NEWS ROUNDUP:

• Both major Democratic candidates vying to fill the Massachusetts Senate seat recently vacated by Secretary of State John Kerry have taken a page from previous contenders Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown and signed the “peoples pledge” to try and keep outside money out of their race. However, their Republican counterpart has refused to sign. (Common Cause)
• Changes in Yemen’s government that came in 2011 have led to firsts in the way that citizens interact with their leaders. Last October, a series of live televised town hall meetings allowed citizens to discuss issues with their leaders. (NDI)
• A group of volunteers spread out across Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, to help flesh out the city’s presence on Google maps. The planned city is still being built. (Tech President)
• A small group of special interests has spent money over the past decade to push the federal government to track near-earth asteroids and other space objects. The issues is getting fresh scrutiny following a widely publicized meteor landing in Russia last week. (Public Integrity)
• Former Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) is set to plead guilty to charges that he illegally spent $750,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses. Some of his purchases include fur coats, flashy watches, and Bruce Lee memorabilia. (Politico)
• Opinion: The People’s Pledge taken by Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown was effective, leading to a more positive tone and significantly reducing the outside spending in the race. (Politico)

RELEVANT BILLS INTRODUCED:

•  H.R. 530. Government Waste Reduction Act of 2013.
• H.R. 540. Energy Efficient Government Technology Act.
• H.R. 561. To amend the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act to provide further clarity for institutions of higher education, and for other purposes.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK 2/18-2/22: 

•  Taming the Big Data Tidal Wave: Finding opportunities in huge data streams with advanced analytics. Hooks Books. Tues. 2/19. 8:00 – 10:30 am. St. Regis Hotel, Astor Ballroom, 923 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005.
• Future Policy for the Federal Communications Commission. Hudson Institute. Tues. 2/19. 12:00 – 1:30 pm. 1015 15th Street NW, 6th floor, Washington, DC 20005.
• Good Business Demands Good Governance. Heritage Foundation. Tues. 2/19. 214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Lehrman Auditorium, Washington, DC 20002.
• NGOs Facing Challenges of a 21st Century World. SAIS. Fri. 2/22. 12:30 – 1:45 pm. Johns Hopkins SAIS, Rome Building, Room 200, 1619 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC.

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