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Executive Order 13845: Establishing the President's National Council for the American Worker
"By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to provide a coordinated process for developing a national strategy to ensure that America's students and workers have access to affordable, relevant, and innovative education and job training that will equip them to compete and win in the global economy, and for monitoring the implementation of that strategy, it is hereby ordered as follows [...]"
United States. Office of the Federal Register
Trump, Donald, 1946-
2018-07-19
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CMS and Disasters: Resources at Your Fingertips
"This document provides information and resources for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) disaster and emergency related programs."
United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response
2018-07-19
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Executive Order 13840--Ocean Policy to Advance the Economic, Security, and Environmental Interests of the United States
From the Purpose: "The ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes waters of the United States are foundational to the economy, security, global competitiveness, and well-being of the United States. Ocean industries employ millions of Americans and support a strong national economy. Domestic energy production from Federal waters strengthens the Nation's security and reduces reliance on imported energy. Our Armed Forces protect our national interests in the ocean and along the Nation's coasts. Goods and materials that support our economy and quality of life flow through maritime commerce. Our fisheries resources help feed the Nation and present tremendous export opportunities. Clean, healthy waters support fishing, boating, and other recreational opportunities for all Americans.This order maintains and enhances these and other benefits to the Nation through improved public access to marine data and information, efficient interagency coordination on ocean-related matters, and engagement with marine industries, the science and technology community, and other ocean stakeholders. To advance these national interests, this order recognizes and supports Federal participation in regional ocean partnerships, to the extent appropriate and consistent with national security interests and statutory authorities."
United States. Office of the Federal Register
Trump, Donald, 1946-
2018-07-19
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Social Security Number Fraud Prevention Act: Initial Report to Congress
From the Foreword: "I am pleased to present the initial report to Congress as required by the 'Social Security Number Fraud Prevention Act of 2017' ('Act'). In order to comply with the Act's prohibition on the inclusion of a full Social Security number (SSN) in documents sent by mail, unless expressly identified as necessary by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS or Department), the DHS Privacy Office plans to implement a multi-phased effort to identify, inventory, analyze, and restructure the use of SSNs in mailed correspondence at the Department. This report describes that effort. Additionally, the Department, led by the DHS Privacy Office, will use this opportunity to conduct a holistic review of its approach to the use of SSNs in an effort to further reduce the collection, maintenance, and use of this sensitive personal identifier. While the Department's approach goes beyond what the Act requires, it will aid the Department in reducing the unnecessary collection and use of SSNs."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Privacy Office
2018-07-19
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Trends in Trade: U.S.-China Goods Trade 2012-2017
From the Executive Summary: "China is one of the United States' most important trading partners. In 2017, China was the United States' largest goods trading partner, third-largest export market, and biggest supplier of imports. [...] This report describes and analyzes patterns in the U.S.-China trade relationship and is an update to a staff research report published by the Commission in November 2012 which covered trends in trade from 2000 through 2011. The 2012 report found that China exported hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of manufactured goods, but imported a much smaller amount of nonmanufactured goods from the United States. The majority of growth in U.S. exports to China in the 2000 to 2011 period came from exports of nonmanufactured products like soybeans and scrap metal, while the largest source of the bilateral trade deficit was increased U.S. imports of computer and electronic products. Since 2011, the bilateral trade deficit has increased, and the composition of U.S. goods exports to China has changed dramatically. Nonmanufactured exports remained strong from 2012 to 2017, but the majority of growth occurred in a few select manufacturing sectors, most notably aviation, semiconductor machinery, and medical devices. The composition of U.S. imports remained concentrated in high-tech and industrial sectors, including computers and electronics and machinery. The nature of U.S.-China trade over the past six years points to crucial dynamics in the bilateral relationship with important implications for the U.S. economy and future competitiveness."
U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
Carfagno, Bart; Ker, Michelle
2018-07-19
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Transnational Crime Issues: Human Trafficking [July 19, 2018]
"Trafficking in persons, or human trafficking, is a domestic and international phenomenon that refers to the subjection of men, women, and children to exploitative conditions that may be tantamount to slavery. In 2000, Congress defined 'severe forms of trafficking in persons' to mean sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rosen, Liana W.; Weber, Michael A.
2018-07-19
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Iran's Foreign and Defense Policies [July 18, 2018]
"Successive Administrations have identified Iran as a key national security challenge, citing Iran's nuclear and missile programs as well as its long-standing attempts to counter many U.S. objectives in the region. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, in his February 13, 2018, annual worldwide threat assessment testimony before Congress, assessed that 'Iran will seek to expand its influence in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, where it sees conflicts generally trending in Tehran's favor ...' and 'Iran will develop military capabilities that threaten U.S. forces and allies in the region....' Successive National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAAs) have required an annual report on Iran's military power, which has in recent years contained assessments of Iran similar to those presented publicly by the intelligence community."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2018-07-18
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Can a President Amend Regulations by Executive Order? [July 18, 2018]
"An executive order signed by President Trump on July 10, 2018, raises the question of whether a President--with the stroke of a pen--can amend federal rules codified in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). In Executive Order 13843, the President changed the hiring process for administrative law judges (ALJs), 'excepting' them from the competitive service. Somewhat unusually, the order directly amends three provisions in the CFR, rather than directing an agency to amend the regulations. Generally, rules may only be amended through special procedures governed by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). This process, known as notice-and-comment rulemaking, usually requires advance notice and a period for public comment on proposed rule amendments. As a result, Executive Order 13843 raises the question of whether the President, if otherwise vested with the authority to make rules, could bypass this normal process and directly amend the rule by executive order. Supreme Court precedent suggests that presidential actions, such as executive orders, are not reviewable under the APA. But the APA's procedural requirements still apply to agencies when they act to implement any presidential directives, raising the question of when presidential action ends and when agency implementation begins. This Sidebar explores the scope of the presidential exception to the normal rulemaking process."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brannon, Valerie C.
2018-07-18
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Israel and Hamas: Another Round of Conflict [July 18, 2018]
"Periodic violence between Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip--including the Islamist group Hamas-- and Israel's military became a larger conflict on July 6-7, 2014, and Israel began a ground operation in Gaza on July 17 with the stated objective of destroying tunnels used by militants to infiltrate Israeli territory. Since the initial escalation, Hamas and other Palestinian militants have reportedly launched more than 1,000 rockets into Israel with longer ranges than in past conflicts, and Israel has conducted more than 1,900 strikes on targets in Gaza. Rockets and/or mortars have also reportedly been fired on Israeli-controlled territory from Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, in some cases provoking Israeli retaliatory fire. Additionally, Israel has reportedly shot down two Hamas drone aircraft and foiled a Hamas sea raid. Though casualty figures cannot be independently verified, apparently more than 220 Palestinians--many or most of them civilians, but also some prominent Hamas operatives--have been killed, more than 1,500 injured, and several thousand displaced. One Israeli civilian has reportedly been killed, with several injuries reported to other civilians and military personnel. Daily life on both sides faces continual disruption. Israel's Iron Dome anti-rocket system has reportedly intercepted approximately 90% of rockets it classifies as threats to sensitive targets (including population centers)"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Zanotti, Jim
2018-07-18
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Federal Role in Groundwater Supply: Overview and Legislation in the 115th Congress [July 18, 2018]
"Groundwater, the water in aquifers accessible by wells, is a critical component of the U.S. water supply. It is important for both domestic and agricultural water needs, among other uses. Nearly half of the nation's population uses groundwater to meet daily needs; in 2015, about 149 million people (46% of the nation's population) relied on groundwater for their domestic indoor and outdoor water supply. The greatest volume of groundwater used every day is for agriculture, specifically for irrigation. In 2015, irrigation accounted for 69% of the total fresh groundwater withdrawals in the United States. For that year, California pumped the most groundwater for irrigation, followed by Arkansas, Nebraska, Idaho, Texas, and Kansas, in that order. Groundwater also is used as a supply for mining, oil and gas development, industrial processes, livestock, and thermoelectric power, among other uses."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Folger, Peter (Peter Franklin); Stern, Charles V.; Carter, Nicole T. . . .
2018-07-18
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U.S. Army's Initial Maneuver, Short-Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) System [July 18, 2018]
"Since 2005, there has been a dramatic increase in air and missile platforms that could threaten U.S. ground forces. The use of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) has increased exponentially, and UASs have been used successfully by both sides in the Russo-Ukrainian conflict. Furthermore, fixed-wing aircraft, attack helicopters, and cruise missiles continue to pose a significant threat to U.S. ground forces. In its 2015 report to the President and Congress, the National Commission on the Future of the Army noted, among things, there were unacceptable modernization shortfalls in SHORAD and those major shortfalls caused other concerns across a wide range of contingencies, including in Europe and the Korean peninsula"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Feickert, Andrew
2018-07-18
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U.S. Trade Deficit: An Overview [July 18, 2018]
"The trade deficit is the numerical difference between a country's exports and imports of goods and services. The United States has experienced annual trade deficits during most of the post-WWII period. Some observers argue that the trade deficit costs U.S. jobs, is unsustainable, or reflects unfair trade practices by foreign competitors. Most economists contend this mischaracterizes the nature of the trade deficit and the role of trade in the economy. In general, most economists conclude the trade deficit stems largely from U.S. macroeconomic policies and an imbalance between saving and investment in the economy. Economists also conclude that trade creates both economic benefits and costs, but that the long-run net effect on the economy as a whole is positive. At the same time, some workers and firms may experience a disproportionate share of short-term adjustment costs. On March 31, 2017, President Trump issued an Executive Order directing key agencies to prepare a written report within 90 days (not yet published) on significant trade deficits with U.S. trading partners, including a focus on: unfair trade practices; and the impact of the trade deficit on U.S. production, employment, wages, and national security."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jackson, James K., 1949-
2018-07-18
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Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles [July 18, 2018]
"On October 25, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) jointly published the second phase of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and engines (81 Federal Register 73478) through their authorities under the Clean Air Act (CAA), as amended, and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140). The Phase 2 rule sets emission standards for tractor-trailers, vocational vehicles, and heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans. The rule expands on the Phase 1 standards (promulgated on September 15, 2011, for model years [MYs] 2014 through 2018; 76 Federal Register 57106) and introduces first-ever controls on trailers (i.e., the part of the vehicle pulled by the tractor) and glider vehicles (i.e., a new chassis combined with an older engine). The standards phase in between MY 2021 and MY 2027 for engines and vehicles and between MY 2018 and MY 2027 for trailers and gliders. The agencies outline several benefits of the rule, including (1) reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and fuel consumption from new on-road vehicles, (2) reducing the costs for transporting goods, and (3) spurring innovation in the clean energy technology sector."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lattanzio, Richard K.
2018-07-18
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Ghana: Current Issues and U.S. Relations in Brief [July 18, 2018]
"Ghana, a country of 27.5 million people on West Africa's Atlantic coast, faces diverse development challenges, but has built a robust democracy notable for consistent peaceful turnovers of executive power since a transition to multiparty rule in the early 1990s. The country also has made progress toward many of the socioeconomic outcomes that successive U.S. administrations have sought to foster in Africa, and U.S. policymakers have tended to view Ghana as a stable U.S. partner in an often-volatile region. Substantial U.S. bilateral aid has both been premised on and arguably contributed to Ghana's generally positive development trajectory."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cook, Nicolas
2018-07-18
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DNA Evidence: Preliminary Observations on DOJ's DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Grant Program, Statement of Gretta L. Goodwin, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Testimony Before the Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. Senate
"Many state and local crime labs have backlogs of requests for DNA analysis of crime scene evidence, as reported by grantees participating in DOJ's CEBR [Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program] grant program. These backlogs can include sexual assault kits. Since 2011, DOJ's Office of Justice Programs --the primary grant -making arm of DOJ --has awarded nearly $500 million to states and local jurisdictions through the CEBR grant program to help reduce DNA evidence awaiting analysis at crime labs. There have been concerns that these backlogs of unanalyzed evidence have enabled serial offenders to reoffend or have delayed justice. This statement is based on preliminary observations and analyses from GAO's [Government Accountability Office] ongoing review of (1) the level of crime scene DNA evidence backlogs among CEBR grantees and the factors that contribute to such backlogs; (2) the extent to which DOJ has clearly defined goals for CEBR; and (3) the extent to which OJP has controls for CEBR related to federal conflicts of interest and lobbying requirements. To develop these preliminary findings, GAO reviewed CEBR grantee data from 2011- 2016 (the latest data available) and studies relevant to the DNA backlog, visited selected labs, and interviewed DOJ officials, among others."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2018-07-18
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Military Commission Judges Do Not Have Unilateral Power to Punish for Contempt [July 18, 2018]
"Brigadier General (Gen.) John G. Baker, Chief Defense Counsel of the Military Commission System, prevailed in his habeas case against a military commission judge who sentenced him to 21 days' confinement and fined him $1,000 for contempt. The contempt charge stemmed from Gen. Baker's refusal to appear before the military judge to defend or rescind his decision to permit all but one of the defense attorneys in the Al-Nashiri (U.S.S. Cole bombing) case to withdraw on ethical grounds. The District Court for the District of Columbia ultimately granted the petition in Baker v. Spath on the grounds that military judges in the military commission system do not have the authority unilaterally to impose punishment for contempt. Rather, contempt charges must be decided by a full military commission in the same way as any other offense punishable by military commissions established under the Military Commissions Act of 2009 (MCA)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Elsea, Jennifer
2018-07-18
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Modeling and Simulation of Apparent Color and Apparent Patterning of Camouflage Fabrics
"Advanced camouflage patterns for military applications consist of highly detailed camouflage patterning and multiple tonal (blended) colors. The complexity of these camouflage patterns establishes a need for additional test methodologies for color and pattern evaluation. One metric for evaluation is apparent color, which is the combination of all visible wavelengths (380-700 nm) of light reflected from large (≥1m2) fabric sample sizes for a given standoff distance (25-100 ft). This follows in that camouflage patterns lose resolution with increasing standoff distance, and eventually all colors within the pattern appear monotone (the 'apparent color' of the camouflage pattern). The concept of apparent color is based on far-field and statistical characteristics of camouflage patterns. In contrast, the concept of apparent camouflage patterning is associated with intermediate distances between observer and target. Accordingly, quantitative metrics for camouflage-pattern viability based on apparent patterns should be different than those for apparent color, thus providing additional criteria for evaluation This paper describes general algorithms for modeling apparent color and patterning of camouflage patterns that are relevant to evaluating camouflage fabrics."
Naval Research Laboratory (U.S.); United States. Office of Naval Research
Ramsey, Scott A.; Mayo, Troy B.; Howells, Christopher A. . . .
2018-07-18
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Proposed Equal Rights Amendment: Contemporary Ratification Issues [July 18, 2018]
"On July 20, 1923, the National Woman's Party (NWP) met in Seneca Falls, New York, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the historic Seneca Falls Convention and celebrate the 1920 ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, by which women won the right to vote. At the meeting, NWP leader Alice Paul announced her next project would be to develop and promote a new constitutional amendment, guaranteeing equal rights and equality under the law in the United States to women and men. Paul, a prominent suffragist, noted the recent ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, which established the right of women to vote. She characterized an 'equal rights' amendment as the next logical step for the women's movement. The proposed amendment was first introduced six months later, in December 1923, in the 68th Congress. Originally named 'the Lucretia Mott Amendment,' in honor of the prominent 19th century abolitionist, women's rights activist, and social reformer, the draft amendment stated that, 'men and women shall have equal rights throughout the United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Neale, Thomas H.
2018-07-18
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First Responder's Toolbox: Animal Cruelty: A Possible Warning Behavior for Terrorism and Other Premeditated Violence Against Humans Which Needs Reporting and Further Vetting
From the Document: "Clinical and forensic data on mass murder incidents, including terrorist attacks, reveals the vast majority are premeditated rather than impulsive. Premeditated murders often display observable warning behaviors. Although warning behaviors cannot predict targeted violence, they are useful in identifying an accelerated and increased risk of violence that should elevate authorities' concern. Animal cruelty , particularly when premeditated in nature, is one example of a novel aggression warning behavior. Through this behavior, an individual tests his or her ability to actually engage in a violent act and can be thought of as experimental aggression. Numerous studies indicate that animal cruelty is often linked to a variety of other crimes, particularly violent offences toward humans. In 2017, there were two instances in the Homeland of ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria] supporters who abused animals for various reasons prior to their arrest, and who were plotting to conduct a terrorist attack."
National Counterterrorism Center (U.S.)
Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team
2018-07-18
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Are We Ready? Recovering from 2017 Disasters and Preparing for the 2018 Hurricane Season, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, United States House of Representatives, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, Second Session, July 18, 2018
This is a testimony compilation of the July 18, 2018 hearing 'Are We Ready? Recovering from 2017 Disasters and Preparing for the 2018 Hurricane Season' held before the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. From the opening statement of Lou Barletta: "From hurricanes to floods and wildfires, no region of our country was completely immune from the impacts of disaster in 2017. [...] The purpose of today's hearing is to determine where we are in recovering from these devastating disasters, what challenges there are to recovery, and suggestions on how we can overcome those challenges. We also want to understand state, local, and federal efforts to prepare for the 2018 hurricane season which began on June 1. We also want to examine the reforms that are needed to incentivize and encourage mitigation and the reduction of disaster costs and losses across the country." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Jeffrey Byard, Charles Alexander, Patrick Sheehan, Mistie Gardner, and Robert David Paulison.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
2018-07-18
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Brett M. Kavanaugh: Selected Primary Material [July 17, 2018]
"On July 9, 2018, President Trump announced the nomination of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit) to fill the impending vacancy on the Supreme Court caused by Justice Kennedy's scheduled retirement on July 31, 2018. This sidebar contains reference information about Judge Kavanaugh, including a biography; a list of publications he authored or co-authored; legislative documentation related to previous nominations; lists of his written opinions; a list of Supreme Court briefs to which he contributed; and additional resources. For initial observations about Judge Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court, please see CRS Legal Sidebar LSB10168, President Trump Nominates Judge Brett Kavanaugh: Initial Observations, by Andrew Nolan."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Taylor, Julia; Stophel, Keri B.; Tarnay, Eva M.
2018-07-17
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Attaching a Price to Greenhouse Gas Emissions with a Carbon Tax or Emissions Fee [July 17, 2018]
"Significant debate continues about what, if any, policy initiatives may be appropriate or feasible to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Major scientific assessments in the United States and internationally conclude that 'it is extremely likely that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases, are the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century.' Human-related GHG emissions, if continued, would tend to drive further warming, sea level rise, ocean acidification, and other impacts. Small future climate changes may bring benefits for some and adverse effects to others. Large climate changes would be increasingly adverse for a widening scope of populations and ecosystems. Many nations and subnational governments (including U.S. state and local governments) have begun to address the risks of GHG-induced climate change by enacting GHG emission abatement programs. In the United States, combustion of fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) released 76% of U.S. GHG emissions in 2016. Over 99% of the combustion emissions are carbon dioxide (CO2), the principal human-related GHG. Congressional interest in legislation that would establish a market-based approach (e.g., cap-and-trade or carbon price proposals) to address GHG emissions has fluctuated over the last decade. In the 115th Congress, Members have introduced at least eight bills that would attach a price to GHG emissions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Ramseur, Jonathan L.; Leggett, Jane A.
2018-07-17
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Emergency Planning and Response for Dialysis Centers and Opioid Treatment Programs
"This 21-minute video educates dialysis and opioid treatment program facilities on responding to events that can impact operations, and on emergency preparedness before, response to, and after a critical event. It is presented by three different subject matter experts from emergency management, as well as the dialysis and opioid treatment communities, and includes topics such as recognition of an event that would compromise the provision of critical services, patient and staff communications, and service recovery."
National Library of Medicine (U.S.). Disaster Information Management Research Center; New York City. Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Chason, Kevin; Lapsia, Vijay; Fiori, Michael
2018-07-17
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Mexico's 2018 Elections: Results and Potential Implications [July 17, 2018]
"On July 1, 2018, Andrés Manuel López Obrador and his leftist MORENA party dominated Mexico's presidential and legislative elections. López Obrador won 53.2% of the presidential vote, more than 30 percentage points ahead of his nearest rival, Ricardo Anaya. MORENA's coalition also won majorities in both chambers of congress. These results demonstrated voters' dissatisfaction with the traditional parties and gave López Obrador a strong governing mandate. He is to succeed Enrique Peña Nieto as president on December 1, 2018, and serve a single, six-year term."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Seelke, Clare Ribando; Gracia, Edward Y.
2018-07-17
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Army Futures Command (AFC) [July 16, 2018]
"The Army's post-Cold War development of major combat systems has been characterized by a number of high-profile program cancellations, such as Crusader, an artillery system cancelled in 2002 after having spent $2.2 billion; Comanche, a helicopter program cancelled in 2004 after having spent $7.9 billion; and the Future Combat System (FCS), cancelled in 2009 after having spent $18.1 billion. In addition to the expenditure of resources, these cancellations have impeded the development of newer, more capable systems, permitting potential adversaries to achieve battlefield parity and, in some cases, superiority over U.S. ground combat systems."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Feickert, Andrew
2018-07-16
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Media Consolidation: United States v. AT&T and Implications for Future Transactions [July 16, 2018]
"On June 12, 2018, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (D.C. District Court) ruled that the proposed merger of AT&T, Inc. (AT&T) with Time Warner Inc. (Time Warner) could proceed without conditions, after one of the most closely watched antitrust trials in recent memory. The companies announced their intent to merge in October 2016. After examining the transaction for over a year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) challenged the proposed merger in November of 2017, arguing that consolidation of AT&T, a communications and satellite television provider, with Time Warner, a programming aggregator, would substantially lessen competition in violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. § 18). The court, after conducting a six-week trial examining the evidence, held that the government had not met its burden of proof under Section 7. The AT&T/Time Warner merger closed on June 14, 2018. The case drew intense interest because it represented the first time in nearly 40 years that the federal government asked a court to block a proposed transaction between companies that did not compete within the same market, i.e., a 'vertical' transaction. (Most transactions challenged under Section 7 involve parties that do compete within the same market, i.e., 'horizontal' transactions.) Antitrust experts labeled the case 'enormously significant,' because challenges to vertical transactions are so rare and thus there is little precedent as to such cases."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Ruane, Kathleen Ann
2018-07-16
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Supreme Court Directs State Court to Decide Whether Indian Tribe Can Invoke Sovereign Immunity in Property Dispute [July 16, 2018]
"Indian tribes possess 'inherent sovereign authority,' which means, among other things, that they cannot be subject to lawsuits unless the tribe waives or Congress expressly abrogates such immunity. Recently, the Supreme Court in Upper Skagit Indian Tribe v. Lundgren ruled that a Washington state court erroneously rejected an Indian tribe's claim that sovereign immunity foreclosed a lawsuit involving a property dispute between two landowners and the tribe. Citing the Supreme Court's 1992 decision in County of Yakima v. Confederated Tribes and Bands of Yakima Indian Nation, the state court had reasoned that an Indian tribe's claim of sovereign immunity did not bar courts from exercising jurisdiction to settle disputes over real property. In reversing the state court's decision, the Supreme Court held that the state court's reliance on Yakima was misplaced because that case did not address the scope of tribal sovereign immunity, but only concerned the question of whether a particular federal law permitted state taxation of certain land within an Indian reservation. The Supreme Court directed the lower court to address the plaintiffs' new contention that an Indian tribe cannot assert sovereign immunity in an action relating to immovable property located in in the territory of another sovereign, namely, in another state. While the Supreme Court's decision clarifies its ruling in Yakima, the Court's decision leaves unresolved the underlying issue of whether an Indian tribe may invoke sovereign immunity in cases involving disputes over real property."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Smith, Hillel R.
2018-07-16
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Public Disclosure of Corporate Tax Returns [July 16, 2018]
"Federal corporate tax returns are confidential and protected from public disclosure under Section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), as enacted by the Tax Reform Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-455). Before 1976, corporate tax returns where classified as part of the 'public record' to varying degrees. Since 1976, there have been occasional calls for the privacy veil to be lifted in response to aggressive tax planning and evasion. This Insight examines several issues surrounding public disclosure of corporate tax returns; however, the discussion below does not address important legal and constitutional issues related to tax return disclosure. When considering the issues discussed below, it is important to note that tax disclosure is not all or nothing. Policymakers may seek a balance between corporate confidentiality and the public's desire to review certain corporate tax information it believes would be informative."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Keightley, Mark P.
2018-07-16
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 2374: Stopping Improper Payments to Deceased People Act
"S. 2374 would expand how data on deaths is used by federal and state agencies for the purpose of limiting improper federal payments. The bill would require the Social Security Administration (SSA) to share all such information with more agencies and for a broader range of purposes."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2018-07-16
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 3031: Federal Personal Property Management Act of 2018
"S. 3031 would require federal agencies to conduct an annual inventory and assessment of personal property under their control. Federal personal property includes everything other than real property--from office supplies to aircraft and motor vehicles. According to the Government Accountability Office, current law requires agencies to continuously review property they control and to identify unneeded personal property and dispose of it promptly. The General Services Administration has issued regulations establishing a governmentwide disposal process for unneeded property. In addition, the Office of Management and Budget provides guidance to agencies on efficient operations, emphasizing internal controls to ensure that agencies identify unneeded property."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2018-07-16
