Recovery Act: Consistent Policies Needed to Ensure Equal Consideration of Grant Applications, GAO-09-590R, April 29, 2009 Recovery Act: Initial Results on States’ Use of and Accountability for Transportation Funds, GAO-09-597T, April 29, 2009 U.S. Department of Agriculture: Recommendations and Options Available to the New Administration and Congress to Address Long-Standing Civil Rights Issues, GAO-09-650T, April… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: April 2009
Brennan Center for Justice – Transparency in the First 100 Days: A Report Card
“President Obama has pledged to take a different approach. Upon taking office, he heralded a “new era of openness” in which “this administration stands on the side not of those who seek to withhold information, but those who seek to make it known.” His commitment to transparency is hearteningbut promises and action are two different… Continue Reading
US Courts: Wiretap Applications Decline in 2008
“A total of 1,891 applications to federal and state judges for orders authorizing the interception of wire, oral or electronic communications were reported in 2008. No applications were denied. This is a 14 percent decrease in the total of applications reported, compared to 2007. Fewer states22 states compared to 24 in 2007reported wiretap activity and… Continue Reading
Human Rights Commitments and Pledges of the United States of America
State Department, Washington, DC, April 27, 2009: “On March 31, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Susan Rice announced that the United States will seek a seat this year on the United Nations Human Rights Council with the goal of working to make it a more… Continue Reading
Tracking the Swine Flu in the United States and Around the World
By Dan Mitchel, California State Library, this resource guide to selected reliable sources for tracking the global status of the swine flu: National Institutes of Health which links to and expands upon the MedlinePlus Swine Flu page. The SIS web page contains information from several U.S. and international agencies and organizations, treatment information, genetic sequence… Continue Reading
NYCStat Stimulus Tracker
News release: “With the NYCStat Stimulus Tracker, New Yorkers can track the Citys use of federal stimulus/recovery funds provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). This funding includes federal tax cuts, expansion of unemployment benefits and other social welfare provisions, and domestic spending in education, health care, energy efficiency and infrastructure.… Continue Reading
Court Extends Time to Opt Out of Google Settlement by Four Months
Follow up to Authors, Publishers, and Google Reach Landmark Settlement, from the Authors Guild: “The court overseeing Authors Guild v. Google extended the time for authors and publishers to opt out of the settlement by four months, to September 4th (Judge Chin’s order). The fairness hearing will be on October 7th.” New York Times: “The… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports: Acquisition Workforce, Social Security Administration, USAID, Gender Pay Gap
Acquisition Workforce: DOD Can Improve Its Management and Oversight by Tracking Data on Contractor Personnel and Taking Additional Actions, GAO-09-616T, April 28, 2009 Bureau of Public Debt: Areas for Improvement in Information Security Controls, GAO-09-633R, April 28, 2009 Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Request: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-09-587T, April 28, 2009 Social Security Administration: Effective… Continue Reading
CBO: U.S. Overview: When Will Growth Resume? and Infrastructure Projects as Economic Stimulus
Milken Institute Global Conference, April 2009, Presentation by CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf U.S. Overview: When Will Growth Resume? Infrastructure Projects as Economic Stimulus Related postings on financial system Continue Reading
The Nation's Report Card: Trends in Academic Progress 2008
The Nation’s Report Card: Long-Term Trend 2008 “This report presents the results of NAEPs long-term trend assessments in reading and mathematics that were administered in the 200708 school year to students aged 9, 13, and 17. Because the long-term trend assessments have been administered at different times during NAEPs 40-year history, it is possible to… Continue Reading
Obama Administration Announces New Details on Making Home Affordable Program
News release: “The Obama Administration today announced details of new efforts to help bring relief to responsible homeowners under the Making Home Affordable Program, including an effort to achieve greater affordability for homeowners by lowering payments on their second mortgages as well as a set of measures to help underwater borrowers stay in their homes.”… Continue Reading
Feingold Issues 100 Day Report on Obama's Actions to Restore the Rule of Law
News release: “In anticipation of President Obamas 100th day in office, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold today released a “100 Day Rule of Law Report” to examine the new administrations efforts to reverse the Bush administrations eight year assault on the rule of law. Feingold assessed the steps the Obama administration has taken thus far to… Continue Reading
