Top Stories
Chemicals that are Banned in Europe, but Widespread in U.S.
In the EU and much of the rest of the world, if a product presents a credible threat of danger to human or environmental health, it’s restricted or banned. In the United States, the regulatory agencies mandate a high level of proof that a product is dangerous before its use is restricted.
The U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulates chemicals used in this country, but the process of taking a chemical off store shelves can take years.
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Congressional Audit Finds Industrial Radioactive Materials Poorly Secured
At least four vehicles transporting these radioactive materials have been stolen since 2005, according to the GAO.
Some companies use a loophole in Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations that makes storage requirements less stringent for smaller amounts of nuclear materials. So the companies with large amounts of the materials simply divide them up and store them in smaller containers. read more
In a First, Federal Court Panel Rules Collection of Cellphone Tower Data without a Warrant is Unconstitutional
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which oversees cases in Alabama, Florida and Georgia, on Wednesday rejected what has become a routine practice by law enforcement: tracking a suspect’s location via their cell phone. These violations of privacy, according to critics, have gone on without police having to establish probable cause of criminal activity by individuals. read more
U.S. has Averaged One School Shooting Every 4 Days in 2014
As of June 10, the date of the most recent shooting at Reynolds High School in Oregon, there were 37 recorded gunfire incidents at schools in the U.S., according to Everytown for Gun Safety, a pro-gun-control group. That averages to a shooting every 4.4 days. A little more than half of the incidents have taken place on college campuses (20), with the other 17 occurring at secondary schools. read more
57,000 Veterans Waiting more than 3 Months for First Medical Appointments; 64,000 Not Even on the List
The VA healthcare system has struggled to keep up with demand from two different veterans’ populations: Afghanistan and Iraq vets who are requiring more medical and other help than their predecessors; and Vietnam veterans seeking more assistance than before, including those diagnosed with ailments related to Agent Orange.
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Federal Agencies with Guns: Weather Service, Social Security, Railroad Retirement Board
Thousands of federal government employees are armed with handguns and even semiautomatic and automatic weapons as part of their jobs for agencies that are not traditional law enforcement operations.
These gun-toting civil servants include those performing missions that involve Social Security, delivering the mail, predicting the weather, and overseeing railroad pensions. Others authorized to carry firearms conduct audits for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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Federal Report on Gulf of Mexico Oil Drilling Explosion Warns of Future Disasters
Cheryl MacKenzie, who led the investigation, said another such blowout is not out of the question. “Although there have been regulatory improvements since the accident, the effective management of safety critical elements has yet to be established,” MacKenzie said. “This results in potential safety gaps in U.S. offshore operations and leaves open the possibility of another similar catastrophic accident.” read more
Obama’s Plan to Cut Greenhouse Gases by 30% in 15 Years…10 States just did it in 7
The Environmental Protection Agency unveiled a plan last week that would cut carbon emissions from electricity production by 30% over the next 15 years. The proposal drew howls of protest from those who said it would raise electric rates and kill jobs. However, 10 states have already cut their plant emissions by that much and there have been few economic consequences. read more
DEA Tries to Strongarm Physicians Connected to Marijuana Dispensaries
The House of Representatives passed an amendment that would stop enforcement of federal marijuana laws against therapeutic use in states where it’s legal.The DEA appears to be trying to get in its last licks before the proposal is approved by the Senate.
DEA agents in Massachusetts have been coming to the offices and homes of doctors affiliated with marijuana dispensaries. read more
EPA’s Carbon Emission Plan Goes Easy on States that Pollute the Most
Those that rely heavily on coal, like Montana, Kentucky, Wyoming, West Virginia, and Nebraska, don’t have it as bad as their political leaders claim.
For instance, West Virginia will have to cut carbon pollution by 19.8%, while Kentucky’s goal is only 18.3%. Meanwhile, Washington state, one of the lowest carbon emitters, is supposed to cut its pollution output by 72%. Louisiana faces a 68% goal, Arizona and South Carolina 52% each, and Texas 44%.
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U.S. Marshals Seize Surveillance Documents from Police
The ACLU, which was contesting Florida police’s use of surveillance technology, got quite the surprise recently when federal marshals unexpectedly confiscated police records pertaining to the controversial program that had been requested by the ACLU.
The organization was to have reviewed them at a police station in Sarasota when members of the U.S. Marshals Service swept in and took the files.
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Objections to Presidential Signing Statements Fall Victim to Partisan Politics
Barack Obama, the former constitutional law professor and U.S. senator, once disapproved of presidential signing statements, which allow the White House to ignore or interpret differently certain provisions of new laws passed by Congress. But Obama the 44th president of the United States has often embraced the practice that he once called a “clear abuse” of executive power. read more
Who are the 5 Guantánamo Prisoners U.S. Traded for Only POW Held by Taliban
As part of the agreement, the five detainees were flown from the U.S. facility in Cuba to Qatar, which brokered the exchange. The Qatari government said the Taliban members will be prevented from leaving the country for one year, and the U.S. ally promised to work to ensure American national security does not become compromised by the release.
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House of Representatives Votes to Stop Obama Administration from Raiding State-Approved Medical Marijuana Facilities
The amendment, championed by California congressmen Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican, and Democrat Sam Farr, passed by a 219-189 margin. Those voting yes included 170 Democrats and 49 Republicans. As the amendment is written, it would apply only to 32 states and the District of Columbia, which are listed in the bill, that currently allow use of medical marijuana or are about to approve its use. So if another state were to legalize medical pot, it wouldn’t be included. read more
New National Database will Collect Credit Card Information, Account Balances, Loan Details and More…By Name
The proposal says the expansion is designed to be a representative sample of about 5% of borrowers. It would “include without limitation: (1) Borrower/co-borrower information (name, address, zip code, telephone numbers, date of birth, race/ethnicity, gender, language, religion, social security number, education records, military status/records, employment status/records).”
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Federal Judge Says ICE Can’t Hold Potential Deportees for more than 6 Months without a Bond Hearing
A federal judge in Massachusetts ruled last week that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) can’t hold immigrants more than six months without a bond hearing. For now, the ruling applies only to those held in Massachusetts, which comprises the class in the suit filed by Mark Reid, a U.S. resident born in Jamaica who was held more than a year while ICE attempted to deport him for non-violent drug convictions. read more