Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Transparency 2/11/11

Here is Friday’s look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events.

News Roundup:

  • The 13 new Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee, the “Lucky 13” as they call themselves, are soliciting fundraising help from major lobbyists and defense contractors. (Project on Government Oversight)
  • The Obama administration announced that it was vacating a proposal aimed at increasing contract transparency that would have amended the Federal Acquisition Regulation to enable the online posting of contracts and other orders. (Government Executive)
  • Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) re-introduced theNon-Federal Employee Whistleblower Protection Act of 2011, a bill to increase whistleblower protections for federal contractor employees. (Project on Government Oversight)
  • Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) announced that he will be retiring at the end of this Congress. (Washington Times)Sens.Lamar Alexander (R-TN)andJohn Cornyn (R-TX) are vying to succeed him as GOP Whip. (Roll Call $) For his Senate seat, if Rep. Giffords (D-AZ) decides to run and her health permits, she would be hard to beat. (Washington Times)
  • The White House blocked a potential appointee to lead the National Flood Insurance Program due to President Obama’s executive order mandating that all appointees sign an ethics pledge which, among other provisions, prohibits any communication with former clients except in general public meetings. (The Hill)
  • Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington submitted a letter to the Office of Congressional Ethics alleging that lawmakers who habitually sleep in their Congressional offices are violating House rules and tax laws. (Roll Call $)
  • The Treasury Department submitted the Obama administration’s initial recommendations for reforming the housing market, including limiting the government’s future role and eliminating Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac entirely. (Politico)(The Hill)
  • Lawyers on behalf of Michael Scanlon, one-time business partner of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, argued that he should not be sent to prison for his part in the lobbying scandal. (Politico) Fraser Verrusio, former aide to Rep. Don Young (R-AK), was also just convicted of playing a part in the scandal. (News Times)
  • Since the mid-point of his term, President Obama has been steadily improving his compliance with the Sunlight Before Signing pledge. (CATO)
  • Ranking member on the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), is pushing back against spending cuts for important projects. (Roll Call $)
  • Oklahoma joined those states who offer their constituents open data portals this week with the launch ofdata.ok.gov. (Tech President)
  • Stan Collender, a federal budget expert at Qorvis Communications, said he thinks there is an over 50 percent chance that there will be a government shutdown, if only because Republicans want to prove to the Tea Party that they are willing to do it. (Federal Times)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 2/11:

  • None.

Relevant bills introduced:

  • H.R. 606. A bill to establish a Commission to provide for the abolishment of Federal programs for which a public need does not exist, to periodically review the efficiency and public need for Federal programs, and for other purposes
  • H.R. 611. A bill to foster transparency about the commercial use of personal information, provide consumers with meaningful choice about the collection, use, and disclosure of such information, and for other purposes
  • H.R. 633. A bill to rescind unused earmarks; to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  • H.R. 638. A bill to impose a moratorium on the use of appropriated funds for official travel outside of the United States by Members, officers, and employees of the House of Representatives until the Comptroller General issues a report on the costs of such travel and makes recommendations regarding appropriate restrictions and reporting requirements on such travel; to the Committee on House Administration.
  • H. Res. 82. A resolution amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to establish the Committee on the Elimination of Nonessential Federal Programs; to the Committee on Rules.

Transparency events scheduled for 2/11:

  • Tech@State. Office of eDiplomacy, U.S. State Department. 8:00am.320 21st St., NW, Virginia Avenue and 21st St., NW entrance.
Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Transparency 2/10/11

Here is Thursday’s look at the week’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events.

News Roundup:

  • Disclosure reports indicate that for the fourth consecutive six-month period, lobbying firms and their clients have sent fewer funds toward Congressional charities. (Roll Call $)
  • It is not news to lobbyists that the big financial bill passed last year left room for regulators and rulemakers to make a big difference in the bill’s implementation. (NPR)
  • Former lobbyists and consultants from Morlowe & Co., a top appropriations lobby shop, started a free monthly publication listing federal grants and programs available to state and local governments in October 2010 to help officials find funding without K Street’s help. (The Hill)
  • Energy lobbyists are uncertain how freshman Republicans will deal with issues such as offshore drilling and nuclear energy. (Politico)
  • Despite insiders claiming that 75 percent of lawmakers think earmarks are an appropriate use of Congressional authority, most think earmarks had gotten out of control and had to go. (Washington Times)
  • In most major corporate financial scandals, whistleblowers could have prevented disaster, but major corporate companies insist that they can police themselves, making the Dodd-Frank whistleblower law unnecessary. (Wall Street Journal)
  • Seventy-four House Democrats are urging Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from any health care reform cases, citing reports that his wife has financially benefited from efforts to repeal the legislation. (Politico)
  • Lawyers for Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay are asking for a retrial based on misapplication of the state’s election code, juror misconduct, and the possible unconstitutionality of state campaign finance laws. (Politico)
  • The Pennsylvania State House gave final approval to an idea pushed by Gov. Tom Corbett to establish a searchable website containing expenditures of the Legislature, state agencies and the judiciary. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
  • Seattle is celebrating the first anniversay of its open data portal this month, one of the most inclusive data repositories provided by any city thus far. (Tech President)
  • Republican leaders say they are learning from their mistakes as they try to figure out how to maintain party unity while in the majority. (Roll Call $)(The Hill)
  • The Federal Communications Commission has developed a public platform that allows anyone to copy and paste in complicated data and create interactive, easy-to-understand maps. (Tech President)
  • Rep. Chris Lee (R-NY) resigned yesterday after allegations arose that he pursued a date with a woman on Craigslist, despite being married, and sent her a revealing photo of himself.(Roll Call $)(Politico)
  • Brian Wild, one of House Speaker Boehner’s top legislative advisers, is headed to the lobbying firm Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti. (The Hill)
  • Opinion: The Director of Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy’s January memo stating that the Defense Contract Audit Agency will, in several areas, defer to the Defense Contract Management Agency is potentially damaging to taxpayers. (Project on Government Oversight)
  • Opinion: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) should hold its ground against industry lobbying and develop a robust whistleblower program while rulemaking under the Dodd-Frank financial reform law. (Project on Government Oversight)
  • Opinion: Rep. Elijah Cummings thinks that Rep. Darrell Issa’s efforts to engage business leaders in targeting job killing regulations is on the right track, but falls short of being truly effective. (Politico)
  • Opinion: Yale’s Heather Gerken posits that lobbying could be the new campaign finance. (Election Law Blog)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 2/10: House:

  • Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee. On regulatory impediments to job creation. 2167 Rayburn House Office Building. 9:30am – open.
  • Judiciary: Courts, Commercial, and Administrative Law Subcommittee. On the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011. 2141 Rayburn House Office Building. 1:30pm – open.

Senate:

  • None.

Relevant bills introduced:

  • H.R. 590. A bill to prohibit States from carrying out more than one Congressional redistricting after a decennial census and apportionment, to require States to conduct such redistricting through independent commissions, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • H.R. 597. A bill to restore the Federal electoral rights of the residents of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes; to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Transparency events scheduled for 2/10:

Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Transparency 2/9/11

Here is Wednesday’s look at the week’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events.

News Roundup:

  • The White House has launched a new project called “Advise the Advisor” where one of the President’s closest advisors will post a video explaining what the White House is doing on a particular issue then ask for public feedback. (Tech President)
  • EADS North America is developing grassroots support by turning to Facebook and other forms of new media to help the company win a $35 billion Pentagon contract to build aerial tankers.(Roll Call $)
  • House Democrats are urging the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Rep. Darrell Issa, to decrease the amount of information he is requesting from agencies regarding their Freedom of Information requests from the last five years. (Federal Times)
  • U.S. District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin ruled that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, among other federal agencies, had not met either their FOIA or their discovery obligations by releasing information in the form of unsearchable PDF files. (Investigative Reporting Workshop, American University School of Communication)
  • Sen. Grassley (R-IA) has discovered instances of fraud at the Department of Defense, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Forest Service where Federal charge cards have been used for personal expenditures. He is advocating for federal requirements that agencies put safeguards on their charge cards and levy penalties for violations. (Center for Public Integrity)
  • A new investigative report by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) demonstrated that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) missed an opportunity to uncover a Ponzi Scheme in 2005 by failing to conduct a thorough examination of investment adviser Westridge Capital Management. (Project on Government Oversight)
  • The Government Accountability Office said yesterday that “supervisory and analytical weaknesses” were responsible for errors in a recent report about for-profit colleges, not personal bias or conflicts of interest. (Washington Post)
  • Microsofts former chief security adviser to state and local governments, Dean Lacovelli, explains how IT benefits government executives as well as how executives candemonstratethat value. (Gov Tech)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 2/9:House:

  • Oversight & Government Reform. TAR and Financial Services Subcommittee: on state and municipal debt. 9:30am. HVC-210 Capitol.

Senate:

  • None.

Relevant bills introduced:

House:

  • H.R. 527. A bill to amend chapter 6 of title 5, United States Code (commonly known as the Regulatory Flexibility Act), to ensure complete analysis of potential impacts on small entities of rules, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Small Business, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  • H.R. 557. A bill to amend the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to move the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection into the Department of the Treasury; to the Committee on Financial Services.
  • H. Con. Res. 14. Concurrent resolution expressing the sense of the Congress that non-defense, non-security, non-veterans discretionary spending should be reduced by 20 percent; to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  • H. Res. 72. A resolution directing certain standing committees to inventory and review existing, pending, and proposed regulations and orders from agencies of the Federal Government, particularly with respect to their effect on jobs and economic growth; to the Committee on Rules.

Senate:

  • S. 300. A bill to prevent abuse of Government charge cards; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Transparency events scheduled for 2/9:

  • None.
Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Transparency 2/8/11

Here is Tuesday’s look at the week’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events.

News Roundup:

  • Chairman of the House Oversight committee, Rep. Issa, publicly released the 220 responses from corporations, associations, and small businesses identifying which regulations they felt to be hindering growth. (Roll Call $)(Center for Public Integrity)
  • Defense budget experts say the earmark ban is unlikely to succeed due to the importance of military projects and the ability of lawmakers to find alternate ways to direct money to military projects in their districts. (The Hill)
  • A new analysis by the Government Accountability Office shows that the National Archives and Records Administration project to create a searchable, electronic database of government documents is likely to run over budget and behind schedule. (Next Gov)
  • As momentum and demand for Internet-enabled voting accelerates, the importance of website availability will become increasingly important. Gov Tech finds that there is still work to be done before websites are ready to handle the increased traffic associated withelectionresults, dissemination of election information and online voting. (Gov Tech)
  • The National Business Aviation Association told members that the Department of transportation is planning to limit a federal program that allows any aircraft owner to prevent specific flight data from being released to public websites. (Politico)
  • Former Federal Air Marshal turned whistleblower Robert MacLean submitted a FOIA request for documentation regarding several retaliatory investigations enacted by the Federal Air Marshal Service against himself and several other whistleblowers. His FOIA request was denied on the grounds that all six thousand pages of documentation were unable to be released due to the personal privacy concerns of those involved with the investigations. (Government Accountability Project)
  • Subcommittees have begun holding the first of many of oversight hearings to trim funding for federal agencies and programs, as Appropriations Committee Chair, Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), maintains his expectations that appropriations subcommittee chairmen will perform vigorous oversight of agencies funded with taxpayer dollars. (The Hill)
  • In relation to the 23 federal charges former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is facing, his defense team filed a motion early Tuesday asking for what they say is missing evidence in his corruption trial, including the transcript of a phone call between an aide and Rahm Emanuel, who was then serving on Barack Obamas presidential transition team. (Politico)
  • A cyber-security bill introduced in late 2010 by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-CT) would have given the United States president the ability to shut down private or government internet networks. (Gov Tech)
  • Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) is resigning from Congress to succeed former Rep. Lee Hamilton as president of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. (Politico)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 2/8:

  • None.

Relevant bills introduced:

  • S. 299. A bill to amend chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to provide that major rules of the executive branch shall have no force or effect unless a joint resolution of approval is enacted into law; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Transparency events scheduled for 2/8:

Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Transparency 2/7/11

Here is Monday’s look at the week’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events.

News Roundup:

  • The American Medical Association is having their annual National Advocacy Conference in Washington, DC next week to discuss their legislative agenda, including capping medical malpractice awards and keeping the health care reform bill largely intact. (Roll Call $)
  • On behalf of the Mubarak administration, a team of lobbyists are reminding Congress that Egypt is an important ally whom the United States cannot abandon. (Politico)
  • Public safety organizations are pushing Congress to allocate a broadband spectrum to local authorities. Verizon and AT&T, the two companies who already have access to this spectrum, have sided with these organizations. T-Mobile and Sprint, who do not have access, support a plan favored by the FCC to auction of the spectrum and use the proceeds to build communications infrastructure. (Roll Call $)
  • Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced an amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration bill to increase the number of national airspace system testing sites from four to 10. Watchdogs claim his amendment is an earmark by another name. (Politico)
  • Members could benefit from clear guidance regarding per diem allowances while traveling overseas. The State Department standards state that they only have to return unused per diem allowances when they are receiving an enhanced rate. The OCE found that Members are required to return unused allowances even when solely receiving the regular rate. The House Ethics Committee issued an unclear report on the issue. (Roll Call $)
  • Just like former Speakers Pelosi and Gingrich, Speaker Boehner refused C-SPAN’s request to install robotic videocameras in the House chamber. (Tech President)
  • Ryan Thompson, chief of staff to Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), is leaving Capitol Hill to take a job at Ogilvy Government Relations on K St. (The Hill)
  • Blind former New York Gov. David Paterson (D) has signed on as a paid, part-time consultant with the National Federation of the Blind. (Roll Call $)
  • Federal agencies are increasingly reliant on contractors but many struggle to manage them due to management weaknesses and internal control deficiencies, thereby exposingbillions in taxpayer dollars to fraud, waste and mismanagement. (The Center for Public Integrity)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 2/7-2/11:

  • None.

Relevant bills introduced:

  • None.

Transparency events scheduled for 2/7-2/11:

Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Transparency 2/2/11

Here is Wednesday’s look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events.

News Roundup:

  • Senator Daniel Inouye, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that the panel would not allow earmarks to be included in this years appropriations bills. (New York Times)(Washington Post)
  • Chairman Issa is refining his request for information regarding agency FOIA request document, additionally asking for copies of emails between key White House officials and interviews with staff at the Department of Homeland Security. (The Hill)
  • Two lobbying firms, the Podesta Group and the Livingston group, made over $400,000 lobbying on behalf of Egypt during the last six months of 2010. (Politico)
  • Transparency goals might suffer if House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) and ranking member Elijah Cummings (D-MD) can’t figure out how to cooperate. (Politico)
  • The New Hampshire state legislature has started releasing data on legislation and legislators in a way that allows outside web developers and researchers to easily process and explore. (Tech President)
  • FedEx and UPS spent millions battling in the 111th Congress over a labor provision in the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. The new version of the bill being considered today by the 112th Congress does not contain the clause that would have put FedEx under the same labor laws as UPS. (The Hill)
  • Former Kennedy aide Ngozi Pole was convicted on five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government property. (New York Times)
  • D.C. ethics rules only require lawmakers to declare their outside income sources if an employer or client did business with the city government or stood to gain from pending legislation during the last calendar year. (Washington Times)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 2/2:

House
  • None.
Senate
  • Judiciary. Hearings to examine the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. Wed. 2/2. 10:00am. Senate Dirksen Building 226.

Relevant bills introduced:

  • None.

Transparency events scheduled for 2/2:

  • None.
Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Transparency 2/1/11

Here is Tuesday’s look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events

News Roundup:

  • The Senate Ethics Committee appointed Attorney Carol Elder Bruce, a partner at K&L Gates, to serve as special counsel to investigate allegations against Sen. John Ensign (R-NV). (Roll Call $)(Politico)
  • According to the Senate Ethics Committee’s annual statistical report, the committee reviewed 93 allegations in 2010 but dismissed all but four cases without any public action. (Roll Call $)
  • For the first time in a decade, lobbying revenues decreased last year, dropping by $104 million, or 2.9 percent. (Roll Call $)
  • Ranking Member Elijah Cummings is sending letters to many of the same entities that Chairman Issa approached in December, saying that he feels he needs to contact them himself since Republicans have not been willing to share the responses they have received. (Politico)
  • “Web 3.0” is a term that has been popping up in the state and local government IT communities. While it has not yet been determinatively defined, the general idea is online machine-to-machine communication. (Government Technology)
  • A new study found that while the amount of constituent communication with their representatives has increased, the quality of their outreach has decreased. (Tech President)
  • A new IBM report says that federal agencies face numerous challenges in implementing open government programs based on the lack of research available to guide them. (Federal Computer Week)
  • Charles Barclay, one of the five listed lobbyists for the American Association of Airport Executives, will meet with several Democratic senators to discuss the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. (Politico)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 2/1:

House
  • None.
Senate
  • Homeland Security and Government Affairs: Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight. Hearings to examine improving Federal contract auditing. Tues. 2/1. 2:30pm. Senate Dirksen Building 342.

Relevant bills introduced:

  • S. 237. A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to enhance the oversight authorities of the Comptroller General, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  • S. 241. A bill to expand whistleblower protections to non-Federal employees whose disclosures involve misuse of Federal funds; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Transparency events scheduled for 2/1:

Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Transparency 1/31/11

Here is Monday’s look at the week’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events

News Roundup:

  • The House Ethics Committee is investigating whether Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) failed to include information regarding his spouse’s sources of income on his financial disclosure forms. (Roll Call $)
  • Rep. Rivera (R-FL) is facing additional allegations of questionable ethics. The Associated Press reported that he did not report any details for over a third of the expenses for which he reimbursed himself during his time in the Florida State Legislature, simply calling them “campaign expenses.” (Roll Call $)
  • When the House Ethics Committee dismissed investigations into three lawmakers’ fundraising events last week it stated that previous rulings can set a general standard for unacceptable behavior but they do not set a standard as each individual case has to be considered on its own merits. (Roll Call $)
  • President Obamas call for Congress to do what the White House has already done and publicly disclose their meetings with lobbyists has caused many to criticize the White House’s own disclosure of meetings with lobbyists to be inadequate. (The Hill)
  • Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) reflected on his ethics trial and subsequent censure, discussing Congressional ethics and perception as a whole. (Washington Post)
  • President Barack Obama has named Office of Management and Budget Deputy Jeffrey Zients to lead his government reform initiative. (Politico)
  • Obama administration officials are considering relaxing some Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) cloud computing certification security requirements to expedite deployments, after the software industry raised concerns about impractical, one-size-fits-all controls. (Next Gov)
  • The State of the Union media enhancement could signal the beginning of a broader Obama administration plan to further utilize social media to communicate with the public during the second half of his term. (Bloomberg)
  • Senate leaders have reached and announced a gentleman’s agreement where minority Republicans will filibuster fewer bills and nominations while the Democratic majority will give them more chances to offeramendments. (Washington Times)
  • The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recently withdrawn several proposed regulations designed to protect workers’ health and safety, causing labor unions to voice concern. (The Hill)
  • The Social Security Administration has responded to President Barack Obamas call to streamline and improve federal regulation by setting up a new e-mail account for the public to submit ideas. (Federal Computer Week)
  • Protesters rallied outside the annual Koch conference of major conservative donors, claiming that those attending the conference were funneling huge undisclosed donations to promote a political agenda meant to increase their profits at the expense of the average American. (Politico) While the protests were generally peaceful, some demonstrators crossed the street to the entrance of the resort and twenty-five were arrested for trespassing. (Washington Post)
  • The 112th Senate has gotten off to a slow start and there do not appear to be much major legislation on the horizon. (Politico)
  • The City University of New York’s Entrepreneurial Journalism program has designed Localeaks, a website where you can send an anonymous tip or file to over 1,400 newspapers using a single online form. (Read Write Web)
  • Opinion: Brand Niemann, senior data scientist at Semanticommunity.net and former senior enterprise architect and data scientist at the Environmental Protection Agency, suggests solving the problem of archiving federal social media records by encouraging individual employees to be information architects and preservationists for their own information. (Federal Computer Week)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 1/31-2/4:

House
  • None.
Senate
  • Homeland Security and Government Affairs: Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight. Hearings to examine improving Federal contract auditing. Tues. 2/1. 2:30pm. Senate Dirksen Building 342.
  • Judiciary. Hearings to examine the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. Wed. 2/2. 10:00am. Senate Dirksen Building 226.

Relevant bills introduced:

  • S. 211. A bill to provide for a biennial budget process and a biennial appropriations process and to enhance oversight and performance of the Federal Government; to the Committee on the Budget.
  • S. 219. A bill to require Senate candidates to file designations, statements, and reports in electronic form; to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

Transparency events scheduled for 1/31-2/4

Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Transparency 1/28/11

Here is Friday’s look at the week’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events

News Roundup:

  • The Senate voted to agree to two changes to the chambers rules that would eliminate secret holds on nominations and waive the reading of amendments that have been publicly available for 72 hours. Three other changes regarding filibusters along with other procedures that have been used to block or slow the legislative process were rejected. (Roll Call $)(New York Times)
  • Officials have proposed creating a wiki called ExpertNet to expand the practice of gathering expert advice (which they have done since 1972 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act). (Federal Computer Week) Departments would set up a public consultation on a given topic and distribute their questions about the topic to professional networks to start the discussion. (Federal Computer Week)
  • The money that used to be allocated as earmarks is now shifting from being spent on hometown projects to being distributed through federal contracts and grants. (Politico)
  • Rep. Issa, Chairman of the House oversight committee, has requested details of every FOIA request for federal records made during the last five years to ensure that agencies have responded in a timely and substantive manner. (New York Times)
  • After three weeks of waiting while the Senate leadership negotiated new committee ratios, committee seats have finally been distributed. (Roll Call $)
  • White House Chief of Staff William Daley announced a number of staff changes, including that Jay Carney will replace Robert Gibbs as press secretary. (Roll Call $)(The Hill) The Fast Fix provides five fast facts about the new press secretary. (The Washington Post)
  • Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is calling on Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA), the new ranking member on the ethics panel, to produce a private Ethics Committee opinion about her decision to share staff with her sister, Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA). (The Hill)
  • Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said his department will issue new ethics rules to shield the department’s scientific work from politics and other outside influences. (Federal Times)
  • The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the appellate court decision and unanimously decided that former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is eligible to stay on Chicagos mayoral ballot. (Politico)(The Hill)
  • Opinion: Government officials should completely open up the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System to provide the public with contractors past performance evaluations. (Project On Government Oversight)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 1/28:

  • None.

Relevant bills introduced:

Senate
  • S. 194. A bill to reduce Federal spending and the deficit by terminating taxpayer financing of presidential election campaigns and party conventions; to the Committee on Finance.
House
  • H.R. 453. A bill to prohibit States from carrying out more than one Congressional redistricting after a decennial census and apportionment, to require States to conduct such redistricting through independent commissions, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • H.R. 455. A bill to protect 10th Amendment rights by providing special standing for State government officials to challenge proposed regulations, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.H.R. 463. A bill to apply the Freedom of Information Act to the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation during any period that such entities are in conservatorship or receivership; to the Committee on Financial Services.

Transparency events scheduled for 1/28:

  • None.
Posted on by Daniel Schuman

The Day In Transparency 1/26/11

Here is Wednesday’s look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events

News Roundup:

State of the Union:

  • President Obama promised to veto any bill containing earmarks. (The Hill)
  • The president proposed federal funding increases for research and development, but did not provide details as to where this finding would come from. (Next Gov)
  • He also announced plans to “merge, consolidate and reorganize the federal government” as part of a greater initiative to increase the United States’ economic competitiveness. (Federal Times)
  • Tech President designates the speech as the “Geekiest State of the Union Evah.”
  • The New York Times offers an interactive State of the Union seating chart.

In other news:

  • The Senate concludes day one without addressing rule reform, as Members are still trying to come to agreement (Roll Call $).
  • Sen. Udall (D-NM) admits that filibuster reform seems unlikely, and suggests support for the eventual agreement as determined by Senate leadership. (Politico)
  • In its first hearing of the 112th Congress, the Oversight and Government Reform committee will hear from Neil Barofsky, special inspector general for the Troubled Assets Relief Program, or TARP. (Washington Post)
  • Sens. Charles Schumer (NY), vice chairman of the Democratic Conference, and Lamar Alexander (TN), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, are leading efforts to reach a gentlemen’s agreement that would facilitate the flow of legislative business. (The Hill)
  • As some federal agencies start taking blogging to the next level by providing frequent, rich content that promotes public engagement and transparency, new questions of archiving and cataloging arise. (Federal Computer Week)
  • After an Illinois court ruled that Rahm Emanuel did not meet residency requirements for mayor, the Supreme Court of Illinois ruled that his name should still be placed on the ballot as they rush to rule whether he does in fact meet the requirements. (Roll Call $)(Washington Times)
  • The American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association and Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America are among many groups that want to weaken or eliminate the Independent Payment Advisory Board out of fear that Medicare cuts will be too severe. (Politico)
  • Former House speaker Newt Gingrich called for the abolition of the Environmental Protection Agency in a Tuesday speech in Iowa. (Politico)
  • Several House Democrats responded hesitantly to President Obama’s call for a five-year freeze on discretionary spending, expressing concern that it could undermine the investments the president says are essential for job creation. (The Hill)
  • Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus fired a number of political staffers, following through on his promise to start fresh after the departure of former Chairman Steele. (Politico)
  • Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have put their social media metrics online to show patterns such as spikes in YouTube views and growth in Twitter followers. (Federal Computer Week)
  • Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) released documents suggesting that White House officials overruled scientific concerns in releasing a report last summer on what happened to the BP oil spill. (Huffington Post)
  • Facing sever budget cuts, nonprofit advocacy groups are working to protect their programs. (Roll Call $)
  • Former Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-LA) appears to be headed towards the K St. lobbying firm Alston & Bird. (Roll Call $)
  • Opinion: Sens. Cornyn and Hatch urge Congress to pass a balanced-budget amendment.

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 1/26:

House
  • Oversight and Government Reform Full Committee. On a report from the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Assets on bailouts and the foreclosure crisis. 9:30am. HVC-210 Capitol.
Senate
  • Judiciary: hearings to examine protecting American taxpayers, focusing on accomplishments and ongoing challenges in the fight against fraud. 10:30am. Senate Dirksen Building 226.

Relevant bills introduced:

House

  • H.R. 414. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reform the system of public financing for Presidential elections, and for other purposes; to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  • H.R. 417. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the expansion of certain information reporting requirements to corporations and to payments for property, to impose a surcharge on high income taxpayers, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Ways and Means.
  • H.R. 423. A bill to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prevent the addresses of the residences of Members of Congress from appearing on the computerized Statewide voter registration lists required to be maintained by States under such Act, and to permit a Member of Congress who seeks to be a candidate for election for public office in a State to meet any requirement under State law to provide the appropriate election official with the address of the Member’s residence by providing the chief State election official with an affidavit certifying that the Member is a resident of the State; to the Committee on House Administration.
  • H.R. 431. A bill to eliminate automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress, and for other purposes; to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  • H. Res. 52. A resolution electing Members to certain standing committees of the House of Representatives; considered and agreed to.
  • H. Res. 53. A resolution electing certain Members to certain standing committees of the House of Representatives; considered and agreed to.
Senate:
  • S. 7. A bill to reform the Federal tax code; to the Committee on Finance.
  • S. 9. A bill to reform America’s political system and eliminate gridlock that blocks progress; to the Committee on Rules and Administration.S
  • S. 14. A bill to establish a Commission on Congressional Budgetary Accountability and Review of Federal Agencies; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  • S. 18. A bill to repeal the expansion of information reporting requirements for payments of $600 or more to corporations and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
  • S. 28. A bill to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide public safety providers an additional 10 megahertz of spectrum to support a national, interoperable wireless broadband network and authorize the Federal Communications Commission to hold incentive auctions to provide funding to support such a network, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  • S. 72. A bill to repeal the expansion of information reporting requirements for payments of $600 or more to corporations, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
  • S. 74. A bill to preserve the free and open nature of the Internet, expand the benefits of broadband, and promote universally available and affordable broadband service; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  • S. 89. A bill to repeal the imposition of withholding on certain payments made to vendors by government entities; to the Committee on Finance.
  • S. 111. A bill to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require new voting systems to provide a voter-verified permanent record, to develop better accessible voting machines for individuals with disabilities, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
  • S. 119. A bill to preserve open competition and Federal Government neutrality towards the labor relations of Federal Government contractors on Federal and federally funded construction projects; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  • S. 130. A bill to prohibit authorized committees and leadership PACs from employing the spouse or immediate family members of any candidate or Federal office holder connected to the committee; to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
  • S. 131. A bill to prohibit the use of stimulus funds for signage indicating that a project is being carried out using those funds; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  • S. 133. A bill to repeal the provision of law that provides automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  • S. 149. A bill to extend the expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, and the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 until December 31, 2013, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • S. 168. A bill to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to establish standards for the distribution of voter registration application forms and to require organizations to register with the State prior to the distribution of such forms; to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
  • S. 178. A bill to reduce Federal spending by $2.5 trillion through fiscal year 2021; to the Committee on Finance.
  • S. 182. A bill to prohibit the Federal Government from awarding contracts, grants, or other agreements to, providing any other Federal funds to, or engaging in activities that promote the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now and its shell companies which have been given new names; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  • S.J. Res. 1. A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to limiting the number of terms that a Member of Congress may serve; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Transparency events scheduled for 1/26: