Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife Watching

Did you know the Census Bureau conducts a survey of people who go fishing, hunting or wildlife watching in the United States? Well, every five years since 1991, in combination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, they conduct this survey to see how often and how much money is spent.

The main site for all the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-associated recreation contains the survey reports back to 1991 for the full US, selected reports are available back to 1996 discussing an individual state. Turns out that in 2006 2.2 million Colorado residents participated in one of these activities (see full report). I guess it helps that some days you can help but see the wildlife out your window.

A lot of this activity has taken place at various national parks? So feel free to check out the library guide on parks.

Debate on whether McCain is a natural-born citizen

For those of you who aren't addicted to politics you might not know that there is a debate going on in some areas on whether or not John McCain (assumed Republican nominee for President) is a natural born citizen of the United States. The Senate stepped into the fray yesterday passing a non-binding resolution "Recognizing that John Sidney McCain, III, is a natural born citizen" (S.Res.511).

This debate has come about due to the phrase "No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States" (clause 2 of Section 1 of the Constitution). Since McCain was born on a base in Panama there is some debate on whether he meets this qualification.

Want to read a discussion of this issue? Check out the Washington Post's "McCain's Birth Abroad Stirs Legal Debate: His Eligibility for Presidency Is Questioned."

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 health savings accounts. , global HIV/AIDS, and defense infrastructure. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Chemical Assessments: Low Productivity and New Interagency Review Process Limit the Usefulness and Credibility of EPA's Integrated Risk Information System. GAO-08-440, March 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-440
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08440high.pdf
• Global HIV/AIDS: A More Country-Based Approach Could Improve Allocation of PEPFAR Funding. GAO-08-480, April 2.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-480
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08480high.pdf
• Health and Safety Information: EPA and OSHA Could Improve Their Processes for Preparing Communication Products. GAO-08-265, March 31.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-265
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08265high.pdf
• Military Transformation: DOD Needs to Strengthen Implementation of Its Global Strike Concept and Provide a Comprehensive Investment Approach for Acquiring Needed Capabilities. GAO-08-325, April 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-325
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08325high.pdf

Special/Related Product

• Global HIV/AIDS: Survey of PEPFAR Country Team Officials (GAO-08-534SP), an E-supplement to GAO-08-480. GAO-08-534SP, April 2. [Internet only]
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-534SP

Correspondence

• Defense Transportation: DOD Should Ensure that the Final Size and Mix of Airlift Force Study Plan Includes Sufficient Detail to Meet the Terms of the Law and Inform Decision Makers. GAO-08-704R, April 28.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-704R
• Economic and Other Implications of Switching from Coal to Natural Gas at the Capitol Power Plant and at Electricity-Generating Units Nationwide. GAO-08-601R, May 1.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-601R
• Status of Implementation of GAO Recommendations on Evacuation of Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations and Patients and Residents of Health Care Facilities. GAO-08-544R, April 1.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-544R
  
• VA and DOD Health Care: Progress Made on Implementation of 2003 President's Task Force Recommendations on Collaboration and Coordination, but More Remains to Be Done. GAO-08-495R, April 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-495R

Testimonies

• Defense Acquisitions: Results of Annual Assessment of DOD Weapon Programs, by Michael J. Sullivan, director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-08-674T, April 29.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-674T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08674thigh.pdf
• Defense Infrastructure: Planning Efforts for the Proposed Military Buildup on Guam Are in Their Initial Stages, with Many Challenges Yet to Be Addressed, by Brian J. Lepore, director, defense capabilities and management, before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. GAO-08-722T, May 1.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-722T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08722thigh.pdf
• Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Request: U.S. Government Accountability Office, statement for the record by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general of the United States, before the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch, Senate Committee on Appropriations. GAO-08-707T, April 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-707T
• Higher Education: Multiple Higher Education Tax Incentives Create Opportunities for Taxpayers to Make Costly Mistakes, by Michael Brostek, director, tax issues, strategic issues, and George A. Scott, director, higher education issues, education, workforce, and income security, before the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, House Committee on Ways and Means. GAO-08-717T, May 1.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-717T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08717thigh.pdf
• Older Workers: Federal Agencies Face Challenges, but Have Opportunities to Hire and Retain Experienced Employees, by Barbara D. Bovbjerg, director, education, workforce, and income security issues, and Robert N. Goldenkoff, director, strategic issues, before the Senate Special Committee on Aging. GAO-08-630T, April 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-630T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08630thigh.pdf
• Toxic Chemicals: EPA's New Assessment Process Will Increase Challenges EPA Faces in Evaluating and Regulating Chemicals, by John B. Stephenson, director, natural resources and environment, before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. GAO-08-743T, April 29.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-743T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08743thigh.pdf
• U.S. Capitol Police: Status of Efforts to Address Prior GAO Recommendations on Administrative and Management Operations, by Richard M. Stana, director, homeland security and justice, and other GAO officials, before the Subcommittee on Capitol Security, House Committee on House Administration. GAO-08-540T, May 1.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-540T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08540thigh.pdf
• Utility Regulation: Opportunities Exist to Improve Oversight, by Mark E. Gaffigan, director, natural resources and environment, before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. GAO-08-752T, May 1.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-752T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08752thigh.pdf

Country Reports on Terrorism

The U.S. State Department has just released the Country Reports on Terrorism for 2007. These reports examine both individual countries as well as particular areas of concern in regards to terrorism. These reports have been being issued in some form (the older version under the title Patterns of Global Terrorism) since 1968. If you would like to view them online they are available back to 1995.

Want to read some media reaction? There isn't a lot yet, but the New York Times has written "Attacks in Pakistan Rising, State Department Reports."

Want more on terrorism? Check out the library guide.

Congressional Research Service Reports

Well, I waited a few extra days, but it appears wither Congress isn't releasing or we are all tired at the end of the semester and there aren't as many Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports this week. CRS is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress's request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us CRS reports on the Iraq, presidential privilege, military, and much more. While these reports are in the public domain there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report you can request it from your Senator or Representative. This list is compiled from CRS reports discovered by Secrecy News:

• Africa Command: U.S. Strategic Interests and the Role of the U.S. Military in Africa
• High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) and High Power Microwave (HPM) Devices: Threat Assessments
• Second FY2008 Supplemental Appropriations for Military Operations, International Affairs, and Other Purposes
  
• Iraq: Regional Perspectives and U.S. Policy
• Operation Iraqi Freedom: Strategies, Approaches, Results, and Issues for Congress
• Major U.S. Arms Sales and Grants to Pakistan Since 2001″ (fact sheet)
• Pakistan-U.S. Relations
• Presidential Claims of Executive Privilege: History, Law, Practice and Recent Developments

Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports back to 1916.

Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.