Daniel Schuman
@americalabs.org
Progressive institutionalist with an interest in modernizing Congress and strengthening our democracy. Bluesky is my penance for working at an org that once encouraged Congress to tweet.
Like what you see? More at https://firstbranchforecast.substack.com/
Like what you see? More at https://firstbranchforecast.substack.com/
Trump's DOJ rolls back provision of reproductive health services to veterans through potemkin legal opinion.
www.justice.gov/olc/media/14...
www.justice.gov/olc/media/14...
www.justice.gov
December 22, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Trump's DOJ rolls back provision of reproductive health services to veterans through potemkin legal opinion.
www.justice.gov/olc/media/14...
www.justice.gov/olc/media/14...
House members keep surrendering power—until they don’t. Last week’s discharge petition showed members still have tools to assert control.
The path to 218 doesn’t have to run through party leadership. It can run through factions assembling majorities when leadership blocks action.
The path to 218 doesn’t have to run through party leadership. It can run through factions assembling majorities when leadership blocks action.
December 22, 2025 at 1:29 PM
House members keep surrendering power—until they don’t. Last week’s discharge petition showed members still have tools to assert control.
The path to 218 doesn’t have to run through party leadership. It can run through factions assembling majorities when leadership blocks action.
The path to 218 doesn’t have to run through party leadership. It can run through factions assembling majorities when leadership blocks action.
What's is like serving as the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, responsible for its non-legislative technology and operations? Chris Nehls and I interviewed CAO Catherine Szpindor, who will be stepping down from her role after 14 years of service to the Congress.
December 18, 2025 at 3:53 PM
What's is like serving as the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, responsible for its non-legislative technology and operations? Chris Nehls and I interviewed CAO Catherine Szpindor, who will be stepping down from her role after 14 years of service to the Congress.
Congress is quietly shaping how AI will interact with democratic institutions—and doing so largely on its own terms. Much of this work isn't “AI policy,” but it may matter more than many headline-grabbing initiatives. The focus on reliable data and transparency about government to empower all of us.
December 15, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Congress is quietly shaping how AI will interact with democratic institutions—and doing so largely on its own terms. Much of this work isn't “AI policy,” but it may matter more than many headline-grabbing initiatives. The focus on reliable data and transparency about government to empower all of us.
Today, the Senate Rules Committee will vote on freezing senatorial pay during a partial gov't shutdown. This bad faith resolution may stoke some populist support, but it's terrible policy.
It puts pressure on senators to change their votes even when the holdup is the House or the president.
It puts pressure on senators to change their votes even when the holdup is the House or the president.
December 11, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Today, the Senate Rules Committee will vote on freezing senatorial pay during a partial gov't shutdown. This bad faith resolution may stoke some populist support, but it's terrible policy.
It puts pressure on senators to change their votes even when the holdup is the House or the president.
It puts pressure on senators to change their votes even when the holdup is the House or the president.
The National Defense Authorization Act often contains matters unrelated to the national defense. To wit:
December 8, 2025 at 3:01 PM
The National Defense Authorization Act often contains matters unrelated to the national defense. To wit:
Who actually runs Congress’s agencies—and why does the White House keep trying to install its own people inside them?
A new bill could reshape the balance of power over the Library of Congress, GPO, and more.
The stakes: legislative independence itself.
A new bill could reshape the balance of power over the Library of Congress, GPO, and more.
The stakes: legislative independence itself.
December 8, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Who actually runs Congress’s agencies—and why does the White House keep trying to install its own people inside them?
A new bill could reshape the balance of power over the Library of Congress, GPO, and more.
The stakes: legislative independence itself.
A new bill could reshape the balance of power over the Library of Congress, GPO, and more.
The stakes: legislative independence itself.
Speaker Johnson shut the House down for 54 days — and he could do it again, ceding yet more power to an out-of-control president.
With a party revolt brewing & tough calls looming on appropriations, war crimes, and more, we interviewed Max Spitzer, a former House parliamentarian, on what to do.
With a party revolt brewing & tough calls looming on appropriations, war crimes, and more, we interviewed Max Spitzer, a former House parliamentarian, on what to do.
December 4, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Speaker Johnson shut the House down for 54 days — and he could do it again, ceding yet more power to an out-of-control president.
With a party revolt brewing & tough calls looming on appropriations, war crimes, and more, we interviewed Max Spitzer, a former House parliamentarian, on what to do.
With a party revolt brewing & tough calls looming on appropriations, war crimes, and more, we interviewed Max Spitzer, a former House parliamentarian, on what to do.
The huddle??? @ktullymcmanus.bsky.social
a man with a beard says now that 's a name i ve not heard in a long time
ALT: a man with a beard says now that 's a name i ve not heard in a long time
media.tenor.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:11 PM
The huddle??? @ktullymcmanus.bsky.social
MTG’s exit is a sideshow — but it spotlights what’s truly broken in the House. The real fix starts with organized blocs and serious rules reform.
How would that work? Glad you asked....
How would that work? Glad you asked....
Quitters Never Win: What MTG’s Exit Says About Fixing Congress
How organized blocs and rules reform can make the House great again
firstbranchforecast.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:28 PM
MTG’s exit is a sideshow — but it spotlights what’s truly broken in the House. The real fix starts with organized blocs and serious rules reform.
How would that work? Glad you asked....
How would that work? Glad you asked....
I spy... bill text and report language for Senate FSGG and Energy & Water, published today.
November 25, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I spy... bill text and report language for Senate FSGG and Energy & Water, published today.
Thank you, Catherine Szpindor, for your service as the House's Chief Administrative Officer. Anne Dressendorfer Binsted
November 25, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Thank you, Catherine Szpindor, for your service as the House's Chief Administrative Officer. Anne Dressendorfer Binsted
Reposted by Daniel Schuman
As a retiring but still sitting member of the House, MTG has the opportunity to read into the public record documents that otherwise could not be released... and would be protected by the constitution's speech or debate clause from prosecution.
November 22, 2025 at 2:21 AM
As a retiring but still sitting member of the House, MTG has the opportunity to read into the public record documents that otherwise could not be released... and would be protected by the constitution's speech or debate clause from prosecution.
So, do we need to write an explainer on what it takes to officially quit as a member of Congress?
November 22, 2025 at 1:33 AM
So, do we need to write an explainer on what it takes to officially quit as a member of Congress?
Reposted by Daniel Schuman
@americalabs.org and I spoke with ND prof James Curry about how leadership in Congress restricts info to control members and ideas for how the rank and file can have more info at their disposal open.substack.com/pub/firstbra...
open.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:06 PM
@americalabs.org and I spoke with ND prof James Curry about how leadership in Congress restricts info to control members and ideas for how the rank and file can have more info at their disposal open.substack.com/pub/firstbra...
This week's passage of the Epstein resolution isn't just surprising, it's nearly astonishing. The House Speaker lost control of the floor, which is something that *almost* never happens. One of the reasons for that is how leadership controls information.
November 20, 2025 at 2:02 PM
This week's passage of the Epstein resolution isn't just surprising, it's nearly astonishing. The House Speaker lost control of the floor, which is something that *almost* never happens. One of the reasons for that is how leadership controls information.
The Crimson seems to be the only college paper that routinely gets picked up by the national press.
November 20, 2025 at 12:38 AM
The Crimson seems to be the only college paper that routinely gets picked up by the national press.
Senate is now added.
Good news, everyone. I've updated my publicly-available 119th Congress calendar so that it now includes House session days for 2026. Here's the link: calendar.google.com/calendar/emb...
If you want it in ical format (to import): calendar.google.com/calendar/ica...
If you want it in ical format (to import): calendar.google.com/calendar/ica...
November 19, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Senate is now added.
The Republican Appropriations Vice Chair wanted to reclaim Congress's power of the purse and included language to block pocket rescissions in his approps bill. The White House and fellow congressional Republicans *persuaded* him to take it out.
www.notus.org/congress/mar...
h/t @nehls.bsky.social
www.notus.org/congress/mar...
h/t @nehls.bsky.social
A Top Republican Wanted to Reclaim Congress’ Spending Authority. The White House Stopped Him.
Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a top appropriator, tried to add guardrails from ‘pocket rescissions’ in an appropriations bill. But then Office of Management Budget Director Russ Vought talked to him.
www.notus.org
November 19, 2025 at 1:35 PM
The Republican Appropriations Vice Chair wanted to reclaim Congress's power of the purse and included language to block pocket rescissions in his approps bill. The White House and fellow congressional Republicans *persuaded* him to take it out.
www.notus.org/congress/mar...
h/t @nehls.bsky.social
www.notus.org/congress/mar...
h/t @nehls.bsky.social
Good news, everyone. I've updated my publicly-available 119th Congress calendar so that it now includes House session days for 2026. Here's the link: calendar.google.com/calendar/emb...
If you want it in ical format (to import): calendar.google.com/calendar/ica...
If you want it in ical format (to import): calendar.google.com/calendar/ica...
November 18, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Good news, everyone. I've updated my publicly-available 119th Congress calendar so that it now includes House session days for 2026. Here's the link: calendar.google.com/calendar/emb...
If you want it in ical format (to import): calendar.google.com/calendar/ica...
If you want it in ical format (to import): calendar.google.com/calendar/ica...
The shutdown didn’t settle the big question hanging over Washington: can Congress still defend its own power against an aggressive White House? Our latest punnily-entitled newsletter lays out what happened from a balance of powers perspective, and why we're back in the quiet shutdown.
Vought No, Hope Yes?
Congress Still Matters — but Only If It Uses Its Power
firstbranchforecast.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:07 PM
The shutdown didn’t settle the big question hanging over Washington: can Congress still defend its own power against an aggressive White House? Our latest punnily-entitled newsletter lays out what happened from a balance of powers perspective, and why we're back in the quiet shutdown.
This doesn't seem good.
November 14, 2025 at 10:02 PM
This doesn't seem good.
@nehls.bsky.social and I chatted with the amazing Ruth Bloch Rubin on congressional factions. She's written 2 fantastic books on how members of congress collaborate & compete -- including the institutions they built to overthrow the Dixiecrats, defeat big banks, and (alas) prevent health care fixes.
Fantastic @americalabs.org and @nehls.bsky.social interview of Ruth Bloch Rubin, one of the smartest Congress scholars out there firstbranchforecast.substack.com/p/interview-...
Interview: Ruth Bloch Rubin
"I think the idea that there can be flavors to partisanship is good when voters chafe at the two-party structure."
firstbranchforecast.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:36 PM
@nehls.bsky.social and I chatted with the amazing Ruth Bloch Rubin on congressional factions. She's written 2 fantastic books on how members of congress collaborate & compete -- including the institutions they built to overthrow the Dixiecrats, defeat big banks, and (alas) prevent health care fixes.
The Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel opinion undermining funding for the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau was just published on OLC's website yesterday having already been used in court filing on Monday to attack the agency (www.politico.com/news/2025/11...).
www.justice.gov
November 14, 2025 at 11:24 AM
The Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel opinion undermining funding for the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau was just published on OLC's website yesterday having already been used in court filing on Monday to attack the agency (www.politico.com/news/2025/11...).