CRS – China’s Economic Rise: History, Trends, Challenges, and Implications for the United States, Wayne M. Morrison, Specialist in Asian Trade and Finance. December 17, 2013 “The rapid rise of China as a major economic power within a time span of about threedecades is often described by analysts as one of the greatest economic success stories… Continue Reading
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Category Archives: Defense
New GAO Reports – SEC Financial Audit, DOD’s Weapon Programs, VA Nursing Homes, Workforce Investment Act, Children’s Health Insurance
Financial Audit – Securities and Exchange Commission’s Fiscal Years 2013 and 2012 Financial Statements [Reissued on December 23, 2013], GAO-14-213R, Dec 16, 2013 Small Business Innovation Research – DOD’s Program Supports Weapon Systems, but Lacks Comprehensive Data on Technology Transition Outcomes, GAO-14-96, Dec 20, 2013 VA Nursing Homes – Reporting More Complete Data on Workload… Continue Reading
DNI Announces the Declassification of the Existence of Collection Activities Authorized by President Bush Shortly After Attacks of September 11, 2001
News release, December 21, 2013: “Yesterday, the Director of National Intelligence (“DNI”) announced the declassification of the existence of collection activities authorized by President George W. Bush shortly after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Starting on October 4, 2001, President Bush authorized the Secretary of Defense to employ the capabilities of the Department of Defense,… Continue Reading
Adequacy of USSS Efforts to Identify, Mitigate, and Address Instances of Misconduct and Inappropriate Behavior (Redacted)
DHS OIG – Adequacy of USSS Efforts to Identify, Mitigate, and Address Instances of Misconduct and Inappropriate Behavior (Redacted), December 20, 2013 “We found no evidence that USSS [United States Secret Service] employees frequently engage in behaviors contrary to conduct standards or that could cause a security concern. Although some employees engaged in certain misconduct during a foreign… Continue Reading
FDA proposes new food defense rule
Proposed rule marks the 6th issued under FDA Food Safety Modernization Act this year: “As required by the bipartisan FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed a rule [Focused Mitigation Strategies to Protect Food Against Intentional Adulteration] that would require the largest food businesses in the United States and abroad to take steps… Continue Reading
Projected Costs of U.S. Nuclear Forces, 2014 to 2023
“In its most recent review of U.S. nuclear policy, the Administration resolved to maintain all three types of systems that can deliver nuclear weapons over long ranges—submarines that launch ballistic missiles (SSBNs), land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), and long-range bombers—known collectively as the strategic nuclear triad. The Administration also resolved to preserve the ability to… Continue Reading
Google Transparency Report: Government removal requests continue to rise
“We launched the Transparency Report in 2010 to provide hard evidence of how laws and policies affect access to information online. Today, for the eighth time, we’re releasing new numbers showing requests from governments to remove content from our services. From January to June 2013, we received 3,846 government requests to remove 24,737 pieces of content—a 68 percent increase over the… Continue Reading
Gallup – Record High in U.S. Say Big Government Greatest Threat
Now 72% say it is greater threat than big business or big labor, by Jeffrey M. Jones: “Seventy-two percent of Americans say big government is a greater threat to the U.S. in the future than is big business or big labor, a record high in the nearly 50-year history of this question. The prior high for… Continue Reading
DOD Base Structure Report FY 2013 Baseline
“The Base Structure Report (BSR) – FY 2013 Baseline is a snapshot of real property data collected as of September 30, 2012, and serves as the baseline for the start of the next fiscal year. This report has become a very popular item for many diverse users and we have tried to adjust the data displays to… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports – Climate Change, DHS Employee Morale and Leadership, Audits of BFS and IRS
CLIMATE CHANGE – Federal Efforts Under Way to Assess Water Infrastructure Vulnerabilities and Address Adaptation Challenges, GAO-14-23, Nov 14, 2013 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY – DHS’s Efforts to Improve Employee Morale and Fill Senior Leadership Vacancies, GAO-14-228T, Dec 12, 2013: “DHS is the third-largest cabinet-level department in the federal government, with more than 240,000 employees situated throughout the nation.… Continue Reading
Secrecy News – Redacted Budget Book Provides a Window on NRO
“The National Reconnaissance Office, which builds and operates U.S. intelligence satellites, has just released the unclassified portions of its FY 2014 Congressional Budget Justification, a detailed account of its budget request for the current year. Although more than 90% of the 534-page document (dated April 2013) was withheld from public release under the Freedom of Information Act, some substantive… Continue Reading
Tech Giants Call for Global Government Surveillance Reform
“The undersigned companies believe that it is time for the world’s governments to address the practices and laws regulating government surveillance of individuals and access to their information. While the undersigned companies understand that governments need to take action to protect their citizens’ safety and security, we strongly believe that current laws and practices need to… Continue Reading
