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Revitalizing Coastal Shipping for Domestic Commerce [May 2, 2017]
"In recent years, domestic shipborne commerce has lost much of its market to other modes. Although potential shipping routes run parallel to congested truck, railroad, and pipeline routes along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and in the Great Lakes region, the volume of cargo carried by domestic ships has declined by 61% since 1960, while the volume carried by other modes, including river barges, has more than doubled. Use of domestic ships has retreated to routes where overland modes are not available, such as between Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Alaska and the U.S. mainland, and where oil pipelines do not exist or are at capacity. One reason for the comparatively lower usage of domestic coastal and Great Lakes shipping is that despite their inherent efficiencies, ships are often not the lowest-cost option for domestic shippers. [...] Reviving coastal shipping would dramatically increase the capacity of the nation's freight network. Moreover, some of the necessary infrastructure is largely in place, as many of the harbors the federal government dredges for deep-draft vessels currently have little or no ship traffic. The question is whether a different mix of federal policies would make coastal trade an attractive option for shippers and ship owners."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Frittelli, John
2017-05-02
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Trade Implications of the President's Buy American Executive Order [May 2, 2017]
"With the April 18, 2017, issuance of President Trump's Executive Order [EO] on Buy American and Hire American, U.S. procurement obligations with 57 countries under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and other U.S. free trade agreements (FTAs) are coming under scrutiny. Some may question whether the order, when implemented, could conflict with current U.S. obligations under these agreements. More specifically, could the EO run counter to U.S. policy on government procurement, which generally seeks to balance support for U.S. industries with ensuring a competitive, cost-efficient process?"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Fefer, Rachel F.; Fergusson, Ian F.
2017-05-02
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How to Develop and Write a Grant Proposal [May 2, 2017]
"This report is intended for Members and staff assisting grant seekers in districts and states and covers writing proposals for both government and private foundation grants. In preparation for writing a proposal, the report first discusses preliminary information gathering and preparation, developing ideas for the proposal, gathering community support, identifying funding resources, and seeking preliminary review of the proposal and support of relevant administrative officials. [...] This report will be updated as needed."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jennings, Julie; Kreiser, Maria A.
2017-05-02
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Points of Order, Rulings, and Appeals in the House of Representatives [May 2, 2017]
"The Speaker usually does not take the initiative to prevent the House from considering proposals or taking actions that would violate the House's rules. Instead, whenever a Member believes that the House's legislative procedures are being violated in some way, or are about to be violated, that Member may insist that the House's procedures be enforced by making a point of order against the alleged violation. Points of order against measures or amendments may be waived in the House by unanimous consent, pursuant to a special rule reported from the Rules Committee and adopted by majority vote on the floor, or via suspension of the rules."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Heitshusen, Valerie
2017-05-02
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Committee Types and Roles [May 2, 2017]
"Congress divides its legislative, oversight, and internal administrative tasks among more than 200 committees and subcommittees. Within assigned areas, these functional subunits gather information; compare and evaluate legislative alternatives; identify policy problems and propose solutions; select, determine, and report measures for full chamber consideration; monitor executive branch performance (oversight); and investigate allegations of wrongdoing. [...] In the 115th Congress (2017-2018), there are 20 standing committees in the House, with 97 subcommittees and one select committee. The Senate has 16 standing committees, with 68 subcommittees as well as four select or special committees. There are also four joint committees."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Heitshusen, Valerie
2017-05-02
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Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations for 2018, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, May 2, 2017
This is the May 2, 2017 hearing "Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations for 2017" before the Committee on Appropriations. "Our Nation was founded based upon a set of complex relationships with European countries. The complexity of our relationship regarding military support was developed due in significant part to alliances with allied powers of World War II leading to the first U.S. military headquarters in Europe in 1942 and in 1944, designating an official command structure with then then Major General Dwight D. Eisenhower as Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, a title now held by our witness today. We wish you were a Kansan, General. Looking at the last 25 years, Europe has been a continent in transition. From the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union to the disintegration of Yugoslavia, the expansion of NATO and now the resurgence of Russia with its aggressive global power interests, European Command has had to adapt to a new reality of instability and uncertainty, forcing us to examine our partnerships and relationships with the 51 countries within the Command's area of responsibility. The new reality must also take into account that despite the recent rise in turmoil and tension, we have reduced our footprint in Europe over the last 30 years. In 1989, the Army had 213,000 troops stationed at 858 sites in Europe. Today, the Army has 26,000 troops in about 80 sites." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Curtis M. Scaparrotti.
United States. Government Publishing Office
2017-05-02
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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, May 2, 2017
"Although the overall life expectancy at birth has increased for both blacks and whites and the gap between these populations has narrowed, disparities in life expectancy and the leading causes of death for blacks compared with whites in the United States remain substantial. Understanding how factors that influence these disparities vary across the life span might enhance the targeting of appropriate interventions. [...] To continue to reduce the gap in health disparities, these findings suggest an ongoing need for universal and targeted interventions that address the leading causes of deaths among blacks (especially cardiovascular disease and cancer and their risk factors) across the life span and create equal opportunities for health."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2017-05-02
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 756: Save Our Seas Act of 2017
"S. 756 would reauthorize and amend the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act. The bill would authorize the appropriation of $10 million annually over the 2018-2022 period for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in coordination with other agencies, to carry out activities to reduce the amount of debris in oceans and coastal areas, and $2 million annually for the Coast Guard (USCG) to better enforce laws related to discarded refuse from ships. CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that implementing S. 756 would cost $46 million over the 2018-2022 period, assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts. Enacting S. 756 would affect direct spending because it would authorize NOAA to collect and spend funds received from nonfederal entities; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that the bill's net effect on direct spending would be negligible. Enacting S. 756 would not affect revenues."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-05-02
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Medication-Assisted Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder: Pocket Guide
"Nearly 80 percent of individuals with an opioid use disorder do not receive treatment. In the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 435,000 respondents ages 12 or older reported current use of heroin. Nonmedical use of pain relievers continues to be more widespread than heroin use--4.3 million NSDUH respondents reported nonmedical use of pain relievers in the past month. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is an effective response to opioid use disorder. It is the use of medications, in combination with behavioral therapies, to provide a whole-patient approach to the treatment of substance use disorders. Individuals receiving MAT often demonstrate dramatic improvement in addiction-related behaviors and psychosocial functioning. The first barrier to accessing treatment is failure to recognize substance use disorder. Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is an approach in which screening is followed up as appropriate with brief intervention to promote healthy behavior change and with referral to treatment for those needing more extensive care."
United States. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
2017-05-02?
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Congressional Budget Cost Estimate: H.R. 1679: FEMA Accountability, Modernization and Transparency Act of 2017 [May 2, 2017]
"H.R. 1679 would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to integrate three specific components into the agency's ongoing project to upgrade its grant management system. The bill also would direct FEMA to implement the new system incrementally. Under current law, FEMA is building a new information technology system that will streamline the application and approval process for more than 40 grants authorized under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. The new system will integrate the grants into one grant-management system, as opposed to the nine systems FEMA is currently using. FEMA expects to begin building the new system in 2018 and expects that it that will cost $105 million over a three-year period to build the system and $15 million each year thereafter to maintain. H.R. 1679 would direct FEMA to include in the new system: An online interface for applicants to complete grant application forms, Mechanisms to eliminate duplication of grant benefits, and The capability to share information among other federal agencies and levels of government. Based on information provided by FEMA, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] expects that the requirements outlined in H.R. 1679 will be met through the agency's current plans to upgrade its grants management system; therefore, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1679 would have no effect on the federal budget. Enacting H.R. 1679 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1679 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028. H.R. 1679 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-05-02
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Responses to the Increase in Religious Hate Crimes, Hearing Before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, May 2, 2017
This testimony compilation made by the HSDL staff is from the May 2, 2017 hearing, "Responses to the Increase in Religious Hate Crimes" before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. From the statement of Chairman Chuck Grassley: "The Senate Judiciary Committee today is holding a hearing on 'Reponses to the Increase in Religious Hate Crimes'. This is a subject of great bipartisan interest in the Committee. Religious hate crimes harm victims and communities. Many of these crimes would never have been committed but for hatred. They run counter to American values such as religious freedom and tolerance. Americans have the right to be safe against those who would treat them as members of religious groups rather than as individuals. Religious hate crimes are on the rise. Crimes against Jews are the most common religious hate crimes and they have increased. Religious hate crimes against Muslims are the fastest growing category. These crimes increased by 67% between 2014 and 2015, the last year for which FBI figures are available. I have been contacted by fearful Iowans. Fear for practicing one's religion should never happen in this country. This problem has been growing for some time, and is not new." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Eric Treene, Jonathan A. Greenblatt, Prabhjot Singh, Vanita Gupta, and Will D. Johnson.
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary
2017-05-02
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United States Transportation Command, Hearing Before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, May 2, 2017
This testimony compilation is from the May 2, 2017 hearing, "United States Transportation Command," before the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services. From the opening statement of John McCain: "TRANSCOM [United States Transportation Command] is more than just a functional command that moves personnel and materiel from place to place. It is a crucial asset on which our military's global power projection depends and one we must not take for granted. As General Patton once said, 'The officer who doesn't know his communications and his supply as well as his tactics is totally useless.' General McDew and his predecessors have warned Congress for years that the proliferation of anti-access/area denial capabilities pose significant challenges for our transportation and distribution networks in contested environments. Put simply, any assumption that TRANSCOM will have uncontested access to international airspace and sea lanes in a future conflict is increasingly outdated. Transport ships and aircraft can be held at risk over greater and greater distances. Our logistic networks are centered on large air and sea ports, which serve as efficient hubs, but are also vulnerable to attack." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Darren W. McDew.
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services
2017-05-02
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National Dispatch Standard Operating Guide for Contracted Resources: A Guide for Dispatchers & Incident Support Personnel
"The intent of this guide is to provide standard operating guidelines to dispatchers and incident support personnel in the mobilization & demobilization of contracted resources. This guide is intended to supplement the National Interagency Mobilization Guide (NFES 2092), as well as geographic area & local mobilization guides. This guide has been developed in accordance with federal agency(s) guidelines for contracted resources, and established business practices as outlined in the National Interagency Mobilization Guide, the Interagency Incident Business Management Handbook (IIBMH), the Resource Ordering and Status System (ROSS) Users Guide, and the Interagency Standards ROSS Operations (ISROG) Guide, and in accordance with the Forest Service Acquisition Regulations (FSAR) on Incident Blanket Purchase Agreements. The guidelines established in this document do not preclude the Government at any time from mobilizing agency owned or agency (Federal, state, or local) cooperator resources prior to mobilizing contracted resources for incident support. This guide will be updated annually and approved by the Washington Office (WO) Fire and Aviation Management (FAM) staff or designee(s)."
National Interagency Fire Center (U.S.)
2017-05
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Guide to Bluetooth Security [Revision 2]
From the Abstract: "Bluetooth wireless technology is an open standard for short-range radio frequency communication used primarily to establish wireless personal area networks (WPANs), and has been integrated into many types of business and consumer devices. This publication provides information on the security capabilities of Bluetooth and gives recommendations to organizations employing Bluetooth wireless technologies on securing them effectively. The Bluetooth versions within the scope of this publication are versions 1.1, 1.2, 2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate (EDR), 2.1 + EDR, 3.0 + High Speed (HS), 4.0, 4.1, and 4.2. Versions 4.0 and later support the low energy feature of Bluetooth."
National Institute of Standards and Technology (U.S.)
Padgette, John; Chen, Lily; Scarfone, Karen . . .
2017-05
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Fire Estimate Summary (2006-2015)
"Fire Estimate Summaries present basic data on the size and status of the fire problem in the United States as depicted through data reported to the U.S. Fire Administration's (USFA's) National Fire Incident Reporting System. Each Fire Estimate Summary addresses the size of the specific fire or fire-related issue and highlights important trends in the data." This report includes the following data: "Residential Building Fire Trends"; "Residential Building Fire Causes"; "Residential Building Fire Death Causes"; "Residential Building Fire Injury Causes"; "Residential Building Fire Dollar-Loss Causes"; "Residential Building Cooking Fire Trends"; "Residential Building Other Unintentional, Careless Fire Trends"; "Residential Building Smoking Fire Trends"; "Residential Building Electrical Malfunction Fire Trends"; "Residential Building Heating Fire Trends"; and "Residential Building Cause Under Investigation Fire Trends."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency; United States Fire Administration
2017-05
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Public Area Security National Framework
"Beginning in mid-September 2016, a group of industry, government, academic, international, and public officials gathered at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Headquarters to devise a strategy to share information, prevent attacks, and protect infrastructure from emerging threats to public spaces of transportation venues. This Public Area Security Summit, co-hosted by TSA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Infrastructure Protection, was the first in a series of meetings with the objective of creating an enhanced security environment in the public area through collaborative engagement with all stakeholders. Together, the group sought to leverage an entire network of transportation and security officials to devise a framework that could deter nefarious actors and, failing to deter, create a
system that quickly and effectively responds to attacks in the public area to minimize loss of life and disruption of transportation."
United States. Transportation Security Administration; United States. Department of Homeland Security
2017-05
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FY2016 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military
"To help address the crime of sexual assault within the Military, the Department of Defense and the military Services conduct comprehensive sexual assault assessments and issue reports. These reports include: DoD SAPR Annual Reports -- the Fiscal Year 2016 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military -- issued May 2017 (see below), DoD Military Service Academy (MSA) Report - the Academic Program Year (APY) 2015-2016 MSA Report - issued in March 2017, DoD Report to the President of the United States on Sexual Assault Prevention and Response - issued in November 2014, and DoD Special Victims Capability Report - issued in December 2013. [...] The Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2016 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military was provided to Congress on May 1, 2017. To assist in addressing the crime of sexual assault within the Military, the Department conducts comprehensive sexual assault assessments and issues annual reports. The data provided in the reports serve as the foundation and catalyst for future sexual assault prevention, training, victim care, and accountability goals."
United States. Department of Defense. Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office
2017-05-01
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 585: Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017
"S. 585 would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to prepare two reports and would modify several personnel and administrative procedures at federal agencies-some of which would be specific to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that implementing S. 585 would cost $3 million over the 2018-2022 period; that spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Enacting S. 585 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. The two reports by GAO would discuss retaliation against employees on probationary status and assess management and staffing levels of police officers at VA medical centers. On the basis of costs for similar reports, CBO estimates that completing those reports would cost $2 million over the 2018-2022 period. Additionally, on the basis of information from VA and the Office of Special Counsel, CBO expects that individually, provisions modifying procedures at VA and other federal agencies would have an insignificant budgetary effect because they would either largely codify current practice or affect few people. In total, however, CBO estimates that implementing those provisions would, in total, cost $1 million over the 2018-2022 period."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-05-01
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DHS Tracking of Visa Overstays is Hindered by Insufficient Technology
"DHS has primary responsibility for identifying visa overstays and taking enforcement action to address security risks. We conducted this audit to determine the effectiveness of Immigration and Custom Enforcement's (ICE) information technology (IT) systems to review, track, and share information associated with visas."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2017-05-01
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Capital Punishment, 2014-2015
"This report provides information on persons under sentence of death on December 31, 2014, and December 31, 2015. It includes summary trends on the population of inmates under sentence of death, admissions and releases from death row, and the number of persons executed. Also, it includes advance counts on executions in 2016."
United States. Bureau of Justice Statistics
Snell, Tracy L.
2017-05
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Final Sequestration Report for Fiscal Year 2017
"In general, after a session of Congress ends, the Congressional Budget Office [CBO] is required to issue a report that provides estimates of the limits (often called caps) on discretionary budget authority that are in effect for each fiscal year through 2021. As part of that requirement, CBO also must report whether, according to its estimates, enacted legislation for the current fiscal year has exceeded those caps. If so, a sequestration (that is, a cancellation of budgetary resources) would be required. [...] In CBO's estimation, a sequestration will not be required for 2017. However, the authority to determine whether a sequestration is required and, if so, exactly how to make the necessary cuts in budget authority rests with the Administration's Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Those determinations are based on OMB's own estimates of federal spending."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-05
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Border Security: Additional Actions Could Strengthen DHS Efforts to Address Subterranean, Aerial, and Maritime Smuggling, Report to Congressional Requesters
"As DHS has increased the security of overland smuggling routes, transnational criminal organizations have adapted their techniques to smuggle drugs and humans through alternative methods. These methods include cross-border tunnels, ultralight aircraft, panga boats, and recreational maritime vessels. While these methods account for a small proportion of known smuggling, they can be used to transport significant quantities of drugs or for terrorist activity. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review DHS's efforts to address subterranean, aerial, and maritime smuggling. This report addresses, among other things, (1) the known prevalence of the aforementioned smuggling methods, (2) efforts to address them, and (3) efforts to assess the results of activities to counter them. GAO analyzed relevant procedures, reports, and data for fiscal years 2011 through 2016. GAO also interviewed DHS officials and conducted site visits to locations in California, Arizona, and Florida, chosen based upon past detection of smuggling by the selected methods, among other things. The information from the site visits is not generalizable, but provided valuable insights."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-05
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Nuclear Waste: Opportunities Exist to Reduce Risks and Costs by Evaluating Different Waste Treatment Approaches at Hanford, Report to Congressional Addressees
"DOE [Department of Energy] oversees the treatment and disposal of about 90 million gallons of radioactive waste from the nation's nuclear weapons program. Most of this waste is stored in tanks at DOE sites in Hanford, Washington, and Savannah River, South Carolina. The less radioactive portion of the tank waste, called LAW [low-activity waste], comprises more than 90 percent of the waste's volume but less than 10 percent of the total radioactivity. DOE has chosen different approaches for treating LAW at the two sites, but it has not made a final decision on how to treat Hanford's supplemental LAW. GAO [Government Accountability Office] examined (1) DOE's reasons for choosing its treatment approaches for LAW at the Savannah River and Hanford Sites, (2) the status of DOE's treatment of LAW at these sites, and (3) experts' views on the likely performance of approaches for treating Hanford's LAW. GAO reviewed technical reports on DOE's waste treatment strategies at the two sites, interviewed DOE officials at headquarters and the sites, and convened an experts' meeting through the National Academies to discuss the effectiveness and risks of vitrification and grout. […] Congress should consider specifically authorizing DOE to classify Hanford's supplemental LAW based on risk, consistent with existing regulatory authorities. GAO also recommends that DOE develop updated information on the performance of treating LAW with alternate methods, such as grout, before it selects an approach for treating supplemental LAW. DOE agreed with both recommendations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-05
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Housing Counseling Disaster Program Guide
From the introduction: "Whether a disaster is brought on by a force of natural or man-made, and no matter what the magnitude of the disaster is, confusion and shock always abound. Households and businesses reeling from a disaster typically find it difficult to understand the wide range of options and resources available to them as they look to rebuild or relocate to permanent housing or base of operations. [...] The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is no stranger to these types of challenges. Since 1968, HUD has helped people overcome barriers to safe, affordable housing through its housing counseling program. This program supports a national network of approved housing counseling agencies which provides education, information, and referrals to address a wide range of financial and housing needs. The Office of Housing Counseling currently has over 1,900 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (HCAs). Many are known and trusted in their communities for providing knowledgeable, individualized housing assistance to individuals and families who live nearby. Housing counseling works. Extensive research, summarized in Appendix 3, documents that households working with a HUD-approved housing counseling agency are more likely to succeed in homeownership, avoid default, and - if in default - obtain a more favorable loan modification and avoid foreclosure when compared with similar families who did not work with HUD-approved housing counseling agencies."
United States. Department of Housing and Urban Development
2017-05-01
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Navy Force Structure: Actions Needed to Ensure Proper Size and Composition of Ship Crews, Report to Congressional Committees
"In 2001, the Navy began reducing crew sizes on surface ships through an initiative called optimal manning, which was intended to achieve workload efficiencies and reduce personnel costs. In 2010, the Navy concluded that this initiative had adversely affected ship readiness and began restoring crew sizes on its ships. The conference report accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 included a provision that GAO [Government Accountability Office] review the Navy's reduced manning initiatives in the surface fleet. This report examines (1) any trends in ship operating and support costs and maintenance backlogs, (2) the extent to which the Navy's manpower requirements process accounts for ship workload, and (3) any manning challenges and implications for the future. GAO analyzed and reviewed data from fiscal years 2000 through 2015 (the most current available) on crew sizes, operating and support costs, material readiness, and the Navy's manpower requirements determination process. GAO also interviewed Department of Defense (DOD) officials and ship crews to discuss workload, manning levels, enablers of smaller crew size, and implications for the future. GAO is making four recommendations that the Navy (1) reassess the standard workweek, (2) require examination of in-port workload, (3) require reassessment of the factors used to develop manpower requirements, and (4) identify the personnel costs needed to man a larger fleet. DOD concurred with each recommendation."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-05
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Can Public Diplomacy Survive the Internet?: Bots, Echo Chambers, and Disinformation
"Scientific progress continues to accelerate, and while we've witnessed a revolution in communication technologies in the past ten years, what proceeds in the next ten years may be far more transformative. It may also be extremely disruptive, challenging long held conventions behind public diplomacy (PD) programs and strategies. In order to think carefully about PD in this ever and rapidly changing communications space, the Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy (ACPD) convened a group of private sector, government, and academic experts at Stanford University's Hoover Institution to discuss the latest trends in research on strategic
communication in digital spaces. The results of that workshop, refined by a number of follow-on interviews and discussions, are included in this report. I encourage you to read each of the fourteen essays that follow, which are divided into three thematic sections: Digital's Dark Side, Disinformation, and Narratives."
United States. Department of State
Powers, Shawn; Kounalakis, Markos
2017-05
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DoD Health: Actions Needed to Ensure Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury Are Considered in Misconduct Separations, Report to Congressional Committees
"The Carl Levin and Howard P. 'Buck' McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 contains a provision that GAO [Government Accountability Office] examine the effect of PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder], TBI [traumatic brain injury], and certain other conditions on separations for misconduct. This report examines (1) the number of servicemembers separated for misconduct who were diagnosed with PTSD, TBI, or certain other conditions and were potentially ineligible for VA [Veterans Affairs] benefits and services; (2) the extent to which military services' policies to address the impact of PTSD and TBI on separations for misconduct are consistent with DOD's policies; (3) the extent to which Army and Marine Corps have adhered to their policies; and (4) the extent to which DOD, Army, and Marine Corps monitor adherence to the policies. GAO analyzed DOD data; reviewed applicable policies; interviewed DOD, Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy officials; visited two Army and
one Marine Corps sites selected on factors such as separation rates; and reviewed a nongeneralizable sample of Army and Marine Corps servicemember misconduct separation documents. GAO is making five recommendations, including that DOD direct the Air Force and Navy to address inconsistencies in their screening and training policies and ensure that the military services monitor adherence to their screening, training, and counseling policies. DOD agreed with four of GAO's recommendations, but did not agree to address inconsistencies in training policies. GAO maintains inconsistencies should be addressed, as discussed in the report."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-05
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Jihadist Maritime Strategy: Waging a Guerrilla War at Sea
"Jihadists have long presented a threat at sea as well as on land but although jihadist military strategy has been the object of considerable analysis and writing over the years, it has been the land-based aspect that has drawn the most attention, while the jihadists' maritime strategy has been relatively neglected. The present study seeks to focus attention on and to better understand the maritime component of jihadist military strategy in order to stimulate thinking and discussion that will help formulate more effective responses to this threat. [...] The thesis of the study is that over the years, rather than maritime attacks being random (apart from some spontaneous lone-wolf attacks), discernible patterns have emerged and that jihadists-and al-Qaeda, in particular-have developed an increasingly coherent maritime strategy. The intent here is to provide an analytical reference source for professional military education, as well as to stimulate thinking and discussion there and in the policy and academic sectors and, at the same time, to develop ideas on how best to deal with this threat."
Marine Corps University (U.S.)
Cigar, Norman L.
2017-05
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Police Response to Domestic Violence, 2006-2015
"An average of 1.3 million nonfatal domestic violence victimizations occurred annually in the United States during the 10-year aggregate period from 2006 to 2015. Police were notified of more than half (56%) of these victimizations (figure 1). When police responded to the scene, they took a report 78% of the time. The victim or other household member signed a criminal complaint against the offender in about half (48%) of victimizations reported to police. The offender was arrested or charges were filed in 39% of reported victimizations, either during the initial response or during the follow-up period. This report primarily uses data from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) for the 10-year aggregate period 2006-15 to examine the reporting of nonfatal domestic violence victimizations to police and police
response to these victimizations."
United States. Bureau of Justice Statistics
Reaves, Brian (Brian A.)
2017-05
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Missile Defense: Some Progress Delivering Capabilities, but Challenges with Testing Transparency and Requirements Development Need to Be Addressed, Report to Congressional Committees
"Since 2002, MDA [Missile Defense Agency] has been developing a Ballistic Missile Defense System [BMDS] comprised of a command and control system, radars that can identify incoming threats, and intercepting missiles. MDA has received approximately $123 billion and is planning to spend an additional $37 billion through fiscal year 2021 to continue its efforts. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 included a provision that GAO [Government Accountability Office] assess the extent to which MDA has achieved its acquisition goals and objectives. This report addresses the progress and challenges in fiscal year 2016 associated with MDA: (1) achieving fiscal year 2016 testing, asset, and capability delivery goals, (2) ensuring transparency of test schedules and costs, and (3) establishing a sound business case for future efforts. GAO reviewed the planned fiscal year 2016 baselines as stated in the BMDS Accountability Report and other program documentation and assessed them against program and baseline reviews and GAO's acquisition best practices guides. In addition, GAO interviewed DOD and MDA officials. [...] GAO is making four recommendations to the Department of Defense to increase transparency into testing and cost estimates, and improve acquisition strategies for MDA's future efforts. DOD concurred with part of GAO's first recommendation, but it did not concur with the remaining parts or other three recommendations. GAO continues to believe the recommendations are valid as discussed in this report."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-05
