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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
SUNSHINE WEEK: Many Agencies Violate FOIA’s 20-Day Requirement
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is one of the most powerful tools to pry public information out of the federal government. But while FOIA requires agencies to respond to a request for information within 20 business days, an analysis of a recent batch of POGO FOIA request...
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Analysis
SUNSHINE WEEK: Revolving Regulators at the CFTC
As part of Sunshine Week, a national initiative to highlight the importance of open government and freedom of information, POGO is releasing a host records obtained by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
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Analysis
Camp Lejeune Report Author Says Redactions Compromise the Science, Sen. Burr Calls for IG Investigation
Today, accusations were released from the author of the report on the Camp Lejeune water contamination, detailing how the scientific integrity of the report was compromised by redactions requested by the Navy/Marine Corps and granted by Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease ...
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Analysis
Gingrich Advisor’s Ties to Foreign Interests
An investigation by POGO has found that one of Newt Gingrich's advisers, Robert McFarlane, covertly lobbied for interests in southern Sudan and reportedly on behalf of the Sudanese government—without properly disclosing his activities to the U.S. government.
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Policy Letter
POGO Joins Letter Urging For More Transparency In Trade Negotiations
As organizations dedicated to government openness, scientific integrity and accountability, we are writing to urge you to increase the transparency of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiating process. Currently, without any public access to ev...
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Analysis
All Along the Watchtower: One Year Anniversary of DHS Inspector General Vacancy
As of today, the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General (IG) has been vacant for exactly one year. The position became vacant when Richard Skinner retired after 42 years of service in the federal government.
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Policy Letter
POGO Joins Letter Challenge CIA Secrecy
We the undersigned would like to call to your attention an alarming regulation that the Central Intelligence Agency entered into the Federal Register on 23 September 2011. Finalized without any notice for public comment, this regulation could cut off access to the most effecti...
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Analysis
Gonna Put IT in the Want Ads: Keeping Contractors from Crossing the Line
While browsing Craigslist recently, POGO came across this job advertisement (pdf) posted by an unidentified “large firm” in Arlington, Virginia seeking a “Procurement Acquisition Analyst” with information technology experience to work for an unnamed government agency client. (...
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Policy Letter
POGO Calls for Hearings on Afghanistan Allegations from Whistleblower Lt. Col. Daniel Davis
We write you to request the attention of your committees to the recent disclosures by Army Lieutenant Colonel Daniel L. Davis regarding the situation in Afghanistan—which appear to vary greatly from the statements to Congress by senior military officials. As the U.S. commits a...
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Policy Letter
POGO and Partners Say Cybersecurity Bill is Flawed
On behalf of the undersigned organizations concerned with government openness and accountability, we are writing to let you know of our serious concerns with sections of S.2105, the Cybersecurity Act of 2012, that create unnecessary, overbroad and unwise limitations to access ...
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Analysis
Budget Breakdown: Protecting Whistleblowers
On Monday, we did a rolling analysis of President Obama's Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 budget request, focusing mainly on our proposed spending cuts for wasteful and unnecessary defense and nuclear weapons-related programs.
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Analysis
POGO Asks Panetta to Stop Funding B61 Nuclear Bombs in Europe
When Defense Secretary Leon Panetta unveiled his plan to achieve $487 billion in budget cuts over the next ten years, he hinted that a smart strategy would mean cutting the number of nuclear weapons.