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The article focuses on the role and statutory authority of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Science Advisory Board (SAB), established in 1978 to provide independent scientific advice on EPA's regulatory actions. Topics include SAB's operational framework under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and selected legislative issues affecting its advisory role, including proposals which seeks to enhance transparency and SAB's involvement in agricultural and food safety regulations.

The article reports on the proposed revisions to large bank capital requirements issued by federal banking regulators in July 2023. It implements Basel III Endgame, proposes changes based on the holistic capital review by Fed Vice Chair Michael Barr and addresses issues following bank failures in 2023. The focus is on enhancing consistency, matching capital to risk, reducing complexity and improving transparency.

The article discusses the legislative measures introduced to enhance transparency regarding the U.S.' international commitments, particularly focusing on recent amendments to existing laws. Topics include changes in publication requirements, transmission and reporting obligations, exceptions to transparency rules, and congressional oversight measures.

The article focuses on the U.S. Center for SafeSport, responsible for addressing and preventing sexual and other abuses in amateur athletics in the United States. It discusses the Center's creation, its authorities and operations, including investigation and sanctions, transparency to Congress, funding, and concerns about its effectiveness, with recent cases highlighting potential areas for improvement.

The article focuses on the oversight of inspectors general (IGs) and the role of the Council of the Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) Integrity Committee (IC). It discussed the topics include the IC's processes, recent reforms to enhance transparency and Congress's role in IG oversight, including additional reporting on allegations made by Members of Congress.

The article focuses on regular order is generally viewed as a systematic, step-by-step lawmaking process that emphasizes the role of committees which is lawmaking process that promotes transparency. It mentions regular order is observed for problem-solving; on other occasions, nontraditional lawmaking may be the best or only way to pass legislation. It also mentions nontraditional procedures that characterize decision-making in the contemporary House and Senate.

The article looks at report provides an overview of statutory inspectors general (IGs) in the federal government, including their structure, functions, and related issues for Congress. It mentions levels of independence, transparency, and accountability and Congress on how to monitor and facilitate such improvement. It also mentions program performance and effectiveness in addition to waste, fraud, and abuse.

The article reports that Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act created a new federal entity, the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) to conduct and support oversight of the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to promote transparency. It mentions federal government's COVID-19 response by preventing and detecting waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement and impact of any tax credits and expenditures.

The article discusses the imits and restrictions for mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) under the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), a bilateral treaty between the U.S. and Russia. Topics include the efforts of Russia to ease restrictions on mobile ICBMs in New START as it could help strengthen the strategic stability, the improvement in transparency and understanding of ICBMs as the treaty is in force, and the ability of Russia to deploy mobile ICBMs in the future.

The article reports that U.S. President Donald Trump signed into law the Good Accounting Obligation in Government Act (GAO-IG Act), which requires agency reporting on outstanding inspector general (IG) recommendations. It mentions that the GAO-IG Act aims to increase the transparency of outstanding IG recommendations and improve agency accountability for tracking and resolving them.

Critics of the Federal Reserve (Fed) have long argued for more oversight, transparency, and disclosure. Criticism intensified following the extensive assistance the Fed provided to financial firms during the financial crisis. Some critics downplay the degree of Fed oversight and disclosure that already takes place. For oversight, the Fed is required to provide a written report to and testify before the committees of jurisdiction semi-annually. In addition, these committees periodically hold more focused hearings on Fed topics. Critics have sought a Government Accountability Office (GAO) audit of the Fed. The Fed's financial statements are annually audited by private-sector auditors. Contrary to popular belief, GAO has periodically conducted Fed audits since 1978, subject to statutory restrictions, and a GAO audit would not, under current law, release any confidential information identifying institutions that have borrowed from the Fed or the details of other transactions. The Dodd-Frank Act (P.L. 111-203) resulted in an audit of the Fed's emergency activities during the financial crisis and an audit of Fed governance. GAO can currently audit Fed activities for waste, fraud, and abuse. Effectively, the remaining statutory restrictions prevent GAO from evaluating the economic merits of Fed policy decisions. H.R. 3189, passed by the House, would require annual GAO audits that would not be subject to statutory restrictions. H.R. 24, S. 264, and S. 2232 would also require a GAO audit that would not be subject to statutory restrictions. For disclosure, the Fed has publicly released extensive information on its operations, mostly on a voluntary basis. It is statutorily required to release an annual report and a weekly summary of its balance sheet. In December 2010, the Dodd-Frank Act required the Fed to release individual lending records for emergency facilities created during the financial crisis, revealing borrowers' identities and loans' terms. Going forward, individual records for discount window and open market operation transactions have been released with a two-year lag. More recently, congressional attention has shifted to disclosure related to Fed regulation. H.R. 3189 would require the Fed to conduct quantitative cost-benefit analysis on its rulemaking and disclose more information related to regulation (including international agreements), and salary and financial information about Fed officials and employees. H.R. 3189 and S. 1484/S. 1910 would require the Fed to compare its monetary policy to a rule and release transcripts of its policy deliberations. Although oversight and disclosure are often lumped together, they are separate issues. Oversight entails independent evaluation of the Fed; disclosure is an issue of what internal information the Fed releases to the public. A potential consequence of greater oversight is that it could undermine the Fed's political independence. Most economists contend that the Fed's political independence leads to better policy outcomes and makes policy more effective by enhancing the Fed's credibility in the eyes of market participants. Chair Yellen believes that the GAO audit provision in H.R. 3189 "would politicize monetary policy and bring short-term political pressures into the deliberations of the FOMC by putting into place real-time second guessing of policy decisions." Disclosure helps Congress and the public better understand the Fed's actions. Up to a point, this makes monetary and regulatory policy more effective, but too much disclosure could make both less effective because they rely on confidential information. The challenge for Congress is to strike the right balance between a desire for the Fed to be responsive to Congress and for the Fed's decisions to be immune from short-term political calculations. A potential drawback to greater disclosure is that publicizing the names of borrowers could potentially stigmatize them in a way that causes runs on those borrowers or causes them to shun access to needed liquidity. Either outcome could result in a less stable financial system. A potential benefit of publicizing borrowers is to safeguard against favoritism or other conflicts of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents guidelines for using the information access laws in the U.S. Topics discussed include the requirement of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) on federal agencies, the monitoring of federal access laws-related litigation by transparency watchdog organizations, and guides published by government and private groups about accessing government information.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is comprised of nine members, two ex officio members, and other members as appointed by the President representing major departments and agencies within the federal executive branch. While the group generally has operated in relative obscurity, the proposed acquisition of commercial operations at six U.S. ports by Dubai Ports World in 2006 placed the group's operations under intense scrutiny by Members of Congress and the public. Prompted by this case, some Members of the 109th and 110th Congresses questioned the ability of Congress to exercise its oversight responsibilities given the general view that CFIUS's operations lack transparency. Other Members revisited concerns about the linkage between national security and the role of foreign investment in the U.S. economy. Some Members of Congress and others argued that the nation's security and economic concerns have changed since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and that these concerns were not being reflected sufficiently in the Committee's deliberations. In addition, anecdotal evidence seemed to indicate that the CFIUS process was not market neutral. Instead, a CFIUS investigation of an investment transaction may have been perceived by some firms and by some in the financial markets as a negative factor that added to uncertainty and may have spurred firms to engage in behavior that may not have been optimal for the economy as a whole. In the 112th Congress, some Members expressed their concerns to the Obama Administration over the national security implications of a proposed acquisition of a U.S. technology company by the Chinese-owned Huawei Technologies. In the first session of the 110th Congress, the House and Senate adopted S. 1610, the Foreign Investment and National Security Act (FINSA) of 2007. On July 11, 2007, the measure was sent to President Bush, who signed it on July 26, 2007. It is designated as P.L. 110-49. On January 23, 2008, President Bush issued Executive Order 13456 implementing the law. The Executive Order also established some caveats that may affect the way in which the law is implemented. These caveats stipulate that the President will provide information that is required under the law as long as it is "consistent" with the President's authority "to (i) conduct the foreign affairs of the United States; (ii) withhold information the disclosure of which could impair the foreign relations, the national security, the deliberative processes of the Executive, or the performance of the Executive's constitutional duties; (iii) recommend for congressional consideration such measures as the President may judge necessary and expedient; and (iv) supervise the unitary executive branch." Despite the relatively recent passage of the amendments, some Members of Congress and others have questioned the performance of CFIUS and the way the Committee reviews cases involving foreign governments, particularly with the emergence of direct investments through sovereign wealth funds (SWFs). The Obama Administration issued a statement on June 30, 2011, supporting an open investment policy, a commitment to treat all investors in a fair and equitable manner, and support for business investment from sources both home and abroad in the economy. On September 28, 2012, President Obama used the authority granted to him under FINSA to block an American firm, Ralls Corporation, owned by Chinese nationals, from acquiring a U.S. wind farm energy firm. On October 31, 2013, the Obama Administration launched a new initiative, known as Select USA, to attract more foreign direct investment to the United States. According to the Administration, the aim of the program is to make attracting foreign investment as important a component of U.S. foreign policy as promoting exports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the support of the federal government for graduate medical education (GME) in the U.S. Topics covered include GME support in different administrative agencies including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Medicaid and Medicare, the mechanisms used by different federal programs to support GME and concerns about the transparency of some federal GME investments.

The article discusses the changes being considered by the 114th U.S. Congress to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Topics include Senate Bill 337 and House Resolution 653 and their substantive differences, the changes being considered to improve public access such as improving electronic accessibility of agency records and standardizing search and duplication fees, and the presumption of openness that would codify the principles of the existing FOIA.

The article presents a comparison of the 114th Congress U.S. Senate's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) of 2015 (S. 337) and the U.S. House's FOIA Act (H.R. 653) of 2015. Topics include how both bills are part of identical legislation from the 113th Congress, a table that provides a side-by-side comparison of these two bills, and the four categories under which the substantive components of the legislation have been grouped such as presumption of openness and FOIA administration and exemption.

The article focuses on the provisions and implementation of free trade agreement (FTA) between the U.S. and South Korea (KORUS) approved by he U.S. Congress on November 22, 2011. Topics discussed include the implications of KORUS FTA on the U.S. trade policy, the general provisions on foreign investment, government procurement, and transparency, and the gross domestic products (GDP) in South Korea.

The article presents a report on tools used by the U.S. to implement national security strategy. It focuses on the country's arms control and non-proliferation efforts, tackles the issue of their effectivity in promoting transparency, and formal treaties and informal agreements that cover these efforts including the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). It discusses the pace of treaty implementation through various U.S. administrations beginning with former U.S. president Bill Clinton.

The article examines political conditions in Afghanistan as of June 23, 2014. Topics discussed include government capacity, legitimacy and transparency amid decline in support from the U.S. and its partners against corruption and human rights abuses. Also mentioned are improvement in civil society, media freedom and women's rights.

The article discusses the issues faced by U.S. Congress with regards to the implementation of U.S. threat reduction and nonproliferation programs in Russia and the former Soviet Union. Topics covered include the overlap of similar goals among different U.S. agencies, the prioritization of the programs within the Executive Branch, and the measurement of the impact and effectiveness of cooperative threat reduction activities. It mentions U.S. demands for transparency and openness with Russia.

The article focuses on the amendments to the National Security Foreign Investment Reform and Strengthened Transparency Act of 2007 introduced by Representative Carolyn Maloney. Topics discussed include the establishment of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) by statutory authority, the ways by which firms involved in an investment transaction benefited from informal review and the issuance of an executive order which made various changes to the law.

The article focuses on the scrutiny faced by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) from Members of Congress and the public concerning lack of transparency in its operations as of March 2014. Topics discussed include the adoption of the Foreign Investment and National Security Act (FINSA), the concerns raised on the way CFIUS reviews cases on foreign governments and the amendments made to the CFIUS process. A chart on the merger activity in the country is also presented.

The article presents WikiLeaks.org whose stated purpose is to promote transparency in government and fight corporate fraud by publishing information that should be kept secret. WikiLeaks has obtained more than 91,000 secret U.S. military reports related to the war in Afghanistan majority of which were posted in their website. The publication of leaked documents by WikiLeaks raise questions over the possibility of bringing criminal charges for dissemination of materials by media organizations.

The article highlights several characteristics that can affect a decision to use a formal, bilateral treaty, informal parallel reductions, or unilateral adjustments to alter the size or structure of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. The characteristics examined include balance and equality, predictability, and transparency and confidence in compliance. Examples from numerous arms control endeavors are presented.

The article presents the U.S. Congressional Research Service Report "The Federal Budget: Issues for FY2014 and Beyond" dated May 9, 2013. It offers an overview of federal budget issues focusing on fiscal policy changes and proposals in President Barack Obama's fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget and the Congressional budget resolutions. It also presents considerations for Congress, including addressing short-term budget issues, economic and long-term considerations, and budget transparency.

The article offers a background on prosecutions related to the publication of classified defense information in the U.S. One organization publishing classified data is WikiLeaks.org which claims to promote transparency in government and fight corporate fraud. Army Private Bradley Manning has been charged for the leakage of classified military reports. Other individuals facing similar charges are former National Security Agency (NSA) official Thomas A. Drake. and linguist Shamai Kedem Leibowitz.

The article examines U.S. Congressional powers related to transparency. The U.S. Constitution has provided the U.S. Congress with certain powers to affect the level of government transparency, including having the authority to hold the administration accountable for its actions and the power to withhold appropriations that may affect access to government information. The U.S. Congress also has the power to hold hearings wherein agencies can explain their information access practices.

The article examines the evolution of transparency in the U.S. government. U.S. transparency is governed by various laws and statues, including the Federal Register Act and the Administrative Procedure Act. Both pieces of legislation provide mechanisms for the public to access information about government operations and allow them to participate in certain policymaking decisions. The Freedom of Information Act also provides information access but only after a record of activity is created.

The article examines the concepts of transparency and secrecy which are considered inherent values of public governance in the U.S. As a democratic country, the U.S. has long strived for transparency, although certain government information are still kept from the public for national, personal and economic security reasons. A number of factors have changed public perceptions about transparency, with scholars citing the Internet as the biggest factor behind changes in transparency perceptions.

The article presents the U.S. Congressional Research Service report "Government Transparency and Secrecy: An Examination of Meaning and Its Use in the Executive Branch," by Wendy Ginsberg, Maeve P. Carey, L. Elaine Halchin and Natalie Keegan. Transparency is defined as the disclosure of government information and the public's use of such information. The report analyzes the strengths and shortcomings of the U.S. Open Government Initiative, designed to make government agencies transparent.

The article presents information on the issues for the U.S. Congress in providing foreign assistance to Pakistan. It cites conditions of two laws including the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (CAA) and the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 (EPPA), the waivers and certifications in 2011 and assistance on government reforms. It also notes issues on transparency, oversight and corruption, U.S. government auditing and security concerns in the delivery of aid to Pakistan.

The article discusses the issues in the U.S. Congress about making Pakistan as one of the top U.S. aid recipients. The willingness or capability of the U.S. to be reliable partner is one of them, says the article. Other issues include conditions on aid to Pakistan, government reform, corruption, transparency, and oversight issues, aid delivery and security concerns, and branding and public diplomacy.

The article discusses the issues affecting nation-building in Iraq following the formation of the first post-dictatorship democratic government in December 2010. The Council of Representatives formally adopted a calendar year 2011 budget, which enabled the government to address long-stalled economic initiatives. Political factions, such as Sunnis and Kurds, raised transparency concerns. In 2011, demonstrations spread throughout the country. Modest amounts of political repression were observed.

The article discusses issues regarding political governance in Iraq. Some analysts have noted the failure of the Iraqi government to curb corruption. There are also concerns among some Iraqis on the commitment of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to transparency after he proposed that several independent commissions be ruled by his cabinet. Despite being a product of democratic elections, the Iraqi government is considering the possibility of social unrest spreading.

The article describes the political condition in Senegal during the tenure of President Abdoulaye Wade, who was elected in 2000 and reelected in 2007. Since 2000, Wade took steps to expand government transparency and accountability like the approval of a new constitution that sets the presidential term at five years. Since 2008, public demonstrations have repeatedly occurred over the issues of economic hardships, high unemployment rate, and Wade's unilateral exercise of power.

The article outlines key documents and events that influenced government transparency and information secrecy in the U.S. Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution is the only explicit reference to the responsibilities of the executive branch to share information. Individuals, corporations and other entities were given presumptive access to unpublished records of executive branch agencies under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI). The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 reportedly triggered new policies on accessing federal government information.

The article analyzes the open government initiative (OGI) of the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama. The consequences for ignoring the requirements of the Open Government Directive (OGD) were not explained in the December 8, 2009 memorandum. The administration believes that putting data online is integral to transparency. Also noted is the failure of the OGD to provide adequate information on the data to be included on the Open Government Web pages.

The weak performance and lack of transparency within the Afghan government are a growing factor in debate over the effectiveness of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, although government capacity is significantly larger than it was when the Taliban regime fell in late 2001. In a December 1, 2009, policy statement on Afghanistan, which followed the second of two major Afghanistan strategy reviews in 2009, President Obama stated that "The days of providing a blank check [to the Afghan government] are over." Since early 2010, the Administration has been pressing President Hamid Karzai to move more decisively to address corruption within his government, with apparently limited success. Karzai has agreed to cooperate with U.S.-led efforts to build the capacity of several emerging anti-corruption institutions, but these same institutions have sometimes targeted Karzai allies and undermined the U.S.-Karzai partnership. In part as a reaction, Karzai has strengthened his bonds to ethnic and political faction leaders who are often involved in illicit economic activity and who undermine rule of law. Some of the effects of corruption burst into public view in August 2010 when major losses were announced by the large Kabul Bank, in part due to large loans to major shareholders, many of whom are close to Karzai. While prodding Karzai on corruption-including some moves in Congress to link further U.S. aid to clear progress on this issue-another clear trend over the past two years has been to reduce sole reliance on the Afghan central government by strengthening local governing bodies. This is being implemented, in part, by expanding the presence of U.S. government civilians as advisers outside Kabul. The disputes with Karzai over corruption compound continuing international concerns about Afghan democracy and Karzai's legitimacy. In the August 20, 2009, presidential election, there were widespread charges of fraud, many substantiated by an Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC). The ECC invalidated nearly one-third of President Karzai's votes, although Karzai's main challenger dropped out of a runoff and he was declared the winner, but he subsequently faced opposition to many of his cabinet nominees by the elected lower house of parliament. Seven ministerial posts remain unfilled. Many of the flaws that plagued the 2009 election appear to have recurred in the parliamentary elections held September 18, 2010, although apparently to a lesser extent. However, the fraud complaints in that election are still under investigation and the scope of any fraud committed is not yet clear. The security situation complicated campaigning and the voting, to some extent, but did not derail the election. Results are to be announced October 30. Politically, there are some indications of ethnic and political fragmentation over the terms on which a settlement to the conflict in Afghanistan might be achieved. The main "opposition leader" and other leaders of minority communities boycotted a June 2-4, 2010, "consultative peace jirga (assembly)" in Kabul that endorsed Karzai's plan to reintegrate into society insurgents willing to end their fight against the government. However, Karzai has named a Tajik leader as chair of the 68-member High Peace Council that is to structure settlement talks. Women, who have made substantial gains (including appointment to cabinet posts and governorships and election to parliament) fear their rights may be eroded under any "deal" that might end conflict with insurgent factions. For more information, see CRS Report RL30588, Afghanistan: Post- Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, by Kenneth Katzman, and CRS Report R40747, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan: Background and Policy Issues, by Rhoda Margesson. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The weak performance and lack of transparency within the Afghan government are a growing factor in debate over the effectiveness of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. In a December 1, 2009, policy statement on Afghanistan, which followed the second of two major Afghanistan strategy reviews in 2009, President Obama stated that "The days of providing a blank check [to the Afghan government] are over." Since early 2010, the Administration has been pressing President Hamid Karzai to move more decisively to address corruption within his government, but Karzai's backlash against the criticism has caused the Administration to try to work quietly with Karzai and to emphasize building the capacity of several emerging anti-corruption institutions. However, these same institutions have sometimes targeted Karzai allies and undermined the U.S.-Karzai partnership, compelling Karzai to strengthen his bond to ethnic and political faction leaders who are often involved in illicit economic activity and who undermine rule of law. Some of the effects of corruption burst into public view in August 2010 when major losses were announced by the large Kabul Bank, in part due to large loans to major shareholders, many of whom are close to Karzai. While prodding Karzai on corruption-including some moves in Congress to link further U.S. aid to clear progress on this issue-another clear trend over the past two years has been to reduce sole reliance on the Afghan central government by strengthening local governing bodies. This is being implemented, in part, by expanding the presence of U.S. government civilians as advisors outside Kabul. The disputes with Karzai over corruption compound continuing international concerns about Afghan democracy and Karzai's legitimacy. In the August 20, 2009, presidential election, there were widespread charges of fraud, many substantiated by an Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC). The ECC invalidated nearly one-third of President Karzai's votes, although Karzai's main challenger dropped out of a runoff and he was declared the winner, but he subsequently faced opposition to many of his cabinet nominees by the elected lower house of parliament. Seven ministerial posts remain unfilled. There is substantial opinion that many of the flaws that plagued the 2009 election will recur in the parliamentary elections to be held September 18, 2010. Confidence was undermined, to an extent, in February 2010 when Karzai issued an election decree to govern the National Assembly elections on September 18, 2010. The decree eliminated the three U.N.-appointed positions for international officials on the ECC, although a subsequent compromise restored two non-Afghan ECC seats. The security situation has complicated campaigning, particularly for women candidates. Politically, there are some indications of ethnic and political fragmentation over the terms on which a settlement to the conflict in Afghanistan might be achieved. On June 6, 2010, Karzai fired two of the most pro-U.S. top security officials. One of them-a member of the Tajik minority-is now openly promoting the view that Karzai has concluded he must negotiate with Pakistan on a settlement of the Afghan conflict because the U.S.-led coalition will not succeed in pacifying Afghanistan. Other leaders of minority communities boycotted a June 2-4, 2010, "consultative peace jirga (assembly)" in Kabul that endorsed Karzai's plan to reintegrate into society insurgents willing to end their fight against the government. Women, who have made substantial gains (including appointment to cabinet posts and governorships and election to parliament) fear their rights may be eroded under any "deal" that might end conflict with insurgent factions. For more information, see CRS Report RL30588, Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, by Kenneth Katzman, and CRS Report R40747, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan: Background and Policy Issues, by Rhoda Margesson. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses some arguments for and against greater oversight, disclosure, and transparency of the U.S. Federal Reserve. Topics include more disclosure on policy decision-making, more transparency on policy goals, targets, and rationales, and predictability to its monetary policy. It notes the agency's warning for potential loss of investor confidence that lead to destabilizing its deposits, debt, or equity. The Federal Reserve's response to the 2008 financial crisis is also noted.

The article discusses the signing of international Paris Agreement by the delegated nations including Barbados, Fiji, and Mauritius during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The agreement addresses abating of greenhouse-gas-induced climate change every five years, and cooperates on the financial and other support to promote transparency and tracking progress of nations.

The article discusses observations about the graduate medical education (GME) programs of different federal agencies in the U.S. Topics covered include the lack of program transparency and data to amend GME payments, similar payments for residents in different medical specialities and training experiences and the need for Congress to consider policy options to encourage additional training specific specialities and influence the geographical distribution of residents.

The article discusses the importance of transparency to the decision-making process of the Federal Reserve on the disclosure of confidential information. It highlights the efficacy of monetary policy on the categories of transparency such as the disclosure of policy decision making and the disclosure of borrowers and counterparties. It also cites the economic impact of the loss of investor confidence to the stability of the institution's debt and equity.

On September 26, 2006, President Bush signed the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) into law (P.L. 109-282). In an attempt to expand oversight of federal spending, including earmarks, the new law required the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to establish a publicly available online website that provides access to information about entities that are awarded federal grants, loans, contracts, and other forms of assistance. Federal agencies award over $880 billion dollars annually in three of the primary categories of financial assistance that are included in the database -- $470 billion in grants, $381 billion in contracts, and $29 billion in direct loans. The FFATA was endorsed by leaders of both parties and an array of business, union, and watchdog organizations. OMB launched the FFATA-mandated website, USAspending.gov, on December 13, 2007. While the website has been praised as a step toward a worthy objective -- enhancing the transparency of government expenditures -- government officials and members of the public have expressed concern that issues surrounding its implementation have not been adequately addressed. In particular, many observers question the reliability of information taken from the Federal Assistance Award Data System (FAADS) and the Federal Procurement Data System - Next Generation (FPDS-NG), which are important sources of information for USAspending.gov. They note that information in FAADS and FPDS is often incomplete and inaccurate, and therefore might limit transparency. Some observers also believe that the cost of establishing and maintaining the new website might grow as agencies seek to improve data quality and collect new information on subawards. This report initially discusses the background of the FFATA. It then discusses the act's provisions, noting what types of assistance are part of the new website, the primary sources of the data, and deadlines for implementation. The report then identifies and discusses issues that have been raised regarding the act that might affect its implementation. Finally, it examines legislation proposed in the 110th Congress (S. 3077) that would significantly expand the information accessible through USAspending.gov. This report will be updated as events warrant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act S. 1, 110th Congress) was signed into law on September 14, 2007, Section 512 of that statute specifically addressed the issue of secret "holds." Holds are a longstanding custom of the Senate that enabled Members to provide notice to their party leader of their intent to object on the floor to taking up or passing a measure or matter. Their potency as a blocking, delaying, or bargaining device is linked to Senators' ability to conduct filibusters or object to unanimous consent agreements or requests. The new holds process outlined in Section 512 is designed to constrain the frequency of anonymous holds and promote more openness and transparency with respect to their use. Ultimately, it is up to the majority leader of the Senate -- who sets the chamber's agenda after consulting various people -- to decide whether, or for how long, he will honor a colleague's hold. This report will be updated if circumstances warrant a revision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to reports of, and concern over, alleged irregularities in certain lobbying and representational activities, the Senate is considering various lobby and ethics reform proposals. Some have argued that the Senate should consider changes to the process by which the Senate earmarks spending priorities as a part of the larger focus on lobby and ethics reform. Proposals to modify the earmark processes have been included in some Senate bills. On February 28, 2006, for example, the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration ordered reported S. 2349, Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2006, which includes, in part, such proposed changes. In addition, provisions in both S. 2261 and S. 2265, sponsored by Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain, respectively, would also make changes in the earmark process. This report provides a comparison of these three measures: S. 2349, S. 2261, and S. 2265 with the current Senate rules and practices. This report will be updated to reflect any congressional action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disputes have arisen recently over whether or not to declassify portions of the sensitive content of reports resulting from congressional investigations and national commission inquiries into the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the war in Iraq, and related matters. As a result, some have called for Congress to create a special mechanism for the impartial and expeditious resolution of such disputes (S. 2672/H.R. 4855; S. 2845 amendment), which may also facilitate better information sharing as recommended by the 9/11 Commission. In this regard, Congress has previously legislated special arrangements for the impartial and expeditious review of certain kinds of officially secret records with a view to making them available to the public. Such efforts at balancing legitimate competing needs for secrecy and openness are examined in this report, which will be updated as events warrant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article takes a look at the progress of operations for FirstNet as of 2014. Topics covered include the adoption of the Roadmap by the FirstNet board in March 2014, and the milestones for developing the agency's business plan. It outlines key action items from the FirstNet Roadmap such as staffing and resource for the organization, the completion of an open and transparent process for comprehensive network proposals, and conducting state outreach and complete consultations.

The article traces the history of transparency in the U.S. government. Since the start of the U.S. federal government, the U.S. Congress has reportedly required executive branch agencies to allow public access to certain information to ensure that government actions are known to the public. The desire for transparency is said to be often in tension with information protection, given that the U.S. Congress also need to protect certain information from the public for national security reasons.

The article attempts to define transparency as used in association with the U.S. federal government. No single definition of transparency has been agreed upon, but for the purpose of understanding the concept in the context of the government's view, it is defined as the disclosure of government information and the use of this information by the public. Various measures or ways of quantifying transparency have been put forward, including using corruption as a method of measuring transparency.