OMB Watch is closely following renewed efforts to develop a "super-waiver" for states (see OMB Watcher story). Please help us by taking part in our Super-Waiver Poll.

Tax Day (04/15/2002)
As people around the country bring last-minute work on their tax returns to a close today, the House Republican leaders are gearing up for their annual "Tax Freedom" day – a time for denigrating government spending and the taxes that enable the government to provide the services that help support the country. This year, the legislative focus of their Tax Freedom day is likely to be the introduction, on April 18, of legislation to make permanent last year’s $1.35 trillion tax cut, which expires (or "sunsets") at the end of 2010.

Data Quality Approaches (04/15/2002)
Government agencies are busy working on their data quality guidelines with many looking to a draft release for public comment in May. According to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidelines, issued January 3, 2002, each agency must implement agency specific information quality guidelines by October 1, 2002.

President Continues to Push Faith-Based Program (04/15/2002)
In a speech at the White House last week, the President noted that contributions to many charities have declined, and urged Congress to pass the CARE Act (S. 1924), the faith-based compromise bill sponsored by Sens. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) and Rick Santorum (R-PA) as one way to address the problem.

Senator Grassley Asks for Investigation of Charities' Fundraising (04/15/2002)
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has asked the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to conduct an investigation of charities that raise large amounts of money, but use only small amounts for charitable purposes.

Online Monitoring of Corporate and Foundation Philanthropic Policy Influence (04/15/2002)
An often overlooked realm of nonprofit use of technology for advocacy involves access to information, not only with respect to government, but also financial information from corporations and nonprofits themselves. One way such information is used is to demonstrate the influence of special interests on public policy formulation, discourse, and decision-making, under the veneer of nonprofit public interest work and/or grassroots activity. Are there special interests hidden behind the online philanthropic policy watchdogs?

NPTalk Reader Survey 2002 (04/15/2002)
On NPTalk's third anniversary, we invite you to participate in the following online survey. It'll help us to make NPTalk more useful to you over the course of the next 3 years and beyond.

Bush Administration Peddles Ergonomics Smokescreen (04/15/2002)

Over a year after Congress voted to repeal Clinton-era ergonomics standards at the urging of President Bush, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced on April 5 the release of its replacement "plan" that is nothing more than a smokescreen to mask the administration's unwillingness to seriously address injuries caused by repetitive motion -- the most pressing health and safety issue confronting the workplace today.