Pius XII Memorial Library Government Documents

New proposed regulations will mandate the collection of DNA samples at the time of arrest or detention.

From the Federal Register:

Accordingly, the Attorney General is
directing all agencies of the United
States that arrest or detain individuals
or supervise individuals facing charges
to collect DNA samples from
individuals who are arrested, facing
charges, or convicted, and from non-
United States persons who are detained
under the authority of the United States,
pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 14135a(a)(1)(A), if
the agency takes fingerprints from such
individuals.

With peace about to break out in the Middle East, here is a link to news from the United Nations as President Bush visits the area.

From the two wheel rant department — this note from the Federal Highway Administration –

“Less than 1 percent of adult Americans commute to work by bicycle and another 3 percent walk to work. According to National Household Travel Survey data from 2001, roughly 41 percent of work commutes are shorter than 5 miles. For many people this is an easy distance to bike. At about 10 miles per hour, this would be a 30 minute bike ride and would put you on the way towards getting CDC’s recommended level of physical activity.”

Ok, I am no economist, but let me spin an equation.

Current High Gas Price - Federal Gas Tax = Greater Consumption = Greater Budget Deficit = Weak U.S. Dollar = Higher Gas Price = Windfall Profits for Big Oil.

If this isn’t clear to the Congress, the President, or the assorted presidential candidates, they can read the Department of Energy’s Primer On Gasoline Prices.

A potpourri of document new’s tidbits: NARA will not keep documents of the Executive Office: The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) issued a memorandum to agency records officers on March 27, 2008, stating that NARA would not conduct an end of administration web snapshot or harvest of Executive Branch websites nor require agencies to do so. This memorandum did not apply to Presidential records or to records of the Congress. GAO sellout (from FGI): This is one of those deals where the public domain got sold off … GAO gets a bit of convenience by having their stuff scanned for them, but they gave up way more than they got in the deal, and the public (including government workers and public interest groups who need to consult this data) lost big-time. Carl has put up his paper trail explaining the story. Here’s the link to the Scribd group with the full paper trail on this issue, and here’s the link to last week’s response from the GAO.The making of a passport (the movie): Under Secretary for Management Patrick F. Kennedy and State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack discuss the production process for creating a passport and its security features. The Wall (now online): Leave a tribute, a story or photograph about any of the 58,256 veterans killed or missing in the Vietnam War.

At Friday’s press briefing at the White House two topics for the Oval Office to consider:

Al Gore in ‘08 and Gas at $4.00

Q How does the White House react to the growing number of predictions that the terrible deadlock will be ended in Denver by nominating Al Gore on the second ballot?

MR. FRATTO: I don’t think I have any reaction to that at all, Les. I’ll stay out –

Q No reaction? It doesn’t even interest you, Tony?

MR. FRATTO: Not in the least, no.

AND ON GAS:

Q Tony, thank you very much. Two questions. First, could you briefly summarize the White House reaction and proposed solution to reports from California of gasoline now selling at $4.00 a gallon or more?

MR. FRATTO: Briefly summarize? No, I don’t think that’s possible, and you’re not going to have immediate short-term solutions on things like gasoline prices. It took us a long time to get to a place where the price of gasoline is where it is.

Sad coincidence — the day the Pope visits the Supremes validate death by lethal injection.

Ask the Whitehouse is a bit perplexing with this nugget of wisdom in response to a citizen:

Rob, from Nashville writes:
Why isn’t their a higher emphasis on conservation in our energy policy?

Andy Karsner, Assistant Energy Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
This is a good question and is among the first I asked myself when I was sworn into office. I’d like to make a distinction, first, however. I have always looked at this in terms of “efficiency.” For example, conservation implies doing less with less; efficiency implies doing more with less. Having said that, it’s important to keep in mind that one of the biggest sources of energy we have, is the energy we currently waste. Read the rest of this entry »