2Day in #OpenGov 9/23/2011

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Happy Friday! Here is today’s look at the week’s transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events.

News Roundup:

Federal Spending

  • The GAO audit of the Federal Reserve was the first audit of the Fed’s emergency lending programs, but was surprisingly under-reported in the mainstream media. A more thorough investigation of the Fed is due on October 18th. (Forbes)
  • The Commission on Wartime Contracting’s final report, released in August, found that the government has lost between $30 and $60 billion to waste and fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan. These findings have left the government slightly unsure of how to remedy the problem. One early response came from Rep. John Tierney (D-MA), who introduced a bill to create a permanent inspector general for wartime contracting. (Federal Computer Week)
  • On average OPM is paying $120 million annually in payments to deceased beneficiaries. (Government Executive)
Access to Information
  • Executives from Solyndra, the failed solar power company that has been in the news recently for receiving large loans from the federal government, invoked their 5th Amendment right to remain silent before the House Energy Committee today. (Executive Gov)
  • OpentheGovernment.org released their annual open government report last week, which expands upon much of what was discussed in the 2011 Knight Open Government Survey. Topics include aggregate FOIA data, the cost of FOIA, and the renowned FOIA backlogs. (Unredacted)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 9/23:

  • None.

Relevant bills introduced:

House:

  • H.R. 3010. A bill to reform the process by which Federal agencies analyze and formulate new regulations and guidance documents; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Senate:
  • S. 1606. A bill to reform the process by which Federal agencies analyze and formulate new regulations and guidance documents; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Transparency events scheduled for 9/23:

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