FirstGov has been renamed USA.gov. What is USA.gov? It is a portal to U.S. government information. There are 5 areas of links: Citizens, Business, Federal Employees, Government-to-Government, and Visitors to the U.S. Each of these portals provides a set of links to various government services. For example, under the Citizens tab there is a link to resources on Money and Taxes, which links to resources from the IRS, state tax groups, consumer guides, and investing.
This web site also provides search capabilities, you can use the quick search on the top of every page or the go for an advanced search which allows you to choose which government domains you want to search.
They have also introduced a new live web chat feature, which available from 12-8PM EST.
Want an non-governmental option for searching for government information? Google has developed a rival search called Google U.S. Government Search.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Iraqi civilian deaths in 2006
The UN estimates that over 34,000 civilians were killed in 2006, according to this press release. Of these, over 6000 were killed between November and December of 2006.
The full UN report on human rights for November and December of 2006, can be viewed online. ReliefWeb, a Internet hub for time-critical humanitarian information on Complex Emergencies and Natural Disasters, which is operated by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, also has a number of additional reports on Iraq.
For additional information on Iraq, check out the library's country guide.
The full UN report on human rights for November and December of 2006, can be viewed online. ReliefWeb, a Internet hub for time-critical humanitarian information on Complex Emergencies and Natural Disasters, which is operated by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, also has a number of additional reports on Iraq.
For additional information on Iraq, check out the library's country guide.
Congress Losing Free Sports Tickets
According to news reports, the U.S. House passed a resolution earlier this month to ban gifts of free tickets to expensive sporting events, and the Senate is poised this week to do the same.
From USA Today:
"The Senate is moving this week to ban members from accepting free tickets to sporting events to cut ties between Congress and the special interests that provide the seats.
Lawmakers have long enjoyed seats in luxury skyboxes paid for by lobbyists and corporations, despite a $50 limit on the gifts they can accept. That's because the tickets often bore no prices or were valued at below the gift limit.
The House adopted a ban on expensive sports tickets earlier this month. Melanie Sloan of the liberal-leaning watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said it was 'crazy' that lawmakers 'could say a ticket worth thousands was worth $50.'"
Read the full story.
The House version, (House Resolution 6), dated January 5, 2007 is available online. See Section 304: Valuation of tickets to sporting and entertainment events.
From USA Today:
"The Senate is moving this week to ban members from accepting free tickets to sporting events to cut ties between Congress and the special interests that provide the seats.
Lawmakers have long enjoyed seats in luxury skyboxes paid for by lobbyists and corporations, despite a $50 limit on the gifts they can accept. That's because the tickets often bore no prices or were valued at below the gift limit.
The House adopted a ban on expensive sports tickets earlier this month. Melanie Sloan of the liberal-leaning watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said it was 'crazy' that lawmakers 'could say a ticket worth thousands was worth $50.'"
Read the full story.
The House version, (House Resolution 6), dated January 5, 2007 is available online. See Section 304: Valuation of tickets to sporting and entertainment events.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Martin Luther King Day
Many of us got today off from work or school in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, President Bush honored the holiday by sending letters to victims of Hurricane Katrina. He encouraged others to remember that "One of the things that Mrs. King wanted was for MLK Day to be a day of service" (statement at Cardozo High School in Washington, DC).
The White House has also put up a page on African American History on their web site. This page focuses on post-1965 history.
Want to learn more about Martin Luther King? Check out the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institution online.
Interested in more information on African American History? Check out the library's subject guide.
The White House has also put up a page on African American History on their web site. This page focuses on post-1965 history.
Want to learn more about Martin Luther King? Check out the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institution online.
Interested in more information on African American History? Check out the library's subject guide.
Friday, January 12, 2007
GAO Reports for the Week
Here are this week's Government Accountability Office reports and other releases. To learn more about the GAO, read the library's guide.
Report:
1. Securing, Stabilizing, and Rebuilding Iraq: Key Issues for Congressional Oversight. GAO-07-308SP, January 9.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-308SP
2. Indian Issues: The Office of the Special Trustee Has Implemented Several Key Trust Reforms Required by the 1994 Act, but Important Decisions about Its Future Remain. GAO-07-104, December 8.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-104
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07104high.pdf
Correspondence:
1. U.S. Office of Special Counsel's Procedures for Assigning Incoming Cases to and within Organizational Units. GAO-07-263R, January 12.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-263R
Testimony:
1. Long-Term Budget Outlook: Saving Our Future Requires Tough Choices Today, by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, before the Senate Committee on the Budget. GAO-07-342T, January 11.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-342T
2. Prescription Drugs: An Overview of Approaches to Negotiate Drug Prices Used by Other Countries and U.S. Private Payers and Federal Programs, by John E. Dicken, director, health care, before the Senate Committee on Finance. GAO-07-358T, January 11.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-358T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07358thigh.pdf
Presentation by the Comptroller General
1. "Fiscal, Social Security, and Health Care Challenges" by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, at the Awakening Conference in Sea Island, Georgia. GAO-07-345CG, January 7, 2007
http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d07345cg.pdf
Report:
1. Securing, Stabilizing, and Rebuilding Iraq: Key Issues for Congressional Oversight. GAO-07-308SP, January 9.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-308SP
2. Indian Issues: The Office of the Special Trustee Has Implemented Several Key Trust Reforms Required by the 1994 Act, but Important Decisions about Its Future Remain. GAO-07-104, December 8.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-104
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07104high.pdf
Correspondence:
1. U.S. Office of Special Counsel's Procedures for Assigning Incoming Cases to and within Organizational Units. GAO-07-263R, January 12.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-263R
Testimony:
1. Long-Term Budget Outlook: Saving Our Future Requires Tough Choices Today, by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, before the Senate Committee on the Budget. GAO-07-342T, January 11.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-342T
2. Prescription Drugs: An Overview of Approaches to Negotiate Drug Prices Used by Other Countries and U.S. Private Payers and Federal Programs, by John E. Dicken, director, health care, before the Senate Committee on Finance. GAO-07-358T, January 11.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-358T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07358thigh.pdf
Presentation by the Comptroller General
1. "Fiscal, Social Security, and Health Care Challenges" by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, at the Awakening Conference in Sea Island, Georgia. GAO-07-345CG, January 7, 2007
http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d07345cg.pdf
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