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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
Executive Order Focuses on Prohibiting Human Trafficking
An Executive Order details guidance for a new anti-human trafficking rule that will prohibit U.S.-facilitated trafficking occurring abroad. The EO strengthens the government’s zero-tolerance policy rules governing trafficking in persons.
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Analysis
Senate Report Silent on Fusion Center Reliance on Contractors
A bipartisan Senate investigative report on joint federal-state-local anti-terrorism facilities, called Fusion Centers, uncovers many problems but fails to explore the risks of using contractors to perform intelligence services.
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Analysis
Senate Investigation Found DHS Intelligence Centers Wasted Money and Violated Civil Liberties
A Department of Homeland Security effort to improve the sharing of terrorism-related intelligence among state and local governments and with officials in Washington has yielded “shoddy” information and civil liberties violations, according to a Senate investigation.
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Analysis
Inspector General Report Warns of Budget Overruns in Nuke Refurbishment
The NNSA's effort to extend the shelf-life of nuclear warheads designed for submarine launch is on track for "large cost overruns" of about $221 million if things don't change, according to an inspector general audit.
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Analysis
Washington Post Series on U.S. Nuclear Arsenal Requires Closer Look
POGO provides needed context and clarification to the Washington Post's series on the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
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AnalysisBudget & Hardware Myths: Part Two
The mantra is: Nothing is too good for our boys in combat; that means our equipment is expensive but also so effective it is the master of the battlefield.
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Analysis
GAO Report Finds Federal Agencies Must Improve Service Contract Inventories
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has followed up its critical review of Department of Defense service contract inventories with an equally negative assessment of the civilian agencies' ability to track the service contractor workforce.
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AnalysisBudget and Hardware Myths, Part I
Those arguing for more defense spending lean heavily on misinformation to make their case; many of the critics--previously including myself--have relied on myth.
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Analysis
New DATA Act Would Make Following the Money Easier
The new Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act) is a trimmed-down version of the original bill, but will still make much-needed improvements to the tools we have for tracking how taxpayer dollars are spent.
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Analysis
Déjà Vu—Again—for Whistleblowers
Congress left for the election season before passing the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, which would have mad government more accountable to taxpayers.
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Analysis
POGO Cheers MSPB for Granting Stay for Whistleblowers
The MSPB and OSC have defended U.S. Army whistleblowers who may have suffered retaliation for exposing the truth about their supervisor’s illegal actions.