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Economic Development Administration: An Overview of Programs and Appropriations (FY2011-FY2022) [Updated April 8, 2022]
From the Summary: "The Economic Development Administration (EDA), a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), is the only federal agency with economic development as its sole mission. The agency was established pursuant to the enactment of the Public Works and Economic Development Act (PWEDA) of 1965 (42 U.S.C. §3121 et seq.) to assist state and local stakeholders with developing the conditions and amenities to grow businesses, create jobs, and expand investment in economically distressed areas. Changing industry dynamics, global competition, technological developments, and other events, conditions, and priorities have shifted EDA's programs and priorities over time. During the agency's first 30 years, its programs focused on industrial growth and emphasized public works, roads, and infrastructure. Since then, Congress has supported an expanded portfolio of EDA programs to also advance existing and emerging industry clusters, develop human capital, strengthen supply chains, expand access to capital, build new types of infrastructure, and implement innovation and technology strategies. Additionally, EDA has also taken on new roles in developing state and local capacity, resiliency, disaster and economic recovery, as well as economic development integration across federal agencies."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lawhorn, Julie M.
2022-04-08
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Equity Action Plan Summary: U.S. Office of Personnel Management
From the Document: "OPM's [U.S. Office of Personnel Management] policies and practices influence the composition, compensation, and work experiences of the federal workforce. In turn, the federal workforce designs and delivers policies and programs that affect all people in the U.S. and beyond. Advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility are fundamental to delivering on OPM's mission to build and support a federal workforce that represents and delivers for America. Accordingly, the Agency has a significant role in implementing the President's Executive Order 14035 on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce. OPM also has a critical role to play in advancing health equity, retirement security, and equal employment opportunities for our nation's public servants."
United States. Office of Personnel Management
2022-04-08?
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'Enhancing the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938,' Statement of Jacob R. Straus, Specialist on the Congress, Before Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, U.S. House of Representatives [April 8, 2022]
This is the April 8, 2022 testimony of Jacob R. Straus on "Enhancing the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938," held before U.S. House Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties of the Committee on the Judiciary. From the statement of Jacob R. Straus: "My testimony focuses on two areas: (1) background on the Foreign Agents Registration Act [FARA], including past amendments to FARA; and (2) a discussion of recent legislative proposals to amend FARA. The discussion of recent legislation focuses on several policy proposals included in multiple introduced measures. These include proposals to provide civil investigative demand authority to the Department of Justice (DOJ); increase penalties for noncompliance; repeal or modify certain statutory exemptions to FARA; change how DOJ administers FARA; amend registration and disclosure requirements; enhance public access to FARA registration statements; change labeling requirements for informational materials; and require federal agencies to report to Congress on FARA administration and enforcement."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Straus, Jacob R.
2022-04-08
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North Korea's Nuclear Weapons and Missile Programs [Updated April 8, 2022]
From the Overview: "North Korea continues to advance its nuclear weapons and missile programs despite UN Security Council sanctions and high-level diplomatic efforts. Recent ballistic missile tests and military parades suggest that North Korea is continuing to build a nuclear warfighting capability designed to evade regional ballistic missile defenses. Such an approach likely reinforces a deterrence and coercive diplomacy strategy--lending more credibility as it demonstrates capability--but it also raises questions about crisis stability and escalation control. Congress may choose to examine U.S. policy in light of these advances. According to the U.S. intelligence community's 2022 annual threat assessment, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un views nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) as 'the ultimate guarantor of his totalitarian and autocratic rule of North Korea and believes that over time he will gain international acceptance as a nuclear power.' At the January 2021 North Korean Workers' Party Conference, Kim hailed the 'status of our state as a nuclear weapons state' and praised its 'powerful and reliable strategic deterrent.' Kim Jong-un has said that 'nuclear weapons of the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] can be used only by a final order of the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army [Kim Jong-un] to repel invasion or attack from a hostile nuclear weapons state and make retaliatory strikes.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nikitin, Mary Beth Dunham
2022-04-08
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Flood Buyouts: Federal Funding for Property Acquisition [April 8, 2022]
From the Document: "Flooding is the most frequent natural disaster [hyperlink] in the United States and experts expect effects to intensify in the future [hyperlink]. Buyouts offer one way to reduce flood risk. Unlike other approaches to flood mitigation, buyouts eliminate future losses by removing properties from areas at risk of flooding. A floodplain buyout [hyperlink] is a property acquisition in which a government agency purchases private property, relocates or demolishes any structures on it, and preserves the land as open space [hyperlink] in perpetuity to restore and conserve natural floodplain functions [hyperlink]. The local government is responsible for maintaining parcels of bought-out land and buyout programs generally do not include funding for future design, maintenance, or use of bought-out land. In the case of property acquisition [hyperlink] and demolition, often using federal funding, a local or state government purchases flood-prone land and structures from willing sellers and demolishes the structures. Alternatively, state or local governments purchase land from willing sellers and assist the property owners with relocation to another site. If the new location is in a flood zone, the structure must meet the community's building codes (e.g., elevation above a certain height). In both cases, the bought-out land must be maintained as open space."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Horn, Diane P.
2022-04-08
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Overview of Correspondent Banking and 'De-Risking' Issues [Updated April 8, 2022]
From the Document: "In broad terms, correspondent banking refers to formal agreements or relationships between banks to provide payment services for each other. It is often used to effectuate cross-border payments, and as such, plays an important role in the international financial system. The value of global cross-border payments is estimated to increase from almost $150 trillion in 2017 to over $250 trillion by 2027, according to the Bank of England. Correspondent banking represents a significant portion of this (e.g., the European Central Bank reported roughly $746 billion worth of daily transactions channeled through correspondent banking arrangements within Eurozone countries alone in 2019), as it underpins trade finance, migrant remittances, and humanitarian flows. [...] Although these transactions provide significant benefits, they also present several challenges. Two interrelated primary policy issues involved with correspondent banking are (1) what types of anti-money-laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) controls should be in place to prevent illicit payments? and (2) how to prevent excessive industry reaction to such controls, called 'de-risking.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Miller, Rena S.
2022-04-08
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Equity Action Plan Summary: U.S. Department of Labor
From the Document: "Advancing equity complements and reinforces the Department's core functions, which necessitates close attention to the needs of workers who have faced and continue to face exclusion, marginalization, and discrimination. [...] The need to center underserved populations in the Department's work would be important at any moment, but it is especially urgent as the country grapples with deep social and economic disparities revealed and accelerated by the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic and the accompanying economic crisis. [...] New federal actions, bolstered by the passage of the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, have provided timely and much-needed support to these vulnerable communities and promise new historic investments in the coming years. But more work remains to ensure that the Department fully realizes its mission that all working people, jobseekers, and retirees have the economic security, opportunity, and voice they need to thrive in our society."
United States. Department of Labor
2022-04-08?
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Equity Action Plan Summary: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
From the Document: "Underserved communities in the United States - including communities of color, disability communities, LGBTQI+ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex +] communities, women, rural communities, and communities experiencing persistent poverty and inequality - often face entrenched and persistent disparities in health outcomes and healthcare access. These disparities have been further exposed and exacerbated during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, which has had a disproportionate impact on underserved communities. HHS [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services] has a fundamental role to play in advancing health equity to ensure that every person in our nation can achieve their full potential and thrive. HHS believes it is incumbent on the agency to move urgently to assess and change policies, programs, and processes that the Department administers to concretely advance equity and that for these efforts to last, HHS must simultaneously shift the culture, resources, and approaches available to HHS staff to institutionalize and sustain a focus on equity over time. HHS will advance equity through strategies that build data capacity, expand stakeholder engagement, and increase our nation's understanding of the root causes of inequities."
United States. Department of Health and Human Services
2022-04-08?
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Equity Action Plan Summary: U.S. Department of Energy
From the Document: "DOE's [U.S. Department of Energy's] mission areas provide an opportunity to advance equity and justice across sectors. For low-income households grappling with issues of energy burden and energy insecurity, DOE's Weatherization Assistance Programs provide an opportunity for financial security. For colleges and universities, including Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), DOE funding provides critical supports to advance basic research. For businesses, including Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs), DOE contracting and acquisition can advance economic opportunity while helping DOE deliver on its mission. DOE is also a critical leader in the all-of-government approach to tackle the climate crisis and deliver on the Justice40 Initiative, which will ensure that 40 percent of the benefits of its clean energy, energy efficiency, and climate programs flow to underserved communities."
United States. Department of Energy
2022-04-08?
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Will FEMA Recommend Public Assistance Following a Disaster? Proposed Rulemaking [Updated April 8, 2022]
From the Document: "This Insight reviews the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) proposed rulemaking on assessing requests for Public Assistance (PA) for major disaster declarations under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act [hyperlink], P.L. 93-288, as amended). FEMA estimated that the rulemaking, if finalized, would significantly reduce PA obligations. The public comment period closed in April 2021. As of April 2022, FEMA reported to CRS [Congressional Research Service] that the agency's next action on the rule is undetermined, and that the 'does not expect to have a regulatory action' before December 10, 2022."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lee, Erica A.
2022-04-08
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Equity Action Plan Summary: U.S. Department of Commerce
From the Document: "DOC's [U.S. Department of Commerce's] new mission statement acknowledges that global competitiveness and a healthy democracy require that all communities have an opportunity to participate in the 21st century economy. In short, inclusive growth is good economics. We fail to meet our full potential as a nation if we aren't investing in all communities, workers, inventors, and entrepreneurs. We must harness the talents and strengths of all parts of the country, including women, people of color, and others who are too often left behind. DOC has laid the foundation for programing and policies that will reach a larger and more diverse audience and address key barriers to economic success for historically underserved communities. DOC is committed to creating a more equitable and inclusive economy through actions across five pillars: Investments (by supporting entrepreneurs from underserved communities to nurture their companies at critical stages of development and growth); Capabilities and Knowledge Sharing (developing tools and resources for underserved entrepreneurs to successfully operate their companies); Opportunities (funding, training, and technical assistance programs and by establishing partnerships so that underrepresented groups can contribute to the emerging technologies space); People (ensuring that people and families can thrive in their communities by realizing gains from their participation in the economy); and Service Delivery (Department services that are data-driven and strengthened to meet the needs of underrepresented groups)."
United States. Department of Commerce
2022-04-08?
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Equity Action Plan Summary: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
From the Document: "For VA [U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs], equity means intentionally committing to consistent and systematic fair, just and impartial treatment of all individuals and a just distribution of tools and resources to give veterans, including veterans who are members of underserved communities, what is required to enjoy a full, healthy life. In the 73 years since President Truman desegregated the military in 1948--making discrimination on the basis of race illegal in the armed forces - many forms of inequity persist in American society. VA is not excluded from the systemic injustices and inequities that pervade American society. For example, GI [government issue] Bill and loan guaranty programs were instrumental in economic prosperity and access to homeownership for veterans in the postwar years, but many Black veterans lacked the same level of access. Additionally, exclusionary policies such as Don't Ask, Don't Tell affected LGBTQI+ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex +] service members and led to the involuntary separation and denial of benefits for many LGBTQI+ veterans. Other instances of inequities faced by underserved veterans include disparities in claim rejection rates, unequal post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compensation rates, and address discipline and discharge disparities faced by underserved veterans."
United States. Department of Veterans Affairs
2022-04-08?
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Equity Action Plan Summary: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
From the Document: "NASA stands poised to usher in a bold new era of discovery - preparing to return astronauts, including the first woman and first person of color, to the Moon and open the way for human exploration of Mars; launching new science missions to explore the depths of the universe; and working to enrich lives and protect resources on Earth. Yet, one of our biggest challenges lies here at home. As NASA ushers in the third great era of human space exploration, NASA also will take on a renewed challenge of advancing equity by working to recognize and overcome the visible and invisible systemic barriers that hinder equitable, inclusive access - by individuals or communities - to the government programs, resources, and opportunities that make all of NASA's work possible. To chart America's course in space, NASA must first embrace and empower the whole of our nation here at home. NASA will anchor equity as a core component in every mission to inspire a new, more inclusive generation. NASA will seize the opportunity to make limitless the potential of all Americans, and uphold the legacies of Katherine Johnson and Mary Jackson, of Sally Ride, Ronald McNair, Mae Jemison, and Soichi Noguchi, in all NASA's future endeavors."
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
2022-04-08?
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Equity Action Plan Summary: National Science Foundation
From the Document: "To promote the progress of science and maintain our Nation's scientific leadership and global competitiveness, the United States must educate, train, and retain more scientists, engineers, and computer scientists. Historically, underrepresented and underserved communities are the largest untapped Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) talent pools in the U.S. As such, NSF [National Science Foundation] strives to encourage the full participation of all Americans and to remove barriers to their success. NSF will advance strategies to ensure all sectors of society have the opportunity to contribute to the scientific enterprise."
National Science Foundation (U.S.)
2022-04-08?
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Department of Labor Equity Action Plan
From the Executive Summary: "The U.S Department of Labor (DOL) is committed to improving the well-being of underserved, marginalized, and excluded communities, recognizing that by doing so we improve working conditions and economic opportunities for all workers. This document, submitted in response to Executive Order 13985 on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities, summarizes key aspects of DOL's principles and approach to advancing equity. In subsequent sections, we detail five areas where DOL plans ambitious activity to support underserved communities, including through: (1) enforcement of wage and hour laws; (2) administering and improving the federal-state Unemployment Insurance system; (3) broadening access to DOL programs, services, and information for workers with limited English proficiency; (4) expanding sector-based training and employment strategies; and (5) diversifying the federal workforce by building new pathways into government apprenticeships."
United States. Department of Labor
2022-04-08?
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Cybersecurity in Medical Devices: Quality System Considerations and Content of Premarket Submissions Draft Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff: Draft Guidance
From the Introduction: "With the increasing integration of wireless, Internet- and network- connected capabilities, portable media (e.g., USB [universal serial bus] or CD [compact disc]), and the frequent electronic exchange of medical device related health information, the need for robust cybersecurity controls to ensure medical device safety and effectiveness has become more important. In addition, cybersecurity threats to the healthcare sector have become more frequent and more severe, carrying increased potential for clinical impact. Cybersecurity incidents have rendered medical devices and hospital networks inoperable, disrupting the delivery of patient care across healthcare facilities in the U.S. and globally. Such cyber attacks and exploits may lead to patient harm as a result of clinical hazards, such as delay in diagnoses and/or treatment."
United States. Food and Drug Administration
2022-04-08
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Response to Congress: Navy's Waterborne Firefighting Capability
From the Document: "Following the BHR [USS Bonhomme Richard] incident, where firefighting-equipped Navy tug boats were employed, the Navy has reinforced the importance of waterborne and airborne firefighting capability and has ensured both are incorporated into Navy installation emergency response plans. The Navy assesses that existing waterborne firefighting capability and capacity is sufficient and there is no requirement for dedicated fire boats to support shipboard firefighting requirements. [...] As stated, Navy tug boats have inherent firefighting capabilities. Since the BHR incident, Commander, Navy Installations Command issued a directive (enclosure 1) to ensure that Navy installation emergency response plan functional area annexes and major shipboard fire hazard specific appendices include tug boat firefighting capabilities."
United States. Department of the Navy
2022-04-08
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Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection of Facilities' COVID-19 Pandemic Readiness and Response in Veterans Integrated Service Networks 2, 5, and 6
From the Report Overview: "This Office of Inspector General (OIG) Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program (CHIP) report examines key clinical and administrative processes that are associated with promoting quality care. Comprehensive healthcare inspections are one element of the OIG's overall efforts to ensure that the nation's veterans receive high-quality and timely VA [Veterans Affairs] healthcare services. The inspections are performed approximately every three years for each medical facility. The OIG selects and evaluates specific areas of focus each year. Starting in July 2020, the OIG added pandemic readiness and response as an issue for examination. CHIP staff have aggregated findings that relate to COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] readiness and response from these routine inspections to ensure that the information is provided in a comprehensive manner, given the constantly changing landscape as infection rates and demands on facilities continually shift. To promote this objective, CHIP staff have combined the findings of inspected medical facilities by Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), which are regional systems that provide oversight of medical centers in their area.1 This report is the fourth in a series. It provides a descriptive evaluation of VISN 2, 5, and 6 facility responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. This examination is based on findings from healthcare inspections performed during the third and fourth quarters of fiscal year 2021 (April 1 through September 30, 2021). The report also provides a more recent snapshot of the pandemic's demands on facility operations based on data compiled as of September 2021. Additionally, it includes information on COVID-19 vaccination efforts, based on a review of VA's vaccination statistics as of September 29, 2021."
United States. Department of Veterans Affairs. Office of Inspector General
2022-04-07
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EMR-ISAC: Infogram, Volume 22 Issue 14, April 7, 2022
The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "USFA [United States Fire Administration] releases Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020"; "DIY [do it yourself] tech for bomb technicians' X-ray generator batteries from DHS S&T [Science and Technology Directorate]"; "CISA [Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency] kicks of [sic] its inaugural Emergency Communications Month"; "Webinar: Preventing DNS [Domain Name System] Infrastructure Tampering"; "These ten hacking groups have been targeting critical infrastructure and energy"; "Spring4Shell flaw: Here's why it matters, and what you should do about it"; "Breach reports show diversity of healthcare cyber targets"; and "State Department launches cyber bureau amid rising global tensions."
Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)
2022-04-07
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Provider Relief Fund: Frequently Asked Questions [Updated April 7, 2022]
From the Summary: "The Provider Relief Fund (PRF) was established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act, P.L. 116-136) to reimburse, through grants or other mechanisms, eligible health care providers for increased expenses or lost revenue attributable to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The CARES Act provided $100 billion to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus, domestically and internationally. The amounts were subsequently increased by $78 billion, with $75 billion added in the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (PPPHCEA, P.L. 116-139) and $3 billion in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116- 260). The latter was the first time the Provider Relief Fund was referred to in statute and required changes to the fund's reporting requirements and requirements for future fund allocations. The answers to the frequently asked questions (FAQs) in this report provide overview information on the PRF, how funds have been allocated, and the fund's requirements for provider reporting. In addition, this report describes the use of the PRF to pay providers for providing COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccines to uninsured individuals and the use of the fund to pay providers for costs associated with vaccinating individuals who are underinsured (e.g., who do not have insurance that covers vaccine administration)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Heisler, Elayne J., 1976-
2022-04-07
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Sexual Harassment and Assault at School: Divergence Among Federal Courts Regarding Liability [April 7, 2022]
From the Document: "Under Title IX [hyperlink] of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), schools that receive federal financial assistance are liable for a 'deliberately indifferent' response to the sexual harassment and assault of students by teachers, as well as by fellow students in certain circumstances. While this standard is a stringent [hyperlink] one to meet, federal courts have not applied it uniformly. In particular, federal courts of appeals have taken diverging [hyperlink] positions over whether [hyperlink] a school's insufficient response to a single incident of student-on-student harassment itself can establish liability under Title IX, or whether further incidents of harassment are required in order for liability to attach. This disagreement turns, at least in part, on language in Supreme Court decisions [hyperlink] establishing the general parameters of school liability for sexual harassment under Title IX, as well as the interpretation of legislation enacted pursuant to Congress's spending power [hyperlink] under the Constitution."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cole, Jared P.
2022-04-07
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U.S.-Singapore Relations [Updated April 7, 2022]
From the Overview: "Though geographically only about three times the size of Washington, DC, and with a population of about 5.9 million, the city-state of Singapore exerts economic and diplomatic influence on par with much larger countries. Its stable government, strong economic performance, educated citizenry, and strategic position along key shipping lanes afford it a large role in regional and global affairs. For the United States, Singapore has been a partner in both trade and security initiatives and an advocate of a strong U.S. role in the Asia-Pacific region. At the same time, Singapore's leaders have aimed to maintain close relations with China, and to maintain positive ties with all regional powers. [...] Although not a U.S. treaty ally, Singapore is one of the strongest U.S. security partners in the region. A formal strategic partnership agreement allows the United States to access Singaporean military facilities and promotes cooperation on issues ranging from counterterrorism to counter-proliferation."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Dolven, Ben; Chanlett-Avery, Emma
2022-04-07
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U.S.-Mexico Security Cooperation: From the Mérida Initiative to the Bicentennial Framework [Updated April 7, 2022]
From the Document: "In recent years, escalating violence in Mexico and drug overdose deaths in the United States have led Congress to question the efficacy of U.S.-Mexican security cooperation. Homicides in Mexico reached record levels from 2016 to 2019, followed by a slight decline during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Since 2019, Mexico has replaced China as the primary U.S. supplier of synthetic opioids, which cause a majority of U.S. drug overdoses. As Congress deliberates on the future of U.S.-Mexican security cooperation, it may reevaluate the Mérida Initiative, including implementation of security and rule-of-law initiatives supported by $3.5 billion in congressional appropriations. It also may assess the Biden Administration's FY2023 budget request to support the new U.S.-Mexico Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Heath, and Safe Communities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Seelke, Clare Ribando
2022-04-07
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U.S. Border Patrol Encounters at the Southwest Border: Titles 8 & 42 [April 7, 2022] [infographic]
From the Document: "When the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) encounters a migrant entering illegally between ports of entry, they are processed for removal under Title 8 (immigration law) and asked whether they fear persecution or intend to seek asylum. However, at the start of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in March 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an order requiring USBP to use an additional procedure at the border under Title 42 (public health code). The policy prohibits the entry of certain migrants to prevent the introduction of COVID-19 into border facilities and the United States. Individuals subject to the order are not held in congregate areas for processing and not given a credible fear interview to pursue the asylum process. Instead they are swiftly expelled to Mexico or their counties of origin. The focus of this infographic is on the Southwest border; migrants arriving at the Northern border between ports of entry are subject to the same processes but make up a small share of total USBP encounters."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Singer, Audrey
2022-04-07
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Hungary's 2022 Election: Issues for Congress [April 7, 2022]
From the Document: "Hungary's parliamentary election on April 3, 2022, resulted in a victory for the incumbent Fidesz party, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Fidesz defeated a six-party alliance of opposition parties, winning [hyperlink] 53.1% of the popular vote and 135 out of 199 seats in Hungary's unicameral parliament. The conservative-nationalist Fidesz has won the past four Hungarian elections, each with a two-thirds parliamentary supermajority, and has led the government of Hungary since 2010. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe concluded [hyperlink] that the 2022 election was well-managed but was conducted on an uneven playing field due to overlap between state and party and the dominance of pro-government media. Orbán's renewed leadership likely signifies continued tensions between Hungary and the rest of the European Union (EU), as well as the United States, over various issues."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mix, Derek E.
2022-04-07
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Indonesia [Updated April 7, 2022]
From the Overview: "With over 270 million citizens, Indonesia is the most populous country in Southeast Asia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, and the world's third-largest democracy (after India and the United States). It has the world's 16th-largest economy and the 10th-largest when ranked by purchasing power parity. It straddles important sea lanes and borders the Strait of Malacca, one of the world's busiest trade routes, as well as the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. Over the past two decades, Indonesia has become a robust democracy, holding four direct presidential elections, each considered by international observers to have been largely free and fair. In the most recent, held in April 2019, President Joko Widodo was reelected to a second five-year term. The U.S.-Indonesia relationship has broadened in recent years, with closer military and counterterrorism cooperation and a range of new educational, environmental, and energy initiatives that were initiated in the Obama Administration. However, Indonesia's foreign policy is guided by its historical role as a leader of the Non-Aligned Movement, and successive Indonesian governments have bristled at the notion of aligning too closely with the United States or with others, including China."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Dolven, Ben
2022-04-07
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FEMA Individual Assistance Programs: An Overview [Updated April 7, 2022]
From the Introduction: "When a disaster occurs, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may assist individuals with their recovery when the Individual Assistance (IA) program is authorized pursuant to a presidential declaration of emergency or major disaster under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act; P.L. [Public Law] 93-288, as amended; 42 U.S.C. [United States Code] §§5121 et seq.). This report provides brief descriptions of the IA categories authorized under the Stafford Act, including the Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP); Disaster Case Management (DCM), Disaster Legal Services (DLS); Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA); and assistance for housing and/or other needs (referred to as other needs assistance or ONA) through the Individuals and Households Program (IHP). Also included is a brief overview of Mass Care and Emergency Assistance (MC/EA)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Webster, Elizabeth M.
2022-04-07
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Evolution of Marijuana as a Controlled Substance and the Federal-State Policy Gap [Updated April 7, 2022]
From the Introduction: "This report provides an historical background on federal marijuana policy; an overview of state trends with respect to marijuana decriminalization and legalization, for both medical and recreational uses; and an analysis of the gap between federal and state marijuana law and policy and certain implications and consequences of the gap. It reviews federalism and federal authority to preempt state marijuana laws and analyzes relevant issues for federal law enforcement and the consequences of state marijuana legalization. The report also outlines a number of related policy questions and options that Congress may consider, including federal tax treatment of marijuana, financial services for marijuana businesses, the medical nature of cannabis, oversight of federal law enforcement, evaluation of marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance, and some options for addressing the gap."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sacco, Lisa N.
2022-04-07
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Contested Deployment
From the Foreword: "This study, undertaken in 2018 for an integrated research project headed by the Homeland Defense and Security Issues Group of the Army War College Center for Strategic Leadership, contributes to the thinking that will be required to prepare US forces--and, especially, the US Army--for 'contested deployment.' While acknowledging a broad swath of issue areas, the study focuses predominantly on physical infrastructure issues that will impact the ability of the United States to mobilize, deploy, employ, and sustain its forces. While the study's findings and recommendations are not always intuitive when compared to effective business practices, they promote a necessary redundancy made urgent by the threat of determined nation-state opponents or their proxies."
Army War College (U.S.)
Tussing, Bert B.; Powell, John Eric; Leitzel, Benjamin
2022-04-07
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Global Human Rights: International Religious Freedom Policy [Updated April 7, 2022]
From the Document: "For decades, U.S. policymakers have sought to promote religious freedom abroad, reflecting both a prioritization of human rights in U.S. foreign policy generally as well as an emphasis on religious freedom in U.S. domestic law and political culture. Protection of religious freedom is also affirmed in international law through the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other instruments. Congress has sought to ensure continued support for religious freedom as a focus of U.S. foreign policy, most prominently through passage of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. [...] The IRF [international religious freedom] report, which is statutorily required by May 1 each year, covers developments in each foreign country during the prior calendar year and includes information on the status of religious freedom, violations of religious freedom, and relevant U.S. policies. The IRF report is the official U.S. government account of religious freedom conditions abroad, and is a primary information source for the executive branch's 'country of particular concern' designations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Weber, Michael A.
2022-04-07
