FBF: Ghouls of Governance: Power Struggles & Leadership Juggles 10-28-2024

The Top Line

Enter, dear reader, where shadows now creep,
Where Congress in silence its secrets does keep.
This week’s eerie tales lie hidden in code,
Where AI and power share a winding road.

The House Committee stirs with a plan,
In whispers and meetings where schemes began
New rules are forged in the tech-driven night,
While fragile links vanish with power’s slight.

And what’s this rumble in Washington’s walls?
Rumors of shifts as October’s chill falls.
The GOP’s halls echo with dread,
Where the Speaker’s rules rise from the dead.

Some say “Czar Cannon” lingers around,
A ghostly guide to the battleground.
So grasp a goblet of pumpkin-spiced lore,
For data, debate, and mysteries galore.

In the heart of democracy’s hallowed maze,
You’ll find tales to chill and intrigue to amaze.

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FBF: Leadership Fights, AI Insights, and GovTrack’s Big Milestone 10-21-2024

The Top Line

This week’s edition dives into some key happenings in Congress and beyond. First up is the Senate Republican leadership elections, where there’s a power struggle as factions try to control the timing of the vote to control its outcomes. In the House, Republicans are also gearing up for leadership elections, while House Democrats have uncontested top spots. Jared Golden is trying to bring back the Blue Dogs coalition in the House, which could be a savvy move if he can keep the group united to take advantage of a divided political landscape.

On the tech and transparency front, the Supreme Court of Mexico is using AI to help the public understand court decisions, which is interesting because an authoritative source is using technology to provide summaries of key information. We also celebrate GovTrack’s 20th anniversary, a key tool for tracking Congress, and cover the ongoing digitization of the U.S. Congressional Serial Set to improve access to committee records. Other highlights include concerns about Congress’s security amid potential threats and a look at how using a different lens for budget scoring can change the outcomes for debate over various policies, such as immigration.

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FBF: AI, Senate Reform, and Big Challenges for Congress (10/14/2024)

The Top Line

Good morning, everyone.

I recently had the opportunity to attend LegisTech: Artificial Intelligence in Parliaments, a conference hosted by Bússola Tech and the Organization of American States here in Washington, D.C. The event, which brought together experts from around the world, was a fascinating look at the cutting edge of the intersection of AI and parliaments. A few newly released publications caught my eye, including a list of 60 AI use cases actively under consideration by parliaments around the world.

I’ve also been keeping up with the Hansard Society’s take on the British parliament’s current agenda. It’s intriguing to see the similarities and differences compared to our Congress. They’re wrestling with some of the same issues—like managing member conduct, addressing seniority, and reviewing ethical guidelines.

On a different note, the potential election of Sarah McBride, set to become the first openly transgender member of Congress, raises important questions about how the House will handle the expected hostile welcome and commensurate security risks arising from how she is greeted by some quarters of the chamber.

For those who love procedural deep dives, Senate reform is on the table once again. There’s buzz about changing Senate Republican Conference rules and some discussion of changes to the Senate seniority system and concerns arising from how seniority operates in the House. I also took a quick detour on the effects of tv cameras in the Senate.

Rounding things out are a discussion of how the Congress keeps track of past-due agency reports and the Washington Post‘s look at reimbursing members for work-related expenses.

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FBF: AI for EZ learning & building a post-Chevron Congress (10/7/2024)

The Top Line

This week we’re covering everything from AI innovations to shifts in congressional power.

AI tools like NotebookLLM are making it easy to turn lengthy reports into podcasts, streamlining how we consume complex information. We illustrate some ways it could change the Congressional information environment.

There’s a lot happening in Congress post-Chevron, and we cover how the Legislative branch can regain its footing after the SCOTUS decision, especially as we have hit a point of cultural inflection on Capitol Hill.

We also explore new oversight tools, such as OpenOMB, which sheds light on how federal agencies spend taxpayer dollars. Plus, some notable retirements from government, and there’s progress on efforts to modernize Congress.

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