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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, July 10, 2020
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: "Increases in Health-Related Workplace Absenteeism Among Workers in Essential Critical Infrastructure Occupations During the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Pandemic -- United States, March-April 2020"; "Provision of Pediatric Immunization Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: an Assessment of Capacity Among Pediatric Immunization Providers Participating in the Vaccines for Children Program -- United States, May 2020"; "Race/Ethnicity, Underlying Medical Conditions, Homelessness, and Hospitalization Status of Adult Patients with COVID-19 at an Urban Safety-Net Medical Center -- Boston, Massachusetts, 2020"; "Trends in Emergency Department Visits for Contact Sports-Related Traumatic Brain Injuries Among Children -- United States, 2001-2018"; "Trends in Nonfatal Falls and Fall-Related Injuries Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years -- United States, 2012-2018"; "Initial and Repeated Point Prevalence Surveys to Inform SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] Infection Prevention in 26 Skilled Nursing Facilities -- Detroit, Michigan, March-May 2020"; and "Update: COVID-19 Among Workers in Meat and Poultry Processing Facilities -- United States, April-May 2020."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2020-07-10
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Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19 [Updated July 10, 2020]
From the Document: "The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is having widespread economic, social, and political effects on Latin America and the Caribbean, a region with strong congressional interest because of deep U.S. linkages. As of July 10, 2020, the region had almost 3.2 million confirmed cases and over 138,000 deaths, with deaths surging in several countries. Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Ecuador have the highest numbers of deaths in the region, and Brazil has the highest number worldwide after the United States."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.; Beittel, June S.; Meyer, Peter J. . . .
2020-07-10
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Child Welfare: Various HHS Offices Provided Input on Decision to Grant Exception from Religious Nondiscrimination Requirement
From the Document: "In fiscal year 2017, over 440,000 children were in the foster care system in the United States. Most of these children--77 percent--were in foster family homes. Over the last few years, the number of children entering the child welfare system has generally increased even as many states have struggled to recruit foster families. To help cover the costs of operating foster care programs, including costs associated with foster family recruitment, state child welfare agencies receive federal funding from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under title IV-E of the Social Security Act. The state agencies may, in turn, contract with private child welfare agencies, in some instances faith-based organizations, to help carry out their foster care programs. States participating in title IV-E are required to ensure that their programs comply with various program-specific requirements established by the statute and regulations. In addition, as recipients of HHS funding, these state and private child welfare agencies are also required to comply with HHS's uniform administrative grant requirements. HHS may authorize certain exceptions from its administrative grant requirements on a case-by-case basis. [...] You asked us to review HHS's use of regulatory exceptions from nondiscrimination requirements that apply to federally-funded foster care programs. This report describes HHS's process for reviewing and approving requests for exceptions from its administrative grant requirements, including nondiscrimination requirements."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2020-07-09
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FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin: July 2020
This July 2020 edition of the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin contains the following articles: "Jefferson County, Missouri, Sheriff's Department"; "Hamilton, Ohio, Police Department"; "National Data Exchange Success Story of the Year"; "Perspective: Importance of Vulnerability in Law Enforcement" by Erin O'Donnell; "Leadership Spotlight: Preparation for Crisis" by Vince A. Dalfonzo; "Use of In Silico Methods to Study Crime" by Thomas J. Dover; and "Bulletin Notes."
United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation
2020-07-08
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2018 Pacific Disasters: Preliminary Observations on FEMA's Disaster Response and Recovery Efforts, Statement for the Record by Chris Currie, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Statement for the Record to the Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives
From the GAO [Government Accountability Office] Highlights: "The CNMI [Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands], Guam, and Hawaii experienced an unprecedented number of natural disasters in 2018--including typhoons, earthquakes, mudslides, and volcanic eruptions. FEMA is the lead federal agency responsible for helping states and territories prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters. Due to the remoteness of Hawaii and the Pacific territories, disaster response and recovery in the region can be challenging. Title IX of the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 included a provision for GAO to review FEMA's response and recovery efforts for 2018 natural disasters, including those in the Pacific region. This statement is based on ongoing work and provides preliminary GAO observations on (1) the status of FEMA disaster assistance for the CNMI, Guam, and Hawaii as of May 2020; (2) the extent to which officials in the CNMI, Guam, and Hawaii found FEMA's response to the 2018 disasters effective; and (3) the challenges, if any, FEMA experienced implementing recovery assistance programs in these locations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Currie, Chris
2020-07-08
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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, July 7, 2020
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: "Update: COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Among Workers in Meat and Poultry Processing Facilities -- United States, April-May 2020." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from this issue can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2020.html]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2020-07-07
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COVID-19: Resources for Tracking Federal Spending [Updated July 7, 2020]
From the Document: "Congress has responded to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with various legislation providing relief to individuals and families, state and local governments, businesses, health care providers, and other entities. This Insight provides selected sources for tracking COVID-19 relief funding provided through these bills."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Teefy, Jennifer; Kreiser, Maria
2020-07-07
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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, July 3, 2020
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: "Medical Expenditures Attributed to Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Among Workers - United States, 2011-2015"; "Salmonellosis Outbreak Detected by Automated Spatiotemporal Analysis - New York City, May-June 2019"; "Use of Molecular Epidemiology to Inform Response to a Hepatitis A Outbreak - Los Angeles County, California, October 2018-April 2019"; "Screening for SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] Infection Within a Psychiatric Hospital and Considerations for Limiting Transmission Within Residential Psychiatric Facilities - Wyoming, 2020"; "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Outbreak Among College Students After a Spring Break Trip to Mexico - Austin, Texas, March 26-April 5, 2020"; "Serial Laboratory Testing for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Incarcerated and Detained Persons in a Correctional and Detention Facility - Louisiana, April-May 2020"; "Characteristics of Adult Outpatients and Inpatients with COVID-19 - 11 Academic Medical Centers, United States, March-May 2020"; "Exposures Before Issuance of Stay-at-Home Orders Among Persons with Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 - Colorado, March 2020"; and "'QuickStats': Percentage of Families That Often or Sometimes Did Not Have Enough Food To Last 30 Days and Did Not Have Enough Money to Buy More, by Poverty Status - National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2018." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from this issue can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2020.html].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2020-07-03
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Executive Order 13934: Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes
From the Purpose: "America owes its present greatness to its past sacrifices. Because the past is always at risk of being forgotten, monuments will always be needed to honor those who came before. Since the time of our founding, Americans have raised monuments to our greatest citizens. In 1784, the legislature of Virginia commissioned the earliest statue of George Washington, a 'monument of affection and gratitude' to a man who 'unit[ed] to the endowment[s] of the Hero the virtues of the Patriot' and gave to the world 'an Immortal Example of true Glory.' I Res. H. Del. (June 24, 1784). In our public parks and plazas, we have erected statues of great Americans who, through acts of wisdom and daring, built and preserved for us a republic of ordered liberty. These statues are silent teachers in solid form of stone and metal. They preserve the memory of our American story and stir in us a spirit of responsibility for the chapters yet unwritten. These works of art call forth gratitude for the accomplishments and sacrifices of our exceptional fellow citizens who, despite their flaws, placed their virtues, their talents, and their lives in the service of our Nation. These monuments express our noblest ideals: respect for our ancestors, love of freedom, and striving for a more perfect union. They are works of beauty, created as enduring tributes. In preserving them, we show reverence for our past, we dignify our present, and we inspire those who are to come. To build a monument is to ratify our shared national project."
United States. Office of the Federal Register
Trump, Donald, 1946-
2020-07-03
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Larger Businesses and COVID-19: Financial Relief and Assistance Resources [Updated July 2, 2020]
From the Document: "This CRS [Congressional Research Service] Insight presents selected resources and CRS products potentially relevant to medium and large businesses directly affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic seeking economic relief and assistance. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, enacted on March 27, 2020, contains provisions to assist businesses. This Insight focuses on potential sources of assistance designated for medium and large businesses that do not qualify for Small Business Administration programs or other assistance programs for small businesses."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jennings, Julie; Murray, Justin
2020-07-02
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Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress [Updated July 2, 2020]
From the Background: "Names for Navy ships traditionally have been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the Navy, under the direction of the President and in accordance with rules prescribed by Congress. For most of the 19th century, U.S. law included language explicitly assigning the Secretary of the Navy the task of naming new Navy ships. The reference to the Secretary of the Navy disappeared from the U.S. Code in 1925. The code today (10 U.S.C. §8662) is silent on the issue of who has the authority to name new Navy ships, but the Secretary of the Navy arguably retains implicit authority, given the location of Section 8662 in subtitle C of Title 10, which covers the Navy and Marine Corps."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-07-02
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Diversity in the U.S. Department of State Foreign Service: Background and Issues for Congress [July 2, 2020]
From the Document: "Members of Congress, U.S. Department of State (DOS) officials, and other stakeholders have maintained a longstanding interest in ensuring that the U.S. Department of State Foreign Service workforce (hereinafter, the Foreign Service) is representative of the American people, as called for in the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-465, hereinafter, the Foreign Service Act). Beyond adherence to statutory requirements, some DOS officials and other observers have asserted that a diverse Foreign Service workforce adds more perspectives to the development of U.S. foreign policy and contributes to better policy making. While many observers note that the State Department has made substantial gains in bringing about a more diverse Foreign Service workforce, high-ranking DOS officials have said that more work is needed to build on existing progress, including with respect to fostering greater diversity in senior positions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gill, Cory R.
2020-07-02
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Supreme Court Rules That Excluding Religious Schools from Aid Program Violates Constitution: Implications for Congress [July 2, 2020]
From the Document: "Based on concerns about impermissibly supporting religion, many state constitutions bar state governments from providing funds to churches and other types of religious institutions--even in circumstances where that support would 'not' violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. However, in recent years, some have questioned whether these state provisions are unconstitutional under Supreme Court precedent that has interpreted the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause to prevent governments from discriminating against religious organizations when they distribute public benefits. In 'Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue,' issued June 30, 2020, the Supreme Court weighed in on this question, ruling that Montana's state constitution could not be applied to bar religious schools from participating in a tax credit program benefiting parents of private school students. This Legal Sidebar discusses the legal principles that governed this dispute, explains the Court's 'Espinoza' opinion, and explores implications of the decision for Congress. In particular, 'Espinoza' could call into question any federal laws that exclude religious entities from receiving federal aid based solely on their religious character."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brannon, Valerie C.
2020-07-02
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COVID-19: Resources for Tracking Federal Spending [Updated July 1, 2020]
From the Document: "Congress has responded to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with various legislation providing relief to individuals and families, state and local governments, businesses, health care providers, and other entities. This CRS [Congressional Research Service] Insight provides information on selected sources for tracking COVID-19 relief funding provided through these bills. For general information on resources for tracking federal funds, see CRS Report R44027, 'Tracking Federal Awards: USAspending.gov and Other Data Sources,' by Jennifer Teefy."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Teefy, Jennifer; Kreiser, Maria
2020-07-01
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CBO Paper: Update to the Economic Outlook: 2020 to 2030
Form the Document: "This report presents the baseline economic forecast that the Congressional Budget Office [CBO] is using as the basis for updating its budget projections for 2020 to 2030. The agency currently plans to release those budget projections later this summer. This economic forecast provides CBO's first complete set of economic projections through 2030 since January and incorporates information available as of June 26. The baseline forecast is being published now, rather than later with the budget projections, to provide the Congress with CBO's current assessment of the economic outlook in a rapidly evolving environment. This economic forecast updates the interim forecast that CBO published in May, which focused on 2020 and 2021. It is similar to the May forecast for those two years, except that the projection of growth in the second half of 2020 has been revised downward."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2020-07
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Science & Tech Spotlight: Herd Immunity for COVID-19
From the Document: "A population can establish herd immunity to an infectious disease once a large enough portion of the population--typically 70 to 90 percent--develops immunity. [...] For diseases where no vaccination is available, it is possible to develop herd immunity through exposure to, and recovery from, the disease. However, if COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] runs its natural course, this approach would entail the risk of severe disease or death. Given the risk associated with COVID-19 infections, achieving herd immunity without a vaccine could result in significant morbidity and mortality rates."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2020-07
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Did the Paycheck Protection Program Hit the Target?
From the Abstract: "This paper takes an early look at the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a large and novel small business support program that was part of the initial policy response to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. We use new data on the distribution of the first round of PPP loans and high-frequency microlevel employment data to consider two dimensions of program targeting. First, we do not find evidence that funds flowed to areas more adversely affected by the economic effects of the pandemic, as measured by declines in hours worked or business shutdowns. If anything, funds flowed to areas less hard hit. Second, we find significant heterogeneity across banks in terms of disbursing PPP funds, which does not only reflect differences in underlying loan demand. The top-4 banks alone account for 36% of total pre-policy small business loans, but disbursed less than 3% of all PPP loans in the first round. Areas that were significantly more exposed to low PPP banks received much lower loan allocations. We do not find evidence that the PPP had a substantial effect on local economic outcomes--including declines in hours worked, business shutdowns, initial unemployment insurance claims, and small business revenues--during the first round of the program. Firms appear to use first round funds to build up savings and meet loan and other commitments, which points to possible medium-run impacts. As data become available, we will continue to study employment and establishment responses to the program and the impact of PPP support on the economic recovery. Measuring these responses is critical for evaluating the social insurance value of the PPP and similar policies."
National Bureau of Economic Research
Granja, João; Makridis, Christos A.; Yannelis, Constantine . . .
2020-07
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Runway to Recovery: The United States Framework for Airlines and Airports to Mitigate the Public Health Risks of Coronavirus
From the Overview: "The U.S. economy is reopening after the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency (PHE) resulted in Federal, State, and local mandated closures and restrictions across many sectors in the first half of 2020. A safe, secure, efficient, and resilient air transportation system that addresses the threat of COVID-19 is critical to reducing the public health risk and supporting the United States' critical infrastructure needs. Government, aviation, and public health leaders must work together to meaningfully reduce the public health risk and restore passenger, aviation workforce, including crew, and public confidence in air travel."
United States. Department of Transportation; United States. Department of Homeland Security; United States. Department of Health and Human Services
2020-07
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Gun Control: DOJ Can Further Improve Guidance on Federal Firearm Background Check Records, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Federal agencies are required to submit relevant records for use by the NICS [National Instant Criminal Background Check System]. The FBI and designated state and local criminal justice agencies use the NICS to conduct background checks on persons seeking to purchase firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers. The Fix NICS Act of 2018 requires the head of each federal department or agency to submit a semiannual written certification to the Attorney General indicating whether it is in compliance with record submission requirements and report related data. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review federal agencies compliance with these requirements. This report examines (1) the number of records federal agencies submitted to databases checked by the NICS from 2010 through 2019, (2) the extent to which DOJ has provided guidance to support federal agency compliance with record submission and reporting requirements, and (3) federal agency plans to address any challenges in submitting records."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2020-07
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El Salvador: Background and U.S. Relations [Updated July 1, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report examines political, economic, security, and human rights conditions in El Salvador. It then analyzes selected issues in U.S.-Salvadoran relations that have been of particular interest to Congress, including foreign assistance, migration, security cooperation in addressing gangs and counternarcotics issues, human rights, and trade."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Seelke, Clare Ribando
2020-07-01
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COVID-19 and Liability Limitations for the Health Care Sector [July 1, 2020]
From the Document: "The ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has required health care professionals and facilities to care for a surge of patients with COVID-19 symptoms. This is occurring in a health care environment where the treatment guidelines specific to COVID-19 are still evolving and where some health care facilities are experiencing various resource shortages related to their pandemic response, including shortages in staffing as well as certain protective and treatment equipment. For some health care facilities, these shortages have also caused the delay or cancelation of non-COVID-19 treatments or procedures. Various commentators and policymakers have recognized that these conditions may generate certain liability risks for the health care sector, including risks resulting from unsuccessful COVID-19 treatments, potential COVID-19 transmission, and canceled or delayed non-COVID-19 treatments. These risks have prompted a debate over whether the government should grant certain liability limitations to the health care sector, and if so, what the appropriate scope of those limitations should be. [...] To facilitate Congress's review of this issue, this Sidebar provides an overview of the existing federal and state limitations on liability for the health care sector that are relevant to the current pandemic before identifying several legal considerations for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Shen, Wen S.
2020-07-01
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COVID-19: Selected Federal Resources for Businesses Seeking to Assist with Research and Manufacturing Efforts [Updated July 1, 2020]
From the Document: "Some U.S. businesses have been engaging in research or retooling their manufacturing operations, supply chains, or products to assist with fighting the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This CRS [Congressional Research Service] Insight presents selected federal resources potentially relevant to businesses that seek to support COVID-19 mobilization efforts. At the subfederal level, state and local economic development or commerce agencies may be valuable general resources for new and established enterprises. A few local and state governments have created their own COVID-19 grants for businesses to ramp up production of critical supplies, such as personal protective equipment. These kinds of state or local government initiatives may vary widely; in many jurisdictions, they may not exist at all. For other overviews of resources available to businesses, such as those seeking economic relief from adverse COVID-19 impacts, see CRS Insight IN11301, 'Small Businesses and COVID-19: Relief and Assistance Resources,' and CRS Insight IN11368, 'Larger Businesses and COVID-19: Financial Relief and Assistance Resources.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kreiser, Maria
2020-07-01
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Latin America and the Caribbean: U.S. Policy Overview [Updated July 1, 2020]
From the Document: "U.S. interests in Latin America and the Caribbean are diverse and include economic, political, security, and humanitarian concerns. Geographic proximity has ensured strong economic linkages between the United States and the region, with the United States a major trading partner and source of foreign investment for many countries. Free-trade agreements (FTAs) have augmented U.S. economic relations with 11 countries in the region. The Western Hemisphere is a large source of U.S. immigration, both legal and illegal; with proximity and economic and security conditions the major factors driving migration trends."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.
2020-07-01
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U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Trade Agreement [Updated July 1, 2020]
From the Overview: "On November 30, 2018, President Trump and the leaders of Canada and Mexico signed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). USMCA revises and modernizes the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), in place since 1994. USMCA replaces NAFTA as of July 1, 2020. Pursuant to trade promotion authority (TPA), the Administration provided the required consultations and notifications to Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Villarreal, M. Angeles
2020-07-01
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Wildfire Statistics [Updated July 1, 2020]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service (FS)--within the U.S. Department of Agriculture--carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Hanson, Laura A.
2020-07-01
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Trends in Active-Duty Military Deaths Since 2006 [Updated July 1, 2020]
From the Document: "Between 2006 and 2020, a total of 17,645 active-duty personnel have died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. (Throughout this In Focus, the designation 'active duty' refers to all active duty troops, including mobilized Reserve and Guard components.) Of those that died, 26% were killed while serving in OCO [Overseas Contingency Operations] operations--primarily within the territory of Iraq and Afghanistan. The remaining 74% died during operations classified in this In Focus as 'Non-Overseas Contingency Operations', or 'Non-OCO'."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mann, Christopher T.; Fischer, Hannah
2020-07-01
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Financial Fragility of European Households in the Time of COVID-19
From the Executive Summary: "[1] The concept of household financial fragility emerged in the United States after the 2007-2008 financial crisis. It grew out of the need to understand whether households' lack of capacity to face shocks could itself become a source of financial instability, in addition to risks to the stability of banks and the greater financial system. The concept goes beyond assessing the level of assets and encompasses the state of household balance sheets, including indebtedness. It relies also on individual perceptions of the ability to rely on families and friends and other methods to deal with shocks, though such aspects are less easy to measure and rely frequently on self-assessments. [2] In the wake of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], we ask how well-prepared households were in the European Union (including the United Kingdom) to handle an unexpected expense. Two years before the pandemic hit, a substantial share of EU households reported that they would be unable to handle unexpected expenses. In some EU countries, many households had savings equivalent to just a few weeks of basic consumption."
Bruegel (Organisation)
Demertzis, Maria; Domínguez-Jiménez, Marta; Lusardi, Annamaria
2020-07
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U.S. Food and Agricultural Imports: Safeguards and Selected Issues [July 1, 2020]
From the Document: "High-profile foodborne outbreaks and incidents involving imported foods have generated growing concerns about whether current federal programs sufficiently ensure the safety of these imports. Safety concerns have been associated with imported products from China, Mexico, and nations in Central and South America, Southeast Asia, Europe, and elsewhere. Imports of fish and seafood, fruits and vegetables, and pet foods are among those that have been associated with foodborne outbreaks and incidents. It is unclear whether imported foods pose a greater safety risk than domestically produced foods. Available data on foodborne illness outbreak investigations do not readily identify whether the food is domestic or foreign sourced. A steady increase in the volume of food imports--a result of globalization and consumer desire for a wider variety of foods year-round--complicates efforts to secure the safety of imported foods and strains already challenged U.S. food inspection and oversight services. Overall, imported foods account for about one-fifth of all foods consumed in the United States, but an even larger share for some foods, such as fish and seafood, and fruit and vegetable products."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Johnson, Renée
2020-07-01
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Older Americans Act: 2020 Reauthorization [July 1, 2020]
From the Summary: "First enacted in 1965, the Older Americans Act (OAA) was created in response to concern by policymakers about a lack of community social services for older individuals. Since then, the OAA has been reauthorized and amended numerous times. Before 2020, the last OAA reauthorization occurred in 2016, when the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2016 (P.L. 114-144) was enacted, which extended the act's authorizations of appropriations through FY2019 (authorizations of appropriations for most OAA programs had expired after September 30, 2019). OAA-authorized activities continued to receive annual discretionary appropriations for FY2020."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Colello, Kirsten J.; Sussman, Jared S.
2020-07-01
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DATA Act: OIGs Reported That Quality of Agency Submitted Data Varied, and Most, Report to Congressional Addressees Recommended Improvements
From the GAO [Government Accountability Office Highlights: "One of the purposes of the DATA [Digital Accountability and Transparency Act] Act is to increase accountability and transparency of federal spending. The act requires federal agencies' OIGs [Offices of Inspector General] to issue reports on their assessments of the quality of the agencies' spending data and the implementation and use of data standards. The act also includes provisions requiring GAO to review the OIG reports to assess and compare the completeness, timeliness, quality, and accuracy of data that agencies submit and the implementation and use of data standards. This report describes the results of OIG reviews of the quality of their respective agencies' DATA Act spending data and the implementation and use of data standards. GAO reviewed 51 OIG reports issued on or before December 31, 2019, assessing agencies' first quarter of fiscal year 2019 submissions of federal spending data. GAO clarified information with the OIGs, as necessary."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2020-07
