The “qui tam” statutes (such as the False Claims Act) that enable members of the public to file lawsuits on behalf of the government and to seek financial penalties have been “reviled… as a breeding ground for viperous vermin and parasites,” observes a new report from the Congressional Research Service. But they have also been a uniquely effective instrument for combating fraudulent activity. See “Qui Tam: The False Claims Act and Related Federal Statutes,” August 6, 2009, and “Qui Tam: An Abbreviated Look at the False Claims Act and Related Federal Statutes,” August 6, 2009.
Other noteworthy new CRS reports obtained by Secrecy News include the following (all pdf).
“Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 2001-2008,” September 4, 2009 (first reported by the New York Times on September 7).
“North Korea: Economic Leverage and Policy Analysis,” August 14, 2009.
“‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’: A Legal Analysis,” September 2, 2009 (first reported by the Associated Press on September 9).
“U.S. Tree Planting for Carbon Sequestration,” May 4, 2009.
“Carbon Sequestration in Forests,” August 6, 2009.
“Iran’s Nuclear Program: Status,” August 11, 2009.
To increase the real and perceived benefit of research funding, funding agencies should develop challenge goals for their extramural research programs focused on the impact portion of their mission.
Without trusted mechanisms to ensure privacy while enabling secure data access, essential R&D stalls, educational innovation stalls, and U.S. global competitiveness suffers.
Satellite imagery has long served as a tool for observing on-the-ground activity worldwide, and offers especially valuable insights into the operation, development, and physical features related to nuclear technology.
This year’s Red Sky Summit was an opportunity to further consider what the role of fire tech can and should be – and how public policy can support its development, scaling, and application.