SECRECY NEWS – SECURING U.S. DIPLOMATIC FACILITIES, AND MORE FROM CRS

In almost every year since 2007, Congress appropriated less money for
diplomatic security than had been requested.  In FY2012, the State
Department sought $2.9 billion for security, and Congress enacted $2.6
billion.

The diplomatic security function, including its funding profile, was
discussed in the light of recent attacks of U.S. diplomatic facilities in
Benghazi, Libya and elsewhere in a new report from the Congressional
Research Service.  See "Securing U.S. Diplomatic Facilities and Personnel
Abroad: Background and Policy Issues," November 26, 2012:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R42834.pdf

Some other new and updated CRS reports that have not been made publicly
available include the following.

Panama: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations, November 27,
2012:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL30981.pdf

The Judgment Fund: History, Administration, and Common Usage, November 26,
2012:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42835.pdf

Financing the U.S. Trade Deficit, November 16, 2012:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33274.pdf

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations, November 27, 2012:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33533.pdf

SOME BASIC BUDGET TUTORIALS FROM CRS

In a series of newly updated reports presumably intended for new Members
of Congress who are unfamiliar with basic features of the federal budget,
the Congressional Research Service presented the very rudiments of the
budget process.  See:

Basic Federal Budgeting Terminology, November 26, 2012:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/98-410.pdf

Overview of the Authorization-Appropriations Process, November 26, 2012:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RS20371.pdf

Baselines and Scorekeeping in the Federal Budget Process, November 26,
2012:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/98-560.pdf

Budget Reconciliation Legislation: Development and Consideration, November
26, 2012:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/98-814.pdf

Entitlements and Appropriated Entitlements in the Federal Budget Process,
November 26, 2012:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RS20129.pdf

Legislative Procedures for Adjusting the Public Debt Limit: A Brief
Overview, November 26, 2012:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RS21519.pdf

EVOLUTION OF REMOTE SENSING AND NATIONAL SECURITY

A study performed for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
"chronicles the policy history of civil and commercial remote sensing from
1960 through 2008."

The study "highlights the difficulties in establishing a consistent
government role in a field where public good and private profit exist
side-by-side, and where business interests have the potential to contribute
to and conflict with national security interests."

See "U.S. National Security and Economic Interests in Remote Sensing: The
Evolution of Civil and Commercial Policy" by James A. Vedda, The Aerospace
Corporation, February 20, 2009:

        http://www.fas.org/irp/eprint/remote.pdf

The unclassified study was released yesterday by NGA three years after it
was requested under the Freedom of Information Act.

_______________________________________________
Secrecy News is written by Steven Aftergood and published by the
Federation of American Scientists.

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_______________________
Steven Aftergood
Project on Government Secrecy
Federation of American Scientists
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email:  saftergood@fas.org
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