A new Air Force instruction (pdf) describes the use of unvouchered “intelligence contingency funds” which may be spent by the Secretary of the Air Force “for any purpose” in support of the Air Force intelligence mission.
Such funds may be expended, for example, to pay for “plaques, mementos, etc.” to be presented “as gifts or incentive awards to foreign officials.” Contingency funds may also be used “to fund liaison functions with persons not employed by the US Government if they can assist US Air Force organizations to perform intelligence missions.” However, “The liaison function must be conducted on a modest basis that complies with socially acceptable behavior.”
See “Intelligence Contingency Funds,” Air Force Instruction 14-101, 30 April 2009.
At a time when universities are already facing intense pressure to re-envision their role in the S&T ecosystem, we encourage NSF to ensure that the ambitious research acceleration remains compatible with their expertise.
FAS CEO Daniel Correa recently spoke with Adam Marblestone and Sam Rodriques, former FAS fellows who developed the idea for FROs and advocated for their use in a 2020 policy memo.
In a year when management issues like human capital, IT modernization, and improper payments have received greater attention from the public, examining this PMA tells us a lot about where the Administration’s policy is going to be focused through its last three years.
Congress must enact a Digital Public Infrastructure Act, a recognition that the government’s most fundamental responsibility in the digital era is to provide a solid, trustworthy foundation upon which people, businesses, and communities can build.