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Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program [February 14, 2012]
This report for Congress provides updated information on the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency (SAFER) Response Program. "In response to concerns over the adequacy of firefighter staffing, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Act--popularly called the 'SAFER Act'--was enacted by the 108th Congress as Section 1057 of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 108-136). The SAFER Act authorizes grants to career, volunteer, and combination local fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry-minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. […] With the economic turndown adversely affecting budgets of local governments, concerns have arisen that modifications to the SAFER statute may be necessary to enable fire departments to more effectively participate in the program. […] Concern over local fire departments' budgetary problems has framed debate over the SAFER reauthorization, which is included in S. 550/H.R. 2269, the Fire Grants Authorization Act of 2011. Previously in the 111th Congress, reauthorization legislation for SAFER was passed by the House, but was not passed by the Senate. As part of the reauthorization debate, Congress may consider whether some SAFER rules and restrictions governing the hiring grants should be eliminated or altered in order to make it economically feasible for more fire departments to participate in the program."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kruger, Lennard G.
2012-02-14
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Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program [September 15, 2011]
"In response to concerns over the adequacy of firefighter staffing, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Act-popularly called the 'SAFER Act'-was enacted by the 108th Congress as Section 1057 of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 108-136). The SAFER Act authorizes grants to career, volunteer, and combination local fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry-minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. Also authorized are grants to volunteer fire departments for recruitment and retention of volunteers. [] The Department of Defense and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (P.L. 112-10) funded SAFER at $405 million. The law also contained language that removes cost-share requirements and allows SAFER grants to be used to rehire laid-off firefighters and fill positions eliminated through attrition. However, P.L. 112-10 did not remove the requirement that SAFER grants fund a firefighter position for four years, with the fifth year funded wholly by the grant recipient. The law also did not waive the cap of $100,000 per firefighter hired by a SAFER grant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kruger, Lennard G.
2011-09-15
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Temporary Protected Status: Current Immigration Policy and Issues [December 13, 2011]
"When civil unrest, violence, or natural disasters erupt in spots around the world, concerns arise over the safety of foreign nationals from these troubled places who are in the United States. Provisions exist in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to offer temporary protected status (TPS) or relief from removal under specified circumstances. A foreign national who is granted TPS receives a registration document and an employment authorization for the duration of TPS. The United States currently provides TPS or deferred enforced departure (DED) to over 300,000 foreign nationals from a total of seven countries: El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Liberia, Nicaragua, Somalia, and Sudan. Liberians have had relief from removal for the longest period, first receiving TPS in March 1991 following the outbreak of civil war. The devastation caused by the January 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti prompted calls for the Administration of President Barrack Obama to grant TPS to Haitians in the United States at the time of the earthquake. The scale of current humanitarian crisis--estimated thousands of Haitians dead and reported total collapse of the infrastructure in the capital city of Port au Prince--led the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to announce on January 13, 2010, that it is temporarily halting the deportation of Haitians. On January 15, 2010, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano granted TPS to Haitians in the United States at the time of the earthquake. On May 17, 2011, TPS for Haitians was extended until January 22, 2013."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wasem, Ruth Ellen; Ester, Karma
2011-12-13
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Syria's Chemical Weapons: Issues for Congress [September 30, 2013]
"Syria has produced, stored, and weaponized chemical agents, but it remains dependent on foreign suppliers for chemical precursors. The regime of President Bashar al Asad possesses stocks of nerve (sarin, VX) and blister (mustard gas) agents, possibly weaponized into bombs, shells, and missiles. The government also has associated production facilities. Chemical weapons and their agents can deteriorate depending on age and quality; little is known from open sources about the current condition of the stockpile. Syria continues to attempt to procure new supplies of chemical weapons precursors, which are dual-use, through front companies in third countries. Most countries that have had chemical weapons arsenals in the past have destroyed, or are in the process of destroying, these weapons under the Chemical Weapons Convention. The U.S. intelligence community cites Iran, North Korea, and Syria as having active chemical weapons programs. The Syrian government acceded to the Chemical Weapons Convention on September 14, 2013. This convention requires its member states to eliminate all of their chemical weapon stocks, munitions, precursor chemicals, and related production and storage facilities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Feickert, Andrew; Kerr, Paul K.; Nikitin, Mary Beth Dunham
2013-09-30
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Syria's Chemical Weapons: Issues for Congress [September 12, 2013]
"Syria has produced, stored, and weaponized chemical agents, but it remains dependent on foreign suppliers for chemical precursors. The regime of President Bashar al Asad possesses stocks of nerve (sarin, VX) and blister (mustard gas) agents, possibly weaponized into bombs, shells, and missiles. The government also has associated production facilities. Chemical weapons and their agents can deteriorate depending on age and quality; little is known from open sources about the current condition of the stockpile. Syria continues to attempt to procure new supplies of chemical weapons precursors, which are dual-use, through front companies in third countries. Most countries that have had chemical weapons arsenals in the past have destroyed, or are in the process of destroying, these weapons under the Chemical Weapons Convention. The U.S. intelligence community cites Iran, North Korea, and Syria as having active chemical weapons programs. The use or loss of control of chemical weapons stocks in Syria could have unpredictable consequences for the Syrian population and neighboring countries, as well as U.S. allies and forces in the region. The United States and other countries have assessed that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons against opposition forces in the country. The largest-scale use to date was on August 21, 2013. A U.N. inspection team began working in Syria on August 19, 2013 and completed their mission on August 31. Laboratories are currently analyzing samples collected by the inspectors."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nikitin, Mary Beth Dunham; Kerr, Paul K.; Feickert, Andrew
2013-09-12
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Syria's Chemical Weapons: Issues for Congress [August 30, 2013]
"The use or loss of control of chemical weapons stocks in Syria could have unpredictable consequences for the Syrian population and neighboring countries as well as U.S. allies and forces in the region. Congress may wish to assess the Administration's plans to respond to possible scenarios involving the use, change of hands, or loss of control of Syrian chemical weapons. Syria has produced, stored, and weaponized chemical weapons, but it remains dependent on foreign suppliers for chemical precursors. The regime of President Bashar al Asad possesses stocks of nerve (sarin, VX) and blister (mustard gas) agents, possibly weaponized into bombs, shells, and missiles. The government also has associated production facilities. Chemical weapons and their agents can deteriorate depending on age and quality. Little is known from open sources about the current size and condition of the stockpile. Syria continues to attempt to procure new supplies of chemical weapons precursors, which are dual-use, through front companies in third countries. Most countries that have had chemical weapons arsenals in the past have destroyed these weapons under the Chemical Weapons Convention, or are in the process of destroying them. The U.S. intelligence community cites Iran, North Korea, and Syria as having active chemical weapons programs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nikitin, Mary Beth Dunham; Kerr, Paul K.; Feickert, Andrew
2013-08-30
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State Marijuana Legalization Initiatives: Implications for Federal Law Enforcement [September 9, 2013]
"Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug across the world, including in the United States. In 2012, an estimated 18.9 million individuals in the United States aged 12 or older (7.3% of this population) had used marijuana in the past month. The rate of reported marijuana use in 2012 was significantly higher than those rates reported prior to 2007. Mirroring this increase in use, marijuana availability in the United States has also increased. This growth has been linked to factors such as rising marijuana production in Mexico, decreasing marijuana eradication in Mexico, and increasing marijuana cultivation in the United States led by criminal networks including Mexican drug trafficking organizations. Along with the uptick in the availability and use of marijuana in the United States, there has been a general shift in public attitudes toward the substance. In 1969, 12% of the surveyed population supported legalizing marijuana; today, more than half (52%) of surveyed adults have expressed opinions that marijuana should be legalized. And, 60% indicate that the federal government should not enforce its marijuana laws in states that allow the use of marijuana."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sacco, Lisa N.; Finklea, Kristin M.
2013-09-09
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Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: Responses to Frequently Asked Questions [October 2, 2013]
"The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant funds a wide range of benefits and services for low-income families with children. TANF was created in the 1996 welfare reform law (P.L. 104-193). This report responds to some frequently asked questions about TANF; it does not describe TANF rules (see, instead, CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report RL32748, The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: A Primer on TANF Financing and Federal Requirements, by Gene Falk). TANF Funding. TANF provides fixed funding to states, the bulk of which is provided in a $16.5 billion-per-year basic federal block grant. States are required in total to contribute, from their own funds, at least $10.4 billion under a maintenance-of-effort (MOE) requirement. The bulk of federal TANF funding lapsed at the end of September 30, 2013. The pending continuing resolution (H.J.Res. 59) would fund TANF into FY2014. State Spending. Though TANF is best known for funding cash assistance payments for needy families with children, the block grant and MOE funds are used for a wide variety of benefits and activities. In FY2012, expenditures on basic assistance (cash assistance) totaled $9.0 billion-- 28.6% of total federal TANF and MOE dollars. TANF also contributes funds for child care and services for children who have been, or are at risk of being, abused and neglected."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Falk, Gene
2013-10-02
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Strategic Petroleum Reserve: Authorization, Operation, and Drawdown Policy [August 27, 2013]
"Congress authorized the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) of 1975 to help prevent a repetition of the economic disruption caused by the 1973-1974 Arab oil embargo. EPCA specifically authorizes the President to draw down the SPR upon a finding that there is a 'severe energy supply interruption.' The meaning of a 'severe energy supply interruption' has been controversial. The authors of EPCA intended the SPR only to ameliorate discernible physical shortages of crude oil. Historically, increasing crude oil prices typically signal market concerns for supply availability. However, Congress deliberately kept price trigger considerations out of the President's SPR drawdown authority because of the question about what price level should trigger a drawdown, and the concern that a price threshold could influence market behavior and industry inventory practices. As a member of the International Energy Agency--a coalition of 28 countries--the United States agrees to support energy supply security through energy policy cooperation, commit to maintaining emergency reserves equal to 90 days of net petroleum oil imports, develop programs for demand restraint in the event of emergencies, and participate in allocation of oil deliveries among the signatory nations to balance a shortage."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Andrews, Anthony; Pirog, Robert L.
2013-08-27
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Synthetic Drugs: Overview and Issues for Congress [September 16, 2013]
"Synthetic drugs, as opposed to natural drugs, are chemically produced in a laboratory. Their chemical structure can be either identical to or different from naturally occurring drugs, and their effects are designed to mimic or even enhance those of natural drugs. When produced clandestinely, they are not typically controlled pharmaceutical substances intended for legitimate medical use. Designer drugs are a form of synthetic drugs. They contain slightly modified molecular structures of illegal or controlled substances, and they are modified in order to circumvent existing drug laws. While the issue of synthetic drugs and their abuse is not new, Congress has demonstrated a renewed concern with the issue. From 2009 to 2011, synthetic drug abuse was reported to have dramatically increased. During this time period, calls to poison control centers for incidents relating to harmful effects of synthetic cannabinoids (such as 'K2' and 'Spice') and stimulants (such as 'bath salts') increased at what some considered to be an alarming rate. The number of hospital emergency department visits involving synthetic cannabinoids more than doubled from 2010 to 2011. In 2012, however, the number of calls to poison control centers for incidents relating to harmful effects of synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic stimulants decreased. The Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey results from 2012 indicate that annual prevalence rates for use of 'bath salts' among college students and adults ages 18-50 was 'very low.' In contrast, MTF reports that, among 12th graders, synthetic marijuana is the 'second most widely used class of illicit drug after marijuana.' Media reports indicate that a synthetic substance known as 'molly,' a psychoactive drug that may be similar or identical to MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine), appears to be gaining popularity among youth. In the summer of 2013, several deaths and drug overdoses have been attributed to molly."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sacco, Lisa N.; Finklea, Kristin M.
2013-09-16
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Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Categorical Eligibility [September 20, 2013]
This report discusses the eligibility restrictions for recipients of food subsidies. "The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides benefits to low-income, eligible households on an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card; benefits can then be exchanged for foods at authorized retailers. […] Federal SNAP law provides two basic pathways for financial eligibility to the program: (1) meeting program-specific federal eligibility requirements; or (2) being automatically or 'categorically' eligible for SNAP based on being eligible for or receiving benefits from other specified low-income assistance programs. […] The omnibus 'farm bill' approved by the Senate on June 10, 2013 (S. 954), reauthorizes and makes certain changes to SNAP, but does not make changes affecting categorical eligibility. On the other hand, H.R. 3102 (the Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act of 2013), which passed the House on September 19, 2013, would restrict SNAP categorical eligibility to only those households receiving need-tested 'cash' assistance (the traditional form of categorical eligibility), ending the state option to have 'broad-based' categorical eligibility."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Aussenberg, Randy Alison; Falk, Gene
2013-09-20
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Systemically Important or 'Too Big to Fail' Financial Institutions [September 19, 2014]
"Although 'too big to fail' (TBTF) has been a perennial policy issue, it was highlighted by the near-collapse of several large financial firms in 2008. Financial firms are said to be TBTF when policy makers judge that their failure would cause unacceptable disruptions to the overall financial system, and they can be TBTF because of their size or interconnectedness. In addition to fairness issues, economic theory suggests that expectations that a firm will not be allowed to fail create moral hazard--if the creditors and counterparties of a TBTF firm believe that the government will protect them from losses, they have less incentive to monitor the firm's riskiness because they are shielded from the negative consequences of those risks. If so, they could have a funding advantage compared with other banks, which some call an implicit subsidy. […] There are a number of policy approaches--some complementary, some conflicting--to coping with the TBTF problem, including providing government assistance to prevent TBTF firms from failing or systemic risk from spreading; enforcing 'market discipline' to ensure that investors, creditors, and counterparties curb excessive risk-taking at TBTF firms; enhancing regulation to hold TBTF firms to stricter prudential standards than other financial firms; curbing firms' size and scope, by preventing mergers or compelling firms to divest assets, for example; minimizing spillover effects by limiting counterparty exposure; and instituting a special resolution regime for failing systemically important firms. A comprehensive policy is likely to incorporate more than one approach, as some approaches are aimed at preventing failures and some at containing fallout when a failure occurs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Labonte, Marc
2014-09-19
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Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: Responses to Frequently Asked Questions [September 23, 2014]
"The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant funds a wide range of benefits and services for low-income families with children. TANF was created in the 1996 welfare reform law (P.L. 104-193). […]This report provides responses to frequently asked questions about the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. It is intended to serve as a quick reference to provide easy access to information and data. This report does not provide information on TANF program rules."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Falk, Gene
2014-09-23
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Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): A Primer on Eligibility and Benefits [October 20, 2014]
"The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly called the Food Stamp Program, is designed primarily to increase the food purchasing power of eligible low-income households to help them buy a nutritionally adequate low-cost diet. This report describes the rules related to eligibility for SNAP benefits as well as the rules for benefits and their redemption. SNAP is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS). SNAP is authorized by the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008. This law, formerly the Food Stamp Act of 1977, has since 1973 been reauthorized by the 'farm bill,' omnibus legislation that also typically includes the authorization of other federal agricultural policies and programs. The program was most recently reauthorized by the 2014 farm bill (P.L. 113-79, enacted February 7, 2014)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Aussenberg, Randy Alison
2014-10-20
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State Minimum Wages: An Overview [November 18, 2014]
"The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), enacted in 1938, is the federal legislation that establishes the general minimum wage that must be paid to all covered workers. While the FLSA mandates broad minimum wage coverage, states have the option of establishing minimum wage rates that are different from those set in it. Under the provisions of the FLSA, an individual is generally covered by the higher of the state or federal minimum wage. […]This report begins with a brief discussion of FLSA minimum wage coverage. It then provides a summary of state minimum wage laws, followed by an examination of rates and mechanisms of adjustments in states with minimum wage levels above the FLSA rate."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bradley, David H.
2014-11-18
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Synthetic Drugs: Overview and Issues for Congress [August 15, 2014]
"Synthetic drugs, as opposed to natural drugs, are chemically produced in a laboratory. Their chemical structure can be either identical to or different from naturally occurring drugs, and their effects are designed to mimic or even enhance those of natural drugs. When produced clandestinely, they are not typically controlled pharmaceutical substances intended for legitimate medical use. Designer drugs are a form of synthetic drugs. They contain slightly modified molecular structures of illegal or controlled substances, and they are modified in order to circumvent existing drug laws. While the issue of synthetic drugs and their abuse is not new, Congress has demonstrated a renewed concern with the issue. From 2009 to 2011, synthetic drug abuse was reported to have dramatically increased. During this time period, calls to poison control centers for incidents relating to harmful effects of synthetic cannabinoids (such as 'K2' and 'Spice') and stimulants (such as 'bath salts') increased at what some considered to be an alarming rate. The number of hospital emergency department visits involving synthetic cannabinoids more than doubled from 2010 to 2011. In 2012 and 2013, however, the number of calls to poison control centers for incidents relating to harmful effects of synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic stimulants decreased. The 'Monitoring the Future' (MTF) survey results from 2012 indicate that annual prevalence rates for use of 'bath salts' among college students and adults ages 18-50 was 'very low.' In contrast, MTF reports that, among 12th graders, synthetic marijuana is the 'second most widely used class of illicit drug after marijuana.' Media reports indicate that a synthetic substance known as 'molly,' a psychoactive drug that may be similar or identical to MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine), appears to be gaining popularity among youth. In the summers of 2013 and 2014, several deaths and drug overdoses have been attributed to molly."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sacco, Lisa N.; Finklea, Kristin M.
2014-08-15
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Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program [September 29, 2014]
"In response to concerns over the adequacy of firefighter staffing, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Act, known as the SAFER Act, was enacted by the 108th Congress as Section 1057 of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 108-136). The SAFER Act authorizes grants to career, volunteer, and combination local fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry-minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. Also authorized are grants to volunteer fire departments for recruitment and retention of volunteers. SAFER is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). With the economic turndown adversely affecting budgets of local governments, concerns arose that modifications to the SAFER statute may be necessary to enable fire departments to more effectively and affordably participate in the program. Since FY2009, annual appropriations bills have contained provisions that waive certain provisions of the SAFER statute. The waivers served to reduce the financial obligation on SAFER grant recipients, and allowed SAFER grants to be used to rehire laid-off firefighters and to fill positions lost through attrition. The 112th Congress enacted the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-239), which reauthorized SAFER through FY2017; altered the grant distribution formula among career, volunteer, combination, and paid-on-call fire departments; raised available funding for higher population areas; and addressed waiver issues previously addressed in annual appropriations legislation."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kruger, Lennard G.
2014-09-29
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Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program [May 29, 2014]
"In response to concerns over the adequacy of firefighter staffing, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Act, known as the SAFER Act, was enacted by the 108th Congress as Section 1057 of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. [Public Law] 108-136). The SAFER Act authorizes grants to career, volunteer, and combination local fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry-minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. Also authorized are grants to volunteer fire departments for recruitment and retention of volunteers. SAFER is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). With the economic turndown adversely affecting budgets of local governments, concerns arose that modifications to the SAFER statute may be necessary to enable fire departments to more effectively and affordably participate in the program. Since FY2009, annual appropriations bills have contained provisions that waive certain provisions of the SAFER statute. The waivers served to reduce the financial obligation on SAFER grant recipients, and allowed SAFER grants to be used to rehire laid-off firefighters and to fill positions lost through attrition."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kruger, Lennard G.
2014-05-29
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Syria's Chemical Weapons: Progress and Continuing Challenges [October 1, 2014]
"On August 18, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) announced the complete destruction of Syria's declared chemical weapons (CW). Despite this significant achievement, serious challenges relating to Syrian CW remain. In early September, the Syrian regime announced previously undeclared chemical weapons research facilities, raising questions about what else it might be concealing. Repeated reports have alleged chlorine gas attacks by the Assad regime. Moreover, press reports speculate that insecure chemical weapons stocks in Syria and Iraq may have gotten into the hands of the Islamic State (ISIL). Most of these questions cannot yet be answered definitively, but the fate of Syria's CW capabilities warrants continued attention. Syria's CW program began in the 1970s with help from the Soviet Union, primarily as a hedge against Israel. After joining the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), Syria declared 1,300 metric tons of chemical warfare agents and precursor chemicals, including several hundred metric tons of the nerve agents sarin and VX [O-ethyl S-(2-diisopropylaminoethyl) methylphosphonothiolate or Methylphosphonothioic acid], as well as mustard agent in ready-to-use form. The nerve agents were stored as two separate components that are combined before use, a form that facilitated removal and destruction efforts."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Moodie, Michael, 1948-; Nikitin, Mary Beth Dunham
2014-10-01
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One in Six Adults in California Immigrant Families Reported Avoiding Public Benefits in 2019
From the Document: "California has moved proactively to support immigrant families in response to restrictive federal immigration and safety net policies, but policies like the new 'public charge' rule still pose risks, especially in the context of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. The new rule significantly expands the criteria for determining whether applicants for permanent residency, or green cards, may be denied based on past or potential use of government benefit programs. Even before the rule took effect in February 2020, widespread chilling effects were evident. Nationwide, many immigrant families-- including those who would not be subject to the rule--avoided enrolling in public benefit programs for fear of immigration consequences (Bernstein et al. 2019; Bernstein, McTarnaghan, and Gonzalez 2019; Straut-Eppsteiner 2020; Tolbert, Artiga, and Pham 2019). This phenomenon has become even more alarming during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which many immigrant families are vulnerable to acute medical and economic hardship. Families may avoid medical care and public supports for fear of being deemed a public charge, despite formal clarification by the federal government that COVID-19 testing and treatment will not be considered."
Urban Institute
Bernstein, Hamutal; Gonzalez, Dulce; McTarnaghan, Sara . . .
2020-05
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State Minimum Wages: An Overview [Updated January 25, 2019]
"The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), enacted in 1938, is the federal legislation that establishes the general minimum wage that must be paid to all covered workers. The FLSA mandates broad minimum wage coverage. It also specifies certain categories of workers who are not covered by general FLSA wage standards, such as workers with disabilities or certain youth workers. [...] This report begins with a brief discussion of FLSA minimum wage coverage. It then provides a summary of state minimum wage laws, followed by an examination of rates and mechanisms of adjustments in states with minimum wage levels above the FLSA rate (Table 1 provides summary data). Next, the report discusses the interaction of federal and state minimum wages over time, and finally, the Appendix provides detailed information on the major components of minimum wage policies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bradley, David H.
2019-01-25
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Confronting COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Nonelderly Adults: Findings from the December 2020 Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey
From the Document: "As of mid-February 2021, more than 40 million US adults, over 12 percent of the total US population, have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccine, and vaccine sites are administering more than 1.5 million doses (both first and second) daily. Health officials estimate the US will achieve herd immunity when 70 to 90 percent of the population has been vaccinated or previously infected, after which virus transmission will slow significantly. Early data show disparities in vaccination rates, with people of color receiving disproportionately fewer vaccine doses and facing greater barriers navigating the complicated systems for scheduling vaccine appointments and traveling to vaccination sites (Ndugga et al. 2021). Eliminating disparities and reaching herd immunity will require addressing challenges in both vaccine supply (i.e., the limited number of doses and inequitable access to them) and demand (i.e., vaccine hesitancy)."
Urban Institute; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Karpman, Michael; Kenney, Genevieve M.; Zuckerman, Stephen . . .
2021-02
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Delayed and Forgone Health Care for Nonelderly Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from the September 11-28 Coronavirus Tracking Survey
From the Document: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has disrupted health care in an unprecedented way, leading some patients to postpone or forgo care (Czeisler et al. 2020). Visits to primary care physicians, emergency rooms, and other health care providers fell as providers scaled back their operations and patients curbed their health care use because of the pandemic (Garcia et al. 2020; Hartnett et al. 2020; Jiang et al. 2020; Mast and Munoz del Rio 2020; Mehrotra et al. 2020; Santoli et al. 2020). Most health care providers have new safety protocols in place and have seen visits rebound since the start of the pandemic (Mehrotra et al. 2020). However, significant numbers of patients continue avoiding care because they fear exposure to the novel coronavirus (Morning Consult and American College of Emergency Physicians 2020), and reduced patient volumes are leading some physicians to close their practices for financial reasons."
Urban Institute; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Gonzalez, Dulce; Karpman, Michael; Kenney, Genevieve M. . . .
2021-02
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Immigrant Families Continued Avoiding the Safety Net During the COVID-19 Crisis
From the Document: "In its first days in office, the Biden administration has already moved to reverse many of the Trump administration's immigration policies that created a climate of fear and insecurity for many immigrant families. The prior administration's changes to the 'public charge' rule intensified immigrant families' reluctance to participate in public benefit programs and supports that address basic health, nutrition, and housing needs. According to new data from the Urban Institute's December 2020 Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey (WBNS), immigrant families continued avoiding noncash public programs and other supports in 2020 because of concerns about immigration status."
Urban Institute
Bernstein, Hamutal; Karpman, Michael; Gonzalez, Dulce . . .
2021-02
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Delayed and Forgone Health Care for Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic
From the Document: "Since the pandemic began, health care providers and consumers have sought to minimize COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] transmission by limiting in-person visits. Consequently, many children are missing out on or having their health care delayed. Drawing on the Urban Institute's September 2020 Coronavirus Tracking Survey, we examine delayed and forgone health care for children during the pandemic because of parents' concerns about exposure to the coronavirus or limits on providers' services due to the coronavirus outbreak. We also show parent-reported impacts of delayed or forgone care for children on children's health, schooling, and other daily activities."
Urban Institute; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Gonzalez, Dulce; Karpman, Michael; Kenney, Genevieve M. . . .
2021-02
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COVIDcast: Olivia Troye Inside the White House Coronavirus Task Force [audio]
From the Webpage Description: "In the latest episode of COVIDcast, Lowy Institute Research Fellow Lydia Khalil sat down with Olivia Troye, a former White House Coronavirus Task Force member and Homeland Security Advisor to Vice President Mike Pence to discuss the Trump administration's response to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. Troye is the most recent Trump administration official to resign her position and come out publicly criticising the President's handling of the pandemic."
Lowy Institute for International Policy
Khalil, Lydia; Troye, Olivia
2020-10-20
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Amid Confusion Over the Public Charge Rule, Immigrant Families Continued Avoiding Public Benefits in 2019
From the Document: "The current administration's new 'public charge' rule took effect in February 2020, significantly expanding the criteria for determining whether applicants for permanent residency, or green cards, may be denied based on past or potential use of government benefit programs. Even before the rule took effect, evidence shows the proposed rule produced widespread chilling effects nationally, meaning eligible immigrant families-- including those who would not be subject to the rule--avoided enrolling in public benefit programs for fear of immigration consequences (Bernstein et al. 2019; Bernstein, McTarnaghan, and Gonzalez 2019; Straut-Eppsteiner 2020; Tolbert, Artiga, and Pham 2019). This phenomenon has become even more alarming during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, in which many immigrant families are vulnerable to acute medical and economic hardship. Families may avoid medical care and public supports for fear of being deemed a public charge, despite formal clarification by the federal government that COVID-19 testing and treatment will not be considered."
Urban Institute
Bernstein, Hamutal; Gonzalez, Dulce; Karpman, Michael . . .
2020-05
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COVID-19 Pandemic is Straining Families' Abilities to Afford Basic Needs
From the Document: "As it confronts the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, the US faces what could be its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The social distancing measures needed to slow transmission of the novel coronavirus have already taken a staggering economic toll, with over 26 million unemployment insurance claims filed between March 15 and April 18. To combat the crisis, federal policymakers have passed four major relief bills to date, including the $2 trillion CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act, which includes enhanced benefits and expanded eligibility for unemployment insurance, forgivable small-business loans, economic relief payments sent directly to most US households, aid to state and local governments, and increased funding for housing assistance and other safety net programs. A successful government response to the economic consequences of the pandemic is critical for sustaining families' health and well-being and allowing families to remain housed as major sectors of the economy remain closed."
Urban Institute
Karpman, Michael; Zuckerman, Stephen; Gonzalez, Dulce . . .
2020-04
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Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: Responses to Frequently Asked Questions [Updated April 12, 2019]
From the Document: "This report provides responses to frequently asked questions about the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. It is intended to serve as a quick reference to provide easy access to information and data. Appendix B presents a series of tables with state-level data. This report does not provide information on TANF program rules (for a discussion of TANF rules, see CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report RL32748, The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: A Primer on TANF Financing and Federal Requirements, by Gene Falk)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Falk, Gene
2019-04-12
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Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program [Updated January 28, 2019]
"In response to concerns over the adequacy of firefighter staffing, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Act, known as the SAFER Act, was enacted by the 108th Congress as Section 1057 of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 108-136). The SAFER Act authorizes grants to career, volunteer, and combination local fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry-minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. Also authorized are grants to volunteer fire departments for recruitment and retention of volunteers. SAFER is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kruger, Lennard G.
2019-01-28
