401(k) Plans: Issues Involving Securities Lending in Plan Investments, GAO-11-359T, March 16, 2011 Cybersecurity: Continued Attention Needed to Protect Our Nation’s Critical Infrastructure and Federal Information Systems, GAO-11-463T, March 16, 2011 Department of Labor: Further Management Improvements Needed to Address Information Technology and Financial Controls, GAO-11-157, March 16, 2011 Government Performance: GPRA Modernization Act Provides… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: March 2011
EPA Proposes First National Standard for Mercury Pollution from Power Plants
News release: “In response to a court deadline, today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first-ever national standards for mercury, arsenic and other toxic air pollution from power plants. The new Power Plant Mercury and Air Toxics Standards which eliminate 20 years of uncertainty across industry would require many power plants… Continue Reading
FTC Testifies Before Senate Commerce Committee on Privacy; Industry Efforts to Implement "Do Not Track" System Already Underway
News release: “In testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, the Federal Trade Commission discussed its efforts to protect consumer privacy through enforcement actions, consumer education, and policy initiatives like the FTC staffs recent preliminary privacy report. The report proposes a framework to balance consumer privacy with industry innovation by: 1) building… Continue Reading
Forecast for Plume's Path Is a Function of Wind and Weather
NYT: “A forecast by the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization shows how weather patterns this week might disperse radiation from a continuous source in Fukushima, Japan. The forecast does not show actual levels of radiation, but it does allow the organization to estimate when different monitoring stations, marked with small dots, might be able… Continue Reading
EURO-LEX Official launches of LII of India – 108 databases
“The Legal Information Institute of India (LII of India) was officially launched in Delhi on 9th March, 2011, followed by the first regional launch in Hyderabad on 11 March. Further regional launches will take place in Bangalaru and Kolkota over the next fortnight. Each launch is hosted by a partner National Law University. The official… Continue Reading
EPIC Urges Congress to Suspend Body Scanner Program, Require Public Comment Period
EPIC: “In a hearing before the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, EPIC urged Congress to suspend the use of airport body scanners for primary screening. EPIC said the devices were not effective and were not minimally intrusive, as courts have required for airport searches. EPIC cited TSA documents obtained in EPIC’s FOIA lawsuit which… Continue Reading
NRC Provides Protective Action Recommendations Based on U.S. Guidelines
News release: “Under the guidelines for public safety that would be used in the United States under similar circumstances, the NRC believes it is appropriate for U.S. residents within 50 miles of the Fukushima reactors to evacuate. Among other things, in the United States protective actions recommendations are implemented when projected doses could exceed 1… Continue Reading
Report: 2010 U.S. Cost of a Data Breach
News release: “The Ponemon Institute proudly presents the 2010 U.S. Cost of a Data Breach, the sixth annual study concerning the cost of data breach incidents for U.S.-based companies sponsored by Symantec Corporation. The average organizational cost of a data breach increased to $7.2 million and cost companies an average of $214 per compromised record,… Continue Reading
FDIC Approves Proposed Rule to Set Claims Process Under Dodd-Frank Act's Orderly Liquidation Authority Provisions
News release: “The Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) to further clarify application of the orderly liquidation authority contained in Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, “Orderly Liquidation Authority” (OLA). The NPR builds on the interim rule… Continue Reading
BLS: U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes
News release: “U.S. import prices rose 1.4 percent in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, following a similar 1.3 percent advance in January. The price index for U.S. exports increased 1.2 percent in February after rising 1.3 percent the previous month. Higher agricultural and nonagricultural export prices each contributed to the overall… Continue Reading
Federal Open Market Committee Statement
FOMC statement, March 15, 2011: “Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in January suggests that the economic recovery is on a firmer footing, and overall conditions in the labor market appear to be improving gradually. Household spending and business investment in equipment and software continue to expand. However, investment in nonresidential structures… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports: Border Security, Homeland Security IRS Internal Controls, Joint Strike Fighter
Border Security: Preliminary Observations on the Status of Key Southwest Border Technology Programs, GAO-11-448T, March 15, 2011 Homeland Security: Improvements in Managing Research and Development Could Help Reduce Inefficiencies and Costs, GAO-11-464T, March 15, 2011 Information Security: IRS Needs to Enhance Internal Control over Financial Reporting and Taxpayer Data, GAO-11-308, March 15, 2011 Joint Strike… Continue Reading
