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Biodefense: Opportunities to Address National Strategy and Programmatic Challenges, Statement of Chris P. Currie, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Testimony Before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate
From the Highlights: "Biological threats, such as the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, can cause catastrophic loss of life and damage to the economy. The 2018 National Biodefense Strategy outlines goals and objectives to help prepare for and respond to such threats. However, DHS has long faced challenges implementing its biodefense responsibilities, including acquiring biodetection capabilities. This statement discusses GAO [Government Accountability Office] reports issued from December 2009 through August 2021 on efforts to implement the National Biodefense Strategy and strengthen biodefense preparedness, as well as ongoing challenges to DHS's biosurveillance and biodetection efforts. The statement also includes recommendation follow-up work conducted through January 2022."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Currie, Chris P.
2022-02-17
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S. Rept. 117-81: Pray Safe Act, Report to Accompany S. 2123, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, February 17, 2022
From the Purpose and Summary: "S. 2123, the Pray Safe Act, aims to protect American faith-based organizations by centralizing information on improving safety and security best practices and resources to protect houses of worship and congregants practicing their religious or spiritual beliefs. It establishes a Clearinghouse for safety and security best practices for faith-based organizations and houses of worship at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). That Clearinghouse will also include information on federal grant programs to help faith-based organizations identify and determine what resources they can access to help protect their houses of worship."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-02-17
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Financial Audit: FY 2021 and FY 2020 Consolidated Financial Statements of the U.S. Government
From the Document: "This report transmits the results of GAO's [Government Accountability Office] audit of the U.S. government's fiscal years 2021 and 2020 consolidated financial statements. [...] To operate as effectively and efficiently as possible, Congress, the administration, and federal managers must have ready access to reliable and complete financial and performance information--both for individual federal entities and for the federal government as a whole. Our report on the U.S. government's consolidated financial statements for fiscal years 2021 and 2020 discusses progress that has been made but also underscores that much work remains to improve federal financial management and that the federal government continues to face an unsustainable long-term fiscal path."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2022-02-17
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Contact Tracing and Quarantine in the Context of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variant: Interim Guidance
From the Key Points: "[1] This document provides updated guidance for contact tracing and quarantine of contacts in the context of high levels of circulation of SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2], and in particular the variant of concern Omicron, which is currently circulating at high levels and overwhelming health systems around the world. [2] WHO continues to recommend using a risk-based, pragmatic approach for countries to consider when introducing any changes to existing contact tracing and quarantine measures, taking into consideration the continuity of the critical functions in society and the public health risks and benefits related to any change. [3] Any interruption of contact tracing or shortening of the duration of quarantine will increase the risk of onward transmission and must be weighed against healthcare capacity, population immunity and socioeconomic priorities. [4] Prioritization for identification and follow-up of contacts should continue to be given to contacts at highest risk of getting infected or spreading the virus, those at highest risk of developing severe disease and health and care workers. [5] SARS-CoV-2 testing [PCR or antigen based rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDT)] can be used as a measure to shorten quarantine, for example to seven days, if the contact shows no symptoms and presents a negative test. [6] Where testing to shorten quarantine is not possible, quarantine may be ended after day 10 without testing if the contact presents no symptoms."
World Health Organization
2022-02-17
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COVID-19 Vaccination: Selected U.S. Data Sources [Updated February 15, 2022]
From the Document: "The sources below can help congressional staff track the progress of the U.S. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination campaign at the national, state, and local levels. Sources were selected for having commonly cited and frequently requested data. This list is not intended to be comprehensive. Because different resources use different methodologies, readers should check websites' notes and caveats, and use caution when comparing data. For help interpreting or analyzing these data, congressional staff should contact CRS [Congressional Research Service] (202-707-5700, or place an online request). For an overview of considerations for Congress, see CRS Report R47024, Immunization Information Systems: Overview and Current Issues [hyperlink] and CRS Insight IN11584, Tracking COVID-19 Vaccines: U.S. Data Systems and Related Issues [hyperlink] . For international sources, see CRS Insight IN11732, International COVID-19 Data and Vaccine Distribution: Selected Resources [[hyperlink] ."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cornell, Ada S.; Napili, Angela
2022-02-15
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Public Health Surveillance for COVID-19: Interim Guidance [February 14, 2022]
From the Key Points: "'The objectives of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] surveillance are to': [1] 'monitor SARS-COV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] incidence and COVID-19 morbidity and mortality' among different age groups and population groups at higher risk for developing severe disease and death; [2] track potential epidemiological changes over time; [3] 'detect and contain outbreaks of new SARS-CoV-2 variants' and continue monitoring the trends of existing variants; [4] guide the 'implementation and adjustment of COVID-19 control measures including isolation of cases, contact tracing and quarantine of contacts', while enabling safe resumption of economic and social activities; [5] evaluate the 'impact of the pandemic' on health care systems and society; [6] 'contribute to the understanding of the co-circulation of SARS-CoV-2, influenza, other respiratory viruses' and other pathogens."
World Health Organization
2022-02-14
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H. Rept. 117-245: DHS Roles and Responsibilities in Cyber Space Act, Report to Accompany H.R. 5658, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, February 11, 2022
From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 5658, 'DHS Roles and Responsibilities in Cyber Space Act,' seeks to clarify the roles and responsibilities of officials across the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) related to the Department's cyber incident response mission. Specifically, it directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), to report to Congress on the roles and responsibilities of the Department and its components relating to cyber incident response. The report must include: (1) a review of how cyber incident response plans developed by CISA are utilized in the Federal Government's response to a cyber incident; (2) an explanation of the roles and responsibilities of DHS and its components in the Federal Government's response to a cyber incident; (3) an explanation of how the Department and its components leverage existing authorities in cyber incident response; and (4) recommendations to clarify roles and responsibilities among DHS components related to the its cybersecurity mission."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-02-11
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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, February 11, 2022
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This issue of MMWR contains the following: "Preventive Dental Care and Oral Health of Children and Adolescents With and Without Heart Conditions -- United States, 2016-2019"; "Progress Toward Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome Control and Elimination -- Worldwide, 2012-2020"; "Identifying Higher-Volume Antibiotic Outpatient Prescribers Using Publicly Available Medicare Part D Data -- United States, 2019"; "Genomic Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] Variants: Predominance of the Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variants -- United States, June 2021-January 2022"; "Effectiveness of Face Mask or Respirator Use in Indoor Public Settings for Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 Infection -- California, February-December 2021"; "Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes Among Adults Hospitalized with Laboratory-Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection During Periods of B.1.617.2 (Delta) and B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Predominance -- One Hospital, California, July 15-September 23, 2021, and December 21, 2021-January 27, 2022"; and "Percentage of Children and Adolescents Aged 5-17 Years Who Reported Being Tired Most Days or Every Day, by Age Group and Hours of Screen Time -- National Health Interview Survey, United States, 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.)
2022-02-11
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Renewed Great Power Competition: Implications for Defense--Issues for Congress [Updated February 10, 2022]
From the Introduction: "This report provides a brief overview of implications for U.S. defense of the emergence of great power competition with China and Russia. The issue for Congress is how U.S. defense planning should respond to the renewal of great power competition, and whether to approve, reject, or modify the Biden Administration's proposed defense funding levels, strategy, plans, and programs for addressing great power competition. Congress's decisions on these issues could have significant implications for U.S. defense capabilities and funding requirements. This report focuses on defense-related issues and does not discuss potential implications of the renewal of great power competition for other policy areas, such as foreign policy and diplomacy, trade and finance, energy, and foreign assistance."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-02-10
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Draft Report to the President: Zero Trust and Trusted Identity Management
From the Executive Summary: "In May 2021, in the aftermath of a series of significant cybersecurity incidents, the White House tasked the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) with conducting a multi-phase study on ''Enhancing Internet Resilience in 2021 and Beyond'.' The tasking directed NSTAC to focus on three key cybersecurity issues foundational to United States national security and emergency preparedness: 1. Software Assurance in the Commercial Information and Communications Technology Supply Chain. 2. Zero Trust and Trusted Identity Management. 3. The Convergence of Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT). This report focuses on #2, Zero Trust and Trusted Identity Management. Zero trust is a cybersecurity strategy premised on the idea that no user or asset is to be implicitly trusted. It assumes that a breach has already occurred or will occur, and therefore, a user should not be granted access to sensitive information by a single verification done at the enterprise perimeter. Instead, each user, device, application, and transaction must be continually verified."
United States. President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee
2022-02-10?
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EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 22 Issue 6, February 10, 2022
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: "CDP [Center for Domestic Preparedness] releases new microtraining video on bonding and grounding for hazardous materials work zone safety"; "National Wildfire Coordinating Group's 2022 Incident Response Pocket Guide now available"; "National Fire Service Research Agenda report released"; "New Mexico Tech offers new counter-UAS [Unmanned Aircraft Systems] tactical response training"; and "Cyber Threats."
Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)
2022-02-10
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FEMA's Role in the COVID-19 Federal Pandemic Response [February 10, 2022]
From the Document: "On March 13, 2020, President Donald J. Trump declared a nationwide emergency under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act, P.L. 93-288 as amended), authorizing assistance administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Five days later, the President notified then-FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor that the agency would assume leadership of the federal pandemic response effort--the first known instance of FEMA serving in such a role for a public health incident."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lee, Erica A.; Horn, Diane P.; Lindsay, Bruce R. . . .
2022-02-10
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Operation Inherent Resolve: Lead Inspector General Report to the United States Congress (October 1, 2021-December 31, 2021)
From the Foreword: "The United States launched OIR [Operation Inherent Resolve] in 2014 to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), while setting the conditions for follow-on activities to increase regional stability. The U.S. Government strategy to defeat ISIS includes military operations, as well as support for local security forces, diplomacy, governance, humanitarian assistance, and stabilization programs. This quarterly report describes the activities of the U.S. Government in support of OIR, as well as the work of the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development to promote the U.S. Government's policy goals in Iraq and Syria, during the period October 1, 2021, through December 31, 2021. This report also discusses the planned, ongoing, and completed oversight work conducted by the Lead IG [Inspector General] agencies and our partner oversight agencies during the quarter. During the quarter, the Lead IG agencies and our oversight partners issued 10 audit, evaluation, and inspection reports related to OIR."
United States. Department of Defense. Office of the Inspector General; United States. Department of State. Office of the Inspector General; United States. Agency for International Development. Office of Inspector General
2022-02-08?
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Drought in the United States: Science, Policy, and Selected Federal Authorities [Updated February 8, 2022]
From the Introduction: "Drought--a deficiency of moisture that results in adverse impacts--occurs to some extent almost every year in areas of the United States. Drought has the potential to create economic and environmental impacts on local, regional, and national scales, as well as disruptions in water supplies for households and communities. For example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates the United States has experienced 29 billion-dollar drought events since 1980, at an estimated total cost of over $285.5 billion. Although droughts are a component of climate variability and may be seasonal, multiyear, or multi-decadal in duration, variable precipitation and rising temperatures are intensifying droughts in some regions. Severe droughts in California from 2012 to 2016, as well as widespread drought in the western United States in 2021, have raised the profile of drought and led to increasing congressional and administrative proposals to prepare for and respond to its impacts. [...] This report provides an overview of drought in the United States, including information on drought science, monitoring, and forecasts and on drought types and intensity classifications. It also discusses federal authorities related to drought planning and response, with a focus on selected water-related agricultural, environmental, and natural resource-related authorities with explicit ties to drought. It does not discuss broader disaster-related authorities and their potential nexus to drought, such as the programs and authorities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and interactions between drought and other hazards and concerns (e.g., wildfire, dust, and public health)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Stern, Charles V.; Lipiec, Eva; Humphreys, Elena H. . . .
2022-02-08
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National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin [February 7, 2022]
This is the February 7, 2022 National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin released by the Department of Homeland Security, set to expire on June 7, 2022. From the Summary: "The United States remains in a heightened threat environment fueled by several factors, including an online environment filled with false or misleading narratives and conspiracy theories, and other forms of mis- dis- and mal-information [hyperlink] (MDM) introduced and/or amplified by foreign and domestic threat actors. These threat actors seek to exacerbate societal friction to sow discord and undermine public trust in government institutions to encourage unrest, which could potentially inspire acts of violence. Mass casualty attacks and other acts of targeted violence conducted by lone offenders and small groups acting in furtherance of ideological beliefs and/or personal grievances pose an ongoing threat to the nation. While the conditions underlying the heightened threat landscape have not significantly changed over the last year, the convergence of the following factors has increased the volatility, unpredictability, and complexity of the threat environment: '(1)' the proliferation of false or misleading narratives, which sow discord or undermine public trust in U.S. government institutions; '(2)' continued calls for violence directed at U.S. critical infrastructure; soft targets and mass gatherings; faith-based institutions, such as churches, synagogues, and mosques; institutions of higher education; racial and religious minorities; government facilities and personnel, including law enforcement and the military; the media; and perceived ideological opponents; and '(3)' calls by foreign terrorist organizations for attacks on the United States based on recent events."
United States. Department of Homeland Security
2022-02-07
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U.S. Foreign Assistance to Latin America and the Caribbean: FY2022 Appropriations [February 7, 2022]
From the Introduction: "This report provides an overview of U.S. assistance to Latin America and the Caribbean. It examines trends in aid to the region; the Biden Administration's FY2022 budget request for aid administered by the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Inter-American Foundation (IAF); and congressional action on FY2022 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) appropriations. It also analyzes several issues that Congress may consider as it deliberates on FY2022 appropriations and other legislation. These issues include how to respond to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the region, the effectiveness of foreign assistance for managing migration, and the challenges Department of Defense (DOD) security cooperation programs present for congressional efforts to guide security assistance policy in the region."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Meyer, Peter J.
2022-02-07
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Third Round of the Global Pulse Survey on Continuity of Essential Health Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: November-December 2021: Interim Report
From the Introduction: "To better understand the extent of disruptions to essential health services caused by the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic worldwide, WHO [World Health Organization] has been monitoring the global situation through multiple avenues including a rapid key informant survey on the continuation of essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. In November - December 2021, WHO launched the third round of a its global pulse survey in which 223 countries, territories and areas were invited to respond to a standardized web-based survey. [...] The pulse surveys aim to support rapid assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health systems and essential health services across the life course. The findings provide immediate insights from key informants into the current country experience, extent of disruptions to a set of tracer services against a rapidly changing context and main reasons for those disruptions. The survey also captures the challenges health systems are facing to ensure continued access to services and essential COVID-19 tools (including COVID-19 diagnostics, COVID-19 therapeutics, COVID-19 vaccines and PPE [personal protective equipment]) and how countries are responding to mitigate challenges and recover services. The findings can be used to support evidence-informed planning and implementation of mitigation strategies in countries. The results are also used for monitoring progress of multiple WHO and other response-related plans. This report presents the results of the third round of the pulse survey. It also includes an assessment of trends over time in the continuation of essential health services, where feasible."
World Health Organization
2022-02-07
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Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community [February 2022]
From the Foreword: "In the coming year, the United States and its allies will face an increasingly complex and interconnected global security environment marked by the growing specter of great power competition and conflict, while collective, transnational threats to all nations and actors compete for our attention and finite resources. These challenges will play out amidst the continued global disruption resulting from the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, contention over global efforts to deal with a changing climate, increasingly powerful non-state actors, and rapidly evolving technology, all within the context of an evolving world order where the continued diffusion of power is leading actors to reassess their place and capabilities in an increasingly multipolar world. These challenges will intersect and interact in unpredictable ways, leading to mutually reinforcing effects that could challenge our ability to respond, but also introducing new opportunities to forge collective action with allies and partners against both the renewed threat of nation-state aggression and emerging threats to human security. The 2022 Annual Threat Assessment highlights some of those connections as it provides the Intelligence Community's (IC's) baseline assessments of the most pressing threats to U.S. 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 U.S. adversaries' vulnerabilities. It accounts for functional concerns, such as weapons of mass destruction and cyber, primarily in the sections on threat actors, such as China and Russia."
United States. Office of the Director of National Intelligence
2022-02-07
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Tsunamis: Background and Introduction to Detection, Forecasts, and Warnings [February 4, 2022]
From the Background: "Tsunamis [hyperlink] are a series of extremely long waves caused by a large and sudden displacement of water in a large waterbody, such as the ocean or an inland sea. That displacement can be caused by underwater earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions, certain types of weather, and impacts from celestial objects such as asteroids. Most tsunamis are the direct result of earthquakes or of landslides caused by earthquakes. Tsunamis radiate from the point of initial displacement and move across the waterbody. When tsunamis reach a coastline, they grow in wave height due to the shallowing waters, sometimes causing coastal and inland flooding, destruction of infrastructure, injuries, and fatalities. Certain coastal locations [hyperlink] are especially vulnerable to tsunamis due to their proximity to tsunami sources, the depth and characteristics of the waterbody bottom, and the topography and elevation of land near the coast. Large displacements may cause tsunami impacts around the world; for example, the January 15, 2022, underwater volcanic eruption in Tonga [hyperlink], a Pacific Island country, triggered a risk of tsunami impacts along parts of coastlines in U.S. Pacific territories, Hawaii, and the West Coast, among locations in other countries."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lipiec, Eva
2022-02-04
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EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 22 Issue 5, February 3, 2022
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: "New nationwide database allows first responders to voluntarily report roadway response struck-by incidents"; "CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] report identifies two new synthetic opioid drugs contributing to rising overdose cases"; "Planning for special security events"; "Webinar: First Responder Stress and Metabolic Dysfunction"; "FBI releases PIN [Private Industry Notification] on potential cyber activities during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics"; "Jupyter: A cyberspace invader stealing SLTT [state, local, tribal, and territorial] data"; "HC3 [Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center]: Cyber threat posed by BlackMatter RaaS [ransomware-as-a-service] reduced to Guarded"; "Unpatched security bugs in medical wearables allow patient tracking, data theft"; and "600K WordPress sites impacted by critical plugin RCE [remote code execution] vulnerability."
Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)
2022-02-03
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H. Rept. 117-241: Providing for Consideration of the Bill (H.R. 3485) to Impose Sanctions on Foreign Persons Responsible for Violations of Internationally Recognized Human Rights Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) Individuals, and for Other Purposes; Providing for Consideration of the Bill (H.R. 4445) to Amend Title 9 of the United States Code with Respect to Arbitration of Disputes Involving Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment; Providing for Consideration of the Bill (H.R. 4521) to Provide for a Coordinated Federal Research Initiative to Ensure Continued United States Leadership in Engineering Biology; and for Other Purposes, Report to Accompany H. Res. 900, February 2, 2022
From the Document: "The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration House Resolution 900, by a record vote of 8 to 4, report the same to the House with the recommendation that the resolution be adopted."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-02-02
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Bureau of Prisons Enhanced Data Capabilities, Analysis, Sharing, and Risk Assessments Needed for Disaster Preparedness, Report to Congressional Addressees
From the Highlights: "BOP [Bureau of Prisons] is responsible for the care and custody of over 150,000 federal inmates and the maintenance and repair of 122 institutions. Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, can present a specific danger to inmates and staff who may not be able to evacuate, due to security measures. Senate Report 116-127 includes a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to examine how BOP protects inmates during disasters. This report addresses BOP's (1) preparation for disasters; (2) tracking and analysis of disaster-related repair projects; (3) approach to managing disaster response and related impacts; and (4) identification and sharing of lessons learned from, and assessment of vulnerability to, disasters. GAO reviewed BOP guidance, policy, and data on maintenance and repair projects. GAO also interviewed officials from a nongeneralizable sample of six BOP institutions, selected, in part, on the basis of experience with a disaster from calendar years 2017 through 2020."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2022-02-02
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Global and Regional Sea Level Rise Scenarios for the United States: Updated Mean Projections and Extreme Water Level Probabilities Along U.S. Coastlines
From the Executive Summary: "This report and accompanying datasets from the U.S. Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flood Hazard Scenarios and Tools Interagency Task Force provide 1) sea level rise scenarios to 2150 by decade that include estimates of vertical land motion and 2) a set of extreme water level probabilities for various heights along the U.S. coastline. These data are available at 1-degree grids along the U.S. coastline and downscaled specifically at NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] tide-gauge locations. Estimates of flood exposure are assessed using contemporary U.S. coastal flood-severity thresholds for current conditions (e.g., sea levels and infrastructure footprint) and for the next 30 years (out to year 2050), assuming no additional risk reduction measures are enacted. [...] This report will be a key technical input for the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5). These data and information are being incorporated into current and planned agency tools and services, such as NOAA's Sea Level Rise Viewer and Inundation Dashboard, NASA's Sea Level Change Portal, and others. Although the intent of this report is not to provide authoritative guidance or design specifications for a specific project, it is intended to help inform Federal agencies, state and local governments, and stakeholders in coastal communities about current and future sea level rise to help contextualize its effects for decision-making purposes." The original report can be found at [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=798388].
United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Sweet, William (William VanderVeer); Hamlington, Benjamin D.; Kopp, Robert E. . . .
2022-02
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Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States
From the Document: "The United States is committed to an Indo-Pacific that is free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient. To realize that future, the United States will strengthen our own role while reinforcing the region itself. The essential feature of this approach is that it cannot be accomplished alone: changing strategic circumstances and historic challenges require unprecedented cooperation with those who share in this vision. [...] The United States will pursue five objectives in the Indo-Pacific--each in concert with our allies and partners, as well as with regional institutions. We will: [1] Advance a free and open Indo-Pacific; [2] Build connections within and beyond the region; [3] Drive regional prosperity; [4] Bolster Indo-Pacific security; [5] Build regional resilience to transnational threats[.]"
United States. White House Office
2022-02
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Maryland Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide: Comprehensive Guidance Document
From the Introduction: "The 'Guide' addresses potential acute waterway debris incidents affecting Maryland's coastal counties. Throughout this document, the term waterway debris (or incident waterway debris) is used in lieu of the term marine debris. In 33 U.S.C. [United States Code]§ 1956(3), marine debris is defined as any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or Great Lakes. Although vegetative debris is not included in the legal definition for marine debris, stakeholders have identified it as a common debris stream of concern following natural disasters. To account for both marine debris and vegetative debris in this document, the term waterway debris is used and includes any solid material, including but not limited to vegetative debris and debris exposed to or that has the potential to release oil, hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants, that enters a waterway following an acute incident and poses a threat to the natural or man-made environment. This may include shoreline and wetland debris and debris in some inland, non-tidal waterways. This 'Guide' specifically addresses waterway debris resulting from acute episodic incidents, such as disaster debris, and may not apply to chronic waterway debris issues."
United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2022-02
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COVID-19 Vaccine Development and Rollout in Historical Perspective
From the Abstract: "At the start of 2022, profound inequities in the pace of access to COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccines and the level of coverage of COVID-19 vaccination remain, especially with regard to the world's poorest countries. Yet despite this inequity, we find that global COVID-19 vaccine development and diffusion has been the most rapid in history, and this rapid scale-up is evident not only in high-income countries but also in upper- and lower-middle-income countries, home to the majority of the world's population. This paper explores the historical record in the development and deployment of vaccines globally and puts the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in that context. Although far more can be done and should be done to speed equitable access to vaccines in the COVID-19 response, it is worth noting the revolutionary speed of both the vaccine development and the diffusion process, and the potential good news that this signals for the future of pandemic preparedness and response."
Center for Global Development
Glassman, Amanda, 1970-; Kenny, Charles; Yang, George
2022-02
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Immunization Information Systems: Overview and Current Issues [February 1, 2022]
From the Document: "As defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), immunization information systems (IISs) are 'confidential, population-based, computerized databases that record all immunization doses administered by participating providers to persons residing within a given geopolitical area.' These systems--based at the state, local, and territorial level--have long recorded information on routine vaccinations, and are now being used for information on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations. This CRS [Congressional Research Service] report provides background on IISs, an overview of the role of IISs during the COVID-19 pandemic, an overview of data and technology challenges faced by IISs, a summary of legislative developments, and a discussion of further selected policy considerations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sekar, Kavya
2022-02-01
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Compacts of Free Association: Implications of Planned Ending of Some U.S. Economic Assistance, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "The U.S. has provided economic assistance pursuant to its compacts with FSM [Federated States of Micronesia] and RMI [Republic of the Marshall Islands] since 1986 and with Palau since 1994. This assistance-- grants overseen by the Department of the Interior as well as programs and services provided by various U.S. agencies--is intended to promote FSM's, RMI's, and Palau's economic advancement and self-sufficiency. The Department of State is responsible for bilateral relations. The U.S. has also provided contributions to each country's compact trust fund. FSM and RMI compact trust fund earnings are intended to provide revenue after compact grant assistance ends. Palau is receiving disbursements from its compact trust fund, which is designed to provide revenue until 2045. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to provide an update on U.S. assistance to FSM, RMI, and Palau. This report examines, among other things, (1) the use and role of the U.S. funds and programs in each country's budgets and (2) the projected fiscal effects of the ending of compact grants and certain programs and services. This report also examines the implementation of the Compact Review Agreement for Palau. GAO reviewed compact agreements, U.S. law, and country documents; modeled future compact trust fund performance; and interviewed FSM, RMI, Palau, and U.S. government officials."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2022-02
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Parents' Intentions to Vaccinate Children for COVID-19 by Child Age: Sociodemographic Factors and Reasons for Hesitancy
From the Key Points: "[1] According to the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] COVID [coronavirus disease] Data Tracker, as of January 30, 2022, 21.4 percent of children aged 5-11 and 55.9 percent of children aged 12-17 are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. [2] A larger percent of parents with children aged 5-11 are hesitant to vaccinate their children (34 percent) than parents of children aged 12-17 (21 percent). [3] Vaccinated parents tend to be less hesitant to vaccinate their children than unvaccinated parents, although hesitancy still varies by child age: among vaccinated parents, 21 percent were hesitant to vaccinate children aged 5-11, compared with 8 percent for children aged 12-17. [4] Hesitancy to vaccinate children varied by demographic characteristics and was highest among non-Hispanic White respondents and those without a college education. [5] The main reasons for hesitancy to vaccinate children were concerns about side effects, plans to wait and see, and distrust in vaccines or the government."
United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
2022-02
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Office of Refugee Resettlement Generally Ensured That Selected Care Provider Facilities for Its Unaccompanied Children Program Complied with Federal Emergency Preparedness Requirements
From the Document: "The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), a program office of the Administration for Children and Families within HHS [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services], manages the Unaccompanied Children (UC) Program, which serves children who have no lawful immigration status in the United States. Because of emergency events in 2017, 2018, and 2019, such as hurricanes and wildfires, we conducted several audits of HHS agencies to identify risks in preparing for and responding to emergency events. This audit continues those efforts. This is the second of two reports addressing emergency preparedness at ORR-funded facilities that provide care to children in the UC Program. The first report addresses communicable disease preparedness, and this report addresses emergency events. This report does not address emergency intake sites that were opened in response to the surge of unaccompanied children that occurred in 2021. Our objective was to determine whether ORR ensured that selected facilities followed Federal requirements in preparing for and responding to emergency events."
United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Inspector General
Grimm, Christi A.
2022-02
