Government Matters Articles

Nuclear Commission Allows Access to Classified Information, Maybe

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published a final rule June 2, allowing individuals or organizations access to classified information on agency licensing activities if they can demonstrate a "need to know." The agency originally published an identical final rule Dec. 15, 2004, but withdrew it after negative comments. The rule amends NRC's regulations (10 CFR 25, 10 CFR 95) governing access to classified information and the procedures for getting the security clearance necessary to handle the information.

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Whistleblower Reveals Bush Administration Altered Climate Change Reports

A former oil industry lobbyist changed language in government climate change reports to undermine the science on climate change and present it as less problematic, according to a government whistleblower, in what is becoming a persistent problem of politics trumping science. Days after news outlets broke the story, Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office asking for an investigation into the whistleblower's claims.

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Update: Senate Finance Committee and Nonprofit Legislation

Senate Finance Committee activity on nonprofit regulation is picking up steam as the projected date for introduction of the long-awaited reform bill approaches. Conservative groups and Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) have expressed concern about the impact some proposals could have on small nonprofits and that there is inadequate resources to enforce existing laws. The committee’s staff report on land donations was released June 7, and a June 8 hearing took an in-depth look at ways future abuse in this area can be avoided.

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House Considers CDBG But Avoids Attacking PART

In the wake of the White House's attempt to put the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program on the chopping block, a House subcommittee held a hearing to determine whether a program as diverse and flexible as CDBG could be evaluated using OMB's one-size-fits-all performance measurements. Factors Influencing the Hearing

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GOP Seeks Power to Restructure Entire Federal Government

The Bush administration's systematic dismantling of the public's protections could soon accelerate as Republican lawmakers prepare legislation that would permit the unrestrained restructuring of the entire federal government through results commissions and fast-track reorganization authority.

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OMB Watch Submits Comments on Combined Federal Campaign Anti-Terrorist Certification

OMB Watch has filed comments on the Combined Federal Campaign's (CFC) proposed anti-terrorist financing certification for fiscal year 2006 (FY06) that support CFC's shift away from its FY05 requirement that participating charities check employee names against government terrorist watch lists. The CFC is the federal government's workplace charitable giving program. The comments suggest ways the proposed certification can be improved to provide clearer guidance and suggest that CFC develop procedures for organizations to cure any noncompliance discovered during the program year. OMB Watch is one of 12 nonprofit plaintiffs that have challenged the current certification in federal court

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Group Asks Supreme Court to Consider Constitutionality of Electioneering Restrictions

The Wisconsin Right to Life Committee (WRTL) appealed to the Supreme Court May 24 asking it to overturn a provision of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA) that prohibits the broadcast of ads that mention federal candidates within 60 days of a general election or 30 days of a primary. WRTL ran ads in the summer of 2004 asking Sens. Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Herb Kohl (D-WI) to support President Bush's judicial nominees. It had to discontinue the ads on Aug. 15, 2004 because Feingold was running for re-election.

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State Charity Regulation Proposals Listed

The National Council of Nonprofit Associations (NCNA) has published a list of 24 legislative proposals to regulate charities that are pending in 15 states. A list summarizing 2004 results in 19 states was also published. Both are available on the NCNA website.

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Thomas Pushes for Social Security Tax Cuts

The House Ways and Means Committee made Social Security the focus of its work over the past two weeks, holding a number of hearings and announcing the intention to write legislation this summer. Rep. James McCrery (R-LA), chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security, stated House lawmakers will be ready to write Social Security legislation by July 1.

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House Appropriators Speed Through Spending Bills

While the Senate was bogged down last week debating judicial nominations and a possible vote to end the use of the filibuster when considering judicial nominees, the House has been hastily forging ahead on appropriations bills at a furious pace. Soon after the bicameral budget resolution was agreed to April 28, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis (R-CA) laid out 302(b) allocations to the 11 appropriations subcommittees and markups immediately began. Seven of the bills remain to be completed.

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