Director’s Desk
Director’s Desk
Kristin Nicholson | September 7, 2023
Dear Friends, It has become commonplace for us to greet September with a long congressional to-do list and some degree of concern over whether the federal government will be funded come October 1. The main difference this year, unfortunately, is the intensity with which the shutdown speculation is ramping up. There are stark differences
Director’s Desk
Kristin Nicholson | August 1, 2023
Dear Friends, As the House and Senate settle into August recess, let’s take a quick look at where things stand on the Hill and what looms ahead in September. Despite a lot of promises from both sides of the Capitol, the appropriations process is barely inching along, raising fears of a possible shutdown.
Director’s Desk
Kristin Nicholson | June 7, 2023
Dear Friends, Washington may be starting June with wildfire haze and sonic booms, but thankfully at least not a debt default. I hope you’ll read on for Senior Fellow Laura Blessing’s fascinating look at the many similarities between the debt limit negotiations of 2011 and 2023, and some important cautions for the
Director’s Desk
Kristin Nicholson | May 3, 2023
Dear Friends, The biggest story on Capitol Hill- and the theme of this month’s newsletter – is the debt limit. Now that House Republicans have passed what amounts to an initial offer (and promptly left town for a week-long recess), the focus will shift to whatever move President Biden and
Director’s Desk
Kristin Nicholson | March 17, 2023
Dear Friends, As the cherry blossoms open around the Tidal Basin, another spring ritual is getting underway in Washington: the annual budget and appropriations cycle. President Biden submitted his Proposed Budget for FY24 on March 9, kicking off another round of budget hearings on the Hill, which will be followed by months of
Director’s Desk
Kristin Nicholson | February 3, 2023
Dear Friends, February may be the dreariest month in Washington, but it will certainly not lack for action this year. It didn’t happen quickly (and surprisingly took even longer in the Senate than the House), but both chambers have finalized their committee rosters, allowing the work of oversight and legislating to kick into higher
Director’s Desk
Kristin Nicholson | January 9, 2023
Dear Friends, Welcome to the 118th Congress! Following an historic (and at times jaw-dropping) week in the House of Representatives, a new Speaker has been elected and members have been sworn in at last. The legislating begins today when the chamber considers a new rules package that could significantly affect operations
Director’s Desk
Kristin Nicholson | December 1, 2022
Dear Friends: The House and Senate have returned for the lame duck session, and the Hill is a whirlwind of activity, from leadership elections and committee jockeying, to clearing the legislative decks and trying to fund government beyond December 16. GAI Fellow Katina Slavkova has a piece in this
Kristin Nicholson | November 2, 2022 Dear Friends: As we make our way through leftover Halloween candy and await the outcome of next week’s midterm elections, it’s never too early to start thinking about what’s ahead in the lame duck Congress. Last week’s brutal attack on Speaker Pelosi’s husband, whose alleged assailant has acknowledged he was after the Speaker herself, has Kristin Nicholson | October 11, 2022 Dear Friends: Congress has adjourned until mid-November, when a packed lame duck session will get underway. In addition to critical pieces of unfinished business like extending federal funding past the current December 16 deadline and passing an FY23 National Defense Authorization Act, there will be a pile-up of other issues to handle. One
Director’s Desk
Director’s Desk