GAO Releases this week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week they investigated a variety of issues, such natural disasters and defense acquisitions. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Natural Disasters: Public Policy Options for Changing the Federal Role in Natural Catastrophe Insurance. GAO-08-7, November 26.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-7
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d087high.pdf

Correspondence

• Defense Acquisitions: Status of the Expeditionary Fire Support System. GAO-08-331R, December 21.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-331R

Presentation By The Comptroller General

• "Partnering for Progress--Working Together to Strengthen Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs)," by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States and vice-chairman, INTOSAI Finance and Administration Committee; and Dr. Ahmed El-Midaoui, premier president of the Court of Accounts of Morocco and chairman, INTOSAI Capacity Building Committee, before the Joint Venture on Public Financial Management Working Party on Aid Effectiveness, in Paris, France. GAO-08-381CG, December 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d08381cg.pdf
  

CRS reports

Despite the holidays a few Congressional Research Service Reports (CRS) managed to make it out. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress's request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us CRS reports on Tanzania, intellectual property, space programs, and much more. While these reports are in the public domain there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report you can request it from your Senator or Representative. This list is compiled from CRS reports discovered by Secrecy News and OpenCRS:

• China's Space Program: Options for U.S.-China Cooperation
  
• U.S.-China Military Contacts: Issues for Congress
• Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses
• Iraq and Al Qaeda
• Venezuela: Political Conditions and U.S. Policy
• Entering the Executive Branch of Government: Potential Conflicts of Interest With Previous Employments and Affiliations
• U.S. Arms Sales: Agreements with and Deliveries to Major Clients, 1999-2006
• Overview of Education Issues and Programs in Latin America
• Nuclear Weapons: The Reliable Replacement Warhead Program
• Intelligence Estimates: How Useful to Congress?
• North Korea's Nuclear Weapons: Latest Developments
• Franking Privilege: Historical Development and Options for Change
• Tanzania: Background and Current Conditions
• Data Mining and Homeland Security: An Overview
• Polygraph Use by the Department of Energy: Issues for Congress
• Egypt: Background and U.S. Relations
• China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles: Policy Issues
• Foreign Students in the United States: Policies and Legislation
• China/Taiwan: Evolution of the "One China" Policy -- Key Statements from Washington, Beijing, and Taipei
• Aviation Congestion and Delay: System-Wide and New York-Area Issues
• Offender Reentry: Correctional Statistics, Reintegration into the Community, and Recidivism
• Military Airlift: The Joint Cargo Aircraft Program
• Smart Grid Provisions in H.R. 6, 110th Congress
• Intellectual Property Rights and International Trade
• The Retirement Savings Tax Credit: A Fact Sheet

Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports back to 1916.

Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.

GAO Releases this week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week they investigated a variety of issues, such as economic sanctions against Cuba, veteran's affairs, higher education tuition, and tax administration and compliance. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Air Traffic Control: FAA Reports Progress in System Acquisitions, but Changes in Performance Measurement Could Improve Usefulness of Information. GAO-08-42, December 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-42
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0842high.pdf
• Budget Issues: Accrual Budgeting Useful in Certain Areas but Does Not Provide Sufficient Information for Reporting on Our Nation's Longer-Term Fiscal Challenge. GAO-08-206, December 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-206
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08206high.pdf
  
• A Call For Stewardship: Enhancing the Federal Government's Ability to Address Key Fiscal and Other 21st Century Challenges. GAO-08-93SP, December 2007 http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-93SP
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Internal Control Deficiencies Resulted in Millions of Dollars of Questionable Contract Payments. GAO-08-54, November 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-54
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0854high.pdf
  
• Continuity of Operations: Selected Agencies Tested Various Capabilities during 2006 Governmentwide Exercise. GAO-08-185, November 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-185
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08185high.pdf
  
• Department of Veterans Affairs: Actions Needed to Strengthen VA's Foreclosed Property Management Contractor Oversight. GAO-08-60, November 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-60
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0860high.pdf
• Economic Sanctions: Agencies Face Competing Priorities in Enforcing the U.S. Embargo on Cuba. GAO-08-80, November 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-80
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0880high.pdf
  
• Force Structure: Better Management Controls Are Needed to Oversee the Army's Modular Force and Expansion Initiatives and Improve Accountability for Results. GAO-08-145, December 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-145
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08145high.pdf
• Higher Education: Tuition Continues to Rise, but Patterns Vary by Institution Type, Enrollment, and Educational Expenditures. GAO-08-245, November 28.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-245
• Military Health Care: Cost Data Indicate That TRICARE Reserve Select Premiums Exceeded the Costs of Providing Program Benefits. GAO-08-104, December 21.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-104
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08104high.pdf
  
• Securities and Exchange Commission: Opportunities Exist to Improve Oversight of Self-Regulatory Organizations. GAO-08-33, November 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-33
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0833high.pdf
• State Children's Health Insurance Program: Program Structure, Enrollment and Expenditure Experiences, and Outreach Approaches for States That Cover Adults. GAO-08-50, November 26.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-50
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0850high.pdf
  
• Tax Administration: 2007 Filing Season Continues Trend of Improvement, but Opportunities to Reduce Costs and Increase Tax Compliance Should be Evaluated. GAO-08-38, November 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-38
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0838high.pdf
• Tax Administration: Costs and Uses of Third-Party Information Returns. GAO-08-266, November 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-266
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08266high.pdf
  
• Tax Compliance: Federal Grant and Direct Assistance Recipients Who Abuse the Federal Tax System. GAO-08-31, November 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-31
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0831high.pdf
• Veterans' Benefits: Improved Operational Controls and Management Data Would Enhance VBA's Disability Reevaluation Process. GAO-08-75, December 6.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-75
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0875high.pdf
  

Testimony

• Maritime Transportation: Major Oil Spills Occur Infrequently, but Risks Remain, by Susan A. Fleming, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. GAO-08-357T, December 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-357T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08357thigh.pdf

Correspondence

• Plum Island Animal Disease Center: DHS Has Made Significant Progress Implementing Security Recommendations, but Several Recommendations Remain Open. GAO-08-306R, December 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-306R
• Postal Service and Mailing Industry Mail-Related Recycling: Accomplishments and Postal Opportunities--Interim Results. GAO-08-348R, December 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-348R
• Rebuilding Iraq: International Donor Pledges for Reconstruction Efforts in Iraq. GAO-08-365R, December 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-365R
  
• Tax Compliance: Some Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Disaster Assistance Recipients Have Unpaid Federal Taxes. GAO-08-101R, November 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-101R
• Telecommunications: Preliminary Information on Media Ownership. GAO-08-330R, December 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-330R
  

Presentation By The Comptroller General

• "A Call for Stewardship," by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, before the National Press Club "Newsmaker" luncheon, in Washington, D.C. GAO-08-371CG, December 17. [text]
  http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d08371cg.pdf

President Signs Energy Bill

Today President Bush signed into law the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (H.R. 6), which is designed to improve vehicle fuel economy and help reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. The energy bill calls for tougher fuel-efficiency standards for automobiles (new cars must average 35 miles a gallon by 2020), an increase in biofuels, and the phasing out of incandescent light bulbs in favor of compact fluorescent bulbs and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Read the White House press release "President Bush Signs H.R. 6, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007."

Want more government energy information? Check out the following sites:

• Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center (AFDC), U.S. Department of Energy
• Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  
• Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct), U.S. Department of Energy
• Energy Security for the 21st Century, the White House
• Renewable and Alternative Fuels, Energy Information Administration
  
• www.fueleconomy.gov, U.S. Department of Energy
  

Read "President Bush Signs Energy Bill" from the Washington Post, "Bush signs bill raising auto fuel efficiency standards" from CNNPolitics.com, and "President Bush Signs Bill Boosting Auto Fuel-Efficiency Standards 40 Percent by 2020" by FOX News.

Still need more information on energy and alternative fuels? Check out the library's guide.

This week from the CRS

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress's request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us CRS reports on Israel, mortgages, salaries, and much more. While these reports are in the public domain there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report you can request it from your Senator or Representative. This list is compiled from CRS reports discovered by Secrecy News and OpenCRS:

• Federal Land Ownership: Current Acquisition and Disposal Authorities
• The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: Comparison of House-Passed H.R. 3773, S. 2248 as Reported By the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and S. 2248 as Reported Out of the Senate Judiciary Committee
• Analysis of the Proposed Tax Exclusion for Canceled Mortgage Debt Income
• The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: A Brief Overview of Selected Issues
• Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process: The Annapolis Conference
• FY2008 Emergency Supplemental Request for International Affairs
• Medicare Clinical Laboratories Competitive Bidding Demonstration
• How Long Can the Defense Department Finance FY2008 Operations in Advance of Supplemental Appropriations?
• FY2008 Supplemental Appropriations for Global War on Terror Military Operations, International Affairs, and Other Purposes
• Russia's December 2007 Legislative Election: Outcome and Implications
• North Korea: Terrorism List Removal?
• Judicial Salary: Current Issues and Options for Congress
• The U.S.-Australia Treaty on Defense Trade Cooperation
• Africa Command: U.S. Strategic Interests and the Role of the U.S. Military in Africa
• China's Currency: Economic Issues and Options for U.S. Trade Policy
• Belarus: Background and U.S. Policy Concerns
• Strategic Airlift Modernization: Analysis of C-5 Modernization and C-17 Acquisition Issues
• Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction Assistance: U.S. Programs in the Former Soviet Union
• Terrorism and Security Issues Facing the Water Infrastructure Sector
  

Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports back to 1916.

Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.

Galatic Violence: "Death Star" Galaxy Destruction

About 1.4 billion light years away in the constellation of Serpens, the "death star" galaxy is pummelling its neighboring galaxy. The 3C321 system contains two galaxies. The larger of the two systems is emanating a powerful jet of radiation from a super massive black hole that is blasting the smaller galaxy. For the full story read "'Death Star' Galaxy Black Hole Fires at Neighboring Galaxy" and "3C321: Black Hole Fires at Neighboring Galaxy" from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. You might also want to check out "Caught on Tape: Death Star Galaxy" from the Washington Post.

Want more information on space and astronomy? Check out the library's guide.

Chinook (the catalog and the wind)

When waiting for my bus, as my fellow Boulderites may have noticed, I realized today's wind seems almost warm. Okay, not take off my jacket and run around in short sleeves warm, but despite the snow on the ground I actually didn't need to breath through my scarf.

What brings about this warm wind you ask? Well, today's wind is called the Chinook (if you live in the Rocky Mountains) or the foehn elsewhere. The Chinook, as you can read about in this definition, actually warms the air. So despite the fact that the wind is high (with gusts in the 20 to 30 mph range), the weather today will be moderate and we may even hit the 50s! These pleasant winds are also the namesake of the library's catalog.

Want to learn more? Check out these resources on Boulder's wind events:

• Chinook Winds and Boulder's Temperature (from the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences introductory lab)
• Boulder wind info (from the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory）
• Boulder, CO Climate and Weather Data (from NOAA, not just wind)

Still want more climate and weather information? Check out the library's guide.

GAO Releases this week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week they investigated a variety of issues, such as military base closures, digital television, and toxic chemical releases. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Bankruptcy: Implementation of Reform Act's Debt Reaffirmation Agreement Provisions. GAO-08-94, December 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-94
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0894high.pdf
• Coastal Wetlands: Lessons Learned from Past Efforts in Louisiana Could Help Guide Future Restoration and Protection. GAO-08-130, December 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-130
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08130high.pdf
• The Democratic Republic of the Congo: Systematic Assessment Is Needed to Determine Agencies' Progress toward U.S. Policy Objectives. GAO-08-188, December 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-188
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08188high.pdf
  
• Digital Television Transition: Increased Federal Planning and Risk Management Could Further Facilitate the DTV Transition. GAO-08-43, November 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-43
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0843high.pdf
• DOD Travel Improper Payments: Fiscal Year 2006 Reporting Was Incomplete and Planned Improvement Efforts Face Challenges. GAO-08-16, December 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-16
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0816high.pdf
  
• Indian Health Service: HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment Services for American Indians and Alaska Natives. GAO-08-90, December 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-90
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0890high.pdf
  
• Military Base Realignments and Closures: Cost Estimates Have Increased and Are Likely to Continue to Evolve. GAO-08-159, December 11.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-159
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08159high.pdf
  
• Military Base Realignments and Closures: Impact of Terminating, Relocating, or Outsourcing the Services of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. GAO-08-20, November 9.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-20
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0820high.pdf
• Organizational Transformation: Implementing Chief Operating Officer/Chief Management Officer Positions in Federal Agencies. GAO-08-34, November 1.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-34
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0834high.pdf
  
• Private Pensions: Low Defined Contribution Plan Savings May Pose Challenges to Retirement Security, Especially for Many Low-Income Workers. GAO-08-8, November 29.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-8
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d088high.pdf
• Toxic Chemical Releases: EPA Actions Could Reduce Environmental Information Available to Many Communities. GAO-08-128, November 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-128
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08128high.pdf
• Toxic Chemical Releases: Survey of State Toxics Release Inventory Coordinators. GAO-08-129SP, November 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-129SP
  
• U.S. Postal Service Facilities: Improvements in Data Would Strengthen Maintenance and Alignment of Access to Retail Services. GAO-08-41, December 10.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-41
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0841high.pdf
• VA Health Care: Many Medical Facilities Have Challenges in Recruiting and Retaining Nurse Anesthetists. GAO-08-56, December 13.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-56
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0856high.pdf
  

Testimony

• Information Technology: Census Bureau Needs to Improve Its Risk Management of Decennial Systems, by David A. Powner, director, information technology management issues; and Mathew Scire, director, strategic issues, before the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-08-259T, December 11.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-259T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08259thigh.pdf
  
• Military Base Realignments and Closures: Estimated Costs Have Increased and Estimated Savings Have Decreased, by Brian J. Lepore, director, defense capabilities and management, before the Subcommittee on Readiness, House Committee on Armed Services. GAO-08-341T, December 12.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-341T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08341thigh.pdf
• Organizational Transformation: Implementing Chief Operating Officer/Chief Management Officer Positions in Federal Agencies, by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, before the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-08-322T, December 13.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-322T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08322thigh.pdf
• Personnel Clearances: Criteria to Consider in Efforts to Reform the Security Clearance Processes, by Jack E. Edwards, acting director, defense capabilities and management, before the Subcommittee on Intelligence Community Management, House Select Committee on Intelligence. GAO-08-352T, December 13.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-352T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08352thigh.pdf
  
• Smithsonian Institution: Status of Efforts to Address a Range of Funding and Governance Challenges, by Mark L. Goldstein, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. GAO-08-250T, December 12.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-250T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08250thigh.pdf
  

Correspondence

• Agreed-Upon Procedures: Senate Office of Public Records Revolving Fund, Fiscal Years 2006 and 2007. GAO-08-201R, December 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-201R
  
• Responses to Posthearing Questions Related to Improving Single Audit Quality. GAO-08-318R, December 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-318R

Presentation By The Comptroller General

• "Saving Our Future Requires Tough Choices Today," by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, on the Fiscal Wake-Up Tour at Michigan State University, in East Lansing, Michigan. GAO-08-353CG, December 6. [slides] http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d08353cg.pdf

Extended Hours in Norlin

Need more study time in the library? Norlin begins extended hours tomorrow -- just in time for finals.

• Friday, Dec. 14: 7:30 am - 2:00 am (Last day of classes)
  
• Saturday, Dec. 15: 7:30 am - 2:00 am (Final exams)
  
• Sunday, Dec. 16: 7:30 am - 2:00 am (Final exams)
• Monday, Dec. 17: 7:30 am - 2:00 am (Final exams)
• Tuesday, Dec. 18: 7:30 am - 2:00 am (Final exams)
• Wednesday, Dec. 19: 7:30 am - 2:00 am (Final exams)
• Thursday, Dec. 20: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm (Last day of exams)
  
• Friday, Dec. 20: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (Commencement)

Check out the library's website to find the hours for other libraries on campus and the hours Norlin Library will be open during the Holiday Break.

Where's the money go?

The Office of Management and Budget has launched a new web site, USAspending.gov. This site let you view contracts and grants given out by the federal government. You can view information by state, district, recipient, and agency. For those of us here in Boulder, in Rep. Mark Udall's district check out this page (we are 123 out of 435) for information on contracts and this one for grant data for all the districts. The government's spending on loans is not going to be included in this database.

Thanks to Free Government Information for catching this new web site.

Want some media reaction to the new database? Check out the Washington Post's "OMB Offers an Easy Way to Follow the Money."

Interested in more information on federal funding? Check out the library's debt and budget guide.

Barney Cam IV: Holiday in the National Parks

Barney Cam started in 2001 as a way for people to view White House holiday decorations after tours were suspended because of the September 11th attacks. Barney Cam 2007 stars Barney and Miss Beazley, the first family's Scottish Terriers. It also features the President, First Lady Laura Bush, Jenna and Barbara Bush, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, National Park Service Director Mary Bomar, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and country singer Alan Jackson.

Barney Cam 2007 highlights America's national parks. Did you know that the White House grounds are a national park? They are one of almost 400 national parks all across the U.S. Find a national park in your state from the National Park Service.

Check out Holiday in the National Parks to the see the 2007 Holiday Program, photo essays and videos of Christmas at the White House. You might also want to view our previous blogs on Barney Cam and the White House's holiday celebrations:

• 2006: Holidays at the White House
• 2005: Christmas at the White House
  

Want more information on national parks? Check out the library's guide.

Bali conference on Climate Change

Did you know that the US and Kazakhstan are the only initial signatories of the Kyoto Protocol that still have not ratified the protocol (see complete, not quite up to date, list online)? At the United Nations Climate Change in Bali this week Australia handed over its instrument of ratification. This conference is an attempt to bring together governments and international organizations for a plan "to launch negotiations on a climate change deal for the post-2012 period, to set the agenda for these negotiations and to reach agreement on when these negotiations will have to be concluded" (from the conference's web site).

Want to read up to the minute blog postings on the conference? Check out the Bali reports. Want live dispatches? Check out the UN Dispatch live from Bali.

Want mainstream media converge? We'll that's a bit harder. I found this article from the New York Times "Deadlock stymies global climate talks." Across the ocean I found this article from the BBC "'Crunch time' for climate change." For the best coverage, check out the Australian media (they just elected a new prime minister in large part on the old ones stance on global warming). The ABC web site has articles such as "US stalling on short-term climate targets," which links to a variety of other stories on this conference.

Want some more information on climate change? Check out the library's guide.

Fed Lowers Interest Rates Again

The Federal Reserve lowered a key short-term interest rate today for the third time this year. The cut is designed to prevent a recession due to ongoing problems related to the U.S. housing and financial markets. The Federal Open Market Committee lowered its target for the federal funds rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.25% in an effort to stimulate moderate economic growth. The federal funds rate is an overnight bank lending interest rate that affects consumer interest rates on credit cards, home equity lines of credit (HELOC), and car loans. Read the press release from the Federal Reserve.

Check out "Fed cuts rates by a quarter point" from CNNMoney.com, "Fed Cuts Key Interest Rate: Stocks Fall Sharply on Lower Than Expected Cut" from the Washington Post, and "Fed's FOMC Cuts Interest Rates for Third Time Since Labor Day" from FOX Business.

Want more information on banking, banks and credit unions? Check out the library's guide.

From the Congressional Research Service

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress's request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us CRS reports on climate change, Iraq, energy policy, and much more. While these reports are in the public domain there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report you can request it from your Senator or Representative. This list is compiled from CRS reports discovered by Secrecy News and OpenCRS:

• Computer Attack and Cyber Terrorism: Vulnerabilities and Policy Issues for Congress
• Senate Policy on "Holds": Action in the 110th Congress
• Improvised Explosive Devices in Iraq: Effects and Countermeasures
• A Predatory Lending Primer: The Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act
• Climate Change: Issues Underlying Negotiations at the Bali Conference of Parties
• Russian Energy Policy toward Neighboring Countries
• Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terror: Selected Legislation from the 110th Congress
• U.S. Clothing Imports from Vietnam: Trade Policies and Performance
• Defense: FY2008 Authorization and Appropriations
• Climate Change: Science Update 2007
• U.S. Civilian Space Policy Priorities: Reflections 50 Years After Sputnik
• Federal Land Ownership: Constitutional Authority and the History of Acquisition, Disposal, and Retention
• Selected Issues Related to an Expansion of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)
• Lump-Sum Distributions Under the Pension Protection Act
• Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD): FY2008 Appropriations
• Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education: FY2008 Appropriations
• Open Source Intelligence (OSINT): Issues for Congress
• The FCC's 10 Commissioned Economic Research Studies on Media Ownership: Policy Implications
• State Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Comparison and Analysis
• China's 17th Communist Party Congress, 2007: Leadership and Policy Implications
• Open Source Intelligence (OSINT): Issues for Congress
• Medal of Honor Recipients: 1979-2007
• Homeland Security Department: FY2008 Appropriations
• Greece Update
• The Republic of the Philippines: Background and U.S. Relations
  

Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports back to 1916.

Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.

Supreme Court rules on three cases

The US Supreme Court released their opinions on three cases before the court today. The three cases all had to do with sentencing.

The one that has even shown up in discussions in the presidential campaign, is Kimbrough v. United States. This case was about the differing sentencing guidelines for crack versus powder cocaine (higher mandatory sentences for crack cocaine). The court ruled to allow judges to use their own judgment to impose lighter sentences for crack cocaine.

Want to read this and other opinions issued this session? Check out the Supreme Court 2007 Slip Opinions site. To see other cases before the court, you can check their docket.

Want some media analysis of the cases? Check out the Washington Post's Supreme Court page for all their articles.

Want more information on Supreme Court? Check out the library's guide.

GAO Releases this week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week they investigated a variety of issues, such as free trade agreements and rental housing for veterans. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Aviation Runway and Ramp Safety: Sustained Efforts to Address Leadership, Technology, and Other Challenges Needed to Reduce Accidents and Incidents. GAO-08-29, November 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-29
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0829high.pdf
• DOD Schools: Additional Reporting Could Improve Accountability for Academic Achievement of Students with Dyslexia. GAO-08-70, December 6.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-70
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0870high.pdf
• International Trade: An Analysis of Free Trade Agreements and Congressional and Private Sector Consultations under Trade Promotion Authority. GAO-08-59, November 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-59
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0859high.pdf
• Stabilization and Reconstruction: Actions Are Needed to Develop a Planning and Coordination Framework and Establish the Civilian Reserve Corps. GAO-08-39, November 6.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-39
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0839high.pdf

Testimony

• Rental Housing: Information on Low-Income Veterans' Housing Conditions and Participation in HUD's Programs, by David G. Wood, director, financial markets and community investment, before the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, House Committee on Financial Services. GAO-08-324T, December 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-324T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08324thigh.pdf

Correspondence

• Operation Iraqi Freedom: DOD Assessment of Iraqi Security Forces' Units as Independent Not Clear Because ISF Support Capabilities Are Not Fully Developed. GAO-08-143R, November 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-143R
• Transportation Security Administration's Processes for Designating and Releasing Sensitive Security Information. GAO-08-232R, November 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-232R

Presentation By The Comptroller General

• "America's Fiscal Future," by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, before the Greater Washington Society of CPAs' Annual Not For Profit Organization Symposium, in Washington, D.C. GAO-08-339CG, December 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d08339cg.pdf
• "Fiscal and Health Care Challenges," by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, before the National Conference on Health Care Consumerism, in Washington, D.C. GAO-08-338CG, December 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d08338cg.pdf
• "Saving Our Future Requires Tough Choices Today," by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, on the Fiscal Wake-Up Tour at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. GAO-08-337CG, December 3.
  http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d08337cg.pdf
• "U.S. Financial Condition and Fiscal Future Briefing," by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, before the Center for Governmental Accounting Education and Research's Annual Conference, at Rutgers University, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. GAO-08-340CG, November 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d08340cg.pdf

Teen Pregnancy Rates on the Rise

The CDC National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) reported yesterday that the U.S. teen birth rate for 2006 rose for the first time since 1991. Between 2005 and 2006 the birth rate went up 3% for teenage girls between the ages of 15-19. The 2006 rate showed 41.9 births per 1,000. This follows 14 years of steady decline from the 1991 all-time high (61.8 births per 1,000).

Check out the press release from NCHS or read the entire 18-page report, "Births: Preliminary Data for 2006."

Want more information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on teen pregnancy and sexual behavior? Check out these sites:

• Adolescent Reproductive Health: Teen Pregnancy
• Healthy Youth! Sexual Risk Behaviors
• National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS): 1991-2005, Trends in the Prevalence of Sexual Behaviors
  
• School Health Policies and Programs Study: Pregnancy Prevention
  

Read "Teen Birth Rate Rises in U.S., Reversing a 14-Year Decline" from the Washington Post and "First Rise in U.S. Teen Births Since '91" from FOX News.

Want more health and medical information? Check out the library's guide.

Cartoons from the Library of Congress

After yesterdays heady day of posting I thought it might be nice to take a break and laugh at some government information. No I am not talking about badly written government reports, but rather an exhibition at the Library of Congress entitled "Cartoon America."

You can view caricatures, animation and comic strips from James Arthur Wood, Jr. collection of cartoon and caricature. Enjoy the end of your Wednesday!

Want more historic documents or exhibitions? Check out the library's guide.

National Intelligence Report on Iran

I know all of you out there are probably tired of hearing from me today, but I promise this is the last post for today, I just had a few stored up since I didn't post yesterday. This post is on the latest National Intelligence Estimate, NIE for short, on Iran's Nuclear Program. This report is available online in a redacted form. This NIE states "We judge with high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program; we also assess with moderate-to-high confidence that Tehran at a minimum is keeping open the option to develop nuclear weapons."

President Bush conducted a press conference this morning to discuss this NIE. You can read or watch this conference (click the video icon on the right) from the White House site. He didn't only discuss the NIE report, but you can get not only his statement, but also the questions and answer discussion with the press.

Don't want to read or watch all of that? Check out press reaction from the Washington Post in "Bush: Iran Intelligence Report is Warning Signal" or Fox News in "Bush: Iran Remains Dangerous Despite Halt to Nuke Weapons Program."

Want more information on Iran? Check out the library's guide to Iran.

Discover some CRS reports

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress's request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us CRS reports on tax reform, street gangs, Iraq, and much more. While these reports are in the public domain there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report you can request it from your Senator or Representative. This list is compiled from CRS reports discovered by Secrecy News and OpenCRS:

• Defense Contracting in Iraq: Issues and Options for Congress
• North Korea's Nuclear Weapons: Latest Developments
• Russian Energy Policy toward Neighboring Countries
• Foreign Aid Reform: Issues for Congress and Policy Options
• Defense: FY2008 Authorization and Appropriations
• Botnets, Cybercrime, and Cyberterrorism: Vulnerabilities and Policy Issues for Congress
• The Central African Republic
• U.S.-Peru Economic Relations and the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement
• The Transition to Digital Television: Is America Ready?
• Voluntary Carbon Offsets: Overview and Assessment
• Foreign Aid Reform: Issues for Congress and Policy Options
• Would a Housing Crash Cause a Recession?
• U.S. Arms Sales to Pakistan
• Iran's Ballistic Missile Programs: An Overview
• China-U.S. Relations: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy
• Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation and Security Issues
• Weak and Failing States: Evolving Security Threats and U.S. Policy
• Electronic Personal Health Records
• Executive Order 13,438: Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq

Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports back to 1916.

Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.