The so-called “black budget” for 2013, federal expenditures on intelligence activities, reveals $52.6 billion in outlays exempt from public scrutiny. (The Washington Post, August 29, 2013, by Barton Gellman and Greg Miller)
The budget was five times greater than the Head Start budget, six times greater than the budget for high-speed transit, and 20 times greater than the National Park Service budget. The Defense Department budget was 10 times greater than that for intelligence. (National Journal, August 30, 2013, by Patrick Reis and Matt Berman)
The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California noted that there were allocations in the ‘black budget” for equipment for dragnet surveillance including video cameras networks, license plate readers, and facial recognition. An ACLU volunteer attorney argued for greater public input, “Increased transparency about surveillance programs needs to be built in from the start and it should begin with robust public discussion well before applications are made for federal funds.” (ACLU, September 9, 2013, by Matthew Cagle)