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Studies in Intelligence: Journal of the American Intelligence Professional [September 2017]
In this issue of "Studies in Intelligence", articles include: "Sputnik and US Intelligence: The Warning Record"; "From Europe to China: An OSS [US Office of Strategic Services] Veteran's Reflections"; "Reflections on Readings on 9/11, Iraq WMD, and the Detention and Interrogation Program"; "A Review of Enhanced Interrogation: Inside the Minds and Motives of the Islamic Terrorists Who Are Trying to Destroy America"; "Oppose Any Foe: The Rise of America's Special Operations Forces"; and "Special Forces: A Unique National Asset".
Center for the Study of Intelligence (U.S.)
2017-11
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International Food Assistance: Cargo Preference Increased Food Aid Shipping Costs; Benefits Remain Unclear, Statement of Thomas Melito, Director, International Affairs and Trade, Testimony Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate
"Cargo preference laws require that a percentage of U.S. government cargo, including international food aid, be transported on U.S. -flag vessels according to geographic area, although the laws do not define 'geographic area.' One intention of these laws is to ensure a merchant marine-- both vessels and mariners --capable of providing DOD sealift capacity in times of war or national emergency, including a full, prolonged activation of the reserve fleet. The reserve fleet is composed of those vessels owned by the U.S. government to meet logistic military needs that cannot be met by commercial vessels. Over the years, Congress has amended cargo preference laws to vary the CPFA [cargo preference for food aid] percentage requirement. This testimony is based on an August 2015 GAO [Government Accountability Office] report that examined (1) CPFA's impact on food aid shipping cost and how U.S. agencies implement CPFA requirements; and (2) the extent to which implementation of CPFA requirements contributes to sufficient sealift capacity. It also provides an update on the implementation of actions recommended in the report. [...] In its August 2015 report, GAO suggested that Congress should consider clarifying CPFA legislation to define 'geographic area' in a manner that ensures agencies can fully utilize the flexibility Congress granted to them in lowering the CPFA requirement. GAO also recommended, and MARAD [Maritime Administration] agreed, to study the potential availability of all qualified mariners needed to meet a full and prolonged activation of the reserve sealift fleet. Both actions remain unimplemented."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-10-19
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NASA Human Space Exploration: Integration Approach Presents Challenges to Oversight and Independence, Report to Congressional Committees
"NASA is undertaking a trio of closely related programs to continue human space exploration beyond low-Earth orbit. All three programs (SLS [Space Launch System], Orion, and EGS [supporting ground system]) are working toward a launch readiness date of no earlier than October 2019 for the first test flight. Each program is a complex technical and programmatic endeavor. Because all three programs must work together for launch, NASA must integrate the hardware and software from the separate programs into a working system capable of meeting its goals for deep space exploration. The House Committee on Appropriations report accompanying H.R. 2578 included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to assess the progress of NASA's human space exploration programs. This report assesses (1) the benefits and challenges of NASA's approach for integrating these three programs and (2) the extent to which cross -program risks could affect launch readiness. GAO examined NASA policies, the results of design reviews, risk data, and other program documentation and interviewed NASA and other officials. [...] Congress should consider directing NASA to establish baselines for SLS and EGS's missions beyond the first test flight. NASA's ESD [Exploration Systems Development] organization should no longer dual-hat officials with programmatic and technical authority responsibilities. NASA partially concurred with our recommendation and plans to address it in the next year. But NASA did not address the need for the technical authority to be independent from programmatic responsibilities for cost and schedule. GAO continues to believe that this component of the recommendation is critical."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-10-19
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 1698: Iran Ballistic Missiles and International Sanctions Enforcement Act
"H.R. 1698 would amend the Iran Sanctions Act (Public Law 104-172), primarily to apply sanctions on people and entities involved with Iran's ballistic missile program and those who provide conventional weapons to or receive them from that country. In addition, H.R. 1698 would require periodic reports to the Congress on the implementation of the bill and related matters. Implementing H.R. 1698 would increase administrative costs at the Department of State and the Department of the Treasury. The Administration did not respond to requests for information but based on the costs of implementing similar legislation, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that administering the specified sanctions and implementing the reporting requirements would cost less than $500,000 each year and would total $1 million over the 2018-2022 period, subject to the availability of appropriated funds."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-10-18
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Water Pollution: Some States Have Trading Programs to Help Address Nutrient Pollution, but Use Has Been Limited, Report to the Honorable Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Senate
"Nutrient pollution--caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus entering water bodies --poses significant risks to the nation's water quality. Nutrients can enter water bodies from point sources and nonpoint sources. The Clean Water Act establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants, including excess nutrients. Under the act, authorized states -- assisted and overseen by EPA --set limits on nutrients impairing a water body and limits on point source discharges. EPA encourages states to use nutrient credit trading to address nutrient pollution. According to EPA, trading allows a point source to meet nutrient discharge limits by buying pollutant credits from a source that has reduced its discharges more than required. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to examine nutrient credit trading programs. This report describes (1) the extent to which nutrient credit trading programs have been used and what the outcomes of the programs have been, (2) how states and EPA oversee nutrient credit trading programs, and (3) what key factors stakeholders view as affecting participation in nutrient credit trading. GAO reviewed EPA documents and interviewed EPA officials to gather information on trading programs. GAO then selected a nongeneralizable sample of three programs with the most trades in 2014 (based on the most recent available data); reviewed program documents; and interviewed EPA, state, and program officials and other stakeholders about the programs."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-10-16
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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, October 13, 2017
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: "National Latino AIDS Awareness Day -- October 15, 2017;" "HIV Care Outcomes Among Hispanics or Latinos with Diagnosed HIV Infection -- United States, 2015;" "Vaccination Coverage for Selected Vaccines, Exemption Rates, and Provisional Enrollment Among Children in Kindergarten -- United States, 2016-17 School Year;" "Notes from the Field: Multiple Cases of Seoul Virus Infection in a Household with Infected Pet Rats -- Tennessee, December 2016-April 2017;" "Announcement: World Arthritis Day 2017;" "Announcement: Global Handwashing Day -- October 15, 2017;" "Announcement: Community Preventive Services Task Force Finding for Year-Round Schooling to Increase Health Equity;" "Erratum: Vol. 66, No. 35;" "QuickStats: Percentage of All Visits by Patients Aged ≥65 Years to Office-Based Physicians Made by Patients with Hypertension, by Sex and Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) -- National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, United States 2012-2015;" and "Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2017-10-13
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 3342: Sanctioning Hizballah's Illicit Use of Civilians as Defenseless Shields Act
"H.R. 3342 would require the President to identify and impose sanctions on foreign people or entities affiliated with Hizballah that he determines have used civilians as human shields or have provided, tried to provide, or facilitated the provision of material support to that terrorist group. The bill also would require the President to provide to the Congress a list of people or entities so identified along with periodic updates. Finally, the bill describes several people and entities and would require the President to determine and report to the Congress if they meet the criteria to be sanctioned. Based on information from the Administration on the cost of similar requirements, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that administering the sanctions and implementing the reporting requirements would cost less than $500,000 annually and would total $1 million over the 2018-2022 period, subject to the availability of appropriated funds."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-10-13
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EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 17 Issue 41, October 12, 2017
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: "The Looming Flu Pandemic"; "Fatality Management After a Disaster"; "Nationwide Cyber Security Review Tool for SLTT Governments"; and "Webinar: Law Enforcement Operations on the Fireground".
Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)
2017-10-12
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 3176: Disaster Assistance Fairness and Accountability Act of 2017
"H.R. 3176 would establish a three-year statute of limitations on actions to recover certain improper assistance grants that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided to individuals following a declared disaster. Under current law, FEMA has the authority to recover disaster assistance grants at any time after the date of disbursement. CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that H.R. 3176 would reduce FEMA's recoupments of improper payments, which are recorded as reductions in direct spending, by $30 million over the 2018-2027 period. However, under current law, those amounts would be available for future disaster relief payments without further appropriation; thus, enacting the bill also would reduce direct spending by an equivalent amount, resulting in no net effect on direct spending over the next 10 years. Because fewer collections would be available to finance future disaster relief payments under the bill, H.R. 3176 would create a need for additional appropriations for those purposes. Assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $30 million over the 2018-2027 period."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-10-12
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CBO Estimate for H.R. 2266, with an Amendment--the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, 2017
"H.R. 2266, with an amendment, contains two divisions: Division A contains the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act of 2017. Titles I and II of Division A would provide supplemental discretionary appropriations for fiscal year 2018 to various accounts within the Departments of Agriculture, Homeland Security, and the Interior. Title III of division A contains provisions that would change two mandatory programs: section 308 would cancel $16 billion of the debt held by the Treasury under notes or obligations issued by the National Flood Insurance Program; and section 309 would provide $1.27 billion from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program's contingency reserve to provide disaster nutrition assistance in response to Presidentially declared disasters and emergencies in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. All of the funds provided in Division A are designated as emergency requirements pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985; the discretionary spending limits for fiscal year 2018 would be adjusted to accommodate those amounts. Division B contains the Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2017, which would authorize 4 new temporary judgeships and extend 14 existing temporary judgeships. The act would also adjust the formula used to set certain quarterly fees paid by businesses involved in ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases and would change the budgetary treatment of a portion of those fees. In addition, section 1005 of the act would make changes to governmental claims on farm assets in Chapter 12 bankruptcy cases. In total, and in addition to the budgetary effects shown in this report, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] and JCT [Joint Committee on Taxation] estimate that Division B would increase revenues by $3 million in fiscal year 2018 and by $16 million over the 2018-2022 and 2018-2027 periods."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-10-12
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 1884: Reporting Efficiently to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism Act of 2017
"S. 1884 would require the primary government agency investigating an act of terrorism that occurs in the United States to report to the Congress not later than one year after completing the investigation. That agency would have to collaborate with the Department of Homeland Security and other federal bodies as appropriate. The report would identify weaknesses in national security and recommend additional measures to improve homeland security and prevent terrorist acts. In recent years there have been few incidents of domestic terrorism, so CBO expects that implementing S. 1884 would require a small number of reports each year, on average. Based on the cost of similar activities, CBO estimates that providing the reports would cost less than $500,000 annually; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-10-12
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2020 Census: Continued Management Attention Needed to Oversee Innovations, Develop and Secure IT Systems, and Improve Cost Estimation, Statement of David A. Powner, Director, Information Technology, and Robert Goldenkoff, Director, Strategic Issues, Testimony Before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives
"One of the Bureau's most important functions is to conduct a complete and accurate decennial census of the U.S. population, which is mandated by the Constitution and provides vital data for the nation. A complete count of the nation's population is an enormous undertaking as the Bureau seeks to control the cost of the census, implement operational innovations, and use new and modified IT systems. In recent years, GAO [Government Accountability Office] has identified challenges that raise serious concerns about the Bureau's ability to conduct a cost -effective count . For these reasons, GAO added the 2020 Census to its high- risk list in February 2017. In light of these challenges, GAO was asked to testify about the Bureau's progress in preparing for the 2020 Census. To do so, GAO summarized its prior work regarding the Bureau's planning efforts for the 2020 Census . GAO also included observations from its ongoing work on the 2018 End- to- End Test. This information is related to, among other things, recent decisions on preparations for the 2020 Census ; progress on key systems to be used for the 2018 End- to- End Test , including the status of IT security assessments ; execution of the test at three test sites ; and efforts to update the life-cycle cost estimate. [...] Over the past 4 years, we have made 33 recommendations specific to the 2020 Census to address the issues raised in this testimony and others . As of October 2017, the Bureau had fully implemented 10 of the recommendations, and was at varying stages of implementing the remaining recommendations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-10-12
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Firstnet: Efforts to Establish the Public-Safety Broadband Network, Statement of Mark L. Goldstein, Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives
"FirstNet is charged with establishing a nationwide public -safety broadband network that is reliable, secure, and interoperable. To inform this work, FirstNet is consulting with a variety of stakeholders. In March 2017, FirstNet awarded a 25- year contract to AT&T to build, operate, and maintain the network. FirstNet's oversight of AT&T's performance is important given the scope of the network and the duration of the contract. This testimony provides information on (1) FirstNet's efforts to establish the network; (2) stakeholder views on network reliability, security, and interoperability challenges FirstNet faces and its efforts to address them; and (3) FirstNet's plans to oversee its network contract or. This statement is based on GAO's [Government Accountability Office] June 2017 report (GAO -17- 569 ). For this report, GAO reviewed FirstNet documentation, key contract oversight practices identified in federal regulations and other sources, tribal communication practices identified by federal agencies, and assessed FirstNet's efforts and plans against these practices. GAO also interviewed FirstNet officials and a nongeneralizable selection of public safety, tribal, and other stakeholders selected to obtain a variety of viewpoints. [...] In June 2017, GAO recommended that FirstNet fully explore tribal stakeholders' concerns and assess its long- term staffing needs. FirstNet agreed with GAO's recommendations and described action s to address them."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-10-12
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Executive Order 13813: Promoting Healthcare Choice and Competition Across the United States
"It shall be the policy of the executive branch, to the extent consistent with law, to facilitate the purchase of insurance across State lines and the development and operation of a healthcare system that provides high-quality care at affordable prices for the American people. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), however, has severely limited the choice of healthcare options available to many Americans and has produced large premium increases in many State individual markets for health insurance. The average exchange premium in the 39 States that are using www.healthcare.gov in 2017 is more than double the average overall individual market premium recorded in 2013. The PPACA has also largely failed to provide meaningful choice or competition between insurers, resulting in one-third of America's counties having only one insurer offering coverage on their applicable government-run exchange in 2017."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2017-10-12
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 2593: Federal Maritime Commission Authorization Act of 2017
"H.R. 2593 would authorize appropriations totaling $129 million over the 2018-2019 period for activities related to waterborne transportation and commerce. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that enacting the bill would cost $129 million over the 2018-2022 period. Enacting H.R. 2593 would decrease revenues by an insignificant amount; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2593 would not increase net direct spending or significantly affect on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028. H.R. 2593 would impose intergovernmental and private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA). CBO estimates that the cost of the mandate on public entities would fall below the annual threshold established in UMRA for intergovernmental mandates ($78 million in 2017, adjusted annually for inflation). CBO cannot determine whether the cost of the mandates on private-entities would exceed the annual threshold established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($156 million in 2017, adjusted annually for inflation)."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-10-12
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 146: Border Security Technology Accountability Act of 2017
"S. 146 would direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to improve the planning, documentation, and management of certain programs to acquire border security technology. The bill also would require DHS to submit a plan to the Congress to ensure that such programs comply with federal acquisition policies. Based on the cost of similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing S. 146 would cost less than $500,000, subject to the availability of appropriated funds. There are ongoing efforts within DHS to carry out the actions required by the bill and improve the overall management of technology programs for border security."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-10-12
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 1769: Connected Government Act
"S. 1769 would require all federal agencies that create or update a website intended for use by the public to ensure that the website is mobile friendly. A mobile friendly website is defined as one that is configured in such a way that it may be easily navigated and viewed on a smartphone, tablet computer, or similar mobile device. In addition, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the General Services Administration (GSA), would report on the implementation of these requirements within 18 months."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-10-12
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Combating Wildlife Trafficking: Agencies Are Taking Action to Reduce Demand but Could Improve Collaboration in Southeast Asia, Report to Congressional Requesters
"Wildlife trafficking--illegal trade in wildlife --is estimated to be worth $7 billion to $23 billion annually and, according to State [Department of State], continues to push some protected and endangered animal species to the brink of extinction. In 2013, President Obama issued an executive order that established an interagency Task Force charged with developing a strategy to guide U.S. efforts to combat wildlife trafficking [CWT]. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review U.S. agencies' CWT efforts. GAO's September 2016 report on wildlife trafficking focused on supply side activities ( GAO-16-717) . This report focuses on demand side activities and examines, among other things, (1) what is known about the demand for illegal wildlife and wildlife products in the United States and in Asia and (2) actions agencies are taking to reduce demand for illegal wildlife products in the United States and in Asia. GAO reviewed information from U.S. agencies and international and nongovernmental organizations and interviewed U.S. officials in Washington, D .C. , and Miami, Florida, and U.S. and foreign government officials in China, Thailand, and Vietnam. [...] GAO recommends that Interior [Department of the Interior], State, and USAID [U.S. Agency for International Development] work to clarify roles and responsibilities for staff collaborating on combating wildlife trafficking efforts in Southeast Asia. Agencies agreed with GAO's recommendations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-10-12
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Federal Criminal Restitution: Factors to Consider for a Potential Expansion of Federal Courts' Authority to Order Restitution, Report to Congressional Committees
"Victims of federal crimes may be compensated for their losses through criminal proceedings when federal court s order restitution during a defendant's sentencing. Federal law dictates the crimes for which restitution is mandatory versus discretionary and what types of losses may be compensated. Federal prosecutors and Department of Justice officials are responsible for proving and litigating issues related to victims' losses for restitution orders , enforcing orders of restitution, and collecting criminal debt, including unpaid restitution. The Justice for All Reauthorization Act of 2016, Pub. L. No. 114- 324, contains a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to conduct a review on the factors that should be considered when broadening restitution provisions. This report describes factors stakeholders believe should be considered for a potential expansion of federal courts' authority to award restitution. To gather information on factors, GAO interviewed a non- generalizable group of stakeholders knowledgeable about the restitution process , including individuals and entities representing federal judges and court officials, federal prosecutors and Department of Justice officials, victims, and defendants and their counsel. GAO also reviewed relevant federal laws , legal cases, agency documentation, summary data on orders for restitution from fiscal years 1996 through 2016, and the amount of outstanding restitution debt owed in federal cases as of the end of fiscal year 2016."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-10-12
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 425: FTO Passport Revocation Act of 2017
"H.R. 425 would authorize the Department of State to deny a passport or revoke an existing one for any U.S. citizen that the department finds has helped a foreign terrorist organization. The department would be required to report to the Congress each time it uses that authority. The department has used broader authorities under current law to deny or revoke passports in such cases; the bill would provide overlapping specific authority. Citizens who have been denied a passport or had one revoked are entitled to an administrative hearing and the department bears the costs associated with such hearings. Those individuals may also choose to pursue legal action. Based on an analysis of information from the department, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] expects that under the bill the number of passports being denied or revoked would not increase significantly. On that basis, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost less than $500,000 over the 2018-2022 period, subject to the availability of appropriated funds."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-10-11
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Physical Security: NIST and Commerce Need to Complete Efforts to Address Persistent Challenges, Report to Congressional Requesters
"NIST [National Institute of Standards and Technology] is the United States' national physical laboratory, which among other matters is responsible for developing measurement standards. In 2017, NIST, located within Commerce [Department of Commerce], employed approximately 3,500 federal personnel and hosted about 4,000 associates, who include guest researchers and facility users, among others. Assessments in 2015 found issues with NIST's security culture. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to conduct a comprehensive review of the physical security of NIST's campuses. This report examines the extent to which: (1) NIST incorporated key practices to transform the security program and address security vulnerabilities; (2) the security program's organizational structure reflect s best practices; and (3) the risk management process aligns with ISC [Interagency Security Committee] standards . GAO reviewed risk assessments and related documents; interviewed officials from Commerce and NIST; conducted a generalizable survey of NIST staff; and performed covert vulnerability testing, which provided illustrative examples. [...] GAO is making four recommendations: NIST should incorporate elements of key practices into its ongoing security efforts; Commerce, in coordination with NIST, should evaluate the current physical security management structure; and Commerce and NIST should both finalize and implement coordinated risk management policies. Commerce concurred with all four recommendations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-10-11
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Physical Security: NIST and Commerce Need to Complete Efforts to Address Challenges, Statement of Seto J. Bagdoyan, Director, Forensic Audits and Investigative Service, Testimony Before the Subcommittees on Oversight and Research and Technology, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, House of Representatives
"Thank you for the opportunity to discuss our work on the physical security program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST is responsible for providing the measurements, calibrations, and quality -assurance techniques that underpin commerce, technological progress, improved product reliability, and manufacturing processes in the United States. In 2017, NIST, located within the Department of Commerce (Commerce), employed approximately 3,500 federal personnel and hosted 4,000 associates, who include guest researchers and facility users, among others. Recent incidents have raised questions about security vulnerabilities at NIST and the agency's ability to properly secure its physical facilities and assets. Specifically, in July 2015, a federal police officer at the NIST campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland, caused an explosion while attempting to illegally manufacture methamphetamine in a partially vacant laboratory building. In April 2016, an individual unaffiliated with NIST gained unauthorized access to a secured facility at NIST's Boulder, Colorado, campus and subsequently required medical attention. These incidents have also prompted efforts by NIST to transform its security program. Commerce and NIST currently share responsibilities for ensuring the security of NIST facilities. Specifically, the Office of Security (OSY) within Commerce is responsible for overseeing NIST's Police Services Group (PSG) and contract guards, as well as personnel and information security. NIST's Emergency Services Office manages physical security countermeasures, such as access control technology and closed-circuit televisions. Commerce is also responsible for protecting NIST facilities, assets, and employees from security threats or violent acts, in part by assessing risks to these facilities ."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-10-11
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Biodefense: Federal Efforts to Develop Biological Threat Awareness, Report to Congressional Requesters
"Biological threats come from a variety of sources and can pose a catastrophic danger to public health, animal and plant health, and national security. Threat awareness, which consists of activities such as collecting and analyzing intelligence, developing risk assessments, and anticipating future threats , is vital to help federal agencies identify necessary biodefense capabilities and ensure investments are prioritized to make effective use of federal funds. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review how key federal agencies develop and share threat awareness information, and how that information informs further investments in biodefense. This report describes : (1) the types of actions that key federal agencies have taken to develop biological threat awareness, and how that information is used to support investment decisions; (2) the extent to which these agencies have developed shared threat awareness; and (3) how DHS's NBACC [National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center] determines what additional threat characterization knowledge to pursue. GAO analyzed federal policies, directives, and strategies related to biodefense, as well as agency documents such as threat assessments and modeling studies. We identified five key biodefense agencies based on review of the roles designated in these documents. GAO interviewed officials from these agencies about threat awareness activities, and reviewed prior GAO work and related biodefense studies. Each of the key agencies reviewed a draft of this report and provided technical comments that GAO incorporated as appropriate."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-10-11
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Verification Review of District of Columbia's Management of Homeland Security Grant Program Awards for Fiscal Years 2010 Through 2012
"In September 2014, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued an audit report entitled, District of Columbia's Management of Homeland Security Grant Program Awards for Fiscal Years 2010 Through 2012 (OIG- 14-147). We conducted this verification review to evaluate whether the District of Columbia (DC) Homeland Security Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) adequately implemented prior recommendations and whether those recommendations achieved the intended results."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2017-10-10
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FEMA Daily Operations Briefings, October 8 - 14, 2017
This document is a compilation of all the FEMA Daily Operations Briefings from October 8 - 14, 2017. The FEMA Daily Operations Briefing provides an overview of the current emergency management situation nationwide and includes a summary of current significant events, weather activity, recent emergency declarations and projections for the coming week.
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2017-10-08?
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U.S. Farm Income Outlook for 2017 [October 4, 2017]
"According to USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS), national net farm income--a key indicator of U.S. farm well-being--is forecast at $63.4 billion in 2017, up 3% from last year. The forecast rise in 2017 net farm income comes after three consecutive years of decline from 2013's record high of $123.8 billion. Net farm income is calculated on an accrual basis. Net cash income (calculated on a cash-flow basis) is also projected to be up in 2017 but by a larger share (12.6%), driven largely by sales from previous years' inventory, to $100.4 billion. The 2017 net farm income forecast is substantially below the 10-year average of $86.4 billion and would be the second lowest since 2003 in inflation-adjusted dollars. This is primarily the result of the outlook for continued weak prices for corn, soybeans, and cotton. Most crops and livestock product prices remain significantly below the average for the period of 2011-2013, when prices for many major commodities attained record or near-record highs. Net farm income is down 49% since 2013; net cash income is down 26%. Farm-sector production expenses have fallen slightly over that period (-1%) but not nearly as quickly as commodity prices and revenue, thus contributing to lower aggregate income totals."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Schnepf, Randy
2017-10-07
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 3101: Strengthening Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Coordination in Our Ports Act of 2017
"H.R. 3101 would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expand efforts to enhance the cybersecurity of U.S. ports. The bill also would clarify that the Coast Guard, the agency within DHS primarily responsible for activities related to maritime security, is authorized to pursue efforts related to cybersecurity. Based on information from DHS, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that implementing H.R. 3101 would cost $38 million over the 2018-2022 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts. Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3101 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-10-06
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Premiums Under the National Flood Insurance Program as a Share of Household Income
"In September 2017, the Congressional Budget Office [CBO] published The National Flood Insurance Program: Financial Soundness and Affordability. 1 This letter responds to a request from your staff for additional information about that report. A section of that report compares premiums under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) with household income. Figure 5 (page 22) illustrates the finding that for most census tracts included in the analysis, the median premium for a policy on a primary single-family home was between 0.5 percent and 1.5 percent of the median household income in that census tract.2 (CBO did not have access to data on household income for individual NFIP policyholders, so the agency relied on median household income by census tract.)"
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-10-06
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 3328: Cuban Airport Security Act of 2017
"H.R. 3328 would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to report to the Congress on the status of security measures at international airports in Cuba. The bill also would direct DHS to establish an agreement with the Cuban government to permit U.S. federal air marshals to conduct missions on regularly scheduled passenger flights between the United States and Cuba and to allow inspectors from the Transportation Security Administration to access Cuban airports. Finally, the bill would prohibit U.S. air carriers from employing Cuban nationals unless those air carriers meet certain conditions."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-10-06
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GI Bills Enacted Prior to 2008 and Related Veterans' Educational Assistance Programs: A Primer [October 6, 2017]
"The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), previously named the Veterans Administration, has been providing veterans educational assistance (GI Bill®) benefits since 1944. The benefits have been intended, at various times, to compensate for compulsory service, encourage voluntary service, avoid unemployment, provide equitable benefits to all who served, and promote military retention. In general, the benefits provide grant aid to eligible individuals enrolled in approved educational and training programs. Since three of the GI Bills have overlapping eligibility requirements and the United States is expected to wind down involvement in active conflicts, Congress may consider phasing out one or more of the overlapping programs. This report describes the GI Bills enacted prior to 2008. Although participation in some programs has ended or is declining, the programs' evolution and provisions inform current policy."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Dortch, Cassandria
2017-10-06
