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• 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom

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  From the Webpage: "The Department of State submits this annual report to the Congress in compliance with section 102(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-292), as amended. This report covers the period between January 1 and December 31, 2021. U.S. embassies prepare the initial drafts of country chapters based on information from government officials, religious groups, nongovernmental organizations, journalists, human rights monitors, academics, media, and others. The Office of International Religious Freedom, based in Washington, collaborates in collecting and analyzing additional information, drawing on its consultations with foreign government officials, domestic and foreign religious groups, domestic and foreign nongovernmental organizations, multilateral and other international and regional organizations, journalists, academic experts, community leaders, and other relevant U.S. government institutions. 'The State Department's guiding principle is to ensure that all relevant information is presented as objectively, thoroughly, and fairly as possible. Motivations and accuracy of sources vary, however, and the Department of State is not in a position to verify independently all information contained in the reports. To the extent possible, the reports use multiple sources to increase comprehensiveness and reduce potential for bias. The views of any particular source are not necessarily those of the United States government. The report is designed to spotlight examples of government and societal action that typify and illuminate issues reported in each country. Specific inclusions or omissions should not be interpreted as a signal that a particular case is of greater or lesser importance to the U.S. government, or that a case is the only available example. Rather, the goal is to shed light on the nature, scope, and severity of actions impacting religious freedom through illustrative examples.'"

  United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

  2022-06-02
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 7606, Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act of 2022

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  From the Document: "H.R. 7606 would establish the Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters within the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to promote competition in the food and agriculture sectors. The bill also would authorize that office to investigate and prosecute violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921. H.R. 7606 would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to appoint a special investigator to head the new office and to serve as a liaison to the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission. The special investigator also would consult with the Department of Homeland Security regarding critical infrastructure in the food and agricultural sector. For this estimate, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] assumes that the legislation will be enacted late in fiscal year 2022; thus, any costs in 2022 would not be significant. Using information from the agency, CBO expects that USDA would hire 10 attorneys and other professionals to support the office at a cost of $2 million per year, though costs in 2023 would be lower because it would take time to hire all the staff. CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 7606 would cost $9 million over the 2022-2027 period; any spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Because the costs of implementing the bill are subject to future appropriation, CBO did not include the potential effects from behavioral changes (if any) that might result from actions the new office would undertake."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-06-02
• Latin America and the Caribbean: Fact Sheet on Leaders and Elections [Updated June 2, 2022]

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  From the Document: "This report provides the results of recent presidential elections in Latin America and the Caribbean. Below are three tables, organized by region, that include the date of each country's independence, the name of the most recently elected president or prime minister, and the projected date of the next presidential election. Information in this report was compiled from numerous sources, including the U.S. State Department, Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA's) World Fact Book, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Election Guide, Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), and other news sources."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Davis-Castro, Carla Y.

  2022-06-02
• Weapons Systems Annual Assessment: Challenges to Fielding Capabilities Faster Persist, Report to Congressional Committees

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  From the Highlights: "Congress included a provision in statute for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to review DOD's weapon programs. This report, GAO's 20th annual assessment, assesses the following aspects of DOD's costliest weapon programs: their characteristics and performance, and their implementation of knowledge-based acquisition practices, modern software development approaches, and cybersecurity practices. The report also describes industrial base challenges reported by weapon programs and DOD's efforts to assess these challenges. GAO identified programs for review based on cost and acquisition status; reviewed relevant legislation and policy; collected program office data; and interviewed DOD officials. [...] GAO is making two recommendations including that DOD update its industrial base assessment instruction to define the circumstances that would constitute a known or projected problem or substantial risk that a necessary industrial capability may be lost. DOD concurred with the recommendations."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• Economic and Commercial Diplomacy: State and Commerce Could Build on Efforts to Improve Coordination and Effectiveness, Report to Congressional Committees

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  From the Highlights: "The U.S. government has maintained an economic and commercial diplomacy program to help advance its national interests abroad in the global economy. State and Commerce have key roles in supporting U.S. businesses on foreign markets. The Championing American Business Through Diplomacy Act of 2019 includes provisions focused on the efforts of these agencies to support U.S. businesses abroad through economic and commercial diplomacy. The act includes a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to report on several issues related to State's and Commerce's efforts to support U.S. commercial interests abroad. This report examines the coordination and effectiveness of State's and Commerce's efforts. To examine these efforts, GAO assessed them against leading collaboration practices and federal standards. GAO also reviewed documentation; interviewed agency officials; reviewed program data; and analyzed State and Commerce performance data. [...] GAO is making 11 recommendations to State and Commerce to more fully incorporate leading collaboration practices into their MOU [memorandum of understanding] and joint cables, and one recommendation to State to consistently collect and record performance data. State and Commerce concurred with the recommendations."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• Defense Real Property: Developing Department-Wide Instructions and Adequate Internal Controls Should Help DOD Improve Recording of Transferred Assets, Report to Congressional Committees

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  From the Highlights: "DOD manages one of the largest real property portfolios within the federal government. This engagement was initiated in connection with the statutory requirement for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to audit the U.S. government's consolidated financial statements. DOD remains the only major federal agency that has been unable to obtain a financial audit opinion, partially because of its material weakness in internal control over financial reporting for real property assets. [...] This report examines the instructions, approaches, and internal controls that the DOD components used to identify and record the real property assets to be transferred. GAO interviewed Office of the Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and component officials, reviewed instructions, and analyzed key data to determine the approaches and internal controls that the military services followed to identify and record the transfers. [...] GAO is recommending that as DOD implements a department-wide real property strategy, it develop detailed instructions with adequate internal controls to fully implement the updated policy. DOD concurred."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• Pandemic Learning: Less Academic Progress Overall, Student and Teacher Strain, and Implications for the Future, Report to Congressional Committees

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  From the Highlights: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic disrupted learning for millions of students, educators, and families. Its effects continue to reverberate across the nation and produce challenges for schools that will likely be felt for years to come. In many respects, the 2020-21 school year offers insights and lessons on the struggles and successes that schools, educators, and parents faced. The CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act includes a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to report on its ongoing COVID-19 monitoring and oversight efforts. This report, the third in a series of three reports, examines (1) the effect of the pandemic on academic progress, and (2) implications, and strategies and resources identified by educators and parents to address ongoing challenges or future learning disruptions. To address these objectives, GAO contracted with Gallup to (1) conduct a nationally representative survey of elementary and secondary public school teachers and (2) arrange virtual discussion groups with teachers, principals, and parents of K [kindergarten]-12 students. The overall response rate was 8.2 percent (using the American Association for Public Opinion Research's response rate 3, which accounts for the estimated eligibility rate of non-respondents). GAO analyzed the resulting survey data and discussion group information. GAO estimated margins of error at the 95 percent confidence level."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• Electricity Grid: DOE Should Address Lessons Learned from Previous Disasters to Enhance Resilience, Report to Congressional Committees

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  From the Highlights: "Natural disasters, such as cyclones, earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires, and severe storms--and the power outages resulting from these disasters--have affected millions of customers and cost billions of dollars. The growing severity of wildfires and extreme weather events in recent years has been a principal contributor to an increase in the frequency and duration of power outages in the U.S. Federal agencies, such as DOE [Department of Energy] and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, play a significant role in disaster response, recovery, and resilience. This report (1) identifies lessons learned from federal, state, and other entities' responses to selected disasters that affected the electricity grid from 2017 to 2021; and (2) examines federal agency actions to address those lessons learned. [...] GAO [Government Accountability Office] is making one recommendation: that DOE establish a comprehensive approach to enhance coordination among its disaster response, grid recovery, and technical assistance efforts, including integrating lessons learned from prior disasters. DOE agreed with GAO's recommendation."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• Electronic Health Records: Additional DOD Actions Could Improve Cost and Schedule Estimating for New System, Report to Congressional Committees

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  From the Highlights: "DOD operates one of the nation's largest health care systems providing health care to about 9.6 million beneficiaries. It relies on multiple legacy electronic health record systems to create, maintain, and manage patient health information. DOD determined that these systems, implemented over the past three decades, require modernization and replacement with a comprehensive, real-time electronic health record, MHS [Military Health System] GENESIS. [...] GAO [Government Accountability Office] is making two recommendations to DOD that it develop reliable cost and schedule estimates for the MHS GENESIS program that are consistent with GAO-identified best practices. DOD concurred with GAO's recommendations."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• Unemployment Insurance: Pandemic Programs Posed Challenges, and DOL Could Better Address Customer Service and Emergency Planning, Report to Congressional Requesters

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  From the Highlights: "In the wake of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic and subsequent shutdowns, the nation experienced historic levels of job loss and an expansion of the UI [Unemployment Insurance] system. The CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act created three new, federally funded temporary UI programs that expanded eligibility, enhanced benefits, and extended benefit duration. DOL [Department of Labor] has reported about $658 billion in compensation paid as of April 30, 2022. The CARES Act includes a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to monitor federal efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This report examines (1) selected states' challenges with implementing the temporary UI programs and efforts to address those challenges; (2) DOL's support and monitoring of the programs, including efforts to address improper payments; and (3) the economic effects of expanding UI benefits in adverse times. [...] GAO is making two recommendations to DOL to identify and provide UI customer service best practices and assess lessons learned from the pandemic. DOL partially agreed with the first recommendation, and agreed with the second, and noted plans to address them."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• International Space Station: Opportunities Exist to Improve Communication with National Laboratory Users, Report to Congressional Committees

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  From the Highlights: "Statute generally requires that a portion of the U.S. allocated research capacity be guaranteed to experiments on the national laboratory for non-NASA users like commercial entities. CASIS [Center for the Advancement of Science in Space] is responsible for selecting which non-NASA users can use the laboratory. In 2019, NASA commissioned an independent review that identified various challenges at CASIS, including poor communication with the user community. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review CASIS and NASA activities related to the laboratory. Among other objectives, this report assesses the extent to which CASIS obtains input from and provides information to laboratory users. [...] GAO is making four recommendations to NASA, including that it ensures CASIS (1) obtains input from its user advisory committee about resource allocation decisions, (2) takes steps to agree upon needed information about past allocations, and (3) provides the committee more information about planned resource allocations. NASA agreed with the first two recommendations, and partially agreed with the third, noting challenges with providing the flight queue. GAO continues to believe NASA has opportunities to provide additional information, as discussed in the report."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance: Federal Program Supported Contingent Workers Amid Historic Demand, but DOL Should Examine Racial Disparities in Benefit Receipt

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  From the Highlights: "In response to widespread unemployment caused by the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, the CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act created the federal PUA [Pandemic Unemployment Assistance] program. The first program of its kind and scale, PUA temporarily expanded unemployment benefits to workers generally ineligible for UI [unemployment insurance], such as self-employed and contingent workers--those without traditional employment arrangements. The CARES Act includes a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to monitor federal efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. This report examines (1) how state implementation of PUA varied, (2) how the pandemic affected contingent workers in selected states, and to what extent the UI system assisted them, and (3) how PUA benefit receipt varied by demographic characteristics. GAO interviewed officials from DOL and five states selected for variation in claims volume and implementation timing. GAO also analyzed PUA data obtained from the selected states and data DOL collects from all states. In two states, GAO held discussions with contingent workers who applied for PUA. GAO also reviewed relevant federal law and program guidance."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• Unemployment Insurance: Transformation Needed to Address Program Design, Infrastructure, and Integrity Risks, Report to Congressional Addressees

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  From the Highlights: "A high-risk designation is intended to help spur progress in areas needing transformation. The UI [Unemployment Insurance] system has faced long-standing challenges with effective service delivery and program integrity. The historic levels of job loss during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic worsened existing challenges. Congress created four new UI programs to support workers during the pandemic. However, unprecedented demand for benefits and the need to quickly implement the new programs presented challenges for states and increased risks of improper payments, including from fraud. This report examines (1) challenges in responding to the needs of unemployed workers and economic changes; (2) risks of improper payments, including from fraud; (3) the extent to which UI experienced impaired performance and financial loss; and (4) potential options for UI transformation suggested by stakeholder panels. [...] GAO [Government Accountability Office] recommends that DOL [Department of Labor] develop and implement a plan for transforming UI that meets GAO's high-risk criteria for transformations. DOL agreed with the recommendation and described actions it is taking to address it."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• People's Republic of China State-Sponsored Cyber Actors Exploit Network Providers and Devices

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  From the Summary: "This joint Cybersecurity Advisory describes the ways in which People's Republic of China (PRC) state-sponsored cyber actors continue to exploit publicly known vulnerabilities in order to establish a broad network of compromised infrastructure. These actors use the network to exploit a wide variety of targets worldwide, including public and private sector organizations. The advisory details the targeting and compromise of major telecommunications companies and network service providers and the top vulnerabilities--primarily Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs)--associated with network devices routinely exploited by the cyber actors since 2020."

  United States. National Security Agency; United States. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency; United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation

  2022-06
• Missile Defense: Better Oversight and Coordination Needed for Counter-Hypersonic Development, Report to Congressional Committees

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  From the Highlights: "Since MDA [Missile Defense Agency] was established in 2002, the Department of Defense has spent over $174 billion to equip operational commanders with a network of sensors, interceptors and command and control capabilities collectively called the Missile Defense System. Since 2017, MDA's mission has broadened to include hypersonic weapons, which are difficult to track and defeat because they are capable of maneuvering during flight. Congress included provisions in legislation for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to annually assess MDA's progress toward meeting its acquisition goals. This report--the 19th to date--assesses (1) MDA's progress achieving its delivery and testing goals for fiscal year 2021, and (2) MDA's efforts to defend against hypersonic weapons."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• Environmental Liabilities: Improvements Needed to Measure Progress of Cleanup of Formerly Used Defense Sites, Report to the Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives

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  From the Highlights: "The estimated cost to the federal government of cleaning up environmental contamination, referred to as environmental liabilities, was $613 billion in fiscal year 2021. This is an increase from $465 billion in fiscal year 2017. DOD's fiscal year 2021 share of environmental liabilities was the second highest among federal agencies, at about $82 billion. Federal law authorizes DOD to identify, investigate, and clean up contamination from hazardous substances and military munitions that it caused on properties used for military purposes and that were conveyed out of DOD's jurisdiction prior to 1986. These types of contamination can harm both humans and the environment. House Report 116-120 included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to review the various elements of FUDS [Formerly Used Defense Sites]. Among other objectives, this report (1) describes the scope and costs of cleaning up FUDS and the reliability of the estimates and (2) examines how DOD selects FUDS for cleanup."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• Public Health Preparedness: Medical Countermeasure Development for Certain Serious or Life-Threatening Conditions, Report to Congressional Committees

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  From the Highlights: "Past bioterrorist attacks, such as the anthrax attacks of 2001, highlight the threat of widespread illness and death posed by CBRN [chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear] agents and the importance of medical countermeasures. GAO [Government Accountability Office] has previously reported on the challenges of developing medical countermeasures. Medical countermeasures may need to be developed and approved under FDA's Animal Rule. The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019 included a provision for GAO to review medical countermeasure development under the Animal Rule. In this report GAO describes (1) FDA efforts to support medical countermeasure developers under the Animal Rule, and (2) the extent of animal model qualification under FDA's Animal Model Qualification Program, and the effect of qualified models on medical countermeasure development."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• Science & Tech Spotlight: Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)

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  From the Document: "A non-fungible token (NFT) is a digital identifier, similar to a certificate of ownership, that represents a digital or physical asset. In general, a non-fungible asset is unique and not interchangeable with others. An NFT, like an original painting, has its own unique value. By contrast, fungible assets are interchangeable, like dollar bills or units of a cryptocurrency. The most widespread use of the technology is currently for digital collectibles, like the NFT for a digital collage that sold for $69.3 million in March 2021. [...] NFTs could enable a decentralized marketplace for music or other creative work, allowing creators to collect revenue for digital assets directly and automatically, rather than through a third party. [...] Typically, buyers purchase NFTs with digital currency, but legal tender, other assets, or credit could also be used. Most NFTs are not the asset itself. In the case of a physical asset, they represent ownership of the asset. For digital assets, they represent ownership of the unique code linked to or associated with the asset's metadata--information about the asset, such as the creation date, size, or where it is stored on the internet. In the case of a digital image, others may be able to see the asset or even download a copy, but the NFT proves which digital image is the original and can, in conjunction with other information, show who owns the NFT. NFTs rely on smart contracts--computer code that automatically executes a transaction when stipulated conditions are met. For example, a smart contract could stipulate that the original creator will receive a percentage of all subsequent sales of the NFT."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• Critical Minerals: Building on Federal Efforts to Advance Recovery and Substitution Could Help Address Supply Risks, Report to the Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Senate Committee on Appropriations

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  From the Highlights: "The U.S. is heavily reliant on imports of many minerals, such as cobalt and lithium, which are essential for manufacturing advanced technologies (see figure). Supply chains for many of these minerals are also vulnerable to various risks, such as foreign government actions. In 2018, Interior designated 35 minerals and mineral groups whose supply chains are vulnerable to disruption as essential to our nation's economic and national security. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review federal efforts to advance critical minerals recovery and substitution. This report (1) identifies key challenges affecting efforts to advance critical minerals recovery and substitution in the U.S., and (2) examines the extent to which federal agencies have taken actions to advance recovery and substitution."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• Global Food Security: Coordination of U.S. Assistance Can Be Improved, Report to the Acting Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, House Committee on Appropriations

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  From the Highlights: "The number of food-insecure people has increased since 2014, and an estimated 768 million people were undernourished in 2020, according to the United Nations. The Global Food Security Act of 2016 required the President to coordinate the development and implementation of a whole-of-government global food security strategy. According to the GFSS [U.S. Government Global Food Security Strategy], increased interagency engagement is intended to build effective coordination among agencies that contribute to global food security. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review U.S. global food security assistance. This report examines (1) U.S. agency coordination of global food security assistance at the global level and in selected countries; (2) the extent to which U.S. agencies coordinate this assistance in accordance with leading collaboration practices; and (3) U.S. agencies' management of any duplication, overlap, or fragmentation of assistance in the selected countries. GAO reviewed GFSS documents and interviewed representatives of GFSS agencies and other stakeholders, including implementing partners and host governments in Bangladesh, Guatemala, Kenya, and Niger. GAO selected these countries using criteria such as geographic diversity and high levels of U.S. food security funding. [...] GAO is making two recommendations to USAID to ensure all relevant agencies are included in planning and coordination of food security assistance and can readily access information about each other's current and planned assistance. USAID [U.S. Agency for International Development] concurred with both recommendations."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• White House Action Plan on Global Water Security

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  From the Introduction: "'Recognizing that global water security is essential to U.S. national security, this Action Plan lays out an innovative, whole-of-government approach to this challenge.' It identifies key pillars of this approach that address the full scope of global water issues and will mobilize departments and agencies around concrete actions to achieve our vision of a water-secure world. The Action Plan will be operationalized through the U.S. Global Water Strategy (GWS), mandated by the Congress in the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2014; the next revision of the GWS will be submitted to the Congress in early fall 2022 as directed. The approach emphasizes the need to explicitly link water security to national security to improve global resilience; elevate data-driven methods; use resources more efficiently; and work in partnership with states, Tribes, local governments, and Indigenous peoples, as well as non-governmental entities including the private sector."

  United States. White House Office

  2022-06-01?
• International Development Association: Additional Information Sharing Could Enhance U.S. Treasury Oversight of Key Risks, Report to Congressional Requesters

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  From the Highlights: "The U.S. is one of the largest contributors to IDA [International Development Association]. IDA has traditionally financed its operations primarily by raising funds every 3 years from donors like the U.S. and using funding from loan repayments. In 2015, UN members adopted the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals to address global challenges such as poverty. To help low-income countries meet these goals, IDA in 2018 began issuing bonds on the capital markets to raise additional funds to provide more loans. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review IDA's financial model. This report examines: (1) IDA's funding sources and allocations; (2) how market borrowing has affected IDA's process for assessing countries' financing needs, and IDA's financial and risk management framework; (3) how IDA assesses key risks to its financial sustainability; and (4) the extent to which Treasury oversees IDA's financial and risk management. GAO reviewed and analyzed IDA financial documents, data on IDA's funding from fiscal years 2012 through 2025, and Treasury documents. GAO also interviewed IDA and Treasury officials, and development finance experts. [...] GAO recommends that Treasury direct the U.S. Executive Director of IDA to request that IDA provide to its Board of Directors 1) more information on the model IDA uses to estimate the total risk it faces from borrower country defaults and 2) information on the steps IDA is taking to account for incomplete debt data as it measures risks of borrower defaults. Treasury concurred with both recommendations."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• U.S. Government Procurement and International Trade [Updated June 1, 2022]

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  From the Document: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has demonstrated that U.S. companies and the federal government rely heavily on global supply chains. This has prompted congressional interest in better understanding the role of international trade in U.S. government procurement. As such, Members have sought ways to incentivize U.S.-based production by prioritizing the procurement of domestic goods and services, while upholding U.S. commitments under various international trade agreements. Separately, the Trump and Biden Administrations have issued executive orders that aim to maximize the procurement of domestic goods and services and increase oversight of waivers that would allow government purchases of foreign goods. Within this context, Members have raised questions regarding how federal agency acquisitions comply with two domestic sourcing laws: namely, the Buy American Act of 1933 (BAA, 41 U.S.C. [United States Code] §§8301-8305) and Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (TAA, 19 U.S.C. §§2501-2581). Although both BAA and TAA have provisions that affect trade, there is a critical difference between their respective requirements. Whereas BAA operates as a 'price preference' for U.S. products, TAA establishes a 'prohibition' on procuring products and services from nondesignated foreign countries, unless one of TAA's exceptions applies."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schwarzenberg, Andres B.

  2022-06-01
• WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) [Updated June 1, 2022]

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  From the Document: "During the past 50 years, the United States has played a prominent role in developing international trade rules on government procurement. Most U.S. free trade agreements include government procurement obligations. The most notable international procurement agreement to which the United States is a party is the World Trade Organization (WTO)'s Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA). The GPA has opened procurement opportunities around the world to foreign competition, worth trillions of U.S. dollars annually. It also requires parties to establish transparent and nondiscriminatory rules for covered procurement. In particular, the agreement enables U.S. businesses to bid for certain government contracts in the markets of other GPA parties. Likewise, it allows foreign businesses to bid for contracts tendered by U.S. procuring entities in areas where federal and state governments have agreed to open up their procurement markets. The WTO estimates the size of the procurement market covered by the GPA at $1.7 trillion; data limitations make it difficult to quantify accurately the extent to which governments acquire goods and services from suppliers of other GPA parties."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schwarzenberg, Andres B.

  2022-06-01
• Wildfire Statistics [Updated June 1, 2022]

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  From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned 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 (NFS). 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. Wildfire statistics help to illustrate past U.S. wildfire activity."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Hanson, Laura A.; Hoover, Katie

  2022-06-01
• Border Patrol: Actions Needed to Improve Checkpoint Oversight and Data, Report to Congressional Requesters

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  From the Highlights: "Border Patrol has primary responsibility for securing the border between U.S. ports of entry. As part of its border enforcement strategy, Border Patrol operates immigration checkpoints where Border Patrol agents screen vehicles to identify people of foreign nationality who are potentially removable and they may enforce U.S. criminal law, such as seizing illegal drugs and interdicting human smugglers. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review Border Patrol's use of immigration checkpoints. This report examines: (1) available data about Border Patrol checkpoint activity, (2) the extent Border Patrol collects reliable data about checkpoint activity, and (3) how Border Patrol oversees checkpoint operations, among other objectives. [...] GAO is making seven recommendations, including that Border Patrol take several actions to strengthen checkpoint oversight and data. DHS concurred with each of the recommendations."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2022-06
• Drought Resilience Interagency Working Group 1-Year Summary Report

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  From the Document: "In April 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration launched the Drought Resilience Interagency Working Group (IWG) to address worsening drought conditions in the United States and to support farmers, ranchers, Tribes, and communities impacted by ongoing water shortages. The Drought Resilience IWG reports to the National Climate Task Force and is one of five White House Resilience IWGs tackling climate impacts. [...] The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provides historic investments of over $13 billion to help communities meet water supply demands through a wide variety of infrastructure improvements; this funding follows-through on the President's promise to build climate resilience, and focus on water efficiency, storage, conveyance, recycling, and watershed protection. In particular, the Drought Resilience IWG members are working to effectively deploy the $8.3 billion in BIL funds for the Department of Interior's Bureau of Reclamation's to increase water resilience and the $918 million BIL investment in USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service for watershed infrastructure projects. The IWG also has coordinated drought relief activities in hard-hit watersheds including the Klamath, Rio Grande, California's Central Valley and the Colorado River Basin, and has launched a Federal-State task force with the Western Governors' Association to advance drought and soil monitoring systems. This report provides a summary of the work that is proceeding under the auspices of the Drought Resilience IWG."

  United States. White House Office

  2022-06
• FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin: June 2022

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  This June 2022 edition of the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin contains the following content: "Compassion Fatigue Among Officers"; "Focus on Training: Addressing the Opioid Epidemic"; "Officer Wellness Spotlight: Prevention and Early Detection of Heart Disease"; "Bulletin Honors: Round Rock Police K-9 Memorial"; and "Bulletin Notes."

  United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation

  2022-06
• Police in Conflict: Lessons from the U.S. Experience in Afghanistan

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  From the Document: "Developing police capabilities in the midst of conflict is a problem the United States is certain to face in the future--yet it has long been the weakest link in the U.S. security sector assistance portfolio. The U.S. government lacks coordination among agencies that deal with foreign police assistance, a coherent theory of change for police reform, and a clear doctrine on the role of police in counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations. Nowhere has this failure been more apparent in recent years than in Afghanistan. 'Police in Conflict: Lessons from U.S. and International Police Assistance Efforts in Afghanistan' is the 12th lessons learned report to be issued by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. In this report, we explore the reasons behind the United States' inability to create an effective police force in that country--a failure that has much to teach us for future efforts elsewhere."

  United States. Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction

  2022-06
• State's Third Party Monitoring and Oversight of Its Conventional Weapons Destruction Program in Afghanistan: Audit of Costs Incurred by Norwegian People's Aid

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  From the Document: "On September 27, 2017, the U.S. Department of State (State) awarded a $1,000,000 cooperative agreement to Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) to support the third party monitoring and oversight of State's Conventional Weapons Destruction (CWD) program in Afghanistan. The program's objectives were to provide personnel, resources, supplies, and grant management and advisory services to 15 or more of State's CWD projects. State modified the contract nine times; the total award amount increased to $11,505,605, and the period of performance extended from August 31, 2018, to July 15, 2022. SIGAR's [Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction's] financial audit, performed by Davis Farr LLP [limited liability partnership] (Davis Farr), reviewed $8,827,764 in costs charged to the agreement from September 27, 2017, through July 15, 2021. [...] Davis Farr did not find any material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in NPA's internal controls, or any instances of noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the agreement. Accordingly, the auditors did not find any questioned costs."

  United States. Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction

  2022-06