Whose Contracting Mess Won't Appear in FAPIIS, but Should?
Jul 19, 2011 by Gary Therkildsen*
Give yourself credit if you guessed "ArmorGroup North America Inc." (AGNA) and the "Lord of the Flies" environment they oversaw in the housing camp for U.S embassy guards in Kabul, Afghanistan, which our friends over at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) exposed back in 2009.
read in fullOMB Approves Chemical Reporting Rule
Jul 15, 2011 by Sofia Plagakis
On July 7, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved a final rule modifying the Toxic Substances Control Act's (TSCA) Inventory Update Reporting (IUR) requirement. The rule should now enable the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to resume its collection of critical toxics data.
read in fullLeading OMB Watch into a New Era
Jul 15, 2011 by Katherine McFate
I am proud to take the helm of this important organization. That OMB Watch is so widely respected for its timely, accurate policy analysis and outstanding record of public interest advocacy is a testament to the values, expertise, and commitment of founder Gary Bass. Thanks to Gary, I have inherited a talented staff; an engaged, supportive Board; and an organization with openness, collegiality, and hard work hard-wired into its culture. Gary has been incredibly generous with his time and wisdom during this transition and I am deeply grateful. He'll always be the "wise head" of the OMB Watch family.
House Passes Bill That Could Undo Gains in Water Quality
Jul 15, 2011 by Katie Greenhaw
A bill passed Wednesday by the House of Representatives would remove crucial federal oversight from the Clean Water Act (CWA) and leave the quality of our nation’s waters at risk. The Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011 (H.R.
read in fullFederal Website Reform Efforts Moving Forward
Jul 13, 2011 by Gavin Baker
The Obama administration's reform of federal websites moved forward yesterday, but without shedding much light on what impact the effort will have on open government. The effort, which was launched in a June 13 memo from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), is meant to cut costs while improving service.
read in fullHundreds of Organizations Oppose Balanced Budget Amendment
Jul 13, 2011 by Sam Rosen-Amy
OMB Watch has long been a vocal opponent of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. Now, we have a lot of company. In a letter released today, a full 247 national organizations, including OMB Watch, announced their opposition to a balanced budget amendment, believing it is bad for America.
Jamie Leigh Jones Law beyond Dispute
Jul 8, 2011 by Gary Therkildsen*
Mother Jones reports that Jamie Leigh Jones – the woman who in 2005 made explosive allegations of gang rape and intimidation while employed in Iraq by former Halliburton subsidiary KBR – stands a “good chance” of losing her civil suit against the contractor due to “significant holes and discrepancies in her story.” These revelations, however, should not call into question the meaningful legislation drafted and passed into law in response to her alleged ordeal.
read in fullEPA Issues Life-Saving Air Quality Rule, Shows Benefits Far Outweigh Costs
Jul 8, 2011 by Katie Greenhaw
Despite industry pressure, EPA finalized a rule July 6 that will achieve billions of dollars in public health benefits. The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) requires over 20 states to reduce power plant emissions of air pollutants that contribute to ozone and fine particle pollution in other states. The rule will prevent 13,000 to 34,000 premature deaths, 15,000 nonfatal heart attacks, and 400,000 aggravated asthma attacks per year by 2014.
read in fullAgencies Will Revise Their FOIA Regulations (...Or Not)
Jul 7, 2011 by Gavin Baker
The Spring 2011 Unified Agenda was released today, reporting agencies' regulatory changes to be considered in the next six months. According to the Unified Agenda, several agencies intend to revise their Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations this year, but there are reasons to take that with a grain of salt.
read in fullSupreme Court to Hear Wetlands Case Next Term
Jul 1, 2011 by Katie Greenhaw
The U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari June 28 to hear a case challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) issuance of an administrative compliance order under the Clean Water Act (CWA) without allowing for pre-enforcement judicial review. The case has serious implications for enforcement procedures and the timing of CWA jurisdictional challenges.
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