William Leonard, the former director of the Information Security Oversight Office, served as an expert witness for the defense in the misconceived prosecution of Thomas Drake, in which all felony charges against Mr. Drake were dismissed. (Mr. Drake pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count.) Now Mr. Leonard is seeking permission from the trial judge in […]
Updated reports from the Congressional Research Service that Congress has not made readily available to the public include the following. ACA: A Brief Overview of the Law, Implementation, and Legal Challenges, July 3, 2012 Individual Mandate and Related Information Requirements under ACA, July 2, 2012 Foreign Holdings of Federal Debt, July 3, 2012 Mexico’s Free […]
The U.S. Air Force says its policy is to provide information to Congress as needed, but with preference given to members of the Armed Services Committees over other Committees, and to the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committees over other members. “Per OSD Policy, Congressional Member clearances are automatic once the […]
Covert action was a particularly prominent feature of U.S. foreign policy during the Jimmy Carter Administration, according to a report last month from the State Department Historical Advisory Committee. Covert action or other intelligence activities are said to figure in at least half of the volumes that will constitute the official record of the Carter […]
At a time when “leaks” are said to be running rampant, the government is spending more money than ever before to protect classified information. The estimated cost of securing classified information in government increased last year by at least 12% to a record high level of $11.36 billion. An additional $1.2 billion was spent to […]
The anti-leak procedures announced last week by the Director of National Intelligence apply specifically to intelligence community employees. But the DNI is also responsible more broadly for security policies that affect almost everyone who holds a security clearance for access to classified information, whether or not it pertains to intelligence, as well as other government […]
Persistent questions about the U.S. intelligence community’s reliance on contractors to perform or support core mission functions were explored in a partially closed hearing of the Senate Homeland Security Committee last year. A redacted transcript of the classified session of the hearing was included in a hearing volume which was recently published. Among other things, […]
Some members of Congress are having second thoughts about the future use of unmanned aerial systems in U.S. airspace, judging from a colloquy on the House floor last week. When Congress passed the FAA reauthorization bill, recalled Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX), it included “this very simple language allowing for the expansion of unmanned aerial vehicles […]
New and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service that has Congress has not authorized CRS to release to the public include the following. Hydropower: Federal and Nonfederal Investment, June 26, 2012 The Development of High Speed Rail in the United States: Issues and Recent Events, June 28, 2012 Haiti Under President Martelly: Current Conditions […]
The procedures by which the Food and Drug Administration approves drugs and medical devices for use in the United States were addressed in a cluster of reports from the Congressional Research Service. How FDA Approves Drugs and Regulates Their Safety and Effectiveness, June 25, 2012 FDA’s Authority to Ensure That Drugs Prescribed to Children Are […]
Former CIA officer John Kiriakou, who is charged with unauthorized disclosure of a covert officer’s identity and other classified information, says that the case against him is driven by government animosity, and that he is a target of selective prosecution. “When White House aides leaked stories about the heroes who killed Osama Bin Laden, they […]
New and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service obtained by Secrecy News include the following. Rio+20: The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, June 2012, June 18, 2012 The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): A Legal Analysis, June 7, 2012 (published June 20) Job Creation in the Manufacturing Revival, June 20, 2012 Double-Dip Recession: […]