Congressional Security

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

First Branch Forecast for May 15, 2023: Unions, CRS, USCP, and the Debt Debacle

By DanielSchuman May 15, 2023 17 min read

TOP LINE In a place driven by interpersonal relationships, failures to treat other people with respect in the Legislative branch stand out. Last week, we learned a lot more about how the people inside CRS feel about how upper management treats them and how that impacts its capabilities. We did so through its union, which […]

Tags: Congressional Research Service, Congressional Unionization, US Capitol Police, debt limit

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

First Branch Forecast for May 1, 2023: Analyzing CRS

By DanielSchuman May 1, 2023 17 min read

TOP LINE Last week’s House vote garnered a lot of attention but changed nothing. We see little room for Speaker McCarthy to maneuver to stay at the top of his conference while simultaneously negotiating a deal that avoids default on our nation’s debt. Prior Republican speakers have cut loose part of their conference to avert […]

Tags: Earmarks, debt limit, SCOTUS, January 6, US Capitol Police, Government Accountability Office, Congressional Research Service, Staff Clearances

Congressional Security, Ethics and Influence, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

First Branch Forecast for April 24, 2023: Norms and power

By DanielSchuman April 24, 2023 11 min read

TOP LINE Countermajoritarianism defined the week, as it has this Congress. House leadership unveiled an unserious debt limit proposal designed to hold their factions together while they hope Dems make an unforced error. Senate Republicans, meanwhile, stand athwart majority rule in the Judiciary Committee. Senate Democrats can reclaim their power, but only if they stick […]

Tags: Congressional Research Service, January 6, ethics, SCOTUS, debt limit

Accountability and Oversight, Congressional Security, Ethics and Influence, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

First Branch Forecast for April 17, 2023: Welcome back, Congress

By DanielSchuman April 17, 2023 19 min read

TOP LINE Without unified majority control and frequent long-term absences, the Senate hasn’t been much more than a conveyor belt for judicial nominations this Congress. The possibility that Senator Dianne Feinstein may extend her absence and not return at all to the body potentially stalls out even that function as the Judiciary Committee deadlocks. The […]

Tags: Staff Clearances, ethics, SCOTUS, Judicial Security and Privacy Act, debt limit

Appropriations, Congressional Security, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

First Branch Forecast for April 3, 2023: No Foolin’

By DanielSchuman April 3, 2023 8 min read

TOP LINE Friends, in the last issue we promised that we’re taking a break until April 17th, which we are, we swear. But because there’s been a lot of news this past week, we’re going to point you in the right direction for a few items and leave it at that. As you know, Congress […]

Tags: US Capitol Police, debt limit, Legislative Branch

Accountability and Oversight, Appropriations, Congressional Security, Congressional Workplace Fairness and Inclusion, Modernization, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

First Branch Forecast for March 13, 2023: House Unions Can Continue

By DanielSchuman March 13, 2023 17 min read

TOP LINE We have to hand it to the Committee on House Administration for roaring out of the gate in the 118th Congress. Last week, it garnered reform ideas from members, held the first Modernization Subcommittee hearing, and allotted committee funds with significant increases nearly across the board. The Legislative Branch Subcommittee on Appropriations, meanwhile, […]

Tags: January 6, CRS Reports, PRESS Act, Appropriations, Staff Pay, Staff Clearances, Modernization, Congressional Unionization

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

First Branch Forecast for March 6, 2023: Members Request Staff Funding

By DanielSchuman March 6, 2023 13 min read

TOP LINE Money decisions figured prominently in a shortened work week for the House. Committee leaders followed suit with Senate counterparts in requesting more funds for their staff in the coming fiscal year, while appropriators established tighter controls over the earmarks process. CHA, meanwhile, has grabbed the spotlight early in this Congress. This week … The […]

Tags: Appropriations, Staff Pay, Modernization, Diversity and Inclusion, US Capitol Police, January 6, MRA, Earmarks, Legislative Branch

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

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

First Branch Forecast for December 12, 2022: Twelve Squared

By DanielSchuman December 12, 2022 13 min read

TOP LINE No, this is not the most wonderful time of the year for people who care about Congress. The twin must-pass bills that remain for this lame duck session – the NDAA and additional government funding – encapsulate the most dispiriting aspects of current congressional procedure and leadership. Tracking what gets thrown into the […]

Tags: PLUM Act, Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, Staff Pay, US Capitol Police, Judicial Security and Privacy Act, factions, NDAA

Congressional Security, Rules, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

First Branch Forecast for December 5, 2022: The Second Triumvirate

By DanielSchuman December 5, 2022 14 min read

TOP LINE Congress had some of its most substantive conversations about its rules in years last week. Although the results mostly fiddled around the edges of larger institutional problems, time and opportunity remain to continue the negotiations, at least in the House. The stasis within the Democratic caucus, however, was notable. Meanwhile, things that need […]

Tags: Rules, January 6, debt limit, factions, Caucus Rules, Trump Taxes

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

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

First Branch Forecast for Oct. 31, 2022: Improving Congressional Tech

By DanielSchuman October 31, 2022 11 min read

Top Line 1/ Speaker Pelosi’s husband was violently assaulted in their San Francisco residence. • At the time of writing, we do not know the motives of the assailant. However, it would not be surprising if the ultimate aim was to harm Speaker Pelosi. In this newsletter we have previously discussed the concept of stochastic […]

Tags: Congressional Unionization, US Capitol Police, Congressional Data Task Force, PRESS Act, Congressional Data

First Branch Forecast for May 15, 2023: Unions, CRS, USCP, and the Debt Debacle

First Branch Forecast for May 1, 2023: Analyzing CRS

First Branch Forecast for April 24, 2023: Norms and power

First Branch Forecast for April 17, 2023: Welcome back, Congress

First Branch Forecast for April 3, 2023: No Foolin’

First Branch Forecast for March 13, 2023: House Unions Can Continue

First Branch Forecast for March 6, 2023: Members Request Staff Funding

First Branch Forecast for February 27, 2023: Videodome

First Branch Forecast for December 12, 2022: Twelve Squared

First Branch Forecast for December 5, 2022: The Second Triumvirate

First Branch Forecast for Oct. 31, 2022: Improving Congressional Tech

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