In April OMB Watch submitted comments on a proposed rule for international HIV/AIDS grantees. The rule requires such grantees to choose between adopting government policy for their entire organizations and setting up completely separate affiliated organizations. The recipients must submit certification of their policy opposing prostitution and sex trafficking, or have to under go the process of forming a separate entity.

The House rules package for the 111th Congress released today (Jan. 6) includes only one change to House ethics rules. Last month groups called for specific House ethics changes, however, the package is not as extensive as they may have hoped. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) has a fact sheet on the changes.

Donors are growing increasingly weary as court decisions against charities have created an environment of suspicion for numerous Muslim charities. The decrease in contributions will lead to smaller numbers of people receiving relief.

Verdicts such as the one delivered in the Holy Land Foundation trial have caused many Muslim charities to suffer decreases in charitable giving. Since September 11, 2001, several Muslim charities have been shutdown by the government for having connections to Middle Eastern countries.

USAID has released a notice of its proposed "Partner Vetting System" (PVS) for nonprofit and charitable groups. This policy creates unnecessary and potentially dangerous barriers for humanitarian groups from providing relief in global hot spots. Its final implementation will be determined by members of the Obama administration.

Highlights from the proposed PVS: