Cambridge Analytica - Timberrrrrrrrr !!!!!

yeah that's right Injera, Trump campaign paid millions for peoples google preferences.

Clueless doesn't even begin to describe the right wing low information voter.

Similar to Obama voters then...see JC's earlier post..

must be what the alt right are telling their closed facebook groups, lol

DOnt worry injera, the left dont mind the collection of data helps their man win.

The same sort of tactics have been employed in other countries - said to emanate from Russia and to put as many Right wing and nationalist governments as possible all over Europe.
This would almost certainly help with the total break-up of the EU and possibly NATO, which would help Russia's cause.

Has the dramatic lurch to the right of politics everywhere not been noticed?
In some cases - and I include this forum, there are right-wing troll and bot farms infiltrating the internet (easy enough to look up and already acknowledged by both Facebook and Twitter), there are people whose job it is to spread the word.

The non-stop pushing of right-wing political ideology hasn't been seen on this scale before.

There is no data collection, at least that I've ever come across, on the opposite side.

Hardly anything talked about on this forum (and most others) that isn't in some way linked to politics. There used to be approximately none on this forum.

On a daily basis the same people spouting Right wing stuff, whilst at the same time taking very little, if any, part in the community spirit or feel of the place.

Social media has so much to answer for.

PLEASE DON'T START ASKING ME TO DEBATE THIS POST....
I've made my point, you're not going to change my mind, I'm not going to stop the steamroller of same old, same old.
If you don't like it, ignore it, or do the other things of
A; calling me some sort of idiot
or
B; getting the post removed

It's not all about Left v Right you know. It isn't essential to always agree with one "side" and not the other, or to try to gain POINTLESS political capital from every tiny, innocuous, media driven, snippet of misguided rubbish.
The media on the whole is led by people who earn a few bob and don't like the possibility of having to part with some.

There we go again. The same pattern. You talk about an issue. Labels start getting thrown around. The issue gets lost. Alt right, right wing, right wing low info voter and what not. The sheep will never be able to look past their hatred for the 'other side'.

Last night I was reading something on the internet. The writer made a very valid point about how Europe had protected US citizens interests in their courts on at least  3 occasions. It was all really informative till it ended with 'but Republicans are out to destroy America'. As Studyform says,people just want to gain political capital from every issue. It is never about the issue, but about which side the issue can be pinned on. People whine when politicians do this but they only encourage them to do it more often.

Anybody with any 'apps' on facebook or any 'apps' on their phones (of any brand) regularly gives all their info to those app developers who can then do what they want with that info. In theory it is anonymised but all your texts, emails and phone calls are (at the very least) logged. Anybody with WhatsApp and facebook linked is mental imo as your whole digital life is basically logged 'for future use' - this isn't conspiracy  nonsense this is all in the t+c's of those apps you buy!

Trump's win has to be blamed on someone other than the American public (cos that's a bit personal..)

So what they've done is try to blame Russia and now Facebook along with this Cambridge lot.

They cannot see that the Americans made up their mind to select a candidate who is anti politics and therefore anti establishment.

Let's have a look at Wiki and see how many US newspapers backed Clinton:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newspaper_endorsements_in_the_United_States_presidential_election,_2016

Answer: 500 One opposed her whilst not supporting Trump. So 499 for Hilary.

How many endorsed Trump?

Answer: 28. 30, yes 30 opposed him whilst not actively supporting Hilary.

So 499 for Clinton and -2 for Trump.

Wiki: 'The small number of endorsements received by Trump was unprecedented in American history for a candidate from a major party.'

AND HE STILL WON!!!!!!!!!

People can blame Putin and Facebook all they want but the focus should be on Clinton's Devon Loch moment. https://youtu.be/5xAR151sdS0

ah, whatabout?

but ....looking forwards

less chance of it happening again, but, if you are correct injera
there will be a crackpot elected at 4 yearly intervals...

we shall see

Injera is correct Establishment still can't accept the results despite the incredibly dishonest biases in their favour

trump is doing a great job at ensuring it doesnt happen again

You could be right I can't pretend to know what to believe when it comes to the reporting on Trump it's so far beyond corrupt I stopped trying to pay attention months ago.

Trump is a cheat, a bully and a liar.  He has been all his life.  It doesn't require corruption to uncover what he has done.

I'm not political so hold no persuasions either way but you have just described Hilary Clinton to me

Shame Trump is not as bad as Hilary and the leftist media.

If the establishment didn't want Trump to win, they could have easily stopped him before the elections. But he was a clown acting like a clown. And they thought he'll never win. Once he won, he was the most powerful clown in the world. I guess they have decided to let him run for 4 years as the best time to get rid of him was right after they realized he'll be president.

Trump will be wiped from the history books as an embarrassment  for all concerned - especially by the right who in 10 years time will not dare speak his name. They (the right in America ) will forever curse themselves for not finding a candidate along Trumpian lines but with an ounce of intelligence, decorum, diplomacy. bare common sense and ability to see the bigger picture and not having a desperate need to take the credit for everything and the blame for nothing. It's great watching the right wing over here defend him when (whatever you politics)  the man is clearly unfit for any public office. Just think what a vaguely competent person could have achieved by now and not care what happens in the mid terms.

Someone likened this story to someone lying on their bed and getting a bucket of cold water thrown over them.  i.e. WAKE UP!! This is how come FB is free and makes money.

If the Trump campaign used SM to their advantage more so than their opponents, it is to their credit.  The suggestion that Democrats didn't is just laughable.

Voters were just sick to death of the self righteous and sanctimonious babblings of the privileged elite when their standard of living has been going nowhere fast for a long time.  It's no other reason other than that.

And fwiw I'd have voted Clinton.  But this continuous self righteous babbling does my head in.  Nothing worse than a condescending hypocrite.

its not about using social media though

obama did that and lots of others, its about illegal use of data

so not well done to anybody that does it

Vaguely competent? Lowest African unemployment EVER! Lowest Hispanic unemployment EVER! Lowest female unemployment in 17 YEARS! Here`s a few more achievements of The Greatest President The World Has EVER Known;



    The Economy. Trump triumphed in 2016 primarily because he spoke to the angst of the average American worker who felt – correctly – forgotten and exploited by a crony globalist system that benefited only the connected few. In 2017, the real economy accelerated, as opposed to just asset prices. Worker productivity ramped up to 3 percent in the third quarter, far above the scant 1.2 percent average of the Obama years. Truck orders surged this fall and manufacturing jobs jumped higher, as November recorded the highest gains in 15 years, according to the payroll firm ADP. Reflecting this growth, small business confidence soared as National Federation of Independent Business CEO Juanita Duggan declared, “We haven’t seen this kind of optimism in 34 years.”
   
ISIS. Just months into the Trump presidency, their so-called caliphate has been crushed by a coalition organized and supported by the U.S. military. What a joy to see some of the world’s oldest Christian communities in the Mideast again worship freely at Christmas.
   
The Border. Illegal crossings have plunged as much as 60 percent vs. pre-Trump levels. Clear-eyed rhetoric and an invigorated ICE show immediate results as we reclaim control from human and drug smugglers. ICE Director Thomas Homan recently said that “the president has done more for border security and public safety than any of the six presidents I’ve worked for.”
   
Judges. Perhaps the longest legacy of Trump will be in the judiciary. In 2017, he fulfilled a campaign promise by getting conservative judges seated, including Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court and a record pace of 12 Circuit Court confirmations.

    Taxes. Trump did what hasn’t been done in Washington since the top movie was “Top Gun”: He signed comprehensive tax reform. I believe that immediate business expensing will become the most potent of these improvements as companies large and small will finally invest aggressively in capital expenditures – new software, plants, equipment.

    Regulation. The administrative state empowered the bureaucratic swamp at the expense of American entrepreneurs. By one key measure of regulatory growth -- the page count of the Federal Register, which lists all new rules -- Trump reduced regulation by almost 50 percent in 2017.

    Religious liberty. Trump ended the government war on groups like the Little Sisters of the Poor, and ordered exemptions for religious groups that cannot, by conscience, pay for practices they reject such as abortion-inducing medications.

    Trade agreements. Trump’s put the world on notice that America will no longer be exploited at the bargaining table with pacts that may benefit U.S. corporate chieftains but not American workers. Exiting TPP and demanding a re-negotiation of NAFTA represent important achievements for economic nationalism.

    Military buildup. Trump just signed a 2018 defense budget that features -- pending congressional rollback of the 2011 budget sequester -- large increases overall, including for troop salaries and missile defense. The president also finally demanded that our wealthy NATO allies pay their fair share for defense of the West.

    Russia. Contrary to the unceasing mainstream media narrative, Trump pursued tough policies against Vladimir Putin and Russia. He armed the Ukraine, denounced Russian aggression in his historic Warsaw speech, and slapped serious new sanctions on Moscow. So much for being Putin’s “puppet.”

To be sure, not every White House move in 2017 worked. For example, the first travel ban rollout was incredibly sloppy. Jeff Sessions should never have been made attorney general, given his widely known inherent conflicts regarding any Russian investigations. James Comey should have been fired as FBI director on Jan 21.

Still, despite the cacophony of clamoring critics on the left, both in Washington and in legacy media, the real Trump record of 2017 reveals the efficacy of America’s first entrepreneur-in-chief. Real results have made the swamp less daunting and made America more prosperous and safe. May those 2017 gains lead to even more successes in 2018.

www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2017/12/30/trumps_2017_top_10_achievements_135885.html


Further educational reading for lefties;



Year One List: 81 major Trump achievements, 11 Obama legacy items repealed

With the passage of the GOP tax bill this week, the Trump administration has scored 81 major achievements in its first year, making good on campaign promises to provide significant tax cuts, boost U.S. energy production, and restore respect to the United States, according to the White House.

And along the way, President Trump even outdid his own expectations and slashed at least 11 major legacy items of former President Barack Obama, including cracking down on the open border, slowing recognition of communist Cuba and effectively killing Obamacare by ending the mandate that everyone have health insurance or face a tax.

According to the White House, the 81 accomplishments are in 12 major categories and include well over 100 other minor achievements.

The unofficial list helps to counter the impression in the mainstream media and among congressional Democrats that outside the approval of Supreme Court Neil Gorsuch and passage of the tax reform bill little was done.


Jobs and the economy

    Passage of the tax reform bill providing $5.5 billion in cuts and repealing the Obamacare mandate.
    Increase of the GDP above 3 percent.
    Creation of 1.7 million new jobs, cutting unemployment to 4.1 percent.
    Saw the Dow Jones reach record highs.
    A rebound in economic confidence to a 17-year high.
    A new executive order to boost apprenticeships.
    A move to boost computer sciences in Education Department programs.
    Prioritizing women-owned businesses for some $500 million in SBA loans.

Killing job-stifling regulations

    Signed an Executive Order demanding that two regulations be killed for every new one creates. He beat that big and cut 16 rules and regulations for every one created, saving $8.1 billion.
    Signed 15 congressional regulatory cuts.
    Withdrew from the Obama-era Paris Climate Agreement, ending the threat of environmental regulations.
    Signed an Executive Order cutting the time for infrastructure permit approvals.
    Eliminated an Obama rule on streams that Trump felt unfairly targeted the coal industry.

Fair trade

    Made good on his campaign promise to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
    Opened up the North American Free Trade Agreement for talks to better the deal for the U.S.
    Worked to bring companies back to the U.S., and companies like Toyota, Mazda, Broadcom Limited, and Foxconn announced plans to open U.S. plants.
    Worked to promote the sale of U.S products abroad.
    Made enforcement of U.S. trade laws, especially those that involve national security, a priority.
    Ended Obama’s deal with Cuba.

Boosting U.S. energy dominance

    The Department of Interior, which has led the way in cutting regulations, opened plans to lease 77 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas drilling.
    Trump traveled the world to promote the sale and use of U.S. energy.
    Expanded energy infrastructure projects like the Keystone XL Pipeline snubbed by Obama.
    Ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to kill Obama’s Clean Power Plan.
    EPA is reconsidering Obama rules on methane emissions.

Protecting the U.S. homeland

    Laid out new principles for reforming immigration and announced plan to end "chain migration," which lets one legal immigrant to bring in dozens of family members.
    Made progress to build the border wall with Mexico.
    Ended the Obama-era “catch and release” of illegal immigrants.
    Boosted the arrests of illegals inside the U.S.
    Doubled the number of counties participating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement charged with deporting illegals.
    Removed 36 percent more criminal gang members than in fiscal 2016.
    Started the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program.
    Ditto for other amnesty programs like Deferred Action for Parents of Americans.
    Cracking down on some 300 sanctuary cities that defy ICE but still get federal dollars.
    Added some 100 new immigration judges.

Protecting communities

    Justice announced grants of $98 million to fund 802 new cops.
    Justice worked with Central American nations to arrest and charge 4,000 MS-13 members.
    Homeland rounded up nearly 800 MS-13 members, an 83 percent one-year increase.
    Signed three executive orders aimed at cracking down on international criminal organizations.
    Attorney General Jeff Sessions created new National Public Safety Partnership, a cooperative initiative with cities to reduce violent crimes.

Accountability

    Trump has nominated 73 federal judges and won his nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.
    Ordered ethical standards including a lobbying ban.
    Called for a comprehensive plan to reorganize the executive branch.
    Ordered an overhaul to modernize the digital government.
    Called for a full audit of the Pentagon and its spending.

Combatting opioids

    First, the president declared a Nationwide Public Health Emergency on opioids.
    His Council of Economic Advisors played a role in determining that overdoses are underreported by as much as 24 percent.
    The Department of Health and Human Services laid out a new five-point strategy to fight the crisis.
    Justice announced it was scheduling fentanyl substances as a drug class under the Controlled Substances Act.
    Justice started a fraud crackdown, arresting more than 400.
    The administration added $500 million to fight the crisis.
    On National Drug Take Back Day, the Drug Enforcement Agency collected 456 tons.

Protecting life

    In his first week, Trump reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy that blocks some $9 billion in foreign aid being used for abortions.
    Worked with Congress on a bill overturning an Obama regulation that blocked states from defunding abortion providers.
    Published guidance to block Obamacare money from supporting abortion.

Helping veterans

    Signed the Veterans Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act to allow senior officials in the Department of Veterans Affairs to fire failing employees and establish safeguards to protect whistleblowers.
    Signed the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act.
    Signed the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, to provide support.
    Signed the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017 to authorize $2.1 billion in additional funds for the Veterans Choice Program.
    Created a VA hotline.
    Had the VA launch an online “Access and Quality Tool,” providing veterans with a way to access wait time and quality of care data.
    With VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin, announced three initiatives to expand access to healthcare for veterans using telehealth technology.

Promoting peace through strength

    Directed the rebuilding of the military and ordered a new national strategy and nuclear posture review.
    Worked to increase defense spending.
    Empowered military leaders to “seize the initiative and win,” reducing the need for a White House sign off on every mission.
    Directed the revival of the National Space Council to develop space war strategies.
    Elevated U.S. Cyber Command into a major warfighting command.
    Withdrew from the U.N. Global Compact on Migration, which Trump saw as a threat to borders.
    Imposed a travel ban on nations that lack border and anti-terrorism security.
    Saw ISIS lose virtually all of its territory.
    Pushed for strong action against global outlaw North Korea and its development of nuclear weapons.
    Announced a new Afghanistan strategy that strengthens support for U.S. forces at war with terrorism.
    NATO increased support for the war in Afghanistan.
    Approved a new Iran strategy plan focused on neutralizing the country’s influence in the region.
    Ordered missile strikes against a Syrian airbase used in a chemical weapons attack.
    Prevented subsequent chemical attacks by announcing a plan to detect them better and warned of future strikes if they were used.
    Ordered new sanctions on the dictatorship in Venezuela.

Restoring confidence in and respect for America

    Trump won the release of Americans held abroad, often using his personal relationships with world leaders.
    Made good on a campaign promise to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
    Conducted a historic 12-day trip through Asia, winning new cooperative deals. On the trip, he attended three regional summits to promote American interests.
    He traveled to the Middle East and Europe to build new relationships with leaders.
    Traveled to Poland and on to Germany for the G-20 meeting where he pushed again for funding of women entrepreneurs.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/year-one-list-81-major-trump-achievements-11-obama-legacy-items-repealed



So, vaguely competent, or the finest first year for any President, anywhere, EVER? I think we all know the answer, don`t we? It`s just that lefties persist in denials,

obama did that and lots of others, its about illegal use of data

It's about trying to pin something on the anti establishment candidate as the establishment have been doing from day one.  I don't think for one minute than any Presidential campaign was close to being beyond reproach.

^^^Obviously mt first line should read `African-Americans`. Even good and right thinking people make the odd typo; the difference is, we admit our mistakes, lefties cover them up.

no its about following the illegal use of data and seeing where it goes

if clinton, the tories, labour, lib dems or some fobt supplier has been at it
then it needs to be followed up too

As it was largely ignored on the Trump thread, I'm posting it here:

This is timbuctooth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1FxfR3lg6Q

(it's only 39 seconds long)

As a matter of interest: there is a BOOK which is MUCH longer then timbuctooth's long post, which is called the List
It's by Amy Siskind. It's more or less the opposite of the nonsense posted above.

Right thinking people should be nauseous about the Trump administration

What exactly Kushner and the Saudi royal talked about in Riyadh may be known only to them, but after the meeting, Crown Prince Mohammed told confidants that Kushner had discussed the names of Saudis disloyal to the crown prince, according to three sources who have been in contact with members of the Saudi and Emirati royal families since the crackdown. Kushner, through his attorney’s spokesperson, denies having done so.

......

We could not understand why the Trump administration was so firmly taking the Saudis’ side in this dispute between the Saudis, the Emiratis, and Qatar, because the United States has very important interests in Qatar,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told George Stephanopoulos, host of ABC’s “This Week,” after The Intercept reported on Kushner Companies’ efforts to obtain financing from Qatar. Murphy was referring to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, home of U.S. Central Command, where thousands of U.S. troops are stationed.

“If the reason this administration put U.S. troops at risk in Qatar was to protect the Kushners’ financial interests, then that’s all the evidence you need to make some big changes in the White House,” Murphy said.

https://theintercept.com/2018/03/21/jared-kushner-saudi
-crown-prince-mohammed-bin-salman/

I presume you'd never given US politics any attention whatsoever until Trump was elected Tim - I could trawl the internet looking for a counter report but why bother as so much is (very) contentious and thus pointless debating? In the first calendar year he has signed the fewest bills of any president (96). This is everything he has signed and amendments


October 18, 2017: S.178 - Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act
This bipartisan law "establishes requirements for the Department of Justice (DOJ) with respect to investigating and prosecuting elder abuse crimes and enforcing elder abuse laws." These requirements include the creation of a working group and comprehensive training for FBI agents. It also enhances victim assistance and aims to improve data collection.
August 2, 2017: H.R. 3364 - Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act
This legislation levies new sanctions against Russia and restricts Trump's own ability to ease sanctions in place against Moscow. The bill passed overwhelmingly in Congress. In a statement, Trump called the legislation "seriously flawed."
June 23, 2017: S. 1094 - "Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017"
This law gives the agency's leaders the ability to fire inept employees and protect those who uncover and report wrongdoing at the VA. Its signing represents the completion of one of Trump's campaign promises. It passed both bodies of Congress with broad bipartisan support.
Legislation that amends or expands upon existing laws
January 12, 2018: H.R.2611 - Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site Boundary Modification Act
This law modifies the boundaries of the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site.
January 12, 2018: H.R.518 - EPS Improvement Act of 2017
This law exempts certain power supplies from energy conservation standards.
January 10,2018: H.R.863 - To facilitate the addition of park administration at the Coltsville National Historical Park, and for other purposes.
This law amends current provisions related to the Coltsville National Historic Park.
January 10, 2018: H.R.699 - Mount Hood Cooper Spur Land Exchange Clarification Act
This law modifies existing provisions "relating to certain land exchanges in the Mt. Hood Wilderness in the State of Oregon."
January 8, 2018: H.R.1306 - Western Oregon Tribal Fairness Act
"This bill requires that 17,519 acres of land be held in trust for, and be part of the reservation of, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians."
January 8, 2018: H.R.560 - To amend the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Improvement Act to provide access to certain vehicles serving residents of municipalities adjacent to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and for other purposes.
January 8, 2018: S.1766 - SAFER Act of 2017
This law aims to continues to reduce the rape kit backlog and makes technical changes to the DNA Sexual Assault Justice Act of 2004.
January 8, 2018: S.1532 - No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act
This law permanently disqualifies those who have committed a felony involving human trafficking from operating a commercial motor vehicle.
January 8, 2018: S.1393 - Jobs for Our Heroes Act
This law makes it easier for veterans to apply for commercial drivers licenses.
January 3, 2018: H.R.4661 - United States Fire Administration, AFG, and SAFER Program Reauthorization Act of 2017
This reauthorizes and expands certain grant programs for firefighters.
January 3, 2018: S.2273 - A bill to extend the period during which vessels that are shorter than 79 feet in length and fishing vessels are not required to have a permit for discharges incidental to the normal operation of the vessel
This law "extends from December 18, 2017, to January 19, 2018, the moratorium on the requirement for Clean Water Act permitting of incidental discharges from certain vessels," according to a White House statement.
January 3, 2018: S.1536 - Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act
This law designates a "human trafficking prevention coordinator" and expands "the scope of activities authorized under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's outreach and education program to include human trafficking prevention activities."
December 22, 2017: H.R.1370 - An Act to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to issue Department of Homeland Security-wide guidance and develop training programs as part of the Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign, and for other purposes.
This law establishes a unified, anti-human trafficking campaign known as the Blue Campaign within the Department of Homeland Security.
Play Video
Trump signs sweeping tax overhaul 01:49
December 22, 2017: H.R. 1- An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018
Better known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, this law brings the most sweeping overhaul of the US tax system in more than 30 years. The plan -- which critics say is heavily weighted to ease the tax burden on businesses rather than the middle class -- drops the corporate tax rate down from 35% to 21%, repeals the corporate alternative minimum tax, nearly doubles the standard deduction for individuals and restructures the way pass-through businesses are taxed. The bill keeps seven personal income tax brackets and lowers that tax rates for most brackets, including dropping the top rate to 37% from 39.6%.
December 18, 2017: H.R.228 - Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Consolidation Act of 2017
"This bill amends the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 to rename the Act to the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Act of 1992 and to revise the program that provides for the integration of employment, training, and related services programs for Indian tribes."
December 12, 2017: H.R.4374 - To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to authorize additional emergency uses for medical products to reduce deaths and severity of injuries caused by agents of war, and for other purposes.
This law "amends statutory authority for use of unapproved medical products during a military emergency, to expedite development and review of medical products for military emergency use, and to improve cross-government coordination on development and review of such medical products," according to a White House release.
November 21, 2017: H.R.3949 - VALOR Act
This law expands access to apprenticeship programs for veterans.
November 21, 2017: H.R.3243 - FITARA Enhancement Act of 2017
This law expands expiring provisions of the Federal Information Technology Acquisition and Reform Act, which made changes to the way federal agencies made information technology decisions.
November 21, 2017: H.R.1545 - VA Prescription Data Accountability Act 2017
This law authorizes the VA to disclose certain patient information to substance monitoring programs.
November 21, 2017: H.R.194 - Federal Agency Mail Management Act of 2017
"This bill amends the Presidential and Federal Records Act Amendments of 2014 to require the General Services Administration (GSA) to provide guidance and assistance to federal agencies for effective mail processing."
November 17, 2017: H.R.3031 - TSP Modernization Act of 2017
"This bill modifies the rules relating to withdrawals from the Thrift Saving Plan (TSP) accounts of former federal employees and Members of Congress."
November 17, 2017: H.R.304 - Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017
This law authorizes the Department of Justice to register EMS agencies so they will be allowed to administer controlled substances to those in emergency situations.
November 2, 2017: H.R.1616 - Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017
This law amends existing legislation in order to create a National Computer Forensics Institute within US Secret Service. The institute will be tasked with "educating ... officers, prosecutors, and judges on current cyber and electronic crimes and related threats" among other duties. It also amends a separate piece of existing legislation, "authorizing the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance to enter into a cooperative agreement or make a grant for training and technical assistance to help law enforcement officers, investigators, auditors, and prosecutors identify, investigate, and prosecute white collar crime."
November 2, 2017: H.R.1329 - Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2017
This law increases "the rates of veterans' wartime disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children."
November 2, 2017: S.782 - PROTECT Our Children Act of 2017
This reauthorizes the National Internet Crimes Against Children Data System and the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction through FY 2022.
November 2, 2017: S.504 - Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2017
This law outlines authorizes Customs and Border Patrol to issue Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card (ABT Card) to eligible individuals. The card "allows business travelers pre-cleared, facilitated short-term entry to participating member economies," according to APEC.
November 2, 2017: S.190 - Power And Security Systems (PASS) Act
This law requires the Department of Energy "to issue a rule by July 1, 2021, that determines whether energy conservation standards for external power supplies should be amended."
November 1, 2017: H.J.Res.111 - Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Arbitration Agreements".
October 18, 2017: S.652 - Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2017
This act "amends the Public Health Service Act to revise programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing newborns and infants, including to expand the programs to include young children."
October 6, 2017: S.327 - Fair Access to Investment Research Act of 2017
This law "directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to establish and implement a 'safe harbor' for certain investment fund research reports published by brokers and dealers."
September 29, 2017: H.R.3823 - Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017
This law reauthorizes the airport improvement program, extends certain expiring programs and benefits, and modifies the IRS code to allow for "various tax credits, deductions, and modifications to existing rules for individuals and businesses affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria."
September 29, 2017: H.R.3819 - Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2017
This law extends "certain expiring provisions of law administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs," including some related to health care, transportation, benefits, and homelessness.
September 27, 2017: H.R. 3110 - Financial Stability Oversight Council Insurance Member Continuity Act
This law modifies an existing law to allow the independent member of the Federal Stability Oversight Council -- which monitors the US' financial stability -- to stay on 18 months past the end of their term or until a new member has been confirmed (whichever comes earlier).
August 23, 2017: H.R. 2288 - Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017
This law makes it easier for veterans to appeal decisions on disability claims through the VA.
August 22, 2017: H.R. 339 - Northern Mariana Islands Economic Expansion Act
This new law blocks new construction-related permits for non-immigrant workers in the Northern Mariana Islands. The bill was introduced in response to Chinese construction companies using up thousands of the temporary permits.
August 18, 2017: H.R. 510 - Rapid DNA Act of 2017
This law requires the FBI to make guidelines about using an automated DNA sample analysis process dubbed "Rapid DNA." It also allows DNA samples collected under these standards to be included in the FBI's database for DNA information.
August 18, 2017: H.R. 374 - To remove the sunset provision of section 203 of Public Law 105-384, and for other purposes
This law strips an expiration date from a law allowing Washington, Oregon and California to make state laws on fishing in any Dungeness crab fishery not included under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
August 16, 2017: H.R. 3218 - Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017
Also known as the "Forever GI Bill," this law expands opportunity for veterans to use their educational benefits, most prominently getting rid of a 15-year time limit on using educational benefits for veterans who left active duty in 2013 or later. It also makes it easier for veterans to find schools that give them priority enrollment. It passed unanimously in the House and Senate.
August 4, 2017: H.R. 3298 - Wounded Officers Recovery Act of 2017
In the wake of the shooting at a congressional baseball practice in Virginia, Trump signed a bill to let Capitol Police officers injured in the line of duty receive money to help pay for medical expenses.
June 30, 2017: H.R. 1238 - Securing our Agriculture and Food Act
This law amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 in relation to DHS efforts to defend "the food, agriculture, and veterinary systems of the United States against terrorism and other high-consequence events that pose a high risk to homeland security."
June 14, 2017: H.R. 657 - "Follow the Rules Act"
This law protects federal employees from retaliation for refusing to violate a federal rule or regulation. It expands upon the protections of the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1987, which shields employees from backlash for refusing an order to violate federal law.
June 6, 2017: H.R. 366 - "DHS Stop Asset and Vehicle Excess Act" aka the "DHS SAVE Act"
This law amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and seeks to improve management of the Department of Homeland Security's vehicle fleet. It authorizes the DHS undersecretary for management to oversee the fleet and requires regular analysis and evaluation of it.
June 2, 2017: S. 583 - American Law Enforcement Heroes Act of 2017
This law amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to prioritize the hiring of veterans in the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program.
June 2, 2017: S. 419 - Public Safety Officers' Benefits Improvement Act of 2017
This law also amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to "require adequate reporting on the Public Safety Officers' Benefits program." This program provides death and education benefits to law enforcement officials, firefighters, and other first responders who are killed in the line of duty.
April 19, 2017: S. 544 - "An Act to amend the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to modify the termination date for the Veterans Choice Program, and for other purposes"
This law extends the "Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014," eliminating its August 7, 2017 sunset date and allowing it function until the money in the Veterans Choice Fund is gone. It also makes the VA the primary payer for "for medical care relating to non-service connected disabilities" and allows the VA to share medical information with non-VA agencies providing medical services to veterans.
(Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images)
(Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images)
Legislation described as rolling back Obama-era policies
May 17, 2017: H.J.Res. 66 - "Joint Resolution disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to savings arrangements established by States for non-governmental employees"
This resolution rolls back an Obama-era rule that exempted state-created retirement plans from the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which sets the standards for workplace savings plans. The Department of Labor had issued the rule in August 2016.
May 12, 2017: S. 496 - "An Act to repeal the rule issued by the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration entitled 'Metropolitan Planning Organization Coordination and Planning Area Reform'"
This law repeals the "Metropolitan Planning Organization Coordination and Planning Area Reform." The Obama-era rule, issued jointly by the Federal Transit Administration, the US Department of Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration, was meant to revise transportation planning regulations.
April 13, 2017: H.J.Res. 67 - "Joint Resolution disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to savings arrangements established by qualified State political subdivisions for non-governmental employees"
This resolution also rolls back the Obama-era rule that exempted state-created retirement plans from the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which sets the standards for workplace savings plans. The Department of Labor had issued the rule in August 2016.
Play Video
Trump signs anti-Planned Parenthood law 01:15
April 13, 2017: H.J.Res. 43 - "Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the final rule submitted by Secretary of Health and Human Services relating to compliance with title X requirements by project recipients in selecting subrecipients"
This law reverses an Obama-era rule that prevented states from withholding federal funding to facilities that perform abortions, including Planned Parenthood. Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote on the measure after two Republican Senators opposed it.
April 3, 2017: S.J. Res. 34 "A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission relating to 'Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and Other Telecommunications Services' "
This law repeals Obama-era protections that required Internet service providers to get permission before collecting and sharing data customer data. Those protections had not gone into effect before they were rescinded.
April 3, 2017: H.J. Res. 83 - "Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to 'Clarification of Employer's Continuing Obligation to Make and Maintain an Accurate Record of Each Recordable Injury and Illness'"
This resolution rolls back a rule issued by the Department of Labor under President Obama, which said that employers must make and maintain accurate records of work-related injuries and illnesses, and those who did not could be cited within five years of the violation. This repeal now re-enacts a six month statute of limitations on violations.
April 3, 2017: H.J.Res. 69 - "Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the final rule of the Department of the Interior relating to 'Non-Subsistence Take of Wildlife, and Public Participation and Closure Procedures, on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska'"
This resolution repeals an Obama-era rule issued by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which prohibited certain kinds of wildlife hunting methods, such as aerial hunting of bears and wolves and bear-baiting, in Alaska.
March 31, 2017: H.J.Res.42 - "Joint Resolution disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to drug testing of unemployment compensation applicants"
This resolution repeals an Obama-era Labor Department rule that limited states' ability to drug-test those seeking unemployment benefits.
March 27, 2017: H.J.Res.57 - "Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to accountability and State plans under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965"
This resolution nullifies an Obama-era Education Department regulation on "accountability" metrics for schools. The rule had required states to develop "accountability systems" which took into account "multiple measures of school success, including academic outcomes, student progress, and school quality."
March 27, 2017: H.J. Res. 58 - "Joint Resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to teacher preparation issues"
This resolution strikes down another Obama-era Education Department regulation that established definitions and requirements for states and higher education institution to develop ways to assess teacher preparation.
March 27, 2017: H.J. Res. 44 - "Joint Resolution disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of the Interior relating to Bureau of Land Management regulations that establish the procedures used to prepare, revise, or amend land use plans pursuant to the Federal Land"
This resolution halts an Obama administration plan for the millions of acres managed by the Bureau of Land Management, especially those concentrated in the Western United States.
March 27, 2017: H.J. Res. 37 - "Joint Resolution disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration relating to the Federal Acquisition Regulation"
This legislation voids an executive order Obama signed in August 2016 that looked to protect government contractors by requiring employers to disclose labor law violations, including wage theft, unsafe working conditions and hiring discrimination.
February 28, 2017: H.J.Res. 40 - "Joint Resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007"
This measure rolls back an Obama-era regulation aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of some severely mentally ill people. The regulation, finalized in December 2016, required the Social Security Administration to disclose information quarterly to the national gun background check system about certain people with mental illness.
February 16, 2017: H.J.Res.38 - "Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of the Interior known as the Stream Protection Rule"
This legislation nixes an Obama-era regulation meant to protect federal waterways from coal-mining waste.
February 14, 2017: H.J.Res.41 - "Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of a rule submitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to 'Disclosure of Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers'"
This measure rolls back an Obama-era rule that required "resource extraction issuers to disclose payments made to governments for the commercial development of oil, natural gas or minerals."
US President Donald Trump signs a Buy American, Hire American Executive Order at Snap-On Tools in Kenosha, Wisconsin, April 18, 2017.
US President Donald Trump signs a Buy American, Hire American Executive Order at Snap-On Tools in Kenosha, Wisconsin, April 18, 2017.
Ceremonial, symbolic and initiative-creating legislation
January 12, 2018: H.R.954 - To remove the use restrictions on certain land transferred to Rockingham County, Virginia, and for other purposes.
January 10, 2018: H.R.2228 - Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017
This law "directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to report on Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs mental health practices and services that could be adopted by law enforcement agencies."
January 10, 2018: H.R.381 - To designate a mountain in the John Muir Wilderness of the Sierra National Forest as "Sky Point"
January 8, 2018: H.R.1927 - African American Civil Rights Network Act of 2017
This law establishes a Civil Rights Network in the National Park Service.
January 8, 2018: H.R.1242 - 400 Years of African-American History Commission Act
"This bill establishes the 400 Years of African-American History Commission to develop and carry out activities throughout the United States to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans in the English colonies at Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619."
January 8, 2018: H.R.267 - Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act of 2017
"This bill redesignates the Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site in the state of Georgia as the "Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park." The bill replaces the current boundary map with a map of a proposed boundary revision dated June 2015."
November 2, 2017: H.R.2989 - Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission Act
This law creates the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission to "plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities to honor Frederick Douglass for the bicentennial anniversary of his birth" and "recommend the federal government entities appropriate to carry out such programs and activities."
November 2, 2017: S.1617 - Javier Vega, Jr. Memorial Act of 2017
This renames a border patrol checkpoint in Sarita, Texas.
October 6, 2017: H.R.2519 - The American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act
This law "requires the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue gold, silver, and half-dollar clad commemorative coins in recognition and celebration of the 100th anniversary of the American Legion."
October 6, 2017: S.1141 - Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017
This act is aimed at promoting women's roles "in conflict prevention, management, and resolution and post-conflict relief and recovery efforts" by mandating that Trump administration develop and implement a "Women, Peace, and Security Strategy."
October 6, 2017: S.810 - A bill to facilitate construction of a bridge on certain property in Christian County, Missouri, and for other purposes.
This law authorizes the construction of a bridge in Ozark, Missouri and "exempts the project from deed restrictions imposed on the proposed construction site by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)," according to the CBO analysis.
Play Video
Bob Dole gets assistance to stand for the flag 01:00
September 15, 2017: S. 1616 - Bob Dole Congressional Gold Medal Act
This law arranges for former Sen. Bob Dole to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress. He was awarded the honor during a ceremony in January 2018.
September 14, 2017: S.J. Res 49 - Joint resolution condemning the violence and domestic terrorist attack that took place during events between August 11 and August 12, 2017, in Charlottesville, Virginia, recognizing the first responders who lost their lives while monitoring the events, offering deepest condolences to the families and friends of those individuals who were killed and deepest sympathies and support to those individuals who were injured by the violence, expressing support for the Charlottesville community, rejecting White nationalists, White supremacists, the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, and other hate groups, and urging the President and the President's Cabinet to use all available resources to address the threats posed by those groups.
This law came in response to white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia that took the life of counter-protester Heather Heyer. Two Virginia State Patrol troopers were killed in a helicopter crash while "assisting public safety resources with the ongoing situation in Charlottesville," the agency said. Trump was slammed for blaming the violence on "both sides."
"As one people, let us move forward to rediscover the bonds of love and loyalty that bring us together as Americans," he said in a statement upon signing the resolution.
August 18, 2017: H.R. 873 - Global War on Terrorism War Memorial Act
This law calls for a memorial to US military who fought in the war on terrorism to be built on the National Mall. The construction of the memorial, which will accompany remembrances like the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, will be overseen by the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation.
August 16, 2017: H.R. 2210 - To designate the community living center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Butler Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, as the "Sergeant Joseph George Kusick VA Community Living Center"
This bill renames a Veterans Affairs community living center after Sergeant Joseph George Kusick, an army radio operator who died when his helicopter was shot down in the Vietnam War in 1967.
June 6, 2017: H.R. 375 - "An Act to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 719 Church Street in Nashville, Tennessee, as the 'Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and United States Courthouse'"
This law renames a federal building in Nashville in honor of former Tennessee senator and actor Fred Thompson. Thompson died in November 2015 at the age of 73.
May 8, 2017: H.R. 534 - "U.S. Wants to Compete for a World Expo Act"
This law authorizes the State Department to rejoin the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) "to promote public diplomacy, global branding, and tourism to the United States."
March 31, 2017: S.J.Res.1 - "Joint Resolution approving the location of a memorial to commemorate and honor the members of the Armed Forces who served on active duty in support of Operation Desert Storm or Operation Desert Shield"
This resolution approves a location on the National Mall in Washington, DC to create a memorial to Gulf War veterans.
March 31, 2017: H.R.1362 - "An Act to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Pago Pago, American Samoa, the Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin VA Clinic"
This law designates a name for a VA clinic in American Samoa.
March 28, 2017: S. 305 - "Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017"
This bill adds National Vietnam War Vetarans Day (March 29) as a holiday upon which the American flag should be prominently displayed.
March 13, 2017: H.R.609 - "To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs health care center in Center Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, as the 'Abie Abraham VA Clinic'"
This legislation renamed a VA health center in Pennsylvania after Abie Abraham, a World War II veteran.
February 28, 2017: H.R. 321 - "Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act"
This act aims to promote the advancement of women in NASA and the STEM fields through a number of educational and mentorship initiatives.
February 28, 2017: H.R. 255 - "Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act"
As Trump said when he signed this legislation, it "enables the National Science Foundation to support women inventors -- which there are many -- researchers, and scientists in bringing their discoveries to the business world."
Legislation related to funding or government operations
January 19, 2018: S.139 - FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017
This reauthorizes a controversial portion of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act until December 31, 2023. Section 702 allows the US government to collect communications, such as emails and phone records, of foreigners on foreign soil without a warrant.
January 10, 2018: H.R.2331 - Connected Government Act
This law requires federal agencies to make their websites mobile friendly.
January 10, 2018: H.R.2142 - INTERDICT Act
This law is aimed at improving Customs and Border Protections' ability "to interdict fentanyl, other synthetic opioids, and other narcotics and psychoactive substances that are illegally imported into the United States."
December 20, 2017: S.1266 - Enhancing Veteran Care Act
This law allows for independent oversight of VA medical centers.
December 18, 2017: S.371 - Department of State Authorities Act, Fiscal Year 2017, Improvements Act
This legislation makes several technical changes to the Department of State Authorities Act and "provides the House and Senate Appropriations Committees with oversight authority regarding congressional reports on: high-risk diplomatic and consular posts, embassy construction costs, combating sexual exploitation in United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping operations, Department of State overseas staffing levels, and reducing illicit drug supply and abuse in the Western Hemisphere."
December 12, 2017: H.R.2810 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018
This law appropriates nearly $700 billion to the Department of Defense for FY2018. The annual legislation authorizes a major hike in military spending and exceeds the $54 billion defense budget increase requested by President Donald Trump for 2018 that aimed for more aircraft and ships. It fully authorizes a pay increase for service members, increased missile defense, and adds additional ships and aircraft.
December 8, 2017: H.J.Res.123 - Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes.
This was a stopgap funding bill to keep the federal government running for an additional two weeks.
November 21, 2017: H.R.1679 - FEMA Accountability, Modernization and Transparency Act of 2017
This law aims to modernize FEMA grant programs.
November 2, 2017: S.920 - National Clinical Care Commission Act
This establishes a commission in the Department of Health and Human Services to evaluate "federal programs related to clinical care for individuals with a complex metabolic or autoimmune disease such as diabetes."
October 26, 2017: H.R.2266 - Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, 2017
This law "provides supplemental appropriations for disaster relief, reauthorizes temporary bankruptcy judgeships, and revises requirements regarding the U.S. Trustee System Fund and bankruptcy."
October 26, 2017: S.585 - Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017
This law expands whistleblower protections for federal employees.
October 18, 2017: H.R.1117 - To require the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to submit a report regarding certain plans regarding assistance to applicants and grantees during the response to an emergency or disaster.
September 29, 2017: S. 1866 - Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria Education Relief Act of 2017
This law authorizes the Department of Education to waive certain matching funds requirement for schools in areas affected by the hurricanes or schools enrolling students from those areas. It also requires that a grant program be distributed to private schools on an equitable basis.
September 15, 2017: H.R. 624 - Social Security Number Fraud Prevention Act of 2017
Among other things, this law restricts the inclusion of Social Security Numbers (SSNs) on documents sent by mail by the federal Government, according to the Social Security Administration.
September 12, 2017: H.R. 3732 - Emergency Aid to American Survivors of Hurricanes Irma and Jose Overseas Act
In the wake of the devastating hurricanes, this law increases the amount of "temporary assistance" (money, temporary lodging, transportation, and other goods and services) that can be provided to US citizens abroad).
September 8, 2017: H.R. 601- Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 and Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, 2017
This law paired emergency funding for hurricane relief with measures that raised the debt ceiling and kept the government open for three months. It passed after President Trump struck a surprise deal with Democratic leaders.
August 22, 2017: H.J.Res. 76 - Granting the consent and approval of Congress for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Maryland, and the District of Columbia to enter into a compact relating to the establishment of the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission
This law lets Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia form a new panel called the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission to oversee safety of the DC-area public transportation Metro train system.
August 18, 2017: H.R. 2430 - FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017
This bill re-authorizes previous laws outlining user-fee programs for prescription drugs, medical devices and generic drugs through 2022. It also tweaks FDA reporting requirements and inspection rules for medical equipment.
August 12, 2017: S. 114 - To authorize appropriations and to appropriate amounts for the Veterans Choice Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to improve hiring authorities of the Department, to authorize major medical facility leases, and for other purposes
Aiming to increase transparency under this new law, the Department of Veterans Affairs must report back to Congressional panels each year about bonuses given to its regional leadership.
June 27, 2017: S.1083 - A bill to amend section 1214 of title 5, United States Code, to provide for stays during a period that the Merit Systems Protection Board lacks a quorum.
This law amends part of the US code to "provide for stays during a period that the Merit Systems Protection Board lacks a quorum." The MSPB is a quasi-judicial agency that "provides federal employees with an opportunity to appeal adverse and unfair personnel decisions."
May 16, 2017: H.R. 274 - Modernizing Government Travel Act
This law requires the General Services Administration (GSA) to implement regulations that allow for reimbursement for travel using "innovative mobility technology" such as Uber, Lyft or bike-share programs.
May 5, 2017: H.R. 244 - "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017"
This omnibus bill provides $1.1 trillion to fund federal agencies for the remainder of the fiscal year (through September 2017). The President signed the bill into law just hours before the deadline, narrowly averting a government shutdown.
April 28, 2017: H.J.Res. 99 - "Joint Resolution making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2017, and for other purposes"
This resolution extended funding for the federal government until May 5 in order to prevent a shutdown.
April 19, 2017: S.J.Res. 36 - "Joint Resolution providing for the appointment of Roger W. Ferguson as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution;" S.J.Res. 35 - "Joint Resolution providing for the appointment of Michael Govan as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution;" S.J.Res. 30 - "Joint Resolution providing for the reappointment of Steve Case as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution"
These resolutions allowed for Roger Ferguson, the president and CEO of TIAA and Michael Govan, the CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, to be appointed and Steve Case, the chairman of the Case Foundation, to be reappointed as citizen regents for the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Their six-year terms began on May 6.
April 18, 2017: H.R. 353 - "Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017"
This resolution aims to improve National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research methods and prioritizes "weather data, modeling, computing, forecasts, and warnings for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy."
April 3, 2017: H.R. 1228 - "An Act to provide for the appointment of members of the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance to replace members whose terms expire during 2017, and for other purposes"
This law allows new members to be appointed to the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance in order to replace members whose terms expire this year.
March 21, 2017: S.442 - "National Aeronautics and Space Administration Transition Authorization Act of 2017"
This bill authorized funding for NASA for "exploration, space operations, science, aeronautics, space technology, education, safety, security, and mission services, construction and environmental compliance and restoration, and the NASA Inspector General."
January 31, 2017: H.R.72 - "GAO Access and Oversight Act of 2017"
This law allows Government Accountability Office (GAO) to obtain federal agency records for the audit, evaluation, and investigative purposes.
January 20, 2017: S.84 - "A bill to provide for an exception to a limitation against appointment of persons as Secretary of Defense within seven years of relief from active duty as a regular commissioned officer of the Armed Forces"
This legislation allowed Trump to appoint James Mattis as Defense Secretary by granting him a special exemption from a law that stipulates any military official must wait seven years from leaving the service before serving as defense secretary.


As anybody with a passing interest (in US politics knows that (unless in very unusual circumstances) the first year of any president is basically the legacy of the last one and the policies of any 1st term president won't start to take effect for at least 9 months. The economy has continued on the upturn of the last few years (as was always going to happen) and it is only really now that any of Trumps policies will take effect - this is not fake and is a (obvious) fact accepted by all competent in US politics.
Without the tax cuts enriching the very rich muchly (sic) but others not so muchly (sic)  there would be very little to write home about and the Reps have (been) lobbied to feck about that one for about 20 years but no pres dared to pass it as the experiment hasn't worked anywhere it has been tried (google 'Kansas economy' if you dare). Lets see where the economy is in the summer and 6 months from now when any policies really take effect, esp the tax cut - did the economy really need such a stimulus as the interest rate policy may argue otherwise? The fact he tries to take credit for the stock market (and his supporters see no problem in him doing so) completely proves my point about competence btw.
The r.o.w has never really been comfortable with the label 'leader of the free world' and watching Trump hand over increasing power (economic to the Pacific and Europe, economic and political to Africa) to China is pretty funny. The world has def realised that it can get on with doing what it does without the U.S (apart from Saudi and Israel) and that (soft and hard) power looks like it will never go back to the U.S if, whatever Trump's foreign policy is, doesn't evolve quickly.

Spoken like a true swamp rat!

Just for the record, most of that IS Fake News, and is most certainly NOT `accepted by all competent in US politics.`, as you well know. Probably a good starting point for lefties would be; stop LYING!!!

Well we'll have to to disagree downandout.  You can take the outraged moral high ground and I'll take the self righteous bad loser hypocrite ground.

If I felt my issues were being ignored and an election turned into a fight between a brazen obnoxious egotist and an in office self righteous hypocrite, rather than a fight over fundamental political differences, I'd chose the brazen obnoxious egotist.

You have to admit the CA CEO being caught on a hidden camera giving incriminating evidence to an undercover reporter about
the use of undercover agents & hidden cameras to obtain incriminating evidence is pretty effing hilarious

Got what he deserved.  The murky world of politics.

heard two 2 dumb lady snowflakes on sky the other night backed up by a sky trolley dolly,all chuffed with themselves saying the average facebook user has 300 friends so if you times that by 2 billion facebook users that comes to blah,blah people having their data breached,ehrr call me thick but if theres 2 billion facebook users that's including everyones friends ,or like the sky cuties have I missed something,

The balanced and very informative video on this on "This Week" last night is well worth a watch, the opposite of the hysterical dumbed down sh1t on BBC/Channel 4 news.
Hopefully it'll go on youtube but it';ll be on repeat/iplayer.

This is a good video regarding this whole story.

.
https://youtu.be/Jw_RXwgxEKg

still no warrant to search servers....

tick tock


still no apology from ceo of facebook for legal threats to journalist

tick tock


some folk trying to pretend cambridge analytica data mining same
as obamas use of facebook app......

This Cambridge Analytica thing is starting to sound like a chattering-class conspiracy theory. We’re meant to believe that Donald Trump won the presidential election and Brexit was victorious in the EU referendum because sinister rich and right-wing people trawled social media, harvested our inner-most lives, and then planted messages that ‘mind-****’ us into voting for things we shouldn’t have voted for? This is straight out of the David Icke school of political thought (I say thought…) where it is always assumed that faceless malevolent actors are puppeteering public life and secretly controlling people’s minds and behaviour. This might be the moment when the paranoid style of thinking went mainstream.

It’s hard to think of any other recent journalist expose that has been as overcooked and overblown as the Observer’s feverish claims about Cambridge Analytica. Yes, there are questions for CA to answer. If it is true that it excavated people’s personal information on Facebook in a way that breached Facebook’s terms of agreement, as the Observer claims but CA denies, then some explanation will be needed. And video footage of CA people boasting about using dirty tricks to swing elections certainly casts them in a bad light. (Though some of us will suspect that these are hollow boasts, and that elections, and more importantly the voters who take part in them, are not as easily swung as these self-styled virtual overlords would have people believe.)

But the broader political narrative into which this alleged behaviour by CA is being folded by the Observer and others simply doesn’t add up. This is the narrative that says one of the main reasons there were two huge political upsets in the West in recent years — Brexit and Trump — is because people had been ‘got at’ on social media. They had been manipulated, in essence, their malleable minds bombarded with info by the likes of CA that made them robotically think: ‘Must. Vote. Trump.’ In the words of the Observer’s pink-haired, nerdish whistleblower, former CA employee Christopher Wylie, social-media trawling was used by Steve Bannon and others as a ‘psychological warfare mind**** tool’.  In short they washed our brains, they programmed our minds, they made us a Manchurian-style army that ushered Trump into the White House and Britain out of the EU.

This is conspiracy theory 101. Every conspiracy theory is motored by confusion or concern about a political event and a corresponding search for some dark and scary actor who might be held responsible for said political event. What we have in the panic over CA, and also the increasingly harebrained claims that Russian trolls used memes to propel Trump into power and to programme the good people of Stoke and other parts of Brexit Britain to vote against the EU, is a dinner-party conspiracy theory. A desperate search by those broadsheet liberals and members of the Twitterati who are still reeling from Hillary’s loss and from the British revolt against the EU for some overarching, menacing and manically powerful force who might be held responsible for these political events.

The Observer’s articles have all the trappings of conspiratorial thinking. They are peppered with words ‘dark’ and ‘shadowy’. Their chief author, Carole Cadwalladr, who has spent months searching for the sinister, hidden groups that apparently made Trump and Brexit happen, often uses Icke-like language. She has written of the ‘shadowy global operation’ involving ‘big data and billionaires’ which brought about ‘the great British Brexit robbery’. The liberal Twitterati is full of hysterical claims that CA was in ‘control [of] worldwide elections’. They are ‘sinister puppetmasters’ of ‘global politics’. They ‘brainwashed’ the electorate, in the words of one of Hillary Clinton’s former advisers. Charming people, these Clintonites.

This paranoid, deep-web-style narrative doesn’t hold water. Anyone who is surprised that political groups or businesses or whatever are searching through our personal info on social media and targeting us with ads needs to have a word with themselves. Everyone knows this happens. It isn’t news. Indeed, as Freddy Gray pointed out earlier this week, the Obama camp used similar techniques to CA but it was never denounced as evil or dark, far less as a ‘shadowy global operation’. But the notion that CA’s messaging occupied people’s minds and made them vote in a particular way and actually led to a ‘Brexit robbery’ — that is, these sinister figures stole the EU referendum with their dastardly plots — is spectacularly unconvincing. Not one shred of evidence has been offered for this claim.

This scandal expresses a deeply and disturbingly patronising view of voters, as if we are putty in the hands of shadowy information peddlers. It is also historically and politically illiterate. To fetishise social-media gabbing as a key source of the victory of Brexit and Trump is to overlook huge political fissures in our society, particularly between the elites and ordinary people, that really contributed to these perfectly reasonable and rebellious votes. And it also exposes just how bitter and sore the liberal elite still is about its loss of both the US election and the EU referendum. These people are so entitled, they were so used to getting in their own way in politics, that as soon as something didn’t go their way they assumed that some massive, powerful, shadowy group must have warped the heads of us, the little people. Here’s a simpler explanation: We disagree with you. And that’s why we voted in the way we did. Deal with it.

lol

no sooner said but it appears !

Still a superb article, your obama app is pointless as the whole story is pointless.

if it was pointless there wouldnt be so much spinning

and err, cambridge wouldnt be delaying the issue of a warrant by
saying their legal team were otherwise occupied

Because the left want a reason why they lost in the USA & Brexit, firstly it was the Russians and now this. They treats voters with contempt, they do not believe voters made up their own minds up and voted with good reasons.

god forbid people refuse bribes in the form of lower taxes,increased spending etc and vote because of their fears of immigration,intergration etc

That's racist

when the alt right are so keen to shut this down its a bit of a give away
that it needs further inspection

plenty of time

The more publicity this gets the better, for Trump

Who are the alt right who are keen to shut this down ?

What the usual suspects cant understand is that it was Trumps policies that got him elected
This sort of nonsense is neither here nor there, Trump voters don't care!

If the leftists don't come up with a few new policies themselves guess what
they are going to lose the next election as well

Channel 4/Anti Trump news are still obsessing about this, as they feel they can weaken Trump with it. I could've told you they would on Monday and this is Friday.
They do this with anyhthing they can possibly grab to go after Trump. It's insane how much coverage that news program devotes to attacking Trump, this is just the latest example.

How many hours devoted to this story alone, about gathering some information people have openly given up to social media accounts on the other side of the world, has C4 news devoted this week alone? Have they mentioned the Obama use of collating the info of the friend circles of obama supporters (similarly without their permission) on facebook even once?

How many seconds, if any, have they devoted to e.g. the r*pe (and murder) of 1000+ working class white girls in their own country over the past 4 weeks?

Oh dear the last leg (Channel 4 News anti trump and anti brexit "comedy" spin off) is still on though the paralympics is over.
I wonder what they'll talk about tonight . Will the unfunny australian host have a preachy smug rant?

UK information commissioner granted warrant to search London offices of data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica.

The firm is facing claims it amassed the data of millions of people without their consent, based on a 2014 quiz on Facebook.

finally a warrant is granted despite c a trying their best to stop it being issued

dont think they'll be looking for reruns of the last leg

Hey, Mighty Whites, that`s a good post?/article? We`ve had these conspiracy theories peddled by global lefties forever, and they`ve all been tosh. However, technology is changing things, with the two behemoths that are facebook and Google both wanting to install themselves as the puppeteer, with both actively denying equal rights, news provision, monetisation, etc, etc to any non-pc contributors. And all the while trying to pretend they`re neutral! Who`d have thought, possibly this planet`s first actual string-pullers would be lefties!

These Russians..ehh!!

You've got to hand it to them...

First they got a US president elected by 13 computer geeks trolling in a warehouse somewhere in eastern europe.
Now they have split NATO down the middle and have them at each others throats with just one attack on a low ranking traitor double agent in Salisbury.

Total cost circa... 1/2 a million roubles

NATO budget circa...$$$ gazzillions
Clinton Presidency campaign cost circa...$$$ squazillions

1 RUB = 0.0174516 USD

Another Luvvie news Item that is being Bled to Death . And a load of 0ld shyte to boot

does this mean that during an elections the partys will have to have your permission before getting your address of the electoral roll and bombarding your post box with flyers and door stepping you for your voting intentions, partys have been using voter profiling for donkey,s years, but apparently theres nothing wrong in sending  buses round picking 1000,s of voters up treating them to coffee and bickies and showing you what box to put your cross in

https://www.statista.com/statistics/507417/number-of-facebook-users-in-the-united-kingdom-uk-by-age-and-gender/


and


https://www.politico.eu/article/britains-youth-voted-remain-leave-eu-brexit-referendum-stats/

so CA were obviously working for remain?

I'm I the only one who thought the big takeaway from that documentary wasn't the data theft but that they were
happily offering to attempt to blackmail people to destroy their political careers. That's not in the brochure

*oops "Am I"

Makes you wonder if they were involved with the Guptas in South Africa

If people were posting their True feelings on FB thousands would be Locked up by the Luvvie Brigade ,FB is a load of old shyte HTH.

That is true casemoney though they were happy enough when Obama and co. were doing the same 'innovative' approach to elections

right wing nobs caught out and screaming WHATABOUTOBAMA!!!!!!!

Or are they telling the truth

Trump will NOT be the Republican Candidate and of course NOT the POTUS.

https://youtu.be/fFNS5Dqdwk8

Wow, these Cambridge dudes must be good!

It's amazing the chit that was pumped out during an unbelievably bent election campaign WOW

I still think it's incredible and stunning that "conservatives" make a multiple times divorced man, a serial adulterer, a serial pants on fire liar, a bully, someone who rants all day at everyone and lacks any sense civility&manners and someone who aims to run a massive budget deficit their highly celebrated hero these days.

What happened to conservatives to set their own bar this low?

They should do everything to get Pence in really. A proper family man who, from every pore of his body, does actually exhume the exceptionalism that conservatism had always been about until the Trump election.

What is more stunning is the irony.

True, it's very ironic that conservatives made someone like him, who goes against almost all ideals of conservatism, their hero and continue to idolize him. Sending all the wrong signals to society that adultering, divorce etc. seems to be perfectly acceptable.

and even more ironic that them letting him get away with all that stuff without any real opposition might just leave conservatism in a completely unrecognizable shape.

Its obvious Trump won through corrupt methods. Yet he's still sitting pretty in his white house. if we did even 1% of what this blokes done we'd be in jail for a long time, if we get caught working and claiming benefits we're banged up. When are both sides going to realise these politicians (YES Trump is now a politician ) seem to get away with everything. Blair has blood on his hands yet is making millions from book deals, and is still allowed to influence the british public with his filth. the mind boggles.

Do remind us what crimes and obvious corruption The Don has committed?

Here`s just a few reasons all good and right thinking people LOVE The Don, there are MANY more!

Pro-Life
Pro-religion
Pro-Israel/Jerusalem
Pro-law and order
Pro-military
Pro-family
Pro-America
ETC, etc, etc

Anti-pc
Anti-globalism
Anti-illegal immigration
Anti-unfair trade
Anti-free loading nations, UN, NATO, etc.
ETC, etc, etc.

the financial fraud will get him. it is always the money

'Multiple divorced' how is that anti conservative ? Divorce is allowed in protestantism which is what Trump was raised in, quite normal in that religious code.
'Serial adulterer'? not proven. Stormy was the only porn star ever to except money to keep her mouth shut.
Trump starts every cabinet meeting with a group prayer.
He maybe like Ian Paisley who in later life renounced his past behaviour and turned closer to his enemies ( sinn fein, catholics ) as he came closer to death and his day of reckoning before god.

Conservatism is, or used to be until Trump came around, about upholding strong family values and ties. Divorcing the mothers of your children to seek your sexual pleasure with a newer, younger model is not entirely compatible with that, is it?

Point of the matter is, as I said, not holding Trump accountable and instead of idolizing him sets a dangerous precedent for conservatism. Conservatives in the USA should make it clear that Trump needs to start behaving or he runs in danger of conservatives replacing him with someone who would actually be a good president that would deserve the proud label of a conservative - Mike Pence.

and by that I don't mean conservative voters in the USA.

holy s**t the guy has got you arguing about the meaning of conservative

if they actually care about preserving the ideals and exceptionalism of conservatism.

Mar 24, 2018 -- 11:24PM, edy wrote:

and by that I don't mean conservative voters in the USA.

*do mean

wanted to write "don't mean Republican politicians" before changing mIserlohn mind in the middle of writing that sentence without going over all of it.

conservatives getting a bit existential, keep it going & you won't be conservatives long

Donald was registered as a Democrat from 2001 to 2009, best buddies with the Clintons and gave money to Hillary's campaign saying he believed the Democrats would run the nations economy better than the Republicans. How things change.

N.B. to the toothy one. He wasn't Pro military when he dodged the draft, five times.

Mar 25, 2018 -- 10:01AM, cooperman wrote:

Donald was registered as a Democrat from 2001 to 2009, best buddies with the Clintons and gave money to Hillary's campaign saying he believed the Democrats would run the nations economy better than the Republicans. How things change. N.B. to the toothy one. He wasn't Pro military when he dodged the draft, five times.

You can't tell his "supporters" this though as they simply wont have it. The fact is Donald was very much on board with banning guns before he started running for the presidency, he was also a firm supporter of regulating the internet and getting it monopolised and eventually censored and restricted, he even pushed this on his campaign trail, telling Bill Gates "to sort it out". He's had bump stocks banned, and he's doing nothing for pro birth either, his wall is never going to get built.

Barack Obama: "the end of the republic has never looked so good". Donald Trump - The democrat that ran for presidency as a Republican and fooled a load of numpties. donald Trump: "I will run as a Republican, because they are the dumbest voters"

We all thought stupid things as younger men; good and right thinking people realise they were wrong, admit it and change beliefs, lefties don`t, preferring to stay in ignorance..

cooperman 25 Mar 18 09:01 
Donald was registered as a Democrat from 2001 to 2009, best buddies with the Clintons and gave money to Hillary's campaign saying he believed the Democrats would run the nations economy better than the Republicans. How things change.
N.B. to the toothy one. He wasn't Pro military when he dodged the draft, five times

Yes, and he`s clearly spent a lifetime regretting it, having advocated a strong military for decades. To swallow the tosh lefties forced on him this week, purely in order to strengthen his beloved military wouldn`t have been easy, but he took a deep gulp and swallowed, nevertheless. Surely a perfect case of redemption, a most human quality, I`m sure we can all agree?

Putative dictators always have to s*ck up to the military !

This story has fallen off the radar rather sharply.

Its Stormy Daniels part 642 that's why, Ibrahima

Russian spy has fallen off the radar as well, its amazing what a porn actress and a couple of ball tampering cricketers can do.

I thought voter fraud was important.

Anti Russian hysteria news nothing at all to do with or coinciding with christian leader Putin winning a landslide victory in the Russian elections this week and holding power again after 18 years a president.
Anti christian Main stream media don't like reporting this news, Ant McPartlin drink driving is more important and more of a deflection from unpalatable news.

I wonder if there'll be favourable news about The Pope this Easter.

I wish they would censor the internet

Doing more harm than guns, a great force for evil and violence, wish Britain would do something

Lead the charge for change by boycotting it.

Its no good blaming Trump for all the terrible things happening now, its the world the leftists have created, he tries to do things in a different way and they are out protesting..they created the problem

What you're forgetting is the many young men the internet renders harmless. Where previously they'd get stupid ideas by actually having to socialize with and feel like they need to impress people and become violent, they now have the real choice to become addicted to beauty&style selfies and playing candy crush saga.

that lovely things such as that exist is a lovely thought
ban the other things

The UK already actively censors the internet. Sure, at this point 99% of it are hundreds of domains that stream EPL matches, but it's a start.

btw., something is seriously screwed up if your porn filter is opt-out while organ donorship is opt-in.