From Secrecy News:
A rising tide of criticism of the use of the state secrets privilege to derail litigation against the government has yielded new legislation introduced in the Senate to define the privilege and to limit its use.
The state secrets privilege has been invoked with growing frequency to deflect claims of unlawful domestic surveillance, detention, [...]
Archive of entries posted on January 2008
Pressure Grows to Limit the State Secrets Privilege
Lawmakers Favor Outside Access To Legislative Data
From the National Journal’s Technology Daily, January 23, 2008 PM edition [subscription required]:
The legislative process could become a lot more exciting if lawmakers get their way in freeing the data inside the Library of Congress’ legislative Internet database so that independent Web sites can repackage the information.
In November, the House Administration Committee asked the library [...]
Leahy and Cornyn oppose White House moving FOIA ombudsman
From the Austin American-Statesman:
Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, oppose the administration moving funding for an ombudsman to oversee disputes over the Freedom of Information Act from the National Archives and Records Administration.
That was a centerpiece of the legislation sponsored by Cornyn and Leahy that President Bush signed into law last month after [...]
ERC Scientific Council Guidelines for Open Access
From the European Research Council Scientific Council:
The Scientific Council of the European Research Council has released its Guidelines for Open Access.
EPA Libraries Receive Funding, SLA Receives Clarification pn EPA Plan to Restore Libraries
From the Special Libraries Association:
Concern has also been aired that the EPA may not resume physical library operations in all the regions. On 17 January 2008, SLA received clarification regarding the future physical presence of EPA Libraries.
Molly O’Neill, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Environmental Information and Chief Information Officer, stated: “EPA intends to [...]
Annual FOIA Reports Submitted by Federal Departments and Agencies
From the U.S. Department of Justice:
This site has been created in accordance with the Electronic FOIA Amendments of 1996, which specifies that the Attorney General should make annual FOIA reports from all federal departments and agencies available at “a single electronic access point,” beginning with reports for fiscal year 1998.
White House Study Found 473 Days of E-Mail Gone
From the Washington Post:
The White House possesses no archived e-mail messages for many of its component offices, including the Executive Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President, for hundreds of days between 2003 and 2005, according to the summary of an internal White House study that was disclosed yesterday by a [...]
Study Will Examine Benefits of Free Access to Computers in Public Libraries
From Library Journal:
So, most people agree that free access to computers at public libraries is a good thing. But exactly how, and why? The federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) will work with the University of Washington Information School (iSchool) on a national study of the social, economic, personal, and professional value of [...]
About WashingtonWatch.com
From WashingtonWatch.com:
WashingtonWatch.com delivers the numbers behind proposed legislation and regulation. It is important to understand where these numbers come from and what they mean.
WashingtonWatch.com starts with government predictions about the costs or savings from proposed changes to government spending, taxation, and regulation. We take these predictions and calculate their “net present value.” That is the [...]
Watch the Money Race
From OpenCongress:
Maplight.org, the amazing site that seeks to illuminate the connection between campaign cash and legislative outcomes, just launched a widget that lets you post fundraising stats to your blog or website. With the widget, you can easily monitor the fundraising activities of incumbents and challengers from your state, or of any candidates that interest [...]