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Sam Knight - page 47

Sam Knight has 859 articles published.

Leahy Warns Of FOIA Nightmare If CISA Amendment Fails

The highest ranking Democratic lawmaker on judicial issues said Monday that the Cyber Information Sharing Act (CISA) would improperly undermine the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said CISA would create unnecessary legal exemptions to FOIA and that the Senate is being asked to vote on them without first conducting proper oversight. “Any amendments to this law should be considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has exclusive jurisdiction–not in closed session by the Senate Intelligence Committee,” his… Keep Reading

GOP, Dem Sens Call for Collusion Probe; Suppliers of Common Hospital Product Facing Shortages in Crosshairs

Two Republicans and two Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee called on federal regulators to probe possible collusion by the three main suppliers in the market for saline, “a critical input to the United States healthcare system.” Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Monday asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate alleged antitrust violations by Baxter, Hospira, and B.Braun. There has been a shortage of saline in the US since 2013. “While prices tend to increase during… Keep Reading

Delinquency Rate Drop Pushes Discontent Index to New Low in July

The District Sentinel Discontent Index fell in July to another new low as data showed improved conditions in the housing market and a decrease in nationwide strike activity. The measure fell to 102.52 from 103.65 in June, with a drop in Labor Discontent and Housing Discontent more than washing out an increase in Consumer Discontent. The only subcomponent of the Discontent Index to grow, Consumer Discontent was up 0.47 points to 32.57, driven by a fall in the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index. Although higher wages… Keep Reading

D.E.A. Gave Bonuses to Agents Probed and Disciplined for Misconduct, Violated Its Own Policy

Ten out of fourteen Drug Enforcement Administration employees accused of sexual harassment and misconduct were given bonuses and time off in contravention of DEA policy. The employees received the rewards “even though they had been subject to discipline for significant misconduct within three years” or were the subjects of ongoing inquiries, according to a report published Thursday by the Justice Department inspector general. “DEA policy generally prohibits employees from receiving promotions, awards, or other favorable personnel actions for a period of 3 years after being… Keep Reading

N.R.A. Still Viewed Positively By Public That Also Disapproves of Its Extremism

Americans view the National Rifle Association more positively now than after the Sandy Hook Massacre, according to the results of a Gallup poll released Thursday. The NRA received a 58 percent “favorable” rating from survey respondents, up from 54 percent in late December 2012. The results of the poll may be somewhat dispiriting to gun control advocates. “In a year plagued with mass shootings, including a recent tragedy at a community college in Oregon, there has been a national debate as to whether the NRA, with… Keep Reading

U.S. Taxpayers Picking Up Tab for States That Cut Workers Compensation Programs

The US Government is picking up the tab for state governments that have downsized programs to help workers injured on the job, according to a study published Wednesday. More than one-fifth of the rise in the percentage of workers who received Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in the past 25 years can be explained by cuts to state worker compensations programs, the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) found in the report. “As a result of tighter state eligibility requirements, workers who might have… Keep Reading

Highly Computerized Wall Street Set to Face New CFTC Rules

The Commodity Futures Tradining Commission in November will propose rules that would force financial firms to adopt internal policies designed to mitigate the risk of computerized asset trading. CFTC chair Timothy Massad said Wednesday that the proposals would likely impact—but not be designed for—high-frequency traders. “We will not attempt to define high-frequency trading specifically,” he said from a conference at the New York Fed on the US Treasuries market. Massad noted that the proposals would focus on “malfunctioning algorithms” and deficient internal safeguards. “I expect that… Keep Reading

Reid Downplays Civil Libertarian Concerns In Push for Cybersecurity Bill

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid brushed off concerns within his own caucus about civil liberties in the ongoing debate over cybersecurity legislation. Reid, in urging his colleagues on Wednesday to pass the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA), bemoaned corporate lobbyists’ role in the death of proposals put forth while Democrats were in the majority, overlooking concerns from the left. “We had a comprehensive cybersecurity bill on the floor three years ago, much deeper and better than this one. Three years ago,” Reid said. “But our… Keep Reading

Kerry: “Not A Scientist” Global Warming Line Should Disqualify GOP “From High Public Office”

Are Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush smarter than a 9th Grader? Secretary of State John Kerry says “no.” The top US envoy said lawmakers who claim they can’t assess climate change because they aren’t scientists don’t show much evidence of having been to middle School. “I mean, it’s incomprehensible that a grownup who has been to high school and college in the United States of America disqualifies themselves because they’re not a scientist when they’ve learned that the… Keep Reading

Fed Governor: Treasury Rules Could Mute High Frequency Trading Instability

Federal Reserve Governor Jerome Powell expressed an interest in slowing down the pace of activity on the US Treasuries market nearly one year after wild short-term fluctuations in it caused considerable panic. Powell said Tuesday that a move by the US government away from a market system based on running transactions could mute the impact of high-frequency trading–a key contributor to the so-called Oct. 15, 2014 “flash crash.” “There may be adaptations of this market structure that could give greater emphasis to liquidity provision rather than… Keep Reading

Financial Markets Expect Debt Ceiling Clown Show, But No Default

Investors aren’t expecting Congress to raise the debt ceiling in a timely fashion. Yields of US Treasury bills that mature next month rose on Monday to a two-year high, The Wall Street Journal reported. Treasury bills maturing on Nov. 12 saw yields rise to as high as 0.178 percent, up from a Friday closing level of 0.036 percent. Bond yields and prices are inversely correlated. “It marks the highest intraday level since Oct. 16, 2013, when the yield spiked to 0.505 percent on fear of a… Keep Reading

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