CD262: Inside C-SPAN with Howard Mortman

Release Date: 11/12/2022

Housing for the 21st Century Act - CD344

Congressional Dish

Congress passed a new housing law, including an attempt to limit corporate ownership of homes. We’ll also examine the Senate’s summer confirmations, including Todd Blanche as Attorney General, and preview troubling provisions in the NDAA—including one that would deepen U.S.-Israeli military cooperation and another that would override California to benefit a private oil pipeline. View the show notes on our website at Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to:...

The National Weather Service Under Fire - CD343

Congressional Dish

The National Weather Service is one of the few government agencies that affects every American every single day. Every weather app, television forecast, hurricane warning, tornado alert, and flood prediction depends on it. In this episode, we examine what has happened to the National Weather Service under the Trump administration, from staffing cuts and delayed weather balloon launches to contract bottlenecks, AI-driven forecasting, and growing concerns about privatization. Using congressional hearings, testimony from emergency managers, and government officials’ own words, we’ll separate...

Mapped to Flood - CD342

Congressional Dish

The Texas Hill Country flood that killed 139 people was described as a natural disaster. But after digging through state legislative hearings and Congress’s oversight of FEMA, I found something else: many of the deadliest consequences weren’t just caused by the weather. They were the result of policy choices. This episode follows the disaster from the storm itself to the way Congress prepares—or fails to prepare—the United States for the floods to come. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations...

Land Grabs and Cages - CD341

Congressional Dish

June brought a massive expansion of ICE and immigrant detention, failed efforts to rein in the unauthorized war with Iran, a debate over U.S. support for Israel’s actions in Lebanon, and the confirmation of two controversial lifetime judges. We examine what passed, what failed, and what comes next. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Use your bank’s online bill pay...

CD340: No More Iran War

Congressional Dish

In CD340: No More Iran War, Congress finally pushes back against President Trump’s unauthorized war with Iran as Republicans join Democrats to pass War Powers resolutions rejecting the conflict. Jen breaks down those historic votes, the few laws Congress passed in May, and the Trump administration officials confirmed to powerful positions overseeing public lands, environmental policy, prosecutions, and the courts. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Send...

CD339: Raising Screen Zombies

Congressional Dish

Children are spending more time on screens than ever before, but what is all that screen time actually doing to them? In a recent hearing, Congress heard testimony from experts who argue that social media, educational technology, and AI are reshaping childhood in ways many parents don’t fully understand. This episode explores the evidence and the growing concern that we’re raising a generation of screen zombies. View the show notes on our website at Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per...

CD338: April 2026 — Bulldozing the Rules

Congressional Dish

April 2026 gave us a Congress that took a two-week vacation, came back to vote on war powers, Israel weapons sales, FISA surveillance, DHS funding, and whether Minnesota’s clean water should be protected from mining. This episode tracks what Congress actually did — including the votes, scandals, resignations, deaths, new members, and laws that tell you far more than campaign ads ever will. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Send Venmo payments to:...

CD337: March 2026 — At War, On Vacation

Congressional Dish

Congress took multiple vacations during a DHS shutdown, failed to check an unauthorized war with Iran, and passed just two bills—both honoring the dead. Meanwhile, a bipartisan majority voted to keep misconduct investigations against themselves secret. This episode exposes a month of dysfunction—and the real consequences of a Congress that isn’t doing its job. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App...

CD336: SAVE America from Easily Voting

Congressional Dish

The SAVE Act and the SAVE America Act are two of the most searched bills in Congress right now—and they’re confusing a lot of people. By digging into what these bills actually do—and the long history they fit into—you’ll see why they’re widely considered voter suppression efforts and how they could affect your ability to vote. And more importantly, you’ll learn what you can do right now to protect your ballot before any of this becomes law. View the show notes on our website at Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support...

CD335: February 2026 — Overdue Funding

Congressional Dish

February’s big accomplishment: partial government funding—months late and still incomplete. This episode breaks down the most important provisions in the law, from war powers and foreign policy to domestic policies that affect your daily life, and evaluates what Congress actually delivered. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Use your bank’s online bill...

More Episodes

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 and are not allowed to film and the network's funding sources and distribution, as well has Howard's podcast, the Weekly, and his book, When Rabbis Bless Congress.

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View the shownotes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd262-inside-c-span-with-howard-mortman