Latest Watcher

Be sure to check out the latest issue of our biweekly newsletter, The Watcher. Reg policy articles this time: Seeking Program Sunsets, GOP Sees Opportunity in Budget Process Reform

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Groups Complain of FBI Intimidation

A Michigan forum on freedom of information and open government held during Sunshine Week last month provoked a call to the event's sponsor, the local League of Women Voters, from a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent. The agent complained about one panelist’s statements that criticized the USA PATRIOT Act and suggested the League should have had someone from the federal government on the panel. Within days Common Cause and the League wrote to FBI Director Robert Mueller to protest.

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NASA Launches New Disclosure Policy

The National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) released a new policy statement governing public dissemination of information from the agency. Released on March 30, the policy is an apparent response to allegations that the agency attempted to suppress scientific research on climate change that contradicted Bush administration policy on the issue. While the new policy does begin to clarify and establish official guidelines for release of information, it remains too vague and contains too many loopholes to fully function as a vehicle for public disclosure.

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Gaps Remain in Nuclear Facility Security

New from the GAO:

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Senate Approps Approves Yet Another Supplemental Bill

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved yet another supplemental funding bill today by a 27-1 vote. The bill funds an additional $105 billion in fiscal 2006 supplemental spending - most of the money would fund military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and hurricane relief.

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Harmful Budget Process Plans Could Become Reality

As Congress's work crafting the FY 2007 budget moves forward, Capitol Hill has been abuzz with talk of significantly changing the annual budget process. In the aftermath of the lobbying and ethics scandals of 2005, this year may prove an opportune moment for conservatives to enact damaging budget process changes that would entrench poor policy development mechanisms and alter the balance of power in the federal government. Enhanced Rescission Masquerades as Line-Item Veto

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Outsourcing of IRS Creates Private Company Infighting

Following up on a previous posting from last week, an article that ran yesterday in govexec.com reported that two private collection companies have filed a complaint with the General Accountability Office (GAO) protesting the selection of a third firm (Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson) to receive a contract to collect outstanding taxes owed to the IRS.

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Senate Calls for Investigation of TRI Changes

A bipartisan group of senators has called for an investigation into the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposals to relax chemical reporting requirements for large industrial facilities. On March 27, Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Jim Jeffords (I-VT), and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting the office investigate whether EPA had adequately considered how reducing Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) information would impact communities and data users, including federal and state programs that rely on TRI data.

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Congress Pulls Chair Up to NSA Spying Table

The Senate has continued its efforts to establish some level of oversight of the National Security Administration (NSA) warrantless spying program. The Senate Judiciary Committee held another hearing on the program, while three Senate bills have been introduced to establish congressional control over the program.

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There's a New Chemical Security Bill in Town

On March 30, Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Barack Obama (D-IL) introduced a new bill on chemical plant security, The Chemical Security and Safety Act, with a major improvement over current chemical security proposals: it includes a requirement that chemical plants consider inherently safer technologies. The bill also establishes a more active role for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the implementation of chemical security requirements.

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