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• H. Rept. 117-333: Providing for Consideration of the Bill (H.R. 350) to Authorize Dedicated Domestic Terrorism Offices Within the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to Analyze and Monitor Domestic Terrorist Activity and Require the Federal Government to Take Steps to Prevent Domestic Terrorism; Providing for Consideration of the Bill (H.R. 7688) to Protect Consumers from Price-Gouging of Consumer Fuels, and for Other Purposes; and Providing for Consideration of the Bill (H.R. 7790) Making Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address the Shortage of Infant Formula in the United States for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2022, and for Other Purposes, Report to Accompany H. Res. 1124, May 17, 2022

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  From the Summary of Provisions of the Resolution: "The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 350, the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022, under a closed rule. [...] The resolution further provides for consideration of H.R. 7688, the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act, under a structured rule. [...] The resolution further provides for consideration of H.R. 7790, the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022, under a closed rule."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022-05-17
• H. Rept. 117-327: COVID-19 EIDL Fraud Statute of Limitations Act of 2022, Report to Accompany H.R. 7334, May 17, 2022

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  From the Document: "The Committee on Small Business, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 7334) to extend the statute of limitations for fraud by borrowers under certain COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] economic injury disaster loan programs of the Small Business Administration, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. [...] The purpose of H.R. 7334, the 'COVID-19 EIDL Fraud Statute of Limitations Act of 2022', is to establish a statute of limitations of ten years for COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) fraud cases."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022-05-17
• H. Rept. 117-334: Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act of 2021, Report Together with Minority vi ews to Accompany H.R. 2988, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, May 17, 2022

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  From the Document: "The Committee on Oversight and Reform, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 2988) to amend title 5, United States Code, to modify and enhance protections for Federal Government whistleblowers, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an amendment and recommends that the bill as amended do pass. [...] The Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act of 2021, H.R. 2988, would create new federal whistleblower protections, including strengthened protections against retaliatory investigations and protections for disclosures to Congress; expand and clarify existing protections, including protections against the disclosure of a whistleblower's identity; establish new procedures to ensure that employees receive timely relief for their retaliation claims; and extend protections to noncareer Senior Executive Service employees, Public Health Service officers or applicants, and the Commissioned Officer Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022-05-17
• S. Rept. 117-109: Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act of 2021, Report to Accompany S. 3309, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, May 17, 2022

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  From the Document: "The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to which was referred the bill (S. 3309) to require SelectUSA to coordinate with State-level economic development organizations to increase foreign direct investment in semiconductor-related manufacturing and production, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an amendment (in the nature of a substitute) and recommends that the bill (as amended) do pass. [...] The purpose of S. 3309, the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act of 2021, is to direct the Executive Director of the SelectUSA program of the Department of Commerce (Executive Director) to gather and analyze information for a report to Congress about leveraging foreign direct investment (FDI) to bolster domestic supply chains for semiconductors."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022-05-17
• State and Federal Authority to Mandate COVID-19 Vaccination [Updated May 17, 2022]

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  From the Summary: "This report provides an overview of state and federal authority to mandate vaccination. The first part of the report provides background on state and local authority to mandate vaccination under the states' general police power. It discusses the Supreme Court's long-standing recognition of state and local authority to mandate vaccination as an exercise of their police power, and modern courts' analyses of more recent challenges to state vaccination mandates based on the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause. The report then analyzes the Supreme Court's evolving free exercise jurisprudence and the questions it raises regarding whether and when governments must provide for or grant religious exemptions to vaccination requirements. It then looks at how courts have addressed challenges to COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccination requirements imposed by states and state entities. The second part of the report provides an overview of federal authority to mandate vaccination. It discusses several sources of existing federal statutory authority that could serve, or have been invoked, as the basis for federal COVID-19 vaccination mandates. [...] This part also reviews the extent of Congress's constitutional authority under the Constitution's Spending and Commerce Clauses to mandate vaccination. The report concludes with a brief discussion of a legal issue specific to COVID-19 vaccination mandates, particularly before FDA's licensure of Comirnaty. Namely, it reviews how courts have addressed some litigants' argument that the Emergency Use Authorization status of COVID-19 vaccines preclude entities from mandating COVID-19 vaccination."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Shen, Wen W.

  2022-05-17
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program [Updated May 17, 2022]

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  From the Background: "Under the initial authorization for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program (Title I of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, P.L. 103-322, 'the 1994 Crime Act'), grants could be awarded for (1) hiring new police officers or rehiring police officers who have been laid off to engage in community policing, (2) hiring former members of the armed services to serve as career law enforcement officers engaged in community policing, and (3) supporting community policing nonhiring initiatives, such as training law enforcement officers in crime prevention and community policing techniques or developing technologies that support crime prevention strategies. The COPS program was reauthorized by the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-162). The act changed the COPS program from a multi-grant program to a single-grant program under which DOJ [Department of Justice] can make grants to state, local, and tribal governments, and other public and private entities for a variety of enumerated purposes (see 34 U.S.C. §10381(b)). Congress has continued to appropriate funding for the COPS program even though authorized appropriations for the program expired in FY2009."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2022-05-17
• Domestic Steel Manufacturing: Overview and Prospects [May 17, 2022]

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  From the Introduction: "The condition of the domestic steel industry has been a long-standing concern of Congress because of steel's use in a wide range of consumer and industrial products--including motor vehicles, farm equipment, and appliances in many types of buildings and highway construction--=and because of the economic activity and manufacturing jobs steel mills generate. This report provides an overview of the domestic steel industry and its operating environment. It discusses industry capacity and output, steel prices, steel trade and regulatory measures, and employment and productivity. The report also examines efforts to reduce the industry's greenhouse gas emissions by developing 'green steel.' The report concludes with a discussion of select issues that may be of potential interest to Congress."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Watson, Christopher D.

  2022-05-17
• Overview of the SEC Climate Risk Disclosure Proposed Rule [May 17, 2022]

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  From the Document: "On March 21, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted 3-1 to issue sweeping proposed climate-related disclosure rules for public companies. In issuing the proposed rules, the SEC cited its existing statutory authorities under the federal securities laws--specifically, the Securities Act of 1933 (P.L. [Public Law] 73-22) and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (P.L. 73-291). The proposal represents a more prescriptive and detailed approach to climate-related disclosures relative to the existing broad, principles-based climate-related disclosure regime embodied in the SEC's 2010 'Guidance Regarding Disclosure Related to Climate Change.' Among other things, it would require all public companies, as a growing number voluntarily do, to report on their direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and under certain circumstances their upstream and downstream GHG emissions. Public companies would also be required to report on the impacts of climate-related natural events and transitional activities to mitigate such impacts on their consolidated financial statements. [...] If adopted, the disclosure requirements would direct domestic or foreign SEC registrants to include climate-related information in their registration statements, such as Form S-1, and their periodic reports, such as Form 10-K. The proposed disclosures can be divided into four broad types described below: climate-related risks, GHG emissions, targets and goals, and audited financial statement disclosures."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Shorter, Gary W.; Miller, Rena S.

  2022-05-17
• Supreme Court's 'Major Questions' Doctrine: Background and Recent Developments [May 17, 2022]

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  From the Document: "Congress frequently delegates authority to agencies in general or broad terms to promulgate regulations that advance the goals Congress has identified. In a number of decisions, however, the Supreme Court has declared that if an agency seeks to decide an issue of major national significance, a general delegation of authority may not be enough; instead, the agency's action must be supported by clear statutory authorization. Courts, commentators, and individual Supreme Court Justices have referred to this doctrine as the 'major questions doctrine' (or major rules doctrine), although the Supreme Court has never used that term in a majority opinion. The Supreme Court has recently signaled an increased interest in applying the major questions doctrine as a principle of statutory interpretation in challenges to significant agency actions. This Sidebar provides an overview of the major questions doctrine, discusses cases this term in which the Court has invoked or may invoke the doctrine, and identifies considerations for Congress in crafting legislation against the backdrop of the doctrine."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bowers, Kate R.; Sheffner, Daniel J.

  2022-05-17
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 3470, End Human Trafficking in Government Contracts Act of 2022

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  From the Document: "Under S. 3470, any federal agency receiving a substantiated claim that a grant or contract recipient is engaging in human trafficking would be required to refer the matter to the agency's suspension and debarment official. Under current law, such a referral is optional. The head of the contracting agency would have the authority to impose various sanctions, including terminating the contract. The bill also would require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to report on efforts to end human trafficking in government contracting. [...] CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that the cost of meeting the bill's reporting requirements would be less than $500,000 over the 2022-2027 period."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-05-16
• Caribbean Basin Security Initiative [Updated May 16, 2022]

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  From the Document: "The United States developed the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), a regional U.S. foreign assistance program, in 2009 through a process of dialogue with Caribbean countries. The initiative seeks to reduce illicit trafficking in the region, advance public safety and security, and promote social justice. Because of their geographic location, many Caribbean nations are vulnerable to being used as transit countries for illicit drugs from South America destined for the U.S. and European markets. Strengthened U.S. counter-narcotics cooperation with Mexico and Central America led U.S. policymakers to anticipate a potential increase in narcotics trafficking through the Caribbean. Many Caribbean countries have also suffered high rates of violent crime, including murder, often associated with drug trafficking activities. [...] In 2017, the State Department released a U.S. strategy for engagement in the Caribbean (required by P.L. 114-291, the United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016). Among the priorities for engagement is security, with the objectives of strengthening mutual national security and advancing citizens' safety through programs to dismantle criminal and terrorist organizations, curb the trafficking of illicit goods and people, strengthen the rule of law, and counter vulnerability to terrorist threats--all efforts central to the CBSI. Congress has supported funding for the CBSI. From FY2010 through FY2022, Congress appropriated $831 million for the CBSI, benefiting 13 Caribbean countries-- Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago[.] For FY2021, Congress appropriated not less than $74.8 million for the CBSI in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260, Explanatory Statement, Division K)."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Sullivan, Mark P.

  2022-05-16
• Algorithmic Stablecoins and the TerraUSD Crash [May 16, 2022]

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  From the Document: "Stablecoins [hyperlink] are a type of cryptocurrency [hyperlink] that aim to maintain a stable value. There are several classes of stablecoins that each use different methods to try to achieve this, one of which is algorithmic stablecoins. While no precise definition captures all of their features, algorithmic stablecoins [hyperlink] typically use an algorithm or smart contract [hyperlink] to manage the supply of tokens and guide their value to some reference asset (for example a fiat currency, such as the U.S. dollar). Algorithmic stablecoins generally do not attempt to achieve value by holding a reserve of fiat-denominated assets with a value in a 1:1 relationship with the value of the stablecoin. Instead, algorithmic stablecoins use different mechanisms to control the supply or value of the stablecoin, including the minting or burning [hyperlink] of coins, rebasing [hyperlink], and arbitrage."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Tierno, Paul; Scott, Andrew P.; Su, Eva

  2022-05-16
• Bolivia: An Overview [Updated May 16, 2022]

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  From the Document: "After experiencing instability following the ouster of populist President Evo Morales (2005-2019), Bolivia remains politically polarized but has begun to recover economically under President Luis Arce. Arce, Morales' former finance minister, took office in November 2020 after a first-round victory in October 2020 elections in which his Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party maintained a legislative majority. High natural gas prices related to the Ukraine conflict have helped Bolivia's economy recover from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. U.S. relations with Bolivia remain challenging, in part because of Bolivia's 2008 expulsion of the U.S. Ambassador and U.S. law enforcement and development agencies."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Seelke, Clare Ribando

  2022-05-16
• Taxing Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefits: Federal- and State-Level Tax Treatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic [May 16, 2022]

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  From the Introduction: "Congress enacted several temporary, now-expired Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits for workers unemployed due to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic and the resulting disruption of the economy and labor market. [...] The COVID-19 UI benefits authorized from March 2020 through September 2021 provided higher levels of income replacement than UI benefits paid during 2019. Benefits often exceeded previous weekly wages. For some individuals, higher UI benefit payments raised concerns about higher-than-anticipated federal income tax liabilities. Some states did not provide federal income tax withholding opportunities for certain types of COVID-19 UI benefits, further contributing to this concern. This report provides information on the federal taxation of UI benefits, including federal income tax withholding requirements related to the now-expired COVID-19 UI benefits. The report also discusses the federal income tax exclusion authorized for UI payments in 2020, which allowed taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $150,000 to exclude up to $10,200 in UI benefits from 2020 taxable income. It also provides information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on the amounts of UI benefits that were taxed in 2019 as well as program data on the percentage of all UI benefits that was withheld for the payment of federal income taxes in 2019 through 2021. Finally, the report summarizes state income tax treatment of UI benefits, including whether a state offers to withhold state income taxes from UI benefits, the state's withholding rate, and whether the state matched the temporary federal tax exclusion on up to $10,200 of UI benefits in 2020."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Whittaker, Julie M.; Isaacs, Katelin P., 1980-

  2022-05-16
• Big Tech in Financial Services [May 16, 2022]

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  From the Introduction: "The term 'Big Tech', which was coined in 2013 and connotes a specific technology-based business model of considerable scale, consists of Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook (now Meta Platforms), and sometimes Microsoft (sometimes also called the 'Big Four' or the 'Big Five'; see the 'Who Are and What Is Big Tech?' section for a more thorough description of the term and companies). Big Techs are best known for platform-based businesses that range from e-commerce, social media, and search engines to smartphones and cloud services. Over the past decade, they have also steadily increased their financial services offerings--including providing value storage, credit, and stablecoin wallets--and are recognized as dominant providers in at least one sector: payments. Big Tech has charted various paths to deliver these services, with the same company sometimes employing different models depending on the offering. Big Techs intersect with financial services indirectly, too, in their role as cloud service providers. Combined, three of the Big Techs (Amazon, Microsoft, and Google) represent nearly 70% of the U.S. cloud market. Nearly all financial institutions use cloud services in some capacity, and the total workload performed in the cloud is expected to grow. [...] This report provides a broad overview of the business models that define Big Tech, including a review of the motivations and environment that surround Big Tech's operations in finance, with a focus on retail financial products. It evaluates the various financial services offered by Big Tech and its relevant partnerships. Finally, it discusses the policy issues raised by existing offerings and the implications of potential paths of development."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Tierno, Paul

  2022-05-16
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 7335, MST Claims Coordination

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  From the Document: "H.R. 7335 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide veterans who have applied for disability compensation for conditions related to military sexual trauma with information about the Veterans Crisis Line, mental health counseling, and other services that are available from the department. The bill also would require the Veterans Benefits Administration to automatically notify the Veterans Health Administration when veterans who have filed such claims receive medical exams for evaluating disability claims or have hearings before the Board of Veterans Appeals. That requirement would apply to veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system. VA currently provides the required information to veterans. CBO [Congressional Budget Office] expects that the department would have to make minor updates to its information systems to provide the automatic intradepartmental notifications. Based on similar information technology efforts, CBO estimates satisfying that requirement would cost $1 million over the 2022-2027 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-05-13
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 2483, Improving Cybersecurity of Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Local Governments Act of 2021

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  From the Document: "S. 2483 would require the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to offer cybersecurity training to employees of small businesses. The bill also would require CISA and the Small Business Administration to provide the Congress with recommendations for ways to reduce cyber vulnerabilities in the information networks of small businesses. Using information from CISA, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] anticipates that the agency would need five full-time employees to create and manage the new training program. CBO estimates that costs for staff salaries and website development would total $2 million annually. Accounting for the time needed to hire new employees and develop the training, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $10 million over the 2022-2027 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-05-13
• MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, May 13, 2022

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  The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This issue of MMWR contains the following: "Malignant Mesothelioma Mortality in Women -- United States, 1999-2020"; "Progress Toward Polio Eradication -- Worldwide, January 2020-April 2022"; "'Vital Signs': Changes in Firearm Homicide and Suicide Rates -- United States, 2019-2020"; "Trends in Gabapentin Detection and Involvement in Drug Overdose Deaths -- 23 States and the District of Columbia, 2019-2020"; and "Increase in Drug Overdose Deaths Among Hispanic or Latino Persons -- Nevada, 2019-2020." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from this issue can be accessed at the following link [https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2022.html]

  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)

  2022-05-13
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 407, Air America Act of 2022

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  From the Document: "S. 407 would establish the service of certain former employees of Air America as creditable toward a federal civil service retirement annuity under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). The bill also would allow surviving spouses or children of those employees to apply for survivor benefits. [...] CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that enacting S. 407 would not increase on-budget deficits by more than $5 billion in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2032."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2022-05-13
• Supply Disruptions and the U.S. Economy [May 13, 2022]

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  From the Document: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has disrupted the production of many goods and services. Although those disruptions have waned since spring 2020, some continue to constrain production, exacerbating inflationary pressures [hyperlink]. The Biden Administration has announced a series of initiatives to address supply chain disruptions, which are detailed in CRS [Congressional Research Service] Insight IN11927 [hyperlink]. This Insight discusses some of the factors contributing to supply disruptions and policy considerations surrounding this issue."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Labonte, Marc; Weinstock, Lida R.

  2022-05-13
• Summary of Selected Biden Administration Actions on Supply Chains [May 13, 2022]

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  From the Document: "This CRS [Congressional Research Service] Insight presents selected Biden Administration actions on supply chains. The U.S. economy has faced many supply disruptions and bottlenecks since the beginning of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. These supply issues have contributed to high inflation throughout 2021 and thus far in 2022. For more information on supply chain disruptions and their effect on the U.S. economy, see CRS Insight IN11926 [hyperlink]. The first section of this Insight focuses on select executive orders signed by President Biden aimed at supply chain issues. The second section focuses on other Administration actions and goals to reduce supply chain disruptions and bottlenecks. Both sections are organized in chronological order. Each header provides a hyperlink to a description of the action in question."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Weinstock, Lida R.

  2022-05-13
• Russia's 2022 Invasion of Ukraine: Related CRS Products [Updated May 13, 2022]

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  From the Document: "On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine, with wide-ranging implications for U.S. national security and an array of global geopolitical and economic issues. This report compiles CRS [Congressional Research Service] products on various aspects of this conflict, and will be updated regularly as new products are developed. It also includes some products published before the invasion that offer relevant background and context."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Danon, Zoe; Blum, David A.

  2022-05-13
• H. Rept. 117-322: Bombing Prevention Act of 2022, Report to Accompany H.R. 6873, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, May 13, 2022

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  From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 6873, the 'Bombing Prevention Act of 2022,' seeks to authorize the Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) as the lead entity within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deter, detect, prevent, protect against, mitigate, and respond to terrorist explosive threats and attacks in the United States. Specifically, the bill directs OBP to develop a strategy for securing critical infrastructure against terrorist explosive threats and attacks. Additionally, the bill tasks OBP to review and evaluate effective technologies to defend against terrorist explosive threats and attacks through field-pilot testing and acquisitions. It also requires OBP to promote security awareness of risks posed by the misuse of explosive precursor chemicals and other bomb-making materials and to promote secure information sharing of relevant sensitive material. Finally, the bill requires OBP to maintain a database of capabilities and requirements necessary for public and private sectors to deter, detect, prevent, protect against, mitigate, and respond to terrorist explosive threats and attacks and to track progress in closing capability gaps. To ensure that OBP effectively executes its authorities, the bill directs OBP to develop a strategy to align its activities with the threat environment and stakeholder needs. The strategy must include information on terrorist explosive threats and attacks, information by region on public and private sectors likely to be targeted, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions, places of worship, health care facilities, transportation systems, and commercial and government facilities. The strategy must also include information on how OBP will prioritize engagement with owners and operators of critical infrastructure facilities, among other things."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022-05-13
• H. Rept. 117-323: Cybersecurity Grants for Schools Act of 2022, Report to Accompany H.R. 6868, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, May 13, 2022

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  From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 6868, the 'Cybersecurity Grants for Schools Act of 2022,' authorizes the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to provide grants or cooperative agreements to States, local governments, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and other non-Federal entities to carry out the purposes of the Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program (CETAP), as authorized last year. CETAP's purpose is to support CISA's efforts to build and strengthen 'a national cybersecurity workforce pipeline capacity through enabling elementary and secondary cybersecurity education.' To further the CETAP program, this legislation grants CISA the authority to provide grants to organizations to carry out the program to help enhance cybersecurity education at the elementary and secondary levels."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022-05-13
• H. Rept. 117-324: President's Cup Cybersecurity Competition Act, Report to Accompany H.R. 6824, May 13, 2022

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  From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 6824, the 'President's Cup Cybersecurity Competition Act' authorizes the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to carry out an annual cybersecurity competition for Federal civilian employees and members of the armed forces. First created by Executive Order No. 13870 in 2019, the President's Cup Cybersecurity Competition (President's Cup) seeks to identify, challenge, and reward the best cybersecurity talent in the Federal Government through a series of challenges that test a broad range of cybersecurity skills. This bill grants CISA the necessary authorities to fully implement the competition, including by authorizing CISA to accept assistance of other Federal agencies and to directly provide cash prizes to the winning individuals and teams regardless of where they work in the Federal Government."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022-05-13
• Iran and Nuclear Weapons Production [May 13, 2022]

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  From the Background: "Iran's nuclear program has generated widespread concern that Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons. According to U.S. intelligence assessments, Tehran has the capacity to produce nuclear weapons at some point, but has halted its nuclear weapons program and has not mastered all of the necessary technologies for building such weapons. [...] Since the early 2000s, Tehran's construction of gas centrifuge uranium enrichment facilities has been the main source of proliferation concern. Gas centrifuges enrich uranium by spinning uranium hexafluoride (UF6) gas at high speeds to increase the concentration of the uranium235 (u-235) isotope. Such centrifuges can produce both low-enriched uranium (LEU), which can be used in nuclear power reactors, and highly enriched uranium (HEU), which is one of the two types of fissile material used in nuclear weapons. Tehran asserts that its enrichment program is meant to produce fuel for peaceful nuclear reactors. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) requires Iran to implement various restrictions on its nuclear program, as well as to accept specific monitoring and reporting requirements."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Kerr, Paul K.

  2022-05-13
• 'Hacktivists' and the Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Legal Considerations [May 13, 2022]

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  From the Document: "Since Russia's February 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine, a growing number of nongovernmental hackers motivated by social or political objectives--so-called 'hacktivists' [hyperlink]--have [hyperlink] conducted offensive cyberspace operations against Russia. Some of these groups and individuals may be responding to a February 26 tweet [hyperlink] by Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation, who called for the creation of a volunteer 'IT [information technology] Army.' One scholar has cited [hyperlink] this invitation as 'the first time that states have openly called for citizens and volunteers to cyberattack another state.' Ukraine's volunteer IT Army--which may include [hyperlink] 'hundreds of thousands of hackers' from within and outside Ukraine--may be working on 'operational tasks [hyperlink]' identified by the Ukrainian government. This volunteer organization joins the International Legion of Ukraine [hyperlink] as a way for foreign volunteers to participate in the conflict. However, just as participation in the International Legion might result in adverse legal consequences [hyperlink] for volunteers who are U.S. nationals, various federal statutes might be implicated should U.S. persons join the IT Army or otherwise conduct cyberspace operations against Russian assets. This Sidebar considers potential civil and criminal liability under federal law for individuals within the United States who hack foreign governmental or nongovernmental computers. It first discusses the potential applicability of two federal statutes to alleged hostile or malicious cyber activities targeting Russia by hacktivists residing in the United States: the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) and the Neutrality Act. It then presents several considerations for Congress as this situation evolves. Although this Sidebar generally discusses volunteers acting on Ukraine's behalf, the analysis below would also likely apply to U.S. persons acting on Russia's behalf against Ukraine."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Gaffney, Jonathan M.

  2022-05-13
• Online Content Moderation and Government Coercion [May 13, 2022]

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  From the Document: "In recent years, there has been growing concern about the power of social media companies to control online speech. Some users have tried to assert [hyperlink] that online platforms violated users' constitutional free speech rights by removing users' content or otherwise restricting their ability to post on these platforms. Lower courts have rejected [hyperlink] these claims, citing the well-established principle that private companies are not bound by the First Amendment's Free Speech Clause and therefore holding that the Constitution does not limit their ability to restrict user content. More recent lawsuits [hyperlink], however, have alleged that the government itself has been involved in restricting certain types of content, creating government encouragement or coercion that does implicate constitutional free speech concerns. One high-profile example is a group of lawsuits from former President Trump, initially filed almost a year ago, alleging that Facebook [hyperlink], Twitter [hyperlink], and YouTube [hyperlink] violated his First Amendment rights by banning him from their online platforms. He claimed that the companies were motivated to act based on fear of government regulation, implicating the First Amendment. On May 6, 2022, a trial court disagreed and dismissed his lawsuit against Twitter. (The other two suits remain pending.) While lawsuits bringing similar claims have largely been dismissed, they nonetheless illustrate an ongoing concern about government involvement in private content moderation. This Legal Sidebar explores this issue, explaining the relevant legal background and the significance of recent lawsuits."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Brannon, Valerie C.; Novak, Whitney K.

  2022-05-13
• Cuba: U.S. Policy Overview [Updated May 13, 2022]

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  From the Document: "Cuba remains a one-party authoritarian state with a government that has sharply restricted freedoms of expression, association, assembly, and other basic human rights since the early years of the 1959 Cuban revolution. [...] In its initial months, the Biden Administration announced it was conducting a review of policy toward Cuba. The White House press secretary said in March 2021 that the Administration would make human rights a core pillar of policy and would review policy decisions made in the prior Administration, including the decision to designate Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Sullivan, Mark P.

  2022-05-13
• Introduction to Budget Authority [May 13, 2022]

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  From the Document: "Under the U.S. Constitution, Congress exercises the 'power of the purse.' This power is expressed through the application of several provisions, particularly Article I, Section 9, which states that funds may be drawn from the Treasury only pursuant to appropriations made by law. However, when Congress enacts an appropriation, this does not mean that the Treasury sets aside cash for a specified agency to allow it to carry out that purpose. In practice, it means that when Congress enacts an appropriation it is providing an agency with 'budget authority' that can be used to finance federal programs and activities. This budget authority allows agencies to enter into various financial obligations and for the Treasury to subsequently outlay the funds to meet those obligations. Agencies can enter into financial obligations through such things as employing personnel, entering into contracts, submitting purchase orders, or other activities that establish a financial liability. Because it takes time for budget authority to become outlays, the amount of budget authority enacted for a fiscal year does not necessarily equal the amount of outlays that will occur in that year. The outlay amounts for proposed budget authority are estimates based on the historical rate at which funds for a given account or activity have been expended (known as the 'outlay rate' or 'spendout rate')."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Saturno, James

  2022-05-13