Category «Congress»

AG Gonzales Testimony to Judiciary Cmte. Generates Strong Response

Follow-up to yesterday’s posting, AG Alberto R. Gonzales Testifies Before Senate Judiciary Cmte. Today, the following transcript of the AG’s answers to Sen. Specter’s questions (11 pages, PDF), via CDT. Related references: New York Times: Republican Who Oversees N.S.A. Calls for Wiretap Inquiry Posting by Sen. Russ Feingold in response to AG Gonzales testimony Editor …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation

AG Alberto R. Gonzales Testifies Before Senate Judiciary Cmte. Today

“Wartime Executive Power and the NSA’s Surveillance Authority” Senate Judiciary Committee Full Committee, February 6, 2006 [Note: according to video and the transcript of the testimony, GOP Senators voted not to have Gonzales sworn in.] Prepared Statement of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Washington, D.C., Monday, February 6, 2006. …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Government Documents, Legal Research, Patriot Act, Privacy

Some in Congress Set to Confront White House On Domestic Spying Program

AP reports today the Senate Judicary Committe Chairman Arlen Specter “said he believes the administration violated a 1978 law specifically calling for a secretive court to consider and approve such monitoring.” Additional resources: Time, Sunday, Feb. 05, 2006 – Wartime Power Play, by Massimo Calabresi: “As Capitol Hill prepares to battle the White House over …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research, Privacy

Copyright Office Releases Report on “Orphan Works”

“The Copyright Office has completed its study of problems related to ‘orphan works’—copyrighted works whose owners may be impossible to identify and locate. As requested by Senator Orrin Hatch and Senator Patrick Leahy, the Office submitted its Report on Orphan Works to the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 31, 2006. The Report is also available …

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

NASA Chief Calls for “Scientific Openness” Amidst Claims of Gov’t Secrecy

Follow-up to recent postings, Gov’t Climate Change Expert Contends Censorship of Data, and Sen. Boxer Calls For Hearings on Censorship of Gov’t Scientists, the New York Times reports that NASA Administrator Michael Griffin issued a “statement of scientific openness” to agency employees, saying, “NASA has always been, is and will continue to be committed to …

Subjects: Congress, E-Government, Government Documents

House Cmte. Seeks Operations Docs. from Websites Selling Cell Phone Records

Follow-up to February 1, 200 posting, Sale of Cell Phone Records Subject of House Hearing and State AG Action, the following related news: “House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders today demanded answers from operators of Internet sites like “phonebust.com” and “datafind.org” that offer criminals, stalkers and any other paying customer the detailed records of a …

Subjects: Congress, Government Documents, Privacy

36 Senators Request Appointment of Special Counsel to Investigate Abramoff Scandal

Press release: “U.S. Senators Harry Reid, Charles E. Schumer, Ken Salazar, and others sent a letter [text included in this release] signed by a majority of Democrats to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales asking him to appoint a special counsel to continue the investigation into and prosecution of the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal.”

Subjects: Congress, Government Documents

Judiciary Cmte. Democrats Again Request Data on Domestic Surveillance From AG

Press release: “The Committee Democrats first asked Attorney General Alberto Gonzales for correspondence, memoranda and legal opinions on January 27 in a letter. Senators sought the information in anticipation of the Feb. 6 hearing the committee is holding on the controversial surveillance program. So far, the Department has not responded. The text of the letter …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, E-Government, Government Documents, Privacy