Day archives: September 9th, 2008

New GAO Reports: Aviation Security, Bureau of Indian Education, Labs That Test Voting Systems

Aviation Security: TSA Is Enhancing Its Oversight of Air Carrier Efforts to Screen Passengers against Terrorist Watch-List Records, but Expects Ultimate Solution to Be Implementation of Secure Flight, GAO-08-1136T, September 9, 2008 Bureau of Indian Education: Improving Interior’s Assistance Would Aid Tribal Groups Developing Academic Accountability Systems, GAO-08-1125T, September 9, 2008 Elections: Federal Programs for …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents

The Budget and Economic Outlook: An Update, September 2008

The Budget and Economic Outlook: An Update, September 2008 – “The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the deficit for 2008 will be substantially higher than it was in 2007, rising from $161 billion last year to $407 billion this year. Furthermore, CBOs projections indicate that if current laws and policies remain in place, deficits …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents

Homeland Security Cmte. Report Examines Administration's Performance on Requirements in Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007

“Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) announced the release of a report prepared by the Majority Staffs of the Committees on Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs. The report, entitled Wasted Lessons of 9/11: How the Bush Administration Has Ignored the Law and Squandered Its Opportunities to Make our Country Safer, examines the …

Subjects: Congress, E-Government, Government Documents, Legislation

National Security Archive and Historians Secure Long Secret Rosenberg Grand Jury Testimony

News release: “More than 50 years after the historic but controversial execution of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, who were convicted of atomic espionage, the U.S. government this Thursday, September 11, is expected to make public long shrouded grand jury testimony from its prosecution of the Rosenbergs, which will be the subject of a press briefing …

Subjects: Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research

Bear Stearns and EMC Mortgage to Pay $28 Million to Settle FTC Charges of Unlawful Mortgage Servicing and Debt Collection Practices

News release: “The Bear Stearns Companies, LLC and its subsidiary, EMC Mortgage Corporation, have agreed to pay $28 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they engaged in unlawful practices in servicing consumers home mortgage loans. The companies allegedly misrepresented the amounts borrowers owed, charged unauthorized fees, such as late fees, property inspection fees, …

Subjects: Courts, E-Government, Government Documents, Legal Research

EPA.gov Relaunches With Web 2.0 Applications and Tools to Meet User Requirements

“Today, EPA is opening the doors on a new, more interactive, and task-oriented Web site designed to meet users’ needs. We’ve heard from our audience the American people and they are interested in more than just reading about EPA programs on the Web. Citizens want to participate in protecting the environment in which …

Subjects: E-Government

Treatment of Agency Records Maintained For an Agency By a Government Contractor for Purposes of Records Management

DOJ FOIA Post: “In light of Section 9 [Section 9 amends 5 U.S.C. § 552(f), the definitions provision of the FOIA, by including in the definition of record any information maintained for an agency by an entity under Government contract, for the purposes of records management. This provision makes clear that records, in the possession …

Subjects: E-Government, E-Records, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research

OpenTheGovernment.org has published the 2008 Secrecy Report Card

“OpenTheGovernment.orgs fifth annual report, Secrecy Report Card 2008, shows both a continued expansion of government secrecy across a broad array of agencies and actions and some movement toward more openness and accountability, particularly in the Congress. The public has a right to know what its government is doing to preserve health, safety, and the public …

Subjects: E-Government, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research

Veteran's Affairs Suicide Prevention Panel Completes Draft Report

News release: “A blue-ribbon panel has praised the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for its comprehensive strategy in suicide prevention that includes a number of initiatives and innovations that hold great promise for preventing suicide attempts and completions. Among the initiatives and innovations the group studied were VAs Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK. The lifeline …

Subjects: Government Documents

Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law

“The new online edition of the Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law went live in August 2008. The initial upload included over 450 articles including over 120 that relate to judicial decisions and dispute settlement, and a set of articles covering the history of international law since the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Of …

Subjects: Legal Research

Rand: After the War: Nation-Building From FDR to George W. Bush

After the War: Nation-Building From FDR to George W. Bush, By: James Dobbins, Michele A. Poole, Austin Long, Benjamin Runkle: “This book examines how the United States has gained considerable experience in nation-building operations through its participation in at least eight significant operations since World War IIin Germany, Japan, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and …

Subjects: Government Documents

Rand: Improving the Cost Estimation of Space Systems

Improving the Cost Estimation of Space Systems, By Obaid Younossi et al.: “Why have the costs of acquiring space systems been so high? What are the sources of the problems? To answer these questions, RAND researchers examined the sources of cost growth of Air Force space systems and undertook an extensive study of two space …

Subjects: Government Documents

Thank you!