Sensitive But Unclassified

Sensitive But Unclassified: News Background Analysis Correspondence Gov Docs Links

Subtopics

Critical Energy Infrastructure Information

Title VIII, Subtitle I in the Homeland Security Act outlined procedures for sharing "homeland security" information among federal, state and local authorities. These provisions have not been finalized.

News

SBU Gets New Letters and Maybe a Better Policy 01/23/2008
The Department of Defense (DoD) is finalizing policies to streamline categories used to restrict technically unclassified documents. The new policy to eliminate the multiple agency-specific "Sensitive But Unclassified" (SBU) procedures and replace them with a common set of "Controlled Unclassified Information" (CUI) standards is currently under presidential review. Read More

Vice President Avoids Oversight, Claims Office not Part of Executive Branch 06/26/2007
On June 21, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released communications between the National Archives and the Office of the Vice President (OVP) detailing how Vice President Dick Cheney has exempted himself from an executive order about safeguarding classified information. The order requires all executive entities to comply with procedures for safeguarding classified information and to disclose basic information on classification practices. In response to repeated requests to comply with the order, Cheney argued that his office is not an entity within the executive branch. Additionally, the OVP has supposedly suggested eliminating the National Archives' oversight authority for classified information security. Read More

Terrorism Information Sharing Initiative Faces Several Hurdles 12/05/2006
The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) submitted the Information Sharing Environment (ISE) Implementation Plan to Congress in November. Through changes in policy and technology, the plan articulates a multi-year vision for improving terrorism information sharing across the federal government and between foreign, federal, state and local governments, as well as key members of the private sector. Read More

Nuclear Commission Re-proposes Secrecy Rule 11/07/2006
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has once again proposed a revision to its rules on information that should be withheld from the public under a category called Safeguards Information (SGI). The rule was originally proposed in February 2005. Now based on public comments and changes to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the NRC has proposed additional changes. While apparently narrowing the scope of some provisions, making it harder to withhold information, the amended rule would significantly expand SGI's definition, inserting language and add a new category of covered information -- Safeguards Information-Modified Handling (SGI-M). Read More

Intelligence Agencies Go Wiki 11/07/2006
John Negroponte, director of National Intelligence, announced that federal intelligence agencies have implemented a new Wikipedia-like tool to share information across agencies. Intellipedia allows 16 intelligence agencies to access, update and revise pages on matters of national security. This cutting-edge venture in government information management is a welcome development for agencies that have often been stymied by turf warfare and other impediments to information sharing. Read More

Bill Requires Release of Sensitive Security Information 10/24/2006
In a positive development for open government, earlier this month President Bush signed into law the 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Act which included provisions that mandate that all documents categorized as "sensitive security information" (SSI) be released after three years. Only a determination by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that there is a "rational reason" to continue to withhold the information can postpone the release. Read More

Secretive Biodefense Legislation Moves Forward 09/26/2006
The House and Senate are nearing a vote on legislation to authorize a new federal agency, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency (BARDA), within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The agency would oversee "advanced research and development" of countermeasures to bioterrorism threats, epidemics, and pandemics, and would have broad authority to exempt information from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Read More

Five Years Since 9/11: More Secrecy, Less Security 09/12/2006
Monday marked the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, yet the government's efforts to secure the nation against another terrorist attack have been minimal, leaving the country's chemical plants, ports, and other installations dangerously unsecured while increasing secrecy and intrusion into civil liberties. Read More

Government Receives Poor Grades on Secrecy 09/12/2006
Government secrecy continues to expand across a broad array of agencies and actions, according to a new report from OpenTheGovernment.org. The Secrecy Report Card 2006 is the third of its kind produced annually, reviewing numerous indicators to identify trends in public access to information. Read More

Reports Show the Good and Bad in Agency Classification Procedures 07/11/2006
Continuing its study of classification procedures, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released two reports, one focusing on the Department of Defense (DOD) and the other on the Department of Energy (DOE). The reports offer a stark contrast, bemoaning DOD's "lack of oversight and inconsistent implementation" of classification policies, while praising DOE's "systematic training, comprehensive guidance, and rigorous oversight." Read More

| < 1 >

| 2

| 3

| Next >>