As incredible as it might seem, there was a time when Congress worked—a time when partisan competition produced consensus and good public policy. At the cente

As incredible as it might seem, there was a time when Congress worked—a time when partisan competition produced consensus and good public policy. At the cente

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced

The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published daily when Congress is in session.

The constitution that establishes the institutional framework for American national government makes no mention of political parties. Yet for over two centuries