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

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, Announcements and Statements, Advocacy, Announcements, Blog posts

Statement on passage of the Periodically Listing Updates to Management (PLUM) Act

By DanielSchuman July 18, 2022 2 min read

The House included the Periodically Listing Updates to Management (PLUM) Act as an amendment to the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed last week. “In passing the Periodically Listing Updates to Management (PLUM) Act, Congress just took an important step to increase transparency of political appointees, who are among the most senior leaders […]

Tags: Appropriations, PLUM Act, Executive Branch, Legislation, NDAA

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

First Branch Forecast for May 2, 2022: A real coup

By DanielSchuman May 2, 2022 7 min read

TOP LINE This week. The Senate is in; the House is out until May 10. We are sending an abbreviated First Branch Forecast because we are tired. Don’t worry, we’ll have the highlights from the gazillion hearings this past week, including 3 Leg Branch, 2 CJS, and House Judiciary and ModCom hearings. TREATING STAFF LIKE PEOPLE No one noticed, but […]

Tags: Office of Legal Counsel, Appropriations, PLUM Act, Staff Pay, SCOTUS, Statements of Disbursements

4.28.22

Groups Send Bipartisan Letter to Senate Leadership Urging Passage of the Periodically Listing Updates to Management Act (The PLUM Act, S.3650)

Accountability and Oversight, Announcements and Statements, Coalition Letters, Blog posts

Civil society urges Senate passage of the PLUM Act

By DanielSchuman April 28, 2022 1 min read

The Senate was urged to pass the Periodically Listing Updates to Management Act (PLUM Act, S. 3650) by a coalition of 27 organizations and individuals led by Demand Progress in a letter sent to Senate leadership last week. The PLUM Act would increase transparency and oversight of the most senior leaders of the Executive Branch. […]

Tags: PLUM Act, Coalition

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

First Branch Forecast for April 4, 2022: 4/04 Resolution Not Found

By DanielSchuman April 4, 2022 19 min read

TOP LINE On the calendar. The Senate and House are in today. The week before recess is often a whirlwind of activity and this week is no exception. In the committees, we have four — four! — House Leg branch appropriations hearings, a ModCom hearing on Continuity of Congress, a House Admin STOCK Act hearing, and … the Congressional Hackathon […]

Tags: Office of Legal Counsel, PLUM Act, Freedom of Information Act, Government Accountability Office, Staff Clearances, Congressional Unionization, US Capitol Police, Earmarks, Legislation, Office of Congressional Workplace Rights

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

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

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

Forecast for September 21, 2020.

By DanielSchuman September 21, 2020 15 min read

THE TOP LINE Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died. 93 minutes after the Supreme Court announced her death, Majority Leader McConnell tweeted that President Trump’s nominee — whomever it may be — will get a vote on the Senate floor. Within 24 hours, supporters at a Pres. Trump rally were shouting “fill the seat.” This is indisputably a flip-flop […]

Tags: Office of Legal Counsel, PLUM Act, SCOTUS, Legislation, Access to Court Proceedings

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

Forecast for September 14, 2020

By DanielSchuman September 14, 2020 9 min read

THE TOP LINE More should be happening. We are 16 days away from the end of the fiscal year; COVID-19 is everywhere and not going away any time soon; wildfires are burning on the west coast; the Executive branch is unabashedly flouting the law; and senior congressional leaders are raising concerns Pres. Trump will not peacefully transition power should […]

Tags: Congressional Research Service, PLUM Act, Government Accountability Office, Legislation, War Powers

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

Tag: PLUM Act

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

First Branch Forecast for December 12, 2022: Twelve Squared

Statement on passage of the Periodically Listing Updates to Management (PLUM) Act

First Branch Forecast for May 2, 2022: A real coup

Groups Send Bipartisan Letter to Senate Leadership Urging Passage of the Periodically Listing Updates to Management Act (The PLUM Act, S.3650)

Civil society urges Senate passage of the PLUM Act

First Branch Forecast for April 4, 2022: 4/04 Resolution Not Found

Forecast for September 27, 2021

Forecast for May 10, 2021.

Forecast for September 21, 2020.

Forecast for September 14, 2020

Forecast for July 27, 2020

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