Government Matters

Charitable Giving Bills Headed to Conference Committee

On September 17 the House passed legislation with tax breaks for charitable giving. The bill, the Charitable Giving Act of 2003 (H.R. 7), is now headed to a conference committee with the Senate. The Senate passed a similar bill, the CARE Act (Charity Aid Recovery and Empowerment Act, S. 476), last spring. In addition to tax breaks for contributions to charities, H.R. 7 provides money for a Compassion Capital Fund, simplification of lobbying rules for charities, reduction in excise taxes for foundations, and authority for states to transfer money from welfare to social service programs. This article includes a summary of the major provisions of H.R. 7, a look at how it compares to the Senate bill, the controversial issues facing the Conference Committee and the administration's position.

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Administration Hid Number of Detainees in Iraq

U.S. officials have been hiding the actual number of prisoners in Iraq for months, after a news report last week placed the new number at 10,000. Of these prisoners, 3,800 are considered “security detainees” and went unreported for months. Officials said they previously did not have a proper category for the prisoners, therefore leaving them out of the actual count.

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Ashcroft Budges Slightly on Patriot Act Secrecy

After receiving sharp criticism, Attorney General John Ashcroft has decided to release a fragment of information available on how the USA Patriot Act is being used in libraries. This follows pointed words by Ashcroft, characterizing the concern voiced by those worried about library surveillance as “hysterics.”

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DHS CII Docket Published, Not User-Friendly

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) finally published public comments to the proposed Critical Infrastructure Information (CII) rule on its website. OMB Watch published the comments on our site Sept. 3 after DHS failed to post them according to its timeline. Although the comments are now publicly available through DHS, the entire dissemination process DHS followed has been poor and could set a bad precedent for the agency's future rulemakings.

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Senate Votes to Repeal FCC Media Ownership Rules

The Senate recently voted to overturn the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) controversial new media ownership rules that would allow media conglomerates to own more newspapers, as well as television and radio stations. Invoking the rarely used

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Senate Votes to Block Overtime Changes Despite Veto Threat

The Senate recently voted to block changes that would strip millions of workers of eligibility for overtime pay, despite the threat of a presidential veto. The Bush administration, on March 31, proposed changes to federal overtime standards that would make it easier for employers to deny overtime compensation to certain workers while guaranteeing time-and-a-half pay for those earning less than $22,100.

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Agencies Slow to Implement Environmental Justice Order

EPA and the departments of Interior, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development have not fully incorporated environmental justice principles into their work as required by a Clinton-era executive order, according to a report by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR). The USCCR found that the four agencies have made progress in addressing environmental justice but noted a number of shortcomings. Specifically:

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    100 Hours of Continuous Testimony to Save AmeriCorps

    AmeriCorps’ actions are felt throughout the nation. Yet congressional budget cuts may mean many cities will do without AmeriCorps’ services. In Memphis, Michael Warr will have to drop 220 families from his home visitation program at the Porter-Leath Children's Center if Congress does not fully fund AmeriCorps. Sister Mary Johnice Rzadkiewicz will have trouble finding dedicated people to take food to the homebound in Buffalo, N.Y., or give a helping hand to the homeless.

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    Industry and Nonprofits Divided In Support for Proposed CII Rule

    Comments submitted on the proposed Critical Infrastructure (CII) Rule by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicate disagreement between public interest groups and the private sector. OMB Watch posted the docket online last week when DHS failed to make them publicly available.

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    Senators and Past Administrator Speak Out on EPA Response to 9/11

    Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) sent a critical letter to President Bush Aug. 26, asking why the administration conveyed incomplete information about air quality hazards in New York City immediately after 9/11. The letter comes shortly after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Inspector General issued a report revealing the White House edited EPA public statements on air pollution to be more reassuring.

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