FederalDaily - December 16, 2005
Bush Orders Better FOIA Compliance
On Dec. 14 President Bush ordered federal agencies to respond “courteously
and appropriately” to requests filed under the Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA). FOIA is what the public uses to obtain records from federal agencies.
Bush said the new order was “to ensure appropriate agency disclosure
of information.” He said that agencies “shall process requests
under the FOIA in an efficient and appropriate manner.” The president
ordered that every federal agency must within 30 days designate a senior official
to serve as the Chief FOIA Officer of that agency. Also, every agency has to
establish a FOIA Requester Service Center. This will put new burdens on agencies,
as the president said agencies should use existing staff and resources in establishing
the new centers. Further, every agency has to post information about its center
on its Web site.
:: Back to Top ::
OPM and OMB Announce President’s Quality Awards
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of Management and
Budget held a ceremony on Wednesday to present the President’s Quality
Awards (PQA), which acknowledge managerial excellence in the federal government
and implementation of the objectives in the President’s Management Agenda.
The PQAs were awarded to:
- the Department of Labor for overall management;
- the Social Security Administration for strategic management
of human capital; and
- the Department of State for innovative and exemplary practice
and strategic management of human capital.
A panel reviewed a total of 42 nominations. The panel’s recommendations
were reviewed by OPM and then the president for final approval. The Regan administration
established the PQA program in 1988 to recognize outstanding achievements in
productivity and quality.
:: Back to Top ::
State Sued for Hurricane Information
The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) announced
this week that it is suing the Department of State for access to hurricane-related
information the nonprofit organization requested under the Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA). CREW specifically requested documents pertaining to offers of relief
assistance from foreign nations and the State Department’s response.
CREW alleges that the department has been unresponsive, failing to either provide
the documents or deny the FOIA request within the time period required by law.
CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan stated, “The only way to ensure
greater preparedness for any future disaster is for there to be a full airing
of the failures of the past.” CREW’s similar FOIA requests with
the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency
are still pending.
:: Back to Top ::
More Soldiers Guilty of Cocaine Conspiracy
On Dec. 14 the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that three additional
current and former U.S. soldiers have agreed to plead guilty to participating
in a widespread bribery and extortion conspiracy. The charges arise from Operation
Lively Green, an FBI undercover investigation that began four years ago. More
than 35 defendants have already pleaded guilty in this ongoing prosecution,
DOJ said.
The additional defendants are:
- Anthony R. Fimbres, 39, formerly a private first class in
the Arizona Army National Guard (AANG);
- Steven L. Lawler, 26, formerly a sergeant in the Army; and
- Ray Segala, 52, a sergeant in the AANG.
In documents filed in federal court in Tucson, Arizona, the defendants agreed
to plead guilty to one count of conspiring for taking cash bribes from persons
they believed to be narcotics traffickers, but who were in fact FBI special
agents. The soldiers took the bribes in exchange for their help transporting
cocaine.
:: Back to Top ::
|
