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Public Law 117-55: Secure Equipment Act of 2021
From the Document: "An Act [t]o ensure that the Federal Communications Commission prohibits authorization of radio frequency devices that pose a national security risk."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2021-11-11
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National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin [November 10, 2021]
This is the November 10, 2021 National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin released by the Department of Homeland Security. From the Document: "The Secretary of Homeland Security has issued an updated National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin regarding the current heightened threat environment across the United States. The Homeland continues to face a diverse and challenging threat environment as it approaches several religious holidays and associated mass gatherings that in the past have served as potential targets for acts of violence. These threats include those posed by individuals and small groups engaged in violence, including domestic violent extremists (DVEs) and those inspired or motivated by foreign terrorists and other malign foreign influences. These actors continue to exploit online forums to influence and spread violent extremist narratives and promote violent activity. The ongoing global pandemic continues to exacerbate these threats, in part due to perceived government overreach in implementation of public health safety measures. Further, foreign terrorist organizations and DVEs continue to attempt to inspire potential followers to conduct attacks in the United States, including by exploiting recent events in Afghanistan. As of November 10, 2021, DHS is not aware of an imminent and credible threat to a specific location in the United States. [...] [1] Be prepared for emergency situations and remain aware of circumstances that may place you at risk. [2] Maintain digital media literacy [hyperlink] to recognize and build resilience to false and harmful narratives. [3] Make note of your surroundings and the nearest security personnel. [4] Government agencies will provide details about emerging threats as information is identified. Listen to local authorities and public safety officials."
United States. Department of Homeland Security
2021-11-10
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Evaluation of Special Victim Investigation and Prosecution Capability Within the Department of Defense
From the Objective: "The objective of this evaluation was to determine whether the Department of Defense (DoD) and Military Services complied with Federal law and DoD policy when providing Special Victim Investigation and Prosecution (SVIP) services to victims in response to incidents of covered special victim offenses. We evaluated whether the DoD and Military Services, in response to incidents involving covered offenses: [1] assigned SVIP certified lead investigators, [2] notified victims of available resources, [3] made the required 24- and 48-hour SVIP member notifications, [4] consulted monthly with respective SVIP members, [5] assigned specially trained prosecutors, and [6] provided victims with certified victim advocates."
United States. Department of Defense. Office of the Inspector General
2021-11-10
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Deficiencies in Select Community Care Consult (Stat) Processes During the COVID-19 Pandemic
From the Executive Summary: "The VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] Office of the Inspector General (OIG) conducted a national review of select community care consults (stat community care consults) that were generated during a 103-day period at the outset of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic to evaluate consult processes. Patient involvement in care urgency disagreements and reporting of adverse events in community care were also reviewed. When the OIG identified deficiencies in processes, electronic health records (EHRs) of the patients at issue were further examined for potential negative outcomes. [...] In this report, the OIG addressed two components of the stat community care consult process-- the clinical aspect and the administrative aspect. To review the clinical aspect, the OIG evaluated whether care was rendered within 24 hours. For the administrative aspect, the OIG evaluated whether the status of stat community care consults was changed to complete within 24 hours. Facility processes were assessed through EHR reviews and survey responses."
United States. Department of Veterans Affairs. Office of Inspector General
2021-11-10
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United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): Background and U.S. Funding [November 10, 2021]
From the Background: "Established in 1969, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the primary U.N. entity addressing population issues. Its overall goal is to ensure reproductive rights for all, including access to sexual and reproductive health services such as voluntary family planning. Headquartered in New York City, UNFPA operates in over 150 countries and supports more than 3,000 staff. It is funded by voluntary contributions from governments and other donors, with expenses totaling $1.29 billion in 2020."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchfield, Luisa; Collins-Chase, Edward J.; Lum, Thomas G. (Thomas Gong), 1961-
2021-11-10
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Stablecoins: Background and Policy Issues [November 10, 2021]
From the Document: "Stablecoins are digital assets generally designed to maintain a stable value by linking the value to a national currency or other reference assets. The term 'stablecoin' does not affirm that a particular coin actually achieves a stable value. Some consider terms such as 'private asset-linked tokens' as better descriptors considering the nature of the instruments. The top four stablecoins by value (Tether, USD Coin, Binance USD, and Dai) reached around $128 billion in market capitalization as of November 10, 2021, according to CoinMarketCap. Many stablecoins have different operational structures and reserve compositions ('Figure 1'). Reserve assets backing stablecoins could include fiat currencies, traditional financial assets, or other digital assets and algorithms. Many stablecoins at the current stage of development are primarily used for payments functions to facilitate digital asset trading and lending. Although stablecoins represent a small fraction (5%) of the digital asset industry's total value, they facilitate more than 75% of trading on all digital asset trading platforms as of October 31, 2021. Stablecoin-related policy concerns include issues related to market integrity, investor protection, financial stability, monetary policy, payments, and illicit activity prevention. [...] Stablecoins have attracted discussions regarding potential fraud and manipulation and the need for disclosure and transparency. [...] In response to the rapidly developing conditions, the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) added stablecoins to its November 2021 meeting agenda, and the President's Working Group on Financial Markets (PWG) published a report on stablecoins in November 2021."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Su, Eva
2021-11-10
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Global Economic Effects of COVID-19 [Updated November 10, 2021]
From the Summary: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] viral pandemic is an unprecedented global phenomenon that is also a highly personal experience with wide-ranging effects. On September 20, 2021, U.S. viral deaths surpassed the 675,446 total from the 1918 Spanish flu, the previously worst U.S. pandemic-related death total on record. The pandemic has disrupted lives across all countries and communities and negatively affected global economic growth in 2020 beyond anything experienced in nearly a century. Estimates indicate the virus reduced global economic growth in 2020 to an annualized rate of around -3.2%, with a recovery of 5.9% projected for 2021. Global trade is estimated to have fallen by 5.3% in 2020, but is projected to grow by 8.0% in 2021. According to a consensus of forecasts, the economic downturn in 2020 was not as negative as initially estimated, due in part to the fiscal and monetary policies governments adopted in 2020. In most countries, economic growth fell sharply in the second quarter of 2020, rebounded quickly in the third quarter, and has been mostly positive since. Although lessening, the total global economic effects continue to mount."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jackson, James K., 1949-; Nelson, Rebecca M.; Weiss, Martin A. . . .
2021-11-10
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Emerging Military Technologies: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated November 10, 2021]
From the Summary: "This report provides an overview of selected emerging military technologies in the United States, China, and Russia: [1] artificial intelligence, [2] lethal autonomous weapons, [3] hypersonic weapons, [4] directed energy weapons, [5] biotechnology, and [6] quantum technology. It also discusses relevant initiatives within international institutions to monitor or regulate these technologies, considers the potential implications of emerging military technologies for warfighting, and outlines associated issues for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sayler, Kelley M.
2021-11-10
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Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) on Health Care Employment and Vaccinations and Testing for Large Employers [Updated November 10, 2021]
From the Summary: "On June 21, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) promulgated an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for the prevention of the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2], the virus that causes COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] in health care employment settings. On November 5, 2021, OSHA promulgated an additional ETS that requires employers with 100 or more employees to require that all employees either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by January 4, 2022, or test negative for COVID-19 weekly in order to work onsite. On November 6, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ordered a stay on the OSHA COVID-19 vaccination and testing ETS pending additional judicial review. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) gives OSHA the ability to promulgate an ETS that would remain in effect for up to six months without going through the normal review and comment process of rulemaking. OSHA, however, has rarely used this authority in the past--not since the courts struck down its ETS on asbestos in 1983. The OSHA COVID-19 ETS for health care employers requires health care employers to develop COVID-19 plans and protect employees from COVID-19 exposure through health screenings, personal protective equipment (PPE), building ventilation, and physical distancing and barriers."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Szymendera, Scott
2021-11-10
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Clearing the Air on the Debt Limit [Updated November 10, 2021]
From the Summary: "As Congress considers how to reconcile rising federal debt levels and the debt limit, discussions about the role of the debt limit among Members of Congress, researchers, and the media promise to become more frequent. During debt limit episodes in the last decade, misleading or inaccurate claims have, at times, surfaced. This report clarifies five issues commonly raised in debt limit debates and explores some open questions. Some of those points in need of clarification relate to the congressional power of the purse, which stems from three closely related constitutional provisions that charge Congress with deciding how the federal government spends, taxes, and borrows. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 (BBA 2019; P.L. 116-37), enacted in August 2019, had suspended the debt limit through July 31, 2021. The limit was then raised to just over $28.4 trillion to accommodate debt accumulated during the suspension, as specified in BBA 2019. The statutory debt limit represents one way that Congress has exerted control over federal borrowing and debt, as it has since the beginning of the U.S. government--despite claims that limits on debt began in 1917. Before 1917, Congress typically specified the interest rates, maturities, call options, and other aspects of debt issuances. The Second Liberty Bond Act of 1917 (P.L. 65-43, 40 Stat. 288) marked a turning point in federal debt policy. The modern debt limit--meaning an overall limit on federal debt without sublimits--was established in 1939."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Austin, D. Andrew; Stiff, Sean M.
2021-11-10
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Public Law 117-53: Ensuring Compliance Against Drug Diversion Act of 2021
From the Document: "An Act [t]o amend the Controlled Substances Act to provide for the modification, transfer, and termination of a registration to manufacture, distribute, or dispense controlled substances or list I chemicals, and for other purposes."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2021-11-10
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FY2022 NDAA: Budgetary Context [November 10, 2021]
From the Document: "Congressional consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (NDAA; H.R. 4350 and S. 2792) occurs as federal spending is projected to continue to exceed revenues. This trend raises questions about whether pressure to reduce the federal deficit may affect defense budget plans. In July 2021, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected [hyperlink] a federal deficit of $3.0 trillion for FY2021, or 13.4% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). That percentage would be the second-highest since 1945. CBO attributed the size of the projected deficit in part to 'the economic disruption caused by the 2020-2021 coronavirus pandemic and the legislation enacted in response.' CBO projects spending will continue to exceed revenues over the next decade ('Figure 1'). From FY2022 to FY2031, CBO projects discretionary defense outlays will increase 23% and nondefense discretionary outlays 6%, while mandatory outlays will increase 40% and net interest payments on the national debt 198%."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McGarry, Brendan W.; Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2021-11-10
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Public Law 117-54: Reinforcing Nicaragua's Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021
From the Document: "An Act [t]o advance the strategic alignment of United States diplomatic tools toward the realization of free, fair, and transparent elections in Nicaragua and to reaffirm the commitment of the United States to protect the fundamental freedoms and human rights of the people of Nicaragua, and for other purposes."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2021-11-10
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Disaster Relief Fund: Monthly Report as of October 31, 2021 (Fiscal Year 2022 Report to Congress)
From the Background: "P.L. [Public Law] 116-260 requires that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator provide a report by the fifth business day of each month on the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) that includes a funding summary, a table delineating DRF funding activities each month by state and event, a summary of the funding for the catastrophic events, and the fund exhaustion date, or end-of-fiscal-year balance. P.L. 116-136 requires that both projected and actual costs for funds provided by it for major disasters and any other expenses be provided to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. Consequently, the following report elements are included: 1. Appendix A is an appropriations summary that includes a synopsis of the amount of appropriations made available by source, the transfers executed, the previously allocated funds recovered, and the commitments, allocations, and obligations. 2. Appendix B presents details on the DRF funding activities delineated by month. 3. Appendix C presents obligations and estimates by spending category for Hurricanes Sandy, Harvey, Irma, and Maria; Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19); and declarations since August 1, 2017. 4. Appendix D presents funding summaries for the current active catastrophic events including the allocations, obligations, and expenditures. 5. Appendix E presents the fund exhaustion date, or end-of-fiscal-year balance. 6. Appendix F presents a bridge table that provides explanation for the monthly and baseline change for all activities to include details for catastrophic events. 7. Appendix G presents the fund history and current status of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)/Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program."
United States. Department of Homeland Security; United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2021-11-10
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Fact Sheet: The Biden-Harris Action Plan for America's Ports and Waterways
From the Webpage: "Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing a set of concrete steps to accelerate investment in our ports, waterways, and freight networks. These goals and timelines will mobilize federal agencies and lay the foundation for successful implementation of the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal. This action plan will increase federal flexibilities for port grants; accelerate port infrastructure grant awards; announce new construction projects for coastal navigation, inland waterways, and land ports of entry; and launch the first round of expanded port infrastructure grants funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal."
United States. White House Office
2021-11-09
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United States 2021 Aviation Climate Action Plan
From the Introduction: "The United States believes that addressing the climate crisis through enhanced ambition is a defining priority of our time. This Aviation Climate Action Plan provides a whole-of-government approach and policy framework for the aviation sector to contribute to broader, economy-wide objectives. To achieve ambitious climate goals, the United States will implement a suite of policy measures to foster innovation and drive change across the entire U.S. aviation ecosystem, namely the airlines, manufacturers/suppliers, airports, energy companies, airline customers, and various levels of government. This plan builds on individual and sector-wide commitments announced by the U.S. aviation industry."
United States. Federal Aviation Administration
2021-11-09
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Defense Primer: Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps [Updated November 9, 2021]
From the Document: "The Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps (SROTC)--more commonly referred to as the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)--is an officer training and scholarship program for postsecondary students authorized under Chapter 103 of Title 10 of the United States Code. By enrolling in ROTC, students can pursue an undergraduate degree while also training to become U.S. military officers. The military departments -- Army, Air Force, and Navy -- manage their own ROTC programs, which are hosted at civilian universities and colleges. The Navy ROTC program includes a Marine Corps option and the Air Force program allows for commissions to the Space Force. The Coast Guard, part of the Department of Homeland Security, does not have an ROTC program, but does offer a College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI) that awards scholarships to students at minority-serving institutions and placement in the Coast Guard Officer Candidate School. The military departments provide scholarships and other forms of financial assistance to participating students. In return, students commit to accept an appointment as an officer in the U.S. military upon graduation. The ROTC program is the largest single source of commissioned officers, producing more than 6,000 officers annually (see 'Figure 1'). Other major commissioning sources include service academies (the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy); Officer Candidate/Training Schools; and direct appointment."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kamarck, Kristy N.
2021-11-09
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Cocaine: Crack and Powder Sentencing Disparities [November 9, 2021]
From the Document: "Cocaine is a stimulant drug, usually distributed in a powder form that can be snorted or injected after being dissolved in water. It can also appear in a more solid, chunk form, known as cocaine base or crack, which can be smoked. Whether consumed in powder or crack form, cocaine produces the same type of physiological and psychotropic effects; however, the route of administration affects the onset, duration, and intensity of these effects. The maximum psychotropic effects take longer to reach when snorting powder cocaine versus either injecting powder cocaine or smoking crack cocaine, but the effects last longer. [...] The Controlled Substances Act (CSA; enacted in 1970) is the legal framework through which the federal government regulates certain drugs that are deemed to pose a risk of abuse and dependence, including powder and crack cocaine. Some violations of the CSA are criminal offenses that may result in large fines and long prison sentences. The CSA as enacted did not distinguish between powder and crack cocaine; however, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 amended the CSA to impose mandatory minimum sentences for certain trafficking-related offenses involving cocaine. While these minimum sentences applied to both powder and crack cocaine, the amount of each substance required to trigger the mandatory minimum varied by a ratio of 100:1."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sacco, Lisa N.; Finklea, Kristin
2021-11-09
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EU Climate Action and U.S.-EU Relations [Updated November 9, 2021]
From the Document: "The European Union (EU) has played a leading role on international climate action for decades. It worked closely with the United States to negotiate the 2015 Paris Agreement (PA) to combat greenhouse gas (GHG)-induced climate change. Since 2019, the EU has raised its domestic climate ambitions further and, in doing so, has sought to be a global standard-setter. The EU welcomed President Biden's decision to rejoin the PA (reversing the U.S. withdrawal carried out by the former Trump Administration). Both EU and Biden Administration officials repeatedly assert the importance of U.S.-EU cooperation in tackling climate challenges. The 117th Congress may compare EU climate action policies with Biden Administration plans and may assess prospects for and challenges to U.S.-EU cooperation on climate change mitigation efforts in the years ahead."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Archick, Kristin; Leggett, Jane A.; Procita, Kezee
2021-11-09
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Line 5 Pipeline: Replacement/Tunnel Project [November 9, 2021]
From the Document: "The Line 5 Pipeline is a 30-inch, 645-mile pipeline owned by Enbridge [hyperlink] carrying up to 540,000 barrels per day of crude oil and natural gas liquids from Superior, WI, to Sarnia, Ontario ('Figure 1'). A key segment of Line 5 is an underwater crossing at the Straits of Mackinac--between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas--where the pipeline runs for approximately four miles across the lakebed. This crossing has been an environmental concern due to the risk it poses of a 'worst case' oil spill [hyperlink] into the Great Lakes. Under the terms of various state agreements, Enbridge plans to replace this pipeline segment with a new one constructed through a tunnel beneath the lakebed--which requires federal approval. Enbridge continues operating the existing pipeline in the meantime. However, the state of Michigan has ordered Line 5 to shut down. Whether the pipeline should continue operating in its current configuration, and whether the federal government should grant a tunnel permit for a replacement crossing, have been the subject of litigation, federal oversight, and a U.S.-Canada treaty dispute."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Parfomak, Paul W.
2021-11-09
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Money Laundering in the U.S. Real Estate Sector [November 9, 2021]
From the Document: "Money laundering and other financial crimes in the real estate sector take many forms and continue to challenge real estate professionals, financial institutions, policymakers, law enforcement authorities, and regulatory stakeholders. Domestic and international scrutiny of the real estate market's vulnerability to money laundering has grown in recent years. An issue Congress may consider is how to balance the money laundering risks posed by the real estate sector against differing views on how to implement appropriate oversight. According to various sources, real estate money laundering (REML) schemes can involve a wide range of conventional domestic criminals, as well as transnational criminals, including drug cartels and human traffickers, international terrorists, and foreign kleptocrats (corrupt high-level officials). The purchase of real estate, often combined with methods to conceal a purchaser's identity and source of funds, can allow criminals to integrate ill-gotten proceeds into the legal economy or park illicit wealth abroad. Real estate transactions may intersect with banks and other financial institutions that are subject to anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) requirements. Some critics posit that current AML/CFT practices may not effectively deter REML. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's 2018 'National Money Laundering Risk Assessment' identified five key risks and vulnerabilities within the U.S. real estate sector: [1] transactions involving luxury residential real estate; [2] real estate transactions involving opaque entities; [3] all-cash transactions that do not involve mortgage lenders; [4] real estate transactions based on falsified loan application information; and [5] complicit professionals in the real estate industry."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rosen, Liana W.; Miller, Rena S.
2021-11-09
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Veterans Day Speech Resources: Fact Sheet [Updated November 9, 2021]
From the Introduction: "Veterans Day is a federal holiday honoring people who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. It is recognized annually on November 11. This fact sheet is designed to assist congressional offices with work related to celebrating Veterans Day. It contains a brief history, selected CRS [Congressional Research Service] reports, sample speeches and recognitions, presidential proclamations, and statistical data. It also contains links to additional web resources from authoritative sources."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sidor, Gary
2021-11-09
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Defense Primer: Department of Defense Unfunded Priorities [November 9, 2021]
From the Introduction: "Department of Defense (DOD) unfunded priorities generally refer to reports submitted to Congress pursuant to 'United States Code' provisions (10 U.S.C. §222a and 10 U.S.C. §222b) listing military programs, activities, or mission requirements that were not included in the President's annual budget request but that the department would fund with additional appropriations. The highest-ranking officers of the U.S. military services, combatant commands (COCOMs), and Missile Defense Agency (MDA) submit the reports, which are sometimes called unfunded priorities lists or unfunded requirements. Some observers have described DOD unfunded priorities as 'wish lists' that reduce budget discipline and increase unnecessary spending. Others have described them as 'risk lists' that identify items intended to support strategic objectives. For FY2022, DOD identified $23.85 billion in unfunded priorities, according to CRS [Congressional Research Service] analysis of the documents. Congress is debating whether to increase funding in FY2022 defense authorization and appropriation legislation, in part to fund DOD unfunded priorities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Trujillo, Maureen; McGarry, Brendan W.
2021-11-09
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Investigation of Political Activities by Senior Trump Administration Officials During the 2020 Presidential Election
From the Executive Summary: "This report presents the United States Office of Special Counsel's (OSC) investigative findings and conclusions regarding complaints OSC received--largely in response to the 2020 Republican National Convention (RNC)--alleging that senior Trump administration officials used their official authority or influence to interfere with or affect the 2020 presidential election in violation of the Hatch Act. As described herein, OSC investigated those complaints and determined that hosting the RNC at the White House did not itself violate the Hatch Act, but that at least 13 senior Trump administration officials did violate the Hatch Act prior to the election. Each of these high-profile violations was committed by an official OSC believes, based on current law, could only have been disciplined by then-President Donald J. Trump. Thus, the cases described herein demonstrate both a willingness by some in the Trump administration to leverage the power of the executive branch to promote President Trump's reelection and the limits of OSC's enforcement power under the existing statutory scheme to prevent them from doing so. OSC is issuing this report to educate employees about Hatch Act-prohibited activities, highlight the enforcement challenges that OSC confronted during its investigations, and deter similar violations in the future."
United States. Office of Special Counsel
2021-11-09
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COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Vaccination Status
From the Background: "Vaccination is a critical tool to help stop the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. All authorized COVID-19 vaccines in the US are highly effective at protecting people from getting sick or severely ill with COVID-19, including those infected with Delta and other known variants. COVID-19 vaccination can also reduce the spread of disease overall, helping to keep communities safe. Because no vaccines are 100 percent effective, it is expected that some fully vaccinated people will get sick with COVID-19, and that number will increase as more people get vaccinated. Vaccine effectiveness can also be affected by an individual's own immune system, like how well they respond to the vaccine when it is given and how much their immunity wanes over time. Real world, state-specific data showing the impact of vaccination on outcomes, including infection and death, can help illustrate these benefits, improve confidence in vaccines, and raise vaccination rates in Texas. This analysis will be updated periodically to include the most recent four-week span with complete data."
Texas. Department of State Health Services; Texas Health and Human Services Commission
2021-11-08
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Impact of COVID-19 on the DPRK's Health System and Future Inter-Korean Biomedical Cluster Cooperation in the Post-Pandemic Era
From the Introduction: "In this essay, Sang Min Park discusses the impact of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] and the international sanctions regime on the DPRK [The Democratic People's Republic of Korea] healthcare system, trends in global health aid for the DPRK and the role of the ROK [Republic of Korea], and a future inter-Korean Biomedical Cluster Cooperation model in a post-pandemic era, with implications for cooperative threat reduction (CTR+). [...] The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is yet to confirm any official cases of COVID-19. Since the start of the pandemic in January 2020, the DPRK has taken extensive measures to control COVID-19, including imposing strict border controls, a 30-day quarantine for those with COVID-like symptoms, lockdowns of entire counties and cities, and a ban on travel between provinces. Several researchers have summarized the status of COVID-19 in the DPRK, its response to the pandemic, and the pandemic's impact on the economy and regional security of the DPRK. This paper will attempt to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the DPRK health system as well as its future implications in three major ways: 1) a brief update of the DPRK's response to COVID-19 epidemic in 2021 and its impacts on the DPRK health system; 2) trends in global health aid to the DPRK during the international sanctions regime and the role of the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the COVID-19 pandemic era; and 3) how to build a sustainable and synergistic horizontal inter-Korean cooperation model in the post-pandemic era."
Nautilus Institute
Park, Sang Min
2021-11-08
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Defense Primer: Commanding U.S. Military Operations [Updated November 8, 2021]
From the Document: "Military operations, both in peacetime and in war, are an inherently complex undertaking. One key to success, therefore, is a clear, unified chain of command. This enables senior leaders in the U.S. government--in particular, the President and the Secretary of Defense--to command and control military forces around the world."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2021-11-08
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Military's COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate [Updated November 8, 2021]
From the Document: "SECDEF [Secretary of Defense] issued a memorandum on August 24, 2021, directing the Secretaries of the Military Departments (MILDEPs) to 'immediately begin full vaccination of all members of the Armed Forces under DoD authority on active duty or in the Ready Reserve, including the National Guard, who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19.' This Insight summarizes the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for servicemembers and offers considerations for Congress as the MILDEPs implement the mandate."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mendez, Bryce H. P.
2021-11-08
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Lebanon [Updated November 8, 2021]
From the Document: "Lebanon, a country of 5.5 million people, faces the worst economic crisis in its history amid ongoing political unrest, the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and in the aftermath of an August 2020 explosion that severely damaged the port of Beirut and surrounding areas. Lebanon hosts the largest number of refugees in the world per capita (over 1 million, mostly Syrians), which has raised social tensions and strained public services. U.S. policy has focused on countering the influence of Iran and Hezbollah and on bolstering the Lebanese state while calling for reforms to counter corruption and mismanagement. Lebanon's leaders have warned that the country's economic crisis could lead to a collapse of state institutions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humud, Carla E.
2021-11-08
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SBA Disaster Loan Interest Rates: Overview and Policy Options [November 8, 2021]
From the Summary: "This report opens with an overview of the SBA [Small Business Administration] Disaster Loan Program's financing, followed by the history of SBA disaster loan interest rate policy and the statutory formulas that determine these rates. It also provides a more general overview of the SBA Disaster Loan Program and summarizes congressional debates over the extent to which the cost of these loans should be borne by borrowers or taxpayers. This report concludes with an assessment of various legislative options currently under consideration and the extent to which the SBA can administratively adjust disaster loan interest rates."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lindsay, Bruce R.; Getter, Darryl E.; Nagel, Jared C. . . .
2021-11-08
