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Daily Archives: February 6, 2007

Pew Internet Survey Targets Political News Consumers

Election Newshounds Speak Up – Newspaper, TV and Internet Fans Tell How and Why They Differ, by Deborah Fallows, Senior Research Fellow: “If you ask political news consumers what they like most about their favorite platform for news, a vivid image of a typical TV, newspaper, and internet political news consumer will emerge from their own comments. All three media forms win praise from their primary fans for their convenience but the context for its definition varies.”

Recently Released CRS Reports on Topics Including Iraq, Iran and Energy Efficiency

Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security, Updated February 1, 2007 Iran’s Influence in Iraq, Updated February 2, 2007 Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses, Updated January 23, 2007 Congressional Authority to Limit U.S. Military Operations in Iraq, January 29, 2007 Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Legislation in the 110th Congress, January 25, 2007 Continue Reading

Hearing Questions Waste, Fraud, and Abuse In Iraq Reconstruction

Committee on Government and Oversight Reform: “Ambassador L. Paul Bremer and Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, testified on management of U.S. funds in Iraq. Questions were raised about an audit report issued in 2005 by Mr. Bowen that concluded that more than $8.8 billion in cash was disbursed without adequate financial… Continue Reading

TRAC Expands Data Available on convictions for Six Secialized Subjects

Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse announcement: “For several months, TRAC has offered on its public website very timely month-by-month reports and data tracking changes in the government’s enforcement activities against white collar criminals, illegal drug peddlers, immigration violators and unlawful gun users and dealers…TRAC has greatly expanded the offerings [Link]. For the latest available month, there… Continue Reading

Hearing on Oversight of Recent EPA Decisions

“This morning, February 6, 2007, ALA President Leslie Burger testified before the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, chaired by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), concerning the recent closure of several libraries in the Environmental and Protection Agency (EPA). Link to Burger’s full testimony. “As one recently retired EPA librarian described it,” Burger said in… Continue Reading

FCC Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Estimates

Press release: “The President has submitted a budget to Congress that proposes fiscal year 2008 funding for the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) of $313,000,000…The request would also provide funding to conduct an outreach campaign to educate consumers about the impact and benefits of the transition to Digital Television (DTV). In addition, the request would allow… Continue Reading

Debate Escalates Over Bush Presidential Library at Southern Methodist Univ.

Inside Higher Ed – Broadening the Bush Library Debate: “As professors at Southern Methodist University have mobilized against the plans to build President Bush’s library there, their focus has not been the library, but a policy institute to be affiliated with it that would have as its mission promoting the Bush philosophy.” Continue Reading

Commission Submits FY 2008 Budget Request and GPRA Performance Plans to Congress

“The Commission has approved the following documents: 1) the FTC’s FY 2008 Budget Overview Statement; 2) the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Performance Plans for FY 2007 and FY 2008; and 3) the President’s Management Agenda exhibit. These documents are part of the FTC’s formal budget request that was submitted to Congress on February… Continue Reading

CDT Faults Guidelines for Terror Information Sharing

“A CDT analysis finds that privacy guidelines issued by the Bush Administration for the Information Sharing Environment are inadequate. The ISE is a potentially revolutionary system for exchanging personally identifiable information that was mandated by the intelligence reform act of 2004. Adoption of detailed guidelines to protect privacy was supposed to be a pre-condition for… Continue Reading