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Secrecy and Security News

Newer News: April 2016

March 2016

• US Inventory of Highly Enriched Uranium Declassified, White House Fact Sheet, March 31. "As of September 30, 2013, the total U.S. HEU inventory was 585.6 metric tons."
• Civil drones: Tools of peace tested near tools of war by Keith Rogers, Las Vegas Review-Journal, March 26. "When the state of Nevada set out to demonstrate its civil uses for drones as one of the six FAA-approved test beds for merging the budding industry into the national airspace, it chose a secure swath of high desert where the nation's nuclear bombs were tested during the Cold War."
• House Intel Panel Pushes for Staff Access to Classified Information by Jenna McLaughlin, The Intercept, March 23. "Eight members of the House oversight panel for intelligence are asking for the funds to get top secret clearances for personal staffers."
• Chelsea Manning: government anti-leak program a 'blank check for surveillance' by Ed Pilkington, The Guardian, March 18. "Thousands of US government employees under permanent surveillance are being investigated for signs of 'greed', 'ego', money worries, disgruntlement or other flaws in the hope of intercepting the next big official leak, according to a document obtained by Chelsea Manning."
• Dems slow to search agency records for dirt on Trump by Corbin Hiar, Environment & Energy Publishing, March 15. "Democratic groups were slow to begin investigating the environment and energy record of Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump, according to an E&E Daily analysis of federal open records requests."
• Could Hillary Clinton face the same fate as David Petraeus? by Tara McKelvey, BBC News, March 15. "It's a question that has dogged her campaign for over a year -- but opinions are divided over whether the allegations made against her constitute a crime or are just the latest partisan sideshow."
• Think tank focused on government transparency is closing by Hannah Hess, Environment & Energy Publishing, March 14. "The Center for Effective Government, a liberal think tank with a three-decade legacy in Washington, D.C.'s good government community, is shutting down."
• DoD legislative proposal for new FOIA exemption for military tactics, techniques and procedures for inclusion in FY 2017 defense authorization act, March 10 (source). "Section 1031 would authorize the Department of Defense to withhold sensitive, but unclassified military tactics, techniques, or procedures, including military rules of engagement, from release to the public under the Freedom of Information Act."
• Pentagon flew handful of drones over U.S. in last decade by Sean Lyngaas, Federal Computer Week, March 9. "The Defense Department has in the last decade flown drones over U.S. territory multiple times in support of civilian authorities, according to a newly released inspector general report."
• Pentagon confirms it has used spy drones in U.S. air space by Adario Strange, Mashable, March 9. "A new report reveals the Pentagon has flown spy drones over U.S. territories for non-military missions for roughly a decade."
• Agency Rivalries and Satire Show Up in Latest of Hillary Clinton's Emails by Mark Landler, New York Times, March 4. "In the final batch of Mrs. Clinton's emails, there are a series of tongue-in-cheek emails from her former spokesman, Philippe Reines, lampooning a White House request that she coordinate her message during a visit to Israel with that of President Obama's national security adviser."
• FAS Comment on the ODNI Mandatory Declassification Review Rule, March 3. "The proposed fee schedule in the new final role seems onerous, inconsistent with other agency policies, and likely to have adverse consequences."
• After controversy, FBI removes ID requirement for eFOIA requests by Grayson Ullman, FedScoop, March 1. "The FBI has launched a second public beta version of its online portal for processing FOIA requests -- without the controversial requirement that users submit a copy of government photo ID in order for their requests to be considered."
• Intel Community Ups Fees for FOIA Requests by Charles S. Clark, Government Executive, March 1. "Researchers seeking declassified intelligence community documents under the Freedom of Information Act will pay higher fees beginning in late April, according to a direct final rule published Friday by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence."

Older News: February 2016

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Maintained by Steven Aftergood
Updated April 2, 2016