Did the US press ever report Bush scrapping nuclear wathdog?

[DagmarK]

**I am wondering if the US tv or print press has reported what we learned from the Guardian in their special report in the late hours of 7/30 (ie, Wed night).

**Did anyone catch this story in the US news at all?

IF NOT......I am thinking about raising an issue of it. (Not sure how). But they ALL have the same wire services....and they watch each other's pubs.....I can't believe they didn't see a Guardian SPECIAL REPORT on US nuclear proliferation plans and strategies!

I just want to verify whether anyone saw this story come up HERE in the USA (other than on DU!)./


***************

US scraps nuclear weapons watchdog

Julian Borger in Washington
Thursday July 31, 2003

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1009497,00.html

A US department of energy panel of experts which provided independent oversight of the development of the US nuclear arsenal has been quietly disbanded by the Bush administration, it emerged yesterday.

The decision to close down the national nuclear security administration advisory committee - required by law to hold public hearings and issue public reports on nuclear weapons issues - has come just days before a closed-door meeting at a US air force base in Nebraska to discuss the development of a new generation of tactical "mini nukes" and "bunker buster" bombs, as well as an eventual resumption of nuclear testing.
Snip

Although federal law requires regular open meetings and publication of its reports, the energy department has not convened the panel since May 2002. Its reports have not been released.

The statute establishing federal advisory committees requires their dissolution to be officially gazetted in the federal register but, according to Mr Markey, the NNSA panel was disbanded by a simple email to its members.

[drdigi420]

1. I havnt seen it, but I did send it to

cnn.

Maybe some more people can push it.

[HFishbine]

2. Only saw it here

on DU

[Minstrel Boy]

3. I posted it elsewhere and was told that

"under section 14(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (of 1972), the committee was established only for a two-year period, and it terminated by operation of law in May 2003. While publication of notice of termination of the committee is required, the notice is to be published as part of an annual omnibus report concerning federal advisory committees due on or before December 31 of each year. No separate notice is required unless a committee is terminated prior to the expiration of its two-year term; in this case, of course, the committee terminated because its term expired."

The respondent suggested The Guardian story was misleading and oversimplified. I didn't know what to say. Anyone help me out?

[DagmarK]

4. Hell, whatever the US Code says is irrelevant.........

The same day the House shoots down funding for small nuclear bombettes.....the feds axe a watchdog agency. And the feds set up to work on researching a bombettes program? That sounds like NEWS to me.....I could care less what the US CODE says about the legality of axing the group.

This is an issue about the press.....and our congress critters. why are they mum on it?

[donsu]

5. I posted this yesterday

now there is no one watching what the bushgang is doing with nukes and all things nuclear.

and they committed another crime by the way they closed the panel.

where are our lawyers?

[DagmarK]

7. Exactly Donsu, but I first want to know why the NEWS isn't printing it.

How can you NOT print this. They printed that the Congress isn't buying into Bush's request for funding for this.....why not the whole story.....AS IN why the feds would circumvent the Congress anyways??? Are the feds a bunch of rogues, perhaps????

[enough]

6. Kick (nt)

.