Rep. Walter B. Jones (R-NC) paid tribute to military intelligence officer Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer in a statement entered into the Congressional Record yesterday.
“Col. Shaffer’s storied career has been distinguished by his willingness and ability to work at the cutting edge of our nation’s intelligence community,” Rep. Jones said.
Though it was not mentioned by the Congressman, Shaffer is also the author of a book called “Operation Dark Heart,” which was memorably and ineffectively censored by the U.S. Government. The Pentagon purchased 10,000 copies of the original version of the book in order to destroy them, but then a small number of uncensored review copies became public anyway. (“Behind the Censorship of Operation Dark Heart,” Secrecy News, September 29, 2010)
While the U.S. has made significant advancements and remained a global leader in biotechnology over the past decade, the next four years will be critical in determining whether it can sustain that leadership.
As the efficacy of environmental laws has waned, so has their durability. What was once a broadly shared goal – protecting Americans from environmental harm – is now a political football, with rules that whipsaw back and forth depending on who’s in charge.
It takes the average person over 9 hours and costs $160 to file taxes each year. IRS Direct File meant it didn’t have to.
It’s paramount to balance both innovation capabilities and risk as we work towards ensuring that the U.S. bioeconomy is a priority area for both the Nation and for National Security.