FCC to Propose Net Neutrality Rules

Today the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made advances in enforcing a policy of Internet neutrality (as described in this New York Times article). In a speech to the Brookings Institution, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski proposed that the FCC add two new principles of net neutrality to the four principles currently guiding its enforcement of Internet access (see this FCC press release for more details). These new principles would forbid Internet access providers from discriminating against particular Internet content or applications and would require providers to be transparent about their network management practices. The FCC will begin making rules associated with the four initial principles, and the two new ones, in October.

You can also find a transcript of Chairman Genachowski's speech on the FCC's website. For additional resources, see our guide to telecommunications.

GAO Reports this Week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week they investigated a variety of issues, such as security, minerals, and government personnel. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Homeland Defense: Greater Focus on Analysis of Alternatives and Threats Needed to Improve DOD's Strategic Nuclear Weapons Security. GAO-09-828, September 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-828
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09828high.pdf
• Ryan White CARE Act: Effects of Certain Funding Provisions on Grant Awards. GAO-09-894, September 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-894
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09894high.pdf
• Secure Border Initiative: Technology Deployment Delays Persist and the Impact of Border Fencing Has Not Been Assessed. GAO-09-896, September 9.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-896
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09896high.pdf
• Reserve Forces: Army Needs to Finalize an Implementation Plan and Funding Strategy for Sustaining an Operational Reserve Force. GAO-09-898, September 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-898
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09898high.pdf
• Depot Maintenance: Improved Strategic Planning Needed to Ensure That Army and Marine Corps Depots Can Meet Future Maintenance Requirements. GAO-09-865, September 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-865
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09865high.pdf
• Nuclear Nonproliferation: National Nuclear Security Administration Has Improved the Security of Reactors in its Global Research Reactor Program, but Action Is Needed to Address Remaining Concerns. GAO-09-949, September 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-949
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09949high.pdf
• Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation: More Strategic Approach Needed for Processing Complex Plans Prone to Delays and Overpayments. GAO-09-716, August 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-716
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09716high.pdf
• Mineral Revenues: MMS Could Do More to Improve the Accuracy of Key Data Used to Collect and Verify Oil and Gas Royalties. GAO-09-549, July 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-549
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09549high.pdf
• Energy Policy Act of 2005: Greater Clarity Needed to Address Concerns with Categorical Exclusions for Oil and Gas Development under Section 390 of the Act. GAO-09-872, September 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-872
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09872high.pdf
  
• Missile Defense: DOD Needs to More Fully Assess Requirements and Establish Operational Units before Fielding New Capabilities. GAO-09-856, September 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-856
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09856high.pdf
• DOD Business Systems Modernization: Navy Implementing a Number of Key Management Controls on Enterprise Resource Planning System, but Improvements Still Needed. GAO-09-841, September 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-841
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09841high.pdf
• Medicaid Preventive Services: Concerted Efforts Needed to Ensure Beneficiaries Receive Services. GAO-09-578, August 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-578
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09578high.pdf
• Royalty-in-Kind Program: MMS Does Not Provide Reasonable Assurance It Receives Its Share of Gas, Resulting in Millions in Forgone Revenue. GAO-09-744, August 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-744
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09744high.pdf

Testimonies

• Secure Border Initiative: Technology Deployment Delays Persist and the Impact of Border Fencing Has Not Been Assessed, by Richard M. Stana, director, homeland security and justice issues, before the Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism, House Committee on Homeland Security. GAO-09-1013T, September 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-1013T
• Human Capital: Improved Tracking and Additional Actions Needed to Ensure the Timely and Accurate Delivery of Compensation and Medical Benefits to Deployed Civilians, by Brenda S. Farrell, director, defense capabilities and management, before the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-09-1019T, September 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-1019T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d091019thigh.pdf
• Federal Oil and Gas Management: Opportunities Exist to Improve Oversight, by Franklin Rusco, director, natural resources and environment, before the House Committee on Natural Resources. GAO-09-1014T, September 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-1014T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d091014thigh.pdf
• Personnel Security Clearances: Progress Has Been Made to Reduce Delays but Further Actions Are Needed to Enhance Quality and Sustain Reform Efforts, by Brenda S. Farrell, director, defense capabilities and management, before the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-09-684T, September 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-684T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09684thigh.pdf
• Homeland Security: Despite Progress, DHS Continues to Be Challenged in Managing Its Multi-Billion Dollar Annual Investment in Large-Scale Information Technology Systems, by Randolph C. Hite, director, information technology architecture and systems issues, before the Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-09-1002T, September 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-1002T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d091002thigh.pdf
• Combating Nuclear Terrorism: Preliminary Observations on Preparedness to Recover from Possible Attacks Using Radiological or Nuclear Materials, by Gene Aloise, director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology, House Committee on Homeland Security, in Brooklyn, New York. GAO-09-996T, September 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-996T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09996thigh.pdf

Correspondence

• Management Report: Opportunities for Improvements in FDIC's Internal Controls and Accounting Procedures. GAO-09-943R, September 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-943R
  

Pinnacol Assurance Reverses Course

Quasi-governmental agency Pinnacol Assurance, the Colorado workers' compensation insurance fund that was on the verge of requesting greater autonomy from the state, changed course on Wednesday.

In July Pinnacol had proposed paying taxes in return for its autonomy from the state. But after holding a meeting with various business groups, Pinnacol officials decided that it should maintain the status quo. A special Colorado committee has been examining the insurance agency since August to determine whether it should receive more state control or a greater level of autonomy. Check the Denver Post for news about the latest Pinnacol decision; see links on the right side of the article for past media coverage of the Pinnacol issue.

Colorado's Pinnacol Assurance special committee web page can be found here, where you can also find a list of committee members; meeting details, agendas, and summaries; and reports and memoranda such as these statistics on Workers Compensation Insurance Market Share.

Searching for links to more Colorado government resources? Take a look at our guide.

Report Recommends Simpler Homeland Security Advisory System

A new Department of Homeland Security report, authored by the Homeland Security Advisory System Task Force, recommends that the government modify its color-coded terrorism advisory system to include just three levels, instead of the current five, and redefine the levels so that they are more transparent to the public. As this Washington Post article describes, there have been past complaints that the advisory system was used as a political tool that failed to communicate useful information.

The report has six major themes (listed in the executive summary):

1. The terrorism advisory system has "enduring merit."
2. The terrorism advisory system has two primary audiences: the public and institutions (government agencies and the private sector).
3. The public does not have confidence in the current advisory system.
4. The advisory system should be lowered to a "guarded" status.
5. The advisory system should be more specific in identifying which entities or locations are at risk.
6. The advisory system requires dedicated infrastructure, staff, and established protocols and procedures.

The advisory system was created by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 3 in 2002. For additional resources about homeland security, take a look at our guide.

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress' request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us reports on sequestering carbon, don't ask don't tell policy, economic issues, and other topics. Although these reports are in the public domain, there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report you can request it from your senator or representative. This list is compiled from CRS reports discovered by OpenCRS and SecrecyNews:

• Qui Tam: The False Claims Act and Related Federal Statutes
• Qui Tam: An Abbreviated Look at the False Claims Act and Related Federal Statutes
• Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 2001-2008
• North Korea: Economic Leverage and Policy Analysis
• ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’: A Legal Analysis
• U.S. Tree Planting for Carbon Sequestration
• Carbon Sequestration in Forests
• Iran’s Nuclear Program: Status
• Access to Government Information In the United States
• Brazil-U.S. Relations
• China and the Global Financial Crisis: Implications for the United States
• Electric Power Storage
• Energy and Water Development: FY2010 Appropriation
• Financial Market Supervision: European Perspectives
• FY2010 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Policy Issues
• Iran Sanctions
• Israel: Background and Relations with the United States
• Kosovo: Current Issues and U.S. Policy
• Mexico's Free Trade Agreements
• Pension Sponsorship and Participation: Summary of Recent Trends
• Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations
• Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990
• The Berry Amendment: Requiring Defense Procurement to Come from Domestic Sources
• The Global Financial Crisis: Analysis and Policy Implications
• The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act
• The Strategic Petroleum Reserve: History, Perspectives, and Issues
• Unauthorized Aliens' Access to Federal Benefits: Policy and Issues
• Water Infrastructure Funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
• Western Sahara: Status of Settlement Efforts

Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports dating back to 1916.

Not on campus but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.