Opposition Party Wins Japanese Elections

Japan's Democratic Party claimed victory in Sunday's parliamentary elections. The long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was toppled by the opposition Democratic Party, which won 308 out of the 480 seats in the House of Representatives, the larger of the two houses within Japan's legislature, the National Diet. The Democratic Party is led by Yukio Hatoyama, who will most likely be chosen for the position of prime minister in mid-September. See the Washington Post for an account of the election results.

Our country guide to Japan provides links to a number of government websites and related resources about this island nation, such as the following:

• Diet Functions, on the Japanese House of Representatives website, describes the functions of the National Diet.
• House of Councillors is the smaller of Japan's two parliamentary houses.
  
• Fundamental Structure of the Government of Japan summarizes the roles of the emperor, the diet, the cabinet, and the judiciary in Japan's government.
  
• Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress is a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report discussing diplomatic ties between the two nations.

GAO Reports This Week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week GAO investigated private pensions. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Report

Private Pensions: Alternative Approaches Could Address Retirement Risks Faced by Workers but Pose Trade-offs. GAO-09-642, July 24.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-642
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09642high.pdf

Cash for Clunkers Comes to a Close

The "Cash for Clunkers," or CARS, rebate program for fuel-efficient vehicles came to a close on Tuesday, August 25. In this "wildly successful" program, as this Department of Transportation press release dubs it, rebate applications worth $2.877 billion were submitted for the program. According to the release, the program will increase economic growth for the 3rd quarter, sustain increased GDP in the 4th quarter, and create or save 42,000 jobs. You can find official program statistics here.

We first blogged on the CARS program on July 23. CARS was extremely popular from the start, creating some cash-flow fears for auto dealers and quickly exhausting the funds allotted for it in the stimulus package (see this New York Time Topics article for details). This led Congress to quickly pass a bill providing another $2 billion for CARS rebates (H.R. 3435).

Need more resources? See our guide to economic stimulus information.

Federal Procurement Is Under Investigation

The House of Representatives' Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is reviewing Army technology contracts that were awarded in a possibly inappropriate manner. Contracts awarded by the U.S. Army's Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) in 2005 and 2006 supposedly involved close personal relationships and sharing of confidential cost estimates between government officials and contractors. The investigation of CECOM contracts is part of the committee's larger investigation of the federal procurement system. You can read more about the House review in the Washington Post.

Who shapes policy regarding Federal contracts? The Office of Federal Procurement Policy, which is under the Office of Management and Budget. A database of government procurement information is maintained by the General Services Administration at FPDS.gov.

You can find additional resources about federal procurement in our guide.

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress' request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us reports on the defense, health care, tax havens, and other topics. Although 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:

• Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy
• Africa Command: U.S. Strategic Interests and the Role of the U.S. Military in Africa
• Air Force C-17 Aircraft Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress
• Air Force KC-X Tanker Aircraft Program: Background and Issues for Congress
• Chile: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations
• China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles: Policy Issues
• China's Holdings of U.S. Securities: Implications for the U.S. Economy
• China-U.S. Relations: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy
• Coast Guard Deepwater Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress
• Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress
• Costa Rica: Background and U.S. Relations
• Economic Downturns and Crime
• Federal Agency Emergency Preparedness and Dismissal of Employees
• Federal Domestic Illegal Drug Enforcement Efforts: Are They Working?
• Financial Regulation and Oversight: Latin American Financial Crises and Reform: Lessons from Chile
• Foreign Aid Reform: Studies and Recommendations
• Greenhouse Gas Legislation: Summary and Analysis of H.R. 2454 as Passed by the House of Representatives
• Gun Trafficking and the Southwest Border
• Hate Crime Legislation
• Health Care Reform: An Introduction
• Homosexuals and U.S. Military Policy: Current Issues
• Honduran-U.S. Relations
• Immigration: Policy Considerations Related to Guest Worker Programs
• Inherently Governmental Functions and Department of Defense Operations
• Intelligence Issues for Congress
• Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses
• Iraq: Former Regime Weapons Programs and Outstanding U.N. Issues
• Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress
• Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program: Background, Status, and Issues
• Jordan: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues
• Kyrgyzstan: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests
• Lebanon: Background and U.S. Relations
• Military Airlift: C-17 Program Background
• Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies: FY2010 Appropriations
• Navy Aegis Cruiser and Destroyer Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress
• Navy Attack Submarine Force-Level Goal and Procurement Rate: Background and Issues for Congress
• Navy DD(X) and LCS Ship Acquisition Programs: Oversight Issues and Options for Congress
• Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction Assistance: U.S. Programs in the Former Soviet Union
• Nuclear Cooperation with Other Countries: A Primer
• Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation and Security Issues
• Peacekeeping and Conflict Transitions: Background and Congressional Action on Civilian Capabilities/Reserve Corps and other Civilian Stabilization and Reconstruction Capabilities
• Private Health Insurance Provisions of H.R. 3200
• Russian Political, Economic, and Security Issues and U.S. Interests
• Sensitive Covert Action Notifications: Oversight Options for Congress
• Taiwan-U.S. Relations: Developments and Policy Implications
• Tajikistan: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests
• The 2009 H1N1 "Swine Flu" Outbreak: An Overview
• The Changing U.S.-Japan Alliance: Implications for US Interests
• The Defense Base Act (DBA): The Federally Mandated Workers' Compensation System for Overseas Government Contractors
• The Federal Protective Service and Contract Security Guards: A Statutory History and Current Status
• The Marines Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV): Background and Issues for Congress
• The Military Commissions Act of 2006: Background and Proposed Amendments
• The OECD Initiative on Tax Havens
• The Reliable Replacement Warhead Program: Background and Current Developments
• The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009
• The U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women: (CEDAW): Issues in the U.S. Ratification Debate
• U.S. Trade and Investment Relationship with SubSaharan Africa: The African Growth and Opportunity Act and Beyond
• U.S.-Vietnam Relations in 2009: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy
• Uganda: Current Conditions and the Crisis in North Uganda
• United Nations Reform: U.S. Policy and International Perspectives
• Venezuela: Political Conditions 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 dating 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.

Colorado Finding Strategies for Problem Bears

Colorado wildlife officers are trying to find ways to handle the increase in human-bear conflicts, such as maulings, break-ins, and one fatality that have occurred this summer in Colorado. Colorado Division of Wildlife officers have had to kill 25 "problem" bears, and they're considering strategies for thinning the state's bear population, such as "adverse conditioning" or hunting. Read the article in the Denver Post.

To teach Coloradans about living with bears in Colorado, the CDW has created a Living with Bears online resource center. The resource includes links to such publications as a "Bearproofing Your Home" fact sheet and "Camping and Hiking in Bear Country." The CDW's website also contains a section about hunting and licensing in Colorado.

For additional links to Colorado government agencies, check out our guide.

GAO Reports 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 education, health insurance and accounting. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Report

• Teacher Preparation: Multiple Federal Education Offices Support Teacher Preparation for Instructing Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners, but Systematic Departmentwide Coordination Could Enhance This Assistance. GAO-09-573, July 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-573
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09573high.pdf

Correspondence

• Health Insurance: Enrollment, Benefits, Funding, and Other Characteristics of State High-Risk Health Insurance Pools. GAO-09-730R, July 22.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-730R

Presentations By The Acting Comptroller General

• "Ensuring Accountability in a Time of Financial and Fiscal Stress," by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the American Institute of CPAs' National Governmental Accounting and Auditing Update Conference, in Washington, D.C. GAO-09-930CG, August 10, 2009.
  http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d09930cg.pdf
• "Ensuring Accountability in a Time of Financial and Fiscal Stress," by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers' 2009 annual conference, in Dearborn, Michigan. GAO-09-952CG, August 17, 2009
  http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d09952cg.pdf

VA to Address Benefits Backlog

The Obama administration intends to reduce the backlog of veterans' disability benefits at the Department of Veterans Affairs. On Monday President Obama announced at a Veterans of Foreign Wars convention that Veterans Benefits Administration employees will be asked to suggest how to deliver veteran's disability benefits more efficiently.

You can read about this issue in the Washington Post. The article states one estimate that the VBA has a backlog of 1 million disability claims. For the latest Government Accountability Office (GAO) assessment of veteran disability benefits, read "Veterans Disability Benefits: Preliminary Findings on Claims Processing Trends and Improvement Efforts" (July 29, 2009).

Want more resources? Check out our guide to military information.

Defense Department Has New Web Look

On Monday the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) launched a new home page for its website at www.defense.gov. This web page is intended to be the main entry portal for the DoD, replacing www.defenselink.mil/ (read the press release here). According to the release, the new home page is "designed to invite participation from the public," and it features a "We Want to Hear From You" section near the top of the page that allows the public to make comments and ask questions (you'll need to register by creating a username and password). The left side of the home page features an increased number of links to DoD social networking pages and applications (blogs, RSS, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, YouTube . . . ). So even if you dislike the new DoD home page, you still have plenty of other Web interfaces for checking up on the latest DoD news.

To find even more web resources associated with the military, take a look at our guide.

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress' request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us reports on the Middle East, defense, Google, and other topics. Although 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:

• Direct Overt U.S. Aid and Military Reimbursements to Pakistan, FY2002-FY2010
• Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: Political Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests
• Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA)
• Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security
• F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program: Background, Status, and Issues
• Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power
• Merida Initiative for Mexico and Central America: Funding and Policy Issues
• Potential Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress
• Service FY2009 Spring Supplemental Appropriations for Overseas Contingency Operations
• The Google Library Project: Is Digitization for Purposes of Online Indexing Fair Use Under Copyright Law?
• The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN)
• U.S. Accession to ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC)
• U.S.-Iraq Withdrawal/Status of Forces Agreement: Issues for Congressional Oversight

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

Tropical Storms Threaten Florida and Environs

The Miami Herald reports that multiple tropical storm systems are in proximity of Florida. Tropical Storm Claudette lasted less than 24 hours and turned into a depression before moving into Alabama. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Ana, which had also weakened to a depression as of 2 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time (AST) was hitting South Florida with 35-mph winds, while Hurricane Bill, the first hurricane of the season, is heading north but is not expected to hit southeast Florida.

You can go to the National Hurricane Center's website for the latest public advisories, discussions, maps, and charts of Claudette, Ana, and Bill--including 5-day Track Forecast Cones that show you where the storm is predicted to be heading.

Not sure how a depression compares to a hurricane, a typhoon, or a tropical depression? This FAQ page from Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (an agency, like NHC, under the umbrella of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) provides some basic definitions. You can also read about the process for forecasting hurricanes on this web page.

For additional resources about tropical storms and other weather events, see our guide to weather and climate.

Emergency Alerts via Cell Phone

The Daily Camera reports in the case of an emergency "Boulder County residents won't have to rely on their home phones to receive an emergency alert" ("Boulder County to offer emergency alerts via cell phone, e-mail"). There are a number of ways to sign up for this program:

• CU Community members This is the web site for the CU Police, but you can find the two alert systems that CU students, faculty, and staff should be interested in. First, is the CU system, which sends text messages. The second is the Boulder County system.
• Boulder City residents This is the main page for the Emergency Mass Notification System and will step you through the process of registering.
• Boulder County residents This is the page that will answer your frequently asked questions and let you sign up for notification.
• Longmont residents This page will walk your through signing up for emergency notification at additional numbers or via email.

Want more Boulder resources? Check out the library's guide.

GAO Reports 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 federal student aid, lending, and international trade. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Federal Student Aid Formula: Cost-of-Living Adjustment Could Increase Aid to a Small Percentage of Students in High-Cost Areas but Could Also Further Complicate Aid Process. GAO-09-825, August 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-825
• Consumer Safety: Better Information and Planning Would Strengthen CPSC's Oversight of Imported Products. GAO-09-803, August 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-803
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09803high.pdf
• Superfund: Litigation Has Decreased and EPA Needs Better Information on Site Cleanup and Cost Issues to Estimate Future Program Funding Requirements. GAO-09-656, July 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-656
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09656high.pdf
• Fair Lending: Data Limitations and the Fragmented U.S. Financial Regulatory Structure Challenge Federal Oversight and Enforcement Efforts. GAO-09-704, July 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-704
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09704high.pdf
• Equal Employment Opportunity: Pilot Projects Could Help Test Solutions to Long-standing Concerns with the EEO Complaint Process. GAO-09-712, August 12.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-712
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09712high.pdf
• U.S.-Africa Trade: Options for Congressional Consideration to Improve Textile and Apparel Sector Competitiveness under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. GAO-09-916, August 12.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-916
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09916high.pdf
• International Trade: Four Free Trade Agreements GAO Reviewed Have Resulted in Commercial Benefits, but Challenges on Labor and Environment Remain. GAO-09-439, July 10.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-439
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09439high.pdf
  

When were you born and what is your gender?

Starting Saturday, Airlines will start asking for your birthday and sex, due to a switch in how people get checked against the terrorism watch list. Now hopefully this will result in less false positives for those folks who have the misfortune of sharing their name with someone on the list.

For those of you interested in learning more about this new program, called Secure Flight, here are some resources from the Transportation Security Agency (TSA):

• Secure Flight Program This is the main web site for this program, with information on how the program works, privacy, and testimony on these issues.
  
• Secure Flight Q&A 2 This is a blog entry on this second phase of the program answering many of the frequently asked questions on this program.

Want to read some media coverage on this issue? Check out the Washington Post's "Airlines Set to Ask More of Passengers: Government Says Extra Information Will Prevent Watch-List Mismatches."

Want more resources on transportation? Check out the library's guide.

Releases from the House Judiciary Committee on US Attorney Firings

The House Judiciary Committee has released the "on-the-record interview transcripts of Karl Rove and Harriet Miers on the U.S. attorney firings and the Bush administration’s politicization of the Department of Justice" (from the press release). This testimony was given last month, but due to an agreement between the committee and former Bush administration to resolve the committee's lawsuit and contempt charges, they were only released yesterday.

The testimony, along with some White House documents, can be viewed online. If you are interested in reading the history (via press releases and congressional documents), check out the Meirs and Bolton Contempt Report and Documents page.

Want to read some media reaction? Why not check out the Wall Street Journal's "Democrats Release Documents Related to Lawyer Firings" or the Washington Post's "Miers Told House Panel of 'Agitated' Rove: Bush White House Counsel Said Adviser Called U.S. Attorney a 'Serious Problem.'"

Want more resources on Congress? Check out the library's guide.

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress' request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us reports on the European Parliament, health reform, closing Guantanamo, strategic arms control, and other topics. Although 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:

• China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities—Background and Issues for Congress
  
• China-U.S. Relations: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy
• Closing the Guantanamo Detention Center: Legal Issues
  
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Current Legislative Issues
  
• Defense Acquisitions: How DOD Acquires Weapon Systems and Recent Efforts to Reform the Process
• The Democratic Republic of Congo: Background and Current Developments
  
• Disaster Relief Funding and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations
• East Asia’s Foreign Exchange Rate Policies
• The European Parliament
  
• The Export Administration Act: Evolution, Provisions, and Debate
  
• F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
• Federal Research and Development Funding: FY2010
  
• FEMA's Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program: Overview and Issues
• FY2009 Spring Supplemental Appropriations for Overseas Contingency Operations
• FY2010 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Policy Issues
  
• Ghana: Background and U.S. Relations
• Greenhouse Gas Legislation: Summary and Analysis of H.R. 2454 as Passed by the House of Representatives
  
• Guinea's 2008 Military Coup and Relations with the United States
• Health Care Reform: An Introduction
  
• Human Rights in China: Trends and Policy Implications
• International Criminal Court Cases in Africa: Status and Policy Issues
  
• Iran Sanctions
• Iraq: Oil and Gas Legislation, Revenue Sharing, and U.S. Policy
  
• Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security
• Issues Regarding a National Land Parcel Database
  
• Latin America and the Caribbean: Fact Sheet on Leaders and Elections
• Latin America: Terrorism Issues
• Navy F/A-18E/F and EA-18G Aircraft Procurement and Strike Fighter Shortfall: Background and Issues for Congress
  
• Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress
• Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress
• Navy Nuclear Aircraft Carrier (CVN) Homeporting at Mayport: Background and Issues for Congress
  
• Navy Nuclear-Powered Surface Ships: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress
  
• Panama: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations
• Peru: Current Conditions and U.S. Relations
• Post Office and Retail Postal Facility Closures: Overview and Issues for Congress
• Private Health Insurance Provisions of H.R. 3200
  
• Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations
• Strategic Arms Control After START: Issues and Options
• Sudan: The Crisis in Darfur and Status of the North-South Peace Agreement
  
• Tactical Aircraft Modernization: Issues for Congress
• The United Arab Emirates Nuclear Program and Proposed U.S. Nuclear Cooperation
  
• U.S. Foreign Aid to the Palestinians
• U.S. Foreign Assistance to the Middle East: Historical Background, Recent Trends, and the FY2010 Request
  
• U.S. Military Stop Loss Program: Key Questions and Answers
• U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues
• V-22 Osprey Tilt-Rotor Aircraft: Background and Issues for Congress
• Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Agency Travel Card Programs
  
• The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN)
  
• Yemen: 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 dating 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 Reports for last 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 safety, nuclear smuggling, the Internal Revenue Service, and energy markets. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

Teacher Quality: Sustained Coordination among Key Federal Education Programs Could Enhance State Efforts to Improve Teacher Quality. GAO-09-593, July 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-593
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09593high.pdf

Ballistic Missile Defense: Actions Needed to Improve Planning and Information on Construction and Support Costs for Proposed European Sites. GAO-09-771, August 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-771
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09771high.pdf

Biosafety Laboratories: BSL-4 Laboratories Improved Perimeter Security Despite Limited Action by CDC. GAO-09-851, July 7.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-851
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09851high.pdf

Public Transportation: Better Data Needed to Assess Length of New Starts Process, and Options Exist to Expedite Project Development. GAO-09-784, August 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-784
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09784high.pdf

Consumer Product Safety Commission: Better Data Collection and Assessment of Consumer Information Efforts Could Help Protect Minority Children. GAO-09-731, August 5.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-731
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09731high.pdf

Related Product

Teacher Quality: Survey Results of State Officials on Efforts to Coordinate Teacher Quality Initiatives (E-supplement to GAO-09-593). GAO-09-594SP, July 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-594SP

America Competes Act: NIST Applied Some Safeguards in Obtaining Expert Services, but Additional Direction from Congress Is Needed. GAO-09-789, August 7.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-789
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09789high.pdf

Correspondence

Defense Acquisitions: Additional Analysis Needed to Capture Cost Differences Between Conventional and Nuclear Propulsion for Navy's Future Cruiser. GAO-09-886R, August 7.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-886R

Unemployment Insurance Measures Included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, as of July 2009. GAO-09-942R, July 27.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-942R

Air Pollution: Air Quality and Permitting of New Coal-Burning Electricity-Generating Units in Central Texas. GAO-09-787R, August 4.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-787R

Ryan White CARE Act: Estimated Effect of Proposed Stop-Loss Provision in H.R. 3293 on Urban Areas. GAO-09-947R, August 3.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-947R

Testimony

Small Business Innovation Research: Observations on Agencies' Data Collection and Eligibility Determination Efforts, by Patricia A. Dalton, managing director, natural resources and environment, before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. GAO-09-956T, August 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-956T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09956thigh.pdf

U.S. Postal Service: Restructuring Urgently Needed to Achieve Financial Viability, by Phillip Herr, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-09-958T, August 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-958T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09958thigh.pdf

Climate Change Policy: Preliminary Observations on Options for Distributing Emissions Allowances and Revenue under a Cap-and-Trade Program, by John Stephenson, director, natural resources and environment, before the Senate Committee on Finance. GAO-09-950T, August 4.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-950T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09950thigh.pdf

Hurricane Katrina: Barriers to Mental Health Services for Children Persist in Greater New Orleans, Although Federal Grants Are Helping to Address Them, by Cynthia Bascetta, director, health care, before the Ad Hoc Committee on Disaster Recovery, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-09-935T, August 4.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-935T

Federal Contracting: Application of OMB Guidance Can Improve Use of Award Fee Contracts, by John Hutton, director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-09-839T, August 3.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-839T

New Model Assesses Education in Colorado

Today marks the official launch of the Colorado Growth Model, a data tool that examines progressive rather than static student achievement in the state. The growth model has taken four years to develop and used at least $1.8 million in public and private funds for research and development. The concept of a growth model is addressed in Colorado S.B. 09-163. You can read more about the new data tool in the Denver Post.

The CSAP (Colorado Student Assessment Program) will still be used to measure student achievement, but the new growth model will examine students' educational progress over time and use aggregate education growth data to determine how schools and districts are progressing educationally. SchoolView is the new website containing data and information about Colorado's Growth Model. To learn how to navigate the website and and find a tutorial on Colorado's Growth Model, go to the website's Learning Center.

For additional Colorado government resources about education and legislation, see our guide.

ICE to Reform Immigrant Detention System

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security, is planning to redesign its immigration detention system to improve medical care, custodial conditions, oversight, and other aspects of the immigration detention system. As stated in its press release, ICE is creating an Office of Detention Policy and Planning to implement these reforms. A fact sheet explains that ICE is introducing the reforms in order to change from its current "decentralized, jail-oriented approach to a system wholly designed for and based on ICE’s civil detention authorities."

This New York Times article also reports on the planned reforms. You can read more about past ICE detention practices in the "Detention Management" portion of ICE Annual Report Fiscal Year 2008 or in this 2008 operations manual on detention standards at ICE.

For additional resources, see our guide to immigration.

USAID Needs Leadership and Funding

An article in today's Washington Post mentions that as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton begins a trip to Africa, U.S. foreign aid agency USAID (United States Agency for International Development) commences its seventh month without a permanent director. While USAID's staff has been shrinking, its costs have been growing: USAID's full-time staff decreased by 40 percent over the past 20 years, but the assistance it oversees doubled, to $13.2 billion in 2008. President Obama has proposed more U.S. funding for foreign assistance, but some frustrated USAID employees are still asking when they will be getting leadership for their organization.

I thought it would interesting to pull up some fairly current USAID assessments by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) and Government Accountability Office (GAO):

• USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives After 15 Years: Issues for Congress (CRS, May 2009)
• USAID Acquisition and Assistance: Challenges Remain in Developing and
  Implementing a Strategic Workforce Plan (GAO, April 2009)
• Foreign Assistance: State Department Foreign Aid Information Systems Have Improved Change Management Practices but Do Not Follow Risk Management Best Practices (GAO, November 2008)
  
• Global Health: Appropriations to USAID Programs from FY2001 through FY2008 (CRS, July 2008)

Looking for more resources about development? Take a look at our guide.

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress' request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. Although CRS 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.

Some weeks bring us floods of reports, whereas other weeks we find only a trickle. This week features a report on greenhouse gas legislation that was discovered by OpenCRS :

• Greenhouse Gas Legislation: Summary and Analysis of H.R. 2454 as Passed by the House of Representatives
  

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

Too Few Cancer Patients Involved in Clinical Trials

An article in the New York Times today puts a spotlight on the dearth of adult cancer patients who volunteer for clinical trials. One doctor quoted suggests that cancer survival rates won't improve until new treatments are tested against standard ones. Currently 3 percent of adult cancer patients participate in clinical trials.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health maintains ClinicalTrials.gov, which is a registry of federally and privately supported clinical trials conducted in the United States and globally. It provides information about the purpose of clinical trials and who may participate in them, and it allows you to search for studies by sponsor, drug intervention, location, or condition (such as cancer). For additional clinical medical information from the government, see the website of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Want more government resources about clinical trials on cancer? Try using the search terms "clinical trial*" and cancer in Chinook, our library catalog.