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First Branch Forecast for July 31, 2023: What’s done and what’s left to do

By DanielSchuman July 31, 2023 17 min read

TOP LINE Recess is here, but it’s not an opportunity to breathe easier. All 12 appropriations bills have been reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee, a first for the Senate in five years. Meanwhile, only 10 have made it out of the House Appropriations Committee gauntlet and there’s talk they won’t take up the other two. […]

Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, US Capitol Police, Earmarks, Section 702

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

First Branch Forecast for June 20, 2023: Approps Heats Up

By DanielSchuman June 20, 2023 21 min read

TOP LINE After a House Administration Subcommittee hearing focused on the personal rather than the institutional aspects of the Office of Congressional Ethics, we take a deeper look at why that office is vital to an ethical Congress. Congressional unions scored an historic win for committee staff and others. This week both chambers are in […]

Tags: Congressional Unionization, Office of Congressional Ethics, PRESS Act, factions, Section 702, Whistleblower Protections

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

First Branch Forecast for February 21, 2023: Help Wanted: AOC

By DanielSchuman February 23, 2023 10 min read

TOP LINE The lights are off and no one is home as Congress takes an extended break for the Presidents’ Day holiday (which the newsletter also observed). When they return, the Senate committees have a clear path to staff up now that the Rules Committee has allocated budget allotments for each as it does at […]

Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, debt limit, factions, Appointments, Section 702

AI and Emerging Technology, Appropriations, First Branch Forecast

First Branch Forecast for February 13, 2023: Eagle eye

By DanielSchuman February 13, 2023 21 min read

TOP LINE It’s hard not to have 21st-century risks facing Congress at top of mind some weeks. We uncovered a serious breach of privacy and independence affecting individual members of Congress involving the FBI that requires immediate action to shield members and staff from unlawful warrantless surveillance. With the help of some sharp colleagues, we […]

Tags: Appropriations, Congressional Unionization, debt limit, AI, Appointments, Section 702, Surveillance, Problem Solvers Caucus

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

Forecast for June 14, 2021

By DanielSchuman June 14, 2021 28 min read

Welcome to the First Branch Forecast, your weekly look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. Subscribe here. THE TOP LINE Justice Department surveillance. The Justice Department surveilled at least two Members of the House Intelligence Committee, some committee staff, and family members in 2017-8 as part of a “leaks” investigation. Apple and an unidentified Information Service […]

Tags: January 6, War Powers, Proxy Voting, Political Violence, Surveillance, Section 702, MRA, debt limit, US Capitol Police, Department of Justice, Diversity and Inclusion, Congressional Unionization, Freedom of Information Act

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

Forecast for June 7, 2021

By DanielSchuman June 7, 2021 21 min read

Welcome to the First Branch Forecast, our weekly look into the Legislative branch and government transparency. Don’t miss an issue: subscribe here (it’s free). THE TOP LINE This week. The Senate is back and the House is holding a committee work week. Attorney General Garland will testify on Wednesday and the approps process is heating up. Strengthening Congress. […]

Tags: Freedom of Information Act, Staff Pay, Department of Justice, US Capitol Police, MRA, Section 702, Surveillance

AI and Emerging Technology, Appropriations, Ethics and Influence, First Branch Forecast, Blog posts

Forecast for October 14, 2019

By DanielSchuman October 14, 2019 8 min read

Welcome back. The next recess is Nov. 4 for the House and Nov. 25 for the Senate. Buckle up. CONGRESS IN BRIEF Approps count-down. The CR ends the week before Thanksgiving—maybe there will be another CR to Christmas, or a full year CR, or a shutdown. I suspect House Approps Chair Nita Lowey, who announced she […]

Tags: Foreign Lobbying, Section 702, Surveillance, Government Publishing Office

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

Drawing a Line on Mass Surveillance: How Congress Must Reform Section 702

By DanielSchuman March 27, 2017 7 min read

On Monday, members of the House Intelligence Committee held an open hearing into Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election that included a discussion of whether the U.S. government improperly surveilled officials or associates of any campaign. During that hearing, members of both parties favorably referred to Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act, a […]

Tags: Section 702, Surveillance, Executive Branch, Legislation

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First Branch Forecast for July 31, 2023: What’s done and what’s left to do

First Branch Forecast for June 20, 2023: Approps Heats Up

First Branch Forecast for February 21, 2023: Help Wanted: AOC

First Branch Forecast for February 13, 2023: Eagle eye

Forecast for June 14, 2021

Forecast for June 7, 2021

Forecast for October 14, 2019

Drawing a Line on Mass Surveillance: How Congress Must Reform Section 702

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