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.
In recent months, we’ve seen much of these decades’ worth of progress erased. Contracts for evaluations of government programs were canceled, FFRDCs have been forced to lay off staff, and federal advisory committees have been disbanded.
This report outlines a framework relying on “Cooperative Technical Means” for effective arms control verification based on remote sensing, avoiding on-site inspections but maintaining a level of transparency that allows for immediate detection of changes in nuclear posture or a significant build-up above agreed limits.
At a recent workshop, we explored the nature of trust in specific government functions, the risk and implications of breaking trust in those systems, and how we’d known we were getting close to specific trust breaking points.
tudents in the 21st century need strong critical thinking skills like reasoning, questioning, and problem-solving, before they can meaningfully engage with more advanced domains like digital, data, or AI literacy.