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department of veterans affairs

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This week’s FOIA round-up: Records reveal extent of U.S. mining pollution, implicate the FDA in fentanyl overprescription

by Liam Knox

February 22, 2019

In this week’s FOIA round-up, public records requests reveal pollution from U.S. mining sites is contaminating American water supplies without being treated, researchers use FOIA documents to reveal mishandling of fentanyl distribution by the Federal Drug Administration, and new records raise ethical concerns over travel expenses of senior advisor to Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie.

This week’s FOIA round-up: Millions spent protecting Confederate landmarks, conservation officials instructed to withhold records, and cops caught driving drunk allowed to Uber home

by Lucas Smolcic Larson

October 19, 2018

In this week’s FOIA round-up, public records show massive federal spending on protecting Confederate cemeteries post-Charlottesville, the Trump administration’s policy of withholding documents requested with FOIA at the Fish and Wildlife Service, and a police fraternity allowing cops to escape DUI charges in Illinois. Also, an extensive FOIA-focused report details systemic flaws in the Illinois state FOIA process.

We don’t know who’s heading up Trump’s deregulation teams

by Beryl Lipton

July 06, 2017

Two months after the deadline set via President Trump’s Executive Order 13777 directing the departments of the federal government to create Regulatory Reform Task Forces, many agencies have still not made public the members comprising the new groups. So who will be deciding which regulations make the cut? Right now, we don’t know.

Veterans Benefits Administration executives abused incentive programs, bullied subordinates

by Brian Sparks

November 10, 2015

Senior executives within the Veterans Benefits Administration misused incentive programs to benefit themselves, an Inspector General report shows. Two officials went so far as to pressure subordinates into accepting unfavorable transfers to create vacancies for themselves.