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Daily Archives: July 19, 2007

House Oversight Committee Hearing on FEMA's Toxic Trailers

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Press Release: FEMA Was Not Forthright with Congressional Investigators, House Oversight and Government Reform Full Committee Hearing on FEMA’s Toxic Trailers, July 19, 2007

  • “Apparently, the problem of unsafe formaldehyde levels in FEMA trailers was more widespread than initially acknowledged. And FEMA’s reaction to the problem was deliberately stunted to bolster the agency’s litigation position. New information recently provided to the Committee shows those statements mischaracterized the scope and purpose of FEMA’s actual response to the formaldehyde reports. Recently discovered documents make it appear FEMA’s primary concerns were legal liability and public relations, not human health and safety. Decisions about assistance to Gulf Coast residents seem to have been driven by the desire to limit litigation, even if that meant limiting genuine testing and risk mitigation efforts as well.”
  • Committee Probes FEMA’s Response to Reports of Toxic Trailers – Overview
  • Chairman Waxman’s Opening Statement
  • Supplemental Memo and Exhibits
  • Video of the Hearing
  • FEMA was Not Forthright with Congressional Investigators: The Emails

    • Department of Justice Proposes Update to Identity Theft Laws

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    Press release, July 19, 2007: “The Department of Justice today submitted to Congress new proposed legislation that seeks to update and improve current laws aimed at protecting Americans from the increasingly sophisticated crime of identity theft. The proposed bill, titled the Identity Theft Enforcement and Restitution Act of 2007, was a significant recommendation included in… Continue Reading

    General Factfinding Report – U.S. Agricultural Sales to Cuba

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    Press release: “The United States could provide more than half of Cuba’s agricultural, fish, and forest product imports if certain U.S. trade and travel restrictions to Cuba were lifted, reports the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in its publication U.S. Agricultural Sales to Cuba: Certain Economic Effects of U.S. Restrictions. The U.S. share of such… Continue Reading

    New Handbook Explains the Law and Science of Clean Water Act Coverage

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    Clean Water Act Jurisdictional Handbook [link to free download requiring registration]: “In June 2006 the Supreme Court, in a decision that split 4-1-4, produced a result in Rapanos v. United States that makes federal Clean Water Act jurisdiction over the wetlands, streams, and other waters of the United States confusing and uncertain for citizens, landowners,… Continue Reading

    BJS Issues Deaths in Custody Statistical Tables

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    Bureau of Justice Statistics – Deaths in Custody Statistical Tables, by Christopher J. Mumola, BJS Policy Analyst and Margaret E. Noonan, BJS Statistician. “This site contains a series of data tables describing recent trends in mortality in State prison, local jails and State juvenile correctional facilities. Data are presented over time, by jurisdiction and by… Continue Reading

    CIA Issues New Rule on Freedom of Information Act Processing Fees

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    “On January 8, 2007, the Central Intelligence Agency submitted a proposed rule for public comment on Freedom of Information Act processing fees to the Federal Register. The CIA has reviewed and carefully considered all of the comments that were submitted in response to our proposal. As a result of that review, the CIA hereby issues… Continue Reading

    House Committee Passes Social Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2007

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    Follow up to previous postings on July 2, 2007, Social Security Number Protection Act of 2007, on July 18 the House Ways and Means Committee passed the Social Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2007. House Committee on Ways and Means press release: “During the course of the 16 hearings conducted by… Continue Reading

    New Report Shows Environmental Benefits from Green Computers

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    Press release: “Numerous environmental benefits of buying high-performance, environmentally friendly computer equipment are highlighted in the first annual report issued by the Green Electronics Council this week. The report, called The Environmental Benefits of the Purchase or Sale of EPEAT Registered Products in 2006, states that the purchase of more than 36 million EPA approved… Continue Reading