Publications :  The Watcher :  OMB Watcher Vol. 5: 2004 :  July 26, 2004 Vol.5, No.15 : 

In This Issue

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CBO Releases Two New Studies Examining Impact of Estate Tax on Charitible Giving (07/26/2004)
The Congressional Budget Office has released two new reports on the impact of the estate tax on charitable giving. The reports confirm that there is a significant negative impact on charitable giving that would result from the elimination of the estate tax.

Economy and Jobs Watch: Wages Fail to Keep Pace with Inflation (07/26/2004)
While many observers believe that the economy is in the process of recovering from weak growth and a dismal labor market, there is still considerable evidence that the recovery is not serving everyone.

Tax Cuts: See You in September ... (07/26/2004)
A bipartisan agreement to extend the so-called "middle-class" tax cuts for an additional two years bit the dust last week. Efforts to extend the cuts will now be delayed until Congress returns in September.


Should 'Middle-Class' Tax Cuts be Extended, Offset or Not? (07/26/2004)
The political reality, especially in an election year, makes extension of the so-called "middle-class" tax cuts very likely. Hardly anyone is arguing against extending these cuts, as long as they are paid for. However, there are very good arguments why, even If the cost of the extension is offset, extension of these tax cuts is not supportable.

Appropriations: A Broken Process (07/26/2004)
Not only was Congress unable to pass a budget resolution this year --passage of appropriations is also in jeopardy.

OMB Fails to Meet Another Deadline (07/26/2004)
The Office of Management and Budget is required to produce a "Mid-Session Review" by July 15 of each year. However, the mid-session budget review has still not been issued.

California Nonprofits Caught in Revenue Squeeze (07/26/2004)
The California Association of Nonprofits (CAN) recently completed a study of the impact on nonprofits of funding cutbacks in California. In the report "Holes in the Safety-net: Study of Funding Cutbacks and Safety-net Nonprofits in California," CAN found that a wide range of nonprofits in the state are squeezed between revenue reductions and increased demand for services.

Justice Department Supports Dismissal of Second Data Quality Lawsuit (07/26/2004)
The Justice Department (DOJ) issued a brief June 25 recommending the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by the Chamber of Commerce and the Salt Institute under the Data Quality Act (DQA). The March 31 lawsuit against the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) challenged agency statements about sodium consumption.

EPA Announces E-rulemaking Online Forum, Public Meetings (07/26/2004)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a countrywide series of public forums for August on an eRulemaking Initiative. The four forums will be held in Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. In addition to EPA's public meetings, Harvard University is partnering with the eRulemaking Initiative to host an online dialogue during August. Details about the online dialogue will be released soon.

New Report Explores Chemical Dangers from Power Plants (07/26/2004)
A new report by the Working Group on Community Right-to-Know estimates that 3.5 million Americans living near some 225 non-nuclear power plants are at risk from leaks or releases of gaseous ammonia or chlorine. It calls for these plants to switch to safer alternatives to ensure the safety of surrounding communities.

DHS Extends Comment Period through August 16 for Environmental Directive (07/26/2004)
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reopened its comment period for its draft directive containing policy and procedures for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, after several public interest groups requested an extension. The new deadline for comments is August 16.

Transportation Bill Pre-empts State Sunshine Laws (07/26/2004)
A provision in the transportation spending bill, H.R. 3550 and S. 1072, could pre-empt state and local sunshine laws and pre-empt public access to problems on the roads, highways, sea, and air.


Momentum Grows to Limit 'Classified' Information (07/26/2004)
Amidst growing criticism that the White Hose and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) attempted to classify information that would prove more embarrassing than threatening national security, senior Republicans and Democrats in Congress are moving to reform the classification system.

Data Quality Whistleblower Fired (07/26/2004)
A Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) biologist has been fired after filing a data quality challenge that accused the agency of using flawed science in approving development projects in Florida panther habitat.

House Lobby Disclosure and Reforms Proposed (07/26/2004)
Rep. Martin Meehan (D-MA) announced July 14 that he is filing legislation to strengthen lobbying disclosure requirements and reform the way the House of Representatives operates. Supported by Common Cause, Democracy 21 and Public Citizen, Meehan said the legislation is needed because "... never before have special interest lobbyists claimed so great an influence over the policy process." The bill does not have a number yet.




Senate Finance Committee Holds Charities Roundtable (07/26/2004)
On July 22 the Senate Finance Committee held a closed door roundtable discussion with leaders and experts on the charitable sector to discuss a bipartisan staff proposal for reforms.

OSHA Delays Worker Safety Action, Reopens PPE Rule for Comment (07/26/2004)
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has reopened for comment a rule requiring employers to pay for personal protective equipment, "such as fall arrest systems, safety shoes, and protective gloves," that workers must currently purchase themselves, or do without (69 Fed. Reg. 41,851 (2004)). Although the rule, first proposed during the Clinton administration in March 1999 (64 Fed. Reg. 15,401), was open for public comments until June 1999, OSHA has let it languish on its long-term agenda for most of the past four years and has yet to announce any anticipated date for finalizing the rule.

NIOSH To Move Deeper into the Bowels of Government (07/26/2004)
Five former NIOSH and MSHA administrators sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson last week to protest the Center for Disease Control's plan to move the National Institute for Occupational Safety deeper into the bureaucracy of the CDC.

NHTSA Changes Strategy from Safety Features to Crash Prevention (07/26/2004)
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced that it will drop its emphasis on making vehicles safer in crashes in favor of a new focus on "crash prevention."

Mad Cow Disease Regulation Fails to Protect U.S. Food Supply (07/26/2004)
Although food safety officials testified to a House subcommittee
that two new regulations will enhance existing rules to make an effective firewall against mad cow disease, a new report reveals that the rules mainly protect the meat industry and are not strong enough to prevent contamination of the food supply.

Court Rejects Agency Reasons for Trucker Hours Rule, Calls Arguments 'Troubling' (07/26/2004)
In a stinging rebuke, an appeals court rejected a change to regulations limiting the daily and weekly number of hours that truckers can work without rest breaks. Although the court based its decision on the agency's failure to consider a statutorily mandated factor, it also identified weaknesses in several arguments commonly raised to block regulation, repeatedly calling the arguments "troubling."

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