News

• Rodney Alexander (R-LA) is giving up a plum position as chairman of the House Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee when his retirement takes effect later this month. Leadership has not announced who will take over the subcommittee, which has power over the budgets of member, committee, and leadership offices as well as control over the legislative support agencies. (Roll Call)
• Bill Clinton hasn’t forgotten about his roots. He is scheduled to raise big bucks for the Democratic Governors Association, which he used to be a member of, next month at a New York City fundraiser. (New York Times)
• An appeals court has ruled that the President and his closest advisers are not obligated to release their visitors logs under the Freedom of Information Act. President Obama has made some White House visitor logs public, but fought a request by watchdog Judicial Watch to make comprehensive logs public. (Washington Examiner)
• Labor Unions are keeping up their strong patterns of political spending from the 2012 election cycle. So far in 2013 unions have dropped nearly $13 million between PAC contributions, donations to super PACs, and lobbying. (Roll Call)
• The National Archives and Records Administration is looking to improve their email preservation techniques. New guidance issued by the agency aims to help agencies implement a “capstone” approach using existing technologies that will aid in managing FOIA requests, store records for transition to NARA, and prevent unauthorized deletion of records. (Executive Gov)
• Microsoft and Google have failed in their attempts to convince the Justice Department to allow them to reveal how many FISA orders they have to comply with. The two companies, who are often at odds, plan to move forward with litigation. (ars technica)

Events

• The Open Internet Goes to Court. New America and Free Press. Thurs. 9/5. 3:00 – 4:30 pm. New America Foundation, 1899 L Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036.
• Can the FCC Regulate the Internet? The Open Internet Order on Trial. American Enterprise Institute. Thurs. 9/5. 4:30 – 5:30. Online only via Google Hangout.

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