Caucus Rules | First Branch Center

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

Forecast for July 20, 2020

By DanielSchuman July 20, 2020 15 min read

THE TOP LINE The House Appropriations Committee finished its deliberations this past week, favorably reporting bills from its 12 subcommittees and marking the end of an era with Rep. Lowey’s forthcoming retirement as Chair. As we noted last week, this included much needed investments in the Legislative Branch, reclaiming Congress’ power of the purse, and increased transparency […]

Tags: Office of Legal Counsel, PLUM Act, SCOTUS, Legislation, NDAA, Budget Justifications, Caucus Rules, Proxy Voting, War Powers, Access to Court Proceedings

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, Government Accountability Office, Diversity and Inclusion, Office of Congressional Ethics, US Capitol Police, NDAA

Accountability and Oversight, Appropriations, Continuity and Resiliency, Modernization, Rules, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for June 29, 2020

By DanielSchuman June 29, 2020 12 min read

THE TOP LINE Musical chairs. The House of Representatives will have new committee chairs in the 117th Congress, but how will they be chosen? That’s a difficult enough question that we dig into it below. NDAA. House Armed Services will markup the NDAA on Wednesday; on Monday, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to […]

Tags: Proxy Voting, Caucus Rules, NDAA, Legislation, Government Accountability Office, Inspector General

Accountability and Oversight, Appropriations, Ethics and Influence, Appropriation Tracking, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for February 18, 2020.

By DanielSchuman February 18, 2020 14 min read

ON YOUR RADAR A nice breather. Both the House and Senate are in recess this week. Whistleblower Ombudsman. Congratulations to Shanna Devine, who was just named the House of Representatives’ first Whistleblower Ombudsman. The nonpartisan, independent office, established 14 months ago as part of the House rules package and filled this past week — with bipartisan support […]

Tags: Whistleblower Protections, Department of Justice, Government Accountability Office, Office of Legal Counsel, US Capitol Police, Science & Tech, Leg Support Agencies, Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, Caucus Rules, War Powers

Accountability and Oversight, Rules, Blog posts, Reports & Analysis

Coalition Urges House Democratic Caucus to Publish Caucus Rules

By DanielSchuman February 12, 2020 1 min read

Earlier today, a coalition of 15 organizations sent a letter requesting the House Democratic Caucus to publish its current set of Caucus rules. Similar letters were sent on January 31, 2019, February 7, 2019, and April 10, 2019, requesting the Caucus to publish the rules online. The coalition received a response on February 7, 2019, saying that the issue would […]

Tags: House, Caucus Rules, Coalition

Accountability and Oversight, Appropriations, Ethics and Influence, Modernization, Rules, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for November 4, 2019.

By DanielSchuman November 4, 2019 12 min read

THE TOP LINE It’s a little off topic, but there is legislation to allow states to elect to observe daylight savings time for the duration of the year. It’s HR 1601 and has 13 co-sponsors (from both parties). Just saying. APPROPRIATIONS Another continuing resolution seems almost inevitable to keep the government open beyond Thanksgiving, when the current CR runs out, […]

Tags: Whistleblower Protections, Caucus Rules, US Capitol Police, Congressional Research Service

Accountability and Oversight, Rules, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for August 5, 2019.

By DanielSchuman August 5, 2019 3 min read

The Senate and the House are out for recess but we are still in session. AT THE TOP Want to fix Congress? We’re hiring! We’re looking for a policy manager and a policy analyst to focus on strengthening Congress. Please apply or tell your friends! A beta whistleblower portal is live on Oversight.gov; it instructs whistleblowers regarding who to contact to blow the whistle or request […]

Tags: Whistleblower Protections, Caucus Rules

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

Forecast for July 29, 2019.

By DanielSchuman July 29, 2019 5 min read

The House is out for August recess; the Senate has one week to go. Here’s what you need to know for the week of July 29, 2019. SELECT COMMITTEE GRAND SLAM The Fix Congress Committee adopted two-dozen recommendations last week and also turned their May recommendations into H. Res 526. A super-majority of the committee is required to adopt recommendations; […]

Tags: Government Publishing Office, Cybersecurity, Caucus Rules, Science & Tech, debt limit, Freedom of Information Act

Congressional Workplace Fairness and Inclusion, Ethics and Influence, Modernization, Rules, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for February 19, 2019. Never Waste an Emergency

By DanielSchuman February 19, 2019 6 min read

THE HOUSE COMMITTEE TASKED WITH MODERNIZING CONGRESS has 12 newly appointed members, an initial $50,000 budget (through March), and less than one year to issue recommendations. There’s little doubt that Congress must invest in its own brain power and modernize its technology. The select committee isn’t Congress’s only hope, as the oversight committees (House Admin + Senate Rules) and leg branch […]

Tags: press freedom, Caucus Rules, Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, Legislation, Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, Staff Pay, US Capitol Police, Earmarks, White Supremacy

Accountability and Oversight, Appropriations, Ethics and Influence, Modernization, Rules, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for February 4, 2019. Executive Time.

By DanielSchuman February 4, 2019 9 min read

THE TOP LINE H.R. 1, the pro-voting & ethics strengthening bill, is getting negative reviews from anti-anti-corruption politicians (Mitch McConnell), court-identified fabulists (Hans Spakovsky), and K street lobbyists. It’s also the subject of an Oversight hearing on Wednesday. Why won’t House Dems release their caucus rules? Progressives & grassroots orgs are pushing for their publication while Democratic Caucus chair Hakeem Jeffries dodges press questions. Rep. Jeffries didn’t respond to […]

Tags: Staff Clearances, Foreign Lobbying, Office of Congressional Ethics, US Capitol Police, Korematsu Day, factions, White Supremacy, Caucus Rules

Modernization, Rules, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for December 31, 2018. Party Like It’s 2019.

By DanielSchuman December 31, 2018 8 min read

TOP LINE And we’re (almost) back. The 116th Congress starts on Thursday. It’s common for members to introduce legislation on the first day (237 bills were introduced in the House on day one in the 115th). But — and this is unusual timing — it looks like the House will pass an appropriations bill to end the partial government shutdown on […]

Tags: Caucus Rules, Science & Tech

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

Forecast for December 17, 2018. #MeToo Legislation Sent to the President, Sen. Kyl Resigning, and Nancy Pelosi Secures Support for Speaker.

By DanielSchuman December 17, 2018 11 min read

TOP LINE A government shutdown is looming on Friday and it’s all Trump’s fault, just ask him. With 7 approps bills outstanding, and Congress having done it’s homework, will Congress enact 6 bills as written and turn the 7th into a long term CR, kick the can to the next Congress, or something else? Here’s what happens in […]

Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, War Powers, Cybersecurity, Caucus Rules, Legislation, factions, Foreign Lobbying

Tag: Caucus Rules

Forecast for July 20, 2020

Forecast for July 13, 2020.

Forecast for June 29, 2020

Forecast for February 18, 2020.

Coalition Urges House Democratic Caucus to Publish Caucus Rules

Forecast for November 4, 2019.

Forecast for August 5, 2019.

Forecast for July 29, 2019.

Forecast for February 19, 2019. Never Waste an Emergency

Forecast for February 4, 2019. Executive Time.

Forecast for December 31, 2018. Party Like It’s 2019.

Forecast for December 17, 2018. #MeToo Legislation Sent to the President, Sen. Kyl Resigning, and Nancy Pelosi Secures Support for Speaker.

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