CRS on Access to Government Information, and More
As frequently mentioned, the Congressional Research Service does not make its products directly available to the public. Some noteworthy new CRS reports obtained by Secrecy News and not readily accessible elsewhere include the following (all pdf).
“Nuclear Weapons: Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty,” updated May 24, 2007.
“Access to Government Information in the United States,” updated April 23, 2007.
“Security Classified and Controlled Information: History, Status, and Emerging Management Issues,” March 8, 2007.
“Security Classification Policy and Procedure: E.O. 12958, as Amended,” updated April 23, 2007.
“Central Asia’s Security: Issues and Implications for U.S. Interests,” updated April 26, 2007.
“Detection of Explosives on Airline Passengers: Recommendation of the 9/11 Commission and Related Issues,” updated April 26, 2007.
“Treatment of ‘Battlefield Detainees’ in the War on Terrorism,” updated January 23, 2007.
“The International Space Station and the Space Shuttle,” updated April 26, 2007.
“Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Education: Status and Issues,” updated April 23, 2007.
“Intelligence Issues for Congress,” updated May 16, 2007.
“National Science Foundation: Major Research Equipment and Facility Construction,” updated May 4, 2007.
“Crime and Forfeiture,” updated May 9, 2007.
“The War Powers Resolution: After Thirty-Three Years,” updated May 1, 2007.
January saw us watching whether the government would fund science. February has been about how that funding will be distributed, regulated, and contested.
This rule gives agencies significantly more authority over certain career policy roles. Whether that authority improves accountability or creates new risks depends almost entirely on how agencies interrupt and apply it.
Our environmental system was built for 1970s-era pollution control, but today it needs stable, integrated, multi-level governance that can make tradeoffs, share and use evidence, and deliver infrastructure while demonstrating that improved trust and participation are essential to future progress.
Durable and legitimate climate action requires a government capable of clearly weighting, explaining, and managing cost tradeoffs to the widest away of audiences, which in turn requires strong technocratic competency.