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Forecast for June 21, 2021

By DanielSchuman June 21, 2021 24 min read

Welcome to the First Branch Forecast, your weekly look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. Subscribe here. We hope you had a good Juneteenth holiday weekend. The Senate is back on Monday and the House is back on Tuesday. THE TOP LINE Follow the money. The House deemed top line discretionary spending as part of an unrelated bill […]

Tags: Office of Legal Counsel, Staff Pay, Office of Congressional Ethics, US Capitol Police, January 6, MRA, Whistleblower Protections, Political Violence, War Powers

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

Forecast for April 26, 2021

By DanielSchuman April 26, 2021 14 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 Staffers on Capitol Hill continue to bear the trauma and burn out from working through a pandemic, the 2020 election, and the insurrection, leading many staff to leave their jobs, according to Business […]

Tags: Staff Pay, Office of Congressional Ethics, US Capitol Police, January 6, Earmarks, Political Violence, Cybersecurity

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

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

Forecast for March 8, 2021

By DanielSchuman March 8, 2021 24 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.) THE TOP LINE General Honoré will brief Congress today in three closed meetings on his “Capitol Security Review” that was conducted out of public view over the last six weeks. The NYT published a […]

Tags: Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, Freedom of Information Act, Staff Pay, Foreign Lobbying, Office of Congressional Ethics, US Capitol Police, January 6, Political Violence, War Powers

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

First Branch Forecast: February 8, 2021

By DanielSchuman February 8, 2021 13 min read

The Senate finally is organized, budget reconciliation is prioritized, and impeachment has materialized. 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 Dems took control of Senate committees on Wednesday, two weeks late, when the chamber adopted its organizing resolution after Sen. […]

Tags: US Capitol Police, Whistleblower Protections, Leg Support Agencies, Korematsu Day, January 6, Office of Congressional Ethics, House Ethics Committee, Library of Congress

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

Forecast for August 4, 2020.

By DanielSchuman August 4, 2020 7 min read

THE TOP LINE Safety first? Rep. Gohmert’s positive COVID-19 test sparked outrage across the Hill, prompting a belated mask mandate in the House, inaction (what else!?!) in the Senate, a possible member-to-member transmission, and countless staffers and aides telling reporters about a backlash from senior staff/Members for wearing masks in their offices or requesting to work remotely. We wrote a letter on March 12 to Congress […]

Tags: Proxy Voting, MRA, Office of Congressional Ethics, House Ethics Committee

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

Forecast for July 27, 2020

By DanielSchuman July 27, 2020 12 min read

THE TOP LINE CODA — Covid, Defense, and Approps — are the “must pass” summer blockbuster legislation (we miss movies) that lurched forward in both chambers. Sort of. But how does it end? We’re betting there will be sequels. 11 of the 12 appropriations bills passed or are scheduled for a vote in the House. The Senate […]

Tags: Political Violence, NDAA, Office of Legal Counsel, PLUM Act, Government Accountability Office, Office of Congressional Ethics

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

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

Forecast for July 6, 2020.

By DanielSchuman July 6, 2020 18 min read

Welcome back. This week will be busy in the House, so let’s go! THE TOP LINE The House Appropriations subcommittees are holding mark-ups all week, plus a Thursday vote on the 302(b) allocations and full committee markups on Thursday and Friday. The full schedule is at the bottom of this email. • One notable change: for the […]

Tags: Government Accountability Office, Diversity and Inclusion, Office of Congressional Ethics, NDAA, Proxy Voting

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

Forecast for March 23, 2020

By DanielSchuman March 23, 2020 16 min read

The Pope banned public masses, closed Holy Week services, and is encouraging “spiritual communion” when it is unsafe to receive it in person; the New York Stock Exchange has rushed a rule into effect to facilitate electronic auctions in light of the temporary closure of the trading floor; and yet the Speaker of the House and Majority Leader […]

Tags: Surveillance, Office of Congressional Ethics, Remote Voting

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

Forecast for December 16, 2019

By DanielSchuman December 16, 2019 12 min read

TOP LINE It’s your jam. For weeks, we’ve been gearing up for leadership to jam members with tons of major votes as they head out the door. This week we will see at least two appropriations minibuses (likely Tuesday in the House), impeachment (Wednesday in the House), USCMA (i.e. NAFTA v2, likely on Thursday), a long […]

Tags: House Ethics Committee, NDAA, SCOTUS, Office of Congressional Ethics, Staff Pay, Freedom of Information Act

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

Forecast for September 9, 2019

By DanielSchuman September 9, 2019 5 min read

Recess is over, class is back in session. Let’s get caught up. CONGRESS IN BRIEF • Lawmakers have 3 weeks until the start of FY 2020, and both chambers must pass 12 spending bills by October 1. House Majority Leader Hoyer says the House will vote on short-term spending agreements (CRs) next week to keep the lights […]

Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, Office of Congressional Ethics, Cybersecurity

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Forecast for June 21, 2021

Forecast for April 26, 2021

Forecast for March 22, 2021

Forecast for March 8, 2021

First Branch Forecast: February 8, 2021

Forecast for August 4, 2020.

Forecast for July 27, 2020

Forecast for July 13, 2020.

Forecast for July 6, 2020.

Forecast for March 23, 2020

Forecast for December 16, 2019

Forecast for September 9, 2019

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