NEWS ROUNDUP:

• Bipartisan leaders on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are pushing for information about the Obama administration’s FOIA record. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Elijah Cummings (D-MD) sent a letter to the justice department seeking answers on detailed questions about deficiencies in the administration’s responses to FOIA requests. (Washington Times)
• Governor Rick Scott (R-FL), is facing a tough reelection campaign featuring low personal popularity and the potential that former Governor, and party swapper, Charlie Christ will be his Democratic opponent. He is planning to spend at least $100 million, including funding a data and analytics push. (Politico)
• New Jersey Governor is coming to DC at the end of the month for a major fundraiser at the home of BGR Group Chairman Ed Rogers, one of America’s top lobbyists. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell will serve as honorary host of the fundraiser. (Public Integrity)
• Palo Alto, California takes their technology, and their open data, seriously. Their open data efforts cover a wide variety of data sets and are released in user friendly and usable ways. (Govfresh)
• The US Geological Survey has a new tool to detect major seismic events: Twitter. The USGS’ Twitter Earthquake Dispatch is capable of detecting large events faster than sophisticated seismometers. (Federal Computer Week)
• The White House is now taking applications for the second round of its Presidential Innovation Fellows program. The first round of fellows has worked on projects to improve contract bidding and help veterans and others easily download health information. (Fierce Government)
• Despite promises to lead the most transparent administration in history, and early moves to release Justice Department legal opinions from the Bush administration, President Obama has been tight lipped when it comes to opinions on assassination and “targeted killings” produced by his own DOJ. (New York Times)

RELEVANT BILLS INTRODUCED:

• S. 106. Public Access to Historical Records Act. 
• S. 118. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to prohibit the use of public funds for political party conventions.

HAPPENING TOMORROW 2/8: 

• None.

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