“The ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security, the ABA Section of State and Local Government Law and the ABA Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice have just released a report evaluating current legal authorities available to meet national disasters and emergencies. The purpose of this study was to examine the legal authorities… Continue Reading
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Monthly Archives: February 2006
GAO Reports on DHS Security for Chemical Facilities
Homeland Security: DHS Is Taking Steps to Enhance Security at Chemical Facilities, but Additional Authority Is Needed, GAO-06-150, January 27, 2006. Highlights. “Terrorist attacks on U.S. chemical facilities could damage public health and the economy. While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formerly led federal efforts to ensure chemical facility security, the Department of Homeland Security… Continue Reading
DOJ Brief Rebuffs Google’s Stance on Data Search Privacy
Follow-up to postings on Google’s ongoing legal battle with DOJ on the release of database search records, CDT provides a PDF copy of the latest round of briefs, Gonzales v. Google, February 24, 2006, 26 pages. See also CNET News.com, Google’s Privacy Concerns Unfounded According to Newly Filed Brief: “The Justice Department has denied requesting… Continue Reading
CFIUS Welcomes Dubai Ports Worlds Announcement to Submit to New Review
Follow-up to Calls for Congressional, GAO and Treasury IG Investigations of Port Deal, this announcement from Treasury today: “The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) today welcomed the announcement by Dubai Ports World (DPW) that it will submit for review its proposed acquisition of control of U.S. port terminal operations. Specifically, DPW… Continue Reading
Open Access To Internet Subject of Growing Debate
Following up on one, two, three recent posting related to increasing focus on issues related to net neutrality, open access, and e-commerce, see an article today from AP: Future of the Internet Highway Debated. It includes a discussion of the commercial, technical and socio-political issues associated with Internet traffic management (packet prioritization – ) the… Continue Reading
NSA Expands Data Mining Progam With Purchase of New Tech Tools
Follow-up to National Journal Article Claims Curtailed Gov’t Surveillance Program Still Active, from today’s New York Times, Taking Spying to Higher Level, Agencies Look for More Ways to Mine Data: “…by fundamentally changing the nature of surveillance, high-tech data mining raises privacy concerns that are only beginning to be debated widely. That is because to… Continue Reading
Recent Decision on Google’s Use of Thumbnails May Impact Book Scan Project
New York times: Ruling May Undercut Google in Fight Over Its Book Scans See also this related commentary: The Google Library Project: The Copyright Debate, by Jonathan Band The Authors Guild v. The Google Print Library Project, by Jonathan Band Continue Reading
Decision on Key Documents in Libby Case Pending Judge’s Determination
AP reports that Judge Reggie B. Walton has delayed a pivotal decision on whether Libby’s defense may have access to highly classified White House briefing documents. “Walton said he is concerned that Libby’s request could “sabotage” the case because President Bush probably will invoke executive privilege and refuse to turn over the classified reports.” Related… Continue Reading
Missing White House E-Mails Pertaining to Libby Case Located
Follow-up to Correspondence on Libby Indictment Mentions Missing Emails, this report by Jason Leopold states, “The White House turned over last week 250 pages of emails from Vice President Dick Cheneys office…Sources close to the probe said the White House “discovered” the emails two weeks ago and turned them over to Fitzgerald last week. The… Continue Reading
Calls for Congressional, GAO and Treasury IG Investigations of Port Deal
Press release: “Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-9), a strong opponent of the outsourcing of U.S. port operations to foreign owned firms, today called for investigations by both the House Government Reform Committee and the Treasury Inspector General into the Bush Administration’s approval of the management of U.S. ports by Dubai Ports World. Kaptur also asked the… Continue Reading
National Journal Article Claims Curtailed Gov’t Surveillance Program Still Active
TIA Lives On, by Shane Harris, National Journal, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2006: “A controversial counter-terrorism program, which lawmakers halted more than two years ago amid outcries from privacy advocates, was stopped in name only and has quietly continued within the intelligence agency now fending off charges that it has violated the privacy of U.S. citizens.”… Continue Reading
Biosecurity and Biodefense Resource
“The Federation of American Scientists has created an internet resource for biosecurity policy, bioterrorism information, and biodefense research. The organizations listed here represent various perspectives on what actions individual scientists, research institutions, science journals, the public, and government can do to minimize the threat of bioterrorism while maximizing the benefits of life science research.” Continue Reading
