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Suicide Prevention: DOD Should Enhance Oversight, Staffing, Guidance, and Training Affecting Certain Remote Installations, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "In 2020, DOD recorded 384 active component suicide deaths, representing a 33.5 percent increase in the suicide rate since 2016. Some of these servicemembers were stationed at remote OCONUS [outside the contiguous United States] installations, defined by GAO [Government Accountability Office] as meeting DOD criteria involving factors such as harsh living conditions and limited resources. In response to a provision in the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, this report examines, among other objectives, the extent to which DOD and the military services have, in relation to remote OCONUS installations (1) collected required suicide incident data, and what is known about the incidence of suicide and related risk factors among servicemembers during 2016-2020; (2) established and ensured implementation of policies, programs, and activities that address suicide prevention; and (3) established guidance and training for key personnel for responding to suicide deaths and attempts."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2022-04
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Guide to the Distributed Energy Resource Risk Management Framework
From the Executive Summary: "The emergence of distributed energy resources (DERs) has transformed the electric power sector and will likely have even more profound impacts on the future evolution of the United States energy sector as it modernizes and becomes more reliant upon complex informatics programming and systems to ensure that our power grid remains safe from malicious interference. In an effort to improve the nation's cybersecurity posture, Executive Order 13800: Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure (2017) recognizes the increasing interconnectedness of federal information systems while acknowledging that critical infrastructure is at risk due to the misalignment of many policies that govern information technology at a national level. Office of Management and Budget Circular A-130, 'Managing Information as a Strategic Resource' (2016) addresses responsibilities for protecting federal information resources, requiring agencies to implement the Risk Management Framework (RMF), developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Executive Order 14028: Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity (2021) clarifies the responsibility of the federal government to collaborate with the private sector to maintain a safe virtual environment that is agile and may be modified in tandem with the discovery of new cybersecurity threats and proactive mitigation of unknown future cybersecurity incidents."
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (U.S.)
Thomas, Dana-Marie; Sanghvi, Anuj; Touhiduzzaman, MD . . .
2022-04
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COVID-19: Current and Future Federal Preparedness Requires Fixes to Improve Health Data and Address Improper Payments, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "By the end of March 2022, the U.S. had about 80 million reported cases of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] and over 980,000 reported deaths, according to CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]. The country also experiences lingering economic repercussions related to the pandemic, including rising inflation and ongoing supply chain disruptions. As of February 28, 2022 (the most recent date for which data were available), the federal government had obligated $4.2 trillion and expended $3.6 trillion for pandemic relief. These amounts reflect 91 and 79 percent, respectively, of the total amount of COVID-19 relief funds provided by the CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act and five other relief laws. The CARES Act includes a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to report on its ongoing monitoring and oversight efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This report--GAO's 10th comprehensive report--examines the federal government's continued efforts to respond to, and recover from, the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, GAO's March 17, 2022 testimony included 10 new legislative suggestions to enhance the transparency and accountability of federal spending, which we reiterate here."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2022-04
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Afghan Air Forces: The U.S. Has Reduced Its Advising for Vetting AAF and SMW Recruits and the Afghan Ministry of Defense Does Not Have the Resources Needed to Vet All Recruits or Personnel
From the Document: "This report discusses the unclassified results of SIGAR's [Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction] audit of U.S. Department of Defense and Afghan Ministry of Defense (MOD) efforts to address challenges associated with corruption in the Afghan Air Force (AAF) and Special Mission Wing (SMW). The objective of this audit was to assess the extent to which the MOD vets AAF and SMW recruits for corruption. We are making two recommendations to help ensure the MOD maximizes its anti-corruption vetting capacity. Specifically, we recommend that the Commander of Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A): '1. Direct U.S. advisors to coordinate with the Afghan National Army (ANA) General Staff for Intelligence (GSG2) to develop additional, anti-corruption-specific questions for the Preliminary Credibility Assessment Screening System (PCASS) program'. '2. Direct U.S. advisors to advise and assist the MOD in identifying resource requirements that would allow GSG2 to impose PCASS and Cellular Exploitation (CELLEX) screening on all recruits to the Afghan air forces and high-risk individuals'."
United States. Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction
2022-04
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USAID's Community-Based Support Services for Crisis and Disaster-Affected Communities in Afghanistan [redacted]
From the Document: "On September 23, 2019, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded a $3,500,000 grant to to provide community-based support for crisis and disaster-affected communities[.] [...] The grant had an initial period of performance from September 1, 2019 , through August 31. 2020. USAID modified the grant one time, which extended the period of performance end date to October 31, 2020. SIGAR's [Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction's] financial audit, performed by Conrad LLP (Conrad), reviewed $3,493,277 in costs charged to the agreement from September 1. 2019, through October 31, 2020. The objectives of the audit were to (1) identify and report on material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in [...] internal controls related to the grant; (2) identify and report on instances of material noncompliance with the terms of the grant and applicable laws and regulations, including any potential fraud or abuse; (3) determine and report on whether[...] has taken corrective action on prior findings and recommendations; and (4) express an opinion on the fair presentation of [...] Special Purpose Financial Statement (SPFS). See Conrad's report for the precise audit objectives. In contracting with an independent audit firm and drawing from the results of the audit, auditing standards require SIGAR to review the work performed. Accordingly, SIGAR oversaw the audit and reviewed its results. SIGAR's review disclosed no instances wherein Conrad did not comply, in all material respects. with generally accepted government auditing standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States."
United States. Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction
2022-04
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U.S. Department of the Interior, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Wildfire Risk Five-Year Monitoring, Maintenance, and Treatment Plan
From the Introduction: "American communities continue to bear the brunt of droughts, wildfires, flooding, and other climate-driven disasters. Wildfires have been growing in intensity and number, adversely impacting air quality, contaminating drinking water, destroying important fish and wildlife habitat, and causing billions of dollars in damages to homes and infrastructure. On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The law provides historic, long-term investments in the infrastructure and economy of the United States, including more than $5 billion directed to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. The BIL provides a transformative opportunity for DOI and USDA to modernize their wildland fire workforce and increase the pace and scale of fuels management and ecosystem restoration across Federal and Tribal Nation lands."
United States. Department of the Interior; United States. Department of Agriculture
2022-04
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Joint Force Quarterly: 2nd Quarter, Issue 105 [April 2022]
From the Document: "NDU Press produces 'Joint Force Quarterly' in concert with ongoing education and research at National Defense University in support of the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 'JFQ' is the Chairman's joint military and security studies journal designed to inform and educate national security professionals on joint and integrated operations; whole of government contributions to national security policy and strategy; homeland security; and developments in training and joint military education to better equip America's military and security apparatus to meet tomorrow's challenges while protecting freedom today." Highlighted in this issue is the following: The Quantum Internet: An Interview with Richard D. Clarke Toward Military Design.
National Defense University Press
2022-04
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Journal of Military Learning (Volume 6, Number 1)
This April 2022 edition of the "Journal of Military Learning" contains the following articles: "Improving After Action Review (AAR): Applications of Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning" by Kim Cates, Marc Banghart, and Alexander Plant; "A Mixed Methods Analysis of STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] Major Attrition at the U.S. Air Force Academy" by Daniel S. O'Keefe, David Meier, Jorge Valentine-Rodríguez, Lachlan T. Belcher, and Wilson González-Espada; "The Impact of Military Occupational Specialty Training on the Trait Development of Marines" by Tom Miller, Bruce Moore, Michael D. "Mo" Becker, Calvin Lathan, and Adam Beatty; "The Cost of Compliance: A Call for Context in Military Behavioral Compliance Training" by Bradley J. Sanders; "Nontechnical Skills: A Development Hierarchy for Military Teams" by Sandra Veigas Campaniço Cavaleiro, Catarina Gomes, and Miguel Pereira Lopes; and "Upcoming Conferences of Note."
Army University Press (U.S.)
2022-04
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AQIM's Imperial Playbook: Understanding al-Qa`ida in the Islamic Maghreb's Expansion into West Africa
From the Executive Summary: "In 2021, the United Nations noted the newfound threats of the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), a branch of al-Qa`ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), that extended into Burkina Faso and the Ivory Coast, stretching farther yet into Ghana, Togo, and Benin. Had an observer in 2006 had this information presented to them, they might have scarcely believed it. That year, in which AQIM was formed, the group was a thoroughly North African organization and based primarily in Algeria. Fast forward 15 years, how did AQIM end up nearly 1,300 miles away, now posing immediate threats in the states of littoral West Africa? Relying on a combination of primary source jihadi propaganda and historical research, this report argues that over the past 30 years, al-Qa`ida and its branches and allies in North and West Africa have followed what this report calls 'al- Qa`ida's Imperial Playbook,' as they have sought to expand their areas of influence southward. Al-Qa`ida's 'playbook,' this report shows, is composed of five fundamental tactics: befriending or creating militant groups operating in the midst of conflict; integrating themselves into communities where those militants exist; exploiting grievances of those communities to gain sympathy; addressing internal or external dissent either passively or aggressively; and looking toward new theaters once their base is solidified."
Combating Terrorism Center (U.S.)
Weiss, Caleb
2022-04
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HHS Equity Action Plan
From the Executive Summary: "Executive Order [EO] 13985 calls on agencies to advance equity through identifying and addressing barriers to equal opportunity that underserved communities may face due to government policies and programs. This Equity Action Plan focuses on a main tenet of EO 13985, that advancing equity must be a central component of the decision-making framework that all agency functions are routed through. Using the definition of equity presented in EO 13985, this plan takes the perspective that it is incumbent on HHS [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services] to move urgently to assess and change policies, programs and processes that the Department administers to concretely advance equity and that for these efforts to last, HHS must simultaneously shift the culture, resources, and approaches available to HHS staff to institutionalize and sustain a focus on equity over time. This Equity Action Plan does not describe comprehensively how all HHS components are working to advance equity, but instead highlights a few examples across the Department."
United States. Department of Health and Human Services
2022-04
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Protecting Californians from Extreme Heat: A State Action Plan to Build Community Resilience
From the Introduction: "California's best climate science projects that every corner of the state will be impacted in years and decades to come by higher average temperatures and more frequent and severe heat waves. These changes will pose a risk to every region and sector across natural, built, and social systems. The 2022 Action Plan outlines California's all-of-government approach to mitigating the health, economic, cultural, ecological, and social impacts of increasing average temperatures and heat waves. It constitutes California's response to what has become known as 'extreme heat' and accompanying 'extreme heat events.'"
California
2022-04
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Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome (PACS) in Adults
From the Introduction: "Public Health Ontario (PHO) is actively monitoring, reviewing and assessing relevant information related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This rapid review concentrates on results from systematic reviews and meta-analyses, updating the evidence on the prevalence of PACS [post-acute COVID-19 syndrome], PACS symptoms by organ system and risk factors for developing PACS. The update includes more meta-analyses and primary research with larger sample sizes and includes a new section reporting on the impacts of PACS on daily living. This rapid review replaces 'Persistent Symptoms and Post-Acute COVID-19 in Adults - What We Know So Far' (April 9, 2021)."
Public Health Ontario
2022-04
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Evidence-Based Laboratory Biorisk Management Science & Technology Roadmap
From the Document: "To ensure biorisk management is based on the best available science, the National Science and Technology Council's Subcommittee on Health Security Threats established the Applied Biosafety Research Working Group to identify and address research gaps needed to improve laboratory biorisk management, with the goal of ensuring that practices, guidance, and regulations are based on the best available science. The working group developed the 'Evidence-based Laboratory Biorisk Management Science & Technology Roadmap', which offers recommendations on how to advance applied biorisk research and employ the findings, as described in the Recommendations of this 'Roadmap'. The Distributed Biorisk Research Landscape section of this 'Roadmap' outlines the distributed stakeholder landscape for laboratory biorisk management, and the Applied Biorisk Research Priorities identifies priority biorisk management research areas based on initial engagements in federal and practitioner communities."
National Science and Technology Council (U.S.)
2022-04
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Coordination to Reduce Barriers to Reentry: 'Lessons Learned from COVID-19 and Beyond'
From the Introduction: "Each year, about 600,000 people in the United States enter prisons; and at the same time, people are sent to jails across our country over 10 million times per year. Individuals returning to their communities after a term of imprisonment face a number of barriers to success, including housing insecurity, inability to access health care, food insecurity, and barriers to education and employment. These longstanding barriers were exacerbated during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic and compounded by additional hurdles, including limited access to government and community-based services and support. Yet, despite the pandemic's tragic toll, new resources and creative solutions emerged, providing innovative approaches to combating barriers to reentry and to assisting justice system-impacted individuals. This report represents the efforts of six federal agencies, joined in collaboration with the Department of Justice, to study the impact of COVID-19 on longstanding barriers to reentry, to review efforts taken to ease those barriers, and to collaborate on efforts to improve successful outcomes for those returning home after contact with the criminal legal system."
United States. Department of Justice. Office of Public Affairs; Federal Interagency Reentry Council (FIRC)
2022-04
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Global Strategy to Manage the Long-Term Risks of COVID-19
From the Abstract: "The pandemic is not over, and the health and economic losses continue to grow. It is now evident that COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] will be with us for the long term, and there are very different scenarios for how it could evolve, from a mild endemic scenario to a dangerous variant scenario. This realization calls for a new strategy that manages both the uncertainty and the long-term risks of COVID-19. There are four key policy implications of such as strategy. First, we need to achieve equitable access beyond vaccines to encompass a comprehensive toolkit. Second, we must monitor the evolving virus and dynamically upgrade the toolkit. Third, we must transition from the acute response to a sustainable strategy toward COVID-19, balanced and integrated with other health and social priorities. Fourth, we need a unified risk-mitigation approach to future infectious disease threats beyond COVID-19. Infectious diseases with pandemic potential are a threat to global economic and health security. The international community should recognize that its pandemic financing addresses a systemic risk to the global economy, not just the development need of a particular country. Accordingly, it should allocate additional funding to fight pandemics and strengthen health systems both domestically and overseas. This will require about $15 billion in grants this year and $10 billion annually after that."
International Monetary Fund
Agarwal, Ruchir; Farrar, Jeremy; Gopinath, Gita, 1971- . . .
2022-04
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United States Coast Guard Ready Workforce 2030
From the Executive Summary: "The resiliency, flexibility, and adaptability of our workforce is at the heart of what has made the Coast Guard successful for well over 200 years, and it remains our greatest strength. However, the environment the Coast Guard must navigate to build its force has changed dramatically since 2000 and increasingly since the start of 2020. This rate of change will only continue to accelerate. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is well underway, with deep implications for Service missions, capabilities, and challenges. Continuing demographic and social trends are fundamentally altering the American population from which the Service recruits and serves. The Service is trying to retain its top talent in an increasingly competitive job market shaped by exceptional growth in emerging technology and science. Specialists and generalists alike will increasingly be in high demand, and top performers will want to jump in quickly wherever they are needed. 'Ready Workforce 2030 focuses on creating a system with the ability to generate the force we need, when and where we need it,' moving away from our current predictive workforce modeling."
United States. Coast Guard
2022-04
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Law Enforcement Departments Have Not Adequately Guarded Against Biased Conduct
From the opening letter of Michael S. Tilden: "Our audit of five law enforcement departments throughout the State uncovered the actions of some officers at each department who engaged in biased conduct, either during their on-duty interactions with individuals or online through their social media posts. Although we did not find officers who were members of hate groups, some officers made statements indicating that they support problematic groups. We have included in this report some disturbing content (with some redactions) because we believe that it is important to accurately reflect the nature of the conduct that we observed. We depend on law enforcement departments and the peace officers they employ to ensure that they exercise their unique authority without regard for individuals' identity characteristics, such as race, national origin, or mental or physical disability. What we found is that these five departments have not adequately guarded against biased conduct among their officers: [1] They have not used sufficient strategies to achieve representative diversity in hiring. [2] They have not implemented robust community engagement strategies or employee training practices. [3] They have not established sufficient, proactive processes to identify possibly biased behavior. [4] They have not consistently conducted adequate investigations of alleged biased behavior. [...] This report makes specific recommendations about steps each department can take to better ensure that Californians receive fair and impartial policing services. We also make several recommendations to the Legislature to better align expectations in state law with best practices for addressing bias in policing, such as by adopting a uniform definition of biased conduct, requiring more frequent and thorough training, and increasing independent oversight."
California. State Auditor (2013- )
2022-04
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Middle East Studies at the Marine Corps University: MES Insights, Volume 13 Issue 2, April 2022
This edition of the MES Insights published by the Middle East Studies (MES) program of the Marine Corps University contains the following article: "Society-Centric Warfare: Lessons from Afghanistan and Ukraine" by Amin Tarzin. From the document: "This article briefly compares the unexpected resilience of the Ukrainian people and government facing a much larger force committing a vicious military campaign with the failure of the much larger and better-equipped Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) to stop the Taliban from taking over the Afghan capital of Kabul in a few days. What is missing from the dialogue is the often-forgotten dimension of strategic calculations--namely the societal dimension. In this article, the author argues that this is one of the primary reasons that Ukraine stands tall in its resistance and Afghanistan collapsed."
Marine Corps University (U.S.). Middle East Studies
2022-04
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Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board 32nd Annual Report to Congress, April 2022
From the Executive Summary: "Under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB or Board) is charged with providing independent safety oversight of the Department of Energy's (DOE) defense nuclear facilities complex--a complex with the mission to design, manufacture, test, maintain, and decommission nuclear weapons, as well as other national security priorities. The act mandates that the Board review the content and implementation of DOE standards, facility and system designs, and events and practices at DOE defense nuclear facilities to provide independent analysis, advice, and recommendations to inform the Secretary of Energy regarding issues of adequate protection of public health and safety at DOE defense nuclear facilities. The Board prioritizes its safety oversight activities based on risk to the public and workers, types and quantities of nuclear and hazardous material at hand, and hazards of the operations involved. This annual report summarizes the Board's significant safety oversight initiatives and some high-priority safety issues at defense nuclear facilities subject to the Board's oversight during 2021."
United States. Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
2022-04
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Coronavirus and the Widening Global North-South Gap
From the Summary: "The European Union (EU) has a growing interest in investing in the Global South as the bloc seeks to fill a niche amid the geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China, find new allies in support of multilateralism, and diversify its international relations in pursuit of its norms and interests. But the union's policies and ambitions are underinformed by empirical research on how the Global South views the EU and Europe as a whole. This paper presents the initial results of an eighteen-month-long project conducted by Carnegie Europe and the Open Society European Policy Institute (OSEPI) that explored perspectives on Europe's international role through the eyes of the Global South."
Carnegie Europe
Balfour, Rosa; Bomassi, Lizza; Martinelli, Marta
2022-04
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Iran Entangled: Iran and Hezbollah's Support to Proxies Operating in Syria
From the Executive Summary: "Syria is a cornerstone of Iran's national security doctrine. While Iran's alliance with Syria is longstanding, in the past decade Iran has entangled with Syrian economics, politics, and security through a variety of hard and soft power techniques. To Iran, Syria is also a crucial regional ally. Syria has geopolitical utility for Iran's regional strategy and is an avenue through which Iran can exert considerable influence. The two countries have an alliance dating back to the early 1980s during the regime of Hafez al-Assad. In Syria, Iran can both exert influence in the security sphere through more tactical means while also fan a religious and social support base in Syrian society. Iran achieves these goals through raising and supporting non-state militant groups in Syria."
Combating Terrorism Center (U.S.)
Jahanbani, Nakissa; Levy, Suzanne Weedon
2022-04
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Report to Congress on the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels for Fiscal Year 2023
From the Document: "The Department continues to evaluate industrial base health and support to Fleet readiness, capacity, and capability. Timely industrial base delivery of systems and platforms within cost estimates is a key consideration as it quickly enhances warfighting performance. Improvements in today's production enable greater capability and capacity for developing future platforms, such as the future large surface combatant (DDG(X)) and the next generation attack submarine (SSN(X)). The DoN [Department of the Navy], working with industry partners, will deliberately reduce execution risk through improved cost estimation, prototyping, and landbased testing systems to de-risk critical technologies and ensure that new programs deliver on expected capabilities."
United States. Department of the Navy
2022-04
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Climate Risk Exposure: An Assessment of the Federal Government's Financial Risks to Climate Change
From the Introduction: "The climate crisis poses a serious threat to the United States economy and human welfare, with a narrowing timeframe to invest in opportunities to avoid the most catastrophic impacts. Extreme weather events can be exacerbated by climate change, disrupting supply chains, and flooding made worse by sea level rise can destroy critical infrastructure. As a smaller subset of these impacts, climate change threatens the Nation's fiscal health. The Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) notes that: 'Climate change creates new risks and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities in communities across the United States, presenting growing challenges to human health and safety, quality of life, and the rate of economic growth'. The impacts of climate change on businesses and communities are broad; escalating costs, and lost revenue as a direct or indirect result of a changing climate is significant and varied. Across the United States, estimated damages from a subset of storms, floods, wildfires, and other extreme climate-related weather events have already grown to about $120 billion a year over the past five years."
United States. Office of Management and Budget
2022-04
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Fiscal Year 2021 Overview of Federal Criminal Cases
From the Document: "The United States Sentencing Commission received information on 57,377 federal criminal cases in which the offender was sentenced in fiscal year 2021. Among these cases, 57,287 involved an individual offender and 90 involved a corporation or other 'organizational' offender. The Commission also received information on 4,680 cases in which the court resentenced the offender or otherwise modified the sentence that had been previously imposed. This publication provides an overview of these cases."
United States Sentencing Commission
Schmitt, Glenn R.; Jeralds, Lindsey
2022-04
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Oil and Gas: Federal Actions Needed to Address Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Development, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Methane is emitted into the atmosphere during oil and gas production--either through intentional releases or leaks. These emissions also result in the loss of marketable natural gas. BLM [Bureau of Land Management] oversees oil and gas operations on federal lands, and EPA regulates emissions from these operations. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review methane emissions from oil and gas development on federal lands. This report (1) describes the steps federal agencies have taken to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas, and implementation challenges; (2) examines actions selected industry entities are taking to reduce methane emissions; and (3) examines how selected states regulate methane emissions and to what extent those efforts could inform federal actions."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2022-04
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China's Faltering 'Zero COVID' Policy: Politics in Command, Economy in Reverse
From the Introduction: "After COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] emerged in Wuhan two years ago, it spread rapidly around the world, infecting hundreds of millions and taking over six million lives. After subduing the initial outbreak, China shut its door to the pandemic by imposing a strict regime of residential lockdowns and business shutdowns, quarantines, mass testing, and stringent border controls. The response--which Beijing calls 'dynamic clearing' (动态 清零), but is widely known as zero COVID--succeeded in keeping the virus at bay for nearly two years. It is a policy that Chinese president Xi Jinping and his minions have used to fortify China's aspirations to global leadership and to solidify Xi's unchallenged political position atop the Chinese Communist Party. The policy's initial effectiveness--after the initial Wuhan outbreak killed several thousand Chinese citizens--provided a wellspring of propaganda for Beijing to declare the superiority of its policies and political system as competitors, most notably the United States, struggled at times to contain the disease."
Atlantic Council of the United States. Global China Hub
Mark, Jeremy; Schuman, Michael, 1968-
2022-04
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Access to Government Information: An Overview [March 31, 2022]
From the Summary: "Congress has long recognized the people's right to know about the operations and actions of the federal government. A series of modern statutes provides a framework for ways the public may access government information. Built up over the past 60 years, these key statutes allow the public to access information about the federal government's operations, information the government might collect on individuals, and insight into some of the government's decisionmaking processes. [...] After enactment of these statutes and subsequent evolution in their implementation, Congress has continued to question whether they provide for sufficient public inspection of government activity and whether federal government actors are complying with or circumventing the intent of these statutes. To help determine whether or not information can be sufficiently accessed, Congress might evaluate multiple questions, including whether the sought-after information is exclusive to certain individuals or software, at what point the information can be retrieved during decisionmaking processes, and if the information provided is sufficient to determine the context in which it was created. This report provides an overview of each of the four statutes and includes a discussion of policy questions and legislative considerations for each one."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Stuessy, Meghan M.
2022-03-31
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Caribbean Basin Security Initiative [Updated March 31, 2022]
From the Document: "The United States developed the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), a regional U.S. foreign assistance program, in 2009 through a process of dialogue with Caribbean countries. The initiative seeks to reduce illicit trafficking in the region, advance public safety and security, and promote social justice. Because of their geographic location, many Caribbean nations are vulnerable to being used as transit countries for illicit drugs from South America destined for the U.S. and European markets. Strengthened U.S. counternarcotics cooperation with Mexico and Central America led U.S. policymakers to anticipate a potential increase in narcotics trafficking through the Caribbean. Many Caribbean countries have also suffered high rates of violent crime, including murder, often associated with drug trafficking activities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.
2022-03-31
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Central American Migration: Root Causes and U.S. Policy [Updated March 31, 2022]
From the Document: "According to a model developed at the University of Texas at Austin's Robert Strauss Center for International Security and Law, an estimated 407,000 people, on average, left the Northern Triangle region of Central America (see 'Figure 1') annually from FY2018 to FY2021, with the majority bound for the United States. Flows have varied from year to year, with an estimated 691,000 people leaving the region in FY2019 and an estimated 112,000 people leaving the region in FY2020. Surveys conducted in 2020 found many potential migrants had postponed their plans in the midst of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic but intended to undertake their journeys once governments lifted cross-border travel restrictions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Meyer, Peter J.
2022-03-31
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Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated March 31, 2022]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on multiyear procurement (MYP) and block buy contracting (BBC), which are special contracting mechanisms that Congress permits the Department of Defense (DOD) to use for a limited number of defense acquisition programs. Compared to the standard or default approach of annual contracting, MYP and BBC have the potential for reducing weapon procurement costs by a few or several percent. Potential issues for Congress concerning MYP and BBC include whether to use MYP and BBC in the future more frequently, less frequently, or about as frequently as they are currently used; whether to create a permanent statute to govern the use of BBC, analogous to the permanent statute that governs the use of MYP; and whether the Coast Guard should begin making use of MYP and BBC. Congress's decisions on these issues could affect defense acquisition practices, defense funding requirements, and the defense industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-03-31
