Introduction
Yesterday, I posted a diary about how a computer, using social choice theory, might help the Leadership figure out an answer to the health care negotiations that might not be obvious from isolated negotiations taking place in individual silos that do not communicate with each other. It seemed that people didn't really understand what I was saying... it was a little too abstract. Nonetheless, I believe that information systems have the potential to substantially improve the efficiency of Congress, and that these improvements in efficiency are badly needed.
I will be the first to admit that I do not work in Congress or really understand how Congress works, but from my layman's understanding, there are many ways that information systems could help. Below, I will try to present one, more simple example.
The Problem
Congressional committee hearings are exercises in information sharing. Each Congressperson has certain information that they wish to ellicit from witnesses. Currently, each Congressperson would attend the committee hearing, wait his turn to ask a question, and then maybe go back and forth a few times. Then the committee would adjourn once all witnesses have been called and all members have finished with their questions.
But it is not always the case each member is interested in the answers or testimony of each witness. Some witnesses may be testifying on matters on which the member has already made up his mind. He may be particuarly interested only in the answers of one witness to one particular set of questions. But he must sit through the entire panel just to have his turn at asking questions. This is very time consuming.
Suppose, for example, we have a hypothetical world with three Congressmen on a subcommittee. Let's call them A, B, and C, for the sake of simplicity. Now suppose that they are called upon to vote on a matter and two witnesses, let's call them I, and II are called.
Suppose that witness I will answer 30 questions. Of these six questions, all three members of the subcommittee are interested in the answers to the first 10. Two members, A and B, are interested in the answers to 10 more questions. The final group of 10 questions are only relevant to member A, because member A is concerned about a side-issue that members B and C are not concerned with.
Witness II will answer 15 questions. Of these three questions, all three members of the committee are interested in the answers to the first 5. Only member C is interested in the answers to the other 10 questions.
Suppose that the Leadership has a goal that a vote is to be taken in 2 days from today. Suppose that tommorrow, the House is out of the session and the members are in their Districts. They fly back to Washington the day after tommorrow.
The Status Quo
Currently, what would have to happen is that a hearing would have to be scheduled for the day after tommorrow. All 3 members of the committee would have to find time in their busy schedule to meet in the Capitol at a prearranged time. They would enter the room, and all the chairs and witnesses would have to be seated and the meeting would be called to order. Suppose that this takes 15 minutes and that it takes an additional 15 minutes of the members' time to transport themselves to the Capitol room. Then, witness I will be called and takes, let's say, 5 minutes per question x 30 questions = 150 minutes. Witness II is called and takes 5 minutes per question x 15 questions = 75 minutes. Then, the meeting adjourns and the members spend 15 minutes being transported back to wherever they were.
The total amount of time spent is 15 minutes + 150 minutes + 75 minutes + 15 minutes = 255 minutes, or 4 1/4 hours by each member. This is the equivalent of 4 1/4 x 3 members = 12 3/4 man-hours of our Congresspersons' precious time. This time could be spent doing constituent outreach, meeting with lobbyists, fundraising, doing other research, etc. If there were more people on the committee it would be even more. If there were 9 members present instead of 3, it would be nearly 40 man-hours.
Not to mention that nothing was accomplished while Congress was adjourned and the members were home at their districts.
The Solution.
Now, let's say we mechanize this system using computers.
- Since the Leadership knows that a certain matter is coming up before the subcommittee, and that Witnesses I and II are to be called, they send out an electronic survey to each of the 3 members of the committee asking them which questions they want answered.
- Since the survey is electronic, the members can fill them out at their own leisure when they are home in their districts and Congress is out of session, and send them back to the Leadership electronically.
- The Leadership then passes these questions on to the witnesses. Instead of having to fly to the Capitol on their own dime, the witnesses can videotape their testimony and answer the members' submitted questions on videotape, while the members are still at home in their districts. The Leadership then uploads this video into a centralized House electronic repository of data, dividing the clips by question.
- As the members prepare to fly back to Washington, they receive an e-mail notifying them that the testimony has been posted! Instead of sitting through a committee hearing with a lot of stuff going on that they may not care about, Members can leisurely review whatever questions they are interested in on their own time.
- This eliminates the transportation and other logistical costs of setting up a meeting, instantly saving 30 minutes x 3 = 1 1/2 man-hours.
- Member C no longer has to listen to the final 20 questions from witness I, saving him 5 minutes x 20 = 100 minutes. Member B no longer has to listen to witness I's final 10 questions, saving him 5 x 10 = 50 minutes. Members A and B no longer have to listen to witness II's final 10 questions, saving them each 5 x 10 = 50 minutes. Together, they save 50 + 50 + 100 = 200 minutes.
- Combined with the logistical savings, they save 200 + 90 or 290 minutes, or 4.8 man-hours. This represents 4.8 man-hours of valuable Member time, which could be used attending other hearings, negotiating, fund raising, or anything. If there were 9 members of the committee, it would represent more like 15 hours.
- Best of all, ALL of this was done while Congress wasn't even in session! They arrive back in Washington on day 2, ready to tackle new challenges, instead of having accomplished nothing.
- This can work as well for back-and-forth exchanges. Members can submit their follow-up questions to the System, which are then passed onto the Witnesses, and would receive their reply when the Witnesses have answered.
- Having a centralized database or repository of all testimony and other evidence presented to Congress would be helpful later on as well, if any Member's office should wish to research any particular issue. They would just go to the System, log in to a secure account, and access a directory of all information. They can submit questions to Witnesses at any time. This way, Congressman A's office will not have information that Congressman B is looking for, but cannot find. Rather than being in isolated silos, information would be available in a centralized repository.
Conclusion
There are many more ways in which a centralized electronic repository of members, issues, and other data can help Congress be more efficient. Congressional efficiency is a major problem because Congress often does not have time to do the work it needs to do during the time it is in session. This inefficiency can lead to the defeat of major policy changes, like health care, and could cost billions if not trillions of dollars. By using computers and databases, combined with modern communications, the Leadership can exercise greater control over the process and help save Members' time.