Government Matters

Recent GAO Reports Show Need for Better Data on Tax Expenditures

Two recent reports released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which examine the effectiveness of tax credits that target poverty and unemployment in economically distressed areas, show that Congress must require better data collection to properly assess tax expenditure programs.

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Commentary: A Call for Change on Legal Services Corporation Funding Restrictions

For the past 14 years, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), which funds legal services for the poor, has been forced by Congress to place severe restrictions on legal aid programs that receive LSC funds. These restrictions also extend to non-federal funds raised by legal services programs. Since their passage, the restrictions have been plagued by repeated First Amendment questions and have sparked calls for change.

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Modernizing the Occupational Safety and Health Act

On March 16, a House subcommittee held a hearing on proposed legislation to modernize the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). The House bill, the Protecting America's Workers Act (PAWA), would update civil and criminal penalties and provide enhanced protection to workers who report unsafe working conditions.

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Plans for National Broadband Access May Be in Danger

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is gearing up to release its plan for national broadband access on March 17. The FCC is required under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to develop and present to Congress a plan to connect an estimated 93 million Americans to broadband service. Early releases of the plan indicate a broad vision, but problems concerning funding and net neutrality threaten its success.

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More Action Is Needed to Improve Recovery Act Data Quality

The Recovery Act may be a great step forward for spending transparency, but it is also exposing the problems of obtaining quality recipient reporting. Two new government reports show that recent revisions and additions to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) rules on recipient reporting are not necessarily "magic bullets" for addressing reporting errors. The reports also make clear that ensuring that recipients have a clear understanding of existing guidance is a crucial aspect of any data quality improvement effort.

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Nonprofits Are Making a Major Impact on Redistricting Reform

Redistricting reform efforts have emerged as a key issue that could significantly impact our democracy in 2010 and beyond. While it does not appear that there will be nationwide redistricting reform, efforts are moving forward in several states. Nonprofits have taken a lead role in advocating for a process that is independent, nonpartisan, and fair while also ensuring that their constituencies' interests are represented.

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Scientists Recommend Ways to Restore Scientific Integrity to Government

On March 3, the Project on Scientific Knowledge and Public Policy (SKAPP) released the results of a two-year research effort to explore the working environment of federal scientists in the public health and environmental fields. The results showed that not only is there political interference in their work, but that scientists also faced a series of obstacles that delay the study and dissemination of scientific information that affects the public every day.

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Regulatory Lapses Inflate Health Care Costs, Reports Find

A new report has found that foodborne illnesses take a $152 billion toll on the American economy each year. Other hazards that regulators keep tabs on, such as air pollution, can increase medical costs if the public is not adequately protected.

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White House Seeks More Transparent Environmental Reviews

The Obama administration has proposed new guidance intended to increase transparency and public involvement in the implementation of one of the nation's oldest and most important environmental laws. The 40-year-old National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) creates a process where federal agencies must review the environmental impacts of their actions and evaluate alternatives while working to include public participation in the process.

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Commentary: Security Contracting and the Dilemma of Defining an Inherently Governmental Function

Later in March, the Obama administration plans to release new guidance to federal agencies on which jobs the government can and cannot outsource to the private sector. The federal government's latest effort to better define what qualifies as an inherently governmental function should theoretically have significant consequences for reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, specifically regarding security contracting. However, change is unlikely.

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