Congressional committees often end up in the spotlight when a controversy shakes up the seats, or when a clip from a high-profile hearing goes viral. But even when no one is looking, they’re one of the most important parts of our government. They’re where the real work gets done — or at least, they should be. Increasingly, committees are spaces for partisan gridlock and dysfunction. 

We speak with Maya Kornberg, a research fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, about how congressional committees got this way, and how to fix them. Her new book is called, "Inside Congressional Committees: Function and Dysfunction in The Legislative Process."