| In This Issue |
Economy and Jobs Watch: Consumer Debt Increases, Savings Rate Down
Congress' Unfinished Business
Information & Access
Representatives Increase Efforts to put Congressional Research Reports Online
Workshop Reveals Flaws in Peer Review Bulletin
Kansas to Review Open Record Exemptions
Nonprofit Issues
CARE Act Update
House Committee Seeks Info on Election Activities of Nonprofits
FEC Begins Implementing Ban on Electioneering Communications
Senate Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing on PATRIOT Act
Tougher Restriction on Funds Limits Equal Access to Civil Justice
IRS Requests for Comments on Exempt Organizations Filing Requirements
Regulatory Matters
Congress Drops Block on Bush Overtime Proposal, Strikes Deal on Media Ownership
Congress Clears Way for Logging, Offers Little Help to Fire-Prone Communities
Federal Judge Rebukes Bush Administration's Hard-Rock Mining Rules
Bush Administration Considers Relaxing Rules for Radioactive Waste
Economy and Jobs Watch: Consumer Debt Increases, Savings Rate Down (12/02/2003)
While very recent economic news shows some long-overdue strength – gross domestic product grew at an 8.2% annual rate in the third quarter – mounting levels of both public and private debt remain a concern, both for the near future as well for the long-run health of the economy.
Congress' Unfinished Business (12/02/2003)
Congress left for the Thanksgiving break after passing less than half of the 2004 appropriations bills that fund government.
Representatives Increase Efforts to put Congressional Research Reports Online (12/02/2003)
Members of the House of Representatives interested in public access are pushing for a bill to put all Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports online. This new push comes after the September expiration of a pilot program that provided hundreds of CRS reports to the public on the Internet.
Workshop Reveals Flaws in Peer Review Bulletin (12/02/2003)
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) held an all day workshop Nov. 18 that brought together regulators, academics, industry and public interest groups to discuss the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) draft bulletin on peer review. By the end of the day, presenters and participants had expressed various concerns about the impact of the bulletin as currently written and uncovered fundamental flaws with the policy.
CARE Act Update (12/02/2003)
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), a co-sponsor of the CARE Act, told BNA last week about an effort to resolve one major difference between the House and Senate versions of the bill- offsets to make up for lost revenue from expanded tax deductions for charities.
House Committee Seeks Info on Election Activities of Nonprofits (12/02/2003)
The House Administration Committee scheduled a Nov. 11 hearing to investigate the ways in which political action committees (PACs) are using soft money after passage of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA).
FEC Begins Implementing Ban on Electioneering Communications (12/02/2003)
Nonprofits that are not exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the tax code will have to comply with new restrictions on using names of federal candidates in paid advertising. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) recently published a schedule of state-by-state dates for implementation for presidential and congressional primary and general elections.
Senate Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing on PATRIOT Act (12/02/2003)
On Nov. 18 the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing, "America after 9/11: Freedom Preserved or Freedom Lost?” that focused on the PATRIOT Act and other post 9/11 policy impacts on civil liberties.
Tougher Restriction on Funds Limits Equal Access to Civil Justice (12/02/2003)
Efforts to provide legal assistance to members of low-income communities are hampered by federal restrictions on funds according to reports by The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP).
IRS Requests for Comments on Exempt Organizations Filing Requirements (12/02/2003)
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is seeking comments on an existing final regulation, Public Inspection of Exempt Organization Returns.
Congress Drops Block on Bush Overtime Proposal, Strikes Deal on Media Ownership (12/02/2003)
Congressional leaders recently agreed to drop appropriation riders that would have blocked administration proposals to cut overtime eligibility and allow greater media consolidation. The White House had threatened to veto any legislation that contained language impeding either of these measures.
Congress Clears Way for Logging, Offers Little Help to Fire-Prone Communities (12/02/2003)
Congress recently approved legislation that allows logging in old-growth forests and does little to limit wildfire risks in areas close to homes.
Federal Judge Rebukes Bush Administration's Hard-Rock Mining Rules (12/02/2003)
A federal judge recently instructed the Interior Department to rewrite part of its new hard-rock mining rules after finding that mining companies are not being required to pay fair market value for use of public lands. The judge criticized the Bush administration’s overall interpretation of federal law on hard-rock mining, but stopped short of striking down the rules, stating that he did not have legal grounds to do so.
Bush Administration Considers Relaxing Rules for Radioactive Waste (12/02/2003)
The Bush administration is considering a plan to allow low-level radioactive material to be stored in ordinary landfills and hazardous waste sites. Currently, such waste must be stored at facilities specifically licensed for radioactive material.
Kansas to Review Open Record Exemptions (12/02/2003)
Kansas state legislators recently opened up the Kansas Open Records Act for review after finding more than 360 exemptions that will expire on July 1, 2005.