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• Fact Sheet on U.S. Security Assistance for Ukraine [April 22, 2022]

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  From the Webpage: "As of April 22, the United States has now committed more than $4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration, including approximately $3.4 billion since the beginning of Russia's unprovoked invasion on February 24. On April 21, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at up to an additional $800 million tailored to meet critical Ukrainian needs for today's fight as Russian forces launch a renewed offensive in eastern Ukraine. This authorization is the eighth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021."

  United States. Department of Defense

  2022-04-22
• National Drug Control Strategy [2022]

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  From the Document: "I am pleased to transmit the 2022 'National Drug Control Strategy'. This inaugural 'Strategy' proposes bold, targeted, and consequential actions to bend the curve on overdose deaths in the immediate term and reduce drug use and its damaging consequences over the longer term. These actions are based on the best science, evidence, and data available. Through them, we strive to usher in a new era of drug policy centered on individuals and communities. [...] Saving lives is our North Star, and the 2022 'National Drug Control Strategy' calls for immediate actions that will save lives in the short term and outlines long-term solutions to reduce drug use and its associated harms, including overdose."

  United States. White House Office; United States. Executive Office of the President; United States. Office of National Drug Control Policy

  2022-04-21?
• EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 22 Issue 16, April 21, 2022

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  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: "NIOSH [National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health] announces new study on cancers linked to 9/11"; "FEMA updates 25 NIMS [National Incident Management System] resource types for fire management and suppression"; "NIST [National Institute of Standards and Technology] releases first-of-its-kind holistic home and community wildfire protection methodology"; "Webinar: How is 5G [fifth generation] impacting emergency communications?"; "CISA [Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency], FBI, NSA [National Security Agency], and international partners issue advisory on demonstrated threats and capabilities of Russian state-sponsored and cybercriminal actors"; "North Korean state-sponsored APT [advanced persistent threat] targets blockchain companies"; "Ransomware attacks on agricultural cooperatives potentially timed to critical seasons"; "BlackCat/ALPHV Ransomware Indicators of Compromise"; "Wind turbine firm Nordex hit by Conti ransomware attack"; and "CISA expands the joint cyber defense collaborative to include industrial control systems industry expertise."

  Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)

  2022-04-21
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 7372, Protecting Semiconductor Supply Chain Materials from Authoritarians Act

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  From the Document: "H.R. 7372 would require the President to establish an interagency working group to address issues in the supply chain for semiconductors that are caused by Russia's attack on Ukraine. The working group would be chaired by the Secretary of State and include other relevant federal agencies. The bill would require the working group to report to the Congress on current supply chain disruptions and on steps the United States has taken to bolster the supply of elements, compounds, or products for semiconductors. In addition, the working group would be required to provide annual reports for five years on strategies to mitigate future disruptions of global supply chains. On the basis of information about the costs of similar activities, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that the costs of implementing the bill's requirements would total less than $500,000 in 2022 and would total $1 million over the 2022-2026 period. Such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-04-21
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 6651, Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act

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  From the Document: "H.R. 6651 would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force to review existing research on Pacific salmon, identify areas where additional research is necessary, and support sustainable management of salmon in Alaska. The task force also would be required to establish at least one working group to study salmon migration in particular regions of western Alaska. Within one year of the task force's establishment, the task force would be required to report to the Congress on its findings and any recommendations for additional areas of research that would benefit salmon sustainability. The bill would require that each member of the task force serve without compensation. Using information about the cost of similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 6651 would increase costs by less than $500,000 over the 2022-2026 period because we expect that most activities of the task force would be completed without federal assistance."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-04-21
• USMCA: Motor Vehicle Rules of Origin [April 21, 2022]

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  From the Document: "The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), approved by Congress on January 16, 2020, entered into force on July 1, 2020. [...] A major issue concerns the new rules of origin for the motor vehicle industry, which were relatively contentious in the USMCA negotiations and debate surrounding its passage. Rules of origin (ROO) are the criteria used to determine the national origin of a product. Most free trade agreements have ROO provisions to determine which goods traded between member countries are eligible for preferential treatment. They generally seek to ensure that the benefits of the agreement are granted to goods primarily produced by a member country (and therefore subject to the entirety of its commitments) rather than to goods made wholly, or in large part, in other countries. Under USMCA, most goods that contain materials from non-USMCA countries may be considered as North American (i.e., eligible for preferential treatment) if the materials are sufficiently transformed in the region and the transformation results in a change in tariff classification (called a 'tariff shift'). USMCA's general rule is that the regional value content (RVC) is not less than 60% if the 'transaction-value' method is used, or not less than 50% if the 'net-cost' method is used. Producers generally have the option to choose which method they use, with some exceptions, such as the motor vehicle industry, which must use the net-cost method."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Wong, Liana; Villarreal, M. Angeles

  2022-04-21
• Russia's Nuclear Weapons: Doctrine, Forces, and Modernization [Updated April 21, 2022]

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  From the Summary: "Russia's nuclear forces consist of both long-range, strategic systems--including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and heavy bombers--and shorter- and medium-range delivery systems. Russia is modernizing its nuclear forces, replacing Soviet-era systems with new missiles, submarines and aircraft while developing new types of delivery systems. Although Russia's number of nuclear weapons has declined sharply since the end of Cold War, it retains a stockpile of thousands of warheads, with more than 1,500 warheads deployed on missiles and bombers capable of reaching U.S. territory."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Woolf, Amy F.; Fink, Anya

  2022-04-21
• Defense Primer: Naval Forces [Updated April 21, 2022]

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  From the Document: "Although the term 'naval forces' is often used to refer specifically to Navy forces, it more properly refers to both Navy and Marine Corps forces, because both the Navy and Marine Corps are naval services. For further discussion, see CRS In Focus IF10484, 'Defense Primer: Department of the Navy', by Ronald O'Rourke [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=867070]. For a discussion of the Marine Corps that focuses on its organization as a ground-combat force, see CRS In Focus IF10571, 'Defense Primer: Organization of U.S. Ground Forces', by Barbara Salazar Torreon and Andrew Feickert [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=861615]."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2022-04-21
• Designation of Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status: Impact and Other Considerations [Updated April 21, 2022]

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  From the Document: "On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale attack [hyperlink] on Ukraine, a country of 43.7 million people. The United States and its allies have condemned [hyperlink] the invasion, and are imposing trade and financial sanctions [hyperlink] on Russia and enhancing their own military deterrence posture [hyperlink], while also providing aid to Ukraine. More than 4 million people [hyperlink] have fled as refugees to neighboring countries, and the United States pledged humanitarian assistance [hyperlink] in response to the crisis. The United States maintains deep and multifaceted relations [hyperlink] with Ukraine, and the country is a leading recipient [hyperlink] of U.S. foreign and military aid. As of 2019, more than 350,000 [hyperlink] foreign-born individuals from Ukraine resided in the United States. Some have U.S. citizenship and others have lawful permanent resident [hyperlink] (LPR) status. Still others have temporary statuses [hyperlink] (such as students, tourists, and temporary workers) and could see their authorized periods of admission end before it is safe to return; and some have no lawful immigration status. Those with temporary or no legal status could benefit from certain temporary immigration relief options."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Smith, Hillel R.; Wilson, Jill, 1974-; Santamaria, Kelsey Y.

  2022-04-21
• Farm Bill Primer: International Food Aid Programs, Mcgovern-Dole and Local and Regional Procurement [April 21, 2022]

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  From the Document: "The U.S. government administers international food assistance programs that aim to alleviate hunger and improve food security around the world. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers several of these programs, including the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (McGovern-Dole) and the Local and Regional Procurement Program (LRP). These two programs have several parallel provisions that aim to achieve the same goal of providing nonemergency food aid in an effort to help communities boost agricultural productivity, strengthen local food systems, and improve nutrition. This In Focus provides an overview of the McGovern-Dole and LRP programs, including their legislative authority, statutory requirements, funding trends, recent projects, and selected issues for Congress."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Nair, Amber D.

  2022-04-21
• Nonstructural Shoreline Stabilization Projects, or 'Beach Renourishment,' and the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) [April 21, 2022]

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  From the Document: "Coastal areas have often been popular sites for development for a variety of commercial, scientific, and personal purposes. The U.S. coastal areas are twice as developed [hyperlink] as the rest of the country, and such development has been increasing [hyperlink]. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that 127 million people [hyperlink] lived in coastal counties as of 2014 and that population density along the coast has been increasing [hyperlink]. However, such areas are also susceptible to erosion, flooding [hyperlink], and damage from severe storms [hyperlink] that can bring high winds, powerful waves, heavy precipitation, and storm surge. These challenges for people living and working along the coast are likely to increase with the impacts of climate change [hyperlink], such as sea level rise, potential changes in weather patterns, and potential exacerbation of algal blooms. Congress has sought to reduce federal incentives for additional development along coastal barriers. The Coastal Barrier Resources Act [hyperlink] (CBRA or 'act'; 16 U.S.C. §§ 3501-3510), enacted in 1982 and subsequently amended, restricts the use of new federal funding that may encourage development on or around certain coastal barriers. The CBRA imposes these restrictions 'to minimize the loss of human life, wasteful expenditure of federal revenues, and the damage to fish, wildlife, and other natural resources associated with the coastal barriers.' [hyperlink] The act allows for certain exceptions [hyperlink] to these restrictions, including one for nonstructural shoreline stabilization projects."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Ward, Erin H.

  2022-04-21
• H. Rept.117-292, P.1: Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022, Report Together with Minority Views to Accompany H.R. 350, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, April 21, 2022

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  From the Purpose and Summary: "Federal law enforcement agencies have reported that domestic violent extremists pose a steady and evolving threat of violence to our communities and especially to minority institutions. As threats and attacks have moved from one community to the next, the underlying drivers for domestic violent extremism--anti-government sentiment, racism, and anti-Semitism--have remained constant. H.R. 350, the ''Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022'' (DTPA), authorizes the creation of three offices, one each within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to monitor, investigate and prosecute cases of domestic terrorism. The newly created offices would provide joint biannual reports to Congress assessing the state of domestic terrorism threats, with a specific focus on white supremacists. In preparing the reports, the offices would review hate crime incidents to determine if those incidents also constituted domestic terrorism. Based on the data collected, DTPA requires the newly created offices to focus their resources on the most significant threats, as described in detail to Congress in the joint biannual report. DTPA also codifies the Domestic Terrorism Executive Committee, which would coordinate with United States Attorneys and other public safety officials to promote information sharing and ensure an effective, responsive, and organized joint effort to combat domestic terrorism. The legislation requires DOJ, FBI, and DHS to provide training and resources to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in understanding, detecting, deterring, and investigating acts of domestic terrorism and white supremacy. Finally, DTPA directs DHS, DOJ, FBI, and the Department of Defense (DoD) to establish an interagency task force to combat white supremacist infiltration of the uniformed services and federal law enforcement."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022-04-21
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 6023, Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2021

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  From the Document: "H.R. 6023 would direct the Postal Service (USPS) to continue to sell the Save Vanishing Species semipostal stamp until all are sold. Under current law, USPS can sell the stamps through September 30, 2022. The stamps cost 75 cents each; amounts that USPS collects above regular first-class postage (currently 58 cents) are treated as offsetting collections of the Postal Service and are transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to support the Multinational Species Conservation Funds. Using information on past sales, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that collections under the bill would total less than $1 million annually. CBO expects those amounts to be transferred soon after receipt, resulting in no net change in spending by USPS. Postal Service collections and spending, including the transfer to USFWS, are classified as off-budget. The amounts that USFWS receives would be recorded as on-budget offsetting receipts, or reductions in direct spending, and would be available for the agency to spend without further appropriation. CBO expects that those funds would be spent soon after receipt; thus, the net effect on direct spending would be negligible."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-04-20
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 3510, Disaster Resiliency Planning Act

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  From the Document: "S. 3510 would require the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to provide guidance to federal agencies on how to incorporate natural disaster resilience into their asset management and investment decisions. OMB would be required to collaborate with the Government Accountability Office and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in that effort and to report to the Congress on the bill's implementation. Under current law, the Administration has issued orders and memorandums concerning natural disaster resilience in federal agencies' management of property. As a result, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] expects that the net budgetary effects of the required guidance would not be significant. Those effects include increased costs for OMB to develop the guidance and for federal agencies to comply, reduced costs for property repairs, and the cost of the required reports. Spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Enacting S. 3510 could affect direct spending by some agencies that are allowed to use fees, receipts from the sale of goods, and other collections to cover operating costs. CBO estimates that any net changes in direct spending by those agencies would be negligible because most of them can adjust amounts collected to reflect changes in operating costs."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-04-20
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 6454, Small Business Advocacy Improvements Act of 2022

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  From the Document: "H.R. 6454 would expand the required duties of the Office of Advocacy at the Small Business Administration (SBA) to include examining the role of small business in the international economy. The bill also would direct the office to represent the views and interests of small businesses before foreign governments and international entities regarding regulatory and trade initiatives that may affect small business. Using information from the SBA, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that implementing H.R. 6454 would cost less than $500,000 for the agency to carry out the additional duties required under the bill; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-04-20
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 847, Promoting Digital Privacy Technologies Act

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  From the Document: "H.R. 847 would direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to conduct outreach on privacy-enhancing technologies and would require the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support related research. The bill also would direct the Office of Science and Technology Policy to report to the Congress on research in privacy-enhancing technologies and related policy recommendations. Based on the costs of similar activities, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that NIST would need three employees at an average annual cost of $175,000 annually to conduct the outreach. In recent years, the NSF has awarded between $20 million and $40 million annually in grants to support research on privacy-enhancing technologies. On that basis, CBO estimates that any additional costs incurred by the NSF under H.R. 847 would not be significant. In addition, CBO estimates that cost of the required report would be insignificant. In total, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 847 would cost $2 million over the 2022-2026 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-04-20
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 5973, Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Reauthorization Act of 2021

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  From the Document: "H.R. 5973 would authorize the appropriation of $8 million annually over the 2022-2027 period for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to provide grants and assistance for fish, wildlife, and habitat restoration within the Great Lakes Basin. For this estimate, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] assumes that the legislation will be enacted late in fiscal year 2022 and that the authorized amounts will be appropriated each year. In 2022, USFWS allocated $1 million for the program. CBO estimates that H.R. 5973 would authorize an increase in spending subject to appropriation in 2022 of $7 million, the difference between the authorized amount and the allocated amount. Based on historical spending patterns for similar activities, we estimate that implementing the bill would cost $31 million over the 2022-2026 period and $16 million after 2026."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-04-20
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 6930, Asset Seizure for Ukraine Reconstruction Act

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  From the Document: "H.R. 6930 would require the President to determine whether certain members of the Russian State Duma and the Russian Federation Council should be subject to existing sanctions. The President would be required to submit a report to the Congress on the imposition of additional sanctions. The bill also would establish an interagency working group to consider constitutional mechanisms that the Administration can use to confiscate assets of foreign persons whose wealth is linked to political support for President Putin. The group would be required to produce three reports on the findings of the working group, recommendations for additional energy sanctions, and additional authorities the President might need to take those steps."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-04-20
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 2699, American Cybersecurity Literacy Act of 2021

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  From the Document: "S. 2699 would direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to implement a campaign to increase cybersecurity literacy among the public. The bill would direct NIST to encourage people to mitigate risk by using publicly available resources. NIST also would be required to provide information on a variety of topics, including: [1] How to identify phishing emails; [2] The benefits of changing default passwords on hardware and software; [3] How to use anti-virus software, firewalls, and multi-factor authentication; [4] How to identify which devices (including home appliances and other smart devices) could pose cybersecurity risks; and [5] How to limit exposure within public Wi-Fi networks."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-04-20
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 7314, Assessing Xi's Interference and Subversion Act

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  From the Document: "H.R. 7314 would require the Department of State to assess and report periodically to the Congress on China's support for Russia's recent war against Ukraine. On the basis of information about the costs to prepare similar reports, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that satisfying that requirement would cost less than $500,000 over the 2022-2026 period. Such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-04-20
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 7340, a Bill to Provide for Congressional Oversight of Certain Sanctions Imposed with Respect to the Russian Federation

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  From the Document: "H.R. 7340 would require the Administration, upon receiving a request from the chair or ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs or the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, to assess and report to the Congress whether: [1] A foreign person or entity meets the criteria to be sanctioned under executive orders pertaining to malign activities by Russia; and [2] The Administration intends to impose such sanctions on that person or entity. On the basis of information about the costs to prepare similar reports, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that satisfying that requirement would cost less than $500,000 over the 2022-2026 period. Such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-04-20
• Investigation of the Mississippi State Penitentiary (Parchman)

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  From the Summary of the Report: "The United States Department of Justice (Department) conducted an investigation of the Mississippi State Penitentiary (Parchman) under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA). The investigation revealed that conditions at Parchman violate the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution. These violations are pursuant to a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of incarcerated persons' constitutional rights. Specifically, the Department provides notice of the following conditions that violate the constitutional rights of individuals incarcerated at Parchman: [1] 'MDOC fails to protect incarcerated persons from violence at the hands of other incarcerated persons.' [...] [2] 'MDOC fails to meet the serious mental health needs of persons incarcerated at Parchman.' [...] [3] 'MDOC fails to take adequate suicide prevention measures.' [...] [and] [4] 'MDOC's use of prolonged restrictive housing places persons incarcerated at Parchman at risk of serious harm.'"

  United States. Department of Justice. Civil Rights Division

  2022-04-20
• COVID-19 Pandemic Pinches Finances of America's Lower- and Middle-Income Families

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  From the Document: "This report analyzes data from the Annual Social and Economic Supplements [hyperlink] (ASEC) of the Current Population Survey [hyperlink] (CPS) to study the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the financial wellbeing of U.S. households in the middle class and in lower- and upper-income tiers. The latest available survey data, from March 2021, records the household income and work experience of adults in 2020, the first year of the pandemic. The CPS is the U.S. government's official source for monthly estimates of unemployment [hyperlink] and the ASEC, conducted in March each year, is the official source for its estimates of income and poverty [hyperlink]. In this report, the ASEC files were also matched from one year to the next to examine the annual movement of adults across income tiers over the period from 2000 to 2021."

  Pew Research Center

  Kochhar, Rakesh, 1955-; Sechopoulos, Stella

  2022-04-20
• Joint Cybersecurity Advisory: Russian State-Sponsored and Criminal Cyber Threats to Critical Infrastructure

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  From the Document: "The cybersecurity authorities of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom are releasing this joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA). The intent of this joint CSA is to warn organizations that Russia's invasion of Ukraine could expose organizations both within and beyond the region to increased malicious cyber activity [hyperlink]. This activity may occur as a response to the unprecedented economic costs imposed on Russia as well as materiel support provided by the United States and U.S. allies and partners. Evolving intelligence indicates that the Russian government is exploring options for potential cyberattacks[...]. Recent Russian state-sponsored cyber operations have included distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks [hyperlink], and older operations have included deployment of destructive malware against Ukrainian government and critical infrastructure organizations [hyperlink]. Additionally, some cybercrime groups have recently publicly pledged support for the Russian government. These Russian-aligned cybercrime groups have threatened to conduct cyber operations in retaliation for perceived cyber offensives against the Russian government or the Russian people. Some groups have also threatened to conduct cyber operations against countries and organizations providing materiel support to Ukraine. Other cybercrime groups have recently conducted disruptive attacks against Ukrainian websites, likely in support of the Russian military offensive. This advisory updates joint CSA Understanding and Mitigating Russian State-Sponsored Cyber Threats to U.S. Critical Infrastructure [hyperlink], which provides an overview of Russian state-sponsored cyber operations and commonly observed tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). This CSA [...] provides an overview of Russian state-sponsored advanced persistent threat (APT) groups, Russian-aligned cyber threat groups, and Russian-aligned cybercrime groups to help the cybersecurity community protect against possible cyber threats."

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

  2022-04-20
• United Nations Issues: U.S. Funding of U.N. Peacekeeping [Updated April 20, 2022]

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  From the Document: "The United States is the single largest financial contributor to United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping activities. Congress authorizes and appropriates U.S. contributions, and it has an ongoing interest in ensuring such funding is used as efficiently and effectively as possible. The United States, as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, plays a key role in establishing, renewing, and funding U.N. peacekeeping operations. For 2022, the United Nations assessed the U.S. share of U.N. peacekeeping at 26.94%; however, since 1994 Congress has capped the U.S. payment at 25% due to concerns that U.S. assessments are too high. Congress appropriated $1.5 billion to most U.N. peacekeeping activities for FY2022 (up to the 25% cap). Most recently, President Biden's FY2023 budget proposes full U.S. funding for U.N. peacekeeping, including the payment of U.S. peacekeeping arrears."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Blanchfield, Luisa

  2022-04-20
• Controlled Access Programs of the Intelligence Community [April 20, 2022]

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  From the Introduction: "The Controlled Access Programs (CAPs) that the Intelligence Community (IC) has developed to further limit the sharing of the most sensitive classified information have raised questions for Congress. In response, as part of the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Year 2022, (Division X of P.L. 117-103, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2022) Congress added new oversight requirements with respect to these programs. CAPs compartmentalize intelligence on the basis of the sensitivity of the activity, sources, or methods involved. Congressional concern has centered on the over-classification of intelligence and potential negative impacts of keeping materials from those who need to know in order to perform their duties. Recent legislation seeks to promote an appropriate balance between protecting the most sensitive sources, methods, and activities, while making sure information is shared with those who have a legitimate need for it. Effective oversight of CAPS may require an understanding of how these programs are authorized and administered, and how they intersect with other classification programs and schema."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  DeVine, Michael E.

  2022-04-20
• Federal Role in Voter Registration: The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and Subsequent Developments [Updated April 20, 2022]

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  From the Document: "Historically, most aspects of election administration have been left to state and local governments, resulting in a variety of practices across jurisdictions with respect to voter registration. States can vary on a number of elements of the voter registration process, including whether or not to require voter registration; where or when voter registration occurs; and how voters may be removed from registration lists. The right of citizens to vote, however, is presented in the U.S. Constitution in the Fifteenth, Nineteenth, and Twenty-sixth Amendments. Beginning with the Voting Rights Act (VRA) in 1965, Congress has sometimes passed legislation requiring certain uniform practices for federal elections, intended to prevent any state policies that may result in the disenfranchisement of eligible voters. The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) was enacted in 1993 and set forth a number of voter registration requirements for states to follow regarding voter registration processes for federal elections."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Eckman, Sarah J.

  2022-04-20
• Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data, 1989-2020 [Updated April 20, 2022]

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  From the Document: "In each Congress, Members leave the House or Senate for a variety of reasons. In the course of a Congress, those reasons could include resignation, death, or chamber action. At the conclusion of a Congress, Members depart due to retirement, electoral defeat, or pursuit of another office. In the 101st Congress (1989-1990) through 116th Congress (2019-2020), on average, two Senators and nine Members of the House of Representatives have left before the conclusion of a Congress. Over the same period, on average, 10 Senators (10% of Senate membership) and 59 Members of the House (13.4% of House membership) have left Congress upon expiration of their terms of office. This report provides data on Members who have left Congress between 1989 and 2020."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Manning, Jennifer E.; Petersen, R. Eric

  2022-04-20
• Ransomware Attacks on Agricultural Cooperatives Potentially Timed to Critical Seasons

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  From the Summary: "The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is informing Food and Agriculture (FA) sector partners that ransomware actors may be more likely to attack agricultural cooperatives during critical planting and harvest seasons, disrupting operations, causing financial loss, and negatively impacting the food supply chain. The FBI noted ransomware attacks during these seasons against six grain cooperatives during the fall 2021 harvest and two attacks in early 2022 that could impact the planting season by disrupting the supply of seeds and fertilizer. Cyber actors may perceive cooperatives as lucrative targets with a willingness to pay due to the timesensitive role they play in agricultural production. Although ransomware attacks against the entire farm-to-table spectrum of the FA sector occur on a regular basis, the number of cyber attacks against agricultural cooperatives during key seasons is notable."

  United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation

  2022-04-20
• Audit of the Army's Integrated Visual Augmentation System [redacted]

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  From the Document: "(U) The objective of this audit was to determine whether Army officials effectively managed the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) program to meet user needs. [...] (U) We recommend that the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology) develop Army-wide policy requiring program officials to define suitable user acceptance measurements for testing and evaluation. (U) We recommend that the Program Executive Officer Soldier define clear measures of user acceptance levels to meet user needs before Soldier Touch Point-5 testing of IVAS."

  United States. Department of Defense. Office of the Inspector General

  2022-04-20