Having a robust, functioning administrative state is vital to the health of US democracy and the government’s ability to provide for its citizens. From the Supreme Court’s ruling hobbling department and agency expertise in Loper Bright to Project 2025’s plan to dismantle the civil service, the ability of the state to deliver on public needs is under constant threat. Rebuilding the state’s capacity to advance equity and respond to people’s economic needs is the cornerstone of effective public policy. On Tuesday, November 12, the Roosevelt Institute hosted an in-depth conversation on the outlook for government capacity. Our esteemed panelists discussed concrete steps government agencies can take to protect and build state capacity in 2025 and beyond.
We welcomed K. Sabeel Rahman, professor of law at Cornell University; Diana Reddy, assistant professor of law at UC Berkeley School of Law; and Todd N. Tucker, director of industrial policy and trade at the Roosevelt Institute. We were honored to feature Representative Jamie Raskin for opening remarks.
In Conversation
Representative Jamie Raskin
US CongressCongressman Jamie Raskin proudly represents Maryland’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. The district includes most of Montgomery County and a small part of Prince George’s County. Congressman Raskin was sworn into his fourth Term at the start of the 118th Congress on January 6, 2023.
Rep. Raskin was chosen by the Democratic Caucus to be the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability in the 118th Congress. This is his fourth term serving on the Oversight Committee.
K. Sabeel Rahman
Professor of Law, Cornell Law School and Roosevelt Institute Board MemberK. Sabeel Rahman is a professor of law at Cornell Law School, where his research focuses on the themes of democracy, economic inequality, exclusion, and power. From 2021 to 2023, he served as senior counselor and associate administrator (delegated the duties of the administrator) in the Biden administration’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Diana Reddy
Assistant Professor of Law, UC Berkeley School of Law and Fellow, Worker Power and Economic Security, Roosevelt InstituteDiana Reddy is an assistant professor at the UC Berkeley School of Law where her research focuses on the regulation of work as a site where critical choices are made about the relationship between American economic commitments and its democratic ideals.
As a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, Diana studies unions, labor regulations, and the work of the National Labor Relations Board.
Todd N. Tucker
Director, Industrial Policy and Trade, Roosevelt InstituteTodd N. Tucker is a political scientist and director of the industrial policy and trade program at the Roosevelt Institute, where he leads research on global governance, democracy, and the administrative state.
A recognized expert on trade and political economy, Todd has testified before legislatures and expert committees around the world. His writing has been featured in Politico, Time Magazine, Democracy Journal, the Financial Times, and the Washington Post.
Felicia Wong
President and CEO, Roosevelt InstituteFelicia Wong is the president and CEO of the Roosevelt Institute, where she directs the organization’s mission, vision, and strategy in pursuit of a high-care, low-carbon economy that works for all. She was the US representative on the G7 Economic Resilience Panel in 2021, served on the Biden-Harris administration transition advisory board, and currently serves as vice chair of the Treasury Advisory Committee on Racial Equity.