Independent Sector Rounds Out Panel

The Panel on the Nonprofit Sector, managed by Independent Sector , recently announced both the participants for its five work groups and the creation of a nine-member Citizens Advisory Group. The five work groups will assist the Panel as it prepares recommendations to the Senate Finance Committee on improving oversight and accountability of nonprofits.

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Leavitt to Head HHS

Bush has tapped Mike Leavitt to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Among others, HHS oversees the CDC, FDA, Medicare and Medicaid as well as child welfare services. During Leavitt's tenure as governor of Utah, the state viciously fought against a lawsuit challenging the state's widespread failures to serve abused and neglected children in foster care. See The National Center for Youth Law's article for details. Leavitt is currently the administrator for EPA. No replacement has been named for the EPA post.

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Summary of Presentations at Pace Law Review Symposium on Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines

A Pace Law Review Symposium, "Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines: The Impact on International Philanthropy", highlighted the need for changes in the guidelines and increased transparency of the reasons behind government decisions to shut down several Muslim charities accused of financing terrorists. The guidelines were published by the Treasury Department in November, 2002, and have been widely criticized.

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Endangered species in danger from Bush

Apparently both rightwing Congressmen and the Bush administration want to gut the Endangered Species Act. Maybe the administration plans to kill it with the classic death by a thousand cuts. Step one: The Bush administration said Friday it will allow developers to complete construction and other projects even after belated discoveries that the work could endanger protected species.

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Who needs this "environment" after all?

The AP is reporting that USDA Undersecretary Mark Rey is touting some anti-environmental plans to come:
  • cutting down more trees in the national forests ("thinning" them);
  • doing something to the Endangered Species Act (strengthening it? yeah, that's it);
  • abandoning the still-wild "roadless" lands (that is, giving states more control over them).

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Back to drawing board for Homeland Security

Bernard Kerik's withdrawal from consideration as Tom Ridge's replacement as Secretary of Homeland Security means revisiting the list of those rumored to want or be in consideration for the slot:
  • Joe Allbaugh, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
  • Asa Hutchinson, undersecretary for border and transportation security, and former Republican member of Congress.
  • James S. Gilmore III, former Virginia governor.
  • Bernard Kerik, interim Minister of the Interior for Iraq and former New York City police commissioner.

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Hit and run: Reg policy news briefs

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    State of Philanthropy Report Looks at Grantmaking

    Report by National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) identifies accomplishments and shortcomings of grantmaking, urges foundations to use their assets of promote social programs.

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    Bodman to Head Dept. of Energy

    Samuel Bodman, currently the deputy secretary for Treasury, has been named Bush's top pick for secretary of energy.

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    Industry to write its rules -- again

    A blistering report recently identified a number of significant gaps in homeland security, among them the lack of real security for the nation's water supply. Gaps in homeland security just happened to correspond with Bush-Cheney campaign donors: the industries that should be required to do more to protect the nation from terrorist attack by securing the water supply, hazardous material transport, nuclear facilities, and more were being let off the hook -- and, surprise, surprise, those industries were big donors to the Bush-Cheney campaigns.

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