As you probably recall, President Obama's first executive order, made on January 22, 2009, was "Review and Disposition of Individuals Detained at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base Closure of Detention Facilities." The U.S. Department of Defense's report, Review of Department Compliance with President’s Executive Order on Detainee Conditions of Confinement, is now available on its website.
According to an article in this week's New York Times, some lawyers and human rights groups are critical of the review. For resources on different sides of the issues, see our guides to Crime & Justice and Human Rights.
Friday, February 27, 2009
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 arts education, the tax gap, hiring and retaining older workers, and the Whistleblower Protection Program. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.Reports
- Access to Arts Education: Inclusion of Additional Questions in Education's Planned Research Would Help Explain Why Instruction Time Has Decreased for Some Students. GAO-09-286, February 27.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-286
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09286high.pdf - Bureau of Prisons: Written Policies on Lateral Transfers and Assessment of Temporary Assignments Needed. GAO-09-141, February 25.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-141
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09141high.pdf - Excluded Parties List System: Suspended and Debarred Businesses and Individuals Improperly Receive Federal Funds. GAO-09-174, February 25.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-174
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09174high.pdf - Federal Land Management: Observations on a Possible Move of the Forest Service into the Department of the Interior. GAO-09-223, February 11.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-223
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09223high.pdf - Financial Audit: American Battle Monuments Commission's Financial Statements for Fiscal Years 2008 and 2007. GAO-09-293, February 27.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-293
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09293high.pdf - Nonprofit Sector: Significant Federal Funds Reach the Sector through Various Mechanisms, but More Complete and Reliable Funding Data Are Needed. GAO-09-193, February 26.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-193
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09193high.pdf - Older Workers: Enhanced Communication among Federal Agencies Could Improve Strategies for Hiring and Retaining Experienced Workers. GAO-09-206, February 24.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-206
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09206high.pdf - Securing, Stabilizing, and Developing Pakistan's Border Area with Afghanistan: Key Issues for Congressional Oversight. GAO-09-263SP, February 23.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-263SP - Tax Gap: IRS Could Do More to Promote Compliance by Third Parties with Miscellaneous Income Reporting Requirements. GAO-09-238, January 28.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-238
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09238high.pdf - Whistleblower Protection Program: Better Data and Improved Oversight Would Help Ensure Program Quality and Consistency. GAO-09-106, January 27.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-106
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09106high.pdf
- Defense Acquisitions: Perspectives on Potential Changes to Department of Defense Acquisition Management Framework. GAO-09-295R. February 27.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-295R - NASA Workforce: Responses to Follow-up Questions regarding the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Use of Term Appointments. GAO-09-356R, February 25.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-356R - Overseas U.S. Government Personnel Involved in Efforts to Protect and Enforce Intellectual Property Rights. GAO-09-402R, February 26.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-402R
- Chemical Regulation: Options for Enhancing the Effectiveness of the Toxic Substances Control Act, by John Stephenson, director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection, House Committee on Energy and Commerce. GAO-09-428T, February 26.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-428T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09428thigh.pdf - Climate Change Science: High Quality Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data are a Cornerstone of Programs to Address Climate Change, by John Stephenson, director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, House Committee on Science and Technology. GAO-09-423T, February 24.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-423T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09423thigh.pdf - Defense Acquisitions: Charting a Course for Improved Missile Defense Testing, by Paul Francis, director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, House Committee on Armed Services. GAO-09-403T, February 25.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-403T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09403thigh.pdf - Excluded Parties List System: Suspended and Debarred Businesses and Individuals Improperly Receive Federal Funds, by Gregory D. Kutz, managing director, forensic audits and special investigations, before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-09-419T, February 26.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-419T - Federal Land Management: Potential Effects and Factors to Consider in a Move of the Forest Service into the Department of the Interior, by Robin M. Nazzaro, director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, House Committee on Appropriations. GAO-09-412T, February 24.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-412T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09412thigh.pdf - Hardrock Mining: Information on Types of State Royalties, Number of Abandoned Mines, and Financial Assurances on BLM Land, by Robin M. Nazzaro, director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, House Committee on Natural Resources. GAO-09-429T, February 26.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-429T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09429thigh.pdf - Veterinarian Workforce: The Federal Government Lacks a Comprehensive Understanding of Its Capacity to Protect Animal and Public Health, by Lisa R. Shames, director, natural resources and environment, 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-09-424T, February 26.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-424T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09424thigh.pdf - Troubled Asset Relief Program: Status of Efforts to Address Transparency and Accountability Issues, by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Financial Services. GAO-09-417T, February 24.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-417T - Workforce Investment Act: Labor Has Made Progress in Addressing Areas of Concern, but More Focus Needed on Understanding What Works and What Doesn't, by George A. Scott, director, education, workforce, and income security, before the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness, House Committee on Education and Labor. GAO-09-396T, February 26.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-396T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09396thigh.pdf
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Budget Takes Center Stage at the White House
Yesterday at the opening of the Fiscal Responsibility Summit, President Obama stated that he is "pledging to cut the deficit we inherited in half by the end of my first term in office. This will not be easy. It will require us to make difficult decisions and face challenges we've long neglected. But I refuse to leave our children with a debt that they cannot repay -- and that means taking responsibility right now, in this administration, for getting our spending under control." You can read a transcript of President Obama's and Vice President Biden's remarks at WhiteHouse.gov. You can read more about the Fiscal Responsibility Summit in the Washington Post.
You can find the Budget of the United States Government, from 1997 to present, on GPO Access. On this page there is already a place-holder for "A New Era of Responsibility: Renewing America’s Promise," the budget overview for fiscal year 2010 that should be available this February 26.
For additional government sources on budget and debt, see
You can find the Budget of the United States Government, from 1997 to present, on GPO Access. On this page there is already a place-holder for "A New Era of Responsibility: Renewing America’s Promise," the budget overview for fiscal year 2010 that should be available this February 26.
For additional government sources on budget and debt, see
- FRASER (Federal Reserve Archival System for Economic Research) Budget of the United States Government: This site contains digitized PDFs of the U.S. Budget from 1963 to 1986.
- Bureau of the Public Debt: This division of the Department of Treasury borrows the money needed to operate the Federal Government and accounts for the resulting debt. This page has information on the size of the debt, savings bonds, and treasury bills.
- Office of Management and Budget: OMB helps the president to prepare the federal budget and oversees how the budget is administered in executive agencies.
- Government Publications Library's guide to Debt and Budget Information: Here you can find a wealth of additional resources and suggested keyword search strategies.
Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports
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 only brings us a lot of CRS reports, including ones mountain pine beetles, torture, 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 OpenCRS and Secrecy News:
Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.
- Interrogation of Detainees: Requirements of the Detainee Treatment Act
- U.N. Convention Against Torture (CAT): Overview and Application to Interrogation Techniques
- The U.N. Convention Against Torture: Overview of U.S. Implementation Policy Concerning the Removal of Aliens
- The War Crimes Act: Current Issues
- Renditions: Constraints Imposed by Laws on Torture
- Afghanistan: Government Formation and Performance
- Brazil-U.S. Relations
- China and the Global Financial Crisis: Implications for the United States
- China's Currency Peg: A Summary of the Economic Issues
- Congress and U.S. Policy on North Korean Human Rights and Refugees: Recent Legislation and Implementation
- Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Legislative Initiatives
- Fifth Summit of the Americas, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, April 2009: Background, Agenda, and Expectations
- Flag Protection: A Brief History and Summary of Recent Supreme Court Decisions and Proposed Constitutional Amendment
- Iran's Ballistic Missile Programs: An Overview
- Iraq: Politics, Elections, and Benchmarks
- Long-Range Ballistic Missile Defense in Europe
- Military Medical Care: Questions and Answers
- Military Recruitment Provisions Under the No Child Left Behind Act: A Legal Analysis
- Mountain Pine Beetles and Forest Destruction: Effects, Responses, and Relationships to Climate Change
- NATO Enlargement: Senate Advice and Consent
- NATO in Afghanistan: A Test of the Transatlantic Alliance
- Nuclear Weapons: Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
- Preserving Homeownership: Foreclosure Prevention Issues
- Privacy Law and Online Advertising: Legal Analysis of Data Gathering By Online Advertisers Such As Double Click and NebuAd
- Social Security Administration: Workloads, Resources, and Service Delay
- South Africa: Current Issues and U.S. Relations
- Sovereign Wealth Funds: Background and Policy Issues for Congress
- The African Development Bank Group
- The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
- The Republic of the Philippines: Background and U.S. Relations
- The U.S. Secret Service: An Examination and Analysis of Its Evolving Missions
- Troubled Asset Relief Program and Foreclosures
- Wind Energy: Offshore Permitting
- Yemen: Current Conditions and U.S. Relations
Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.
Friday, February 20, 2009
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 embassy construction, the Clean Air Act, and veterinarians protecting animal and public health. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.Reports
- Certificated Expenditures: Executive Office of the President Fiscal Year 2007 Certificated Expenditures Were Used for Authorized Purposes. GAO-09-305, February 17.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-305 - Embassy Construction: Additional Actions Are Needed to Address Contractor Participation. GAO-09-48, January 16.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-48
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0948high.pdf - Veterinarian Workforce: Actions Are Needed to Ensure Sufficient Capacity for Protecting Public and Animal Health. GAO-09-178, February 4.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-178
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09178high.pdf
- New Embassy Construction: Structured Interviews with Construction Firms (GAO-09-47SP, January 2009), an E-supplement to GAO-09-48, January 16. [Internet Only]
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-47SP
- Clean Air Act: Historical Information on EPA's Process for Reviewing California Waiver Requests and Making Waiver Determinations. GAO-09-249R, January 16.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-249R - Government Printing Office: Issues Faced in Obtaining a New Facility. GAO-09-392R, February 20.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-392R
- "Challenges Facing the New Administration and the 111th Congress," by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the AGA 2009 Leadership Conference, in Washington, D.C. GAO-09-383CG, February 19, 2009
http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d09383cg.pdf - "GAO's Work on Today's High Risk Issues and Long-Term Challenges," by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the Arizona Society of CPAs, in Phoenix, Arizona. GAO-09-382CG, February 6, 2009
http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d09382cg.pdf
FRUS Management Under Review by State Department
A blog post by Secrecy News, one of our sources for Congressional Research Service (CRS) documents, suggests that management problems within the State Department's Office of the Historian (HO) may have a negative impact on the “Foreign Relations of the United States” (FRUS) series of organizational changes are not made within the HO. Read the blog post here.
A State Department press statement from December 23, 2008, shows that then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice talked to the Historical Advisory Committee (HAC) about its concerns regarding the FRUS series, and "she had asked an outside Review Team to provide recommendations about how to ensure the FRUS series remains the gold standard for diplomatic history scholarship." According to the Secrecy News post, the review team's January 13, 2009, report, with suggestions for reorganization of the HO, was submitted to the Secretary of State.
The FRUS series started in 1861 and provides over 350 volumes of historical records of American foreign policy. Each volume features declassified records from the White House, the Department of State, and other foreign affairs agencies. On the State Department's FRUS site you can do a keyword search for specific foreign relations documents, browse among online volumes associated with a particular presidential administration, or view a full list of volumes.
For additional resources, see our guide to Foreign Relations.
A State Department press statement from December 23, 2008, shows that then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice talked to the Historical Advisory Committee (HAC) about its concerns regarding the FRUS series, and "she had asked an outside Review Team to provide recommendations about how to ensure the FRUS series remains the gold standard for diplomatic history scholarship." According to the Secrecy News post, the review team's January 13, 2009, report, with suggestions for reorganization of the HO, was submitted to the Secretary of State.
The FRUS series started in 1861 and provides over 350 volumes of historical records of American foreign policy. Each volume features declassified records from the White House, the Department of State, and other foreign affairs agencies. On the State Department's FRUS site you can do a keyword search for specific foreign relations documents, browse among online volumes associated with a particular presidential administration, or view a full list of volumes.
For additional resources, see our guide to Foreign Relations.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Which Projects Will Be Funded by the Stimulus Bill?
President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law yesterday at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. You can read about the signing in the Denver Post. You can find links to the full text of the legislation, the conference report, and congressional roll calls on the Library of Congress's THOMAS website.
According to the Post, President Obama claimed "the bill's mix of tax cuts, infrastructure projects, energy and education investments, and aid to the unemployed and poor would create or save 3.5 million jobs over the next two years, including roughly 60,000 in Colorado." Wondering what types of projects your state hopes will benefit from the $787 billion stimulus package? Stimulus Watch is a nongovernmental organization formed "to help the [Obama] administration keep its pledge and to hold public officials to account." Its website provides a list of proposed "shovel-ready projects" released by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
The Stimulus Watch website allows you to search for project information by state, city, keyword, or program type and indicates each program's cost and the number of jobs it would create. The website also allows visitors to comment on these proposed projects. Note that these projects are not part of the stimulus bill, and they may or may not be funded by it. Stimulus Watch gives you an opportunity to find out what's being proposed so that you can contribute to the discussion on how taxpayer dollars are being used.
For more online resources, see our guide to Federal Contracts.
According to the Post, President Obama claimed "the bill's mix of tax cuts, infrastructure projects, energy and education investments, and aid to the unemployed and poor would create or save 3.5 million jobs over the next two years, including roughly 60,000 in Colorado." Wondering what types of projects your state hopes will benefit from the $787 billion stimulus package? Stimulus Watch is a nongovernmental organization formed "to help the [Obama] administration keep its pledge and to hold public officials to account." Its website provides a list of proposed "shovel-ready projects" released by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
The Stimulus Watch website allows you to search for project information by state, city, keyword, or program type and indicates each program's cost and the number of jobs it would create. The website also allows visitors to comment on these proposed projects. Note that these projects are not part of the stimulus bill, and they may or may not be funded by it. Stimulus Watch gives you an opportunity to find out what's being proposed so that you can contribute to the discussion on how taxpayer dollars are being used.
For more online resources, see our guide to Federal Contracts.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
It has been a while since we talked in-depth about a government agency and so today I thought I would talk about the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). NTIS is a bit different then many government agencies in that it is allowed to charge for its services, in fact it the American Technology Preeminance Act of 1992 "required all costs associated with bibliographic control to be recovered by fees." To learn more about the development of this agency, check out the About NTIS page.
So what to do they provide access to? NTIS collects all scientific and technical information produced by the government or sponsored by the government. They have provide copies of this material on a cost-recovery basis to the rest of us. Now if you are here in Boulder you are lucky because CU-Boulder has one of the largest collections of technical reports outside of the government.
So how do you find it? There are a variety of tools to choose from:
So what to do they provide access to? NTIS collects all scientific and technical information produced by the government or sponsored by the government. They have provide copies of this material on a cost-recovery basis to the rest of us. Now if you are here in Boulder you are lucky because CU-Boulder has one of the largest collections of technical reports outside of the government.
So how do you find it? There are a variety of tools to choose from:
- NTIS Index This is a subscription resource from Engineering Village available on CU-Boulder's campus that lets you search the index of the NTIS collection. For help using this database, check out the library's guide.
- NTIS This is the free search of the NTIS collection (again only an index with no full-text access), you don't get quite the same nice search features, but it is open to everyone with no limitations.
- National Technical Reports Library (NTRL) This is another subscription resource that CU-Boulder is trialing right now. The first two resources only give you citations, this database provides full-text access to the reports within the database. If you like this database (or hate it), please fill out the library's trial evaluation form.
- RSS feeds If you don't want to keep searching the databases, but you want to know when new resources come out subscribe to one of these feeds.
- Many of these reports are available online, if you want to check out if they are in another source search the title in a google or another search engine.
- If you are having trouble finding a copy, visit the library or email us.
Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports
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 only brings us a lot of CRS reports, including ones Iran, nuclear waste, climate change, 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 OpenCRS and Secrecy News:
Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.
- Iran’s Economic Conditions: U.S. Policy Issues
- U.S. Foreign Aid to the Palestinians
- The Google Library Project: Is Digitization for Purposes of Online Indexing Fair Use Under Copyright Law?
- FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process: A Primer
- Nuclear Waste Disposal: Alternatives to Yucca Mountain
- Amtrak: Budget and Reauthorization
- Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: Security Issues and Implications for U.S. Interests
- Biochar: Examination of an Emerging Concept to Mitigate Climate Change
- Cuba: Issues for the 111th Congress
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP): Status and Issues
- Federal Statutes: What They Are and Where to Find Them
- Foreign Aid: An Introduction to U.S. Programs and Policy
- U.S. Global Climate Change Policy: Evolving Views on Costs, Competitiveness, and Comprehensiveness
- Iraq: U.S. Regime Change Efforts and Post-War Governance
- Lebanon: Background and U.S. Relations
- The Law of Church and State: Public Aid to Sectarian Schools
- U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea: Living Resources Provisions
- U.S. Energy: Overview and Selected Facts and Numbers
- U.S.-Vietnam Relations in 2009: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy
Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
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 aviation security, Iraq and Afghanistan, and Social Security and the baby boom generation. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.Reports
- Afghanistan Security: Lack of Systemic Tracking Raises Significant Accountability Concerns about Weapons Provided to Afghan National Security Forces. GAO-09-267, January 30.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-267
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09267high.pdf - Aviation Security: Federal Air Marshal Service Has Taken Actions to Fulfill Its Core Mission and Address Workforce Issues, but Additional Actions Are Needed to Improve Workforce Survey. GAO-09-273. January 14.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-273
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09273high.pdf - Human Capital: Opportunities Exist to Build on Recent Progress to Strengthen DOD's Civilian Human Capital Strategic Plan. GAO-09-235, February 10.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-235
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09235high.pdf - National Airspace System: FAA Reauthorization Issues are Critical to System Transformation and Operations, by Gerald L. Dillingham, Ph.D., director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Subcommittee on Aviation, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. GAO-09-377T, February 11.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-377T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09377thigh.pdf - Social Security Administration: Service Delivery Plan Needed to Address Baby Boom Retirement Challenges. GAO-09-24, January 9.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-24
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0924high.pdf
- Aviation Security: TSA's Cost and Performance Study of Private-Sector Airport Screening. GAO-09-27R, January 9.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-27R
- Afghanistan Security: Corrective Actions Are Needed to Address Serious Accountability Concerns about Weapons Provided to Afghan National Security Forces, by Charles M. Johnson, Jr., director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-09-366T, February 12.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-366T - Defense Management: Actions Needed to Overcome Long-standing Challenges with Weapon Systems Acquisition and Service Contract Management, by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the Subcommittee on Defense, House Committee on Appropriations. GAO-09-362T, February 11.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-362T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09362thigh.pdf - Iraq and Afghanistan: Availability of Forces, Equipment, and Infrastructure Should Be Considered in Developing U.S. Strategy and Plans, by Janet St. Laurent, managing director, defense capabilities and management, before the House Committee on Armed Services. GAO-09-380T, February 12.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-380T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09380thigh.pdf - Transportation Research: The Department of Transportation Has Made Progress in Coordinating and Reviewing Its Research Activities, by David J. Wise, acting director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation, House Committee on Science and Technology. GAO-09-361T, February 12.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-361T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09361thigh.pdf
Thursday, February 12, 2009
More CRS Reports Made Available Through Wikileaks
Congressional Research Service reports have become even more accessible now that Wikileaks.org has published thousands of thus-far unreleased CRS reports on its website. Yesterday the Washington Post provided a article on Wikileaks efforts as well as differing opinions from congressional and media representatives about whether CRS reports should be made readily available to the public. Also check out Wikileaks' full press release on its involvement with CRS reports.
According to the Post article, Wikileaks will be feeding all newly released CRS reports it receives to OpenCRS.org, which is one of our current sources for the list of CRS reports that we provide on our blog each week.
Remember that it wasn't impossible to find CRS reports before Wikileaks' project. Our guide to CRS provides a number of free and library-accessible sources for searching for and retrieving CRS reports.
According to the Post article, Wikileaks will be feeding all newly released CRS reports it receives to OpenCRS.org, which is one of our current sources for the list of CRS reports that we provide on our blog each week.
Remember that it wasn't impossible to find CRS reports before Wikileaks' project. Our guide to CRS provides a number of free and library-accessible sources for searching for and retrieving CRS reports.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Geithner Unveils Financial Stability Plan
Today U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner introduced the Treasury Department's Financial Stability Plan, which will assist banks and credit markets with up to $1 trillion in public and private funds. Read the article in the Washington Post or Secretary Geithner's introduction of the plan on the Treasury Department's website.
In his introduction, Geithner mentions that the "Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, and all the financial agencies in our country will bring the full force of the United States Government to bear to strengthen our financial system so that we get the economy back on track." On the Federal Reserve's website you can find Chairman Ben Bernanke's testimony before Congress about the Fed's efforts to boost the economy.
Geithner also remarks that the Treasury is creating a new website, FinancialStability.gov, to provide accountability to American tax-payers about how financial institutions are being regulated and whether funds are being used wisely. This website is still under construction, but it already contains a link to a seven-page fact sheet on the Financial Stability Plan.
For additional resources, see our guide to Business and Economic Information.
In his introduction, Geithner mentions that the "Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, and all the financial agencies in our country will bring the full force of the United States Government to bear to strengthen our financial system so that we get the economy back on track." On the Federal Reserve's website you can find Chairman Ben Bernanke's testimony before Congress about the Fed's efforts to boost the economy.
Geithner also remarks that the Treasury is creating a new website, FinancialStability.gov, to provide accountability to American tax-payers about how financial institutions are being regulated and whether funds are being used wisely. This website is still under construction, but it already contains a link to a seven-page fact sheet on the Financial Stability Plan.
For additional resources, see our guide to Business and Economic Information.
Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports
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 only brings us a lot of CRS reports, including ones stimulus, energy, 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 OpenCRS and Secrecy News:
Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.
- Detection of Nuclear Weapons and Materials: Science, Technologies, Observations
- "Fast Track" Procedures to Disapprove Additional Funds Under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act
- A Federal Chief Technology Officer in the Obama Administration: Options and Issues for Consideration
- Abortion Law Development: A Brief Overview
- Alternative Fuels and Advanced Technology Vehicles: Issues in Congress
- Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
- Causes of the Financial Crisis
- China and the Global Financial Crisis: Implications for the United States
- Community Service Requirement for Residents of Public Housing
- Copyright Protection for Fashion Design: A Legal Analysis of the Design Piracy Prohibition Act, H.R. 2033
- Countercyclical Job Creation Programs
- Earmark Disclosure Rules in the House: Member and Committee Requirements
- Earmark Disclosure Rules in the Senate: Member and Committee Requirements
- Emergency Unemployment Compensation
- Energy Policy Act of 2005
- Federal Budget Process Reform in the 111th Congress
- Financial Market Intervention
- Homelessness: Recent Statistics, Targeted Federal Programs and Recent Legislation
- Infrastructure Programs: What's Different About Broadband?
- International Population Assistance and Family Planning Programs: Issues for Congress
- Iraq: Summary of U.S. Casualties
- Issues in Green Building and the Federal Response: An Introduction
- Medicaid: The Federal Medical Assistance Percentage
- Proposed Funding for Workforce Development in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009
- The Cigarette Tax Increase to Finance SCHIP
- The Corporation for Public Broadcasting: Federal Funding Facts and Status
- The Department of Housing and Urban Development: FY2009 Appropriations
- The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act and Current Financial Turmoil: Issues and Analysis
- The Haitian Economy and the HOPE Act
- The U.S. Financial Crisis: The Global Dimension with Implications for U.S. Policy
- The Unemployment Trust Fund (UTF)
- The Unemployment Trust Fund and Reed Act Distributions
- The UNESCO Wold Heritage Convention: Congressional Issues
- The Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008: An Overview
- U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress
- U.S. Trade Policy and the Caribbean: From Trade Preferences to Free Trade Agreements
- Underground Carbon Dioxide Storage: Frequently Asked Questions
Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.
Friday, February 06, 2009
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 foster care, Medicaid funding, and the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.Reports
- Foster Care: State Practices for Assessing Health Needs, Facilitating Service Delivery, and Monitoring Children's Care. GAO-09-26, February 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-26
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0926high.pdf - Broadcasting to Cuba: Actions Are Needed to Improve Strategy and Operations. GAO-09-127, January 22.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-127
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09127high.pdf - Surface Transportation: Clear Federal Role and Criteria-Based Selection Process Could Improve Three National and Regional Infrastructure Programs. GAO-09-219, February 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-219
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09219high.pdf
- Aviation Security: Status of Transportation Security Inspector Workforce. GAO-09-123R, February 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-123R - Estimated Adjusted Medicaid Funding Allocations Related to the Proposed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. GAO-09-371R, February 5.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-371R - Estimated Temporary Medicaid Funding Allocations Related to Section 5001 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. GAO-09-364R, February 4.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-364R - Issues Involving the Use of the Futures Markets to Invest in Commodity Indexes. GAO-09-285R, January 30.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-285R
- Financial Regulation: A Framework for Crafting and Assessing Proposals to Modernize the Outdated U.S. Financial Regulatory System, by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. GAO-09-349T, February 4.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-349T - Troubled Asset Relief Program: Status of Efforts to Address Transparency and Accountability Issues, by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. GAO-09-359T, February 5.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-359T
- Federal Information System Controls Audit Manual (FISCAM). GAO-09-232G, February 2009.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-232G
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports
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 only brings us a lot of CRS reports, including ones Iraq, DTV, stimulus, 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 OpenCRS and Secrecy News:
Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.
- War in Afghanistan: Strategy, Military Operations, and Issues for Congress
- Homeland Security Intelligence: Perceptions, Statutory Definitions, and Approaches
- Israel and Hamas: Conflict in Gaza (2008-2009)
- Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty: Background and Current Developments
- The Special Inspector General (SIG) for the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP)
- Amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Set to Expire in 2009
- Afghanistan: Presidential and Parliamentary Elections
- Africa Command: U.S. Strategic Interests and the Role of the U.S. Military in Africa
- Biofuels Incentives: A Summary of Federal Programs
- China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles: Policy Issues
- Closing the Guantanamo Detention Center: Legal Issues
- Congress as a Consumer of Intelligence Information
- Emergency Spending: Statutory and Congressional Rules
- Fifth Summit of the Americas, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, April 2009: Background, Agenda, and Expectations
- Financial Turmoil: Federal Reserve Policy Responses
- Foreign Investment and National Security: Economic Considerations
- General Revenue Sharing: Background and Analysis
- H.R. 2: The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009
- Health and Safety Concerns Over U.S. Imports of Chinese Products: An Overview
- Health Insurance Continuation Coverage Under COBRA
- Housing for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS
- Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 110th Congress
- Intelligence Issues for Congress
- Intelligence Reform at the Department of Energy: Policy Issues and Organizational Alternatives
- Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses
- Iraq: Post-Saddam National Elections
- Iraq: Regional Perspectives and U.S. Policy
- Iraq: Summary of U.S. Casualties
- Iraq: U.S. Regime Change Efforts and Post-War Governance
- Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress
- Lebanon: Background and U.S. Relations
- Long-Range Ballistic Missile Defense in Europe
- Meat and Poultry Inspection: Background and Selected Issues
- Merida Initiative for Mexico and Central America: Funding and Policy Issues
- Monetary Policy: Current Policy and Conditions
- National Security Strategy: Legislative Mandates, Execution to Date, and Considerations for Congress
- Pakistan-U.S. Relations
- Pension Issues: Lump-Sum Distributions and Retirement Income Security
- Refugee and Asylum-Seeker Inflows in the United States and Other OECD Member States
- Retirement Plan Participation and Contributions: Trends from 1998 to 2003
- Singapore: Background and U.S. Relations
- Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA): What Is It, and How Might One Be Utilized In Iraq?
- Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations
- The Department of Defense Role in Foreign Assistance: Background, Major Issues, and Options for Congress
- The Emoluments Clause: History, Law, and Precedents
- The Impact of Food Insecurity and Hunger on Global Health: Issues for Congress
- The President's State of the Union Address: Tradition, Function, and Policy Implications
- The Role of Public Works Infrastructure in Economic Stimulus
- The Transition to Digital Television: Is America Ready?
- U.S. Food and Agricultural Imports: Safeguards and Selected Issues
- U.S. International Trade: Trends and Forecasts
- U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues
- V-22 Osprey Tilt-Rotor Aircraft
- Veterans Benefits: Merchant Seamen
Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Developments in Iraq
Iraq's provincial elections were held on Saturday, and early reports showed that Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki's Dawa party and other secular parties were showing strong results. You can read about the elections in the New York Times, which states that United States had encouraged the provincial elections in order to redistribute power more evenly throughout the country.
One day before the elections, the U.S. Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) posted its Quarterly Report and Semiannual Report to Congress to its website. The report mentions that "Iraq is entering a new era, embodied by a number of important changes" and includes information about contracts, funds, and U.S. oversight in Iraq. Since 2004, SIGIR has created 20 Quarterly Reports to the Congress, and you can access them all from its Reports to Congress web page.
For additional resources about the war in Iraq and its changing governance, see our guide.
One day before the elections, the U.S. Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) posted its Quarterly Report and Semiannual Report to Congress to its website. The report mentions that "Iraq is entering a new era, embodied by a number of important changes" and includes information about contracts, funds, and U.S. oversight in Iraq. Since 2004, SIGIR has created 20 Quarterly Reports to the Congress, and you can access them all from its Reports to Congress web page.
For additional resources about the war in Iraq and its changing governance, see our guide.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
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 the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.Reports
- Electronic Health Records: DOD's and VA's Sharing of Information Could Benefit from Improved Management. GAO-09-268, January 28.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-268
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09268high.pdf - Homeland Defense: Actions Needed to Improve Management of Air Sovereignty Alert Operations to Protect U.S. Airspace. GAO-09-184, January 27.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-184
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09184high.pdf - Information Security: Further Actions Needed to Address Risks to Bank Secrecy Act Data. GAO-09-195, January 30.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-195
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09195high.pdf - Medicare: Callers Can Access 1-800-MEDICARE Services, but Responsibility within CMS for Limited English Proficiency Plan Unclear. GAO-09-104, December 29.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-104
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09104high.pdf - Military Base Realignments and Closures: DOD Faces Challenges in Implementing Recommendations on Time and Is Not Consistently Updating Savings Estimates. GAO-09-217, January 30.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-217
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09217high.pdf - Traumatic Brain Injury: Better DOD and VA Oversight Can Help Ensure More Accurate, Consistent, and Timely Decisions for the Traumatic Injury Insurance Program. GAO-09-108, January 29.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-108
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09108high.pdf - Troubled Asset Relief Program: Status of Efforts to Address Transparency and Accountability Issues. GAO-09-296, January 30.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-296
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09296high.pdf
- Meal Counting and Claiming by Food Service Management Companies in the School Meals Programs. GAO-09-156R, January 30.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-156R - Military Training: Navy and Air Force Need to More Fully Apply Best Practices to Enhance Development and Management of Combat Skills Training. GAO-09-220R, January 28.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-220R - Secure Border Initiative Fence Construction Costs. GAO-09-244R, January 29.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-244R
- U.S. Postal Service: Deteriorating Postal Finances Require Aggressive Actions to Reduce Costs, by Phillip R. Herr, director, physical infrastructure, before the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-09-332T, January 28.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-332T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09332thigh.pdf
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)