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Daily Archives: March 27, 2007

Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation

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Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, March 28, 2007

  • Statement of Robert S. Mueller, III Director Federal Bureau of Investigation: “Last week, the Committee heard testimony from Glenn Fine, the Inspector General of the Department of Justice regarding a recent report issued by his office on the FBI’s use of national security letters, or NSLs..As you heard from the Inspector General, he did not find any deliberate or intentional misuse of the national security letter authorities, Attorney General Guidelines or FBI policy. Nevertheless, the review by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) identified several areas of inadequate auditing and oversight of these vital investigative tools, as well as processes that were inappropriate. Although not intentionally, we fell short in our obligations to report to Congress on the frequency with which we use this tool and in the internal controls we put into place to make sure that it was used only in accordance with the letter of the law. I take responsibility for those shortcomings and for taking the steps to ensure that they do not happen again.”

    • Government Accountability Project Report – Redacting the Science of Climate Change

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    “Redacting the Science of Climate Change [details] the findings of a year-long investigation into political interference at federal climate science agencies. The report demonstrates how policies and practices have increasingly restricted the flow of scientific information emerging from publicly-funded climate change research. This has negatively affected the media’s ability to report objectively on scientific issues,… Continue Reading

    Opening up of the Bad Arolsen Holocaust Archives in Germany

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    Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Europe, hearing on Opening up of the Bad Arolsen Holocaust Archives in Germany, March 28, 2007. United States Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) Chairman Alcee L. Hastings (D-Florida), March 14, 2007 press release: “The Holocaust archives located in Bad Arolsen remain the largest closed… Continue Reading

    DHS Provides First Responders $34.6 Million in Equipment and Training Programs

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    Press release: “The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today the award of $34.6 million in equipment and training to first responders across the nation as a part of the fiscal year 2006 Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP). DHS awarded more than 2,000 direct assistance grants to ensure that law enforcement and emergency… Continue Reading

    Release of the National Counterintelligence Strategy

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    The National Counterintelligence Strategy of the United States, March 27, 2007. “The National Counterintelligence Strategy of the United States elaborates the fundamental responsibility for US intelligence to warn of and help prevent terrorist attacks the homeland, engage other asymmetric threats, and provide reliable intelligence on traditional and enduring strategic issues.” Continue Reading

    Groups Warn Draft Regulation for Endangered Species Act Would Diminish National Oversight

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    According to a press release today by by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and the Center for Biological Diversity, the draft regulations for the Endangered Species Act would: “Remove recovery of a species or population as a protection standard Allow projects to proceed that have been determined to threaten species with extinction Permit destruction… Continue Reading

    FAA Identifies New Way to Handle Air Traffic

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    Press release: “The Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has identified the Integrated Airspace Alternative as the preferred alternative for the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia Metropolitan Area Airspace Redesign Project. This alternative, among the four that have been studied for the last nine years, best meets the purpose and need of the project, which is… Continue Reading

    Reseachers Focus on Fighting Web Spam

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    Hao Chen, Assistant Professor, UC Davis in collaboration with In collaboration with Microsoft Researchers Yi-Min Wang and Ming Ma, pub lished Spam Double-Funnel: Connecting Web Spammers with Advertisers. [Darlene Fichter] Overview: “Web spamming is a prevalent problem on the Web. Publishing and contributing to the web is increasingly easy. Spammers, motivated by money, want to… Continue Reading

    POGO Reports Major Damage to Missile Defense From Floods

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    Press release: “A significant portion of the U.S. missile defense capability was wiped out during the summer of 2006 because torrential rains caused ground-based interceptor silos to be damaged by flood waters, the Project On Government Oversight has learned.” The press release includes a Fact Sheet with further data on this issue. It mentions a… Continue Reading