Some recently updated reports from the Congressional Research Service that have not been made readily available to the public include the following (all pdf). “Declarations of War and Authorizations for the Use of Military Force: Historical Background and Legal Implications,” updated March 8, 2007. “The Iran Sanctions Act (ISA),” updated January 25, 2007. “Homeland Security: […]
Gary Sellers, who was an attorney, a cherry farmer, a former congressional aide, husband, father and many other things, died last month in a car accident. “He was very interested in openness in government,” his wife Sally Determan said, and so the family asked fellow mourners to give donations to the FAS Project on Government […]
Last month, there were three significant congressional committee hearings dealing with the Department of Homeland Security biodefense budget for FY’08. The Science and Technology Directorate’s budget request reached $799.1 million including $142.6 million for Administration and $656.5 million for research, development, testing and evaluation. A big chunk of that budget, $228.9 million was requested for […]
Global climate change “represents a clear and present danger to the security and economy of the United States,” according to a bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate yesterday, and it therefore warrants the focused attention of U.S. intelligence agencies. “For years, many of us have examined global warming as an environmental or economic issue,” said […]
A newly updated doctrinal publication (pdf) from the Joint Chiefs of Staff describes the various types of geospatial intelligence products produced by U.S. intelligence agencies and their role in the conduct of joint military operations. Geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) includes imagery, maps and other data that characterize a target or area of intelligence interest. The new […]
A “sharp decline” in the U.S. population of honey bees is examined in a new report (pdf) from the Congressional Research Service. “This phenomenon first became apparent among commercial migratory beekeepers along the East Coast during the last few months of 2006, and has since been reported nationwide,” the CRS report said. Various potential causes […]
A Wall Street Journal column on March 26 reported that the Congressional Research Service “will no longer respond to requests from members of Congress on the size, number of background of [budget] earmarks.” The new CRS policy, the Journal article alleged, “is helping its masters hide wasteful spending.” “The article is replete with mischaracterizations of […]
The forthcoming trial of two former officials of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee who are charged with mishandling classified information “won’t be a closed trial,” said Judge T.S. Ellis III at a March 15 hearing (pdf), notwithstanding some “hyperbolic” suggestions to the contrary. But there is an open question as to whether the prosecution […]
Though it may sound like one hand clapping, an unmanned aircraft must have a pilot — just not on the plane. And someone has to worry what may happen if the pilot becomes incapacitated. “Although the term ‘unmanned aircraft’ suggests the absence of human interaction, the human operator/pilot is still a critical element in the […]
The ability of Congress to gain access to classified executive branch information, which is the enabling condition for legislative oversight of national security activities, will be discussed at a public forum on March 30. “What options does Congress have when the executive branch refuses to provide the information it requests? When is it appropriate for […]
Last year a federal court ruled (pdf) in favor of the Federation of American Scientists in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, finding that the National Reconnaissance Office had unlawfully withheld certain unclassified budget records from disclosure. Although we won the lawsuit and finally got the records (pdf) this year, we were not entitled to […]
In the last quarter, the Department of Energy (DOE) reviewed over 690,000 pages of publicly available records at the National Archives and found 590 pages containing classified nuclear weapons information that it said should not have been disclosed, according to a newly released report to Congress (pdf). At Congressional direction, DOE has proceeded on the […]