OMB Watch

Our Issue Areas: Federal Budget Information & Access Nonprofit Advocacy Regulatory Policy

Senate Vote on FISA Compromise Expected
Now back from the July 4 recess, the Senate is expected to quickly take up the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) compromise passed by the House in June, with a vote as early as July 9. Despite opposition to the compromise legislation, particularly from civil libertarians, and a recent court ruling that cast doubt on the main arguments for granting immunity to telecommunications companies, the legislation is considered likely to pass.
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Take Action on the FISA Amendments Act of 2008!

Tomato, Beef Recalls Show Problems with Food Tracking
Federal officials are having difficulty providing consumers with information on two recent food-borne illness outbreaks. Investigators are still searching for the source of an ongoing salmonella outbreak, and officials have been unable to provide detailed information for consumers on a batch of E. coli-contaminated beef, which has spread to a number of states across the country.
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More on Unmet Regulatory and Enforcement Needs

Bush Signs War Supplemental, Cements Fiscal Legacy
Contrary to his assertion that he would "not accept a supplemental over $108 billion," President Bush signed a $257 billion war supplemental spending package on June 30. The bill will fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for the remainder of the fiscal year (ending Sept. 30) and through the first several months of the next president's term.
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More on Federal Budget and Tax Policy

Audit Faults IRS Political Activities Enforcement
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) released an audit report on June 18 that found Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees have an inconsistent understanding of prohibited political intervention by charities and religious organizations. It also found the IRS has not been timely in evaluating cases under investigation. The report acknowledged improved educational efforts but failed to recognize the inherent difficulty in explaining the overly vague "facts and circumstances" test the IRS uses to determine if prohibited partisan activity has occurred.
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More on the Enforcement Program and What Nonprofits Should Know

Seen but not Heard Now Available on Amazon.com
We've made an important nonprofit policy advocacy resource easier to find online! OMB Watch has worked with The Aspen Institute to make Seen but not Heard: Strengthening Nonprofit Advocacy available on Amazon.com. Published in late 2007, the book serves as a comprehensive analysis of the results of the Strengthening Nonprofit Advocacy Project, a joint research effort of OMB Watch, Tufts University, and the Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest. The book should be of interest to anyone concerned with nonprofits, as well as anyone who makes policy and tries to influence it. It is written from the perspective of one who believes it is right, proper, and beneficial for nonprofits to engage in the formation of public policy.
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Purchase Seen but not Heard

More on the Importance of Nonprofit Advocacy

OMB Watch on Health, Safety, and Environmental Protections
In this video, Executive Director Gary Bass discusses the importance of public protections; the Bush administration's track record on such protections; and what the American people can do to take our country back from the big-monied special interests that are endangering our health and safety. Be sure to leave comments on our YouTube page with suggestions for future videos!

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View Related Blog Post, "Consumers Left in the Dark on Food Safety"

More on the Importance of Public Health, Safety, and Environmental Protections

The OMB Watch 2007 Annual Report
OMB Watch's 2007 Annual Report summaries our work on federal fiscal policy, access to and availability of useful government information, citizen and nonprofit engagement in our democracy, and public protections that impact the lives of all Americans. The publication also expresses appreciation to the donors who make our work possible and illustrates how OMB Watch uses contributions to advance the public interest.
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Read the 2007 OMB Watch Annual Report

Help Support Our Work in 2008 by Becoming a Donor

OMB Watch turns 25 this year! Visit our special 25th Anniversary page to learn about the variety of ways that you can help us celebrate this milestone.

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Make a special contribution in honor of our 25th Anniversary, and you'll support our continued pursuit of a more open and accountable government that promotes fairness and equity.

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