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Latest Policy Publications
POGO’s experts push policymakers to enact commonsense reforms that tackle waste, corruption, and abuse of power; hold those who’ve violated the public trust accountable; protect our constitutional rights; and make the government work for all people.
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Analysis
Flashy F-35 Press Release Misses Landing
The Marines issued a flashy press release last week: “first operational F-35B conducts initial Vertical Landing.” It was an amateurish, somewhat slimy piece of hype.
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Analysis
It’s Time to Get Serious About Trafficking-in-Persons Policies
POGO has urged the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to implement the strongest possible prohibitions on trafficking in persons (TIP), but you can help fight human trafficking too.
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AnalysisMarines Go Viral with F-35B Hype
The Marines issued a flashy press release last week: “first operational F-35B conducts initial Vertical Landing.” It was an amateurish, somewhat slimy piece of hype.
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Analysis
Real Reform? Open Government Legislation Moving in the House
Last week 13 bills that cover issues from security to freedom of information were passed with extraordinary bipartisanship by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
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Analysis
Inspectors General Receive Much-Needed Attention in Senate
The investigative role of Inspectors General (IGs) would be strengthened in the Senate's new budget proposal.
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AnalysisF-35 Wars: The Empire Strikes Back--with GAO’s Help
DOD is circling the wagons to keep the F-35 propped up in the declining Pentagon budget. Importantly, as noted by a prime Lockheed mouthpiece offering his thankfulness for it, GAO's newest report on the F-35 offers a conclusion that the F-35 is on track for improvement--the d...
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Analysis
Retire Today, Do the Same Job for More Pay Tomorrow
The Department of Energy (DOE) Inspector General (IG) released an inspection report detailing prime contractor employees who retire and then go to work as a subcontractor doing the same work in the same office but at a higher salary, which might not be good for taxpayers.
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Analysis
IRS Threatens to Weaken Whistleblower Program
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has proposed regulations that would “hamstring” its whistleblower program, according to Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA), a longtime champion of whistleblowers.
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Analysis
Watchdogs Not Immune from Sequestration Cuts
Inspectors General face budget cuts as a result of sequestration, raising questions about how the abilities of IGs to conduct investigations and audits to uncover waste, fraud, and abuse in their agencies will be impacted.
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Analysis
Exploring the Lived Experiences of Inspectors General
Matthew Harris, University of Maryland University College, explores the experiences, challenges, and recommendations of 18 Inspectors General in his doctorate dissertation.
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Analysis
Lessons of Watergate Scandal Still Resonate
Over the last 40 years, the Watergate scandal has been dissected every which way, but the lessons learned continue to shape our politics and legislation to this day.
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Analysis
Public Deserves Access to Contractor Workforce Size and Cost Data
Access to federal government data on the size and cost of the contractor workforce needs improvement. Agencies still don't collect the data needed to understand the financial burden of millions of government and contractor workers.