Bad Idea
Apr 29, 2011 by Craig Jennings
"I thought it over, and putting the American at economy in grave peril once a year would solve all my issues, so I figure, let's do it six times a year."
read in fullTruthout Publishes OMB Watch Piece on Contracting
Apr 27, 2011 by Gary Therkildsen*
Today, Truthout, an independent news and commentary website, published an article written by OMB Watch Executive Director Gary Bass and myself on constructive, manageable ways the Obama administration can reduce influence peddling in government contracting right now.
read in fullThe False Sense of Balance of a Balanced Budget Amendment
Apr 27, 2011 by Craig Jennings
With federal borrowing rapidly approaching its statutory limit, Washing politicians are falling all over themselves to figure out how to extract more budget concessions from President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) in exchange for not throwing the world's financial markets into a panic.
White House Announces Next Steps on Regulatory Review
Apr 27, 2011 by Matthew Madia
White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) Administrator Cass Sunstein issued a memo April 25 instructing agencies to make public their preliminary plans for reviewing existing rules and to finalize those plans by August.
read in fullFAPIIS is a Steaming Pile
Apr 25, 2011 by Gary Therkildsen*
On April 15, the government finally made the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) available to the public. Reviews of the previously secret database have been harsh – Tom Lee at the Sunlight Foundation said, "FAPIIS may be the worst government website [I've] ever seen" – and after perusing the site last week, this blogger sees no reason to question that assessment.
read in fullSpending Caps: The House Budget Resolution by Another Name
Apr 25, 2011 by Craig Jennings
As the date approaches when the Treasury will meet the debt ceiling, the demands of the hostage takers House and Senate conservatives who are playing hard-to-get for their vote to up the ceiling are becoming known. And naturally, rather than put forth ideas that would make a serious attempt at reducing the federal budget deficit, these MOCs are demanding budget mechanisms designed to only limit spending.
Agencies Report Progress on Scientific Integrity – in Private
Apr 22, 2011 by Gavin Baker
Thirty agencies have reported on their progress to strengthen scientific integrity, according to a blog post yesterday by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). This week was the deadline to submit those reports, per OSTP director John Holdren's December 2010 memo.
read in fullJustice Department to Revise its FOIA Regulations
Apr 21, 2011 by Gavin Baker
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has proposed to update its regulations implementing the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The regulations would apply to DOJ and its components, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
read in fullAdministration Replacing Derided Terror Alert System
Apr 21, 2011 by Gavin Baker
As transparency advocates, we often advocate for government to make more information available to the public. However, sometimes the problem comes when government does make information available – and the information is wrong, confusing, misleading, or manipulative.
read in fullIssa Feigns Sympathy for Oil Spill’s Victims
Apr 20, 2011 by Matthew Madia
Rep. Darrell Issa, chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is using the one-year anniversary of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster as an opportunity to criticize the Obama administration for exercising more caution when issuing offshore drilling permits. After the spill, “the Administration’s subsequent assault on off-shore drilling has [damaged] economically vulnerable communities,” Issa says.
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