GAO's Second Take on Bailout: In its second review of the Treasury Department's handling of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the Government Accountability Office finds that "action is needed to better ensure that all participating institutions are accountable for their use of program funds." The report, "Troubled Asset Relief Program, Status of Efforts to Address Transparency and Accountability Issues," states that, as of January 23, the Treasury Department had disbursed $293 billion of the $700 billion in bailout funds, with most of the money being spent to purchase preferred shares of 317 financial institutions. In its previous report, the GAO recommended stronger measures for ensuring that the institutions were complying with various requirements, such as those dealing with executive compensation. The new report notes that Treasury has since put in place a monthly monitoring plan for the 20 largest institutions and a quarterly plan for the others. The report said that while the monthly survey is a step in the right direction for the larger institutions, more is needed.
Gangs Expanding Turf and Portfolio: A new report from the Justice Department shows that gangs pose a serious threat to many communities, are moving from urban to suburban areas, are involved in not just drug trafficking but alien and weapons trafficking, and are using the Internet. The report, "National Gang Threat Assessment 2009," found that there were about 1 million gang members nationally. They belong to more than 20,000 gangs, with local street or neighborhood gangs making up the bulk. The study found that gangs were moving into suburban areas to expand drug territories, to recruit new members, and to hide from police and rival gangs. The study also found that "many gangs actively use the Internet to recruit new members and to communicate with members in other areas of the United States and foreign countries."
Extending Broadband to All Americans: Once a leader in the Internet and broadband, the United States is falling behind other countries and needs to act, a report by the Century Foundation concludes. The report, "A Plan to Extend Super-Fast Broadband Connections to All Americans," shows that various independent rankings have noted the decline. One ranking said the United States was third in 1999 but fell to 22nd in 2007, while others show America trailing a host of countries, including Denmark, Norway, Canada, and France. The report by the nonpartisan, nonprofit group also notes that many studies have linked broadband to economic advantages. The Century Foundation called on the U.S. government to develop a "comprehensive federal policy to promote broadband development and use." The policy should include federal funding, measures to promote investment, revision of regulations, and stimulation of the use of broadband, the report said.
Defense Department Reviews Cyber Mission: The Department of Defense is actively working to gain superiority in cyberspace, according to a new report to Congress. The DOD's 2009 Quadrennial Roles and Missions Review Report identifies core missions as combat and homeland defense but also reviews "evolving mission areas" such as cyberspace. According to the report, the department "has determined it is appropriate for each service to develop capabilities to conduct cyberspace operations" and notes that "our national security is inextricably linked to the cyberspace domain, where conflict is not limited by geography or time. The expanding use of cyberspace places United States' interests at greater risk from cyber threats and vulnerabilities." To meet this challenge, the DOD reports it is developing a "professional cyberspace force," increasing the number of computer network operations specialists, and building capacity and capability, all with an eye toward achieving "superiority in the military-relevant portions of cyberspace."
Time to Upgrade NATO Alliance: Four prominent Washington think tanks are calling for a revamping of the NATO alliance. The report, "Alliance Reborn: An Atlantic Compact for the 21st Century," was compiled by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Center for Technology and National Security Policy, the National Defense University, and the Center for Transatlantic Relations at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. The report says that North American and European allies have let their relations become discordant but that there is now an "open but fleeting moment to forge a more effective Atlantic partnership." The report calls on Europe and North America to tackle the current economic problems, "build transatlantic resilience," address international security challenges, continue to work for a free and peaceful Europe, and reinvigorate efforts to "preserve a habitable planet."
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