In a letter submitted to the House Modernization Subcommittee ahead of its July 1, 2026 hearing on public access to legislative data and information, the American Governance Institute urged Congress to modernize how it publishes and manages information about its work.

AGI argues that Congress still releases too much information through scattered offices, inconsistent formats, and unpredictable timelines. That makes it harder for members, staff, journalists, civil society, and the public to find, understand, and use information about what Congress is doing.

As artificial intelligence and modern digital tools reshape how people search for and use information, AGI says Congress needs a more coordinated, user-centered approach. Because the House, Senate, and legislative branch agencies each control different parts of the information ecosystem, AGI recommends a federated model: one that respects each institution’s role while creating stronger coordination across the branch.

AGI points to the Congressional Data Task Force as the best existing forum for that work. The Task Force brings together congressional offices, legislative branch agencies, and outside stakeholders to improve legislative data, support public access, and identify practical technology improvements.

But AGI warns that the Task Force remains significantly underleveraged. To strengthen it, AGI urges Congress to:

• provide dedicated staff whose primary responsibility is supporting the Congressional Data Task Force;
• require relevant legislative branch offices and agencies to designate empowered points of contact;
• reaffirm the Task Force’s role as a collaborative forum for congressional information modernization; and
• empower it to identify shared problems and practical solutions across the congressional data ecosystem.

Strengthening the Congressional Data Task Force would help Congress better coordinate technology projects, catalog legislative data sources, apply human-centered design principles, and build the information infrastructure needed for a more effective and publicly accessible legislature.