Six Agencies Act on Faith-Based Regulations

In late September the Bush administration announced final regulations implementing faith-based grant rules that Congress could not even pass. For example, the rules place the burden of objecting to the religious nature of a service provider on the person in need, who must ask for an alternative provider. The regulations do not clearly define "inherently religious" activities that cannot be paid for with federal funds in grant programs. However, services paid for with vouchers or certificates can contain religious content.

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Committee Report Finds No EPA Fault After 9/11

A Senate Environment and Public Works Committee report released Sept. 23 claims the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the White House did not act inappropriately in addressing public health concerns in New York City after 9/11. The committee’s report sharply contrasts an Aug. 22 EPA Inspector General’s report that revealed EPA altered press releases to falsely reassure the public because of pressure from the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

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Ashcroft Declassifies Use of a Patriot Act Power

In recognition of growing public distrust of the government's expanded powers under the Patriot Act, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that the Justice Department has not used Section 215 of the Patriot Act.

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Industry Pushing for TRI Reporting Changes

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is facing increased pressure on at least two fronts to alter reporting requirements under the Toxic Release Inventory Program (TRI) for mining operations and facilities that manufacture or use lead.

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House Votes to Block Bush Plan to Cut Overtime Pay

Reversing course, the House recently voted 221-203 to block changes proposed by the Bush administration that would strip millions of workers of eligibility for overtime pay. The House narrowly defeated a similar amendment in July by a vote of 213-210, but this time around Democrats picked up eight new Republican votes.

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Journalists Decry Ashcroft's Closed Door Speeches

U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft has limited his exposure to journalists' questions during his around-the-country speaking tour to respond to growing public concerns about the Patriot Act. While the American Civil Liberties Union and American Library Association have been singled out by Mr. Ashcroft and the Justice Department for criticizing the excessive secrecy and overly broad powers of the Patriot Act (see related story, "Ashcroft declassifies use of a Patriot Act power"), journalists also are expressing increased concerns about government powers expanded under the Patriot Act.

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Job Announcement: Coordinator of Right-to-Know Coalition for Journalists

A new coalition of journalism organizations is hiring a coordinator to help advance freedom-of-information issues. Applications must be submitted by October 15, 2003.

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CEI Fluffs Up Data Quality Lawsuit

The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) recently amended its data quality lawsuit against the White House over a global warming study, adding violations of two statues – the Administrative Procedure Act and the U.S. Global Change Research Act.

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Administration Relaxes Standards on Nursing Home Feeding

The Bush administration recently eased nursing home standards to allow workers with just one day of training help residents eat and drink. Previously, only licensed health care professionals or certified nurse aides were permitted to perform such duties.

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State and Local Finance Data Disappears

Analysts and policymakers are losing their most consistent, thorough source of state and local finance data for 2001 and 2003. The US Census Bureau did not publish state-by-state data on local government finance for fiscal year 2001 and will not be publishing it for 2003, a practice begun in 1970. In lieu of this data, the Census Bureau is publishing local finance estimates for the country as a whole. However, the Census Bureau will report the state level data for 2002 through the Census of Governments Report, and this data will be functionally similar to what was available before the Bureau stopped publishing such information, according to the government agency.

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