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From a new GAO report, Federal Advisory Committees: Additional Guidance Could Help Agencies Better Ensure Independence and Balance (149 pages, pdf): “Federal advisory committees have been called the “fifth arm of government” because of the significant role they play in advising federal agencies, the Congress, and the President on important national issues. To be effective, …
Federal government agencies are required to conduct privacy impact assessments (PIAs) and make them available to the public, according to Section 208 of the E-Government Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-347, 44 USC Ch. 36, 44 USC 3501). As the increasingly routine process of government collection of personal data results in the creation of larger databases, …
From the May 17 press release: “GalleryWatch.com has expanded its partnership with Penny Hill Press to provide subscriber’s access to all numbered Congressional Research Service (CRS) documents and Electronic Briefing Books, from January 2003 to the present. The services are available on a subscription basis via the Web through www.GalleryWatch.com or on DVD-ROM. The Web …
Eleventh public hearing of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States – “The two-day hearing will examine the response of local and federal emergency response departments on September 11, 2001, and will consider how to improve these critical functions in the event of future terrorist attacks.” Staff Statement No. 13 – Emergency …
According to the New York Times, the Technology and Privacy Advisory Committee advises the DOJ, in an report delivered in March, but just made available (although not yet on the TAPAC website), that due to data mining undertaken by the government in the fight against terrorism, there is the need to establish additional legislative protections …
David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the United States, received a letter last week signed by a bipartisan group of 13 House members, requesting a formal investigation of e-voting security and reliability. The group stated the issue involved “a critical aspect of American democracy the ability of Americans to have confidence that the votes …
GPO Digitization Priorities Survey: “GPO is conducting a survey to compile a list of priority government documents titles or series that should be among the early items to be digitized. Please review the list of candidates for digitization that have already been proposed and add other titles that you feel should be on the list. …
As a follow-up to my May 5 posting, Dept. of Interior Guidelines to Secure Geospatial Data, from the Rand Corporation, this press release stating that “Less than 1 percent of publicly available federal Web sites and databases contain geospatial information not readily available elsewhere that could help terrorists and other hostile forces mount attacks in …
DOJ Office of Information and Privacy, FOIA policy guidance:Use of “Cut-Off” Dates for FOIA Searches: “…all federal agencies should be mindful of the proper use of “cut-off” dates in their administration of the FOIA. Only with proper attention to this basic mechanism for determining a FOIA request’s full scope at the outset of their handling …
Report to Senator McCain into the alleged destruction of an audiotape of air traffic controller witness statements from 9/11/01, May 4, 2004. From the New York Times, F.A.A. Official Scrapped Tape of 9/11 Controllers’ Statements
U.S. Releases 2004 Report on Intellectual Property Protection Office of the United States Trade Representative press release: Annual “Special 301” Report Finds Continued Progress on Strengthening Intellectual Property Protection, but Significant Improvements Needed 2004 Special 301 Report (documents are in pdf): Executive Summary, Statutory Authority, Developments in IPR, Full Report.
“The Homeland Security Working Group ensures that the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) [Executive Order establishing NSDI] supports the preparation for, prevention of, protection against, response to, and recovery from (1) threats to the nation’s population centers and critical infrastructures that are of terrorist, criminal, accidental, or natural origin and (2) related adverse events.” The …
