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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
Forget WMD -- It’s Conventional Arms That Are Killing GIs And Iraqis
In her Los Angeles Times op-ed, CDI Senior Analyst Rachel Stohl argues that when the United States turned over sovereignty to the new government of Iraq last month, it did so without confronting one of the most pressing problems facing the country: the millions of small arms a...
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Policy Letter
POGO Letter to DOE Deputy Secretary McSlarrow, Chairman Barton and Representative DeGette concerning media-less security at Los Alamos National Laboratory
As you prepare for your trip to Los Alamos, we wanted to provide you with some relevant background. Attached is the section of POGO's 2001 report that deals with the dangers of theft of nuclear secrets caused by loss of computer media.
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AnalysisP.O.W. Abuse, Now Against Our Own Guys
Specialist Sean Baker, formerly of the 438th Military Police Corps, has seizures and takes nine types of prescription medicines daily to combat brain injuries he says he received in the line of duty. Baker's wounds didn't come from enemy combatants, but at the hands of five Am...
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Policy Letter
Coalition Letter to Senators Campbell and Inouye, Committee On Indian Affairs, regarding FOIA exemptions in S. 297, the Federal Acknowledgment Process Reform Act of 2003
The undersigned organizations and individuals are extremely troubled by a portion of S. 297, the Federal Acknowledgment Process Reform Act of 2003.
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Analysis
Book Review - Challenging Conventional Wisdom - Debunking the Myths and Exposing the Risks of Arms Exports Reform
This volume challenges the current call by reformers in the United States to further dismantle most of the provisions governing the export of weapons.
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Policy Letter
POGO’s letter to NRC Chairman Diaz criticizing nuclear industry lobbyists’ improper influence over critical homeland security tests
We have been encouraged by and supportive of the NRC's recent efforts to develop a credible force-on-force program to test the effectiveness of guard forces and defensive strategies at nuclear power plants. We were led to believe that the NRC would develop its own adversary te...
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Report
The Politics of Contracting
There is a revolving door between the government and large private contractors where conflict of interest is the rule, not the exception. Within the government contracting system, individuals move seamlessly between government and contractor positions, potentially subverting t...
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Testimony
Testimony of POGO’s Danielle Brian before the House Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security and Emerging Threats on Nuclear Security: Can DOE Meet Facility Security Requirements?
As we prepared this testimony, it was striking to hear Members of the 9/11 Commission last week come to the conclusion that no policymakers were aware that terrorists might hijack commercial aircraft and fly them into buildings. In fact, however, Project On Government Oversigh...
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Policy Letter
POGO letter to Senators regarding SA 3286 to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005
The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) supports Senator Byrd's amendment (SA 3286, Con. Rec. S6508 (June 7, 2004)) to the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005." The amendment prohibits former senior government officials from accepting compensa...
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Policy Letter
POGO’s letter to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge concerning Oil Companies Cash in On Homeland Security Grants
As CBS News reported last night ("Taxpayers Footing Oil Safety Bill"), big oil companies, such as Citgo, ConocoPhillips and ChevronTexaco, have received a combined $37.5 million in security grants from your department.
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Testimony
Testimony of POGO’s Danielle Brian before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
In October, 2001, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) issued our report, "U.S. Nuclear Weapons Complex: Security at Risk." In that report we presented extensive evidence and raised an overall alarm that the Department of Energy (DOE) was not taking security of...
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Policy Letter
POGO letter to Members of Congress in response to Boeing’s full page ad in the Washington Post
We were appalled to read a misleading and inaccurate full-page Boeing Company ad in Tuesday's Washington Post touting the merits of a proposal for the Air Force to acquire tanker aircraft from Boeing. We wanted you to know the true story of the plan to lease and purchase up to...