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

Forecast for May 17, 2021

By DanielSchuman May 17, 2021 18 min read

Welcome to the First Branch Forecast, your weekly look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. Encourage your colleagues to subscribe here. TOP LINE Both chambers are in session this week and getting down to business: A bill providing for a January 6th Commission likely will be considered in the House this week. The legislation, introduced by […]

Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, US Capitol Police, January 6, Earmarks, Proxy Voting

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

Forecast for April 19, 2021

By DanielSchuman April 19, 2021 23 min read

Welcome to the First Branch Forecast, your weekly look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. (Tell your friends to subscribe.) TOP LINE White nationalism has no place in Congress and yet several representatives on Friday were gathering support to start the America First Caucus, ostensibly focused on Anglo-Saxon “political traditions,” per PunchBowl.news. The America First Committee, the obvious antecedent, […]

Tags: MRA, Cybersecurity, Political Violence, Leg Support Agencies, Science & Tech, White Supremacy, Congressional Data, Earmarks, January 6, US Capitol Police, Staff Pay, Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, Congressional Research Service

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

Forecast for March 29, 2021.

By DanielSchuman March 29, 2021 16 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 We made it. The House and Senate are on recess for the next two weeks. With members at home, at fundraisers, or on CODELs, staff will have an opportunity to catch […]

Tags: Freedom of Information Act, Earmarks

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

Forecast for March 22, 2021

By DanielSchuman March 22, 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 The security supplemental funding bill could reach $2 billion, according to Billy House, and is intended to strengthen security at the Capitol and enhance member protection. To place this number in […]

Tags: Office of Legal Counsel, Staff Pay, Office of Congressional Ethics, US Capitol Police, SCOTUS, Earmarks, Legislation, Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, Cybersecurity, Proxy Voting

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

Forecast for March 15, 2021

By DanielSchuman March 15, 2021 26 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 It’s been a year since we wrote to every Member of Congress on how Capitol Hill should respond to COVID. If I were to grade the response, I’d likely give the House of […]

Tags: Staff Pay, Leg Support Agencies, Legislation, Office of Congressional Workplace Rights

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

Forecast for February 22, 2021

By DanielSchuman February 22, 2021 15 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.) SUPPORTING CONGRESSIONAL STAFF + MEMBERS The Office of Employee Assistance (OEA) and mental health inside the Legislative branch was the topic of the first Leg branch Appropriations subcommittee hearing for the FY 2022 appropriations cycle, […]

Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, House Ethics Committee, US Capitol Police, January 6, Earmarks, Political Violence, Cybersecurity

Continuity and Resiliency, Ethics and Influence, Blog posts, Reports & Analysis

The Congressional Budget Office and Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

By DanielSchuman February 18, 2021 4 min read

The Congressional Budget Office is a Legislative branch agency that supports the Congressional budget process by providing analyses of budgetary and economic issues. CBO makes use of an outside panel of advisers to help inform its work products. Because outside experts can have conflicts of interest, CBO requires the advisers to annually submit forms to […]

Tags: Leg Support Agencies

Accountability and Oversight, Appropriations, Congressional Security, Continuity and Resiliency, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for February 15, 2021

By DanielSchuman February 15, 2021 11 min read

THE TOP LINE Impeachment Trial. There’s no legitimate question about Trump’s guilt, the Senate confirmed its jurisdiction 56-44 (which is basically what CRS said), and jury nullification is not a legitimate option. What’s at stake for Trump: disqualification from serving again in high office. What’s at stake for America? Whether we suffocate our democracy. Sen. McConnell declared his support for […]

Tags: Freedom of Information Act, US Capitol Police, January 6, Proxy Voting

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

Forecast for February 1, 2021

By DanielSchuman February 1, 2021 20 min read

The Senate still has not organized, COVID is spreading like wildfire, the impeachment trial clock is ticking, unemployment benefits will expire soon, and white nationalists remain an active threat. 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 The no deal […]

Tags: US Capitol Police, MRA, Political Violence, Cybersecurity, press freedom

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

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

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: Freedom of Information Act, MRA, NDAA

Forecast for May 17, 2021

Forecast for April 19, 2021

Forecast for March 29, 2021.

Forecast for March 22, 2021

Forecast for March 15, 2021

Forecast for February 22, 2021

The Congressional Budget Office and Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Forecast for February 15, 2021

Forecast for February 1, 2021

First Branch Forecast: January 18, 2021

First Branch Forecast: January 11, 2020

Forecast for January 3, 2021

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