (New York Times), Suzanne Nelson (Roll Call), and Jennifer Kerr ( Associated Press.) Other articles about the continuity of government and congressional efforts to address the problem include those of Curt Anderson (Associated Press), David Shribman (Boston Globe), and David Nather (Congressional Quarterly.) See a full list of articles.

Hearings

The House Judiciary and Administration committees have held hearings on the subject and there have been several joint meetings between the House Republican Policy Committee and the House Democratic Caucus. Particularly relevant is Norm Ornstein's testimony before the House Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution. See full list of hearings and testimony.

Additional materials

Recent press releases from Senator John Cornyn and Representative Brian Baird. For a history of efforts to pass a constitutional amendment to ensure the continuity of Congress in the 1950s and 60s, see an excellent explanation prepared by Michael Davidson, former Senate legal counsel. On March 20, six members of Congress held a press conference calling on the leadership to convene a commission to study the continuity of Congress and questions of presidential succession. See full list of additional materials.