Long before 9/11 made a threat clear & this pandemic made the need acute, Congress needed the capacity to ensure the continuity of secure, distributed remote operations should its Members not be able to safely convene in Washington: continuityofcongress.org/timeline-on-re… It's time to fix this.
As the scope & risk of the pandemic became clearer in March, a coalition of good government advocates called on @SpeakerPelosi & @senatemajldr to reform rules to allow remote participation & authenticated voting to ensure the continuity of Congress:
In late April, @LeaderHoyer called for the House to update its rules to allow remote committee proceedings define being “present” in a way that allowed Members to participate on an approved video conferencing platform:
then enacted historic changes: for the 1st time in more than 2 centuries, Members of Congress were allowed to vote remotely.
The House has conducted its operations virtually since, but not the Senate.
While Senators have held hybrid hearings & virtual town halls, & allowed witnesses to participate via teleconference, this @senatemajldr still has not allowed remote voting. axios.com/coronavirus-co…
Now Rep. @RodneyDavis is speaking. (He opposed #HR965, which implemented proxy voting & remote deliberations, & has raised useful questions & concerns about the adoption of virtual proceedings.) @GOPLeader & @HouseGOP have challenged the constitutionality of the new House rules.
As @danielschuman & @ZacharyGraves point out, Congress continues to need secure, remote, resilient, distributed deliberations & voting to ensure continuity in the event of a pandemic, act of war, or other disaster, like other democracies around the world. s3.amazonaws.com/demandprogress…
A July 2020 moment: "Can you unmmute? Can someone unmute Mr. Gingrich?"– @RepZoeLofgren
Transparency & accountability have not been a priority for a @WhiteHouse that briefs on background & relegates open government to a compliance exercise.
Opacity atop secrecy: @politico granted US officials anonymity to say @DeptofDefense did not tell @POTUS @JakeSullivan46 & NSC aides @SecDef was hospitalized for 3 days,
Austin recognized he “could have done better job” informing the public.
@politico @DeptofDefense @POTUS @JakeSullivan46 @SecDef Official opacity: @Axios granted the @WhiteHouse anonymity to claim that President Biden & Austin had “a warm conversation” & that @POTUS “has full confidence in @SecDef & is “ looking forward to him being back at the Pentagon.”
I heard a thunderclap in DC on a sunny day.
It appears it was a sonic boom from @DeptofDefense fighters scrambled from Andrews @airforce Base to intercept an unresponsive Cessna that overflew DC.
This is the least useful PSA I’ve encountered in some time, @AlertDC — could you please investigate and then elaborate when you confirm what has happened, @DC_HSEMA@SafeDC ?
🚨✈️🛫💨💥?
I take it back, @AlertDC: it was useful to hear that “there is no great at this time,” but being aware of reports of a loud “boom” doesn’t add much context for millions of people wondering what we heard.
If you know there was a sonic boom from scrambled fighters, please say so.
I’m at the historic @WarnerTheater in DC to bear witness what @PowerUSAID invited all Americans to learn about this morning:
How Ukraine is delivering services online in a democracy at war with @USAID. @karaswisher live now: usaid.gov/diiaindc
19M Ukrainians using DIAA now
As @karaswisher said, there has a been backpack against disruptive technologies like the Internet, smartphones, & social media.
We now worry about AI.
But all governments must harness these technologies to provide critical info & deliver services to networked publics, everywhere.
Today, @PowerUSAID says delivering services showed how “robust & secure digital public infrastructure” enabled Ukrainians to access services in a war while minimizing corruption.
She says @USAID supported in e-gov in Ukraine since 2016. “
The result: “Government in a smartphone.”
I find it encouraging to see @USAID@StateDRL rejoining international open government circles.
It’s discouraging @OpenGovPart@OGP_IRM have said so little about @WhiteHouse45@WhiteHouse acting contrary to process after @POTUS45 made a mockery of the US being in “good standing.”
No #AprilFools: @Twitter to remove @verified status from journalists, after enabling anonymous accounts to spread misinformation & lies using @elonmusk’s ill-designed pay-to-get-seen system “to expand their reach while creating the illusion of credibility” apnews.com/article/ohio-t…