October’s unemployment rate remains essentially unchanged from September’s 6.0 percent rate, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced last week. The labor market has improved slightly in recent months, posting employment gains of 126,000 jobs in October, and 125,000 in September.


Economy and Jobs Watch: Taking the Long View (11/17/2003)

Current economic policy is becoming unsustainable. Current and projected federal deficits are reaching the point where many economic commentators worry about the long-run viability of current policy.


Report from the Treasury Department "Death Tax" Roundtable (11/17/2003)

On Nov. 6 the Treasury Department hosted a “Roundtable on Jobs, Growth, and the Abolition of the Death Tax." There was surprisingly little substance discussed at this one-sided event – most participants opted to rehash old rhetoric opposing the estate tax. There was no new serious research discussed and no new data presented.


Spending Cuts? What Spending Cuts? (11/17/2003)
The long-term picture for discretionary domestic spending looks grim.

Internet Tax Moratorium Expires (11/17/2003)
Legislation that prohibits states and localities from taxing the fee a user pays to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to connect to the Internet expired Nov. 1, 2003.

Appropriations, the Only Legislation Congress Must Pass Every Year (11/17/2003)
An omnibus appropriation bills seems all but inevitable, since Congress still hasn't passed eight of the thirteen appropriations bills that fund government.

EPA Sheltering Information Under Gag Order (11/17/2003)
A recently leaked internal memo from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) orders agency employees to refrain from discussing information regarding enforcement actions. The gag order came a week before the Bush administration revealed it would drop pending investigations of 70 power plants accused of violating the Clean Air Act (CAA).

Data Quality Lawsuit Settled Out of Court (11/17/2003)
A controversial lawsuit challenging global warming was recently settled out of court, thereby leaving the issue of whether federal agencies’ data quality guidelines are judicially reviewable unanswered.

Energy Provision Helps Whistleblowers (11/17/2003)
A small provision sponsored by Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) in the new Energy Policy Act (H.R. 6) would prohibit the Energy Department from reimbursing contractors defending themselves from wrongfully terminated or persecuted whistleblowers.

High Court Asked to Lift Secrecy in Habeas Corpus Proceedings (11/17/2003)
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has asked the Supreme Court to hear a case in which the plaintiff is identified only by his initials and 63 of 65 motions are kept secret.



FOI Advocates Get Mixed Results from Defense Authorization Bill (11/17/2003)
Open government advocates scored what optimists might call a minor victory when Congress granted the National Security Agency (NSA) a narrowly-tailored exemption from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), according to Secrecy News.

House Members Object to Conservation Measure in CARE Act (11/17/2003)
Another contentious issue has been added to the list of items that must be worked out before the CARE Act can go to conference committee. Last week 27 Republican House members signed a letter opposing a conservation tax incentive included in the Senate version of the bill.



New Developments on Nonprofit Issues (11/17/2003)
The Supreme Court won’t hear the case of a nonprofit shut down under the PATRIOT Act – the IRS ends its special process for reviewing revocation of tax exempt status – Parties settle lawsuit in Georgia over religious discrimination in hiring for state funded jobs – and a new website promotes electronic filing of IRS Form 990. More details below:

HHS Proposes Survey of Head Start Salaries (11/17/2003)
On Nov. 13, the Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a request for comments in the Federal Register stating their intention to survey all 2,700 Head Start grantees in the country about salaries and benefits of their employees. The survey is in response to a request from members of the House Education and Workforce Committee, which asked for a “review of the financial management of Head Start grantees nationwide.”

Greenpeace under Ashcroft Attack (11/17/2003)
The unusual federal prosecution of Greenpeace poses a threat to first amendment rights.

Church Electioneering Bill Gains Opposition (11/17/2003)
Opposition grows to church electioneering bill.

Contrary to Bush's Belief: Faith-based Organizations are Not Better Social Service Providers (11/17/2003)
The first academic study comparing the effectiveness of faith-based and secular providers of social services was released this month. It showed in one area – job training – secular groups were more effective than faith-based groups. But the research notes that broad conclusions can not be reached yet.

Restrictions Lifted on Cooperative Nonprofit Mailings (11/17/2003)
On Nov. 13, the United States Postal Service (USPS) lifted a ban on commercial mailers profiting from charity appeals sent at discounted postal rates.



Administration Halts Investigations of Clean Air Violations (11/17/2003)
The Bush administration has decided to stop investigating 70 power plants suspected of violating clean air standards, and will consider dropping 13 other cases that were referred to the Justice Department, according to the Washington Post.

Toxic Waste Cleanups Decline (11/17/2003)
The number of toxic waste sites cleaned up under the Superfund program declined for the third straight year, according to a recent EPA report.

White House Grants Limited Access to 9/11 Information (11/17/2003)
Last week, the White House agreed to grant the 9/11-investigation commission limited access to portions of classified presidential briefings. The commission will have some degree of access to briefings from both the Bush and Clinton administrations.

Proposals to Lighten TRI Burden Likely to Reduce Information (11/17/2003)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently initiated Phase II of a stakeholder dialogue to develop options for reducing the burden associated with reporting under the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). EPA is seeking reactions and comments on several burden reduction options outlined in an online white paper.