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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 7314, Assessing Xi's Interference and Subversion Act
From the Document: "H.R. 7314 would require the Department of State to assess and report periodically to the Congress on China's support for Russia's recent war against Ukraine. On the basis of information about the costs to prepare similar reports, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that satisfying that requirement would cost less than $500,000 over the 2022-2026 period. Such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-04-20
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 7340, a Bill to Provide for Congressional Oversight of Certain Sanctions Imposed with Respect to the Russian Federation
From the Document: "H.R. 7340 would require the Administration, upon receiving a request from the chair or ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs or the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, to assess and report to the Congress whether: [1] A foreign person or entity meets the criteria to be sanctioned under executive orders pertaining to malign activities by Russia; and [2] The Administration intends to impose such sanctions on that person or entity. On the basis of information about the costs to prepare similar reports, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that satisfying that requirement would cost less than $500,000 over the 2022-2026 period. Such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-04-20
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Investigation of the Mississippi State Penitentiary (Parchman)
From the Summary of the Report: "The United States Department of Justice (Department) conducted an investigation of the Mississippi State Penitentiary (Parchman) under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA). The investigation revealed that conditions at Parchman violate the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution. These violations are pursuant to a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of incarcerated persons' constitutional rights. Specifically, the Department provides notice of the following conditions that violate the constitutional rights of individuals incarcerated at Parchman: [1] 'MDOC fails to protect incarcerated persons from violence at the hands of other incarcerated persons.' [...] [2] 'MDOC fails to meet the serious mental health needs of persons incarcerated at Parchman.' [...] [3] 'MDOC fails to take adequate suicide prevention measures.' [...] [and] [4] 'MDOC's use of prolonged restrictive housing places persons incarcerated at Parchman at risk of serious harm.'"
United States. Department of Justice. Civil Rights Division
2022-04-20
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COVID-19 Pandemic Pinches Finances of America's Lower- and Middle-Income Families
From the Document: "This report analyzes data from the Annual Social and Economic Supplements [hyperlink] (ASEC) of the Current Population Survey [hyperlink] (CPS) to study the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the financial wellbeing of U.S. households in the middle class and in lower- and upper-income tiers. The latest available survey data, from March 2021, records the household income and work experience of adults in 2020, the first year of the pandemic. The CPS is the U.S. government's official source for monthly estimates of unemployment [hyperlink] and the ASEC, conducted in March each year, is the official source for its estimates of income and poverty [hyperlink]. In this report, the ASEC files were also matched from one year to the next to examine the annual movement of adults across income tiers over the period from 2000 to 2021."
Pew Research Center
Kochhar, Rakesh, 1955-; Sechopoulos, Stella
2022-04-20
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Joint Cybersecurity Advisory: Russian State-Sponsored and Criminal Cyber Threats to Critical Infrastructure
From the Document: "The cybersecurity authorities of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom are releasing this joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA). The intent of this joint CSA is to warn organizations that Russia's invasion of Ukraine could expose organizations both within and beyond the region to increased malicious cyber activity [hyperlink]. This activity may occur as a response to the unprecedented economic costs imposed on Russia as well as materiel support provided by the United States and U.S. allies and partners. Evolving intelligence indicates that the Russian government is exploring options for potential cyberattacks[...]. Recent Russian state-sponsored cyber operations have included distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks [hyperlink], and older operations have included deployment of destructive malware against Ukrainian government and critical infrastructure organizations [hyperlink]. Additionally, some cybercrime groups have recently publicly pledged support for the Russian government. These Russian-aligned cybercrime groups have threatened to conduct cyber operations in retaliation for perceived cyber offensives against the Russian government or the Russian people. Some groups have also threatened to conduct cyber operations against countries and organizations providing materiel support to Ukraine. Other cybercrime groups have recently conducted disruptive attacks against Ukrainian websites, likely in support of the Russian military offensive. This advisory updates joint CSA Understanding and Mitigating Russian State-Sponsored Cyber Threats to U.S. Critical Infrastructure [hyperlink], which provides an overview of Russian state-sponsored cyber operations and commonly observed tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). This CSA [...] provides an overview of Russian state-sponsored advanced persistent threat (APT) groups, Russian-aligned cyber threat groups, and Russian-aligned cybercrime groups to help the cybersecurity community protect against possible cyber threats."
United States. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency; United States. National Security Agency; United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation . . .
2022-04-20
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United Nations Issues: U.S. Funding of U.N. Peacekeeping [Updated April 20, 2022]
From the Document: "The United States is the single largest financial contributor to United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping activities. Congress authorizes and appropriates U.S. contributions, and it has an ongoing interest in ensuring such funding is used as efficiently and effectively as possible. The United States, as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, plays a key role in establishing, renewing, and funding U.N. peacekeeping operations. For 2022, the United Nations assessed the U.S. share of U.N. peacekeeping at 26.94%; however, since 1994 Congress has capped the U.S. payment at 25% due to concerns that U.S. assessments are too high. Congress appropriated $1.5 billion to most U.N. peacekeeping activities for FY2022 (up to the 25% cap). Most recently, President Biden's FY2023 budget proposes full U.S. funding for U.N. peacekeeping, including the payment of U.S. peacekeeping arrears."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchfield, Luisa
2022-04-20
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Controlled Access Programs of the Intelligence Community [April 20, 2022]
From the Introduction: "The Controlled Access Programs (CAPs) that the Intelligence Community (IC) has developed to further limit the sharing of the most sensitive classified information have raised questions for Congress. In response, as part of the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Year 2022, (Division X of P.L. 117-103, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2022) Congress added new oversight requirements with respect to these programs. CAPs compartmentalize intelligence on the basis of the sensitivity of the activity, sources, or methods involved. Congressional concern has centered on the over-classification of intelligence and potential negative impacts of keeping materials from those who need to know in order to perform their duties. Recent legislation seeks to promote an appropriate balance between protecting the most sensitive sources, methods, and activities, while making sure information is shared with those who have a legitimate need for it. Effective oversight of CAPS may require an understanding of how these programs are authorized and administered, and how they intersect with other classification programs and schema."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
DeVine, Michael E.
2022-04-20
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Federal Role in Voter Registration: The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and Subsequent Developments [Updated April 20, 2022]
From the Document: "Historically, most aspects of election administration have been left to state and local governments, resulting in a variety of practices across jurisdictions with respect to voter registration. States can vary on a number of elements of the voter registration process, including whether or not to require voter registration; where or when voter registration occurs; and how voters may be removed from registration lists. The right of citizens to vote, however, is presented in the U.S. Constitution in the Fifteenth, Nineteenth, and Twenty-sixth Amendments. Beginning with the Voting Rights Act (VRA) in 1965, Congress has sometimes passed legislation requiring certain uniform practices for federal elections, intended to prevent any state policies that may result in the disenfranchisement of eligible voters. The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) was enacted in 1993 and set forth a number of voter registration requirements for states to follow regarding voter registration processes for federal elections."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Eckman, Sarah J.
2022-04-20
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Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data, 1989-2020 [Updated April 20, 2022]
From the Document: "In each Congress, Members leave the House or Senate for a variety of reasons. In the course of a Congress, those reasons could include resignation, death, or chamber action. At the conclusion of a Congress, Members depart due to retirement, electoral defeat, or pursuit of another office. In the 101st Congress (1989-1990) through 116th Congress (2019-2020), on average, two Senators and nine Members of the House of Representatives have left before the conclusion of a Congress. Over the same period, on average, 10 Senators (10% of Senate membership) and 59 Members of the House (13.4% of House membership) have left Congress upon expiration of their terms of office. This report provides data on Members who have left Congress between 1989 and 2020."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Manning, Jennifer E.; Petersen, R. Eric
2022-04-20
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Ransomware Attacks on Agricultural Cooperatives Potentially Timed to Critical Seasons
From the Summary: "The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is informing Food and Agriculture (FA) sector partners that ransomware actors may be more likely to attack agricultural cooperatives during critical planting and harvest seasons, disrupting operations, causing financial loss, and negatively impacting the food supply chain. The FBI noted ransomware attacks during these seasons against six grain cooperatives during the fall 2021 harvest and two attacks in early 2022 that could impact the planting season by disrupting the supply of seeds and fertilizer. Cyber actors may perceive cooperatives as lucrative targets with a willingness to pay due to the timesensitive role they play in agricultural production. Although ransomware attacks against the entire farm-to-table spectrum of the FA sector occur on a regular basis, the number of cyber attacks against agricultural cooperatives during key seasons is notable."
United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation
2022-04-20
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Audit of the Army's Integrated Visual Augmentation System [redacted]
From the Document: "(U) The objective of this audit was to determine whether Army officials effectively managed the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) program to meet user needs. [...] (U) We recommend that the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology) develop Army-wide policy requiring program officials to define suitable user acceptance measurements for testing and evaluation. (U) We recommend that the Program Executive Officer Soldier define clear measures of user acceptance levels to meet user needs before Soldier Touch Point-5 testing of IVAS."
United States. Department of Defense. Office of the Inspector General
2022-04-20
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MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, April 19, 2022: Hospitalizations of Children Aged 5-11 Years with Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 -- COVID-NET, 14 States, March 2020-February 2022
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This Early Release issue of MMWR contains the following article: "Hospitalizations of Children Aged 5-11 Years with Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] -- COVID-NET [COVID-19-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network], 14 States, March 2020-February 2022." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from MMWR can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2022.html].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2022-04-19
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 7311, Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa Act
From the Document: "H.R. 7311 would direct the Department of State, within 90 days of the bill's enactment, to develop a strategy for countering Russian efforts to undermine democratic institutions in Africa. The bill would require the Secretary of State to report on the implementation of the plan on an annual basis for the following five years beginning 180 days after enactment of H.R. 7311. The bill also would direct the agency to provide, in each annual report, a survey of similar initiatives undertaken by foreign entities and detailed intelligence on the identity of local actors complicit in Russian activities. On the basis of information about the costs of similar activities, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that implementing H.R. 7311 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2022-2026 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-04-19
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K-12 Education: An Estimated 1.1 Million Teachers Nationwide Had at Least One Student Who Never Showed Up for Class in the 2020-21 School Year [Reissued with Revisions on Apr. 19, 2022]
From the Document: "As the COVID-19 [Coronavirus Disease 2019] pandemic continues to reverberate across the nation, for millions of students, educators, and families, the current school year is rife with challenges. The long-term impact of the disruptions of the last 2 years on student enrollment and attendance remains to be seen, particularly for students with whom schools have lost contact. As we previously reported, even though many schools provided students with computers and internet access to participate in virtual instruction, many students faced difficulties staying engaged in school or disappeared from school altogether. While the issue of students not showing up at all during the pandemic is of grave significance, little is known about the obstacles these students face or the types of schools they come from. The CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act includes a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to report on its ongoing monitoring and oversight efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this report, we provide information on (1) how widespread was the issue of K-12 public school students not showing up for class all year in school year 2020-21, (2) obstacles these students faced in showing up, and (3) the characteristics of the schools these students were registered to attend."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2022-04-19
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 3511, Satellite Cybersecurity Act
From the Document: "S. 3511 would require the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to disseminate information on cyber safety measures to operators of commercial satellites. Under the bill, CISA would collect security recommendations from the private sector and other federal agencies with expertise in satellite operations. Using information from CISA about similar information sharing efforts, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] anticipates that the agency would need six full-time employees to create and manage an online database with cybersecurity resources for satellite operators. CBO estimates that staff salaries and technology costs to publish safety materials would total $3 million annually. Accounting for the time needed to hire new employees and prepare the database, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $12 million over the 2022-2026 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-04-19
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 923, Georgia Support Act
From the Bill Summary: "H.R. 923 would require the President to impose sanctions on foreign persons the Administration determines are responsible for serious abuses of human rights in parts of Georgia that have been occupied by Russia and to report to the Congress on those actions. The bill also would require the Department of State to develop and implement a strategy to combat Russian disinformation and propaganda aimed at Georgia and to promote freedom of press in Georgia. Lastly, the bill would require the department to report to the Congress on U.S. assistance to Georgia."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-04-19
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 1930, Federal Advisory Committee Transparency Act
From the Document: "H.R. 1930 would amend the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which governs the operation of most federal advisory committees. The bill also would impose stricter ethics requirements on committee members and would expand the applicability of disclosure requirements for some members. Additionally, H.R. 1930 would require agencies to make more information about those committees available to the public and to make the process of establishing a committee and selecting members more transparent. Finally, the bill would extend FACA regulations to cover additional advisory committees and would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report to the Congress on appointments of advisory committee members."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-04-19
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 2761, Every Veteran Counts Act of 2021
From the Document: "S. 2761 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop and to maintain a database of certain demographic information about veterans and to make the database accessible through a public website in a machine readable and anonymized format. VA would have 180 days from enactment to implement the database and would be required to update the website at least annually. The bill also would require VA to report to the Congress on the implementation of its strategy for data management. Although VA currently provides some of the demographic data required by the bill, that information is collected irregularly and not compiled in a centralized database. According to VA, the department would require additional resources to establish and maintain the demographic database required by the bill. Based on that information, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that VA would spend $9 million in upfront development costs, and $3 million in annual recurring costs for maintenance and data purchases. Those costs would begin in 2023. In total, implementing the bill would cost $16 million over the 2022-2026 period. Such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. VA published its data strategy in 2021. Based on similar reporting requirements, CBO estimates that the requirement to update the Congress on its implementation would have insignificant costs."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-04-19
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 1941, MAPS Act of 2021
From the Document: "S. 1941 would require the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to describe how core-based statistical area (CBSA) delineations--geographic specifications established for the country's largest population centers--are used to determine eligibility for and distribution of federal services and benefits. Under current law, OMB establishes standards for determining CBSA delineations, which are to be used solely for descriptive and statistical purposes. The bill would require OMB to report on the scientific basis for changing any CBSA delineation. Federal agencies use CBSAs for nonstatistical purposes, such as determining allocations for federal funding. S. 1941 would prohibit agencies from automatically adopting any changes to CBSA delineations for nonstatistical purposes unless those changes were adopted through a public rulemaking process. Finally, the bill would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on the accuracy and usefulness of published CBSA information."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-04-19
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 2499, Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2022
From the Bill Summary: "H.R. 2499 would expand eligibility for federal workers engaged in fire protection who have certain diseases and conditions to receive medical, wage replacement, and death benefits under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA)."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-04-19
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Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR Part 587, General License No. 27: Certain Transactions in Support of Nongovernmental Organizations' Activities
From the Document: "Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this general license, all transactions ordinarily incident and necessary to the activities described in paragraph (b) by nongovernmental organizations that are prohibited by the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR [Code of Federal Regulations] part 587 (RuHSR), are authorized, provided that the only involvement of blocked persons is the processing of funds by financial institutions blocked pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14024."
United States. Office of Foreign Assets Control
Gacki, Andrea M.
2022-04-19
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Fact Sheet: Preserving Agricultural Trade, Access to Communication, and Other Support to Those Impacted by Russia's War Against Ukraine
From the Document: "In response to Russia's unprovoked and brutal war against Ukraine, the United States, international partners, and allies have imposed unprecedented economic costs on the Government of the Russian Federation and its supporters. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's (Treasury) Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing this Fact Sheet to make clear that U.S. sanctions issued in response to Russia's further invasion of Ukraine do not stand in the way of, agricultural and medical exports, nongovernmental organization (NGO) activities, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) relief, the free flow of information, humanitarian assistance, and other support to people impacted by Russia's war. Beyond its toll on human life, Russia's war against Ukraine is causing significant harm in the region and the rest of the world. Russian President Vladimir Putin's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is driving food and energy costs higher for people around the world. His actions have disrupted supply chains of agricultural commodities, destroyed agricultural and transportation infrastructure in Ukraine, and put millions at increased risk of food insecurity. Treasury is deeply concerned about the risks to global food supplies and food prices at a time when many emerging market and developing countries are still struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Treasury is working to address food security risks, including bolstering social safety nets for the most vulnerable people; unlocking trade finance to smooth disrupted supply chains for food and critical supplies; strengthening countries' domestic food production; and addressing the macroeconomic impacts of the crisis on the most affected countries."
United States. Department of the Treasury
2022-04-19
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Public Law 117-113: Shadow Wolves Enhancement Act
From the Document: "An Act [t]o authorize the reclassification of the tactical enforcement officers (commonly known as the ''Shadow Wolves'') in the Homeland Security Investigations tactical patrol unit operating on the lands of the Tohono O'odham Nation as special agents, and for other purposes."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-04-19
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Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Summary: "When civil unrest, violence, or natural disasters erupt in countries around the world, concerns arise over the ability of foreign nationals present in the United States who are from those countries to safely return. Provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provide for temporary protected status (TPS) and other forms of relief from removal under specified circumstances. The Secretary of Homeland Security has the discretion to designate a country for TPS for periods of 6 to 18 months and can extend these periods if the country continues to meet the conditions for designation. A foreign national from a designated country who is granted TPS receives a registration document and employment authorization for the duration of the TPS designation. In addition to TPS, there is another form of blanket relief from removal known as deferred enforced departure (DED). DED is a temporary, discretionary, administrative stay of removal granted to aliens from designated countries. Unlike TPS, a DED designation emanates from the President's constitutional powers to conduct foreign relations and has no statutory basis."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wilson, Jill, 1974-
2022-04-19
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Terrorist Groups in Afghanistan [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Afghanistan's geography, complex ethnic composition, and history of conflict and instability have created space for numerous armed Islamist groups, some of which engage in transnational terrorist activity. This product outlines major terrorist groups present in Afghanistan that are affiliated and allied with Al Qaeda (AQ) and the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIS, ISIL, or by the Arabic acronym 'Da'esh'), and relations between these groups and other actors, most notably the Taliban. These dynamics may inform assessments of U.S. policy in Afghanistan in light of the Taliban's renewed control of the country. The Taliban interact with the groups below in varying ways that may affect U.S. interests. Observers differ on how Taliban rule might empower or undermine these terrorist groups or Taliban behavior toward them. U.S. public assessments of the threats these groups pose to U.S. interests, including to the U.S. homeland, vary. President Joseph Biden and other U.S. officials have stated that the United States will maintain 'over-the-horizon' capabilities to address terrorist threats in Afghanistan. As of mid-March 2022, the United States has not carried out any such strikes since the U.S. military withdrawal was completed on August 30, 2021."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Thomas, Clayton (Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs)
2022-04-19
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Syria and U.S. Policy [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Since 2011, conflict between the government of Syrian President Bashar al Asad and opposition forces seeking his removal has displaced roughly half of the country's population and killed over half a million people. Five countries operate in or maintain military forces in Syria: Russia, Turkey, Iran, Israel, and the United States. The United States seeks a negotiated political settlement to the Syria conflict and the enduring defeat of the Islamic State (IS, aka ISIS/ISIL). Challenges for U.S. policymakers include responding to threats posed by IS remnants and detainees, countering groups linked to Al Qaeda, facilitating humanitarian access, and managing Russian and Iranian challenges to U.S. operations in Syria."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humud, Carla E.
2022-04-19
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Defense Primer: Geography, Strategy, and U.S. Force Design [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Most of the world's people, resources, and economic activity are located not in the Western Hemisphere, but in the other hemisphere, particularly Eurasia. In response to this basic feature of world geography, U.S. policymakers for the last several decades have chosen to pursue, as a key element of U.S. national strategy, a goal of preventing the emergence of regional hegemons in Eurasia. This objective reflects a U.S. perspective on geopolitics and grand strategy developed by U.S. strategists and policymakers during and in the years immediately after World War II that incorporates two key judgments: [1] that given the amount of people, resources, and economic activity in Eurasia, a regional hegemon in Eurasia would represent a concentration of power large enough to be able to threaten vital U.S. interests; and [2] that Eurasia is not dependably self-regulating in terms of preventing the emergence of regional hegemons, meaning that the countries of Eurasia cannot be counted on to be fully able to prevent, through their own choices and actions, the emergence of regional hegemons, and may need assistance from one or more countries outside Eurasia to be able to do this dependably."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-04-19
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Gasoline Price Increases: Federal and State Authority to Limit 'Price Gouging' [April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Fluctuations in gasoline prices, including supply chain concerns related to international events, have renewed focus on the role of the government in discouraging gasoline 'price gouging,' a term commonly used to refer to sellers increasing prices to take advantage of certain circumstances that trigger decreases in supply, including emergencies. Others have sought to enhance protections against 'price fixing,' whereby sellers collude to raise prices beyond levels dictated by market conditions. Past federal legislative efforts to address gasoline price gouging and price fixing would bar certain commercial practices and mandate studies of gasoline pricing. The federal government has not enacted legislation aimed specifically at price spikes for retail gasoline. However, a majority of states have enacted statutes to curtail price gouging for certain critical goods and services, including gasoline, during emergencies. Some of these statutes bar pricing during emergencies that is considered to be 'unconscionable' or 'excessive' or otherwise violates a subjective standard. Other statutes place a hard cap on prices during periods of emergency based on percentage increases from prices charged for the good or service in question prior to the emergency. These state statutes generally allow sellers to show that the price increases are the result of increased costs rather than simply changes in the marketplace."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Vann, Adam
2022-04-19
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Chile: An Overview [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Chile has a long democratic tradition but experienced 17 years of authoritarian rule after a 1973 military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet deposed the democratically elected Socialist government of President Salvador Allende (1970-1973). More than 3,200 people were killed or 'disappeared' and some 38,000 people were imprisoned and/or tortured during the Pinochet dictatorship. Chile restored democracy in 1990, following a 1988 plebiscite. Center-left and center-right coalitions dominated Chilean politics for three decades following the transition. Centerleft coalitions held the presidency and majorities in Chile's bicameral congress for most of that period, but Sebastián Piñera led his center-right coalition to power for two nonconsecutive presidential terms (2010-2014, 2018-2022). Both coalitions largely maintained the market-oriented economic framework inherited from Pinochet while implementing consensus-based reforms to gradually expand the Chilean government's role in regulating economic activity and providing social services."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Meyer, Peter J.; Klein, Joshua
2022-04-19
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COVID-19: Potential Implications for International Security Environment-- Overview of Issues and Further Reading for Congress [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Some observers argue the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic could be a world-changing event with potentially profound and long-lasting implications for the international security environment. Other observers are more skeptical that the pandemic will have such effects. In reports issued in March and April 2021, the U.S. intelligence community provided assessments of the potential impact of the pandemic on the international security environment. Observers who discuss whether the pandemic will be world-changing for the international security environment have focused on several areas of potential change[.]"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-04-19
