2Day in #OpenGov 7/27/2012

by

NEWS ROUNDUP:

Government

  • Government website consolidation pressing on despite rumors of delay: The progress made by the White House in downsizing the number of .gov websites in the name of simplicity and navigability is going strong, eliminating and consolidating over 100 sites since May. The federal government still runs 1,122 top-level sites, however. (Nextgov)
  • Opposition to the STOCK Act gains powerful allies: The Washington aversion to the supposed security concerns created by the STOCK Act added yet another group of cohorts to its rank. A collection of 14 former high-level officials, including former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, signed a letter voicing their hesitation to the release of private information. (Washington Post)

Open Data

  • For the first time, Census releases public API: Data from the 2010 U.S. Census as well as the 2006-2010 American Community Survey is now much more easily available to developers through the bureau’s newly released API. (Federal Computer Week)
  • Open data helps create map West African food crisis: Meant to consolidate information and foster communication between NGOs, SahelReponse used open data to create a map of an impending food crisis in the Sahel region below the Sahara Desert. (techPresident)

Campaign Finance

  • Eight charged with hiding campaign contributions in Connecticut: The former campaign manager of current congressional candidate Chris Donovan has been arrested along with seven others for not reporting nearly $30,000 in campaign contributions. Donovan has repeatedly expressed his innocence. (SFGate)
  • Pelosi calls for anti-Citizens United amendment, offers own plan: Advocating for “citizen-funded elections” focused on small-dollar contributions, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi reiterated, even strengthened, her already vocal support for a constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United. (Huffington Post)
  • Broadcasters’ bid to delay political ad disclosure denied: The National Association of Broadcasters, despite a strong push on its end to stop FCC-mandated rule requiring television stations to post information about political ad buyers online, failed to delay the rule’s implementation on August 2. (The Hill)

RELEVANT BILLS INTRODUCED:

  • H.R.6176: Aligning Incentives for Better Patient Care Act of 2011. ” A hospital that is a party to a quality incentive agreement under paragraph (1) shall, during the period of such agreement…disclose and prominently display on the public Internet website of the hospital information about the hospital’s participation in such agreement and the remuneration made under such agreement.” Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  • H.R.4078: Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act. “TITLE IV: UNFUNDED MANDATES INFORMATION AND TRANSPARENCY” Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

OVER THE WEEKEND:

  • None.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES:

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