The “no fly” list procedures that are used to prevent individuals who may present a security hazard from flying on commercial aircraft are being revised to make them more transparent and easier to challenge, government attorneys said Friday. They asked a court to suspend a lawsuit disputing the constitutionality of the “no fly” procedures for […]
New military doctrine from the Joint Chiefs of Staff “narrows the definition of counterterrorism” to focus on activities designed to neutralize terrorist networks. It excludes actions to “counter root causes” of terrorism, which have now been removed from the definition. The new publication also “describes the activities of the global special operations network as it […]
The National Archives is seeking a new Director of the Federal Register program, a position that requires a Top Secret security clearance. The Federal Register is sometimes described as the “daily newspaper” of the executive branch. Each weekday, it “provides citizens access to proposed and final regulations, rules, and other administrative actions of the Federal […]
New and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service that Congress has withheld from public distribution include the following. Executive Discretion as to Immigration: Legal Overview, November 10, 2014 FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process: A Primer, November 12, 2014 A New Authorization for Use of Military Force Against the Islamic State: Comparison of Current Proposals in […]
Less than a decade after the Pentagon conducted a major review to fix problems in the nuclear management of U.S. nuclear forces, the Pentagon today announced the results of yet another review. The new review identifies more than 100 fixes that are needed to correct management and personnel issues. The fixes “will cost several billion […]
Less than a decade after the Pentagon conducted a major review to fix problems in the nuclear management of U.S. nuclear forces, the Pentagon today announced the results of yet another review. The new review identifies more than 100 fixes that are needed to correct management and personnel issues. The fixes “will cost several billion […]
Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of U.S. Army equipment and supplies in Afghanistan have been lost or are unaccounted for, a report from the Department of Defense Inspector General said. “Since 2010, 309 forward operating bases [in Afghanistan] have closed and only a fraction of lost items from previous [inventory loss investigations] have been […]
New and updated publications from the Congressional Research Service that Congress has withheld from online public access include the following. Staff Pay Levels for Selected Positions in House Member Offices, 2009-2013, November 3, 2014 Staff Pay Levels for Selected Positions in Senators’ Offices, FY2009-FY2013, November 3, 2014 Congressional Action on FY2015 Appropriations Measures, November 5, […]
By Hans M. Kristensen The New York Time today profiles my recent blog about U.S. presidential nuclear weapon stockpile reductions. The core of the story is that the Obama administration, despite its strong arms control rhetoric and efforts to reduce the numbers and role of nuclear weapons, so far has cut fewer nuclear warheads from the […]
The National Intelligence Program received a total appropriation of $50.5 billion in fiscal year 2014, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence disclosed yesterday, as required by law. The Military Intelligence Program was funded at $17.4 billion in FY 2014, the Department of Defense said. Current and past intelligence budget disclosures can be found […]
New publications from the Congressional Research Service that Congress has withheld from online public distribution include the following. Intelligence Whistleblower Protections: In Brief, October 23, 2014 Sexual Violence at Institutions of Higher Education, October 23, 2014 Cities Try, and Fail (So Far), to Prevent Federal Marijuana Enforcement, CRS Legal Sidebar, October 24, 2014 Bankruptcy for […]
Updated/corrected below A federal court yesterday denied a government motion to dismiss a pending lawsuit that the Obama Administration said involved state secrets. It appears to be the first time that such a motion for dismissal has ever been rejected in a state secrets case. [Update: Not so. There was a previous instance; see below.] […]