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Daily Archives: March 12, 2008
Judiciary Committee Members: Administration Has Not Made the Case for Telecom Immunity
Follow up to March 11, 2008 posting, House Democrats Reject Telecom Immunity, “Today, House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and 19 members of the House Judiciary Committee issued a statement regarding telecommunications immunity, as the House prepares to consider the FISA Amendments Act of 2008. Following a review of classified information relating to the… Continue Reading
Oversight Committee Releases Report – FDA and Fresh Spinach Safety
“The House Government Oversight and Reform Committee released a report that found significant lapses in the FDAs current inspection regime for packaged fresh spinach, which is the agencys primary means of ensuring the safety of such products.” Report: FDA and Fresh Spinach Safety Continue Reading
WSJ Reports on NSA's Expanding Domestic Surveillance Program and ACLU Files FOIA Request
Follow up to previous postings on TSA’s Total Information Awareness surveillance program, this news release today from the ACLU: “…According to the new Wall Street Journal report [subscription req’d], the NSA was engaging in broad domestic spying operations that involve collecting and analyzing the personal information of Americans in ways that are “essentially the same”… Continue Reading
Pew Research Center: Awareness of Iraq War Fatalities Plummets
Political Knowledge Update: “Public awareness of the number of American military fatalities in Iraq has declined sharply since last August. Today, just 28% of adults are able to say that approximately 4,000 Americans have died in the Iraq war. As of March 10, the Department of Defense had confirmed the deaths of 3,974 U.S. military… Continue Reading
Freight Transportation Services Index Rose 2.4 Percent in January from December
Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics: Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) Rose 2.4 Percent in January from December, March 12, 2008. Additional historical data is here. Continue Reading
DOD Report to Congress: Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq
Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq, March 2008 Report to Congress, In accordance with the Department of Defense Appropriations Act 2008 (Section 9010, Public Law 109-289)…submitted pursuant to the section entitled Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq of House Conference Report 109-72 accompanying H.R. 1268, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on… Continue Reading
First Online Free Expression Day Launched on Reporters Without Borders Website
“Reporters Without Borders calls on Internet users to come and protest in virtual versions of countries that are Internet enemies…There are 15 countries in this years Reporters Without Borders list of Internet Enemies – Belarus, Burma, China, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. There were only… Continue Reading
Judiciary Makes Case for Fiscal Year 2009 Funding
News release: “The federal courts are well-positioned to address an anticipated increase in immigration-related workload and other challenges facing the Judiciary, thanks to Congressional funding, representatives of the Judicial Conference today told House and Senate appropriations subcommittees. If the Judiciary is to maintain staffing levels in the courts and initiate several program enhancements, however, a… Continue Reading
Election Assistance Commission OIG: Preparation of the Vote Fraud and Voter Intimidation Report
U.S. Election Assistance Commission Office of the Inspector General: Report of Investigation – Preparation of the Vote Fraud and Voter Intimidation Report, Redacted, March 11, 2008. Continue Reading
EPA Issues Strengthened National Standards for Ground-Level Ozone
“The Environmental Protection Agency significantly strengthened its national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone, the primary component of smog. These changes will improve both public health protection and the protection of sensitive trees and plants.” Final Rule (312 pages, PDF) Fact Sheet (6 pages, PDF) Changes to the Air Quality Index Presentation: Revise… Continue Reading
Institute Releases 2008 State By State Ranking of Best and Worst Tort Systems in America
News release: “..the Pacific Research Institute released its report comparing the legal climates of all 50 states. According to the U.S. Tort Liability Index: 2008 Report, Florida ranked the worst in terms of tort costs and litigation risks, while North Dakota ranked the best. In a separate ranking, the study also evaluated the tort laws… Continue Reading
