Follow up to March 29, 2007 posting, Conyers Announces Justice Department Deal to Begin Staff Interviews, these two related letters: “Today, House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Subcommittee Chairwoman Linda Sánchez (D-CA) sent a letter to the Attorney General’s Special Counsel and White House Liaison Monica Goodling, through her attorney John M. Dowd,… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: April 2007
OMB Announces Earmarks Database Establishes Benchmark for Cutting Earmarks in Half
Follow up to this March 12, 2007 posting, OMB Releases Database on Earmarks in Appropriations Bills for FY 2005, today the OMB “updated its earmarks database with details on 13,496 earmarks totaling more than $19 billion for Fiscal Year 2005 appropriations.” Continue Reading
TRAC Releases Latest Federal Criminal Enforcement Data from DOJ
TRAC press release: “Among the observations that can be made from the new December 2006 data – measured in per-capita terms, Wyoming led all districts in federal drug and weapons convictions. For that month, Wyoming ranked first among judicial districts with more than six times the conviction rate for the U.S. as a whole in… Continue Reading
Stanford Launches Database of Copyright Renewal Records
“The Copyright Renewal Database makes searchable the copyright renewal records received by the US Copyright Office between 1950 and 1993 for books published in the US between 1923 and 1963. Note that the database includes ONLY US Class A (book) renewals. The period from 1923-1963 is of special interest for US copyrights, as works published… Continue Reading
Commentary on Politicizing National Security
Politicizing National Security, by Aziz Huq, April 4, 2007: “Aziz Huq directs the Liberty and National Security Project at the Brennan Center for Justice. He is co-author of Unchecked and Unbalanced: Presidential Power in Times of Terror, and recipient of a 2006 Carnegie Scholars Fellowship.” Mr. Huq focuses on three recent issues to highlight his… Continue Reading
FCC Terminates Proceeding on the Use of Cellular Phones Onboard Aircraft
Press release: “Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Memorandum Opinion and Order (Order) that terminates its proceeding on the use of cellular phones on airplanes. In December 2004, the FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to examine the existing rule that requires cellular phones to be turned off once an aircraft… Continue Reading
Recent CRS Reports on Iraq, Pakistan, Lebanon and Iran
Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security, Updated March 27, 2007 Pakistan and Terrorism: A Summary, March 27, 2007 Post-War Iraq: Foreign Contributions to Training, Peacekeeping, and Reconstruction, Updated March 21, 2007 U.S. Foreign Aid to Lebanon: Issues for Congress, March 21, 2007 Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses, Updated March 13, 2007 Continue Reading
Antitrust Modernization Commission Report and Recommendations
Antitrust Modernization Commission Report and Recommendations, April 2007. Full Report (540 pages) Press Release Continue Reading
Treasury OIG Audit Reveals Taxpayer Data Not Adequately Protected on Laptops and Portable Media
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration – Internal Revenue Service Is Not Adequately Protecting Taxpayer Data on Laptop Computers and Other Portable Electronic Media Devices. March 23, 2007. Reference Number 2007-20-048. “IRS employees reported the loss or theft of at least 490 computers and other sensitive data in 387 separate incidents between January 2, 2003,… Continue Reading
Study Examines Wikipedias Use of Open Access Research and Scholarship
From First Monday this month, What open access research can do for Wikipedia, by John Willinsky: “This study examines the degree to which Wikipedia entries cite or reference research and scholarship, and whether that research and scholarship is generally available to readers. Working on the assumption that where Wikipedia provides links to research and scholarship… Continue Reading
Committee Requests Information from the Director of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
“Chairman Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Kucinich have requested information on the plan by Dr. David Schwartz, the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), to privatize Environmental Health Perspectives, a leading journal on environmental health read in over 190 countries. The Oversight Committee also requested information relating to Dr. Schwartzs conduct as… Continue Reading
Judiciary Senators Seek Safeguards In DOJ Investigation
Follow up to previous postings on U.S. Attorney firings, this press release: “Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), sent a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales asking the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish appropriate safeguards to avoid potential conflicts of interest as the Judiciary Committee continues its ongoing investigation into the dismissals… Continue Reading
