With congressional concurrence, the Congressional Research Service refuses to make its products directly available to the public. Some noteworthy new CRS reports obtained by Secrecy News include the following (all pdf).
“Presidential Advisers’ Testimony Before Congressional Committees: An Overview,” updated April 10, 2007.
“Information Operations, Electronic Warfare, and Cyberwar: Capabilities and Related Policy Issues,” updated March 20, 2007.
“Network Centric Operations: Background and Oversight Issues for Congress,” updated March 15, 2007.
“Statutes of Limitation in Federal Criminal Cases: An Overview,” updated April 9, 2007.
“Speechwriting in Perspective: A Brief Guide to Effective and Persuasive Communication,” April 12, 2007.
When a hurricane hits, it’s all hands on deck – that goes for federal data, too. Pulling back from our investments in timely, accurate, and accessible public data will only make us less prepared and put us all at greater risk.
This is bigger than a singular elimination of race and ethnicity questions. It could accelerate the second wave of widespread reductions to demographic data, leaving public health officials with even less information to deliver better health outcomes for all Americans.
Soft law was never meant to be a permanent solution. Treating it as one, and letting the sandcastle stand in for the skyscraper indefinitely, is how we end up with a decade of voluntary commitments and no enforceable accountability to show for it.
FAS has partnered with ICLEI USA to launch the CRI Local Advisory Council.