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• Department of Homeland Security: FY2013 Appropriations [October 1, 2012]

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  "This report describes the FY2013 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Administration requested $39.510 billion in adjusted net discretionary budget authority for DHS for FY2013, as part of an overall budget of $59.501 billion (including fees, trust funds, and other funding that is not appropriated or does not score against the budget caps). The request amounts to a $90 million, or a 0.2%, decrease from the $39.600 billion enacted for FY2012 through the consolidated appropriations act (P.L. 112-174). Net requested appropriations for major agencies within DHS were as follows: Customs and Border Protection (CBP), $10,345 million; Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), $5,332 million; Transportation Security Administration (TSA), $5,130 million; Coast Guard, $8,352 million; Secret Service, $1,601 million; National Protection and Programs Directorate, $1,217 million; Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), $4,528 million; Science and Technology, $831 million; and the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, $328 million. Included as part of the President's overall budget request was a 0.5% pay raise for civilian federal employees. […] One significant difference from this baseline for DHS is a funding increase for its cybersecurity programs. This report will be updated as events warrant."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Painter, William L.

  2012-10-01
• Follow-On Biologics: The Law and Intellectual Property Issues [December 6, 2012]

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  "This report reviews the BPCIA [Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009] within the context of intellectual property and innovation issues. This study first provides an introduction to the biologics industry. Next, this report introduces the regulatory and intellectual property provisions of the BPCIA. This analysis then considers the potential market for biosimilars and possible industry responses that may arise in the wake of this legislation. This report closes with concluding observations."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schacht, Wendy H.; Thomas, John R.

  2012-12-06
• Heritage Areas: Background, Proposals, and Current Issues [October 31, 2012]

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  "Over more than 25 years, Congress has established 49 national heritage areas (NHAs) to commemorate, conserve, and promote areas that include important natural, scenic, historic, cultural, and recreational resources. NHAs are partnerships among the National Park Service (NPS), states, and local communities, where the NPS supports state and local conservation through federal recognition, seed money, and technical assistance. NHAs are not part of the National Park System, where lands are federally owned and managed. Rather, lands within heritage areas typically remain in state, local, or private ownership or a combination thereof. Heritage areas have been supported as protecting lands and traditions and promoting tourism and community revitalization, but opposed as potentially burdensome, costly, or leading to federal control over nonfederal lands. This report focuses on heritage areas designated by Congress (not other entities) and related issues and legislation. There is no comprehensive statute that establishes criteria for designating NHAs or provides standards for their funding and management. Rather, particulars for each area are provided in its enabling legislation. Congress designates a management entity, usually nonfederal, to coordinate the work of the partners. This entity typically develops and implements a plan for managing the NHA, in collaboration with other parties. Once approved by the Secretary of the Interior, the management plan becomes the blueprint for managing the area. NHAs might receive funding from a wide variety of sources. Congress typically determines federal funding for NHAs in annual appropriations laws for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. NHAs can use federal funds for many purposes, including staffing, planning, and projects. The FY2012 appropriation for the NPS for assistance to heritage areas was $17.4 million. Full-year funding for FY2013 has not been determined, and FY2013 funds are being provided under the terms of the Continuing Appropriations Resolution for FY2013 (P.L. 112- 175). The Obama Administration has expressed interest in having NHAs become financially selfsufficient, and some appropriators and other Members have emphasized self-sufficiency for these areas as well. One role of the NPS is to evaluate heritage areas at least three years before the expiration of the authorization for federal funds. The NPS has completed evaluations of nine NHAs designated in 1996, and anticipates submitting reports to Congress on these evaluations in the near future."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Hardy Vincent, Carol; Comay, Laura B.

  2012-10-31
• Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and Its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape [December 18, 2012]

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  "The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent federal agency with its five members appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Senate. It was established by the Communications Act of 1934 (1934 Act) and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. The mission of the FCC is to ensure that the American people have available-at reasonable cost and without discrimination-rapid, efficient, nation- and world-wide communication services, whether by radio, television, wire, satellite, or cable."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Figliola, Patricia Moloney

  2012-12-18
• NASA: Assessments of Major Projects, Report to Congressional Committees [March 2016]

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  "This report provides GAO's [Government Accountability Officev] annual snapshot of how well NASA is planning and executing its major acquisition projects. In March 2015, GAO found that projects continued a general positive trend of limiting cost and schedule growth, maturing technologies, and stabilizing designs, but that NASA faced several challenges that could affect its ability to effectively manage its portfolio. The explanatory statement of the House Committee on Appropriations accompanying the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 included a provision for GAO to prepare project status reports on selected large-scale NASA programs, projects, and activities. This is GAO's eighth annual assessment of NASA's major projects. This report describes (1) the cost and schedule performance of NASA's portfolio of major projects, (2) the maturity of technologies and stability of project designs at key milestones, and (3) NASA's progress in implementing initiatives to manage acquisition risk and potential challenges for project management and oversight. This report also includes assessments of NASA's 18 major projects, each with a life-cycle cost of over $250 million. To conduct its review, GAO analyzed cost, schedule, technology maturity, design stability, and other data; reviewed monthly project status reports; and interviewed NASA officials."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2016-03
• Extending Unemployment Compensation Benefits During Recessions [September 13, 2012]

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  "This report describes the history of temporary federal extensions to unemployment benefits from 1980 to the present. Among these extensions is the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) program created by P.L. 110-252 (amended by P.L. 110-449, P.L. 111-5, P.L. 111-92, P.L. 111-118, P.L. 111-144, P.L. 111-157, P.L. 111-205, P.L. 111-312, P.L. 112-78, and P.L. 112- 96). This report contains five sections. The first section provides background information on unemployment compensation (UC) benefits. It also provides a brief summary of UC benefit exhaustion and how exhaustion rates are related to the business cycle. The second section provides the definition of a recession as well as the determination process for declaring a recession. It also provides information on the timing of all recessions since 1980. The third section summarizes the legislative history of federal extensions of unemployment benefits. It includes information on the permanently authorized extended benefit (EB) program as well as information on temporary unemployment benefit extensions. It also includes a brief discussion on the role of extended unemployment benefits as part of an economic stimulus package. The fourth section provides figures examining the timing of recessions and statistics that may be considered for determining extending unemployment benefits. The fifth section briefly discusses previous methods for financing these temporary programs. In particular it attempts to identify provisions in temporary extension legislation that may have led to increases in revenue or decreases in spending related to unemployment benefits. This report will be updated to reflect new laws extending unemployment benefits."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

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

  2012-09-13
• Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate [September 17, 2012]

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  "As congressional policymakers continue to debate telecommunications reform, a major point of contention is the question of whether action is needed to ensure unfettered access to the Internet. The move to place restrictions on the owners of the networks that compose and provide access to the Internet, to ensure equal access and non-discriminatory treatment, is referred to as 'net neutrality.' While there is no single accepted definition of 'net neutrality,' most agree that any such definition should include the general principles that owners of the networks that compose and provide access to the Internet should not control how consumers lawfully use that network, and they should not be able to discriminate against content provider access to that network."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Gilroy, Angele A.

  2012-09-17
• Hunting, Fishing, Recreational Shooting, and Other Wildlife Measures [September 21, 2012]

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  "Several issues related to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting, on both federal and state lands are addressed in S. 3525, the Sportsman's Act of 2012. Hunting and conservation have been linked since the advent of federal wildlife legislation, such as the Lacey Act of 19001 (making it a federal crime to ship game killed in violation of one state's laws to another state) or the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 19182 (regulating the killing, hunting, buying, or selling of migratory birds). Even so, controversy exists about exactly what hunting, fishing, or shooting sports currently are allowed on federal land and when. Under current law, opening more lands to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting is to be balanced against good game management, public safety, resource management, and the statutory purposes of the lands. S. 3525 focuses on physical access to federal lands where these activities are already allowed by acquiring lands or rights of way."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Corn, M. Lynne (Mary Lynne), 1946-; Buck, Eugene H.; Alexander, Kristina

  2012-09-21
• Developing Health Equity Measures

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  From the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) Executive Summary: "ASPE asked the RAND Corporation to develop a proposed definition of health equity as a starting place and to identify existing health equity measurement approaches that may be suitable for inclusion in Medicare's VBP [value-based purchasing] programs, quality reporting efforts, and confidential reports. RAND identified 10 existing approaches to health equity measurement and convened a technical expert panel (TEP) to: (1) provide feedback on the project team's proposed definition of a health equity measure and identification of features of health equity measurement approaches; (2) develop a set of criteria for evaluating health equity measurement approaches for potential inclusion in Medicare's VBP programs, quality reporting efforts, and confidential reports; and (3) evaluate the set of health equity measurement approaches identified by the team according to these criteria. Based on input from RAND, ASPE, and the TEP, in this report RAND defines a 'health equity measurement approach' as 'an approach to illustrating or summarizing the extent to which the quality of health care provided by an organization contributes to reducing disparities in health and health care at the population level for those patients with greater social risk factor burden by improving the care and health of those patients.' We note that this definition focuses on health care quality, as that was the charge from Congress under the IMPACT [Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care] Act, but measurement approaches could be considered more broadly in other contexts."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation

  Zuckerman, Rachael; Samson, Lok Wong; Tarazi, Wafa . . .

  2021-05
• Secondary Infektion

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  From the Executive Summary: "'Secondary Infektion' is the name given to a long-running Russian information operation, encompassing multiple campaigns on social media run by a central entity, which was already active in 2014 and that was still running in early 2020. Secondary Infektion targeted countries across Europe and North America with fake stories and forged documents. Its focus and areas of interest were often of a diplomatic and foreign policy nature: it appeared primarily aimed at provoking tensions between Russia's perceived enemies, and its stories typically concerned relationships between governments and often specifically focused on government representatives. It is also notable for launching smear campaigns against Kremlin critics, and for targeting presidential candidates in 2016 in the U.S., in 2017 in France, in Germany, Sweden and elsewhere. This report is the first systematic examination of Secondary Infektion's campaigns. It reveals the most comprehensive picture yet of this actor's strategic objectives and tactical priorities across the years."

  Graphika

  Nimmo, Ben; François, Camille; Eib, C. Shawn . . .

  2020
• H. Rept. 116-632: Shareholder Political Transparency Act of 2020, Report Together with Minority Views, to Accompany H.R. 5929, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, December 8, 2020

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  From the Purpose and Summary: "On February 21, 2020, Representative Foster introduced H.R. 5929, the Shareholder Political Transparency Act of 2020. H.R. 5929 requires public companies to submit quarterly reports to both the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC or Commission) and investors detailing the amount, date, and nature of the company's expenditures for political activities. If the political expenditure was made in support of (or opposition to) a particular candidate, or was made to a trade association, then the company must disclose the candidate and/or trade association. The bill also requires public companies to disclose in their annual reports any political expenditures over $10,000 in the previous year, as well as the nature and amount of any political expenditures the company plans to make in the upcoming year."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2020-12-08
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 234, Korean American Vietnam Allies Long Overdue for Relief Act

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  This is the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs on May 4, 2021. From the Document: "H.R. 234 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide health care to any U.S. citizen who served in Vietnam as a member of the armed forces of the Republic of Korea during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending May 7, 1975. Using information from the department, CBO estimates that about 3,000 people would become eligible to enroll in the VA health care system."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2021-05-26
• COVID-19 in 2021: Financial Pressure Continues for California Hospitals

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  From the Document: "For California's hospitals, financial health is absolutely necessary in order to deliver needed services to communities, to maintain facilities, to invest in new services and technologies for patient access and care, and to be prepared for unexpected events like the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. In this report, Kaufman Hall quantifies how COVID-19 damaged the financial health of California's hospitals in 2020, and how that impact could continue through 2021."

  Kaufman, Hall & Associates

  2021-04
• Preemption and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring State Interference Before, During, & After the Crisis

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  From the Document: "Preemption is when a higher level of government removes or limits the authority of a lower level of government. The impact on people's well-being, health, and economic situation can be severe. During the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, for example, states preempted local governments from being able to enact mask mandates, meaning local leaders could not make mask-wearing mandatory in their local communities . At times, these states were not implementing any sort of mandate at the state level. Preemption is neither inherently good nor bad. Preemption can be used to set minimum standards or can be used in policy areas that should be left to the state. The misuse and abuse of preemption, however, represents state interference, where the higher level of government unnecessarily constrains the actions of local leaders. For instance, states implementing emergency orders during the pandemic to close businesses to prevent the spread of the virus across the state. [...] There are a few different types of preemption, including floor preemption as North Carolina used, and each has been used in the current crisis. These types of preemptions are laid out [in this report]."

  National League of Cities

  Wagner, Spencer; Rainwater, Brooks; Carter, Katherine

  2020
• Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity [December 18, 2012]

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  "For centuries, industrial hemp (plant species Cannabis sativa) has been a source of fiber and oilseed used worldwide to produce a variety of industrial and consumer products. Currently, more than 30 nations grow industrial hemp as an agricultural commodity, which is sold on the world market. In the United States, however, production is strictly controlled under existing drug enforcement laws. There is no known commercial domestic production and the U.S. market depends on imports. Over the past few Congresses, Representative Ron Paul has introduced legislation that would open the way for commercial cultivation of industrial hemp in the United States (H.R. 1866, 111th Congress; H.R. 1009, 110th Congress; H.R. 3037, 109th Congress). This legislation was introduced in the 112th Congress (H.R. 1831). Also, in the 112th Congress, Senator Ron Wyden similarly introduced S. 3501 in the Senate."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Johnson, Renée

  2012-12-18
• Global Climate Change [Updated January 30, 2002]

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  "There is concern that human activities are affecting the heat/energy-exchange balance between Earth, the atmosphere, and space, and inducing global climate change, often termed 'global warming.' Human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and other trace greenhouse gases. If these gases continue to accumulate in the atmosphere at current rates, most scientists believe global warming would occur through intensification of Earth's natural heat-trapping 'greenhouse effect.' Possible impacts might be seen as both positive and negative. A warmer climate would probably have far reaching effects on agriculture and forestry, managed and un-managed ecosystems, including natural habitats, human health, water resources, and sea level depending on climate responses. Although causal relationships between projected long-range global climate trends and record-setting warmth and severe weather events of the past two decades have not been firmly established, attention has been focused on possible extremes of climate change and the need for better understanding of climate processes to improve climate model forecasts. The basic policy question remains: Given scientific uncertainties about the magnitude, timing, rate, and regional consequences of potential climatic change, what are the appropriate responses for U.S. and world decisionmakers? Fossil-fuel combustion is the primary source of CO2 emissions, and also emits other 'greenhouse' gases. Because the U.S. economy is so dependent upon energy, and so much of U.S. energy is derived from fossil fuels, reducing these emissions poses major challenges and controversy."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Fletcher, Susan R.; Justus, John R.

  2002-01-30
• Global Climate Change [Updated October 29, 2004]

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  "There is concern that human activities are affecting the heat/energy-exchange balance between Earth, the atmosphere, and space, and inducing global climate change, often termed 'global warming.' Human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and other trace greenhouse gases. If these gases continue to accumulate in the atmosphere at current rates, most scientists believe global warming would occur through intensification of Earth's natural heat-trapping 'greenhouse effect.' Possible impacts might be seen as both positive and negative, depending on regional or national variations. A warmer climate would probably have far-reaching effects on agriculture and forestry, managed and unmanaged ecosystems, including natural habitats, human health, water resources, and sea level, depending on climate responses. Although causal relationships between projected long-range global climate trends and record-setting warmth and severe weather events of the past two decades have not been firmly established, attention has been focused on possible extremes of climate change and the need for better understanding of climate processes to improve climate model forecasts. The basic policy question remains: Given scientific uncertainties about the magnitude, timing, rate, and regional consequences of potential climatic change, what are the appropriate responses for U.S. and world decision makers? Fossil-fuel combustion is the primary source of CO2 emissions, and also emits other 'greenhouse' gases. Because the U.S. economy is so dependent upon energy, and so much of U.S. energy is derived from fossil fuels, reducing these emissions poses major challenges and controversy."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Fletcher, Susan R.; Justus, John R.

  2004-10-29
• Global Climate Change [Updated March 27, 2002]

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  "There is concern that human activities are affecting the heat/energy-exchange balance between Earth, the atmosphere, and space, and inducing global climate change, often termed 'global warming.' Human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and other trace greenhouse gases. If these gases continue to accumulate in the atmosphere at current rates, most scientists believe global warming would occur through intensification of Earth's natural heat-trapping 'greenhouse effect.' Possible impacts might be seen as both positive and negative. A warmer climate would probably have far reaching effects on agriculture and forestry, managed and un-managed ecosystems, including natural habitats, human health, water resources, and sea level depending on climate responses. Although causal relationships between projected long-range global climate trends and record-setting warmth and severe weather events of the past two decades have not been firmly established, attention has been focused on possible extremes of climate change and the need for better understanding of climate processes to improve climate model forecasts. The basic policy question remains: Given scientific uncertainties about the magnitude, timing, rate, and regional consequences of potential climatic change, what are the appropriate responses for U.S. and world decisionmakers? Fossil-fuel combustion is the primary source of CO2 emissions, and also emits other 'greenhouse' gases. Because the U.S. economy is so dependent upon energy, and so much of U.S. energy is derived from fossil fuels, reducing these emissions poses major challenges and controversy."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Justus, John R.; Fletcher, Susan R.

  2002-03-27
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): The Five-Month Waiting Period for Benefits [January 24, 2013]

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  "Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is authorized by Title II of the Social Security Act and provides income replacement for eligible individuals who are unable to work due to a longterm injury or illness that is expected to last at least one year or result in death. Current eligibility requirements include (1) verification of an applicant's disability, (2) filing a claim, (3) a 'recent work' and 'duration of work' test, (4) verification that an individual has not reached normal retirement age, and (5) a five-month waiting period from disability-onset. In implementing the five-month waiting period for SSDI benefits, Congress sought to set a time frame that would be long enough for a short-term injury or illness to be corrected, but would also deter individuals who can work from applying for benefits. The first month counted as part of the waiting period can be no more than 17 months before the month of application, and benefits can be applied retroactively for up to 12 months. The Social Security Administration (SSA) encourages eligible individuals to apply for benefits as soon as possible after the onset of a disabling condition. The waiting period does not apply to individuals who have been previous recipients of SSDI in the five years prior to any current disability. Several other programs, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), temporary disability insurance, workers' compensation, unemployment compensation, and private disability insurance, can provide funds for eligible SSDI applicants facing financial hardship during the five-month wait period. This report explains the five-month waiting period and its legislative history and will be updated to reflect legislative activity."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Moulta-Ali, Umar

  2013-01-24
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 3223, CISA Cyber Exercise Act

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  This is the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the House Committee on Homeland Security on May 18, 2021. From the Document: "H.R. 3223 would establish a cybersecurity exercise program to evaluate strategies and plans for responding to cyber incidents. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency currently operates the Cyber Exercise Program, which meets the requirements of the bill. Because H.R. 3223 would codify the agency's current practices, implementing the bill would not affect the federal budget."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2021-05-27
• Navy Readiness: Additional Efforts Are Needed to Manage Fatigue, Reduce Crewing Shortfalls, and Implement Training, Report to the Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives

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  From the Highlights: "Following two Navy ship collisions in 2017, the Navy found that sailor overwork, fatigue, and training deficiencies contributed to the accidents, and has taken steps to address these issues. House Report 116-120, accompanying a bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, includes a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to assess the Navy's management of surface ship sailor fatigue, crewing, and the RRL [Ready Relevant Learning] initiative. This report examines the extent to which the Navy has (1) implemented its fatigue management policy, (2) assigned sufficient crewmembers to its surface ships and tracked crew levels, (3) forecasted its personnel needs as the fleet size grows, and (4) implemented RRL training and measured its effectiveness."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2021-05-27
• Employee Benefits Security Administration: Enforcement Efforts to Protect Participants' Rights in Employer-Sponsored Retirement and Health Benefit Plans, Report to Congressional Addressees

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  From the Highlights: "Millions of Americans rely on employer benefits for their health care and future financial security. Private sector retirement plans are a key source of income for many retirees and employer-sponsored group health plans cover over one-half of all Americans. Consequently, effective oversight and enforcement are critically important to ensure the integrity of the private employee benefit system, especially in light of the economic and health effects of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] on American workers and their families. EBSA [Employee Benefits Security Administration] is charged with protecting the rights of participants in employer-sponsored benefit plans. As of fiscal year 2020, this included about 154 million participants in 722,000 retirement plans and 2.5 million health plans with combined assets of over $10.7 trillion. This report examines (1) how EBSA manages its enforcement process, (2) EBSA's strategies to improve investigative processes and ensure enforcement quality, and (3) the immediate and long-term challenges of COVID-19 for EBSA and private sector retirement and health plans."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2021-05-27
• 'CARES Act Flash Report': Bureau of Indian Affairs Funding Snapshot

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  From the Document: "Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) enacted on March 27, 2020, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) received $453 million of the $909.7 million appropriated and transferred to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, the CARES Act allotted funds to American Indian tribes and Alaska Native organizations from the U.S. Departments of the Treasury, Agriculture (USDA), and Health and Human Services (HHS). The BIA will have varying roles and responsibilities for the funding from Treasury, the USDA, and the HHS."

  United States. Department of the Interior. Office of Inspector General

  2020-09-03
• Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: Future Rulemaking Should Provide Greater Detail on Paperwork Burden and Economic Effects of International Business Provisions, Report to the Chairman, Committee on Finance, U.S. Senate

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  From the Highlights: "TCJA [Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017] made sweeping changes to taxing U.S. corporations' international activities: (1) a transition tax on untaxed overseas earnings of foreign subsidiaries that accrued prior to 2017; (2) a tax on the net income earned by foreign subsidiaries exceeding a specified threshold of certain assets; (3) a deduction for income from certain foreign-derived sales of property or services exceeding a specified threshold of certain assets; and (4) a tax on certain payments made to a related foreign party referred to as base erosion payments. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review IRS [Internal Revenue Service]'s implementation of TCJA and early effects of the law. This report: (1) describes how TCJA's international provisions may be affecting U.S.-based corporations' international business activities; and (2) assesses IRS's and Treasury's development of relevant regulations and guidance to implement the provisions. GAO interviewed representatives from eight companies' tax departments randomly selected from among the 100 largest U.S.- based companies and compared relevant regulations and guidance against procedural requirements."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2021-04
• Impact of Pandemic-Related Forbearance and Foreclosure Relief for Single-Family Mortgages on the Enterprises' Implementation of CECL

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  From the Executive Summary: "Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which was signed into law on March 27, 2020, to address some of the economic effects of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. The CARES Act provides single-family homeowners with Enterprise mortgages who are experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic the right to forbearance from making mortgage payments for up to 180 days (which can be extended for another 180 days). The CARES Act also prohibited servicers of those mortgages from initiating the foreclosure process, moving for a foreclosure judgment, or executing a foreclosure sale for at least 60 days beginning on March 18, 2020, unless the property was vacant or abandoned. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA or Agency) subsequently extended the foreclosure moratorium for Enterprise-backed single-family mortgages until at least December 31, 2020. [...] This white paper discusses the impact of forbearance and foreclosure relief for single-family mortgages on the Enterprises' implementation of CECL [Current Expected Credit Loss] during the first and second quarters of 2020."

  United States. Federal Housing Finance Agency. Office of Inspector General

  2020-09-03
• Management Advisory: FHFA-OIG's Investigation of Allegations of Fraud Affecting Paycheck Protection Program Loans Obtained or Sought from Federal Home Loan Bank Member Institutions

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  From the Summary: "The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act establishes the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) which authorizes up to $659 billion for small businesses to pay up to 8 weeks of payroll costs, including benefits, and to pay interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP is implemented by the Small Business Administration (SBA) with support from the Department of the Treasury. Since April 2020, at the invitation of the Fraud Section (Fraud Section) of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), we have participated in coordinated multiagency investigations into allegations of PPP fraud perpetrated at financial institutions that are members of the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) system. The purpose of this memorandum is to provide FHFA [Federal Housing Finance Agency] with a status report on these investigations. To date, as a result of our efforts and those of our partner law enforcement agencies, eight individuals have been charged by indictment or complaint with stealing or attempting to steal $60.5 million in PPP funds."

  United States. Federal Housing Finance Agency. Office of Inspector General

  2020-09-08
• CTC Sentinel [June 2021]

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  This June 2021 issue of the U.S. Military Academy's Combating Terrorism Center (CTC) Sentinel features an article about far-right extremism in Germany titled "The Insider Threat: Far-Right Extremism in the German Military and Police," by Florian Flade. Other reports include: "A View from the CT Foxhole: Idriss Mounir Lallali, Deputy Director, African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT)" by Jason Warner; "The Threat Is the Network: The Multi-Node Structure of Neo-Fascist Accelerationism" by Alex Newhouse; and "Iran's Currency Laundromats in the Emirates," by Peter Kirechu.

  Combating Terrorism Center (U.S.)

  2021-06
• Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (Volume 28, Number 4)

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  This April 2021 edition of the Medical Surveillance Monthly Report contains the following articles: "Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccine Initiation and Completion Among Active Component Service Members and Health Care Personnel, 11 December 2020-12 March 2021" by Michael A. Lang, Shauna Stahlman, Natalie Y. Wells, Alyssa A. Fedgo, Deven M. Patel, Aparna Chauhan, and James D. Mancuso; "Update: Heat Illness, Active Component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2020"; "Update: Exertional Rhabdomyolysis, Active Component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2016-2020"; "Update: Exertional Hyponatremia, Active Component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2005-2020"; and "Skin and Soft Tissue Infections, Active Component, U.S. Armed Forces, January 2016-September 2020" by Shauna Stahlman, Valerie F. Williams, Gi-Taik Oh, David R. Tribble, and Eugene V. Millar.

  Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center (U.S.)

  2021-04
• Remote Inspection of Federal Bureau of Prisons Contract Correctional Institution McRae, Operated by CoreCivic

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  From the Introduction: "[T]he DOJ [Department of Justice] OIG [Office of Inspector General] conducted a remote inspection of McRae to understand how the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic affected the facility and to assess the steps McRae officials took to prepare for, prevent, and manage COVID-19 transmission within the facility. As part of that effort, we considered whether McRae's policies and practices complied with BOP [Federal Bureau of Prisons] directives implementing CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidance, as well as DOJ policy and guidance. We conducted this inspection through telephone interviews with McRae officials, review of documents related to the BOP's and McRae's management of the COVID-19 pandemic, analysis of BOP and McRae data regarding McRae inmates and McRae-related staff and inmate COVID-19 cases, and the incorporation of McRae-specific results from a survey of employees of all 11 contract prisons."

  United States. Department of Justice. Office of the Inspector General

  2020-08
• Remote Inspection of Federal Bureau of Prisons Contract Correctional Institution Giles W. Dalby, Operated by Management & Training Corporation

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  From the Introduction: "[T]he DOJ [Department of Justice] OIG [Office of Inspector General] conducted a remote inspection of Dalby, located in Post, Texas, to understand how the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic affected the prison and to assess the steps Dalby officials took to prepare for, prevent, and manage COVID-19 transmission within the prison. As part of that effort, we considered whether Dalby's policies and practices complied with BOP [Federal Bureau of Prisons] directives implementing CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidance, as well as DOJ policy and guidance. We conducted this inspection through telephone interviews with Dalby officials, review of documents related to the BOP's and Dalby's management of the COVID-19 pandemic, analysis of BOP and Dalby data regarding Dalby inmates and Dalby-related staff and inmate COVID-19 cases, and the incorporation of Dalby-specific results from a survey of employees of all 11 BOP contract prisons."

  United States. Department of Justice. Office of the Inspector General

  2020-08