Legislation | First Branch Center

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

Forecast for March 11, 2019. The Not at SXSW Edition.

By DanielSchuman March 11, 2019 8 min read

IT’S SUNSHINE WEEK, devoted to all things transparency, and there are a ton of Congress tie-ins. On the House floor, set for a vote this week, are: the Access to Congressionally Mandated Report Act (which requires all agency reports sent to Congress to be online on a central website); the Federal Advisory Committee Act Amendments of 2019 (to improve transparency of the […]

Tags: Library of Congress, Freedom of Information Act, Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, Office of Congressional Ethics, White Supremacy, Legislation

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

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

Forecast for January 28, 2019. A Strange Game. The Only Winning Move Is Not To Play.

By DanielSchuman January 28, 2019 8 min read

TOP LINE The shutdown was shut down, at least for three weeks, after (we suspect) Sen. McConnell made clear to the White House that he would no longer use his position as Senate Majority Leader to block a real vote in which the majority of his party would defect. McConnell signalled this by holding two votes […]

Tags: Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, Diversity and Inclusion, US Capitol Police, Legislation, Trump Taxes

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

Forecast for January 22, 2019. Champagne Wishes & Caviar Dreams.

By DanielSchuman January 22, 2019 10 min read

TOP LINE In a lengthy and insightful essay, noted Holocaust historian Christopher Browning drew ominous parallels between the destruction of the Weimar Republic by the “old right” and what’s happening today. The most gripping section is his analysis of the old Republic, but this section is striking as well: “If the US has someone whom historians will look […]

Tags: Foreign Lobbying, White Supremacy, Legislation

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

Forecast for December 24, 2018. Naughty or Nice.

By DanielSchuman December 23, 2018 10 min read

THE TOP LINE Naughty or nice. Congress is still in session, so here’s a little something to read if you’re still hanging around. Shutdown. For the first time in years, the House and Senate got their approps work done on time and five bills enacted into law. But instead of pushing for the remaining seven, they […]

Tags: Congressional Research Service, Office of Congressional Ethics, Legislation

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, Foreign Lobbying, factions, Legislation, Caucus Rules, Cybersecurity, War Powers

Rules, Blog posts, Reports & Analysis

Do 218 Co-Sponsors Make a Difference? Apparently, Yes.

By DanielSchuman October 2, 2018 4 min read

Recent proposals to reform the rules of the House of Representatives included measures to make it easier for legislation that has the support of a majority of the chamber to advance to the floor or prompt committee consideration. If implemented, would this make a difference in how legislation plays out? Apparently, yes. To find out, we reviewed […]

Tags: House, Data, Congressional Ops, Legislation

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

Forecast for October 1, 2018. Briefing on House and Party Rules, Plus the Launch of TechCongress.

By DanielSchuman October 1, 2018 8 min read

THE TOP LINE On Thursday we briefed congressional staff on House, committee, and caucus reform proposals with experts from Issue One, Georgetown, and the Brookings Institution. Incidentally, party rules are very important: for example, the earmark ban and chairman term limits are both Republican party rules. Learn more about how we’d make the House work better in our […]

Tags: Science & Tech, Legislation

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

Forecast for August 27, 2018. Rest in Peace Senator John McCain.

By DanielSchuman August 27, 2018 16 min read

TOP LINE Senator John McCain has died. We wish him fair winds and following seas and offer condolences to his family. — McCain Senate Office Building? In his tweets commemorating the life of Sen. McCain, Sen. Schumer said he would introduce a resolution to rename the Russell Senate Office Building after McCain. Richard Russell was a Democratic lion of […]

Tags: Staff Pay, Science & Tech, Legislation, Transparency in Government Act

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

Forecast for August 6, 2018. Transparency Bills Are Stuck and the Clock Is Ticking.

By DanielSchuman August 6, 2018 6 min read

TICKING CLOCK ON TRANSPARENCY BILLS The House and Senate have about a dozen good government and transparency bills that have widespread support, have advanced through the chambers, but are now stuck for no apparent (or good) reason. Here’s four of them: — The Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act (HR 4631), which requires all mandated agency reports […]

Tags: Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, Office of Congressional Ethics, Legislation, NDAA, Political Violence, press freedom

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

Forecast for July 30, 2018. Congressional Pay Study, plus Congress’ Official Intranet, DemCom, is New and Improved.

By DanielSchuman July 30, 2018 10 min read

TOP LINE — Appropriations will continue to dominate Congressional attention even as the House goes into recess, with another minibus teed up in the Senate this week and President Trump threatening to shut down the government. The House has scheduled 19 sessions days before the November election; only 11 before the end of the fiscal […]

Tags: Staff Pay, Diversity and Inclusion, PRESS Act, Legislation, social media, press freedom

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

Forecast for July 23, 2018. Appropriations in the Spotlight, Plus Whistleblower Cases Have Doubled Over the Last Five Years.

By DanielSchuman July 23, 2018 8 min read

THE TOP LINE The Committee on House Administration is the focus of several conversations. — 30 good government organizations asked House Admin to send the Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act to the floor before the recess. The Committee voted to report the measure three months ago but has not actually reported the bill as part of a […]

Tags: Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, Diversity and Inclusion, Legislation, Congressional Transparency Caucus, Whistleblower Protections

Tag: Legislation

Forecast for March 11, 2019. The Not at SXSW Edition.

Forecast for February 19, 2019. Never Waste an Emergency

Forecast for January 28, 2019. A Strange Game. The Only Winning Move Is Not To Play.

Forecast for January 22, 2019. Champagne Wishes & Caviar Dreams.

Forecast for December 24, 2018. Naughty or Nice.

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

Do 218 Co-Sponsors Make a Difference? Apparently, Yes.

Forecast for October 1, 2018. Briefing on House and Party Rules, Plus the Launch of TechCongress.

Forecast for August 27, 2018. Rest in Peace Senator John McCain.

Forecast for August 6, 2018. Transparency Bills Are Stuck and the Clock Is Ticking.

Forecast for July 23, 2018. Appropriations in the Spotlight, Plus Whistleblower Cases Have Doubled Over the Last Five Years.

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