Accountability and Oversight
Put Senate Bills and Amendments Online Before Votes
The public does not have real time access to bills and amendments as they are considered on the Senate floor. This week, Demand Progress, Lincoln Network, and a coalition of 41 other organizations and 15 experts sent a letter to Senate leadership requesting the Senate publish bills and amendments online while they are still under […]
First Branch Forecast: Police, PODA, and the Courts 12/06/2021
Welcome to the First Branch Forecast, your regular look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. Tell your friends to subscribe. THE TOP LINE This week: the Senate is in today; the House is in on Tuesday. Congress cleared a CR that funds the government through February 18th so this week expect a debt limit vote, NDAA consideration, and […]
First Branch Forecast: Democratic slippage, court accountability, and the mother of parliaments 11/29/2021
Welcome to the First Branch Forecast, your regular look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. Tell your friends to subscribe. THE TOP LINE Welcome back. The Senate is in today; the House is in on Tuesday, with the Courthouse Ethics and Transparency Act on suspension and further appropriations bills possible. We’re curious about House Oversight’s Wednesday hearing into the Future […]
First Branch Forecast: Clearances, Compensation, and Censure 11/22/2021
Welcome to the Thanksgiving-week First Branch Forecast, a quick — abridged, even — look at the Legislative branch and government transparency. Tell your friends to subscribe. THE TOP (AND ONLY) LINE OOO. We know most people are out, so here’s just the highlights — we’ll have a full report next week. Clearances. Each senator can now designate […]
Senate Personal Offices Now Allowed a Staffer With TS/SCI Clearance
Every senator will now be able to designate one aide as eligible to apply for a TS/SCI clearance according to an announcement made by Sen. Schumer and reported by Politico. Clearances give staffers the ability to review matters deemed classified by the Executive branch. Senator Murphy is a long-time champion of this change, which had […]
First Branch Forecast: Top lines, bottom lines, effective oversight, and legislative nirvana (Nov. 8, 2021)
Welcome to the First Branch Forecast, your regular look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. Tell your friends to subscribe. THE TOP LINE OOO. The Senate is in recess until the week of November 15th; no floor votes are scheduled in the House until the week of the 15th, although there are a few committee […]
First Branch Forecast: Better Later Than Never– What’s In the Approps Bills? (Nov. 2, 2021)
Welcome to the First Branch Forecast, your regular look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. Tell your friends to subscribe. THE TOP LINE Notable events this week: Strengthening Congressional Oversight Capacity is the focus of a ModCom hearing on Thursday; ACMRA and several IG bills get a HSGAC mark-up on Wednesday; and save the date for next Monday’s lightning […]