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Daily Archives: March 6, 2008

Trio of Commerce Chairmen Call for Further Investigation Based on Latest Domestic Surveillance Allegations

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Electronic Frontier Foundation: “Three powerful House Commerce Committee Chairmen strongly urged their colleagues Thursday to defer acting on requests for retroactive immunity and to demand more information from the White House and the telecommunications companies in the wake of disclosures by another whistleblower that the government apparently has been granted an open gateway to customer information and calls by a major telecommunications company.”

  • March 6, 2008 Dear Colleague letter, written by John Dingell, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce; Ed Markey, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet; and Bart Stupak, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations: “..Yesterday another whistleblower stepped forward with troubling charges that at least one major wireless telecommunications giant may have given a Congressional entity access to every communications coming through that company’s infrastructure, including every e-mail, Internet use, document transmission, video and text message, as well as the ability to listen in on any phone call.”
  • Related postings on domestic surveillance program

Fact Sheet: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Five-Year Anniversary Progress and Priorities

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News release: “There is no parallel in government to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) start-up five years ago, and the degree of maturity it has reached in the short period since. The department’s growth is testament to its 208,000 employees, who every day put service before self – patrolling borders, protecting ports, defending the… Continue Reading

DOD OIG: Supplemental Funds Used for Medical Support for the Global War on Terrorism

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DoD Deputy Inspector for Auditing: D-2008-059 Supplemental Funds Used for Medical Support for the Global War on Terrorism, March 6, 2008 (Project No. D2007-D000LF-0032.000) “The Military Department Surgeons General did not consistently report obligations of Global War on Terrorism supplemental funds by mission as required by the TRICARE Management Activity. The missions are Military Health… Continue Reading

Census: Business Spending on Technology Infrastructure $250 Billion in 2006

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News release: “U.S. businesses spent $250.7 billion on information and communication technology equipment and computer software in 2006, an increase of 6.3 percent from 2005, according to a recent report from the U.S. Census Bureau. The report, Information and Communication Technology Survey, presents annual data on noncapitalized and capitalized business spending for information and communication… Continue Reading

New GAO Reports: Coast Guard Budget, Defense Management, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Hospital Quality Data

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Coast Guard: Observations on the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget, Recent Performance, and Related Challenges, GAO-08-494T, March 6, 2008 Defense Infrastructure: Army and Marine Corps Grow the Force Construction Projects Generally Support the Initiative, GAO-08-375, March 6, 2008 Defense Management: More Transparency Needed over the Financial and Human Capital Operations of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device… Continue Reading

DOD OIG: Support to the NATO International Security Assistance Force

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02/05/2008 Report No. D-2008-039 DoD Support to the NATO International Security Assistance Force, redacted. “NATO is an alliance of 26 countries from North America and Europe committed to fulfilling the goals of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, D.C., on April 4, 1949. NATO provides a forum for North American and European countries to… Continue Reading

HHS OIG: Proposed Revisions to Existing Privacy Act Systems of Records: Federal Register Notice

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HSS Office of Inspector General Privacy Act of 1974; Revisions to OIG’s Privacy Act System of Records: Criminal Investigative Files, Federal Register, March 4, 2008. Action: Notice of proposed revisions to existing Privacy Act systems of records. OIG has reviewed and is now proposing to revise the criminal investigative file system of records by (1)… Continue Reading

Center for Economic and Policy Research: Foreclosure Plans Benefit Banks, But Do Little for Homeowners

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Subprime Rescue Plans: Backdoor Bank Bailouts, March 2008, Dean Baker This report analyzes recent proposals suggesting that the government buy up or guarantee bad mortgage debt in an attempt to slow the increasing number of foreclosures the nation has seen in the wake of the housing market’s meltdown. The study, which focuses on the plan… Continue Reading