We are a civic initiative committed to restoring bipartisan problem-solving in Congress for the nation’s most difficult issues through a binding, results focused approach that by its design ensures action.
For years, Congress has flopped repeatedly on the following critically important, yet intransigent, issues:
Immigration reform
Social Security reform
Medicare and Medicaid reform
Health-care reform
Fiscal responsibility reform
Federal election reform (primaries, redistricting, fraud prevention)
Sensible gun regulation
At the same time, polls show that overwhelmingly there is wide voter support for cooperation. In fact, over 70 percent of American voters favor bipartisan solutions to the nation’s problems.
This gridlock is not for lack of ideas, but because the system rewards obstruction.
Enough! It doesn’t have to be this way.
A Gallup poll in the second quarter of 2025 showed that 46 percent of U.S. adults were either Democrats or independents who lean Democratic, compared with 43 percent who identify as Republicans or lean that way. This is a shift from 2024 when the leanings of voters were split evenly.
The recent trend is driven almost entirely by more independents saying they incline toward the Democrats—a four-point increase with no increase in outright identification with the party. And it is no secret that independent voters largely decide elections. In 2024, independent voters made up 43 percent of the vote.
It’s time for moderate Democrats to make good on the leanings of Independents and promote a bipartisan solution that works. And there are many moderate Republicans who favor bipartisanship and their support is urgently needed as well.
The message is clear: It’s time for moderate voters—by far the majority—to take the field and demand that Congress pass legislation that ensures it will take effective action on these central issues.
We propose that voters demand the enactment of the Bipartisan Priority Reform Commission Act (BPRCA), a framework designed to ensure Congress tackles at least one or two of these issues in each two-year session of Congress. Nothing would preclude Congress from action on these issues through regular order but the track record for that approach is abysmal.
The legislation we propose would create a bipartisan commission for each of these issues led by a team of Representatives, Senators, and experts. A similar bipartisan commission structure has been used successfully, including the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commissions and the 9/11 Commission.
The PRCA builds on these lessons and improves on them by structurally ensuring that Congress must act on each commission’s work. It would ensure that the days of “report and forget” are history.
Voter Pledges
Obtain the pledges of Democrats and Independents to vote for candidates in the midterm elections in November 2026 who commit to pursue this new, novel approach.
Candidate Commitments
Obtain commitments from Democratic and Independent candidates in the 2026 midterms to pursue this new, novel approach.
Public Communication: Joint Op-Ed (Summer 2026)
We seek attract as many candidates as we can to publish together in the summer of 2026 in major media outlets an op-ed that explains this binding bipartisan approach to the public.
Join us in showing that the Democratic Party can lead with pragmatism, integrity, and independence.
The biggest cause of gridlock in Washington is the Senate’s Filibuster Rule (Rule XXII). We do not advocate for its abolition. It has its place in ensuring consensus. But Senate Rule XXII would not apply to the legislation we propose.
For each priority issue, a bicameral commission would be created with ten months to study the issue and recommend legislation to Congress. The commission would have 12 members consisting of 4 legislators (one Democrat and one Republican from each chamber) and 8 non-officeholding experts, appointed on a bipartisan basis. Legislation recommended to Congress would be approved by a simple majority vote.
At the beginning of each two-year congressional session, Congress would select at least one, but no more than two, priority issues. Congress could still address other priority issues through regular order. If Congress failed to designate the issue(s), the issue for consideration would be chosen starting with immigration reform and proceeding down the list.
Upon the submission of the commission’s recommended legislation to each house, a ten-day amendment window would open. Any member would be permitted to propose amendments which would require a simple majority vote of the commission members. Unapproved amendments would require written reasons for denial.
After the close of the amendment window, the resulting bill would automatically bevintroduced and referred to committee for no more than 30 days and then discharged. Floor debate would be limited to 20 hours with no amendments. Approval would require a simple majority vote.
The resulting bill would automatically be introduced and referred to committee for no more than 30 days. Floor debate would be limited to 20 hours with no amendments. The bill would be subject to simple-majority passage—the Filibuster Rule (Rule XXII) would not apply.
House: If the commission fails to recommend a bill within 10 months, any bill supported by 25 representatives, including at least one member from each party, may require fasttrack treatment and a vote on one of the proposals considered by the commission.
Senate: If the commission fails to recommend a bill within 10 months, any bill supported by 10 senators, including at least one from each party, may require fast-track treatment and a vote on one of the proposals considered by the commission.
The enabling legislation will call for the creation of an oversight board to supervise the process to ensure compliance with the deadlines, procedures, transparency rules, and reporting obligations of the Act.
The authority created by the enabling legislation would expire at the end of seven years
Gridlock Isn’t Governance. It’s Time to Make Congress Work Again!
If you agree that this approach deserves your support, we ask you to pledge that you will vote for candidates that have committed to fully support this approach.
If you are a candidate for Congress in 2026 and agree this approach deserves your support, we ask you to pledge that if elected you will co-sponsor the proposed legislation on the first day of your term in your respective chamber
If you are currently serving in Congress and not up for reelection in 2026 and you agree this approach deserves your support, we ask that you pledge that on the first day of the next congressional session you will co-sponsor with other like-minded legislators the proposed legislation in your respective chamber.
We suggest that pledging candidates and incumbents jointly publish the proposed op-ed sometime during the summer of 2026. The op-ed carefully explains why his approach is in the best interests of the nation.
If you agree that this approach deserves your support, we ask you to pledge that you will vote for candidates that have committed to fully support this approach.
If you are a candidate for Congress in 2026 and agree this approach deserves your support, we ask you to pledge that if elected you will co-sponsor the proposed legislation on the first day of your term in your respective chamber
If you are currently serving in Congress and not up for reelection in 2026 and you agree this approach deserves your support, we ask that you pledge that on the first day of the next congressional session you will co-sponsor with other like-minded legislators the proposed legislation in your respective chamber.If you are a candidate for Congress in 2026 and agree this approach deserves your support, we ask you to pledge that if elected you will co-sponsor the proposed legislation on the first day of your term in your respective chamber
We suggest that pledging candidates and incumbents jointly publish the proposed op-ed sometime during the summer of 2026. The op-ed carefully explains why his approach is in the best interests of the nation.
We believe in good governance—A Government that works for all Americans, regardless of party. Although either party can adopt this approach, the polls show that Independent Voters strongly favor a bipartisan approach and believe the Democratic
Party is more likely to pursue bipartisan solutions.
The proposed op-ed notes that approximately 70 percent of American voters favor a bipartisan approach to solving America’s most difficult issues, like comprehensive immigration reform, comprehensive social security reform, Medicare and Medicaid reform, health care reform, fiscal responsibility reform (including deficit and debt management), federal election reform (including but not limited to ranked choice for primaries), sensible redistricting reform, and voter fraud prevention), and sensible gun control legislation.
At the same time, it observes that Congress has repeatedly failed to address these pressing issues, largely because of the Senate’s Filibuster Rule (Rule XXII) which requires 60 senators to permit a bill to come to the Senate floor for a majority vote.
The approach we propose calls for an exception to the Filibuster Rule for any legislation that creates bipartisan commissions in each house to address these issues to be followed by fast-track consideration.
It’s an approach whose time has come. Your pledges will send a message to candidates and incumbents to publish the op-ed.
We are actively seeking the endorsement of civic groups and public figures who support this new bipartisan approach. You can access those endorsements here
You can track our growing support and see how voters, organizations, and public figures support our mission.
Draft legislation on comprehensive immigration reform, comprehensive social security reform, and more can be viewed here.
You can help get the message out by purchasing pre-designed car magnets, bumper stickers, caps, shirts, cups, and more at VistaPrint.com
