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 FDA and Mifeprex, supply chain security, and hardrock mining. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Food and Drug Administration: Approval and Oversight of the Drug Mifeprex. GAO-08-751, August 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-751
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08751high.pdf
• PBGC Assets: Implementation of New Investment Policy Will Need Stronger Board Oversight. GAO-08-667, July 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-667
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08667high.pdf
• Supply Chain Security: CBP Works with International Entities to Promote Global Customs Security Standards and Initiatives, but Challenges Remain. GAO-08-538, August 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-538
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08538high.pdf

Correspondence

• Chemical Safety Board: Improvements in Management and Oversight Are Needed. GAO-08-864R, August 22.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-864R
• Hardrock Mining: Information on State Royalties and Trends in Mineral Imports and Exports. GAO-08-849R, July 21.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-849R
• Superfund: Funding and Reported Costs of Enforcement and Administration Activities. GAO-08-841R, July 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-841R

FDA Allows Irradiation of Lettuce and Spinach

Today the Food and Drug Administration is amending its food additives regulations to allow food producers to irradiate fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce. The New York Times reports that this is the first time the FDA has allowed for the irradiation of produce at levels that will protect against illness.

You can read the FDA's Main Consumer Health Information Page for the agency's summary of its ruling. The ruling appears today in the Federal Register, which states that ionizing radiation will not only control food-borne pathogens but will also extend the shelf life of fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce. Anyone can send objections or requests for hearings on the ruling (Docket No. FDA–1999–F–2405) by September 22, 2008. To do this online, go to Regulations.gov.

If you would like to find more government and non-government resources dealing with the subject of food irradiation or food safety, see our Food Supply subject guide, which provides both national and international sources of information.

Congressional Research Service 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 brings us reports on Russia, Georgia, energy 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:

• Russia-Georgia Conflict in South Ossetia: Context and Implications for U.S. Interests
• Stability in Russia’s Chechnya and Other Regions of the North Caucasus: Recent Developments
• Russian Political, Economic, and Security Issues and U.S. Interests
• Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court
• Journalists’ Privilege: Overview of the Law and Legislation in the 109th and 110th Congresses
• U.S.-China Counterterrorism Cooperation: Issues for U.S. Policy
• National Security Strategy: Legislative Mandates, Execution to Date, and Considerations for Congress
• Nanotechnology and Environmental, Health, and Safety: Issues for Consideration
• Nuclear Cooperation with Other Countries: A Primer

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.

Congress Reauthorizes Higher Education Act

Both houses of the U.S. congress approved a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act on July 31. The Higher Education Opportunities Act requires colleges and universities to report more details about costs, prices, and tuition increases to the Department of Education. The bill also simplifies Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms and increases the availability of Pell grants. You can read about the legislation in the New York Times.

The Bill Summary & Status page for this legislation, available through the Library of Congress' website THOMAS, indicates that the approved bill became Public Law 110-315 on August 14. This bill summary and status page also contains links to related bills, amendments, congressional actions, and other useful information that can help you trace the bill from its inception to its current status as a law.

To read the Department of Education's response to the new legislation, see the press release statement by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. For additional government resources on education, see the Government Publications Library's Educational Resources web page.

President Pervez Musharraf Resigns in Pakistan

Pakistani President Pervez Musharrafv resigned this morning under the threat of impeachment. You can find information from the resignation at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. There is both the resignation and reaction on the site. Interestingly, the Presidential web site has already been updated.

Want some media reaction? Check out the Washington Post's "Musharraf Resigns as President of Pakistan."

Want more information on Pakistan? Check out the library's guide.