(4 pm. – promoted by ek hornbeck)
For over a year now, Main Street Insider has been busy developing a single online location that combines a free schedule of U.S. House and Senate committee activities with live video of these events whenever available. We call it the Committee Dashboard, and this week we are thrilled to announce that it is open to the general public.
The Committee Dashboard gives people all over the world an unprecedented ability to witness the committee process from their computer. The hearings and markups that take place in these committees often shape the narrative of discussion and have a direct, significant impact on legislation that reaches the floor. User-friendly, unfiltered access to these events for folks outside the Beltway can ultimately raise the level of debate and result in better governing.
This tool, and the very need for its development, also sheds light on the sad state of the livefeeds being provided by the various committees. In a letter released in late January of this year, our Executive Director, Jeremy Koulish, and the Sunlight Foundation’s Executive Director, Ellen Miller, called upon the House of Representatives to take steps in order to improve their livefeed technology (among other things). Today, as we here at Main Street Insider make the Committee Dashboard available to the general public, we renew that call.
You can find the Committee Dashboard at www.MainStreetInsider.org. There is a packed schedule of hearings and markups this week, so drop on by and join us in holding our government accountable.