Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act

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

First Branch Forecast for 6/26/23 – Teeing Up a Busy July

By DanielSchuman June 26, 2023 15 min read

TOP LINE This week Congress starts its two-week Independence Day holiday. We’re hoping to take next week off from writing our little newsletter, but we’ll be back. Among the highlights from this past week: Senate Appropriators adopted 302(b) allocations that are very different from the House’s untenable numbers, but with many Republican defections the National […]

Tags: Legislative Branch, PRESS Act, Congressional Data Task Force, US Capitol Police, House Ethics Committee, Diversity and Inclusion, Congressional Unionization, Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, Congressional Research Service, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Legislation

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

First Branch Forecast for December 19, 2022: Not O.K.?

By DanielSchuman December 19, 2022 12 min read

TOP LINE The end of this Congress feels like the run up before a high school graduation. Senior leaders are saying goodbye while the next crop waits their turn. Everyone’s rushing to turn in their remaining work, leading to sloppy mistakes. The turnover will lead to something new, but we’re not sure what. This work […]

Tags: Caucus Rules, NDAA, Statements of Disbursements, factions, Congressional Data Task Force, Judicial Security and Privacy Act, Staff Pay, Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, PLUM Act

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

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

First Branch Forecast for May 9, 2022: Union means together

By DanielSchuman May 9, 2022 34 min read

TOP LINE Welcome back. The Senate is in today; the House is back tomorrow. On the House floor, a resolution to allow House staff to unionize will be brought to a vote later this week. Senate Leg branch approps has started its hearings, with the Architect, CBO, and Senate SAA on Wednesday; House FSGG approps will hear from the federal judiciary on […]

Tags: Congressional Research Service, Appropriations, Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, Congressional Unionization, US Capitol Police, January 6, Political Violence

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

First Branch Forecast for March 21, 2022: Not the Supremes

By DanielSchuman March 21, 2022 18 min read

Welcome‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌First‌ ‌Branch‌ ‌Forecast,‌ ‌your‌ ‌regular‌ ‌look‌ ‌into‌ ‌the‌ ‌Legislative‌ ‌branch‌ ‌and‌ government ‌transparency.‌ ‌Tell ‌your‌ ‌friends‌ ‌to‌ subscribe. TOP LINE This week. The Senate is in; the House is out. This week, much attention will focus on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on SCOTUS nominee Hon. Ketanji Brown Jackson. Last week was packed with Sunshine […]

Tags: Office of Legal Counsel, Freedom of Information Act, Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, Staff Pay, Congressional Unionization, US Capitol Police, January 6, Congressional Transparency Caucus, Whistleblower Protections, Political Violence, Advisory Committee on Transparency

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

First Branch Forecast: Democratic slippage, court accountability, and the mother of parliaments 11/29/2021

By DanielSchuman November 29, 2021 9 min read

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 […]

Tags: Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, Staff Clearances, Diversity and Inclusion, US Capitol Police, Statements of Disbursements, Whistleblower Protections, Political Violence

11.15.21

Coalition Letter Endorsing the Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act

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

First Branch Forecast: Better Later Than Never– What’s In the Approps Bills? (Nov. 2, 2021)

By DanielSchuman November 2, 2021 12 min read

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 […]

Tags: Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, Office of Congressional Ethics, US Capitol Police, January 6

Appropriations, Congressional Security, Modernization, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for September 27, 2021

By DanielSchuman September 27, 2021 7 min read

Hey everyone, welcome to the First Branch Forecast, your regular look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. Subscribe here. We had written a lot more but pared it down because that seemed the humane thing to do. Here’s the top things you need to know. Spending and budget. You already know that we’re in for […]

Tags: PLUM Act, Freedom of Information Act, Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, US Capitol Police, NDAA

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

Forecast for August 2, 2021

By DanielSchuman August 2, 2021 15 min read

Welcome to the First Branch Forecast, your weekly look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. Subscribe here. THE TOP LINE Congress enacted the Security supplemental with a 98-0 vote in the Senate, a 416-11 vote in the House, and a signature from the President. Six House Dems voted no. (The amended bill text is here.)The $2.1 billion bill includes significant non-congressionally related funds, such […]

Tags: Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, Freedom of Information Act, Proxy Voting, Political Violence, January 6, US Capitol Police, Diversity and Inclusion

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

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

Tag: Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act

First Branch Forecast for 6/26/23 – Teeing Up a Busy July

First Branch Forecast for December 19, 2022: Not O.K.?

First Branch Forecast for December 12, 2022: Twelve Squared

First Branch Forecast for May 9, 2022: Union means together

First Branch Forecast for March 21, 2022: Not the Supremes

First Branch Forecast: Democratic slippage, court accountability, and the mother of parliaments 11/29/2021

Coalition Letter Endorsing the Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act

First Branch Forecast: Better Later Than Never– What’s In the Approps Bills? (Nov. 2, 2021)

Forecast for September 27, 2021

Forecast for August 2, 2021

Forecast for May 10, 2021.

Forecast for April 19, 2021

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