In the aftermath of a partisan battle between Texas legislators in May, (see the June 2nd Watcher article) both the Department of Justice and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are examining their possible misuse of resources.

In a June Federal Register notice, the General Service Administration (GSA) announced a planned pilot project to make Federal contracts publicly available online. The project would require all federal departments and agencies to post contracts on the Internet. This proposal signals a major attempt to increase the level of transparency and accountability in the contract process. Public comments are sought by GSA in order to set priorities for the project.

A federal district court in Wyoming recently struck down the Clinton-era roadless rule, which protects 58.5 million acres of pristine U.S. Forest Service lands from logging and development -- the latest in a series of court decisions concerning the measure. A federal judge in Idaho previously struck down the rule in May of 2001, but it was subsequently reinstated on appeal in December of 2002. There are currently nine lawsuits over the rule pending in seven different states.

How long can OMB's Rosy Scenario keep telling those pretty lies?