FAS

New Publications Received

11.16.09 | 1 min read | Text by Steven Aftergood

A new law review article argues that government secrets can be usefully distinguished in terms of “depth”– i.e. “how many people know of their existence, what sorts of people know, how much they know, and how soon they know…. Attending to the depth of state secrets can make a variety of conceptual and practical contributions to the debate on their usage. The deep/shallow distinction provides a vocabulary and an analytic framework with which to describe, assess, and compare secrets, without having to judge what they conceal.”  See “Deep Secrecy” by David Pozen, Stanford Law Review, forthcoming.

A new book revisits the case of Frank Olson, the Army biochemist who fell to his death in 1953 after having been unwittingly dosed with LSD in a CIA experiment.  “A Terrible Mistake: The Murder of Frank Olson and the CIA’s Secret Cold War Experiments” by H.P. Albarelli Jr. was published this month by TrineDay, which says it “specializes in releasing books that are shunned by mainstream publishers due to their controversial nature.”

Closed child welfare hearings in the District of Columbia Family Court should be opened up, argued law professor Matthew I. Fraidin in recent testimony before the D.C. Council.  Open hearings would promote improved protection for the children, increased professionalism by the adult participants, and greater accountability all around, he said.  See “Opening Child Welfare Proceedings in the Family Court of the District of Columbia,” November 4, 2009.

publications
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Education & Workforce
day one project
Policy Memo
Moving Federal Postsecondary Education Data to the States

Moving postsecondary education data collection to the states is the best way to ensure that the U.S. Department of Education can meet its legislative mandates in an era of constrained federal resources.

10.24.25 | 6 min read
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Education & Workforce
day one project
Policy Memo
Investing in Young Children Strengthens America’s Global Leadership

Supporting children’s development through health, nutrition, education, and protection programs helps the U.S. achieve its national security and economic interests, including the Administration’s priorities to make America “safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”

10.23.25 | 9 min read
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Education & Workforce
day one project
Policy Memo
AI Implementation is Essential Education Infrastructure

To strengthen federal–state alignment, upcoming AI initiatives should include three practical measures: readiness assessments before fund distribution, outcomes-based contracting tied to student progress, and tiered implementation support reflecting district capacity.

10.22.25 | 9 min read
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Environment
Press release
Bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act (S. 1462) Clears Senate Committee, a Crucial Step Forward for Wildfire Resilience

“FAS is very pleased to see the Fix Our Forests Act, S. 1426, advance out of Committee. We urge the Senate to act quickly to pass this legislation and to ensure that federal agencies have the capacity and resourcing they need to carry out its provisions.”

10.22.25 | 2 min read
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