Anniversary of the 13th Amendment Abolishing Slavery

On January 31, 1865, the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery was passed by Congress. It was ratified by the states on December 6, 1865. Read the Thirteenth Amendment--Slavery and Involuntary Servitude from The Constitution of the United States of America.

Check out these sites for more information:

• 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Web Guide from The Library of Congress
• Records that pertain to American Slavery and the International Slave Trade from The National Archives
• Lincoln Bicentennial 1809-2009
• 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (View a digitized copy of the original document)
  

The library has a number of books and government reports on the 13th amendment. Search for them in the library catalog, Chinook.

Want more information? Check out the library's guides on black history and civil rights.

Fed Lowers Interest Rates -- Again

For the second time this month, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates. The Federal Open Market Committee lowered its target for the federal funds rate 50 basis points to 3 percent. The federal funds rate is an overnight bank lending interest rate that affects consumer interest rates on credit cards, home equity, and car loans. Read the press release from the Federal Reserve.

Check out our previous blogs on the Federal Reserve rate cuts:

• Hoping to Prevent Recession - Fed Cuts Interest Rate Again (January 22, 2008)
• Fed Lowers Interest Rates Again (December 11, 2007)
• More from the Federal Reserve (November 8, 2007)
• More economics news as the stock market falls (November 1, 2007)
• Fed Lowers Interest Rates (September 18, 2007)

Check out "Fed delivers another rate cut" from CNNMoney.com, "Fed Makes Second Rate Cut in Nine Days" from the Washington Post, and "Fed's FOMC Cuts Again, Slashing Key Rate by 0.5%" from FOX Business.

You might also want to check out CNNMoney.com's special report, Fed Focus, for all news related to the Federal Reserve.

Craving more information? Check out the library's guides on Banking and Business and Economics.

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 the Latin America, security, environment, 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:

• Environmental Laws: Summaries of Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency
• Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990
• Latin America: Terrorism Issues
• Iraq: U.S. Regime Change Efforts and Post-War Governance
• Afro-Latinos in Latin America and Considerations for U.S. Policy
• Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI)
• Nuclear Power Plant Security and Vulnerabilities

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.

State of the Union 2008

Didn't catch the State of the Union tonight? You can read it online from the White House web site.
Want more? The State of the Union 2008 site also has links to previous photo essays and 2008 policy initiatives.

Interested in the Democratic response? Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius delivered the response, which is available from the Washington Post.

Want to view the State of the Union's in history? The American Presidency project has them back to 1790.

Want more presidency 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 September 11th health screening, the United Nations, the military, water quality, and and bilingual voting. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Bankruptcy and Child Support Enforcement: Improved Information Sharing Possible without Routine Data Matching. GAO-08-100, January 23.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-100
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08100high.pdf
• Bilingual Voting Assistance: Selected Jurisdictions' Strategies for Identifying Needs and Providing Assistance. GAO-08-182, January 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-182
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08182high.pdf
  
• Defense Contracting: Contract Risk a Key Factor in Assessing Excessive Pass-Through Charges. GAO-08-269, January 25.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-269
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08269high.pdf
• Federal Acquisition: Oversight Plan Needed to Help Implement Acquisition Advisory Panel Recommendations. GAO-08-160, December 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-160
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08160high.pdf
  
• Influenza Pandemic: Efforts Under Way to Address Constraints on Using Antivirals and Vaccines to Forestall a Pandemic. GAO-08-92, December 21.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-92
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0892high.pdf
  
• State and Local Governments: Growing Fiscal Challenges Will Emerge during the Next 10 Years. GAO-08-317, January 22.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-317
  
• Supply Chain Security: Examinations of High-Risk Cargo at Foreign Seaports Have Increased, but Improved Data Collection and Performance Measures Are Needed. GAO-08-187, January 25.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-187
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08187high.pdf
• Tax Compliance: Qualified Intermediary Program Provides Some Assurance That Taxes on Foreign Investors Are Withheld and Reported, but Can Be Improved. GAO-08-99, December 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-99

Special Publication

• GAO Performance and Accountability Highlights: Fiscal Year 2007. GAO-08-2SP, January 2008.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-2SP
  

Correspondence

• Defense Logistics: The Army Needs to Implement an Effective Management and Oversight Plan for the Equipment Maintenance Contract in Kuwait. GAO-08-316R, January 22.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-316R
• Force Structure -- Need for Greater Transparency for the Army's Grow the Force Initiative Funding Plan. GAO-08-354R, January 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-354R
  
• Improper Payments: Federal Executive Branch Agencies' Fiscal Year 2007 Improper Payment Estimate Reporting. GAO-08-377R, January 23.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-377R
• Observations on Implementing the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. GAO-08-274R, December 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-274R
  
• VA and DOD Health Care: Administration of DOD's Post-Deployment Health Reassessment to National Guard and Reserve Servicemembers and VA's Interaction with DOD. GAO-08-181R, January 25.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-181R

Testimony

• Great Lakes Initiative: EPA and States Have Made Progress, but Much Remains to Be Done If Water Quality Goals Are to Be Achieved, by David C. Maurer, acting director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. GAO-08-312T, January 23.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-312T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08312thigh.pdf
  
• Military Operations: Implementation of Existing Guidance and Other Actions Needed to Improve DOD's Oversight and Management of Contractors in Future Operations, by William M. Solis, director, defense capabilities and management, before the Subcommittees of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-08-436T, January 24.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-436T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08436thigh.pdf
• Nuclear Nonproliferation: DOE Needs to Reassess Its Program to Assist Weapons Scientists in Russia and Other Countries, by Robert A. Robinson, managing director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Energy and Commerce. GAO-08-434T, January 23.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-434T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08434thigh.pdf
• September 11: Improvements Still Needed in Availability of Health Screening and Monitoring Services for Responders outside the New York City Area, by Cynthia A. Bascetta, director, health care, before the Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-08-429T, January 22.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-429T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08429thigh.pdf
  
• United Nations: Management Reforms and Operational Issues, by Thomas Melito, director, international affairs and trade, before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-08-246T, January 24.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-246T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08246thigh.pdf

Presentation By The Comptroller General

• "U.S. Financial Condition and Fiscal Future Briefing," by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, before the National Press Foundation, in Washington, D.C. GAO-08-446CG, January 17, 2008 http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d08446cg.pdf
  

Deal Reached on Economic Stimulus Package

The White House and congressional leaders reached a bipartisan agreement on an economic growth package that will give refunds to 116 million taxpayers. The package is supposed to bolster the economy and encourage consumer spending.

• Single taxpayers will receive $600
• Two-wage households will receive $1200
• Taxpayers with children will receive an additional $300 per child
• Low-income workers who make to little to pay taxes and earn at least $3000 will receive $300

Check out the press release from the White House. You might also want to read Nancy Pelosi's blog and the statement from Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. Still curious? Check out Jobs & Economic Growth from the White House and Economy from the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

For more information read "Deal Reached on Economic Stimulus Package" from the Washington Post, "House Leaders, White House Reach Deal on Economic Stimulus Package" from FOX News, and "Deal struck to send checks to taxpayers" from CNNMoney.com.

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

Thousands of Palestinians Flee the Gaza Strip into Egypt

Tens of thousands of Palestinians fled the Gaza Strip into Egypt after masked gunmen blasted through a border wall separating Palestine from Egypt in search of food and supplies. Last week, after months-long blockade, Israel sealed Gaza's borders completely.

For more information check out these sources:

Egypt

• Egyptian intensive efforts to contain ramifications of Gaza siege from the Egypt State Information Service
• AboulGheit assigns Egypt's representative to the UN to present the Egyptian stance at the Security Council's emergency session on the situation in Gaza from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Israel

• Israeli UN mission to oppose Security Council resolution on Gaza from the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Statements to the Security Council: The situation in Gaza and Sderot from the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Palestine

• EC: Only Political Agreement Can Stem Violence press release from the Palestine Media Center
• PLO Negotiations Affairs Department: One-off Delivery of Fuel, Medicine Means '’Putting Palestinians on an I.V. Drip’ press release from the Palestine Media Center

United Nations Security Council

• Gaza situation ‘extremely fragile,’ warns UN political chief from the UN News Centre
  

Read "Gazans Knock Down Border, Flee to Egypt" from the Washington Post and "Witnesses, Officials Say Thousands of Palestinians Flood Into Egypt Through Breached Gaza Wall" from FOX News. You might also want to read "Gazans blast border, flood into Egypt" from the Middle East Times (Egypt), "PLO: Israel ‘Putting Palestinians on an I.V. Drip': Palestinians Storm Egypt Border in Rush for Food Supplies United Nations Security Council" from the Palestine Media Center, and "Hamas takes control at frontier as 200,000 Gazans enter Egypt" from Haaretz (Israel).

Want more information? Check out the library's guides on Palestine, Israel, Egypt, and the Arab Israeli Conflict.

Hoping to Prevent Recession - Fed Cuts Interest Rate Again

In a surprise inter-meeting decision, the Federal Reserve lowered its target for the federal funds rate in response to a weakening economy. In an emergency move, the Fed lowered its rate by 75 basis points to 3.50%. The rate-setting arm of the Federal Reserve, the Federal Open Market Committee, lowered the rate in an effort to prevent a recession due to ongoing problems and softening in the housing, credit, labor, and financial markets. The Open Market Committee's regular meeting is scheduled for January 29-30, at which time additional cuts may occur. The federal funds rate is an overnight bank lending interest rate that affects consumer interest rates on credit cards, home equity, and car loans. Read the press release from the Federal Reserve.

Check out "Fed slashes key rate to 3.5%" from CNNMoney.com, "Fed Cuts Key Interest Rate as Asian Markets Drop for Second Day" from the Washington Post, "Market down on recession woes but Fed cut helps" from Reuters, "Fed Slices Interest Rate by 0.75%" from FOX Business, and "Fed slashes rates in shock move" from BBC News.

Need more information on the Federal Reserve? Try FED101, an interactive website on the Federal Reserve's history, monetary policy (including interest rates), regulatory functions, and financial services.

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 security, United Nations, judicial security, and 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:

• The Gulf Security Dialogue and Related Arms Sale Proposals
• Foreign Ownership of U.S. Financial Assets: Implications of a Withdrawal
• Laos: Background and U.S. Relations
• Pakistan-U.S. Relations
• The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW): Congressional Issues
• Judicial Salary: Current Issues and Options for Congress

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 Iran sanctions, Iraq reconstruction, and energy markets. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Chemical Demilitarization: Additional Management Actions Needed to Meet Key Performance Goals of DOD's Chemical Demilitarization Program. GAO-08-134, December 6.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-134
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08134high.pdf
• End-of-Life Care: Key Components Provided by Programs in Four States [Arizona, Florida, Oregon, Wisconsin]. GAO-08-66, December 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-66
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0866high.pdf
• Energy Markets: Increasing Globalization of Petroleum Products Markets, Tightening Refining Demand and Supply Balance, and Other Trends Have Implications for U.S. Energy Supply, Prices, and Price Volatility. GAO-08-14, December 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-14
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0814high.pdf
• Entitlement Reform Process: Other Countries' Experiences Provide Useful Insights for the United States. GAO-08-372, January 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-372
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08372high.pdf
• Iran Sanctions: Impact in Furthering U.S. Objectives Is Unclear and Should Be Reviewed. GAO-08-58, December 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-58
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0858high.pdf
• Legal Services Corporation: Improved Internal Controls Needed in Grants Management and Oversight. GAO-08-37, December 28.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-37
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0837high.pdf

Correspondence

• Bureau of Reclamation: Reimbursement of California's Central Valley Project Capital Construction Costs by San Luis Unit Irrigation Water Districts. GAO-08-307R, December 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-307R
• Defense Infrastructure: Realignment of Air Force Special Operations Command Units to Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. GAO-08-244R, January 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-244R
• Motor Carrier Safety: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Has Developed a Reasonable Framework for Managing and Testing Its Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 Initiative. GAO-08-242R, December 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-242R

Testimony

• Export Promotion: Export-Import Bank Has Met Target for Small Business Financing Share, by Loren Yager, director, international affairs and trade, before the House Committee on Small Business. GAO-08-419T, January 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-419T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08419thigh.pdf

Inflation Rates for 2007

Driven by higher food and energy prices, the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was 4.1 percent higher for the 12-month period ending in December 2007 than for that same time period in December 2006, when the CPI-U rose 2.5 percent. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U rose 2.4 percent for all of 2007. This is a slight deceleration from the 2006 rate of 2.6. Read the BLS news release for more information and to compare data by item and year. The Consumer Price Indexes (CPI) program from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) produces monthly data on changes in the prices paid by urban consumers for a representative basket of goods and services.

You might also want to check out the CPI Inflation Calculator to see how far your money goes today compared to yesteryear (1913-present).

Read "Inflation Rate Spikes in 2007" from the Washington Post.

Want more information? Check out the library's guides on Income & Poverty, Labor & Employment, and Labor Statistics.

No more pine trees in Colorado?

For those of you who read the Denver Post's "Beetle-kill rate in Colorado 'catastrophic,'" you might be interested in reading more about this growing problem. There are a number of sites to examine:

• Ariel Survey This is the page that you can use to link to Ariel photographs by quad of the tree cover back to 2003. If you want to see the map with data up to 2006, check out this page.
• Regional Park Beetle Information This is where I got those infestation pictures you see on the left. You can also get information on the plan to fight the infestation here.
• Mountain Pine Beetle This is the Colorado Forestry Service page on the infestation of the mountain pine beetle with a life cycle.

Want more forest and parks information? Check out the library's guide.

Congressional Research Service discoveries

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 the pension, crime, China, 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:

• The Link Between Medicaid and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Recent History and Current Issues
• Israeli-Arab Negotiations: Background, Conflicts, and U.S. Policy
• Railroad Retirement Board: Trust Fund Investment Practices
• U.S.-Vietnam Relations: Background and Issues for Congress
• How Crime in the United States Is Measured
• Vulnerable Youth: Federal Mentoring Programs and Issues
• China's "Soft Power" in Southeast Asia
• Emerging Trends in the Security Architecture in Asia: Bilateral and Multilateral Ties Among the United States, Japan, Australia, and India
• The USDA's Authority to Recall Meat and Poultry Products
• The U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement: Effects After Three Years
• Federal Employees: Pay and Pension Increases Since 1969
• SCHIP Coverage for Pregnant Women and Unborn Children
• Dollar Crisis: Prospect and Implications
• China's Holdings of U.S. Securities: Implications for the U.S. Economy
• Pipelines for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Control: Network Needs and Cost Uncertainties
• Trafficking in Persons: U.S. Policy and Issues for Congress
• Prospects for Democracy in Hong Kong: China's December 2007 Decision
• Regulation of Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions: State and Federal Standards
• Democracy Promotion: Cornerstone of U.S. Foreign Policy?
• Perjury Under Federal Law: A Brief Overview
• Kosovo's Future Status and U.S. Policy

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 audits of public companies, defense acquisitions, and information security. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Audits of Public Companies: Continued Concentration in Audit Market for Large Public Companies Does Not Call for Immediate Action. GAO-08-163, January 9.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-163
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08163high.pdf
  
• Defense Acquisitions: Departmentwide Direction Is Needed for Implementation of the Anti-tamper Policy. GAO-08-91, January 11.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-91
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0891high.pdf
• Federal-Aid Highways: Increased Reliance on Contractors Can Pose Oversight Challenges for Federal and State Officials. GAO-08-198, January 8.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-198
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08198high.pdf
• Freight Transportation: National Policy and Strategies Can Help Improve Freight Mobility. GAO-08-287, January 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-287
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08287high.pdf
  
• Information Security: IRS Needs to Address Pervasive Weaknesses. GAO-08-211, January 8.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-211
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08211high.pdf
  
• Maritime Security: Federal Efforts Needed to Address Challenges in Preventing and Responding to Terrorist Attacks on Energy Commodity Tankers. GAO-08-141, December 10.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-141
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08141high.pdf
  
• Nuclear Nonproliferation: DOE's Program to Assist Weapons Scientists in Russia and Other Countries Needs to Be Reassessed. GAO-08-189, December 12.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-189
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08189high.pdf
• Social Security Disability: Better Planning, Management, and Evaluation Could Help Address Backlogs. GAO-08-40, December 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-40
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0840high.pdf
  

Correspondence

• Posthearing Questions Related to Federal Agencies' Activities regarding the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. GAO-08-397R, January 9.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-397R
  

Special Publication / Related Product

• Audits of Public Companies: Survey of Public Accounting Firms and Public Companies (an E-supplement to GAO-08-163). GAO-08-164SP, January 9. [Internet only] http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-164SP

Presentation By The Comptroller General

• "U.S. Financial Condition and Fiscal Future Briefing," by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, before the Rotary Club of Birmingham, Alabama. GAO-08-417CG, January 9, 2008 http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d08417cg.pdf

Primary, Cacaus, oh my

Well, if you read the papers or watch news on TV you can't help but have heard that the race to be the Republican and Democrat nominee for President is on. Unlike the national election, there is no one place that contains all the election results, but you can check 'em out state by state.

How you ask? The Department of Defense (since many of the members serve overseas and don't get the local paper) has developed a web page that lists the Secretary of States for all fifty states and some territories, each of these sites lists the official state results.

For those of you in Colorado registered as a Democrat or Republican you can go to the caucus on February 5. Want more information on that? Check out the Colorado State Publication's blog posting on the Colorado Caucus.

Want more elections and voting information? Check out the library's guide.

A few more CRS reports

Happy New Year everyone! Here are a few new 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 the motor vehicle industry, terrorism, energy, 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:

• Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007: A Summary of Major Provisions
• Spending by Consumers on Health Care and Health Insurance: A Data Brief
• Resolving House Committee Jurisdictional Disputes: A Survey of Options
• Democracy Promotion: Cornerstone of U.S. Foreign Policy?
• Motor Vehicle Manufacturing Employment: National and State Trends and Issues
• Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2008: Brief Overview
• U.S. Foreign Assistance to Latin America and the Caribbean: FY2006-FY2008
• Pay-As-You-Go Procedures for Budget Enforcement
• National Aviation Security Policy, Strategy, and Mode-Specific Plans: Background and Considerations for Congress
• The Effect of State-Legalized Same-Sex Marriage on Social Security Benefits and Pensions
• Obstruction of Justice: an Overview of Some of the Federal Statutes that Prohibit Interference with Judicial, Executive, or Legislative Activities
• Obstruction of Congress: a Brief Overview of Federal Law Relating to Interference with Congressional Activities
• Suits Against Terrorist States By Victims of Terrorism
• Proposals to Reform 'Holds' in the Senate
• Federal Tort Claims Act
• Intelligence Issues for Congress

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 border security and defense trade. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Army Corps of Engineers: Known Performance Issues with New Orleans Drainage Canal Pumps Have Been Addressed, but Guidance on Future Contracts Is Needed. GAO-08-288, December 31.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-288
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08288high.pdf
• Defense Trade: State Department Needs to Conduct Assessments to Identify and Address Inefficiencies and Challenges in the Arms Export Process. GAO-08-89, November 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-89
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0889high.pdf

Testimony

• Border Security: Despite Progress, Weaknesses in Traveler Inspections Exist at Our Nation's Ports of Entry, by Richard M. Stana, director, homeland security and justice issues, before the House Committee on Homeland Security, in El Paso, Texas. GAO-08-329T, January 3.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-329T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08329thigh.pdf

Special Publication

• Government Auditing Standards-Implementation Tool: Professional Requirements Tool for Use in Implementing Requirements Identified by "Must" and "Should" in the July 2007 Revision of Government Auditing Standards. GAO-08-210G, December 2007.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-210G
  

Presentation By The Comptroller General

• "U.S. Financial Condition and Fiscal Future Briefing," by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, at the 2008 Economic Forecast Forum sponsored by the North Carolina Bankers Association and North Carolina Chamber, in Research Triangle Park, N.C. GAO-08-395CG, January 2, 2008
  http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d08395cg.pdf