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Taxonomy: Term ID

Watcher: November 7, 2008

Nov 8, 2006 by Matt Lewis

Tax Policy on the Campaign Trail Congress Continues Insufficient Oversight of Contracts

Fed Bank President Concerned by Rising Inequality

Nov 8, 2006 by Craig Jennings

BNA ($): San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Janet Yellen urged lawmakers in a Nov. 6 speech to address the causes of income inequality and strengthen the social safety net as part of a long-term effort to protect the economy and U.S. democracy. [...]

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Industry Opposes EPA's Smog Reduction Proposal

Nov 7, 2006 by Matthew Madia

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported this past weekend that industry is stridently opposing an EPA recommendation to reduce ozone, often referred to as smog. EPA released the recommendation in a staff paper last July. For a summary, click here. The staff paper recommends tightening ozone emissions by lowering the allowable limit to 0.07 parts per million (ppm). The current limit is 0.08 ppm, set in 1997.

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Next War Supplemental Reported to be Enormous

Nov 7, 2006 by Adam Hughes*

In a continued effort to totally ignore Congress's request to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through the regular annual appropriations process, the Defense Department is in the process of constructing a new supplemental funding request for the wars for FY 2007 - reported to be a whopping $160 billion. Combined with the current $70 billion FY 2007 apporpriations for Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States could spend $230 billion on the wars by the time this fiscal year ends next September. That's approximately half of the total spending on the wars so far!

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Tumultuous Week for Voting Rights, Confusing Week for Voters

A series of last-minute court cases and pre-election maneuvers will likely leave many voters confused about their rights as they go to the polls today. Widespread concern surrounds electronic voting and a host of voter identification requirements that could create inequities at polling centers across the country. Legal challenges to voter requirements will not be resolved until after this election cycle, so concerned groups have launched new efforts to document voter fraud and disenfranchisement of minorities, and elderly and disabled persons.

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Congress Continues Insufficient Oversight of Federal Contracts

Even as reports of contracting fraud and contractor malfeasance continue to stack up, Congress has taken steps to reduce the federal government's capacity to investigate and oversee how government contracts are awarded and administered.

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ACORN Voter Registration Drive Investigated

Voter registration drives sponsored by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) are being investigated by federal authorities and the Senate Finance Committee after allegations that fraudulent voter registration cards were submitted in four of its 17 state efforts. The group is cooperating with authorities and says misconduct by temporary workers appears to be at the root of the problem.

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Tax Policy on the Campaign Trail

During the current campaign season, both Democrats and Republicans have allowed election-year rhetoric to distort the true nature and outcomes of current tax policy. The administration and Republicans across the country assert that Democrats plan to raise taxes for most citizens and that these "tax increases" would devastate the economy. At a recent campaign rally in Colorado, Bush was direct in asserting this view: And the American people must understand the facts; if you vote Democrat you're voting for a tax increase.

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Nuclear Commission Re-proposes Secrecy Rule

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has once again proposed a revision to its rules on information that should be withheld from the public under a category called Safeguards Information (SGI). The rule was originally proposed in February 2005. Now based on public comments and changes to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the NRC has proposed additional changes. While apparently narrowing the scope of some provisions, making it harder to withhold information, the amended rule would significantly expand SGI's definition, inserting language and add a new category of covered information -- Safeguards Information-Modified Handling (SGI-M).

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Nonprofits Call for Release of Frozen Funds for Humanitarian Efforts

In a letter sent Nov. 6, a group of charities and nonprofit sector leaders asked the Treasury Department to release frozen funds belonging to charities designated as supporters of terrorism "to trustworthy aid agencies that can ensure the funds are used for their intended charitable purposes." According to the letter, the request "takes no position on whether these designations were appropriate. Instead, [the authors'] concern is with ensuring that charitable funds are put to good use."

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Nov 8, 2006 by Matt Lewis

Nov 8, 2006 by Craig Jennings

Nov 7, 2006 by Matthew Madia

Nov 7, 2006 by Adam Hughes*

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