Congressional Dish

Congressional Dish episodes:

• 04.24.2024

  CD291: Warrantless Spying Continues

  “FISA 702” allows the government to spy on foreigners and store the information that they collect about American citizens incidentally. After more than a decade of FBI officials inappropriately searching the database of our information without warrants, Congress just reauthorized...

  
• 04.17.2024

  CD290: Israel War Money: What’s Already Law

  After an unprecedented embassy bombing followed by an unprecedented drone and missile attack, Israel and Iran may have us on the brink of WWIII. In this episode, as Congress and the Biden administration ponder additional support for Israel, we take...

  
• 03.15.2024

  CD289: The Not A TikTok Ban Bill

  A bill is quickly moving through Congress that supposedly would “ban TikTok.” While it is clearly aimed at TikTok, this bill is really about creating a new Presidential power to remove Americans’ access to apps, websites, games and other entire...

  
• 03.06.2024

  CD288: Government Funding 101

  As we enter another round of government funding drama, let’s learn the basics. In this episode, we examine how the process is supposed to work, spot the tell tale signs that something has gone wrong, and decipher all of the...

  
• 02.29.2024

  CD287: War Money

  It’s been four months since President Biden requested over $100 billion in war money for Israel and Ukraine and the Senate has now passed a bill that would provide most of the money. In this episode, we examine the events...

  
• 01.16.2024

  We’re Not Wrong Live: New Hampshire

  7pm Saturday, January 20 To Share Brewing Company 720 Union St Manchester, NH 03104

  
• 12.17.2023

  CD286: Prolonging the War in Ukraine

  Congress is probably going to send approximately $50 billion more, most of that for weapons, to continue the war in Ukraine. In November, high ranking officials from the State Department testified about how the Biden administration intends to use our...

  
• 12.05.2023

  Bonus! December Preview with Justin Robert Young

  December is busy season in a Congress that has done nothing all year. In this bonus episode - which features Congressional Dish host Jen Briney as a guest on the December 1st episode of Politics, Politics, Politics with Justin Robert...

  
• 11.20.2023

  CD285: The Indicteds: Rep. George Santos and Sen. Robert Menendez

  Two members of Congress, one from each side of the aisle and each branch of Congress, are currently under criminal indictment, yet are steadfastly clinging to their roles as lawmakers. In this episode, we’ve got the dirt straight from the...

  
• 11.05.2023

  CD284: Thieving Russia

  While the world is distracted, members of Congress are writing bills designed to steal Russia’s money and give it to Ukraine. In this episode, listen to the pitch being made to Congress as we examine if this is a good...

  
• 10.23.2023

  CD283: A Federal Reserve Digital Dollar (CBDC)

  The House Financial Services Committee has been investigating the possibility of the Federal Reserve creating a Central Bank Digital Currency. In this episode, hear experts unpack the nuances and implications of this idea during three hearings, and discover how you...

  
• 10.09.2023

  CD282: Chaos Fires McCarthy

  For the first time in U.S. history, the Speaker of the House of Representatives has been fired from the job mid-term. This episode is a play by play of the drama that lead up to this historic event, including the...

  
• 09.18.2023

  CD281: Private Policing of the Organ Transplant Network

  The system for coordinating organ donations and transplants in the United States is broken, according to experts who have testified over the course of many years to Congress. In this episode, hear their testimony about what is wrong with the...

  
• 09.04.2023

  CD280: Corporate Junk Fees

  Do you hate hidden hotel, housing, airline, ticketing, banking, and other corporate fees? Do you want Congress to do something about them? In this episode, learn about the wide range of unreasonable fees being reported to Congress during hearings and...

  
• 08.13.2023

  CD279: The Censure of Adam Schiff

  On June 21st, the House of Representatives censured Rep. Adam Schiff of California. The House has censured members just 24 times in our nation’s history, making Schiff the 25th. In this episode, we'll detail the actions outlined in the censure...

  
• 07.30.2023

  CD278: All Three UAP Hearings

  Since May 2022, Congress has held three hearings looking into Unidentified Aerial Phenomena and the possibility of non-human intelligent life flying aircraft on Earth. In this episode, hear testimony from three Defense Department officials and three credible whistleblowers, whose testimony...

  
• 07.15.2023

  CD277: PGA LIVs

  The Chief Operating Officer and a board member of the PGA golf tour recently testified to the Senate as part of its investigation into the possible merger between the PGA and LIV golf tours. In this episode, hear a summary...

  
• 06.26.2023

  CD276: The Demise of Dollar Dominance

  The U.S. dollar’s status as the global reserve currency is diminishing, which reduces the power that U.S. leaders have over the global economic system. In this episode, hear highlights from recent Congressional testimony during which financial elites examine the current...

  
• 06.12.2023

  CD275: Debt Ceiling 2023: Crisis Normalized

  Another unnecessary crisis averted. In this episode, Jen examines the debt ceiling crisis events of the past to show that the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 - which raised the debt ceiling - is not likely to reduce our government’s...

  
• 05.28.2023

  CD274: Norfolk Southern Train Derailment in East Palestine

  On February 3rd, a train carrying 20 cars with poisonous, flammable chemicals derailed in East Palestine, OH. In this episode, we’re going to get some answers. Using testimony from four Congressional hearings, community meeting footage, National Transportation Safety Board preliminary...

  
• 05.14.2023

  CD273: Inside Congressional Committees with Dr. Maya Kornberg

  For this episode, Jen sat down for an interview with fellow Congress nerd Dr. Maya Kornberg. Dr. Kornberg is a Research Fellow for the Brennan Center for Justice's Elections and Government Program and author of Inside Congressional Committees: Function and...

  
• 04.30.2023

  CD272: What is Taiwan?

  Taiwan’s status in the world has never been clear and neither has the United States’ position on the issue. In this Congressional Dish, via footage from the C-SPAN archive dating back into the 1960s, we examine the history of Taiwan...

  
• 04.22.2023

  We're Not Wrong: Live in Austin!

  Join Jen Briney and her We're Not Wrong co-hosts Justin Robert Young and Andrew Heaton as they record in front of a live audience in Austin! The show begins at 6:30pm followed by a meet and greet.  Get Tickets...

  
• 04.09.2023

  CD271: RESTRICTing TikTok

  TikTok might be banned from the United States. In this episode, hear testimony from TikTok’s CEO and judge for yourself if you think the arrangement that TikTok has negotiated with the U.S. government is enough to ensure that the Chinese...

  
• 03.27.2023

  CD270: The Twitter Files

  The First Amendment prohibits the U.S. government from censoring speech. In this episode, drawing from internal Twitter documents known as “the Twitter files” and Congressional testimony from tech executives, former Twitter employees, and journalists, we examine the shocking formal system...

  
• 02.26.2023

  CD269: NDAA 2023/Plan Ecuador

  The annual war authorization (NDAA) is an excellent opportunity to examine our military’s roles and goals in the world. In this episode, learn about how much of our tax money Congress provided the Defense Department, including how much of that...

  
• 02.12.2023

  CD268: Disappearing Oversight: The NFL Sexual Misconduct Investigation

  In December, the House Oversight and Reform Committee released a final report from their investigation into allegations of sexual assault committed by Washington Commanders team owner Dan Snyder. In this episode, you will hear the testimony and discover what the...

  
• 01.29.2023

  CD267: The Monopoly Powers of Live Nation/Ticketmaster

  Live Nation and Ticketmaster merged over a decade ago and Congress is concerned - for good reason - that the company is exerting monopoly powers over the live event industry. In this episode, learn how the merger was allowed to...

  
• 01.06.2023

  CD266: Contriving January 6th

  The January 6th Committee investigation is over and four criminal charges against former President Donald Trump have been referred to the Justice Department by the Committee. In this episode, hear a summary of 23 hours of testimony and evidence presented...

  
• 12.23.2022

  CD265: Policing FTX

  FTX, at one point the world’s third largest cryptocurrency exchange, went bankrupt, causing the entire cryptocurrency industry to crash. In this episode, hear highlights from Congressional testimony that will explain how FTX was able to grow so large while committing...

  
• 12.11.2022

  CD264: Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain

  FTX, a large cryptocurrency exchange, recently went bankrupt, leading to calls for government regulation of cryptocurrencies. But you might be wondering, what are cryptocurrencies? In part one of this two-part series, listen to expert testimony provided over a four-year period...

  
• 11.28.2022

  CD263: Republicans Take the House

  The results are in: The Democrats will keep the Senate, the Republican will take the House. In this episode, in preparation for the 118th Congress, Jen analyzes the detailed policy documents released by the House Republicans to see what they...

  
• 11.12.2022

  CD262: Inside C-SPAN with Howard Mortman

  As we wait for the final results of the midterm elections to determine which party will control the House, enjoy Jen's interview with C-SPAN Communications Director, Howard Mortman. Jen and Howard discuss all things C-SPAN, including what C-SPAN crews are...

  
• 10.30.2022

  CD261: Inflation Reduction Act

  The Inflation Reduction Act is a new law designed to hasten the United States’ energy transition (and do nothing about inflation). In the last episode before the midterm election, learn about the energy path the Democratic Party has plotted for...

  
• 10.10.2022

  CD260: Failure to Fund with Graham Elwood

  Congress has failed to fund the government on time again. In this episode, Graham Elwood joins Jen as she geeks out on all the dingleberries attached to the new law extending Congress’s funding deadline until December 16th. Please Support...

  
• 09.23.2022

  CD259: CHIPS: A State Subsidization of Industry

  A new law, known as the CHIPS Act, provides over $50 billion to existing, profitable companies to fund new semiconductor production facilities in the United States. In this episode, we examine why Congress decided to gift these companies our tax...

  
• 09.18.2022

  CD258: Gain of Function Research

  On August 3rd, Senate Republicans held a hearing examining gain of function research: its possible role in creating the COVID-19 pandemic; the problems with oversight of this dangerous research; and recommendations to Congress for how to fix those problems. ...

  
• 08.21.2022

  CD257: PACT Act - Health Care for Poisoned Veterans

  After decades of our government denying healthcare to veterans they exposed to poisonous toxins, the PACT Act - which will eventually provide this hard-fought-for care - is now law. In this episode, learn exactly who qualifies for these new benefits...

  
• 07.30.2022

  CD256: Poisonous Pet Collars

  Seresto Flea and Tick Collars for dogs and cats have been sold to Americans since 2013. During that time, the EPA has received approximately 100,000 reports of illnesses and 2,500 reports of deaths of animals that wore a Seresto Flea...

  
• 07.17.2022

  CD255: Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs)

  The recently signed gun law, S. 2938: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, contained a surprise dingleberry postponing a regulation designed to save seniors money on their pharmaceutical drugs by prohibiting kickbacks to an industry few have heard of: Pharmacy Benefit Managers...

  
• 06.26.2022

  CD254: Baby Formula Shortage

  After multiple formula-related infant deaths were reported to the FDA in February, samples from Abbott Laboratories' Sturgis, Michigan baby formula production facility tested positive for cronobacter, triggering a recall and a subsequent formula shortage. In this episode, Jen uncovers monopoly...

  
• 06.06.2022

  CD253: Escalation of War

  Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Congress has signed four laws that send enormous amounts of money and weapons to Ukraine, attempting to punish Russia for President Putin’s invasion. In this episode, we examine these laws to find out...

  
• 05.22.2022

  CD252: Women’s Health Protection Act

  The Women’s Health Protection Act is a bill written by Democrats that would guarantee access to abortion services in the United States. While this bill is unlikely to become law, learning what exactly the Democrats are proposing is instructive, as...

  
• 05.08.2022

  CD251: BIF: Driving Dangers Sustained

  The recently signed infrastructure law continues the United States’ over-reliance on the most dangerous way to travel: driving a vehicle. Did Congress make sufficient safety improvements to decrease the dangers posed by driving in the United States? This episode will...

  
• 04.24.2022

  CD250: Congress Saves the Postal Service

  Congress did a good thing! In this encouraging episode, learn about a new law that saved the Postal Service from financial doom without spending one extra penny in taxpayer money. Then, listen to the highlights from a recent hearing about...

  
• 03.20.2022

  CD249: A Few Good Laws

  We have some new laws! In this episode, a brief overview of the government funding law that (finally) funds the government for 2022 and provides money and weapons to Ukraine, a new law that protects drinking water, a new law...

  
• 02.27.2022

  CD248: Understanding the Enemy

  Russian President Vladimir Putin has launched an illegal, unjustified war against Ukraine and Putin himself is the only person who can stop the war immediately. In this episode, we seek to understand why President Putin has launched this horrific war...

  
• 02.13.2022

  CD247: BIF: The Growth of US Railroads

  The infrastructure law provides the most significant investment in passenger rail in U.S. history, but substantial hurdles - including a powerful cartel - stand firmly in the way of a real national network. In this episode, learn the ways the...

  
• 01.30.2022

  CD246: BIF: Appalachian Chemical Storage

  The Infrastructure Law that was signed in late 2021 funds the first phase of a huge infrastructure project called the Appalachian Storage Hub, which would consist of large gas processing plants, underground chemical storage facilities, and pipeline networks to connect...

  
• 01.16.2022

  CD245: New Year, Same Congress

  Much media attention has been rightfully aimed at the recent failures of Congress, but there was, in fact, lawmaking happening at the end of 2021. In this episode, learn about some laws that didn't get much attention, including a law...