AI and Emerging Technology

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First Branch Forecast for April 10, 2023: Keeping up appearances

By DanielSchuman April 10, 2023 17 min read

TOP LINE One of us is back from a trip that included a stop in (no kidding) Indonesia. Unfortunately, the journey, while lovely, was not paid for by a friendly billionaire. We’re reminded during this recess of the unique role Congress holds to preserve our democratic system both by holding the other branches to account […]

Tags: ethics, SCOTUS, AI, MRA

AI and Emerging Technology, Appropriations, Congressional Workplace Fairness and Inclusion, Modernization, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

First Branch Forecast for March 27, 2023: Jello Pudding

By DanielSchuman March 27, 2023 20 min read

TOP LINE The House majority is approaching a crossroads. In order to fulfill its aspirations of a strong Congress with more member input, it needs to continue reinvestment in the capacity of Congress. Some deficit hawks, however, are pushing toward shrinking Congress in a way that undercuts these aspirations. The irony is that cutting the […]

Tags: Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, Staff Pay, MRA, Leg Support Agencies

AI and Emerging Technology, Appropriations, Congressional Security, Ethics and Influence, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

First Branch Forecast for February 27, 2023: Videodome

By DanielSchuman February 27, 2023 13 min read

TOP LINE Speaker Kevin McCarthy interjected himself into the debate over US Capitol Police openness and transparency in a major way by releasing the entirety of video recorded by its cameras on January 6, 2021 to Tucker Carlson at Fox News. The how and why of this decision are going to distract from the what […]

Tags: US Capitol Police, January 6, Congressional Data Task Force, Earmarks

AI and Emerging Technology, Appropriations, First Branch Forecast

First Branch Forecast for February 13, 2023: Eagle eye

By DanielSchuman February 13, 2023 21 min read

TOP LINE It’s hard not to have 21st-century risks facing Congress at top of mind some weeks. We uncovered a serious breach of privacy and independence affecting individual members of Congress involving the FBI that requires immediate action to shield members and staff from unlawful warrantless surveillance. With the help of some sharp colleagues, we […]

Tags: Appropriations, Congressional Unionization, debt limit, AI, Appointments, Section 702, Surveillance, Problem Solvers Caucus

AI and Emerging Technology, Blog posts, Reports & Analysis

Members of Congress on Mastodon

By DanielSchuman November 30, 2022 2 min read

Fourteen years ago, an organization I was involved with pushed to change congressional rules to allow members of Congress onto Twitter. Like many of the starry-eyed democracy and technology efforts of that era, we saw the potential upside — closing the gaps between elected officials and the people they represent, allowing movements to push their […]

Tags: social media

AI and Emerging Technology, Congressional Security, Modernization, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

First Branch Forecast for November 7, 2022: The Longest Weekend

By DanielSchuman November 7, 2022 17 min read

TOP LINE The fallout from the attempted murder of Paul Pelosi reverberates as Americans go to the polls. Those charged with protecting Members of Congress have asked for even more money while the proximate cause of security failures — bad leadership, bad management, bad oversight — remain unaddressed. As some on the new right escalate and make […]

Tags: Staff Pay, Modernization, US Capitol Police, NDAA, Trump Taxes, social media

AI and Emerging Technology, Congressional Security, Modernization, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for September 7, 2021

By DanielSchuman September 7, 2021 10 min read

Welcome to the First Branch Forecast, your regular look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. Subscribe here. THE TOP LINE Yesterday was Labor Day, which is as good a reason as any to ask why the House and Senate do not allow staff for elected officials to unionize? (They do in Ohio and overseas.) Labor laws are intended to […]

Tags: Library of Congress, Inspector General, Government Accountability Office, Congressional Unionization, US Capitol Police, NDAA

Accountability and Oversight, AI and Emerging Technology, Appropriations, Congressional Security, Continuity and Resiliency, Ethics and Influence, Modernization, Appropriation Tracking, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for June 1, 2021.

By DanielSchuman June 1, 2021 21 min read

Bring on the out-of-office responses and welcome to this recess edition of the First Branch Forecast, where we look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. Now, you’ll have time enough at last to encourage your colleagues to subscribe here. TOP LINE The forgotten art of congressional oversight is the topic of a fantastic, extensive article by the American Prospect’s […]

Tags: Office of Legal Counsel, Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, January 6, Congressional Data

AI and Emerging Technology, Congressional Security, Congressional Workplace Fairness and Inclusion, Modernization, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for May 10, 2021.

By DanielSchuman May 10, 2021 21 min read

Welcome to the First Branch Forecast, your weekly look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here. TOP LINE STOP EVERYTHING. “100% of my focus is on stopping this new administration,” said Sen. McConnell at a press conference. He added: Democrats want to turn America into a “socialist country” and […]

Tags: Surveillance, Advisory Committee on Transparency, Whistleblower Protections, Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, Earmarks, US Capitol Police, Department of Justice, Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, Freedom of Information Act, PLUM Act, Office of Legal Counsel

Accountability and Oversight, AI and Emerging Technology, Appropriations, Congressional Security, Ethics and Influence, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

First Branch Forecast: February 8, 2021

By DanielSchuman February 8, 2021 13 min read

The Senate finally is organized, budget reconciliation is prioritized, and impeachment has materialized. Welcome to the First Branch Forecast, your weekly look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. Please tell your friends to subscribe. THE TOP LINE Dems took control of Senate committees on Wednesday, two weeks late, when the chamber adopted its organizing resolution after Sen. […]

Tags: US Capitol Police, Whistleblower Protections, Leg Support Agencies, Korematsu Day, January 6, Office of Congressional Ethics, House Ethics Committee, Library of Congress

Accountability and Oversight, AI and Emerging Technology, Appropriations, Congressional Security, Continuity and Resiliency, Ethics and Influence, Modernization, Rules, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for July 13, 2020.

By DanielSchuman July 13, 2020 16 min read

THE TOP LINECongress may finally have begun investing in itself — House appropriators favorably reported a 5% increase in funding for the Legislative Branch. That’s half of the 10% increase sought by good government types (like us), and while Congress is still significantly below its funding level from a decade again, we are starting to dig out of […]

Tags: Caucus Rules, NDAA, US Capitol Police, Office of Congressional Ethics, Diversity and Inclusion, Government Accountability Office

AI and Emerging Technology, Appropriations, Continuity and Resiliency, Ethics and Influence, Modernization, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for June 22, 2020

By DanielSchuman June 22, 2020 14 min read

THE TOP LINE Appropriations subcommittee markups are now two weeks away, but there’s no agreement or public statement on how much money will be available to the 12 appropriations subcommittees. Today we released a letter urging a $500 million increase (+10%) in funding available for the legislative branch appropriations subcommittee, co-drafted with the Lincoln Network and signed by […]

Tags: US Capitol Police, Inspector General, SCOTUS, Legislation, Proxy Voting

First Branch Forecast for April 10, 2023: Keeping up appearances

First Branch Forecast for March 27, 2023: Jello Pudding

First Branch Forecast for February 27, 2023: Videodome

First Branch Forecast for February 13, 2023: Eagle eye

Forecast for September 7, 2021

Forecast for June 1, 2021.

Forecast for May 10, 2021.

First Branch Forecast: February 8, 2021

Forecast for July 13, 2020.

Forecast for June 22, 2020

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