The Bush administration's acknowledgement of secret and unauthorized domestic spying since the 9/11 attacks has roiled both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. On Dec. 16, The New York Times reported President Bush authorized the National Security Agency (NSA) to eavesdrop on domestic phone calls and emails without a wiretapping warrant, kicking off a storm of protest just as renewal of the USA PATRIOT Act was being considered. OMB Watch responded to the unfolding events in a Dec. 20 statement. The following is a summary of major events since the Times story broke.

Correspondences obtained by OMB Watch between the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) raise significant questions about the influence SBA exerted over EPA's decision to pursue its current proposals to reduce chemical reporting under the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI).

A White House proposal will hinder federal agency efforts to provide important information to the public by opening guidance documents to politicization and industry influence, according to comments filed by Citizens for Sensible Safeguards.