AUWCL Program on Law & Government

02/03/2026

The Government Accountability Office and its Role in and Oversight of Appropriations Law

Appropriations law, which governs the spending of federal funds and the timing of that spending, exists in a unique space. A sub-section of administrative law, its disputes are not frequently brought under judicial review, but political review. This is driven by the relationship between the Congress, the appropriator of funds, and the President, the executor of appropriated funds. These two branches have come to rely on a little-known support agency to provide expertise and oversight over the complexity of appropriations law: the…...

Appropriations law, which governs the spending of federal funds and the timing of that spending, exists in a unique space. A sub-section of administrative law, its disputes are not frequently broug…

01/06/2026

Addressing the U.S. Farmland Data Gap in Foreign Investment

Who really owns America’s farmland, and how could anyone know if it changed hands overnight? GAO findings on foreign investment in U.S. farmland reveal a deeper problem: the federal government’s struggle to track, verify, and act on critical foreign investment action. This gap has consequences for national security and agricultural policy. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), foreign investment in U.S....

Who really owns America’s farmland, and how could anyone know if it changed hands overnight? GAO findings on foreign investment in U.S. farmland reveal a deeper problem: the federal government’s st…

11/24/2021

11/08/2021

The Program on Law & Government / Student Bar Association food & donation drive for the Capital Area Food Bank begins TODAY!

Please bring in your unexpired non-perishables and drop them off in the cafeteria or the Law & Government Suite (Y346)!

Alternatively, consider donating to our digital drive at: https://give.capitalareafoodbank.org/team/391539

Let's give back to our community together this November!

11/05/2021

Don't forget to join us TODAY, November 5th at 2pm on Zoom for a panel on the Program's course offerings!

Take advantage of this opportunity to talk with professors and ask questions about their courses. After the panel, stay to chat with 3Ls for their advice on government-related courses.

We hope to see you there!
You can join through this link:
https://auwcl.zoom.us/j/94523651045

11/03/2021

Are you still unsure what to take in Spring 2022? Looking for more information on the Law and Government course offerings this upcoming semester and what classes are typically offered yearly?

The Program on Law & Government and the Law & Government Society are hosting a Course Selection Panel this Friday, November 5th at 2pm on Zoom!

Take advantage of this opportunity to talk with professors and ask questions about their courses. After the panel, stay to chat with 3Ls for their advice on government-related courses.
We hope to see you there!

You can join through this link:
https://auwcl.zoom.us/j/94523651045

10/18/2021

Join our partners at the Administrative Law Review on Friday, October 29th for their fall symposium, "Detention & Incarceration Crises: Administrative Challenges & Potential Improvements." The Program's Professor Amanda Frost will moderate the event. We hope to see you there!

Register HERE: https://www.wcl.american.edu/secle/registration.cfm

10/06/2021

Did you miss "On the Docket: A Preview of the New Supreme Court Term?"

You can watch a recording of the event HERE: https://www.wcl.american.edu/impact/initiatives-programs/lawandgov/news/on-the-docket-looking-ahead-at-the-new-supreme-court-term/

09/29/2021

On Friday, October 1, 2021, American University Washington College of Law is hosting Contested Boundaries: The Past, Present, and Future of U.S. Citizenship. The colloquium brings together 19 citizenship experts for a day-long conversation about the history of citizenship policies and the pathway to a productive future.

Participants include scholars from a variety of disciplines, government officials, leaders of NGOs, and journalists, all of whom are leaders in the field. The public may attend virtually the hour-long webinar starting at 1:15pmET between Professor Martha Jones (Johns Hopkins, author of Vanguard and Birthright Citizens) and Professor Erika Lee (Minnesota, author of America for Americans), moderated by Amanda Frost (American University), by registering at the link below!

If for any reason you cannot use this form to register for the event, please contact SECLE at [email protected] with your name, affiliation, address and phone number and the event for which you would like to register.

09/22/2021

Join the Program on Law & Government and the Public Education Division of the American Bar Association on September 30th for a discussion among constitutional law experts on the hot-button issues the Court is likely to explore in the upcoming term!
Register for the event HERE: https://www.wcl.american.edu/secle/registration?fbclid=IwAR1HR8ujxFFFgfbmJsvejRLvkvQzsBG2jnxv20xbOuST5pGE06sKhIGczSc

09/20/2021

Join the Program on Law & Government and the Public Education Division of the American Bar Association for a discussion among Supreme Court experts on the key issues the Court is likely to explore in the upcoming term.

Register for the event HERE: https://www.wcl.american.edu/secle/registration?event_id=308759&listonly

09/17/2021

Don't forget to join us today for WCL's Constitution Day Commemoration!

Register HERE for the Zoom Event: https://americanbar.zoom.us/.../WN_KI-B1FEfRM2cn4_qmreAmA