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Congressional Security, Congressional Workplace Fairness and Inclusion, Continuity and Resiliency, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

First Branch Forecast: January 18, 2021

By DanielSchuman January 18, 2021 24 min read

THE TOP LINEThe insurrection is not over. The likelihood of violence at federal and state capitals across the country and ongoing organizing by white nationalists means the danger of immediate political violence has not passed even as the national guard and local police forces are on high alert. Meanwhile, the Twitter pundits who tittered that […]

Tags: Proxy Voting, Political Violence, January 6, US Capitol Police

Congressional Security, Blog posts, Reports & Analysis

Capitol Police Fire Arm Regulations

By DanielSchuman January 13, 2021 3 min read

The Capitol Police Board has regulations governing firearms, explosives, incendiary devices and other dangerous weapons which specify that no person shall carry any firearm inside the chamber or on the floor of either House. The full regulations can be seen in the following image, which has been transcribed as text at the end of this […]

Tags: US Capitol Police

Congressional Security, Congressional Workplace Fairness and Inclusion, Continuity and Resiliency, Ethics and Influence, Modernization, Rules, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

First Branch Forecast: January 11, 2020

By DanielSchuman January 11, 2021 19 min read

We are overwhelmed and you are too. If you are feeling like you need to talk to someone, call the national suicide helpline at 800-273-8255. You can call even if you are just feeling powerful emotions. It’s perfectly okay to do so. Congressionals can reach out to the Office of Employee Assistance (there’s a recent […]

Tags: Staff Pay, US Capitol Police, January 6, Legislation, Political Violence

Congressional Security, Reports, Blog posts, Reports & Analysis

A Primer on the Capitol Police: What We Know From Two Years of Research

By DanielSchuman January 6, 2021 6 min read

Today armed Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an apparent and temporarily successful effort to disrupt the vote to certify the 2020 presidential election results. Members, staff, and journalists were forced to hide throughout the terrifying ordeal and many took to Twitter asking the fundamental questions: Where are the Capitol Police and how could […]

Tags: US Capitol Police

Rules, Blog posts, Reports & Analysis

Your Guide to 117th Congress House Rules Proceedings

By DanielSchuman January 6, 2021 2 min read

The House Rules package for the 117th Congress has been approved and all the juicy details are in Monday’s Congressional Record. Don’t have time to comb through the 50+ dense pages? We’ve got you covered with a handy index of what’s included: Resolution adopting the rules of the House for the 117th Congress H. Res. 8 […]

Rules, Blog posts, Reports & Analysis

House Rules for the 117th Congress

By DanielSchuman January 4, 2021 6 min read

The House of Representatives adopted a new rules package on Monday. Here is the text of H. Res 8, a section-by-section summary, a press release that highlights some of the major changes, and a decent overview of activities of the House Rules committee. We have put together a guide to rules reform proposals over the […]

Accountability and Oversight, Congressional Workplace Fairness and Inclusion, Continuity and Resiliency, Ethics and Influence, Rules, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for January 3, 2021

By DanielSchuman January 3, 2021 19 min read

THE TOP LINE Welcome back, Congress. It’s like you never left. Did you miss us? If so, make sure you subscribe (and tell your friends.) Our back issues are here. Tick Tock: On Friday (Jan.1), the Senate overrode the NDAA veto (even as Sen. McConnell killed the boost to COVID relief), and today the House […]

Tags: NDAA, MRA, Freedom of Information Act

Appropriations, Congressional Security, Continuity and Resiliency, Ethics and Influence, Modernization, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for December 28, 2020

By DanielSchuman December 29, 2020 17 min read

You shouldn’t be at work and neither should I. But since we’re here, this is the latest on the decline and fall of the American republic. Happy holidays! THE TOP LINEThe COVID/Omnibus bill has been hung up by Pres. Trump and the circumstances could mean a government shutdown lasting two weeks or more… and there’s […]

Tags: Staff Clearances, Diversity and Inclusion, Proxy Voting

Accountability and Oversight, Appropriations, Continuity and Resiliency, Ethics and Influence, Rules, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for December 21, 2020

By DanielSchuman December 21, 2020 23 min read

THE TOP LINE You gotta be kidding. We prep this newsletter during the week and finalize it over the weekend. Alas, there’s no way we could possibly evaluate what is in the appropriations + COVID bill(s) for you — and there’s no way most Members of Congress could know what they’re voting on, either. It […]

Tags: Foreign Lobbying, Proxy Voting, Schedule F

Appropriations, Continuity and Resiliency, Ethics and Influence, Modernization, Rules, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for December 14, 2020

By DanielSchuman December 14, 2020 22 min read

THE TOP LINE It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. I really don’t want to talk about the totally avoidable train-wreck that is the CR, approps omnibus, and COVID relief efforts, which are as infuriating as they are predictable. The latest contretemps are the natural consequence of institutional design and political incentives, shaped by those […]

Tags: Congressional Data Task Force, Earmarks, NDAA, Caucus Rules, Whistleblower Protections, Cybersecurity

Appropriations, Appropriation Tracking, Blog posts, Reports & Analysis

2021 Congressional Budget Priorities: House vs. Senate

By DanielSchuman December 1, 2020 1 min read

Senate appropriators released their Fiscal Year 2021 Legislative Branch spending bill proposal back in November — more than a month into the fiscal year. How does their pitch stack up against the House numbers released in July? To find commonalities and differences in funding, we created a side by side comparison, including dollar and percent […]

Accountability and Oversight, Congressional Security, Congressional Workplace Fairness and Inclusion, Continuity and Resiliency, Ethics and Influence, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for November 30, 2020.

By DanielSchuman November 30, 2020 13 min read

THE TOP LINE Agreement? House and Senate appropriators reached a bipartisan agreement last Tuesday on the 302b numbers — the amount of funding available for each appropriations subcommittee — but LOL, we won’t know these numbers until the bill is released. Is there a path to completing the omnibus on time? Kevin McCarthy announced he will oppose the […]

Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, NDAA

First Branch Forecast: January 18, 2021

Capitol Police Fire Arm Regulations

First Branch Forecast: January 11, 2020

A Primer on the Capitol Police: What We Know From Two Years of Research

Your Guide to 117th Congress House Rules Proceedings

House Rules for the 117th Congress

Forecast for January 3, 2021

Forecast for December 28, 2020

Forecast for December 21, 2020

Forecast for December 14, 2020

2021 Congressional Budget Priorities: House vs. Senate

Forecast for November 30, 2020.

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