Government Matters

Chemical Security: Moving Forward

The Senate will likely take another step this week toward establishing national security requirements for chemical facilities. The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee is expected to mark up chemical security legislation during a business meeting this Wednesday, June 14. The frontrunner bill, co-sponsored by Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), the Chair and ranking minority member, respectively, includes a number of important reporting requirements for chemical facilities.

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Vice President Refuses to Disclose Classification Data

For the third consecutive year, the Office of the Vice President has refused to disclose information on its security classification practices, according to a report released last month. The refusal contradicts a presidential order to disclose data on classification and declassification, issued by President Clinton and amended by President Bush in 2003.

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Legislative Update: Plain Language and GAO Reg Review

The House Government Reform Committee reported out two bills relevant to regulatory policy: one to facilitate compliance by encouraging agencies to draft regulations in plain language, and another to bring the Government Accountability Office into the process of regulatory reviews.

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Nonprofits Registering Voters Face New Restrictions

A growing number of nonprofit organizations in states across the country are finding new rules make it difficult or impossible to continue their nonpartisan voter registration efforts. In Florida, the League of Women Voters and a host of other groups have sued the state to stop enforcement of rules that make such voter registration drives substantially more difficult and risky.

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Supreme Court Restricts Whistleblower Protections

On May 30, the Supreme Court handed down a decision in Garcetti v. Ceballos that could provide a disincentive for future whistleblowers on the government's payroll. The 5-4 decision declared that public employees who report suspicions of corrupt or inept behaviors in the course of their duties are not protected under the First Amendment.

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FEC Won't Change 527 Rules This Year

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) on May 31 announced it will provide a better explanation and clear justification of its 2004 rule limiting regulation of 527 independent political committees. The move can in response to a court order that calling on the FEC to either explain the rule or open up a new rulemaking providing more limits. The timing for the FEC action is not clear.

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Federal Court Rules Against Taxpayer-Funded Religious Programs for Inmates

A federal judge has ruled that an evangelical Christian program operating in an Iowa state prison promotes religion with state funds, in violation of the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. The court ordered the program to reimburse the government $1.5 million.

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Lobby Reform Update

Although GOP leaders are promising a final lobby reform package by the July 4 recess, a group of Republican Senators has broken rank and is threatening to filibuster the lobby reform conference report if it includes a provision expanding regulation of independent 527 organizations.

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Think Tank Focuses on Economic Security

The incongruity between Congress's priorities and the needs of average Americans was in stark contrast last week. As the Senate prepared to vote on estate tax repeal, the Center for American Progress held a briefing June 6 to explore the growing problem of economic insecurity facing many Americans. Panelists speaking at the briefing were:
  • Jared Bernstein, Economic Policy Institute economist and author;
  • Louis Uchitelle, New York Times reporter and author;
  • Paul Krugman, New York Times op-ed columnist and author: and

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Senate Rejects Estate Tax Repeal; Frist Likely to Turn to Costly 'Compromise'

Last week, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) failed to garner enough support for a procedural vote to move forward with debate on estate tax repeal. The Senate's reject of the motion signals lawmakers may now have realized that their priorities should reflect those of their constituents and the pressing issues facing the country, not tax breaks for multi-millionaires.

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