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• Maritime Security: Progress and Challenges 10 Years After the Maritime Transportation Security Act, Statement of Stephen L. Caldwell, Director Homeland Security and Justice, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives

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  From the Highlights: "Ports, waterways, and vessels handle billions of dollars in cargo annually and an attack on this maritime transportation system could impact the global economy. November 2012 marks the 10-year anniversary of MTSA [Maritime Security Transportation Act], which required a wide range of security improvements. DHS [Department of Homeland Security] is the lead federal department responsible for implementing MTSA and it relies on its component agencies, such as the Coast Guard and CBP [Customs and Border Protection], to help implement the act. The Coast Guard is responsible for U.S. maritime security interests and CBP is responsible for screening arriving vessel crew and cargo. This testimony summarizes GAO's [Government Accountability Office] work on implementation of MTSA requirements over the last decade and addresses (1) progress the federal government has made in improving maritime security and (2) key challenges that DHS and its component agencies have encountered in implementing maritime security-related programs. GAO was unable to identify all related federal spending, but estimated funding for certain programs. For example, from 2004 through May 2012, CBP obligated over $390 million to fund its program to partner with companies to review the security of their supply chains. This statement is based on GAO products issued from August 2002 through July 2012, as well as updates on the status of recommendations made and budget data obtained in August 2012. […] GAO has made recommendations to DHS in prior reports and testimonies to strengthen its maritime security programs. DHS generally concurred and has implemented or is in the process of implementing them."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2012-09-11
• Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Measuring Progress and Addressing Potential Privacy Concerns Would Facilitate Integration into the National Airspace System, Report to Congressional Requesters

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  From the Highlights: "UAS [unmanned aircraft systems] do not carry a pilot on board, but instead operate on pre-programmed routes and by following commands from pilot-operated ground stations. UAS can be small, generally 55 pounds or less, or large. Current domestic uses include law enforcement, forest fire monitoring, border security, weather research, and scientific data collection. However, current uses are limited. FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] authorizes UAS operations on a case-by-case basis after conducting a safety review. FAA and the other federal agencies that have a role or interest in UAS are working to provide routine access for UAS into the national airspace system. As requested, this report discusses (1) the status of obstacles identified in GAO's [Government Accountability Office] 2008 report to integrate UAS into the national airspace system, (2) FAA's progress in meeting its congressional requirements for UAS, and (3) emerging issues. GAO reviewed and analyzed documents and interviewed relevant government, academic, and private-sector entities, as well as UAS users and civil liberties organizations. […] FAA should incorporate regular monitoring of its efforts to assess progress toward fulfilling its statutory requirements. FAA, DHS [Department of Homeland Security], and DOJ [Department of Justice] should explore whether any actions are needed to guide the collection and use of UAS-acquired data. GAO provided a draft of this report to officials at DOT [Department of Transportation], DHS, DOJ, and three other agencies. DHS and DOJ concurred with the recommendation; DOT officials agreed to consider the recommendations."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2012-09
• Federal Evacuation Support Annex to the Response and Recovery Federal Interagency Operational Plans

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  From the Executive Summary: "The Federal Evacuation Support Annex (FESA) is an annex to the Response and Recovery Federal Interagency Operational Plans (FIOPs). The FESA details federal evacuation support activities for 'notice' or 'no-notice' incidents, or high population immigration events and provides information to assist with the implementation of the Response and Recovery FIOPs. The mission addressed by this annex is the facilitation, synchronization, and integration of federal agency and whole community resources and capabilities with state and local evacuation operations, when necessary, in order to save lives, reduce human suffering, and meet basic human needs before, during, and after an evacuation. This annex includes planning assumptions, considerations, resources, capabilities, and issues that are unique to an evacuation and is supplemental to and not duplicative of the FIOPs and other subordinate plans. The FESA is composed of a base plan and appendices, three of which describe the following evacuee types: general population, patients, and animals. Pre-incident evacuations occur when warning is available before an incident to move threatened populations away from a potential area of impact. The key advantage to pre-incident evacuations is that transportation resources and infrastructure are operating under steady-state conditions. Post-incident evacuations occur during or after an incident when it is unsafe for affected populations to remain in the incident area."

  United States. Department of Homeland Security

  2021-01
• Oil and Chemical Incident Annex: To the Response and Recovery Federal Interagency Operational Plans

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  From the Purpose: "The Oil and Chemical Incident Annex (OCIA) focuses on consequence management. It supports the Response and Recovery Federal Interagency Operational Plans (FIOPs) and provides supplemental information specific to oil and chemical incidents. It describes the interagency coordination process and organizational constructs used by federal departments and agencies (D/A) for responding to and recovering from oil or chemical releases. This annex describes how federal partners will respond to oil/chemical incidents in support of SLTT [state, local, tribal, and territorial] governments, to save lives, protect property, and preserve the environment."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2021-02
• Information Security: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Needs to Improve Its Program, Report to the Board of Directors, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

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  From the GAO (Government Accountability Office) Highlights: "The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has a demanding responsibility enforcing banking laws, regulating financial institutions, and protecting depositors. The corporation relies extensively on computerized systems to support and carry out its financial and mission-related operations. As part of the audit of the calendar year 2005 financial statements, GAO [Government Accountability Office] assessed (1) the progress FDIC has made in correcting or mitigating information security weaknesses previously reported and (2) the effectiveness of the corporation's information system controls to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of its key financial information and information systems. […] GAO recommends that the FDIC Chairman fully implement key elements of its agency-wide information security program. In providing written comments on a draft of this report, FDIC's Deputy to the Chairman and Chief Financial Officer stated that FDIC concurred with one of GAO's recommendations, partially concurred with three, and did not concur with one. FDIC also disagreed with GAO's assessment that its information system control weaknesses were sufficient to constitute a reportable condition."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2006-08
• Supply Chain Security: Challenges to Scanning 100 Percent of U.S.-Bound Cargo Containers, Statement of Stephen L. Caldwell, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Testimony before the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, U.S. Senate, June 12, 2008

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  From the GAO (Government Accountability Office) Highlights: "U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is responsible for preventing weapons of mass destruction from entering the United States in cargo containers that are shipped from more than 700 foreign seaports. The Security and Accountability for Every (SAFE) Port Act calls for testing the feasibility of scanning 100 percent of U.S.-bound cargo containers, and the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act (9/11 Act) requires scanning 100 percent of U.S.-bound cargo containers by 2012. To fulfill these requirements, CBP created the Secure Freight Initiative (SFI) and has initiated a pilot program at seven seaports. This testimony discusses challenges related to the SFI pilot program and implementation of the requirement to scan 100 percent of U.S.-bound container cargo. This testimony is based on GAO products issued from July 2003 through April 2008 and ongoing work. To conduct this work, GAO reviewed reports from CBP and international partners on SFI and other container security programs, and interviewed CBP and foreign customs officials. GAO recommended in prior reports that DHS develop human capital plans, enhance performance measures, and gather information on the efficacy of host government systems. DHS generally concurred with our recommendations and is taking steps to address them."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  Caldwell, Stephen L.

  2008-06-12
• Aviation Security: Federal Action Needed to Strengthen Domestic Air Cargo Security, Report to Congressional Requesters

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  From the Document: "TSA has taken initial steps toward applying a risk-based management approach to address air cargo security. A risk-based management approach entails a continuous process of managing risk through a series of actions, including setting strategic goals and objectives and assessing risk through the identification and evaluation of threats, vulnerabilities, and critical assets. In November 2003, TSA completed an air cargo strategic plan that outlined a threat-based, risk management approach to secure the air cargo system by, among other things, targeting elevated risk cargo for inspection. TSA also completed an updated threat assessment in April 2005. However, TSA has not yet established a methodology and schedule for completing assessments of air cargo vulnerabilities and critical assets- two crucial elements of a risk-based management approach without which TSA may not be able to appropriately focus its resources on the most critical security needs."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2005-10
• Financial Market Preparedness: Significant Progress Has Been Made, but Pandemic Planning and Other Challenges Remain

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  From the GAO Highlights: "This is GAO's [Government Accountability Office] third report since the September 11 terrorist attacks that assesses progress that market participants and regulators have made to ensure the security and resiliency of our securities markets. This report examined (1) actions taken to improve the markets' capabilities to prevent and recover from attacks; (2) actions taken to improve disaster response and increase telecommunications resiliency; and (3) financial regulators' efforts to ensure market resiliency. GAO inspected physical and electronic security measures and business continuity capabilities using regulatory, government, and industry-established criteria and discussed improvement efforts with broker dealers, banks, regulators, telecommunications carriers, and trade associations."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2007-03-29
• Coast Guard: Observations on the Preparation, Response, and Recovery Missions Related to Hurricane Katrina, Report to Congressional Committees

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  From the GAO (Government Accountability Office) Highlights: "Hurricane Katrina was one of the largest natural disasters in our nation's history. Significant federal, state, and local resources were mobilized to respond to the Hurricane Katrina disaster, including those of the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard played a key role in the planning, response, and recovery efforts for Hurricane Katrina in three mission areas: search and rescue, marine pollution response, and management of maritime commerce. This report discusses the activities undertaken by the Coast Guard, as well as the challenges and lessons learned as a result of the agency's efforts. More specifically, it focuses on (1) the factors that prepared the Coast Guard to perform these three mission areas in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina; (2) the Coast Guard's response to Hurricane Katrina, the challenges it faced in performing its missions, and its efforts to mitigate these challenges; and (3) the implications and lessons learned, as identified by the Coast Guard, regarding the effect of Hurricane Katrina surge operations on its people, assets, financial resources, and operations. To determine the Coast Guard's preparation factors, the challenges and lessons learned we interviewed officials responsible for preparing, and responding to disasters, and reviewed the Coast Guard's disaster guidance and plans."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2006-07-31
• Supply Chain Security: CBP Works with International Entities to Promote Global Customs Security Standards and Initiatives, but Challenges Remain, Report to Congressional Requesters

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  From the GAO (Government Accountability Office) Highlights: "Oceangoing cargo containers play a vital role in global trade but can also pose a risk of terrorist exploitation. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), oversees security of the supply chain--the flow of goods from manufacturer to retailer. CBP anticipates that adoption of uniform, international customs security standards could eventually lead to a system of mutual recognition whereby the customs security-related practices and programs taken by one customs administration are recognized and accepted by another administration. In response to congressional requesters, GAO [Government Accountability Office] determined (1) actions CBP has taken to develop and implement international supply chain security standards, (2) actions CBP has taken with international partners to achieve mutual recognition of customs security practices, and (3) issues CBP and foreign customs administrations anticipate in implementing 100 percent scanning of U.S.-bound container cargo. To conduct its work, GAO analyzed CBP documents on supply chain security programs and international cooperation initiatives and met with CBP officials and foreign customs officials from various trading partner nations."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2008-08
• Export Controls: Compliance and Enforcement Activities and Congressional Notification Requirements Under Country-Based License Exemptions

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  From the Document: "In 2010, the United States announced a reform of its export control systems that proposed, among other things, to reduce the numbers and types of items requiring government review and licensing before export. The U.S. government uses the export control system to limit the risk of sensitive items falling into the wrong hands, while at the same time allow legitimate trade of these items to occur. In particular, the United States controls the export of sensitive defense and dual-use items (items with both commercial and military, proliferation or terrorist applications) to foreign governments and commercial entities and non-governmental organizations. As part of the export control reform effort, the Department of State (State), the Department of Commerce (Commerce), and other agencies are reassessing the level of control warranted for certain defense items they consider to be less sensitive. The U.S. government generally requires each export of defense articles, services, and dual-use items to undergo a government review and receive a license before export. However, State and Commerce provide certain exemptions--commonly referred to as country-based license exemptions--for the export of selected items to particular destinations that present a lower risk of misuse or diversion."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2012-11-16
• Conflict Minerals Disclosure Rule: SEC's Actions and Stakeholder-Developed Initiatives, Report to Congressional Committees

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  From the Highlights: "In eastern DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo], armed groups continue to commit severe human rights abuses and profit from exploitation of minerals and other trades. In 2010, Congress included a provision in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to address the trade of conflict minerals--tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold. Section 1502(b) of the act requires SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission] to issue a disclosure rule for companies using these minerals in their products. The act also requires GAO [Government Accountability Office] to assess the rule's effectiveness and the rate of sexual violence in war-torn areas of DRC and neighboring countries. Since a rule has not been issued, this report examines (1) steps SEC has taken toward issuing a conflict minerals disclosure rule; and (2) stakeholder-developed initiatives that may help covered companies comply with the anticipated rule. This report also examines (3) any additional information available on the rate of sexual violence in eastern DRC and neighboring countries since GAO's 2011 report on that subject. GAO reviewed and analyzed reports and documents from SEC, other U.S. agencies, industry associations and other nongovernmental stakeholders; and interviewed representatives from those organizations. GAO recommends that the Chairman of SEC identify remaining steps and associated time frames to issue a final rule. SEC neither agreed nor disagreed with the recommendation, but noted that it will expedite the completion of its rule making to provide certainty."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2012-07
• H. Rept. 117-270: Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act of 2022, Report Together with Minority Views, to Accompany H.R. 963, March 11, 2022

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  From the Purposes: "The purposes of this Act are to-- (1) prohibit predispute arbitration agreements that force arbitration of future employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights disputes; and (2) prohibit agreements and practices that interfere with the right of individuals, workers, and small businesses to participate in a joint, class, or collective action related to an employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights dispute."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022-03-11
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 4465, Federally Funded Research and Technology Development Protection Act

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  This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate [CBO] as ordered reported by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on July 20, 2021. From the Document: "H.R. 4465 would require federal grant-making agencies to guard against attempts by foreign governments to gain access to information developed through federally funded research programs. Specifically, the bill would direct the Office of Management and Budget to develop measures to help agencies prevent foreign governments from recruiting people or entities to share such information. National Security Presidential Memorandum 33, issued on January 14, 2021, identifies actions federal agencies should take to strengthen protections against foreign government interference and exploitation in research. Other guidance, released in January 2022, standardizes policies to secure research activities throughout the government. On that basis, CBO expects that implementing H.R. 4465 would not significantly increase agencies' administrative expenses. Thus, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 4465 would have no significant cost over the 2022-2026 period."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-03-15
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 4821, Combating the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act

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  This is the Congressional Budget Office [CBO] Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on February 9, 2022. From the Document: "H.R. 4821 states that it is the policy of the United States to: [1] Consider the persecution of Christians or other religious minorities by senior Chinese government officials to be a gross violation of human rights; [2] Ensure that trade negotiations with China include conditions on protecting religious freedom; and [3] Continue to voice concerns about the lack of religious freedom in that country. The Administration has imposed sanctions on Chinese people and entities who are responsible for violating human rights and denying religious freedom. Because H.R. 4821 does not require the Administration to broaden or impose new sanctions, CBO expects that enacting the bill would not lead the Administration to impose sanctions or penalties that it would not otherwise impose under current law. Therefore, implementing H.R. 4821 would not affect the federal budget, CBO estimates."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-03-15
• ICE Annual Report: Fiscal Year 2021

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  From the FY 2021 In Review: "During FY 2021, ERO [Enforcement and Removal Operations] continued to face unprecedented challenges resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, as well as increases in migration along the Southwest Border. Despite these challenges, ERO undertook a series of significant changes to its policies and operations. Through a series of Department and agency memoranda, ERO has rebalanced its interior enforcement priorities designed to focus its limited law enforcement resources on the greatest threats to national security, public safety, and border security. Together, the new enforcement guidance memoranda have empowered career law enforcement officers in the field to exercise their prosecutorial discretion to determine whom to arrest, detain, and remove. This approach, emphasizing prioritization and guided discretion, has yielded significant public safety benefits, as our interior enforcement statistics show. In the coming fiscal year, ERO will continue to train its workforce on this approach with a goal of further enhancing its enforcement efforts."

  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

  2022-03-11
• MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 18, 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: "Tobacco Product Use Among Adults -- United States, 2020"; "Progress Toward Achieving and Sustaining Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination -- Worldwide, 2000-2020"; "Reported Cases of End-Stage Kidney Disease -- United States, 2000-2019"; "The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' Recommendation for Use of Moderna COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Vaccine in Adults Aged ≥18 Years and Considerations for Extended Intervals for Administration of Primary Series Doses of mRNA [Messenger Ribonucleic Acid] COVID-19 Vaccines -- United States, February 2022"; "Effectiveness of 2-Dose BNT162b2 (Pfizer BioNTech [Biopharmaceutical New Technologies]) mRNA Vaccine in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] Infection Among Children Aged 5-11 Years and Adolescents Aged 12-15 Years -- PROTECT [Pediatric Research Observing Trends and Exposures in COVID-19] Cohort, July 2021-February 2022"; "Hospitalization of Infants and Children Aged 0-4 Years with Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 -- COVID-NET [Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network], 14 States, March 2020-February 2022"; and "QuickStats: Rate of Unintentional Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Deaths Among Persons Aged ≤19 Years, by Age Group and Sex -- National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2018-2020." 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.)

  2022-03-18
• Oversight of the Treasury Department's and Federal Reserve's Pandemic Response, Hybrid Hearing Before the Committee on Financial Services, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, December 1, 2021

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  This is the December 1, 2021 hybrid hearing on "Oversight of the Treasury Department's and Federal Reserve's Pandemic Response," held before the Committee on Financial Services. From the opening statement of Maxine Waters: "As this pandemic continues, the Biden Administration and congressional Democrats remain hard at work to provide protections and essential relief to individuals, families, and small businesses across the country. The emergence of the new Omicron variant shows us that this crisis is not over and we must remain vigilant to protect our country and our families from the devastation of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. [...] But our work does not stop at pandemic relief. We also enacted bipartisan infrastructure legislation, an achievement that has eluded Republican and Democratic Presidents alike for decades. Under the Biden Administration, we now have the funding in place and the programs to finally rebuild and refit our nation's bridges, roads, and railways, and bring broadband to millions. And soon, the Build Back Better Act will make long-overdue investments in the nation's affordable housing infrastructure, childcare, and education workforce. I hope that our Senate colleagues will quickly send this bill to the President's desk. While these investments will be critical, the Fed's unfinished objectives of full employment and price stability serve as a reminder that we must not leave anyone behind during this recovery." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Jerome H. Powell and Janet L. Yellen.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Are FEMA's Assistance Programs Adequately Designed to Assist Communities Before, During, and After Wildfire? Remote Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, October 26, 2021

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  This is the October 26, 2021 hearing on "Are FEMA's Assistance Programs Adequately Designed to Assist Communities Before, During, and After Wildfire?" held before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. From the opening statement of Dina Titus: "All Western States have seen record-setting wildfires in recent years. Drought conditions have resulted in forests that are just ready to explode, and it can be caused from a lightning bolt, a campfire spark, utility lines being interrupted by trees, or an arsonist's match. We have seen all of those. As our witnesses note in their testimony, wildfire season now starts earlier and lasts longer, finishes later. Fires burn hotter, larger, and longer due to climate change. Fall storms, like those bringing welcome precipitation to the West just this week, arrive later, and they are less helpful in extinguishing the still-raging forest fires. We see that FEMA is providing an unprecedented number of Fire Management Assistance Grants to States in order to provide much-needed Federal assistance for fire suppression costs. [...] My hope is that today's hearing will provide a clearer picture as to whether FEMA's disaster and mitigation assistance programs are flexible enough to address the challenges currently faced by Western States." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Andrew Phelps, Kacey KC, Rich Elliott, and Casey Hatcher.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Vaccines: Saving Lives, Ensuring Confidence, and Protecting Public Health, Hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session on Examining Vaccines, Focusing on Saving Lives, Ensuring Confidence, and Protecting Public Health, September 9, 2020

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  This is the September 9, 2020 hearing on "Vaccines: Saving Lives, Ensuring Confidence, and Protecting Public Health," held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. From the opening statement of Lamar Alexander: "First the progress toward a COVID [coronavirus disease] vaccine. Dr. Collins, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, is here today to talk about that, research and development, Operation Warp-Speed which is working around the clock to develop manufacture and distribute a safe and effective vaccine to hundreds of millions of Americans. Some people incorrectly believe that warp speed means cutting corners, but it refers to the extraordinary investment in research, development, and manufacturing scale up for the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccine. Perhaps most significantly the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, we call it BARDA, has taken up the unprecedented step to help speed up manufacturing for hundreds of millions of doses of the vaccine early in the process so they can be ready as soon as the new vaccines are approved by the Food and Drug Administration. In other words, they will be manufactured before they are approved, and if they are approved, they will be ready to distribute and if they are not approved, they will be thrown in the dumpster. Despite the speed with which scientists are developing this COVID-19 vaccine, Dr. Hahn, the Commissioner of FDA, said the Administration is not or his agency, 'is not skimping on its review of safety and efficacy. This is going to be a science, medicine data decision. This is not going to be a political decision.' Dr. Hahn said. That means that if the FDA determines that a vaccine is not safe or effective after reviewing the science and clinical trial results, the vaccine will not be distributed." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Francis Collins and Jerome Adams.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• U.S. Security Assistance in the Middle East, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism of the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, August 10, 2021

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  This is the August 10, 2021 hearing on "U.S. Security Assistance in the Middle East," held before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism of the Committee on Foreign Relations. From the opening statement of Christopher Murphy: "Over the last 75 years, the majority of U.S. arms sales worldwide have gone to the Middle East, totaling more than $379 billion in sales. That is a lot of weapons into a very combustible part of the world. Arms sales and other forms of security assistance are an important foreign policy tool for the United States to use to exercise its influence abroad, and as with any foreign policy tool, it is important to continually reevaluate whether that tool is actually achieving its desired policy goals. [...] [T]he purpose of the hearing today is to have an honest conversation and a realistic assessment of today's security threats in the Middle East and how we need to update our security assistance posture to best meet those threats."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Oversight of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission: Wall Street's Cop is Finally Back on the Beat, Virtual Hearing Before the Committee on Financial Services, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, October 5, 2021

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  This is the October 5, 2021 hearing on "Oversight of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission: Wall Street's Cop is Finally Back on the Beat," held before the Committee on Financial Services. From the opening statement of Maxine Waters: "During the Trump Administration, the Commission provided minimal oversight and eliminated key protections for investors. Trump's SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission] impacted Regulation Best Interest that brokers loved and investors hated. Trump's SEC approved proxy adviser and proxy access rules that corporate executives loved and shareholders roundly rejected to favor multi-billion-dollar corporations. Trump's SEC did nothing to standardize reporting of environmental, social, and governance (ESG)metrics. Even though the financial sector's growth exploded, the number of SEC staff under Trump was reduced by 5 percent, and enforcement actions against Wall Street fell to historic lows. [...] As chairwoman, I expect the SEC will bolster the stability of our markets. However, I am gravely concerned that the largest risk to the capital markets and the economy in the coming weeks is a train wreck we see coming: Republican Members of Congress blocking the U.S. Treasury from paying its debts." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Gary Gensler.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney [August 1, 2011]

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  In his August 1, 2011 Press Briefing, Secretary Jay Carney answers questions on the status of the deficit debates on Capitol Hill.

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  2011-08-01
• Address by the President to the Nation on the Way Forward in Iraq [September 13, 2007]

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  President Bush gives this address to the nation on the situation in Iraq on September 13, 2007.

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946-

  2007-09-13
• Fact Sheet: General Michael V. Hayden: Extremely Well Qualified to Lead the CIA [May 10, 2006]

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  This press release from May 10, 2006 provides information as to the different qualifications that make General Michael V. Hayden an ideal leader of the CIA [Central Intelligence Agency].

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  2006-05-10
• Press Conference by the President [October 11, 2006]

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  In this press conference on October 11, 2006, President Bush speaks about the situation in North Korea, progress in Iraq, and the global war on terrorism.

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946-

  2006-10-11
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney [July 27, 2011]

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  In this July 27, 2011 Press Briefing, Secretary Jay Carney answers questions on consequences resulting from the U.S. potentially losing its borrowing authority, the quickly approaching August 2nd debt solution deadline, efforts by the President and Congress to reach a solution to the debt crisis, the option to extend the debt ceiling temporarily, and possible effects of a governmental credit default on the economy and federally funded aid programs.

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  2011-07-27
• Working with Tribal Nations to Build a Brighter Future: Synopsis of the 2010 White House Tribal Nations Conference

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  From the Document: "At the second White House Tribal Nations Conference on December 16, 2010, President Obama, several cabinet secretaries, and other senior administration officials from the Departments of the Treasury, Defense, Justice, the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Personnel Management, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy met with tribal leaders to continue delivering on the President's promise to build a new path forward that ensures that Indian nations are full partners in the Federal family."

  United States. White House Office

  2010-12-16
• President Bush Nominates John Negroponte as Deputy Secretary of State and Vice Admiral Mike McConnell as Director of National Intelligence [January 5, 2007]

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  Transcript of President George W. Bush's speech regarding nomination of John Negroponte as Deputy Secretary of State and Vice Admiral Mike McConnell as Director of National Intelligence.

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946-

  2007-01-05
• Fact Sheet: Ensuring a Smooth and Effective Presidential Transition [October 28, 2008]

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  This White House fact sheet provides information on the Bush administration's preparations for the presidential transition. "Today, the Transition Coordinating Council (TCC) will meet for the second time, continuing the Administration's comprehensive transition efforts. The peaceful transfer of power from one Presidential Administration to the next is a hallmark of American democracy. With our Nation at war, our homeland targeted by terrorist adversaries, and our economy facing serious challenges, the Administration is committed to establishing and executing a transition plan that minimizes disruption, maintains continuity, and addresses the major changes in government since the 2000 transition, including the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, as well as the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Homeland Security Council."

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  2008-10-28