News release: “The Department of Defense released today the fiscal 2010 Military Intelligence Program (MIP) appropriated top line budget. The total was $27 billion, which includes the base budget and supplemental appropriations. The DoD determined that releasing this top line figure does not jeopardize any classified activities within the MIP. No other MIP budget figures… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: October 2010
FCC Investigation Into Verizon Wireless "Mystery Fees" Results in Record Settlement
News release: “Today, the Federal Communications Commissions Enforcement Bureau announced an historic consent decree with Verizon Wireless — including a record $25 million payment to the U.S. Treasury — regarding mystery fees the company charged its customers over the last several years. The payment is the largest in FCC history and the settlement concludes the… Continue Reading
White House: Jobs and Economic Security for Americas Women
Jobs and Economic Security for Americas Women, White House Economic Council, October 22, 2010 “Since his first day in office, President Obama has worked to lay the foundation for economic growth that creates good jobs and incomes for all Americans. Many of these policies have been particularly important for women. These policies have helped stave… Continue Reading
DOT, EPA Propose the Nations First Greenhouse Gas and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Trucks and Buses
News release: “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced the first national standards to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve fuel efficiency of heavy-duty trucks and buses. This comprehensive national program is projected to reduce GHG emissions by about 250 million metric tons and save 500 million… Continue Reading
CBO – The Economic Outlook and Options for Fiscal Policy
The Economic Outlook and Options for Fiscal Policy, October 27, 2010 “CBO expects that the economic recovery will proceed at a modest pace, leaving the unemployment rate above 8 percent until 2012. There are monetary and fiscal policy options that, if applied at a sufficient scale, would increase output and employment during the next few… Continue Reading
Federal Trade Commission Proposes Revised "Green Guides"
News release: “The Federal Trade Commission proposed revisions to the guidance that it gives marketers to help them avoid making misleading environmental claims. The [summary of proposed changes] are designed to update the Guides and make them easier for companies to understand and use. The changes to the Green Guides include new guidance on marketers… Continue Reading
CRS – Dont Ask, Dont Tell: A Legal Analysis
Dont Ask, Dont Tell: A Legal Analysis, Jody Feder, Legislative Attorney, September 15, 2010 “In 1993, after many months of study, debate, and political controversy, Congress passed and President Clinton signed legislation establishing a revised [p]olicy concerning homosexuality in the armed forces. The new legislation reflected a compromise regarding the U.S. militarys policy toward members… Continue Reading
Federal Reserve releases Addressing the Impact of the Foreclosure Crisis
News release: “A new publication, Addressing the Impact of the Foreclosure Crisis, details the innovative, community-based foreclosure prevention and neighborhood stabilization activities sponsored by the Federal Reserve as part of its Mortgage Outreach and Research Efforts (MORE) initiative. The presidents of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks worked collaboratively with the Board of Governors to launch… Continue Reading
Report – You're It! What Your Smartphone Might Be Saying Behind Your Back
Geotag, You’re It! What Your Smartphone Might Be Saying Behind Your Back, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, October 18, 2010 “Snap a photo of a sunset with your iPhone and you can upload it to Twitter with a few clicks. But your smartphone might be transmitting more than a pretty photograph. It could be collecting and storing… Continue Reading
FTC Issues Enforcement Policy Statement on New Debt Relief Rule
Enforcement Deferred for Tax Debt Relief Services, but Most Companies Are Now Prohibited From Collecting Advance Fees: “The Federal Trade Commission has issued an enforcement policy statement on a new FTC rule that protects consumers by barring debt relief firms from collecting up-front fees. In its statement, the FTC says that while most companies that… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports: National Archives, Managing For Results, Guardianships, Nursing Homes
Managing For Results: Opportunities to Strengthen Agencies’ Customer Service Efforts, GAO-11-44, October 27, 2010 Information Security: National Archives and Records Administration Needs to Implement Key Program Elements and Controls GAO-11-20, October 21, 2010 National Archives and Records Administration: Oversight and Management Improvements Initiated, but More Action Needed, GAO-11-15, October 05, 2010 Guardianships: Cases of Financial… Continue Reading
CRS — Canada-U.S. Relations
Canada-U.S. Relations, Carl Ek, Coordinator, Specialist in International Relations, Ian F. Fergusson, Coordinator, Specialist in International Trade and Finance, September 3, 2010 “Relations between the United States and Canada, though generally close, have undergone changes in tenor over the past three decades. During the 1980s, the two countries generally enjoyed very good relations. The early… Continue Reading
