The latest products from the Congressional Research Service include these items. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): Background and Policy Options for the 113th Congress, March 8, 2013 What’s the Difference? — Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data, February 25, 2013 Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, March 8, 2013 Hugo Chavez’s Death: Implications for […]
Last fall, Navy contract linguist James Hitselberger was charged under the Espionage Act with two counts of unlawful retention of national defense information after several classified documents were allegedly found in his possession. (See “Document Collector Charged Under Espionage Statute,” Secrecy News, November 7, 2012.) Two weeks ago, in a superseding indictment, prosecutors added a […]
Last year, DC District Judge Richard W. Roberts ordered the U.S. Trade Representative to disclose a classified document to a FOIA requester because, he said, the classification of the document was not properly supported. That ruling in Center for International Environmental Law v. Office of the U.S. Trade Representative was a startling judicial rebuff to […]
This week is Sunshine Week, an annual effort sponsored by journalism advocacy and civil society organizations to promote values of open government, freedom of information, and public participation. A rich variety of events are scheduled around the country, most of which are free and many of which will be webcast. I will be participating in […]
The Commander of U.S. Central Command said last week that he is “encouraged” by the willingness of U.S. intelligence agencies to share information with military allies, which is becoming “a standard practice rather than the exception.” At the same time, the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee complained that her committee has not been receiving […]
Researchers from the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) asked two physicists who are experts in missile defense issues, Dr. Yousaf Butt and Dr. George Lewis, to weigh in on the announcement on March 15, 2013 regarding missile defense by the Obama administration. Before exploring their reactions and insights, it is useful to identify salient elements […]
The latest updated products from the Congressional Research Service include the following. The U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA): Provisions and Implications, March 7, 2013 Arab League Boycott of Israel, March 5, 2013 Senate Select Committee on Ethics: A Brief History of Its Evolution and Jurisdiction, March 7, 2013 Small Business Administration: A Primer […]
Congress has again blocked the transfer of the National Intelligence Program outside the Department of Defense budget, rejecting a move that had been urged by the 9/11 Commission. The transfer was specifically prohibited in the 2013 continuing appropriations conference bill passed by the House yesterday. “None of the funds appropriated in this or any other […]
Congress has directed the Secretary of Defense to report on the handling of surveillance data collected by military unmanned aerial systems operating in domestic airspace. A provision in the 2013 continuing appropriations conference bill approved by the House yesterday explained: “The conferees are aware of concerns that have been raised regarding the use of unmanned […]
The latest products from the Congressional Research Service include these reports: Gun Control Proposals in the 113th Congress: Universal Background Checks, Gun Trafficking, and Military Style Firearms, March 1, 2013 Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2013, March 4, 2013 Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs: Status of the Integrated Electronic Health Record (iEHR), […]
The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus poses a public health threat in many regions of the world. Approximately 600 human cases have been reported since 2003, with a laboratory-confirmed case fatality rate of up to 60% according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The recent death of a woman from southwest China, attributed to H5N1, has […]
The hourly minimum wage reached its peak value in 1968, when it was worth $10.57 in real terms, the Congressional Research Service calculated in a new report. But although the nominal value of the minimum wage has increased over the years, it has not kept pace with the increase in consumer prices, and so its […]