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Emergency Management in Indian Country: Improving FEMA's Federal-Tribal Relationship with Indian Tribes, Hearing Before the Committee on Indian Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, February 8, 2017
This is the February 8, 2017 hearing on "Emergency Management in Indian Country: Improving FEMA's Federal-Tribal Relationship with Indian Tribes," held before the Committee on Indian Affairs. From the opening statement of John Hoeven: "The Committee is holding this important hearing on emergency management in Indian country. It is timely to begin this conversation now. The winters can be hazardous in many parts of the country. With the spring comes the thaw and often flooding. My home State of North Dakota is a good example. In other parts of the country, oftentimes it is tornadoes or battling fires. Some Indian reservations in North Dakota, most notably the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, have received major disaster declarations due to spring flooding. Tribes around the country experience other types of emergencies and disasters. These hard hit communities face a long road to recovery. It is incumbent upon the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, to effectively assist in that recovery and to get an early start on efforts to reduce the impacts of future disaster risks." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Alex Amparo, Russell Begaye, Michael Chavrria, and Cody Desautel.
United States. Government Publishing Office
2017
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To Consider Federal Mitigation Requirements and Interagency Coordination Related to Economic Development on Federal, State, and Private Lands, Joint Field Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, August 17, 2015
This is from the August 17, 2015 hearing, "To Consider Federal Mitigation Requirements and Interagency Coordination Related to Economic Development on Federal, State, and Private Lands," held before the Senate Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and WIldlife of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. From the opening statement of Lisa Murkowski: "Specifically, our focus will be today on the Bureau of Land Management's policies for mitigation and land use and Army Corps of Engineers and EPA's regulation of water and wetlands and related mitigation issues. We here in Alaska are keenly aware of the challenges that current regulatory practices impose. We've heard the statistics before. And you'll hear them a lot today. But approximately 43 percent of our State is categorized as wetlands. And that does not include the lakes and the streams and the rivers and the adjacent waters to them. The BLM also manages 72 million acres of Alaska's land and in many ways, given the reach of its regulations and its ownership of lands in our State, the Federal Government, is in many ways sort of a gatekeeper and a landlord here in Alaska. So how the Federal Government chooses to approach those rules has a big impact on our daily lives and our ability to grow as a State. But right now there's a lot to be desired. In some instances we are being held back by ill designed, ill fitted or ill applied policies. It's estimated that the acreage of wetlands in the lower 48 has halved over the last 200 years. While here in Alaska, over the same period of time, we've lost only one-tenth of 1 percent of our wetland acreage." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Ed Fogles, Randolph Brand, Deantha Crockett, Joseph Nukapigak, Theresa Clark, Phil Shepard, Ted Murphy, Dave Hobbie, and Mary Anne Thiesing.
United States. Government Publishing Office
2015
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Need to Invest Federal Funding to Relieve Traffic Congestion and Improve Our Roads and Bridges at the State and Local Level, Field Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Committee on Environment and Public Works, U.S. Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, June 1, 2015
"This is the June 1, 2015 hearing 'Need to Invest Federal Funding to Relieve Traffic Congestion and Improve Our Roads and Bridges at the State and Local Level,' held before the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. From the opening statement of subcommittee chairman David Vitter: 'We are talking about building infrastructure to relieve traffic congestion, and that just goes to basic quality of life issues. Particularly those of us who live in this part of the State certainly get being stuck in traffic and wasting valuable time as we try to get to work or bring kids to soccer or school or whatever else. So it's a basic quality of life issue. It's an important safety issue. And it's an important economic issue. Because the more we have these tie-ups, we have lack of productivity, and, quite frankly, these bottlenecks can be a significant turnoff in terms of more jobs and economic development coming here. As Chair of this Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee that I mentioned, I have been very focused on the Federal aspects of this problem. So last year, for instance, I worked with other key leaders to pass a Federal highway bill reauthorization. We put that together. It was a long-term bipartisan bill. We passed it through our committee, but it did not pass through the whole Congress. So we still have that work to do. This year, I am redoubling those efforts, reaching out, working with other key leaders on putting together that highway bill extension.' Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Sherri LeBas, Joey Coco, Ken Perret, and Roy Quezaire."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2015
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Federal Land Management: Key Differences and Stakeholder Views of the Federal Systems Used to Manage Hardrock Mining, Report to the Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives
From the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Highlights: "Hardrock minerals, such as gold and copper, are crucial resources for modern technology. However, mining by its nature can create lasting health hazards and environmental contamination. The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management and the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service are responsible for managing hardrock mining on the federal lands they manage. Federal management of hardrock mining has been a source of ongoing debate, in part because the agencies use two different systems, depending on where the resources occur: [1] the location system under the General Mining Act of 1872 to manage hardrock mining on public domain lands (those usually never in state or private ownership), and [2] the leasing system first adopted in the 1940s to manage hardrock mining on acquired lands (those granted or sold to the United States by a state or citizen). GAO was asked to review hardrock mining on federal lands. This report describes, among other things, stakeholder views on the systems and areas for improvement."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-07
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Remote Working and (In)security: The Impact of Pandemic-Driven Remote Working on Employee Wellbeing, the Psychological Contract and Cyber Security
From the Executive Summary: "Remote working during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has had, and continues to have, a great impact on the workforce. Through interviews with senior cyber security professionals, this research explored how the traditional dynamics between employees and leadership have adapted in such times, responding to a rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape, as well as an unpredictable period for organisations and employees in terms of wellbeing and remote working culture."
Research Institute in Sociotechnical Cyber Security
Crossland, Georgia; Ertan, Amy
2021-06
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Use of Cooling Centers to Prevent Heat-Related Illness: Summary of Evidence and Strategies for Implementation
From the Executive Summary: "Extreme heat is a major public health concern in the United States. The trend of increasing frequency and duration of heat events ('heat waves') is expected to continue in the future. Exposure to extreme heat can cause a variety of health problems, including heat stroke and even death. Public health departments, their partners, and other government organizations have undertaken a variety of strategies to protect the public from high temperatures. The use of cooling centers, a cool site, or air-conditioned building designated as a safe location during extreme heat, is a common strategy. This document is intended to give a summary of the effectiveness of cooling centers, with a focus on highly relevant peer-reviewed literature. It also provides an overview of steps for the implementation of cooling centers."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.). Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects
Widerynski, Stasia; Schramm, Paul J.; Conlon, Kathryn C. . . .
2017-08-17?
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Evidence on the Use of Indoor Air Filtration as an Intervention for Wildfire Smoke Pollutant Exposure: A Summary for Health Departments
From the Executive Summary: "Over the last few decades, the United States has experienced an increase in frequency of intense wildfires. Climate change has likely impacted these events through increased summer and spring temperatures, drier vegetation, decreased precipitation in some areas, and an increased probability of lightning storms. Wildfires have caused billions of dollars in property damage and contributed to an estimated 339,000 premature deaths per year globally. Wildfires are also associated with negative health outcomes. The smoke from wildfires contains gaseous pollutants and particulate matter which are associated with multiple respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. There is evidence that certain populations are more vulnerable to the wildfire smoke exposure than others, including older adults and infants, pregnant women, people with preexisting medical conditions, and people of lower socio-economic status. Interventions that effectively decrease wildfire smoke exposures can protect these vulnerable populations as well as the health of the general public. This technical document summarizes the available peer-reviewed literature about the effectiveness of air filtration as an intervention to decrease exposure to wildfire smoke and protect health when sheltering indoors. It describes the different types of air filtering technology and metrics for measuring air quality and summarizes the literature on their effectiveness in protecting against the harmful air pollutants in wildfire smoke. Relevant federal and state resources for local health professionals are listed. This review illustrates that proper air filtration is an effective method of reducing certain wildfire smoke pollutants indoors and potentially limiting the risk of negative health impacts associated with exposure to wildfire smoke."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.); National Center for Environmental Health (U.S.)
Joseph, Gregory; Schramm, Paul J.; Vaidyanathan, Ambarish . . .
2020-07
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Effectiveness and Implementation of 4-Poster Deer Self-Treatment Devices for Tick-Borne Disease Prevention: A Potential Component of an Integrated Tick Management Program
From the Executive Summary: "In the last decade, the reported incidence of tick-borne disease has increased significantly in the United States. Climate change is projected to alter the geographic and seasonal distribution of existing vectors and risk of vector-borne diseases. Resilient public health preparedness efforts and climate adaptation plans could mitigate the anticipated change in tick-borne disease risk. Health departments and other local jurisdictions have a variety of options available to combat the spread of tick-borne illness. Assessing public health interventions, Step 3 of CDC's [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework, is a necessary step before choosing an intervention strategy. This document seeks to provide guidance on one potential intervention activity, and provides a summary of peer-reviewed and grey literature to determine the effectiveness of the 4-Poster self-treatment bait station device for controlling tick populations among white-tailed deer '(Odocoileus virginianus)' hosts. Procedures for implementation of the 4-Poster device, occupational health and safety guidelines, and other considerations relating to 4-Poster device usage that may impact effectiveness are discussed."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.); National Center for Environmental Health (U.S.). Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects
Wong, Teresa J.; Schramm, Paul J.; Foster, Erik . . .
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2020 Census: Office Managers' Perspectives on Recent Operations Would Strengthen Planning for 2030, Report to Congressional Addressees
From the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Highlights: "The execution of the 2020 Census was largely a local endeavor, carried out by hundreds of thousands of short-term workers reporting to temporary census offices around the country. How this workforce is managed can affect the cost and quality of the census. This report examines how the Bureau managed its field data collection operations at the local level for the 2020 Census, and how area census office managers' (ACOM) perspectives can inform planning. GAO performed the work under the authority of the Comptroller General to evaluate the 2020 Census to assist Congress with its oversight responsibilities. GAO surveyed the Bureau's 248 ACOMs six times during the 2020 Census, reviewed Bureau documents related to management and operations, and interviewed Bureau officials. The number of questions asked varied across waves of the survey, and the wording of some questions changed. Concurrent with this report, GAO is issuing online supplemental material that presents regional and national aggregations of survey responses."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-07
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Health Care Funding: Planned Parenthood Federation of America Affiliates' Expenditures of Federal Funds, 2016 Through 2018
From the Document: "In order to achieve their programmatic goals, federal agencies provide funding to various organizations that, in turn, use those funds to implement programs and activities aligned with those goals. For example, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may award funding through grants or cooperative agreements to organizations such as Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) affiliates, who expend those funds to provide health-related services to patients. You asked us to provide information on federal funding to various organizations, including those that offer voluntary family planning and activities related to the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS. The organizations included various domestic organizations such as PPFA affiliates, which operate more than 600 centers across the country, providing sexual and reproductive health-related services, programs related to sexuality education, and advocacy. We issued a report in December 2020 that detailed this funding. This report provides supplemental information to our December 2020 report. Specifically, it describes certain PPFA affiliates' reported expenditures of federal funds from grants and cooperative agreements during fiscal years 2016 through 2018."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-06-22
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 2641, Pacific Northwest Pumped Storage Hydropower Development Act of 2021
This is the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on May 26, 2021. From the Document: "Under current law, nonfederal entities that propose to develop hydropower at reservoirs administered by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) must enter into a lease with BOR or obtain a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The regulatory jurisdiction of each BOR reservoir was previously negotiated by the agencies to clarify which permitting process would be in effect for each reservoir. At least one project, a proposal to develop pumped storage hydropower within BOR's Colombia Basin Project (CBP) in the state of Washington, would need permits from both agencies because it would be constructed on two reservoirs; Banks Lake would require a BOR lease and Lake Roosevelt reservoir would require a FERC license. (Pumped storage hydropower is a type of storage for hydroelectric energy used by electric power systems for load balancing.) H.R. 2641 would make BOR the sole regulatory authority for developers seeking a lease for a pumped storage hydropower facility at federal reservoirs. The bill also would require the nonfederal developer to negotiate an agreement with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the Spokane Tribe of Indians of the Spokane Reservation as a condition for a BOR lease on CBP facilities."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2021-07-26
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S. Rept. 117-30: Federal Agency Customer Experience Act of 2021, Report to Accompany S. 671, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, July 19, 2021
From the Purpose and Summary: "The Federal Agency Customer Experience Act of 2021, S. 671, amends the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) to allow agencies to solicit voluntary customer feedback without first having to seek approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), as currently required by the PRA."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2021-07-19
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Wildland Firefighter Smoke Exposure
From the Introduction: "At the request of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Equipment and Technology Committee, the Technology and Development Center of the Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, undertook a project to determine the exposure levels of wildland smoke to firefighters. In 2010, at the request of the NWCG Risk Management Committee, the study was expanded to include all personnel assigned to wildland fires, specifically those in support positions (NWCG Tasking Memo TM-2008-04). This report discusses the preliminary findings from a 4-year assessment of exposure to smoke and respirable dust from wildland and prescribed fires and includes a discussion of the health and safety concerns associated with smoke inhalation."
United States. Department of Agriculture
Broyles, George
2013-10
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Projecting Climate-Related Disease Burden: A Case Study on Methods for Projecting Respiratory Health Impacts
From the Background: "This document is a follow up to the 'Projecting Climate-Related Disease Burden' technical report that was developed by the Climate and Health Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Using case studies (completed and in development) from Climate Ready States and Cities Initiative (CRSCI) grantees utilizing the Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework, these guidance documents are examples of specific methodology health departments can utilize to project climate-related disease burden."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.). Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects
Hsu, Wan-Hsiang; Hwang, Syni-An; Saha, Shubhayu . . .
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COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: Demographic Factors, Geographic Patterns, and Changes Over Time
From the Introduction: "Despite the scientific data on vaccine safety and efficacy and the known risks of severe illness and death associated with COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], vaccine hesitancy remains a significant barrier to bringing the pandemic to an end. Addressing vaccine hesitancy around COVID-19 vaccines requires communication approaches that are tailored to different groups in a way that will address their concerns. Data analysis can inform the development of such strategies. To support state and local communication and outreach efforts, this analysis explores vaccine hesitancy among different geographic areas and sociodemographic groups, models which factors are associated with vaccine hesitancy, and examines changing trends over time."
United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
Beleche, Trinidad; Ruhter, Joel; Kolbe, Allison . . .
2021-05
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Memorandum from Dana Remus, Counsel to the President, [To] All White House Staff [Regarding] Prohibited Contacts with Agencies and Departments, July 21, 2021
From the Summary: "The White House plays an important role in coordinating the activities of departments and agencies, particularly with respect to policy development. But it is also important to ensure the integrity of government decision making and public confidence that decisions by government officials are made based on appropriate considerations. Balancing these interests and the President's constitutional obligation to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, the White House has adopted a policy of imposing and abiding by certain important restrictions on communications between White House staff and departments and agencies. This memorandum sets forth the restrictions that apply to your contact with Executive Branch departments and agencies outside of the Executive Office of the President ('EOP')."
United States. White House Office
Remus, Dana
2021-07-21
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Heat Response Plans: Summary of Evidence and Strategies for Collaboration and Implementation
From the Executive Summary: "Extreme heat is a major public health concern in the United States. Temperatures are increasing across the country, with more frequent and severe heat waves in many regions. This trend is projected to continue. Exposure to heat may increase the risk of illness particularly among sensitive groups such as people who do not have access to air conditioning, older adults, young children, people working outdoors, athletes, the socially isolated, people with existing chronic conditions, and some communities of color. Health departments, their partners, and other government agencies have undertaken a variety of strategies to protect the public from high temperatures. One potential strategy is a heat response plan - a coordinated plan that describes and organizes activities to prevent heat-related morbidity and mortality in a community. Health departments at all levels (state, local, Tribal, and territorial) and their partners can develop and implement a response to protect their community and vulnerable populations. There is evidence that heat response plans can protect health, but mixed evidence on the effectiveness of individual components of a heat response plan and the degree of overall health protection. This document is intended to give a summary of extreme heat, the health burden of heat exposure, the impacts of climate change, and components and effectiveness of heat response plans with a focus on relevant peer-reviewed literature and existing heat response plans. Resources and examples of successful implementation and potential collaborative efforts are included."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.); National Center for Environmental Health (U.S.)
Abbinett, Jessica; Schramm, Paul J.; Widerynski, Stasia . . .
2020-01-31?
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Technical Documentation on Exposure-Response Functions for Climate-Sensitive Health Outcomes
From the Introduction: "Climate change and climate variability influence human health in a variety of ways, and it may be important for the public health sector to consider these threats. Understanding the current and future burden of climate-sensitive diseases may benefit planning and response activities. As part of the Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative (CRSCI), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) introduced the five-step iterative Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) Framework designed to help the public health sector plan for and adapt to climate-related hazards."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.). Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects
Kintziger, Kristina W.; Jagger, Meredith; Conlon, Kathryn C. . . .
2017-07-28?
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Evidence on the Use of Integrated Mosquito Management to Reduce the Risk of West Nile Outbreak After a Flooding Event: A Potential Component of a Post-Disaster Integrated Mosquito Management Program
From the Executive Summary: "Climate change is one factor that has contributed to the changing landscape of vector-borne diseases. Shifts in weather and climate can impact the distribution and seasonality of disease vectors. This is particularly true for diseases caused by pathogens that are vectored by mosquitoes, which respond to changing temperature, weather, and precipitation patterns in ways that are complex and difficult to predict. While there are hundreds of species of mosquitoes, 'Culex' and 'Aedes' are two that include species with public health importance because they are known to carry many types of pathogens, including Zika, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, West Nile, Japanese Encephalitis and St. Louis Encephalitis viruses. Local and state health departments have worked to prepare for and address mosquito-borne diseases; however, this is not often done in the context of a changing climate. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework is a 5 part process that enables health departments to develop strategies in combating the effects of climate change in their area. In this paper, BRACE steps 1-3 are applied to West Nile Virus (WNV) and its vectors, 'Culex' spp mosquitoes. The impact of climate change on mosquito abundance and WNV risk are assessed, and the effectiveness of current public health interventions are investigated. There have been multiple reviews of mosquito control interventions, which have driven more sustainable and effective control of disease carrying vectors. This paper addresses the utility of such interventions in the context of an extreme flooding event, and how their effectiveness may change when implemented in these conditions."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.); National Center for Environmental Health (U.S.)
Jackson, Christine; Conlon, Kathryn C.; Schramm, Paul J.
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Military Survivor Benefit Plan: Background and Issues for Congress [June 29, 2021]
From the Summary: "The Department of Defense's Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), enacted in 1972, provides cash benefits in the form of a lifetime annuity to a surviving spouse or other eligible recipient(s) of a retiree or deceased member of the uniformed services. The original intent of the SBP (and its antecedents) was to 'ensure that the surviving dependents of military personnel who die in retirement or after becoming eligible for retirement will continue to have a reasonable level of income.' Coverage was later expanded to those who die while on active service. Under the SBP, a military retiree can elect to have a portion of his or her monthly retired pay withheld in order to provide a monthly survivor benefit to a designated beneficiary. The cost of this protection is shared by the retiree (in the form of reductions from monthly military retired pay after retirement), the government, and sometimes the beneficiary (under certain types of coverage). Nearly every Congress since 1972 has, in some way, modified the SBP provisions. These modifications have affected eligibility, the size of the benefit, and the interactions of the benefit with other federal benefits, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs' Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and Social Security. In nearly every instance, these changes have made the SBP more generous. The program's eligibility requirements and enrollment processes are complex, and modifications over time have added to the complexity."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kamarck, Kristy N.; Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2021-06-29
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Jordan: Background and U.S. Relations [Updated July 15, 2021]
From the Overview: "In the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (hereinafter referred to as 'Jordan'), economic hardship exacerbated by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is further straining the political system. In recent months, the reign of 59-year-old monarch King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein (hereinafter King Abdullah II), has been challenged both from within the royal family and by tribal elites that have formed the bedrock of the kingdom since its establishment a century ago. While as of July 2021 there is no imminent crisis endangering King Abdullah's rule, public infighting from within the royal family, periodic protests from economically disaffected Jordanians, and a recent resumption in Israeli-Palestinian violence may be cause for concern among some U.S. policymakers. The United States considers Jordan a key partner in promoting Middle East peace, countering terrorism, and promoting interfaith cooperation in a volatile region. No other country in the world receives as much direct U.S. economic budgetary aid on an annual basis as Jordan."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sharp, Jeremy Maxwell
2021-07-15
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Virality Project Weekly Briefing #9: 'February 17, 2021 - February 23, 2021'
From the Document: "This report was created by analysts from the Virality Project [hyperlink], a coalition of disinformation research entities focused on real-time detection, analysis, and response to COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] anti-vax [anti-vaccination] disinformation. 'This week, we welcome the National Conference on Citizenship [hyperlink] (NCoC) and Graphika [hyperlink] to our research coalition.' The NCoC team brings a group of Ethnic Media Fellows, bolstering the partnership's ability to identify non-English language vaccine-opposed content. The Graphika team greatly expands the partnership's technical and analysis capacities, and will specifically lead upcoming deep dives into understanding the success of counter-narratives."
Virality Project
2021-02-23?
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Virality Project Weekly Briefing #22: 'May 18, 2021 - May 25, 2021'
From the Key Takeaways: "[1] Discussions of the safety and necessity of 'vaccines for children' continue to gather speed after the FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine for 12-15-year-olds and Moderna's May 25 announcement [hyperlink] that its vaccine is safe and effective in 12-17-year-olds. Recent discussions revolve around the CDC's [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] current investigation of a 'possible but unproven link' between mRNA [messenger ribonucleuc acid] vaccines and heart inflammation in young people, as well as the ethics of 'school vaccination mandates'. [2] Public comments from celebrities and politicians spread within right-wing communities online this week. 'Senator Rand Paul's statement' that he did not need a vaccine after having had COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] and guitarist 'Eric Clapton's letter' detailing severe reactions to a vaccine drove concerns about both safety and efficacy. [3] A new conspiracy theory emerged this week about an 'ingredient in the Moderna vaccine, SM-102', while the 'development of the world's smallest microchip' fueled the ongoing conspiracy theory that vaccines contain microchips."
Virality Project
2021-05-25
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Virality Project Weekly Briefing #26: 'June 16, 2021 - June 22, 2021'
From the Key Takeaways: "[1] 'Safety concern stories were prominent across platforms this week.' Some called attention to concerns around blood clots by falsely stating that airlines have warned vaccinated people not to take airplanes due to a risk of clots, while others emphasized ongoing concerns of myocarditis in young people. [2] The Cleveland Clinic study (covered in last week's briefing [hyperlink]) that shows the vaccine does not significantly reduce the risk of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] for those previously infected with the virus was shared by Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) to further claims about 'natural immunity', potentially delegitimizing CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidance. [3] A 'tweet from NFL [National Football League] player' Cole Beasley and, separately, the 'rollout of California's vaccine verification system,' each reignited discussions about vaccine choice and medical freedom. These discussions continue to connect vaccines with the limiting of personal freedoms. [4] A new set of terms has popped up on Instagram [hyperlink] to label pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine users, co-opting the language of 'body confidence.'"
Virality Project
2021-06-22
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Coastal Flooding, Climate Change, and Your Health: What You Can Do to Prepare
From the Document: "Coastal flooding in the United States is already occurring and the risk of flooding is expected to grow in most coastal regions, in part due to climate change. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed this booklet to identify steps that you can take now to prepare for the health risks associated with coastal flooding--and to help your families, friends, and neighbors, too. This booklet answers some of the key questions about coastal flooding in a changing climate: why these events are on the rise; how it might affect your health; and what you can do before, during, and after a coastal flooding event to stay safe. Scientific information used in this document is derived from peer-reviewed synthesis and assessment products, including those published by the United States Global Change Research Program and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, as well as other peer-reviewed sources and federal agency resources."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2017-11
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Cybersecurity and Information Technology: Federal Agencies Need to Strengthen Efforts to Address High-Risk Areas, Statement of Carol C. Harris, Director, Information Technology and Cybersecurity, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Government Operations, Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of Representatives
From the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Highlights: "The nation's critical infrastructures and federal agencies are dependent on IT [information technology] systems and electronic data to carry out operations and to process, maintain, and report essential information. Each year, the federal government spends more than $100 billion on cybersecurity and IT investments. GAO has long stressed the continuing and urgent need for effective cybersecurity, as underscored by recent events that have illustrated persistent and evermore sophisticated cyber threats and incidents. Moreover, many IT investments have failed, performed poorly, or suffered from ineffective management. Accordingly, GAO has included information security on its high-risk list since 1997 and added improving the management of IT acquisitions and operations in 2015. In its March 2021 high-risk series update, GAO reported that significant attention was needed in both of these important areas. GAO was asked to testify on federal agencies' efforts to address cybersecurity and the management of IT. For this testimony, GAO relied on selected products it previously issued."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Harris, Carol C.
2021-07-28
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Survey of Public Attitudes to Coronavirus Disinformation and Fake News in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK
This report contains coronavirus disinformation data from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK. From the Document: "Over half of people surveyed in each country had seen COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] disinformation / fake news. A smaller but substantial portion reported sharing COVID-19 disinformation with others either intentionally or unintentionally. '[1] Spain had the highest percentage of those who had seen (87%) and shared (26%) coronavirus related disinformation. [2] The UK had the lowest percentage who had seen (51%) and shared (12%) COVID-19 disinformation.' Males and females were equally likely to see and share COVID-19 disinformation / fake news in all countries. Younger people were more likely to see and share COVID-19 disinformation. The association between seeing COVID-19 disinformation and age was statistically significant in France, Germany, Italy and the UK. Whilst the association between age and sharing COVID-19 disinformation / fake news was statistically significant in France, Germany, Spain and the UK."
Crime and Security Research Institute
2020-07-02
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U.S.-China Trade: USTR Should Fully Document Internal Procedures for Making Tariff Exclusion and Extension Decisions, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Highlights: "In July 2018, USTR [U.S. Trade Representative] placed tariffs on certain products from China in response to an investigation that found certain trade acts, policies, and practices of China were unreasonable or discriminatory, and burden or restrict U.S. commerce. As of December 2020, the U.S. imposed tariffs on roughly $460 billion worth of Chinese imports under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended. Because these tariffs could harm U.S. workers and manufacturers that rely on these imports, USTR developed a process to exclude some products from these additional tariffs. U.S. businesses and members of Congress have raised questions about the transparency and fairness of USTR's administration of this process. GAO was asked to review USTR's tariff exclusion program. This report (1) examines the processes USTR used to review Section 301 tariff exclusion requests and extensions and (2) describes how USTR evaluated those tariff exclusion requests and extensions, and the outcomes of its decisions. GAO analyzed USTR's public and internal documents relating to the exclusion and extension processes, including 16 randomly selected nongeneralizable case files, and data from USTR and the U.S. Census Bureau. GAO also interviewed agency officials."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-07
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Review of the Recommendations of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities of the Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session, July 30, 2020
This is the July 30, 2020 hearing on "Review of the Recommendations of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission," held before the House Committee on Armed Services. From the opening statement of James R. Langevin : "This subcommittee, more than most, has heard from numerous individuals on the centrality of cyberspace to our modern lives. The novelty of the Solarium's work and its findings is in examining how to secure cyberspace with an emphasis on a whole-of-government approach. Congress is methodical in its views of jurisdiction, and we are often too focused on viewing our oversight responsibilities exclusively through the lens of committee jurisdictions. What the Solarium Commission has presented in its final report, completed on March 11th of this year, is a blueprint for legislative and executive actions that force the country to break apart the institutional stovepipes. [...] The Commission's recommendations have resulted in more than 20 provisions in this year's National Defense Authorization Act, passed just last week by the House of Representatives. In that one bill, this chamber was able to address matters as diverse as Reserve support for military cyber operations to the cyber insurance marketplace to the establishment of a Senate-confirmed national cyber director." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Frank Cilluffo, Mike Gallagher, Angus King, and Patrick Murphy.
United States. Government Publishing Office
2021
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Military Installations: DOD Should Consider Various Support Services When Designating Sites as Remote or Isolated, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "DOD operates hundreds of installations in the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, which support the daily operations of military units. The support services provided to servicemembers and their dependents at these installations include morale, welfare, and recreation services; medical care; housing; and education. Senate Report 116-48, accompanying a bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to review support services at remote or isolated installations. This report assesses the extent to which DOD (1) designated installations in the United States since 2011 as remote or isolated for the provision of support services, and (2) established objectives for support services at installations and assessed whether current support services are meeting the needs of servicemembers and their dependents. GAO reviewed relevant policies and guidance, conducted interviews with four selected installations and conducted a non-generalizable web-based survey of 756 active-duty servicemembers. GAO is making two recommendations to DOD to develop policy for designating installations in the United States as remote or isolated that includes a process for considering support services in addition to MWR [morale, welfare, and recreation], and to assess the risks of not providing support services and subsequently develop strategies to meet identified needs. As discussed in the report, DOD concurred with the recommendations and described some related actions."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-07-29
