Publications :  The Watcher :  OMB Watcher Vol. 6: 2005 :  April 4, 2005 Vol.6, No.7 : 

In This Issue

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Despite Colorado's Disaster, More States Consider Restrictive Budget Rules (04/04/2005)
In 1992, the Colorado legislature passed a constitutional amendment locking in restrictive budget and tax provisions. This amendment, known as the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR), has resulted in a structural cycle of drastic disinvestment in public services across the state. This result is not unique to Colorado and if TABOR amendments are adopted in other states -- as could happen in 18 states across the country -- the effect would no doubt be similar.

President's Tax Panel Hits the Road (04/04/2005)
President Bush's Advisory Panel on Tax Reform has hit the road over the past month and a half holding six public meetings in their efforts to reform the country's tax code. The panel, which will submit suggestions to Treasury Secretary John Snow by July 31, has heard testimony from a variety of experts. The panel is charged with reforming the federal tax code to make it simpler, fairer, and more conducive to economic growth and job creation.

OMB Puts Children's Health at Risk with Data Quality Act (04/04/2005)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new guidelines for assessing cancer risk March 29 after years of deliberation. These guidelines officially recognize for the first time that children are particularly vulnerable to certain cancer-causing chemicals. However, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), while reviewing the guidelines, inserted two requirements, including that any EPA cancer evaluation meet the standards of the Data Quality Act (DQA), which will have the effect of putting more children at risk.

Transportation Agency Hides Vital Data as 'Sensitive Security Information' (04/04/2005)
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is invoking its little-known secrecy powers to hide a variety of information from the public, labeling the information as Sensitive Security Information (SSI). The agency's excessive and unreasonable use of the power is troubling, with recent examples defying common sense, and revealing that TSA withholds information from those who use it for safety reasons or even for their jobs.

Take Action: Chemical Security Long Overdue (04/04/2005)
A recent accident at a Texas oil refinery reminds us of the need for Congress to pass chemical security legislation that identifies hazardous chemical-using facilities and requires company plans both for reducing chemical hazards and improving site security through safer materials or processes wherever feasible.

NY Town Scraps Restrictive FOIA Policy (04/04/2005)
On March 28, open government advocates in Spring Valley, NY, a village just north of New York City, won the day when town officials agreed to scrap a five-year old policy that restricted access to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. While state law requires public access to FOI requests during regular business hours, Spring Valley's policy only permitted access from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and from 1 to 3 p.m. on Thursdays.

CFC Shifts Position on Terrorist List Checking (04/04/2005)
In a proposed regulation published in the Federal Register on March 29, the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) shifted its position away from last year's requirement that participating charities check their employee's names against government terrorist watch lists. Instead, the proposed rule uses a certification that charities are in compliance with the law. The proposed rule appears to be a major step in the right direction. Public comments are due in late May.

FEC Seeks Comment on Internet Regulation (04/04/2005)
Under orders from a federal court to reconsider its exemption of Internet communications from campaign finance regulations, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) proposed new rules on March 24, seeking public comment on a variety of issues. The proposed rules, which provide more questions than answers, were preceded by an outcry from bloggers, members of Congress and others concerned about possible over-regulation of Internet political activity. Comments are due in late May and a public hearing will be held in later June.

Santorum Amendment Encourages Relief for Charitable Giving (04/04/2005)
On March 1, Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) introduced an amendment to the 2006 Senate Budget Resolution. The amendment, a "Sense of the Senate" about charitable giving, notes the bipartisan popularity of the 2003 Charity Aid, Relief and Empowerment Act (CARE Act). The amendment passed by unanimous consent.

Florida Church Is Subject of IRS Inquiry for Political Activities (04/04/2005)
On Feb. 15, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) notified a Liberty City, FL, church that it is under investigation for engaging in partisan political activity. The investigation stems from an October 2004 appearance at a service by Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (D-MA). If the church is found to have engaged in prohibited political activity, it could lose its tax-exempt status.

Doggett Introduces Lobby Disclosure Bills (04/04/2005)
On March 13, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) introduced two versions of his "Stealth Lobbyist Disclosure Act of 2005" (H.R. 1302), a proposed amendment of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA), and H.R. 1304, which modifies the Internal Revenue Code to treat lobbying coalitions as political organizations under Section 527 of the tax code and require more disclosure of their lobbying activities.

White House Adds Rule to Hit List After Calling it 'Accomplishment' (04/04/2005)
Just three months after touting an interim rule controlling Listeria in ready-to-eat meats as a "regulatory reform accomplishment," the White House added that same rule to a list of regulations to be weakened or eliminated.

Sunset, Results Commission Proposals Likely (04/04/2005)
Both the White House and congressional Republicans have vowed to introduce legislative packages that would force programs to fight for their lives every 10 years and would link controversial performance ratings to decisions about the very structure of government.

Agencies Continue to Abandon Protective Plans (04/04/2005)
Key agencies charged with protecting public health, safety and the environment continued to abandon work on long-identified priorities for new or improved regulatory safeguards, according to the fall 2004 Unified Agenda released last December.

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