Second Largest Fine Ever for Safety Violations in Colo.

One week ago, on November 23, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) fined Colorado company Tempel Grain Elevators $1.6 million for safety and labor violations. The fine--the second largest in Colorado history for safety and labor--was assessed following the May 29 death of 17-year-old Cody Rigsby in a grain elevator. According to this article in the Denver Post, "teens as young as 14 drove front-end loaders, forklifts or other dangerous equipment. A 13-year-old had a job working alongside adults. And a lack of safety equipment made falls into the elevators a constant threat, according to a federal investigation." The largest fine levied by OSHA in Colorado was $1.8 million against Samsonite Corp. (the luggage-maker) in 1991.

DOL agencies Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Wage and Hour Division both fined the grain storage company. See the DOL news release for further details. You can find regulatory information about youth employment (child labor laws) here.

For additional government resources about labor and employment, see our guide.

Thanksgiving is Tomorrow!

Tomorrow brings turkey and mashed potatoes and pie and oh so many good things to eat. In celebration of the day I thought I would highlight a few government resources on Thanksgiving.

• Facts for Features: Thanksgiving I know not everyone shares my love of numbers, but don't you want to know the average amount of turkey consumed by Americans in a given year? (13.8 pounds in case your curious)
• Turkey Pardoning Preview It has become a holiday tradition for president's to pardon a turkey, leaving it to live a life that doesn't end on a dinner table. This year, the White House put out a turkey pardoning preview video! I am hoping this link will stay up even after the pardoning at 10:28 MST today.
• Thanksgiving History This page from the Library of Congress traces the history through primary source materials of the Thanksgiving holiday.

I hope that everyone has a great holiday with tons of food!

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 climate change, advertising, the economy, 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:

• Status of the Copenhagen Climate Change Negotiations
• An Overview of the Nonprofit and Charitable Sector
• Advertising Industry in the Digital Age
• Temporary Extension of Unemployment Benefits: Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08)

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.

DNA and Privacy: The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

There's much media discussion about the health insurance reform bill making its way through Congress right now. One topic related to health reform is discrimination based on DNA samples. Today National Public Radio reported on a University of Akron policy, currently under review, that allows the school to request DNA samples from new employees in order to conduct background checks. This genetic information has the potential to provide the university with private information such as a person's risk for disease. Does an employee have a right to keep this information private? The NPR article suggests that the University of Akron's policy possibly violates the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, which forbids health insurers and employers from using your genetic information against you.

The legislation became Public Law 110-233 in May 2008 but didn't go into full effect until November 21 of 2009. To read some of the federal regulations associated with this law, see the Federal Register from October 7, 2009.

To find additional regulatory information associated with workplace discrimination and health, take a look at our guides to labor and health.

GAO Reports and Releases

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

Reports

• Budget Issues: Electronic Processing of Non-IRS Collections Has Increased but Better Understanding of Cost Structure Is Needed. GAO-10-11, November 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-11
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1011high.pdf
• Defense Acquisitions: Further Actions Needed to Address Weaknesses in DOD's Management of Professional and Management Support Contracts. GAO-10-39, November 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-39
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1039high.pdf
• Recovery Act: Recipient Reported Jobs Data Provide Insight into Use of Recovery Act Funding, but Data Quality and Reporting Issues Need Attention. GAO-10-223, November 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-223
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10223high.pdf
• Credit Cards: Rising Interchange Fees Have Increased Costs for Merchants, but Options for Reducing Fees Pose Challenges. GAO-10-45, November 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-45
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1045high.pdf
• Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program: Case Studies Show Fraud and Abuse Allowed Ineligible Firms to Obtain Millions of Dollars in Contracts. GAO-10-108, October 23.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-108
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10108high.pdf
• Defense Health Care: Post-Deployment Health Reassessment Documentation Needs Improvement. GAO-10-56, November 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-56
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1056high.pdf
• Private Pensions: Sponsors of 10 Underfunded Plans Paid Executives Approximately $350 Million in Compensation Shortly Before Termination. GAO-10-77, October 21.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-77
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1077high.pdf
• Homeland Security: Key US-VISIT Components at Varying Stages of Completion, but Integrated and Reliable Schedule Needed. GAO-10-13, November 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-13
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1013high.pdf
• Grant Monitoring: Department of Education Could Improve Its Processes with Greater Focus on Assessing Risks, Acquiring Financial Skills, and Sharing Information. GAO-10-57, November 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-57
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1057high.pdf
• Homeland Security: Greater Attention to Key Practices Would Improve the Federal Protective Service's Approach to Facility Protection. GAO-10-142, October 23.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-142
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10142high.pdf
• Financial Audit: Securities and Exchange Commission's Financial Statements for Fiscal Years 2009 and 2008. GAO-10-250, November 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-250
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10250high.pdf
• Recovery Act: Agencies Are Addressing Broadband Program Challenges, but Actions Are Needed to Improve Implementation. GAO-10-80, November 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-80
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1080high.pdf
• Workplace Safety and Health: Enhancing OSHA's Records Audit Process Could Improve the Accuracy of Worker Injury and Illness Data. GAO-10-10, October 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-10
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1010high.pdf
• Student Achievement: Schools Use Multiple Strategies to Help Students Meet Academic Standards, Especially Schools with Higher Proportions of Low-Income and Minority Students. GAO-10-18, November 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-18
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1018high.pdf
• Critical Infrastructure Protection: OMB Leadership Needed to Strengthen Agency Planning Efforts to Protect Federal Cyber Assets. GAO-10-148, October 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-148
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10148high.pdf
• Department of Veterans Affairs: Improvements Needed in Corrective Action Plans to Remediate Financial Reporting Material Weaknesses. GAO-10-65, November 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-65
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1065high.pdf
• Financial Audit: Federal Housing Finance Agency's Fiscal Year 2009 Financial Statements. GAO-10-218, November 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-218
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10218high.pdf

Testimonies

• Recovery Act: Recipient Reported Jobs Data Provide Some Insight into Use of Recovery Act Funding, but Data Quality and Reporting Issues Need Attention, by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-10-224T, November 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-224T
• Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program: Case Studies Show Fraud and Abuse Allowed Ineligible Firms to Obtain Millions of Dollars in Contracts, by Gregory D. Kutz, managing director, forensic audits and special investigations, before the House Committee on Small Business. GAO-10-255T, November 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-255T
• Corporate Crime: Prosecutors Adhered to Guidance for Selecting Monitors for Deferred Prosecution and Non-Prosecution Agreements, but DOJ Could Better Communicate Its Role in Resolving Conflicts, by Eileen R. Larence, director, homeland security and justice, before the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, House Committee on the Judiciary. GAO-10-260T, November 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-260T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10260thigh.pdf
• Homeland Security: Greater Attention to Key Practices Would Help Address Security Vulnerabilities at Federal Buildings, by Mark L. Goldstein, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the House Committee on Homeland Security. GAO-10-236T, November 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-236T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10236thigh.pdf
• Federal Land Management: Challenges to Implementing the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act, by Robin M. Nazzaro, director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands, House Committee on Natural Resources. GAO-10-259T, November 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-259T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10259thigh.pdf
• International Trade: Options for Congressional Consideration to Improve U.S. Trade Preference Programs, by Loren Yager, director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on Trade, House Committee on Ways and Means. GAO-10-262T, November 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-262T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10262thigh.pdf
• Combating Nuclear Smuggling: Recent Testing Raises Issues about the Potential Effectiveness of Advanced Radiation Detection Portal Monitors, by Gene Aloise, director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, House Committee on Science and Technology. GAO-10-252T, November 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-252T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10252thigh.pdf
• Cybersecurity: Continued Efforts Are Needed to Protect Information Systems from Evolving Threats, statement for the record by David Powner and Gregory Wilshusen, directors, information technology, before the Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security, Senate Committee on the Judiciary. GAO-10-230T, November 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-230T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10230thigh.pdf

Correspondences

• Higher Education: Factors Lenders Consider in Making Lending Decisions for Private Education Loans. GAO-10-86R, November 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-86R
• Integrity Committee's Process to Address Allegations of Wrongdoing by Inspectors General. GAO-10-63R, October 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-63R

Reissues

• U.S. Government Accountability Office: Performance and Accountability Report, Fiscal Year 2009. GAO-10-234SP, November 13, 2009
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-234SP

Follow-up on Obama's Visit to Myanmar

A little over a week ago, we published a blog post on President Obama's upcoming meeting with Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein. That meeting took place on Sunday, November 15, as part of Obama's visit to Asia and meeting with ASEAN. There's been a lot of media coverage about the U.S. president's meeting with Chinese leader Hu Jintao, but it's a little trickier to find news articles about Obama's visit to Myanmar. We've pulled together some online resources describing the outcome of Obama's talks with Myanmar's prime minister:

• "Obama Meets Leaders of Asean, Myanmar to Counter Chinese Clout" (Bloomberg.com, Nov. 16 2009)
• "Obama Meets Myanmar PM, Calls For Suu Kyi's Release" (New York Times, Nov. 15 2009)
• "Suu Kyi Seeks Meeting With Myanmar Junta Leader" (New York Times, Nov. 16 2009)
• "Myanmar's Suu Kyi Proposes Cooperation With Junta" (New York Times, Nov. 17 2009)

I can't find anything current about Myanmar on the whitehouse.gov web site. However, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton does offer some comments about Myanmar in this November 12 statement (she remarks on U.S. sanctions against the country).

Want more resources about Myanmar/Burma? (It could be referred to by either of the two names, depending on which country is creating the resource and its position on military rule by the Myanmar junta). Take a look at our country guide to this nation.

New Pennies!

I am sure I am not the only person who doesn't pay a lot of attention to the pennies in my pocket, other then to wish I had one more or less when trying to pay for something. This may be why it has taken me until this month to notice the new Lincoln One-Cent redesigns "in recognition of the bicentennial of President Abraham Lincoln's birth and the 100th anniversary of the first issuance of the Lincoln cent." (US mint One-Cent redesign page).

After this year the penny will no longer show the Lincoln Memorial on the back, instead it will show a union shield, commemorating Lincoln's work to preserve the Union during the civil war. You can read more about the new design on the US mint's web site.

Still not tired of reading about the penny? Check out the One-cent history at the US mint

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 Medicaid and Medicare, vaccinations, cap-and-trade, FISA, freedom of speech and press, 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. These reports were discovered by OpenCRS:

• Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance
  
• Air Force KC-X Tanker Aircraft Program: Background and Issues for Congress
• Amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Set to Expire in 2009
• Climate Change: Comparison of the Cap-and-Trade Provisions in H.R. 2454 and S. 1733
• Federal Employees' Retirement System: Legislation Enacted in the 111th Congress
  
• Freedom of Speech and Press: Exceptions to the First Amendment
• Iraq: Politics, Elections, and Benchmarks
• Jordan: Background and U.S. Relations
  
• Mandatory Vaccinations: Precedent and Current Laws
• Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Provisions in Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962)
  
• Medicare Physician Payment Updates and the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) System
• Medicare Program Changes in H.R. 3962, Affordable Health Care for America Act
  
• Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress
• Noncitizen Eligibility and Verification Issues in the Health Care Reform Legislation
• Sea-Based Ballistic Missile Defense--Background and Issues for Congress
• Tanzania: Background and Current Conditions
• Terrorism Information Sharing and the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Report Initiative: Background and Issues for Congress
  
• Text and Multimedia Messaging: Emerging Issues for Congress
• The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act: Overview and Issues
  
• U.S. Accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC)
• U.S. Nuclear Cooperation with India: Issues for Congress
  
• The U.S. Secret Service: An Examination and Analysis of Its Evolving Missions
• U.S.-Vietnam Economic and Trade Relations: Issues for the 111th Congress
• Veterans Affairs: Health Care and Benefits for Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange
  
• Zimbabwe: The Power Sharing Agreement and Implications for 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.

UN Launches UN Member States: On the Record

Navigating the United Nations' web presence can be a daunting task. This is evidenced by the number of links listed on our United Nations guide alone. There are various web sites associated with different types of documents and data, but what if you are searching for UN documents associated with a specific UN member state? The UN has launched a new web site that allows you to do this. UN Member States: On the Record provides online access to documents that provide the views of Member States. Each Member State page contains the same basic searches. The web site contains the following types of documents from UN Member States (use this page to search by member state):

• Meeting records
• Draft resolutions
• States parties reports
• Press releases

The UN Member States web site does not provide access to letters, regional or other intergovernmental documents, voting information, statistics, treaties, and documents from specialized UN agencies. If this web section won't lead you to the type of document you're seeking, check our United Nations or International Organizations guides for tips on finding these types of documents.

GAO Reports

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week GAO investigated information technology, the Bureau of Prisons, the IRS, and other topics. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

Information Technology: Agencies Need to Improve the Implementation and Use of Earned Value Techniques to Help Manage Major System Acquisitions. GAO-10-2, October 8.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-2
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d102high.pdf

Bureau of Prisons: Methods for Cost Estimation Largely Reflect Best Practices, but Quantifying Risks Would Enhance Decision Making. GAO-10-94, November 10.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-94
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1094high.pdf

Financial Audit: IRS's Fiscal Years 2009 and 2008 Financial Statements. GAO-10-176, November 10.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-176
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10176high.pdf

Financial Audit: Bureau of the Public Debt's Fiscal Years 2009 and 2008 Schedules of Federal Debt. GAO-10-88, November 10.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-88
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1088high.pdf

Defense Acquisitions: Strategic Airlift Gap Has Been Addressed, but Tactical Airlift Plans Are Evolving as Key Issues Have Not Been Resolved. GAO-10-67, November 12.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-67
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1067high.pdf

International Monetary Fund: Lending Programs Allow for Negotiations and Are Consistent with Economic Literature. GAO-10-44, November 12.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-44
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1044high.pdf


Correspondence

Poverty Determination in U.S. Insular Areas. GAO-10-240R, November 10.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-240R

UNICEF Issues New Report on Child Undernutrition

Today's Denver Post gave a brief mention of a new report by UNICEF showing that almost 200 million children in developing countries have stunted growth because of poor nutrition. This new report, accessible from UNICEF's web site, is Tracking Progress on Child and Maternal Nutrition: A Survival and Development Policy. The 124-page report, which contains a large number of charts and statistics, states among its key messages:

• A child’s future nutrition status is affected before conception . . . . A chronically undernourished woman will give birth to a baby who is likely to be undernourished as a child, causing the cycle of undernutrition to be repeated over generations.
  
• Twenty-four countries bear 80 per cent of the developing world burden of undernutrition as measured by stunting.
• More than 90 per cent of the developing world’s stunted children live in Africa and Asia.
• Marked reductions in child undernutrition can be achieved through improvements in women’s nutrition before and during pregnancy, early and exclusive breastfeeding, and good-quality complementary feeding for infants and young children, with appropriate micronutrient interventions.
• Improving child and maternal nutrition is not only entirely feasible but also affordable and cost-effective. Nutrition interventions are among the best investments in development that countries can undertake.
  

Additional reports by UNICEF can be found on its Publications page. For information about how UNICEF is tackling undernutrition and other problems plaguing children around the world, select a topic under the What We Do tab.

For links to resources from other international organizations and NGOs tackling nutrition issues, take a look at our guides to development, food supply, and health.

Cash for Clunkers Efficiency Impact Comes into Question

On August 25 the U.S. Department of Transportation wrapped up its Cash for Clunkers automobile rebate program, declaring it "wildly successful" (we put a link to the press release in our August 27 blog post). The program's reported statistics indicated that the average improvement in fuel economy was about 9 miles per gallon. The stats page also states, "Cars purchased under the program are, on average, 19% above the average fuel economy of all new cars currently available, and 59% above the average fuel economy of cars that were traded in."

These glowing wrap-up results contrast with an Associated Press analysis of new federal data. According to this analysis, as described in the Boston Globe article, the vehicle traded in most often in the Cash for Clunkers program was the Ford F-150 pickup, and owners of the vehicles "were 17 times more likely to buy a new F-150 than, say, a Toyota Prius." The fuel economy for these new F-150s ranged from 15 to 17 miles per gallon, leading to an improvement of just 1 to 3 miles per gallon over their "clunker" predecessors.

So was Cash for Clunkers "wildly successful" in terms of energy efficiency, the overall economy, or for the auto industry? An Edmunds.com analysis claims that Cash for Clunkers cost taxpayers $24,000 per vehicle sold (read the Edmunds.com press release). The Globe article says that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is still reviewing the AP's analysis.

Want more resources about economic stimulus programs? 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 health care, presidential powers, income, 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:

• National Security Letters: Proposed Amendments in the 111th Congress
• U.S. Fossil Fuel Resources: Terminology, Reporting, and Summary
• Unconventional Gas Shales: Development, Technology, and Policy Issues
• Electoral College Reform: 111th Congress Proposals and Other Current Developments
• Congressional Printing: Background and Issues for Congress
• Resolutions of Inquiry: An Analysis of Their Use in the House, 1947-2009
• Income of Americans Aged 65 and Older, 1968 to 2008
• Afghanistan: Narcotics and U.S. Policy
• Economic Stimulus: Issues and Policies
• F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization: An Overview of Legislative Action in the 111th Congress
• Federal Research and Development Funding: FY2010
• Greece Update
• Health Reform and the 111th Congress
• Improper Payments Information Act of 2002: Background, Implementation, and Assessment
• Iran: Regional Perspectives and U.S. Policy
• Israel and the Palestinians: Prospects for a Two-State Solution
• Kenya: Current Conditions and the Challenges Ahead
• Madagascar's 2009 Political Crisis
• Navy Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Operations: Background and Issues for Congress
• Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76 and the Proposed Moratorium on Future DOD Competitions: Background and Issues for Congress
• Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation and Security Issues
• Private Health Insurance Provisions of H.R. 3962
• Reauthorizing the Satellite Home Viewing Provisions in the Communications Act and the Copyright Act: Issues for Congress
• Russian Political, Economic, and Security Issues and U.S. Interests
• Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program
• Strategic Arms Control After START: Issues and Options
• Systemic Risk and the Federal Reserve
• Tactical Aircraft Modernization: Issues for Congress
• The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: An Overview
• The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues
• The Impact of Medicare Premiums on Social Security Beneficiaries
• The Proposed U.S.-Panama Free Trade Agreement
• The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA): Does It Provide for a Private Cause of Action?
• Trafficking in Persons in Latin America and the Caribbean

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.

President to Meet with Prime Minister of Myanmar

President Obama will meet with the prime minister of Myanmar (Burma) next Sunday along with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He will be the first U.S. president to meet with a head of state of this Southeast Asian country since President Lyndon B. Johnson. As this New York Times article reports, President Obama wishes to reverse the Bush administration's policy toward Myanmar by engaging in direct talks with the government of Myanmar.

President Obama's meeting will take place after a November 4 visit to this Asian nation by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Campbell, who met with ethnic representatives and political prisoner (and Nobel Peace Prize winner) Aung San Suu Kyi. You can read more about this visit, and the U.S. policy toward Myanmar/Burma, on this Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs web page of the U.S. Department of State.

For additional governmental resources about Myanmar/Burma, take a look at our guide to the country. It contains links to country profiles and diplomacy-related information as well as other types of sources.

GAO Reports and Releases

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


Reports

• Millennium Challenge Corporation: MCC Has Addressed a Number of Implementation Challenges, but Needs to Improve Financial Controls and Infrastructure Planning. GAO-10-52, November 6.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-52
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1052high.pdf
• Troubled Asset Relief Program: Continued Stewardship Needed as Treasury Develops Strategies for Managing and Divesting Financial Interests in Chrysler and GM. GAO-10-151, November 2.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-151
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10151high.pdf

Testimonies

• National Archives: Progress and Risks in Implementing its Electronic Records Archive Initiative, by David A. Powner, director, information technology management issues, before the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-10-222T, November 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-222T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10222thigh.pdf
• U.S. Postal Service: Financial Challenges Continue, with Relatively Limited Results from Recent Revenue-Generation Efforts, by Phillip Herr, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-10-191T, November 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-191T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10191thigh.pdf
• Contingency Contracting: Further Improvements Needed in Agency Tracking of Contractor Personnel and Contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan, by John P. Hutton, director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan. GAO-10-187, November 2.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-187
• Operation Iraqi Freedom: Preliminary Observations on DOD Planning for the Drawdown of U.S. Forces from Iraq, by William M. Solis, director, defense capabilities and management, before the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan. GAO-10-179, November 2.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-179
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10179high.pdf

Correspondences

• Afghanistan's Security Environment. GAO-10-178R, November 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-178R
• Defense Infrastructure: The Army Needs to Establish Priorities, Goals, and Performance Measures for Its Arsenal Support Program Initiative. GAO-10-167R, November 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-167R
• Defense Logistics: Department of Defense's Annual Report on the Status of Prepositioned Materiel and Equipment Can Be Further Enhanced to Better Inform Congress. GAO-10-172R, November 4.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-172R
• Applying Agreed-Upon Procedures: Fiscal Year 2009 Airport and Airway Trust Fund Excise Taxes. GAO-10-92R, November 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-92R
• Applying Agreed-Upon Procedures: Fiscal Year 2009 Highway Trust Fund Excise Taxes. GAO-10-93R, November 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-93R

Reissued Product

• Recovery Act: Funds Continue to Provide Fiscal Relief to States and Localities, While Accountability and Reporting Challenges Need to Be Fully Addressed. GAO-09-1016, September 23, 2009.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-1016
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d091016high.pdf

Is my paycheck increasing?

Last week brought us unemployment and GDP numbers for the US. This week I though I would take a look at the global economy and highlight the work of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Today they issued an update to the Global Wage Report. The news is not all rosy, in fact, "'the picture on wages is likely to get worse in 2009' regardless of other economic indicators suggesting an economic rebound. The report notes that in half of the 35 countries for which figures are available, real monthly wages fell in the first quarter of 2009 compared to their average of 2008, often due to cuts in hours worked" (ILO press release).

While the report does a nice job of outlining the wage situation, there are some other ILO sites you might want to check out on this issue.

• Wages This is the collection of data, press releases and reports on the international wage situation. I especially like the Minimum Wage database, which outlines the laws regarding minimum wages in 100 countries.
• Global Job Crisis Observatory The changes in unemployment and wages are important factors to watch over on the international stage as we work towards economic recovery. This site brings together all the various news reports and regional/international materials on jobs.

Want to look at more labor numbers? Okay, then go check out the library's guide.

Local Election Results

I am sure all of you managed to get your ballots in yesterday via the mail and are now curious about the results. Here are the best places to go for local results and news coverage:

• Boulder County Clerk This is where you can get the unofficial results for Boulder city, county, Erie, Louisville, Lafayette, Lyons, Nederland and the school districts. These are unofficial because not all the ballots have been counted and certified, but at this point the results are assumed to be accurate. Wondering if your ballot made it in? You can actually check this out by looking at your voter information!
  
• Daily Camera Election Coverage This is a collection of all the articles from the Daily Camera on the election.
• Denver Post Election Coverage This page has a bit more of a state-wide focus and even includes some national election news.

Still want more elections information? Why not 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 aircraft, the Department of Defense, Iran's nuclear program, the Navy, and the presidential helicopter program. 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. These reports were discovered by OpenCRS:

• Air Force C-17 Aircraft Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress
  
• Defense: FY2010 Authorization and Appropriations
• Iran's Nuclear Program: Status
• Iran's Nuclear Program: Tehran's Compliance with International Obligations
• Navy Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Operations: Background and Issues for Congress
• VH-71/VXX Presidential Helicopter Program: Background and 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 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.