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Yuma Sector Border Patrol Struggled to Meet TEDS Standards for Single Adult Men but Generally Met TEDS Standards for Other Populations

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From the Document: "As part of OIG's [Office of Inspector General's] annual, congressionally mandated oversight of CBP [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] holding facilities, we conducted unannounced inspections of five locations in the general area of Yuma, Arizona, to evaluate CBP's compliance with applicable detention standards. [...] We made one recommendation to Yuma sector Border Patrol to monitor data integrity. We did not make recommendations on TEDS [National Standards on Transport, Escort, Detention, and Search] compliance because there are relevant outstanding recommendations from a prior review."

United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General

2022-08-14
EMR-ISAC: Infogram, Volume 22 Issue 20, May 19, 2022

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The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "May is Mental Health Awareness Month: New resources for first responders"; "NIST [National Institute of Standards and Technology] competition aims to improve unmanned aircraft in indoor search and rescue scenarios"; "Summary and interactive map of 911 legislation enacted by states in 2021 now available"; "CISA [Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency]'s 2022 Hurricane Season Preparedness webinar will be held June 1"; "CISA issues Emergency Directive and releases advisory related to VMware vulnerabilities"; "Threat actors exploiting F5 BIG IP CVE-2022-1388"; "Weak security controls and practices routinely exploited for initial access"; "CISA releases analysis of FY21 Risk and Vulnerability Assessments"; "Cyber actors scrape credit card data from US business' online checkout page and maintain persistence by injecting malicious PHP [PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor] code"; and "Guidance on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea information technology workers."

Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)

2022-05-19
Alaska Native Issues: Federal Agencies Could Enhance Support for Native Village Efforts to Address Environmental Threats, Report to Congressional Requesters

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From the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Highlights: "Erosion, flooding, and thawing permafrost can pose environmental threats to lives and infrastructure in Alaska Native villages. According to the United States Global Change Research Program, climate change is expected to exacerbate these threats. GAO identified 10 federal agencies that administer programs that support Alaska Native village efforts to address and build resilience to environmental threats. GAO was asked to review federal efforts to help Alaska Native villages address environmental threats. This report examines (1) information about environmental threats to Native villages; (2) federal funding provided to address such threats, and actions supported by that funding; and (3) opportunities to better support efforts to build resilience to such threats. GAO analyzed federal risk information and obligations data from 10 federal agencies for fiscal years 2016 through 2020; reviewed agency documents and other relevant reports; and interviewed agency officials and representatives from selected Alaska Native villages and tribal organizations. [...] Congress should consider establishing a coordinating entity to assist Native villages facing environmental threats. GAO is also making eight recommendations, including that seven agencies change programs to reduce barriers that hinder Native villages' accessing federal assistance. Six of these agencies agreed with GAO's recommendations, and the seventh agency stated it agreed with the report's findings."

United States. Government Accountability Office

2022-05-18
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Technical Assistance Guide

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From the Document: "President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law unlocks billions of dollars in opportunity for states, territories, Tribes, and local governments to make a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation's infrastructure. Over 90% of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's historic funding will be deployed by non-federal partners. The Biden Administration has put together this technical assistance guide to help make it easier for communities across the country to navigate, access, and deploy infrastructure funding that will build a better America. In the past, too many communities have lacked the resources to apply for and deliver transformative infrastructure opportunities. While there are many programs across the federal government dedicated to technical assistance, navigating the vast landscape of programs and resources can be challenging for communities. To ease this burden, the Biden Administration is committed to closing access gaps and making these opportunities transparent and available. The Biden Administration has identified at least $700 million in dedicated funding across more than 65 federal technical assistance programs, focused on helping communities apply for and deploy federal infrastructure funding. This guide will help communities navigate programs and resources that can help them deliver transformative infrastructure projects, using the historic funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Specifically, this guide provides a list of over 65 technical assistance resources and programs across the federal government to help communities deliver infrastructure projects."

United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

2022-05-18
CBO Estimate for H.R. 7790, the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022, as Introduced on May 17, 2022

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This Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate provides discretionary spending estimates for H.R. 7790, Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022. From the Document: "H.R. 7790 would provide supplemental funding for fiscal year 2022 for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to address the current shortage of FDA-regulated infant formula and medical foods in the United States. The legislation would designate that funding as an emergency requirement in keeping with section 4001(a)(1) and section 4001(b) of S. Con. Res. 14 (117th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2022."

United States. Congressional Budget Office

2022-05-18
Disaster Resilience: Opportunities to Improve National Preparedness, Statement of Chris P. Currie, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, Committee on Homeland Security House of Representatives

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From the Highlights: "Each year, disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires affect hundreds of American communities. The federal government provides billions of dollars to individuals and communities that have suffered damages. According to the U.S. Global Change Research Program, extreme weather events are projected to become more frequent and intense in parts of the U.S. as a result of changes in the climate. Investments in disaster resilience can reduce the overall impact of future disasters and costs. This testimony discusses GAO [Government Accountability Office] reports issued from 2015 through 2021 on disaster preparedness and resilience. This includes FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency]'s National Preparedness System and associated grants; hazard mitigation grant programs; and GAO's Disaster Resilience Framework for identifying opportunities to enhance resilience. The statement also describes actions taken to address GAO's prior recommendations through March 2022."

United States. Government Accountability Office

Currie, Chris P.

2022-05-17
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 2135, Identifying and Eliminating Wasteful Programs Act

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From the Document: "S. 2135 would require the Office of Management and Budget to provide guidance to federal agencies for identifying programs and activities for elimination or consolidation, within the current budget process. The federal government currently reviews different ways to reduce, eliminate, or manage the overlap and duplication within its agencies. Because of that ongoing activity, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] expects that implementing the bill would not significantly increase or reduce federal spending over the 2022-2027 period. Additionally, CBO estimates that the administrative costs to implement the bill would be less than $500,000 over the same period. Any effect on spending would be subject to future appropriation action."

United States. Congressional Budget Office

2022-05-17
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 3462, SBA Cyber Awareness Act [May 17, 2022]

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From the Document: "H.R. 3462 would require the Small Business Administration (SBA) to report annually to the Congress on the state of its information technology (IT) and cybersecurity systems, the methods it could use to improve cybersecurity, any of its IT equipment or systems that were produced by an entity doing business principally in China, and any recent cybersecurity risks or incidents and subsequent responses. The act also would require the SBA to report all cybersecurity risks or incidents to the Congress as they occur and to notify the affected individuals and small businesses. Under current law, the SBA is required to submit an annual performance report to the Congress that includes information concerning agency cybersecurity efforts. In addition, the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 requires federal agencies, including the SBA, to report on the effectiveness of their information security policies and practices each year. Although H.R. 3462 would impose new reporting requirements upon the SBA, the work required to fulfill most of those requirements would not be significant because the SBA already collects most of the information needed in those reports."

United States. Congressional Budget Office

2022-05-17
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 2429, Administrative False Claims Act of 2021

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From the Bill Summary: "The Program Fraud and Civil Remedies Act (PFCRA) allows federal agencies to use administrative procedures to pursue cases against individuals and entities that are suspected of making false claims and statements against the government that lead to fraud of up to $150,000. Individuals and entities that are found to have violated federal fraud statutes are subject to civil penalties of $5,000 (adjusted yearly for inflation) and up to double the assessed value of the fraud. S. 2429 would amend PFCRA in several ways: by raising the maximum amount of fraud that agencies can pursue under the statute to $1 million (adjusted in future years for inflation), allowing agencies to recover costs from the penalties collected, and reducing the administrative burden for agencies that pursue PFCRA cases."

United States. Congressional Budget Office

2022-05-17
H. Rept. 117-333: Providing for Consideration of the Bill (H.R. 350) to Authorize Dedicated Domestic Terrorism Offices Within the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to Analyze and Monitor Domestic Terrorist Activity and Require the Federal Government to Take Steps to Prevent Domestic Terrorism; Providing for Consideration of the Bill (H.R. 7688) to Protect Consumers from Price-Gouging of Consumer Fuels, and for Other Purposes; and Providing for Consideration of the Bill (H.R. 7790) Making Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address the Shortage of Infant Formula in the United States for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2022, and for Other Purposes, Report to Accompany H. Res. 1124, May 17, 2022

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From the Summary of Provisions of the Resolution: "The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 350, the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022, under a closed rule. [...] The resolution further provides for consideration of H.R. 7688, the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act, under a structured rule. [...] The resolution further provides for consideration of H.R. 7790, the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022, under a closed rule."

United States. Government Publishing Office

2022-05-17
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 3470, End Human Trafficking in Government Contracts Act of 2022

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From the Document: "Under S. 3470, any federal agency receiving a substantiated claim that a grant or contract recipient is engaging in human trafficking would be required to refer the matter to the agency's suspension and debarment official. Under current law, such a referral is optional. The head of the contracting agency would have the authority to impose various sanctions, including terminating the contract. The bill also would require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to report on efforts to end human trafficking in government contracting. [...] CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that the cost of meeting the bill's reporting requirements would be less than $500,000 over the 2022-2027 period."

United States. Congressional Budget Office

2022-05-16
Caribbean Basin Security Initiative [Updated May 16, 2022]

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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. counter-narcotics 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. [...] In 2017, the State Department released a U.S. strategy for engagement in the Caribbean (required by P.L. 114-291, the United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016). Among the priorities for engagement is security, with the objectives of strengthening mutual national security and advancing citizens' safety through programs to dismantle criminal and terrorist organizations, curb the trafficking of illicit goods and people, strengthen the rule of law, and counter vulnerability to terrorist threats--all efforts central to the CBSI. Congress has supported funding for the CBSI. From FY2010 through FY2022, Congress appropriated $831 million for the CBSI, benefiting 13 Caribbean countries-- Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago[.] For FY2021, Congress appropriated not less than $74.8 million for the CBSI in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260, Explanatory Statement, Division K)."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Sullivan, Mark P.

2022-05-16
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 7335, MST Claims Coordination

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From the Document: "H.R. 7335 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide veterans who have applied for disability compensation for conditions related to military sexual trauma with information about the Veterans Crisis Line, mental health counseling, and other services that are available from the department. The bill also would require the Veterans Benefits Administration to automatically notify the Veterans Health Administration when veterans who have filed such claims receive medical exams for evaluating disability claims or have hearings before the Board of Veterans Appeals. That requirement would apply to veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system. VA currently provides the required information to veterans. CBO [Congressional Budget Office] expects that the department would have to make minor updates to its information systems to provide the automatic intradepartmental notifications. Based on similar information technology efforts, CBO estimates satisfying that requirement would cost $1 million over the 2022-2027 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."

United States. Congressional Budget Office

2022-05-13
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 2483, Improving Cybersecurity of Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Local Governments Act of 2021

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From the Document: "S. 2483 would require the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to offer cybersecurity training to employees of small businesses. The bill also would require CISA and the Small Business Administration to provide the Congress with recommendations for ways to reduce cyber vulnerabilities in the information networks of small businesses. Using information from CISA, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] anticipates that the agency would need five full-time employees to create and manage the new training program. CBO estimates that costs for staff salaries and website development would total $2 million annually. Accounting for the time needed to hire new employees and develop the training, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $10 million over the 2022-2027 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."

United States. Congressional Budget Office

2022-05-13
MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, May 13, 2022

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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 issue of MMWR contains the following: "Malignant Mesothelioma Mortality in Women -- United States, 1999-2020"; "Progress Toward Polio Eradication -- Worldwide, January 2020-April 2022"; "'Vital Signs': Changes in Firearm Homicide and Suicide Rates -- United States, 2019-2020"; "Trends in Gabapentin Detection and Involvement in Drug Overdose Deaths -- 23 States and the District of Columbia, 2019-2020"; and "Increase in Drug Overdose Deaths Among Hispanic or Latino Persons -- Nevada, 2019-2020." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from this issue can be accessed at the following link [https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2022.html]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)

2022-05-13
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 407, Air America Act of 2022

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From the Document: "S. 407 would establish the service of certain former employees of Air America as creditable toward a federal civil service retirement annuity under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). The bill also would allow surviving spouses or children of those employees to apply for survivor benefits. [...] CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that enacting S. 407 would not increase on-budget deficits by more than $5 billion in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2032."

United States. Congressional Budget Office

2022-05-13
Supply Disruptions and the U.S. Economy [May 13, 2022]

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From the Document: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has disrupted the production of many goods and services. Although those disruptions have waned since spring 2020, some continue to constrain production, exacerbating inflationary pressures [hyperlink]. The Biden Administration has announced a series of initiatives to address supply chain disruptions, which are detailed in CRS [Congressional Research Service] Insight IN11927 [hyperlink]. This Insight discusses some of the factors contributing to supply disruptions and policy considerations surrounding this issue."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Labonte, Marc; Weinstock, Lida R.

2022-05-13
Summary of Selected Biden Administration Actions on Supply Chains [May 13, 2022]

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From the Document: "This CRS [Congressional Research Service] Insight presents selected Biden Administration actions on supply chains. The U.S. economy has faced many supply disruptions and bottlenecks since the beginning of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. These supply issues have contributed to high inflation throughout 2021 and thus far in 2022. For more information on supply chain disruptions and their effect on the U.S. economy, see CRS Insight IN11926 [hyperlink]. The first section of this Insight focuses on select executive orders signed by President Biden aimed at supply chain issues. The second section focuses on other Administration actions and goals to reduce supply chain disruptions and bottlenecks. Both sections are organized in chronological order. Each header provides a hyperlink to a description of the action in question."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Weinstock, Lida R.

2022-05-13
Russia's 2022 Invasion of Ukraine: Related CRS Products [Updated May 13, 2022]

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From the Document: "On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine, with wide-ranging implications for U.S. national security and an array of global geopolitical and economic issues. This report compiles CRS [Congressional Research Service] products on various aspects of this conflict, and will be updated regularly as new products are developed. It also includes some products published before the invasion that offer relevant background and context."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Danon, Zoe; Blum, David A.

2022-05-13
H. Rept. 117-322: Bombing Prevention Act of 2022, Report to Accompany H.R. 6873, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, May 13, 2022

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From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 6873, the 'Bombing Prevention Act of 2022,' seeks to authorize the Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) as the lead entity within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deter, detect, prevent, protect against, mitigate, and respond to terrorist explosive threats and attacks in the United States. Specifically, the bill directs OBP to develop a strategy for securing critical infrastructure against terrorist explosive threats and attacks. Additionally, the bill tasks OBP to review and evaluate effective technologies to defend against terrorist explosive threats and attacks through field-pilot testing and acquisitions. It also requires OBP to promote security awareness of risks posed by the misuse of explosive precursor chemicals and other bomb-making materials and to promote secure information sharing of relevant sensitive material. Finally, the bill requires OBP to maintain a database of capabilities and requirements necessary for public and private sectors to deter, detect, prevent, protect against, mitigate, and respond to terrorist explosive threats and attacks and to track progress in closing capability gaps. To ensure that OBP effectively executes its authorities, the bill directs OBP to develop a strategy to align its activities with the threat environment and stakeholder needs. The strategy must include information on terrorist explosive threats and attacks, information by region on public and private sectors likely to be targeted, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions, places of worship, health care facilities, transportation systems, and commercial and government facilities. The strategy must also include information on how OBP will prioritize engagement with owners and operators of critical infrastructure facilities, among other things."

United States. Government Publishing Office

2022-05-13
H. Rept. 117-323: Cybersecurity Grants for Schools Act of 2022, Report to Accompany H.R. 6868, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, May 13, 2022

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From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 6868, the 'Cybersecurity Grants for Schools Act of 2022,' authorizes the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to provide grants or cooperative agreements to States, local governments, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and other non-Federal entities to carry out the purposes of the Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program (CETAP), as authorized last year. CETAP's purpose is to support CISA's efforts to build and strengthen 'a national cybersecurity workforce pipeline capacity through enabling elementary and secondary cybersecurity education.' To further the CETAP program, this legislation grants CISA the authority to provide grants to organizations to carry out the program to help enhance cybersecurity education at the elementary and secondary levels."

United States. Government Publishing Office

2022-05-13
H. Rept. 117-324: President's Cup Cybersecurity Competition Act, Report to Accompany H.R. 6824, May 13, 2022

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From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 6824, the 'President's Cup Cybersecurity Competition Act' authorizes the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to carry out an annual cybersecurity competition for Federal civilian employees and members of the armed forces. First created by Executive Order No. 13870 in 2019, the President's Cup Cybersecurity Competition (President's Cup) seeks to identify, challenge, and reward the best cybersecurity talent in the Federal Government through a series of challenges that test a broad range of cybersecurity skills. This bill grants CISA the necessary authorities to fully implement the competition, including by authorizing CISA to accept assistance of other Federal agencies and to directly provide cash prizes to the winning individuals and teams regardless of where they work in the Federal Government."

United States. Government Publishing Office

2022-05-13
Iran and Nuclear Weapons Production [May 13, 2022]

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From the Background: "Iran's nuclear program has generated widespread concern that Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons. According to U.S. intelligence assessments, Tehran has the capacity to produce nuclear weapons at some point, but has halted its nuclear weapons program and has not mastered all of the necessary technologies for building such weapons. [...] Since the early 2000s, Tehran's construction of gas centrifuge uranium enrichment facilities has been the main source of proliferation concern. Gas centrifuges enrich uranium by spinning uranium hexafluoride (UF6) gas at high speeds to increase the concentration of the uranium235 (u-235) isotope. Such centrifuges can produce both low-enriched uranium (LEU), which can be used in nuclear power reactors, and highly enriched uranium (HEU), which is one of the two types of fissile material used in nuclear weapons. Tehran asserts that its enrichment program is meant to produce fuel for peaceful nuclear reactors. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) requires Iran to implement various restrictions on its nuclear program, as well as to accept specific monitoring and reporting requirements."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Kerr, Paul K.

2022-05-13
'Hacktivists' and the Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Legal Considerations [May 13, 2022]

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From the Document: "Since Russia's February 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine, a growing number of nongovernmental hackers motivated by social or political objectives--so-called 'hacktivists' [hyperlink]--have [hyperlink] conducted offensive cyberspace operations against Russia. Some of these groups and individuals may be responding to a February 26 tweet [hyperlink] by Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation, who called for the creation of a volunteer 'IT [information technology] Army.' One scholar has cited [hyperlink] this invitation as 'the first time that states have openly called for citizens and volunteers to cyberattack another state.' Ukraine's volunteer IT Army--which may include [hyperlink] 'hundreds of thousands of hackers' from within and outside Ukraine--may be working on 'operational tasks [hyperlink]' identified by the Ukrainian government. This volunteer organization joins the International Legion of Ukraine [hyperlink] as a way for foreign volunteers to participate in the conflict. However, just as participation in the International Legion might result in adverse legal consequences [hyperlink] for volunteers who are U.S. nationals, various federal statutes might be implicated should U.S. persons join the IT Army or otherwise conduct cyberspace operations against Russian assets. This Sidebar considers potential civil and criminal liability under federal law for individuals within the United States who hack foreign governmental or nongovernmental computers. It first discusses the potential applicability of two federal statutes to alleged hostile or malicious cyber activities targeting Russia by hacktivists residing in the United States: the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) and the Neutrality Act. It then presents several considerations for Congress as this situation evolves. Although this Sidebar generally discusses volunteers acting on Ukraine's behalf, the analysis below would also likely apply to U.S. persons acting on Russia's behalf against Ukraine."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Gaffney, Jonathan M.

2022-05-13
Online Content Moderation and Government Coercion [May 13, 2022]

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From the Document: "In recent years, there has been growing concern about the power of social media companies to control online speech. Some users have tried to assert [hyperlink] that online platforms violated users' constitutional free speech rights by removing users' content or otherwise restricting their ability to post on these platforms. Lower courts have rejected [hyperlink] these claims, citing the well-established principle that private companies are not bound by the First Amendment's Free Speech Clause and therefore holding that the Constitution does not limit their ability to restrict user content. More recent lawsuits [hyperlink], however, have alleged that the government itself has been involved in restricting certain types of content, creating government encouragement or coercion that does implicate constitutional free speech concerns. One high-profile example is a group of lawsuits from former President Trump, initially filed almost a year ago, alleging that Facebook [hyperlink], Twitter [hyperlink], and YouTube [hyperlink] violated his First Amendment rights by banning him from their online platforms. He claimed that the companies were motivated to act based on fear of government regulation, implicating the First Amendment. On May 6, 2022, a trial court disagreed and dismissed his lawsuit against Twitter. (The other two suits remain pending.) While lawsuits bringing similar claims have largely been dismissed, they nonetheless illustrate an ongoing concern about government involvement in private content moderation. This Legal Sidebar explores this issue, explaining the relevant legal background and the significance of recent lawsuits."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Brannon, Valerie C.; Novak, Whitney K.

2022-05-13
EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 22 Issue 19, May 12, 2022

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The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "Civil unrest: preparedness and planning resources for fire and EMS [emergency medical services] agencies"; "New mobile app brings timely counterterrorism intelligence to first responders and homeland security professionals"; "Webinar: FirstNet on communications in healthcare settings and special events"; "CISA [Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency]: Alert (AA22-131A) - Protecting Against Cyber Threats to Managed Service Providers and their Customers"; "U.S. Government attributes cyberattacks on SATCOM [satellite communication] networks to Russian state-sponsored malicious cyber actors"; "NIST [National Institute of Standards and Technology] updates cybersecurity guidance for supply chain risk management"; "Critical vulnerability exploited to 'destroy' BIG-IP appliances"; "Ransomware tracker: the latest figures [May 2022]"; and "Tenet says 'cybersecurity incident' disrupted hospital operations."

Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)

2022-05-12
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 312, COVID-19 Safer Detention Act of 2021

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From the Document: "'The bill would'[:] [1] Allow federal prisoners sentenced before November 1, 1987, to apply for compassionate release[;] [and 2] Shorten certain elderly prisoners' sentences by applying credits for good conduct time to eligibility for early release[.] 'Estimated budgetary effects would mainly stem from'[:] [1] Reductions in discretionary spending by the federal Bureau of Prisons because some prisoners would be released earlier than under current law[;] [and 2] Increases in direct spending for health care, Social Security, and other federal benefits[.] 'Areas of significant uncertainty include'[:] [1] Projecting the number of elderly incarcerated prisoners and the number who would be eligible for release from prison[;] [2] Projecting whether prisoners would be confined in residential reentry centers or at home, and the difference in costs between those options compared with confinement in federal prisons[;] [and 3] Estimating the number of offenders released under the act who would receive federal benefits[.]"

United States. Congressional Budget Office

2022-05-12
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 120, Safe Connections Act of 2022

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From the Document: "'The act would'[:] [1] Require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to issue rules to allow a domestic violence survivor to freely disconnect from a service contract shared with their abuser[;] [and 2] Impose mandates by requiring mobile service providers to offer a separate line on a shared phone contract for domestic violence survivors[.] 'Estimated budgetary effects would mainly stem from'[:] [1] Spending subject to appropriation for the FCC to issue rules and complete an evaluation[;] [and 2] Changes in direct spending and revenues by permitting domestic violence survivors to qualify for the Lifeline program[.]"

United States. Congressional Budget Office

2022-05-12
Challenges of Adapting DoD's Acquisition Portfolio to a New Defense Strategy [presentation]

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From the Document: "If the Department of Defense (DoD) made major changes in strategy, history suggests that two types of challenges could be faced: 'Funding-based challenges': Funding could be needed to develop and procure weapons befitting the new strategy; funding would also be needed to ensure that today's force continues to have the weapons it needs to meet immediate missions. 'Knowledge-based challenges': Information would be needed to determine what new weapons to pursue and learn how to build them."

United States. Congressional Budget Office

2022-05-12
Executive Privilege and Presidential Communications: Judicial Principles [May 12, 2022]

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From the Introduction: "Presidents have claimed a right to withhold their communications from Congress since the start of the Republic. Congress's resistance to such claims, however, is just as grounded in history. The resulting, recurring, and often prominent disagreements over what has come to be known broadly as 'executive privilege' tend to place in opposition two implied and often competing constitutional principles: Congress's right to obtain information necessary to carry out its legislative functions and the President's interest in protecting the confidentiality of his (and sometimes his subordinates') communications. Unlike more traditional legal disagreements between parties, resolution of these inter-branch executive privilege disputes has not historically come from the courts. Instead, when conflict has been avoided, it has typically been because of a process of compromise and accommodation in which absolute claims--for either access or confidentiality--are relinquished and replaced by a negotiated resolution acceptable to both Congress and the Executive. [...] This report addresses the judicial treatment of a core component of 'executive privilege': the presidential communications privilege. The report begins by identifying the various executive privileges in order to distinguish the presidential communications privilege from other executive branch confidentiality protections. It then discusses--in historical context--notable judicial opinions to help elucidate the legal standards applicable to disputes between Congress and the President over presidential communications. The report concludes by addressing the presidential communications privilege's application to former Presidents."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Garvey, Todd

2022-05-12

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