A report from the independent news Web site ProPublica inspired us to update this item.

ProPublica monitors the White House Web site with special software, looking for changes and documenting those changes for a project it calls ChangeTracker . ProPublica recently noticed that the White House had removed a link from its Web site to the White House's Privacy and Civil Liberties Board.

The board was created in 2004 during the Bush administration, but has had problems fielding a full board membership. (Read ProPublica's full report on its history.) The board's task, suggested by the 9/11 Commission, is to review actions the executive branch takes to protect the country from terrorism to make sure that "the need for such actions is balanced with the need to protect privacy and civil liberties," among other things. In 2008, President George W. Bush's nominees were never confirmed by Congress.

Obama has yet to nominate any members to the five-member board. We asked the White House about the board's membership and whether Obama still hoped to grant the board subpoena power. We didn't get an answer.

On the other hand, the board is funded, receiving appropriations from Congress earlier this year. A White House report on Cyberspace Policy released in May said it was important to reconstitute the board and "accelerate the selection process for its board members and consider whether to seek legislative amendments to broaden its scope to include cybersecurity-related issues."

Nevertheless, we find the board's removal from the White House Web site a sign that the administration seeks to downplay the board's role, not enhance it with additional powers. And its membership remains unfilled. We'll be watching to see if this board is revived and if it gets subpoena power. If it doesn't, it will be a broken promise. For now, we rate it Stalled.