Government Matters

DHS Doesn't Share Well with Others

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 granted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statutory authority to coordinate information-sharing networks with state and local governments. As the five-year anniversary of the creation of the Department approaches, along with the six-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that DHS is falling short of its responsibility to effectively share information within the federal government, or with state, local and tribal governments and the private sector.

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EPA Increases Information on Dioxin

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule on May 10 to increase reporting of dioxin compounds, some of the most potent carcinogens, under the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program.

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Social Programs Are Collateral Damage of the War Funding Debate

Congress and the president have yet to resolve their differences over an emergency spending bill for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Caught in the middle of this fight are high-priority proposals to raise the minimum wage, provide stopgap funding for a children's health insurance program, and restore some cuts for energy assistance. A drawn-out debate over war funding could end up causing unnecessary hardship for people who depend on the passage of these initiatives. War Funding

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Senate Passes FDA Reform Bill, Expands User Fees

On May 9, the Senate ended weeks of debate and passed S. 1082, the Food and Drug Administration Revitalization Act. The two primary aims of the bill are to renew the Prescription Drug User Fee Act and to generally strengthen the regulatory authority of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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Cost-Benefit Provision Latches onto Fuel Economy Standard

A Senate panel has approved a bill reforming the federal standard for passenger vehicle fuel economy. The bill aims to increase vehicle fuel efficiency over the next 25 years, but a proposal to mandate cost-benefit analysis could undermine meaningful regulation. The bill raises questions as to the limits of cost-benefit analysis in the federal regulatory process.

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House Hearing Asks Interior: Entangled in Politics, or Enlightened by Science?

In a May 9 hearing, the House Committee on Natural Resources heard witnesses discuss the extent to which Interior Department officials have manipulated scientific assessments when implementing the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The hearing came on the heels of the resignation of a top-ranking official and the release of a departmental investigation that found rules violations and intimidation of agency scientists.

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Muslim Charity Files Libel Suit over Allegations of Terrorist Ties

KinderUSA, a U.S. charity that provides humanitarian aid to children in war zones, including Palestine, filed suit April 26 against the author and publishers of a book that ties the group to terrorist organizations. The libel suit, which seeks $500,000 in damages and other relief, was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court after the publishers refused a request to discontinue distribution.

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Supreme Court Hears Oral Argument in Grassroots Lobbying Case

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument on April 25 in Wisconsin Right to Life's (WRTL) challenge to the constitutionality of a campaign finance law that limits certain broadcasts, including grassroots lobbying messages, during federal campaigns. The issue before the Court is whether the law is unconstitutional as applied to the facts of WRTL's 2004 grassroots lobbying radio ads. Much of the argument addressed what standard should be used to define "genuine issue ads" entitled to constitutional protection.

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OMB Watch Executive Director Gary D. Bass Comments on USDA's Private Information Breach

On April 20, the New York Times broke a story about the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) disclosing personally identifiable information (Social Security numbers and taxpayer ID numbers) of some people who have received financial assistance from the department. The practice, which, according to USDA, affected 38,700 people, has been going on for roughly a decade. The problem was discovered a week earlier by a user of OMB Watch's FedSpending.org, a website providing easy access to information about government spending.

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Intelligence Agencies' Contracting Practices Remain a Secret

The government refuses to release the findings of a comprehensive study on contracting at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), National Security Agency, and other federal intelligence agencies on the grounds that it is classified information and is sensitive to national security. The amount spent on federal contracts government-wide has doubled, from $209 billion in FY 2000 to $384 billion in FY 2005, but this does not include money spent on intelligence contractors, the figures for which are unknown to the public.

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