Congressional Reforms
The Republicans promised eight major reforms of Congress in the “Contract With America” and they passed all eight, most on the first day of the session.
Require all laws that apply to rest of country apply to Congress
Select an auditing firm to look at waste, fraud or abuse in Congress
Cut the number of House committees and cut committee staff by one-third
Limit the terms of committee chairs and the speaker
Ban casting of proxy votes
Open committee meetings to the public
Require a three-fifths majority vote to pass a tax increase
Implement zero base-line federal budgeting SOURCE: Congressional Quarterly