Advanced search Help
Searching for terms: ALL (national AND preparedness) in: full text and any metadata
Clear all search criteria
Only 2/3! You are seeing results from the Public Collection, not the complete Full Collection. Sign in to search everything (see eligibility).
-
COVID-19 in Nursing Homes: Most Homes Had Multiple Outbreaks and Weeks of Sustained Transmission from May 2020 Through January 2021, Report to Congressional Addressees
From the Highlights: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on the 1.4 million elderly or disabled residents in the nation's more than 15,000 Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is responsible for ensuring that nursing homes nationwide meet federal quality standards. The CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act includes a provision directing GAO [Government Accountability Office] to monitor the federal pandemic response. GAO was also asked to review CMS oversight of nursing homes in light of the pandemic. This report describes the frequency and duration of COVID-19 outbreaks in nursing homes. Future GAO reports will further examine nursing homes' experiences with COVID-19 outbreaks."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-05
-
H. Rept. 117-24: Security Screening During COVID-19 Act, Report to Accompany H.R. 1877, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, April 30, 2021
From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 1877, the 'Security Screening During COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Act' directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator to issue a plan to enhance security operations during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the spread of the virus at passenger screening checkpoints and among the TSA workforce. Under the bill, the TSA Administrator will coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security Chief Medical Officer, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop a plan that identifies best practices among foreign governments, airports, air carriers, and other Federal agencies regarding COVID-19 and pinpoints specific operational changes that TSA can make to reduce the spread of the coronavirus at checkpoints based on those best practices. The TSA Administrator would be required to consult with stakeholders and the TSA workforce when developing the plan and submit the finalized strategy to Congress. A Government Accountability Office report on implementation of the plan would be due one year after implementation begins."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2021-04-30
-
H. Rept. 117-26: Transportation Security Public Health Threat Preparedness Act of 2021, Report to Accompany H.R. 1895, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, April 30, 2021
From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 1895, the 'Transportation Security Public Health Threat Preparedness Act of 2021,' authorizes the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to analyze the preparedness of the Nation's transportation security system for public health threats. The analysis should include information sharing challenges among Department of Homeland Security (DHS) components, other Federal agencies, international entities, and stakeholders, as well as impacts to TSA policies and procedures. H.R. 1895 requires TSA to brief Congress on the public health threat analysis, as well as necessary technologies at airport checkpoints to protect from these threats and the estimated costs of the technology improvements. Additionally, the briefing to Congress should describe security checkpoint policies and procedures to protect TSA personnel, passengers, aviation workers, and airport personnel from public health threats to the transportation security system. The briefing should also note TSA's role--and how it can be improved--in establishing priorities, developing solutions, and coordinating and sharing information with the relevant domestic and international entities during a public health threat. In addition, H.R. 1895 authorizes non-frontline TSA personnel to be detailed to other DHS components and Federal agencies to improve coordination to prepare for, protect against, and respond to these public health threats."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2021-04-30
-
H. Rept. 117-25: Transportation Security Preparedness Act of 2021, Report to Accompany H.R. 1893, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, April 30, 2021
From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 1893, the 'Transportation Security Preparedness Act of 2021' requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA or Administration) to survey its workforce on how the Administration handled COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] and to develop a transportation security preparedness plan for future communicable disease outbreaks. The survey will inquire about the workforce's viewpoints on TSA's efforts to communicate clearly about the virus with its workforce; provide employees with personal protective equipment (PPE); adjust scheduling, leave, and telework policies; conduct contact tracing; and encourage and facilitate worker vaccinations. Once the survey is completed, a transportation security preparedness plan is to be developed for use in future communicable disease outbreaks. The plan is required to include a strategy for how TSA will communicate and collaborate with relevant Federal and private partners during a future pandemic; protect its workforce; adjust checkpoint operations to maximize hygiene and security; and assess obstacles to TSA's ability to respond to future outbreaks. The plan must align with other relevant Federal plans and strategies for communicable disease outbreaks."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2021-04-30
-
MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, April 30, 2021
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: "Health Status and Health Care Use Among Adolescents Identified With and Without Autism in Early Childhood -- Four U.S. Sites, 2018-2020"; "Emergency Department Visits for Tick Bites -- United States, January 2017-December 2019"; "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Outbreak Among Farmworkers -- Okanogan County, Washington, May-August 2020"; "COVID-19 Among Workers in the Seafood Processing Industry: Implications for Prevention Measures -- Alaska, March-October 2020"; "Linked Clusters of SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] Variant B.1.351 -- Maryland, January-February 2021"; "Postvaccination SARS-CoV-2 Infections Among Skilled Nursing Facility Residents and Staff Members - Chicago, Illinois, December 2020-March 2021"; "COVID-19 Outbreak Associated with a SARS-CoV-2 R.1 Lineage Variant in a Skilled Nursing Facility After Vaccination Program - Kentucky, March 2021"; "Health Care Utilization and Clinical Characteristics of Nonhospitalized Adults in an Integrated Health Care System 28-180 Days After COVID-19 Diagnosis -- Georgia, May 2020-March 2021"; "Updated Recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for Use of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 Vaccine After Reports of Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Among Vaccine Recipients -- United States, April 2021"; and "'QuickStats': Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years with Arthritis, by Sex and Age Group -- National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2019." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from this issue can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2021.html].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2021-04-30
-
Violations of ICE Detention Standards at Pulaski County Jail
From the Document: "In accordance with the 'Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020', we conduct unannounced inspections of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities to ensure compliance with detention standards. Between November 2020 and January 2021, we conducted a remote inspection of the Pulaski County Jail (Pulaski) to evaluate compliance with ICE detention standards and COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] requirements."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2021-04-29
-
MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, April 27, 2021: Updated Recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for Use of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 Vaccine After Reports of Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Among Vaccine Recipients -- United States, April 2021
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This early release issue of MMWR contains the following article: "Updated Recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for Use of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Vaccine After Reports of Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Among Vaccine Recipients -- United States, April 2021." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from this issue can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2021.html].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2021-04-27
-
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2): Private Health Insurance, Medicaid, CHIP, and Medicare Provisions [April 27, 2021]
From the Introduction: "The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA; P.L. 117-2), enacted on March 11, 2021, is the latest in a series of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related relief and economic stimulus legislation. [...] The ARPA includes provisions addressing a number of issues, such as tax credits, unemployment benefits, state fiscal relief, health, housing, education, and food assistance, among others. This report provides information about the ARPA provisions related to private health insurance, Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare. The report begins with a summary of the reconciliation process for the ARPA. Then, the report provides high-level summaries of the provisions in the ARPA under the following headings: private health insurance, Medicaid and CHIP, Medicare, and Medicare and Medicaid. The high-level summaries are followed by a table with abbreviated summaries of each provision. The sections following the table provide more detailed summaries of these provisions. The 'Appendix' includes a table with a list of the abbreviations used in this report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mitchell, Alison; Baumrucker, Evelyne P.; Binder, Cliff . . .
2021-04-27
-
Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 (DRRA): Implementation Updates for Select Provisions [April 27, 2021]
From the Summary: "This report describes select significant implementation updates since DRRA's [Disaster Recovery Reform Act's] enactment, and includes policy considerations for Congress. A companion product, CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report R46774, 'The Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 (DRRA): Implementation Update Tables for Select Provisions', provides tables that include updates on the status of FEMA's implementation of select DRRA provisions (i.e., implemented, in progress, or unverified). Further, detailed overviews of many DRRA sections, including descriptions of how various disaster assistance programs operated prior to DRRA's implementation and analysis of how DRRA's provisions modified these programs, as well as policy considerations, were previously examined in CRS Report R45819, 'The Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 (DRRA): A Summary of Selected Statutory Provisions.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Webster, Elizabeth M.; Lindsay, Bruce R.; Horn, Diane P. . . .
2021-04-27
-
Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 (DRRA): Implementation Update Tables for Select Provisions [Updated April 27, 2021]
From the Introduction: "The Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 (DRRA, Division D of P.L. [public law] 115-254) was enacted on October 5, 2018, and is the most comprehensive reform of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) disaster assistance programs since the passage of the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013 (SRIA, Division B of P.L. 113-2) and the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (PKEMRA, P.L. 109-295). DRRA's purpose is to improve pre-disaster planning and mitigation, response, and recovery, and increase FEMA's accountability. To accomplish these objectives, DRRA amended many sections of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act, P.L. 93-288, as amended; 42 U.S.C. [United States Code] §§5121 et seq.). The Stafford Act is the foundational legislation for federal emergency authorities and disaster relief to local, state, territorial, and Indian tribal governments, certain private nonprofit organizations, and individuals and families, as well as emergency management policy. DRRA also provided new standalone authorities, and required rulemaking, reporting to Congress, and other actions by FEMA to support disaster preparedness, and increase FEMA transparency and accountability. [...] This report provides implementation status updates for select DRRA provisions that FEMA says it has implemented or is in the process of implementing."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Webster, Elizabeth M.; Horn, Diane P.; Keegan, Natalie . . .
2021-04-27
-
COVID-19 Relief Assistance to Small Businesses: Issues and Policy Options [Updated April 23, 2021]
From the Summary: "The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) administers several types of programs to support small businesses, including direct disaster loan programs for businesses, homeowners, and renters; loan guaranty and venture capital programs; management and technical assistance training programs; and contracting programs. Congressional interest in these programs has become especially acute in the wake of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic's widespread adverse economic impact on the national economy. This report provides a brief description of the SBA's programs and examines congressional action to assist small businesses during and immediately following the Great Recession (2007- 2009) and during the COVID-19 pandemic[.]"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Dilger, Robert Jay, 1954-; Lowry, Sean; Lindsay, Bruce R.
2021-04-23
-
MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, April 23, 2021
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: "Workers' Compensation Claim Rates and Costs for Musculoskeletal Disorders Related to Overexertion Among Construction Workers -- Ohio, 2007-2017"; "Airport Traveler Testing Program for SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] -- Alaska, June-November 2020"; "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Outbreaks in Correctional Facilities with Work-Release Programs -- Idaho, July-November 2020"; "Laboratory Modeling of SARS-CoV-2 Exposure Reduction Through Physically Distanced Seating in Aircraft Cabins Using Bacteriophage Aerosol -- November 2020"; "'Notes from the Field': Multistate Outbreak of 'Escherichia coli' O26 Infections Linked to Raw Flour -- United States, 2019"; and "'QuickStats': Age-Adjusted Death Rates for Alzheimer Disease Among Adults Aged
≥65 Years, by Sex -- National Vital Statistics System, United States, 1999-2019." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from this issue can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2021.html].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2021-04-23
-
Rebuilding America's Infrastructure [117th Congress, 2021]
From the Executive Summary: "America's infrastructure supports the world's largest economy across a network of over 4 million miles of roadway, 160,000 public water systems, 5.5 million miles of local electrical distribution lines, and over 100 million fixed broadband subscribers. Unfortunately, due to years of underinvestment and deferred maintenance, America is no longer keeping pace and continues to fall behind other countries. By some estimates, the funding gap may be as high as $2 trillion by 2025 across all sectors of American infrastructure. This report details bipartisan policy solutions that will improve our highways, roads and bridges, transit and railways, ports and airports, water and sewer systems, energy systems and the power grid, and broadband and communications networks. By modernizing existing user fees, incentivizing private innovation and investment through public-private partnerships, making smarter investments with limited federal dollars, equipping our infrastructure and transportation systems to be more resilient in the face of climate change and natural disasters, and increasing accountability to taxpayers; this task force believes we can build a 21st Century infrastructure network that will foster a truly 21st Century economy that works for every single American."
United States. Congress. House. Problem Solvers Caucus
2021-04-23?
-
Disaster Resilience Investments: Community Development Block Grant Authorities for Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) [April 22, 2021]
From the Document: "In response to disasters, Congress has provided supplemental appropriations under Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) authorities that include funding for long-term disaster recovery, or CDBG-DR. In some recent cases, these investments have included targeted funding for mitigating future disaster risks, or CDBG-MIT. This In Focus considers CDBG-MIT's background, purpose, and structure, as well as policy considerations for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jaroscak, Joseph V.; Cecire, Michael H.
2021-04-22
-
Shot at Recovery: 'Measuring Corporate Commitments Towards a Free, Fair, and Accessible COVID-19 Vaccine - an Update of the Original Published in October 2020'
From the Document: "In this brief, which has been updated since its first edition in October of 2020, we take a look at the five leading US-funded COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccines (approved and still in clinical trial) to better understand the commitments made by the corporations to a free, fair and accessible COVID-19 vaccine. For perspective, we also place these commitments to an accessible COVID-19 vaccine in the context of the companies' other financial commitments to shareholder payouts and CEO compensation. Note that for reasons of scope and availability of information, this brief does not attempt to cover the commitments of other advanced COVID-19 vaccine developers, such as those developed in Russia and China."
Oxfam International
2021-04-22
-
MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, April 21, 2021: COVID-19 Outbreak Associated with a SARS-CoV-2 R.1 Lineage Variant in a Skilled Nursing Facility After Vaccination Program -- Kentucky, March 2021
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This early release issue of MMWR contains the following article: "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Outbreak Associated with a SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] R.1 Lineage Variant in a Skilled Nursing Facility After Vaccination Program -- Kentucky, March 2021." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from this issue can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2021.html].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2021-04-21
-
Strategies for Reaching Populations with Limited Access to COVID-19 Vaccines
From the Document: "This document outlines practices that were reported during jurisdictional listening sessions conducted in February and March 2021 with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Vaccine Task Force. These listening sessions focused on how to leverage relationships with existing systems to reach populations who might need help accessing COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccination. The strategies outlined in this document are not formal recommendations from CDC but strategies used by jurisdictions to schedule appointments, arrange transportation, vaccinate caregivers, address vaccine hesitancy, identify people who are homebound, and reach people who are homebound for in-home vaccination. Strategies reported by jurisdictions are listed as broad considerations so jurisdictions can consider adaptations that could work in their communities."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2021-04-21
-
Lebanon [Updated April 21, 2021]
From the Summary: "Since having its boundaries drawn by France after the First World War, Lebanon has struggled to define its national identity. Its population then included Christian, Sunni Muslim, and Shi'a Muslim communities of roughly comparable size, and with competing visions for the country. Seeking to avoid sectarian conflict, Lebanese leaders created a confessional system that allocated power among the country's religious sects according to their percentage of the population. Since then, Lebanon's demographics and political dynamics have shifted, exacerbating tension among groups. Sectarian divisions have stoked violence, such as during the 1975-1990 civil war, as well as political gridlock on issues that require dividing power, such as government formation. These dynamics are intensified by external actors--including Syria and Iran--that maintain influence in Lebanon by backing Hezbollah and its political allies. Other states, such as Saudi Arabia, have backed Sunni communities as part of a broader effort to curtail Iran's regional influence. The United States has sought to bolster forces that could serve as a counterweight to Syrian and Iranian influence in Lebanon, providing more than $2 billion in military assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) since 2006, with the aim of creating a national force strong enough to counter nonstate actors like Hezbollah and secure the country's borders against extremist groups operating in neighboring Syria, including those affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humud, Carla E.
2021-04-21
-
Oversight of the Internal Revenue Service's Response to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
From the Background: "The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 were enacted to provide financial relief and economic stimulus to American taxpayers. Subsequently, on March 11, 2021, the President signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law. This Act includes approximately $1.9 trillion in economic relief and stimulus to address the continuing impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses. It also contains numerous tax-related provisions intended to provide relief to individuals and businesses. These provisions will have a significant impact on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) operations and Federal tax administration. The Act provides the IRS with over $1.8 billion in additional funding for the implementation of certain provisions, including advance payments and taxpayer assistance, and for modernizing and securing IRS systems. Much of this additional funding will remain available to the IRS through Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. After the enactment of the CARES Act, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) immediately shifted resources to provide comprehensive oversight of the IRS's implementation of this Act."
United States. Office of the Inspector General for Tax Administration
2021-04-21?
-
Review of HUD's Disbursement of Grant Funds Appropriated for Disaster Recovery and Mitigation Activities in Puerto Rico
From the Introduction: "The Office of Inspector General (OIG) opened this review in March 2019 after receiving a congressional request to examine alleged delays in the disbursement of approximately $20 billion of disaster recovery and mitigation funds appropriated for Puerto Rico following Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Our review examined the decisions and actions of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD or Department) officials that affected the timing of HUD's release of three tranches of funds intended to address Puerto Rico's unmet needs for repairs and mitigation efforts. We examined (1) the effect that the government shutdown during late 2018 to early 2019 had on the release of these funds; (2) HUD's decision-making process for making the second and third tranches of funding available to the Puerto Rico grantee; and (3) whether former HUD Deputy Secretary Pamela Patenaude resigned because of undue influence related to HUD's administration of Puerto Rico disaster-recovery funds."
United States. Department of Housing and Urban Development
2021-04-20
-
Federal Scientific Integrity Policies: A Primer [Updated April 16, 2021]
From the Introduction: "The U.S. government supports a range of research and development (R&D) to help maintain economic competitiveness, strengthen national security, improve health care, and protect the environment. There is broad agreement among policymakers and the scientific and engineering community about the importance of ensuring federal, academic, and private sector R&D activities proceed with integrity and their results are openly communicated. Accurate and credible scientific information is important to many policy development and decisionmaking processes. Over the years, some Members of Congress and scientific and environmental advocacy organizations have alleged that presidential administrations of both parties have violated the principles of scientific integrity. This report provides an overview of scientific integrity and discusses selected issues for congressional consideration."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gallo, Marcy E.
2021-04-16
-
DHS Had Authority to Deploy Federal Law Enforcement Officers to Protect Federal Facilities in Portland, Oregon, but Should Ensure Better Planning and Execution in Future Cross-Component Activities
From the Highlights: "Beginning on May 29, 2020, the Federal Protective Service (FPS) experienced challenges protecting Federal property in Portland, Oregon. FPS requested assistance from DHS law enforcement officials. Our objective was to assess the authority, preparation, and activities of DHS law enforcement officers deployed to protect Federal property. [...] We made two recommendations to improve DHS' preparedness for protecting Federal property."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2021-04-16
-
Antisemitism in Europe: Implications for U.S. Policy
From the Executive Summary: "Are Jews able to live openly and freely as Jews, in whatever manner they wish? The answer to this question is fundamental for judging antisemitism in any country. The factors that go into that assessment include: (1) Prevalence of antisemitic attitudes among the general population; (2) Number and nature (or severity) of antisemitic incidents; (3) Tolerance for antisemitic rhetoric in public, whether in politics or media; and (4) Actions (or inaction) by governments to counter and prevent antisemitism. This latter category may include physical security for Jewish institutions, public denunciations of antisemitism by political leaders, prosecution of antisemitic hate crimes, and education against antisemitism. For the purpose of this study, researchers asked questions on those topics of Jewish community leaders and government officials in 11 countries. These inquiries were informed and complemented by desk research to develop profiles of how antisemitism manifests in each country and how governments are addressing antisemitism. Those 11 country profiles constitute Part I of this report."
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
Weinberg, David A.; Srulevitch, Andrew
2021-04-14?
-
Island Voices and Covid-19: Vulnerability and Resilience, Views from 'The Strategist'
From the Introduction: "This Strategic Insights report is being published as part of an ASPI [Australian Strategic Policy Institute] project that focuses on the vulnerabilities of Indo-Pacific island states in the Covid-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] era. It presents a series of views on ways that insiders and external observers have viewed the vulnerabilities and resilience of island countries in the Pacific and Indian Oceans in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. All of these contributions have appeared as posts on 'The Strategist' [hyperlink]. They don't try to offer a sequential account of events or perceptions but represent a collection of responses to the crisis. The authors were not asked to address a single issue but, rather, were encouraged to focus on issues of relevance to them. The result is a mosaic rather than a portrait of nearly a year of living with the tensions posed by the pandemic. Two key themes do tend to dominate this mosaic. One concerns the way vulnerabilities are expressed as challenges. The second identifies the opportunities that resilience can create. Many small island states in the Pacific and Indian Oceans lack the resilience in medical infrastructure--physical and human--to absorb the onslaught of the pandemic if it had hit them with the ferocity of the European or American experience. While this has not occurred (and may not, if an effective vaccine reaches them soon), their economic resilience has been put under serious pressure by the policies adopted to manage the pandemic's continuing public health threat."
Australian Strategic Policy Institute
Brewster, David; Herr, Richard
2021-04-13?
-
Scope of CDC Authority Under Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) [April 13, 2021]
From the Summary: "Section 361 authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS Secretary)--who, in turn, delegated the authority to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)--to issue regulations 'necessary' to prevent the foreign and interstate spread of communicable diseases. [...] This report analyzes the potential scope of agency authority under Section 361. It begins by providing background regarding Section 361's text and enactment, followed by an overview of the legal principles relevant to analyzing the provision's scope. The report then applies these principles to conclude that transmission control measures that implicate major political and economic questions, or otherwise exceed agency expertise, potentially exceed the bounds of agency discretion under Section 361. The report further considers the text, structure, and legislative history of Section 361 and surmises that the provision may be susceptible to at least two plausible constructions. Under the narrower construction, the authority under Section 361(a) to issue 'necessary' regulations would be limited to steps necessary in the enforcement of quarantine. Under a broader reading of Section 361, this authority would encompass any evidenced-based public health measures that do not otherwise involve major political and economic questions, or otherwise exceed constitutional limits. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this broader construction may include, for instance, the authority to mandate face coverings to prevent the interstate and foreign spread of the disease. The report concludes with some considerations for Congress in light of the preceding analysis."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Shen, Wen W.
2021-04-13
-
COIVD-19 and Private Health Insurance Coverage: Frequently Asked Questions [Updated April 9, 2021]
From the Introduction: "The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues in 2021. As private health insurance is the predominant source of health coverage in the United States, there is considerable congressional interest in understanding private health insurance coverage of health benefits related to COVID-19 diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. This report addresses frequently asked questions about covered benefits and consumer cost sharing related to COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccination. It explains relevant legislation enacted in 2020, references existing federal requirements, discusses applicable administrative guidance, and notes state and private-sector actions. It begins with background information on types and regulation of private health insurance plans."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Forsberg, Vanessa C.
2021-04-09
-
Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community
From the Foreword: "In the coming year, the United States and its allies will face a diverse array of threats that are playing out amidst the global disruption resulting from the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic and against the backdrop of great power competition, the disruptive effects of ecological degradation and a changing climate, an increasing number of empowered non-state actors, and rapidly evolving technology. The complexity of the threats, their intersections, and the potential for cascading events in an increasingly interconnected and mobile world create new challenges for the IC [intelligence community]. Ecological and climate changes, for example, are connected to public health risks, humanitarian concerns, social and political instability, and geopolitical rivalry. The 2021 Annual Threat Assessment highlights some of those connections as it provides the IC's baseline assessments of the most pressing threats to US national interests, while emphasizing the United States' key adversaries and competitors. It is not an exhaustive assessment of all global challenges and notably excludes assessments of US adversaries' vulnerabilities. It accounts for functional concerns, such as weapons of mass destruction and technology, primarily in the sections on threat actors, such as China and Russia."
United States. Office of the Director of National Intelligence
2021-04-09
-
EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 21 Issue 14, April 8, 2021
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: "OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] National Emphasis Program focuses on protecting workers against COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], impacts EMS [Emergency Medical Services] agencies"; "Resources for security awareness and mitigation against vehicle ramming attacks on soft targets and crowded places"; "DHS S&T [Science and Technology] partnership and grant funding support regional planners in pre-coordination, licensing, and distribution of 700 and 800 MHz [Megahertz] safety band"; "Webinar: 911 - Sticking together in the critical hours"; "FBI-CISA [Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Agency] joint advisory on exploitation of Fortinet FortiOS vulnerabilities"; "CISA gives agencies 90 days to further harden networks against Microsoft email threat"; "Ransomware crooks are targeting vulnerable VPN [virtual private network] devices in their attacks"; and "Meet Janeleiro, a new banking Trojan striking company, government targets."
Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)
2021-04-08
-
National Emergency Powers [Updated April 8, 2021]
From the Summary: "The President of the United States has available certain powers that may be exercised in the event that the nation is threatened by crisis, exigency, or emergency circumstances (other than natural disasters, war, or near-war situations). Such powers may be stated explicitly or implied by the Constitution, assumed by the Chief Executive to be permissible constitutionally, or inferred from or specified by statute. Through legislation, Congress has made a great many delegations of authority in this regard over the past 230 years. There are, however, limits and restraints upon the President in his exercise of emergency powers. With the exception of the habeas corpus clause, the Constitution makes no allowance for the suspension of any of its provisions during a national emergency. Disputes over the constitutionality or legality of the exercise of emergency powers are judicially reviewable. Both the judiciary and Congress, as co-equal branches, can restrain the executive regarding emergency powers. So can public opinion. Since 1976, the President has been subject to certain procedural formalities in utilizing some statutorily delegated emergency authority. The National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. §§1601-1651) eliminated or modified some statutory grants of emergency authority, required the President to formally declare the existence of a national emergency and to specify what statutory authority activated by the declaration would be used, and provided Congress a means to countermand the President's declaration and the activated authority being sought. The development of this regulatory statute and subsequent declarations of national emergency are reviewed in this report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Halchin, L. Elaine
2021-04-08
-
Expiring State COVID-19 Emergency Declarations: Effects on Federal Aid [Updated April 7, 2021]
From the Document: "Some states, tribes, and territories (hereinafter 'states') may consider rescinding or sun-setting their state-level emergency and disaster declarations, as states make progress in containing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Regardless of state decisions, the federal declarations of a public health emergency (under Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. §247d)), two national emergencies (under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. §1601 et seq.) and the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. §5121 et seq., hereinafter 'Stafford Act')) and major disasters for each state (also under the Stafford Act) remain in place. This Insight examines the potential impact of lapsing state emergency declarations on the availability of federal aid, either generally or with respect to certain expenses, provided through the Stafford Act as well as six COVID-19 related supplements[.]"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Stienstra, Lauren; Aussenberg, Randy Alison; Lee, Erica A. . . .
2021-04-07
