Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy

From 1966 to 1971, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a series of oversight hearings that questioned the "justification, tactics, and effectiveness of the U.S military in the Viet Nam War." Led by Senator William Fulbright, "the hearings illustrate the powerful role that congressional inquiries can play in informing the public about their government, influencing public opinion, and altering the course of U.S. history."

https://levin-center.org/read-our-new-explainer-on-state-oversight-of-medicaid/

Read our New Explainer on State Oversight of Medicaid - Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy Medicaid is one of the largest and most important programs overseen by state governments, providing health coverage to millions of Americans while accounting for a significant share of state spending. […]

We’re excited to announce the 2026/27 Elise J. Bean Oversight Fellows, Laura de Castro Qu***ia from Roanoke College, and Greg Hunt!

Their research will explore legislative oversight, accountability, transparency, and democratic governance, continuing Elise Bean’s legacy.

Laura de Castro Qu***ia is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Roanoke College, where she coordinates the Public Policy Program and co-directs the Center for Policy, Ethics, and Law. Her research focuses on congressional oversight, bureaucratic accountability, and the conditions under which information-based oversight leads to meaningful administrative action. As our Elise J. Bean Oversight Fellow, Professor de Castro Qu***ia will examine variation in federal agencies’ responsiveness to GAO recommendations, using an original dataset of more than 50,000 recommendations to develop new measures of oversight effectiveness and identify persistent gaps in implementation.

Greg Hunt is a senior federal and state health policy professional and scholar with more than fifteen years of experience working at the intersection of government accountability, health policy, and vulnerable populations. He has served in senior roles at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and in two governors’ offices, giving him firsthand insight into oversight challenges in federal-state partnerships. As our Elise J. Bean Oversight Fellow, Dr. Hunt will study how Congress and state legislatures oversee federally funded Medicare counseling programs, with a focus on whether existing oversight mechanisms effectively ensure that these programs reach the vulnerable populations they were designed to serve.

The June 1 deadline is approaching for the Levin Center Award for Excellence in Oversight Research. The award honors impactful scholarship on legislative oversight, accountability, investigations, and democratic governance.

Apply today:

Award for Excellence in Oversight Research - Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy Our yearly research award promotes the visibility of scholarly papers that examine important oversight issues.

Congress has the power to expel or censure its members. It’s interesting to note that in 1868, Rep. Fernando Wood (D-N.Y.) was censured by the House for “unparliamentary language” for referring to Reconstruction legislation as a “monstrosity, a measure of the most infamous acts of this most infamous Congress.”

Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy Receives Grant from the Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation

The Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy at Wayne State University Law School will receive a $250,000 grant from the Erb Family Foundation to support its nonpartisan programs strengthening legislative oversight and democratic accountability.

The grant will support the Levin Center’s training and technical assistance for state and federal lawmakers and legislative staff, helping them carry out effective oversight, govern responsibly, and better serve their constituents. Through this work, the Center promotes fact-driven inquiry, bipartisan cooperation, and practices that reinforce public trust in democratic institutions between elections.

“The Levin Center works to reduce the distance between the people and their government by promoting fact-driven inquiry, cooperation, and responsible public leadership, values grounded in Senator Carl Levin’s legacy,” said Levin Center director Jim Townsend. “This grant from the Erb Foundation will enable the Center to continue and expand its training and technical assistance to lawmakers in Michigan and across America to enable them to fulfill their responsibilities to the constitution and our democracy. As the original ‘Arsenal of Democracy,’ Detroit is a fitting home for this work as the Levin Center helps rebuild the feedback loop between citizens, their representatives, and the outcomes of democratic governance.”

The Levin Center is proud to partner with the Erb Family Foundation in advancing a healthy democracy grounded in accountability, effective governance, and public confidence in representative institutions.

The most consequential work often happens quietly: researchers tracking water quality in the tributaries that feed the Lakes, arts organizations keeping Detroit's cultural life rooted and alive, civic groups ensuring communities have real standing in the decisions that shape them.

Today, we're announcing $10.8 million in new and ongoing grants— across Southeast Michigan and the Great Lakes region.

As a spenddown foundation, we are intentionally drawing down our assets over time, which means some of these grants represent long partnerships coming to a close, others mark multi-year commitments reaching their final year, and some are investments in work that's still gaining ground. Over the coming weeks, we'll be spotlighting each one and the organizations behind them.

Read the full announcement and grants list here: https://www.erbff.org/nearly-11m-awarded-across-southeast-michigan-and-the-great-lakes/

Researching legislative oversight, investigations, audits, or government accountability? Apply for the Levin Center Award for Excellence in Oversight Research.

The deadline to submit is June 1.

Learn more:

Award for Excellence in Oversight Research - Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy Our yearly research award promotes the visibility of scholarly papers that examine important oversight issues.

The Levin Center Award for Excellence in Oversight Research recognizes outstanding scholarship on legislative oversight and accountability. Researchers from across disciplines are encouraged to apply.

Submission deadline: June 1.

Award for Excellence in Oversight Research - Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy Our yearly research award promotes the visibility of scholarly papers that examine important oversight issues.

President Trump’s $1.8 billion fund for possibly paying persons committing violence on Jan. 6 is more than the annual budget of the U.S. Senate ($1.2 billion or $3.50 per American), an amount hardly sufficient to oversee the executive branch and competently do the people’s business.

Applications are now open for the Levin Center Award for Excellence in Oversight Research. The award recognizes outstanding scholarship on legislative oversight, accountability, and democratic governance.

Apply by June 1:

Award for Excellence in Oversight Research - Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy Our yearly research award promotes the visibility of scholarly papers that examine important oversight issues.