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September 30, 2016

Rep. Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican who has been pursuing documents from the attorneys general of New York and Massachusetts over their climate fraud investigations into ExxonMobil, has now set his sights on the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Smith, chairman of the House Science committee, asked the federal financial regulatory agency to provide documents related to its investigation of Exxon.


September 30, 2016

A measure authorizing leases at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs building that will lead to permanent supportive housing to homeless veterans was signed into law by President Barack Obama Thursday.

The law authored by Reps. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, and Jeff Miller, R- Florida, would give the VA secretary the ability to enter into leases that allow housing and supportive services at the building.

A plan announced earlier this year calls for 1,200 units to be made available to homeless veterans at the facility.


September 29, 2016

To intercept calls to the U.S. Secret Service, The New York Times, or Donald Trump’s campaign office, all you need is an online map service.


September 29, 2016

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) this week released its 2016 congressional scorecard on marijuana policy. Twenty U.S. representatives and two senators received an 'A' grade, indicating that "this member has publicly declared his/her support for the legalization and regulation of marijuana for adults," according to NORML (see the full list at the bottom of this article).


September 29, 2016

During the first presidential debate on Monday, Congressman Ted Lieu (D-Los Angeles) didn’t like what he heard from Republican nominee Donald Trump on nuclear weapons. The congressman said he is worried that Trump, if elected, will have the power to launch a nuclear strike.

On Tuesday, Lieu and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) introduced the First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act, which would require Congress to declare war before the president can authorize the use of nuclear weapons.


September 29, 2016

A NERD’S TOUR OF DUTY — Chris Lynch, head of the nearly one-year-old Defense Digital Service, sat down with Martin in the organization’s unconventional Pentagon office for a Q&A that’s out this morning. Lynch has already said he plans to stay on for the next administration, but other highlights include the state of recruiting for the elite IT office: “I think that it’s changed a lot.


September 29, 2016

Welcome to OVERNIGHT CYBERSECURITY, your daily rundown of the biggest news in the world of hacking and data privacy. We're here to connect the dots as leaders in government, policy and industry try to counter the rise in cyber threats. What lies ahead for Congress, the administration and the latest company under siege? Whether you're a consumer, a techie or a D.C. lifer, we're here to give you ...

THE BIG STORIES:


September 29, 2016

In today’s Top Federal Headlines, President Barack Obama nominates Glenn Fine as the new Defense Department inspector general.


September 28, 2016

Hackers could influence the outcomes of November’s elections, a computer science professor who has demonstrated security weaknesses in voting machines told lawmakers on Wednesday.

“It’s possible,” said Andrew Appel, a professor at Princeton University, at a House Oversight IT subcommittee hearing focused on election cybersecurity.


September 28, 2016

GOP presidential Donald Trump appears to have rejected 60 years of America's stance on nuclear weapons at Monday night's presidential debate.

Debate moderator Lester Holt asked both candidates if they would revert to a "No First Use" stance on nuclear weapons, meaning that the United States would never be the first country to deploy nuclear weapons in a conflict. Trump's answer could be best described as nonsensical.