LegiStorm

The House's newly inaugrated Democrats are bringing droves of women to their leadership teams, with freshman Democrats more than three times as likely as freshman Republicans to hire a woman as their chief of staff.

So far, 49 percent of Democratic freshman representatives have hired women as their chiefs of staff, according to LegiStorm data. Among older Democratic representatives, 38 percent have female chiefs.

While 30 percent of returning GOP representatives employ female chiefs, only 15 percent of Republican freshman have done the same.

The freshman Democrats were also more likely to hire female legislative directors, communications directors and press secretaries than were both Republican freshmen and returning members of both parties.

The National Association of Manufacturers has poached its third aide to Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) in a year.

Renn Osborne, previously Portman's speechwriter, joins the behemoth trade group this month as strategic messaging manager. He will act as a speechwriter for audiences that include policymakers. The advocacy group has not yet disclosed its fourth-quarter lobbying expenses but, based on its filings through the third quarter, was on track to drop about $9 million on lobbying last year.

Last year, NAM hired Portman aides Stephanie Hall as director for innovation policy and Todd Shelton as public affairs director for Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Rep. Jim McGovern's (D-MA) top environmental aide is taking his fight from the Hill to one of New England's largest environmental-conservation groups.

Mike Cusher recently began as legislative director at the Massachusetts Audobon Society. Mass Audubon (not related to the National Audubon Society) operates about 100 wildlife sanctuaries across Massachusetts and lobbies at the state level.

Cusher, a Massachusetts native, had worked for McGovern since 2014, most recently as a senior legislative assistant.

The Senate Armed Services Committee has enlisted a Defense Department acting under secretary to be its top lawyer.

Stephanie Barna is now general counsel under chair James Inhofe (R-Okla.). She was most recently DOD acting undersecretary for personnel and readiness and has also served as principal deputy assistant secretary for manpower and reserve affairs.

The retired Army colonel holds a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

Carmen Frias was most recently chief of staff to Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.).

Frias originally joined Kirkpatrick's staff as district deputy director when the congresswoman first took office in 2009. Kirkpatrick lost her next congressional bid but was reelected for the 113th Congress and selected Frias as her chief of staff. Frias was one of only three staffers from Kirkpatrick's freshman session who returned to her office that term.

Kirkpatrick spent the last two years out of office after losing her 2016 Senate bid. She was sworn into office again last week, again with Frias as her chief.