Summaries of New Decisions – January 2008, posted 2/25/2008 “..up-to-date summaries of new court decisions..broken down by FOIA Exemption or procedural element and internal citations and quotations have been omitted. OIP provides these case summaries as a public service; due to their nature as summaries, they are not intended to be authoritative or complete statements… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: February 2008
FTC Announces Workshop on Green Guides and Packaging
News release: “The Federal Trade Commission today announced the second in a series of public workshops being held as part of the agencys regulatory review of the Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims, commonly known as the Green Guides. The workshop, which is free and open to the public, will be held in… Continue Reading
DHS OIG Reviews: FEMA's Use of Proceeds From the Sales of Emergency Housing Unit, Pine Electric Power Association
DA-08-04 – Review of Southern Pine Electric Power Association, FEMA Disaster No. 1604-DR-MS (PDF, 4 pages) OIG-08-23 – Review of FEMA’s Use of Proceeds From the Sales of Emergency Housing Unit (PDF, 22 pages): “Starting in fiscal year 2005, and continuing through early 2007, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials used funds received from the… Continue Reading
Pew Research Center: U.S. Religious Landscape Survey Reveals a Fluid and Diverse Pattern of Faith
“An extensive new survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life details the religious affiliation of the American public and explores the shifts taking place in the U.S. religious landscape. Based on interviews with more than 35,000 Americans age 18 and older, the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey finds that religious affiliation in the… Continue Reading
Social Security Administration's Income and Resource Verification Process for Individuals Applying for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs
The Social Security Administration’s Income and Resource Verification Process for Individuals Applying for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs, A-06-06-16135, February 19, 2008. “SSA income and resource verifications for individuals applying for help with Medicare prescription drug plan costs were not always effective. Our review of a sample of denied subsidy applications found that… Continue Reading
Have People Delayed Claiming Retirement Benefits?
Have People Delayed Claiming Retirement Benefits? Responses to Changes in Social Security Rules, by Jae Song and Joyce Manchester, Social Security Bulletin, Vol. 67 No. 2, February 2008. “This article examines changes in the age at which people claim Social Security retirement benefits in response to two recent changes in the Social Security rules: the… Continue Reading
FCC Wireless E911 Location Accuracy Requirements
Wireless E911 location accuracy requirements: Wireless E911 Location Accuracy Requirements, Federal Register, February 14, 2008, Volume 73, Number 31, Rules and Regulations, Page 8617, 47 CFR Part 20, PS Docket No. 07-114, CC Docket No. 94-102, WC Docket No. 05-196, FCC 07-166, Final rule. [Courthouse News] “Summary: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) amends… Continue Reading
OMB: Competitive Sourcing Requirements in Division D of Public Law 110-161
M-08-11, Competitive Sourcing Requirements in Division D of Public Law 110-161 (February 20, 2008) (8 pages) “This memorandum provides guidance on certain government-wide provisions related to competitive sourcing in sections 739 and 747 of Division D of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year (FY) 2008, P.L. 110-161. Specifically, this guidance addresses: (1) health and retirement… Continue Reading
Renewing U.S. Manufacturing: Promoting a High-Road Strategy
Economic Policy Institute Briefing Paper – Renewing U.S. Manufacturing: Promoting a High-Road Strategy, by Susan Helper, February 13, 2008 (39 pages, PDF). “Over the last decade, the United States lost manufacturing jobs at a stunning rate: 16% of its manufacturing jobs disappeared in just the three years between 2000 and 2003, with a further decline… Continue Reading
National Summits Help Federal Courts Prepare for Sentence Reduction Requests
Follow up to December 11, 2007 posting Retroactivity Approved for Crack Cocaine Guideline, from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts : “As of March 3, 2008, more than 21,000 inmates serving time for federal crimes involving crack cocaine will be eligible to have their sentences reduced. Federal courts already are preparing to rule on… Continue Reading
More EPA Toxic Release Inventory Data Available for 2006
Follow up to February 21, 2008 posting EPA Releases Selected Toxics Release Inventory Data, this news release: “Information on the 2006 reporting year is now available as part of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) database. Today marks the earliest release of the data in the 20-year history of the program. Improvements in electronic reporting and… Continue Reading
Primary Sources on Copyright, 1450-1900
copyrighthistory.org: “This website provides a digital resource relating to the history of copyright in five jurisdictions (France, Germany, Italy, the UK and US) for the period up to 1900. It will include the 50 most important documents from France, Germany and the UK, and the 20 most important from Venice and the United States. The… Continue Reading
