SECRECY NEWS – JUDGE WALTON NAMED PRESIDING JUDGE OF FISA COURT

Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts has appointed D.C.
District Judge Reggie B. Walton to serve as Presiding Judge of the Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Court, effective February 22, 2013.

        http://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/dcd/walton

Judge Walton, who has been a member of the FIS Court since May 2007, will
replace Presiding Judge John D. Bates, whose term expires on February 21. 
Judge Walton's own term on the Court extends through May 18, 2014.  His
appointment as Presiding Judge was confirmed by Sheldon Snook, spokesman
for the Court.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court reviews and authorizes
applications for electronic surveillance and physical search under the
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.  A roster of the current court
membership is here:

        http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/doj/fisa/court2013.html

The Court's operation under the recently renewed FISA Amendments Act was
discussed in "Reauthorization of the FISA Amendments Act," Congressional
Research Service, January 2, 2013:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/intel/R42725.pdf

In his regular capacity as district court judge, Judge Walton has presided
over a number of celebrated cases including U.S. v. Libby, U.S. v. Roger
Clemens, and Hatfill v. John Ashcroft.  Less famously, he also heard
Aftergood v. National Reconnaissance Office, a 2005 Freedom of Information
Act case in which he ruled in favor of the plaintiff, myself.  That case
inaugurated the now-routine public release of unclassified intelligence
agency budget justification records.

http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2006/07/fas_wins_foia_lawsuit_over_nro.html

MENTAL DISORDERS AMONG IRAQ VETERANS, AND MORE FROM CRS

New and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service that have
not been made readily available to the public include the following.

Mental Disorders Among OEF/OIF Veterans Using VA Health Care: Facts and
Figures, February 4, 2013:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41921.pdf

Evaluating the "Past Performance" of Federal Contractors: Legal
Requirements and Issues, February 4, 2013:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41562.pdf

Increasing the Social Security Payroll Tax Base: Options and Effects on
Tax Burdens, February 5, 2013:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33943.pdf

Water Resource Issues in the 113th Congress, January 31, 2013:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42947.pdf

Upcoming Rules Pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:
The 2012 Unified Agenda, February 1, 2013:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42946.pdf

The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012: Modifications to the Budget
Enforcement Procedures in the Budget Control Act, February 4, 2013:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42949.pdf

United Nations System Funding: Congressional Issues, January 15, 2013:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL33611.pdf

U.S. Foreign Aid to the Palestinians, January 18, 2013:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RS22967.pdf

European Union Enlargement, February 4, 2013:

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RS21344.pdf

_______________________________________________
Secrecy News is written by Steven Aftergood and published by the
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_______________________
Steven Aftergood
Project on Government Secrecy
Federation of American Scientists
web:    www.fas.org/sgp/index.html
email:  saftergood@fas.org
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twitter: @saftergood