Publications :  The Watcher :  OMB Watcher Vol. 7: 2006 :  June 27, 2006 Vol. 7, No. 13 : 

In This Issue

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Specter's NSA Bill Eradicates Fundamental Liberties (06/27/2006)
The White House and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) are nearing a compromise on legislation that would authorize the National Security Agency (NSA) domestic spying program. The bill, unfortunately, as it currently stands, poses a severe threat to fundamental civil liberties.

Shays Looks to Limit State Secrets Privilege (06/27/2006)
Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT) has introduced a bill to prevent the administration from abusing its all-powerful state secrets privilege. Based on the 1953 Supreme Court ruling in Reynolds v. United States, the state secrets privilege allows the executive branch to declare certain materials or topics completely exempt from disclosure or review by any body.

Senate Strengthens Whistleblower Protections After High Court Decision (06/27/2006)
The Senate acted quickly last week to fill a gap in whistleblower protection law in light of a recent Supreme Court ruling which may have weakened First Amendment protections for whistleblowers. The Senate passed the Federal Employee Protection of Disclosures Act (S.494), sponsored by Sens. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and Susan Collins (R-ME), which would strengthen protections for federal government employees that expose government inadequacies.

Government Secretly Examining Financial Transactions (06/27/2006)
Yet another Bush administration secret program that gathers private information came to light last week. The New York Times on Jun. 23, much to the ire of the White House, broke the story of government monitoring of banking transactions involving thousands of Americans and financial institutions.

Lobby Reform Update: Shays, Meehan Introduce Bill, as Senate Reports on Charities Misuse (06/27/2006)
While the conference committee to reconcile House and Senate versions of lobby reform legislation remains in limbo, two House members have introduced a new, stronger lobby reform bill, and a Senate committee has called for an investigation into misuse of charities by Abramoff and others.

Nonprofits Protest Barrier to Emailing Congress (06/27/2006)
A coalition of more than 100 nonprofits is protesting a new filter used by some congressional offices to block spam, arguing it also inhibits constituent communications. The filter, or "logic puzzle" as it is called, requires senders to answer a question before a message is sent, making it more difficult for online advocacy campaigns that use forms.

Nonprofits Sue Defense Dept. Over Surveillance (06/27/2006)
On June 14 the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed suit against the Department of Defense (DOD) on behalf if itself and six state affiliates over DOD's failure to respond to their Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The request seeks records DOD has collected on over two dozen groups critical of the administration's war policies.

Muslim Charity's Prosecution Reveals Questionable Evidence (06/27/2006)
Criminal prosecution of the Holy Land Foundation (HLF), a Texas-based Muslim charity shut down by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2001, has provided a glimpse into the government's use of evidence to justify seizure and freezing of charitable assets in the name of the war of terrorism. Pre-trial filings shows sanctions have been imposed against charities and their officials for contacting organizations that are not designated by the government as supporters of terrorism. The case also appears to depend on questionable foreign intelligence information and faulty translations.

Sunset Commission Update: Delay in House, Rush in Senate (06/27/2006)
While House leadership announced that sunset commissions would come up for a vote later than initially predicted, the Senate unexpectedly set the stage for its own consideration of a sunset commission proposal.

Measures to Reform Budget Process Move in Congress (06/27/2006)
Both chambers of Congress are moving forward on measures centered around budget process changes, with a focus on giving the president line-item veto authority. The House passed the Legislative Line Item Veto Act (H.R. 4890) 247-172 on Jun. 22, and the Senate Budget Committee reported out a broader budget reform bill on Jun. 21 that included presidential line-item rescission authority.

Back From the Dead: Estate Tax "Compromise" Could Move in Senate Soon (06/27/2006)
The House voted last week to approve an estate tax "compromise" that is, in reality, backdoor repeal of the tax. The vote clears the way for another Senate vote on the estate tax, following the Senate's rejection of repeal earlier this month.

House Passes Half-Hearted Disclosure Bill, Alternative Remains Popular in Senate (06/27/2006)
The House passed legislation last week that would provide for a free, searchable database to disclose information about government grants. H.R. 5060 sponsored by Reps. Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Tom Davis (R-VA) passed the House on a voice vote on June 21, under suspension of the rules. The bill does not address disclosure of federal contracts, which accounted for some $339.7 billion in federal spending in 2004 alone.

Congress Drops the Ball on Minimum Wage Again (06/27/2006)
Congress failed last week to raise the federal minimum wage which has stagnated for nearly a decade. The failure to act means its unlikely American workers will see a minimum wage increase any time soon. In the Senate, two measures to raise the minimum wage were voted down. In the House, an appropriations bill that contains a minimum wage increase is being kept from the floor, and Republicans have simultaneously rebuffed a Democratic effort to link an increase in the minimum wage with a bill that would nearly repeal the estate tax.

House Saves Program for Measuring Results of Government Assistance (06/27/2006)
The House voted Jun. 13 to partially fund the Census Bureau's Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), saving what is considered an essential tool for assessing how well government assistance programs are working.

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