Category «Legal Research»

VP’s Power to Classify and Declassify Information Under Scrutiny

Follow-up to yesterday’s posting, Declassifying Gov. Docs. For Libby Defense, today Steven Aftergood provides a detailed analysis of the powers of the President and Vice President, respectively, in declassifying national security information. As Steven explains, Executive Order 13292, issued by President Bush, contains language that “dramatically elevates the Vice President’s classification authority to that of …

Subjects: Government Documents, Legal Research

Declassifying Gov. Docs. For Libby Defense

Follow-up to postings on Plame CIA leak [see specifically Cheney ‘Authorized’ Libby to Leak Classified Information, by Murray Waas, National Journal, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2006], tonight AP reports: “Vice President Dick Cheney disclosed Wednesday that he has the power to declassify sensitive government information, authority that could set up a criminal defense for his former …

Subjects: Courts, Government Documents, Legal Research

Objectivity of CRS Reports on Domestic Surveillance Issues Challenged

There have been several recent congressional communications and related articles addressing whether or not authors of CRS reports on issues pertaining to domestic surveillance have demonstrated bias in their research. Links to relevant documents are in chronological order, as follows: Letter from Congressman Peter Hoekstra, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, to …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Congress, E-Government, Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation, Privacy

EPA Libraries And Unique E-Catalog Threatened by Budget Cutbacks

Press release: “Under President Bush’s proposed budget, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is slated to shut down its network of libraries that serve its own scientists as well as the public, according to internal agency documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). In addition to the libraries, the agency will pull the …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Libraries

ABA Task Force on Domestic Surveillance in the Fight Against Terrorism

Follow up to February 10, 2006 posting, Survey on Spy Program Reflects Public Concern With Constitutional Freedoms, this news today from the ABA Task Force on Domestic Surveillance in the Fight Against Terrorism: Letter to President Bush and New ABA Policy on Domestic Surveillance (1 page, PDF) Report of ABA Task Force on Domestic Surveillance …

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

Economic Report of the President, 2006 Now Available

“The Economic Report of the President is an annual report written by the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors. It overviews the nation’s economic progress using text and extensive data appendices. The Economic Report of the President is transmitted to Congress no later than ten days after the submission of the Budget of the …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents, Legal Research

Significance of Library Digitization Project Described by Univ. President

John Batelle posted the text (PDF) of University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman’s keynote address at the Association of American Publishers Conference, February 6. She defended her university’s participation in the Google Library Project as well as the overall value and importance of library digitization programs in general. Related news: A leading US academic …

Subjects: Copyright, Government Documents, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Libraries