Senate Function and Dysfunction With James Wallner

Matt, Mark, and Josh discuss the midterm elections, nationalized politics, personal campaigns, and other things in this pre-election pod. https://gai.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Oct-14-2026-pod.mp3The post Congressional elections heat up first appeared on The Government Affairs Institute.

Matt and Josh discuss the unproductive 119th, the role of the House Clerk presiding over the organization of Congress, and the most recent House defectors. https://gai.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Sept-2026-pod.mp3The post Post-Recess Podcast first appeared on The Government Affairs Institute.

Matt and Josh discuss House chaos, what animates different Republican factions, and how this could affect future majorities. https://gai.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/July-17-2026-pod.mp3The post House Chaos, Among other Things first appeared on The Government Affairs Institute.

Matt and Josh discuss the gerrymandering wars, the shutdown, and where Congress is exerting more influence than is commonly acknowledged. https://gai.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/gerrymandering-and-shutdown-April-2026.mp3The post A gerrymander, a shutdown, and some congressional power first appeared on The Government Affairs Institute.

On the latest episode of Congress, Two Beers In, Laura, Matt, and Josh discuss the January/February spending deal to reopen the government, the Save Act, and the Supreme Court’s tariff decision and its implications for the separation of powers. https://gai.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Approps-Deal-and-Tariff-Feb-2026.mp3The post The Spending Deal, SAVE Act, and Tariffs first appeared on The Government Affairs Institute.

Matt and Josh sit down with Mark, who retires at the end of the month, to discuss his winding career in and around Congress. Mark will be hanging around but he’ll be sorely missed here at GAI. https://gai.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Mark-retirement-pod.mp3The post Mark Harkin’s Farewell Pod first appeared on The Government Affairs Institute.

Matt and Josh are joined by Senate guru James Wallner to discuss the current state of the Senate https://gai.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Congress-Two-Beers-in-Wallner.mp3 The post Senate Function and Dysfunction With James Wallner first appeared on The Government Affairs Institute.

Laura, Matt, and Josh discuss the shutdown, Congress’s spending power, enduring constitutional fights, the Epstein files, and Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva. https://gai.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Shutdown-again-Oct-2025.mp3The post The Shutdown Again! And other sundry things. first appeared on The Government Affairs Institute.

Matt and Josh discuss the shutdown, how Congress got here, how congressional leaders are handling it, and the politics moving forward. https://gai.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/shutdown-2025.mp3The post Shutdown Pod 2025 – Congress, Two Beers In first appeared on The Government Affairs Institute.

Laura, Matt, and Josh discuss a sliver of what’s on Congress’s plate, from appropriations and pocket rescissions, to Epstein, nominations, and the Senate’s growing reputation as the world’s most exclusive HR department. The post Congress is back! And wow, it is a mess. first appeared on The Government Affairs Institute.