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COVID-19 State of Vaccine Confidence Insights Report 25 (February 22 - March 14, 2022)
From the Document: "By rapidly reviewing and analyzing numerous sources and inputs [...], the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] State of Vaccine Confidence Insights Report emphasizes major themes influencing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and uptake. These are characterized by the level and type of threat to vaccine confidence, degree of spread, and directionality. In addition, by examining how consumers think and feel, social processes, and the practical issues around vaccination, the Insights Report seeks to identify emerging issues of misinformation, disinformation, and places where intervention efforts can improve vaccine confidence across the United States. The information in this report is only a snapshot, and certain populations may be underrepresented. Images and quotes are illustrative examples and are not meant to comprehensively cover all content related to the highlighted themes." A major theme from this Insights Report involves "Consumers and news outlets expressed their frustration and lack of trust in CDC." Some "Continuing and Evolving Themes" include: "Consumers expressed pandemic fatigue and stated they would no longer practice prevention and mitigation strategies"; "The public continues to have questions and concerns about pediatric COVID-19 vaccines while others eagerly await Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for children under 5 years old"; "Consumers continue to have questions and concerns about the safety of COVID-19 vaccine"; and "Consumers continue to discuss their support or opposition to COVID-19 boosters."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2022-05-12
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Public Law 117-122: National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium Act of 2021
From the Document: "An Act [t]o authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to work with cybersecurity consortia for training, and for other purposes."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-05-12
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Protecting Against Cyber Threats to Managed Service Providers and Their Customers
From the Summary: "This advisory describes cybersecurity best practices for information and communications technology (ICT) services and functions, focusing on guidance that enables transparent discussions between MSPs [managed service providers] and their customers on securing sensitive data. Organizations should implement these guidelines as appropriate to their unique environments, in accordance with their specific security needs, and in compliance with applicable regulations. MSP customers should verify that the contractual arrangements with their provider include cybersecurity measures in line with their particular security requirements."
United States. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency; United Kingdom. National Cyber Security Centre; New Zealand. NCSC . . .
2022-05-11
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CBO Estimate for H.R. 7691, Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022
From the Document: "H.R. 7691 would provide supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2022 to respond to the situation in Ukraine and to provide humanitarian and other assistance for Ukraine and other affected countries. The legislation would designate those amounts as emergency requirements in keeping with section 4001(a)(1) and section 4001(b) of S. Con. Res. 14 (117th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2022."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-05-11
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Findings of Misconduct by a Then Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Employee for Unauthorized Disclosure of Sensitive, Non-Public Information to the Media, Including Information from a Draft DOJ OIG Report
From the Document: "Upon reporting by a media outlet that it had reviewed a draft report of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG), the DOJ OIG referred for investigation to the Integrity Committee of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), as required by the Inspector General Act, the question of whether one or more DOJ OIG employees had disclosed the draft DOJ OIG report or other sensitive, non-public information about the then ongoing DOJ OIG review to the media without authorization. After considering the referral, CIGIE's Integrity Committee declined to investigate the matter as there was no allegation or information suggesting that any person covered under the Integrity Committee's jurisdiction disclosed sensitive, non-public information to the media without authorization. However, the Integrity Committee agreed, at DOJ OIG's request, to identify another Office of Inspector General of the Integrity Committee's choosing to conduct an independent investigation of the alleged unauthorized disclosure. The independent investigation conducted by the other Office of Inspector General concluded that a then DOJ OIG employee was responsible for sensitive, non-public information from and about the then ongoing DOJ OIG review, including information from the draft DOJ OIG report, being provided on several occasions to various media outlets prior to completion and official public release of DOJ OIG's final report, and that the employee did so without authorization from DOJ OIG."
United States. Department of Justice. Office of the Inspector General
2022-05-11
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Federal Role in Voter Registration: The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and Subsequent Developments [Updated May 11, 2022]
From the Summary: "Historically, most aspects of election administration have been left to state and local governments, resulting in a variety of practices across jurisdictions with respect to voter registration. States can vary on a number of elements of the voter registration process, including whether or not to require voter registration; where or when voter registration occurs; and how voters may be removed from registration lists. The right of citizens to vote, however, is presented in the U.S. Constitution in the Fifteenth, Nineteenth, and Twenty-sixth Amendments. Beginning with the Voting Rights Act (VRA) in 1965, Congress has sometimes passed legislation requiring certain uniform practices for federal elections, intended to prevent any state policies that may result in the disenfranchisement of eligible voters. The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) was enacted in 1993 and set forth a number of voter registration requirements for states to follow regarding voter registration processes for federal elections. NVRA is commonly referred to as the motor-voter bill, as it required states to provide voter registration opportunities alongside services provided by departments of motor vehicles (DMVs), although NVRA required other state and local offices providing public services to provide voter registration opportunities as well. [...] NVRA remains a fundamental component of federal voter registration policy and has not undergone many significant revisions since its enactment, though voter registration remains a subject of interest to Congress. [...] More than 60 bills have been introduced in the 117th Congress to date related to federal voter registration or NVRA, and similar numbers and types of voter registration proposals have been commonly introduced in other recent Congresses."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Eckman, Sarah J.
2022-05-11
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks in U.S. Agriculture [Updated May 11, 2022]
From the Document: "Agriculture and land-use activities continue to play a central role in the broader debate about energy and climate policy options in the United States and abroad. Such activities offer opportunities to remove greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere, potentially reducing the nation's 'net emissions': the metric of emissions targets for the Paris Agreement (PA), the binding international climate change treaty. Pursuant to the PA, the Biden Administration released a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in 2021 specifying a new U.S. target of reducing net GHG emissions by 50%-52% below 2005 levels by 2030. Most federal legislative proposals to reduce U.S. GHG emissions would not require reductions in agriculture, but some would incentivize voluntary actions to do so. [...] Agriculture is both a 'source' and a 'sink' of GHGs ('Figure 1'). Sources generate GHG emissions that are released into the atmosphere and contribute to global climate change. Sinks remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and store carbon through physical or biological processes. Agricultural emissions include many GHGs of interest to policymakers: CO2 [carbon dioxide], methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Agricultural sinks remove CO2 through photosynthesis and store carbon in plants and soil. Despite these sinks, U.S. agriculture is a net GHG source. This In Focus discusses emissions from the agriculture sector, as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the most recent data available (from 2020)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Croft, Genevieve K.
2022-05-11
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Navy Large Unmanned Surface and Undersea Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated May 11, 2022]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and potential issues for Congress for three types of large unmanned vehicles (UVs) that the Navy wants to develop and procure in FY2023 and beyond: [1] Large Unmanned Surface Vehicles (LUSVs); [2] Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicles (MUSVs); and [3] Extra-large Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (XLUUVs). The Navy wants to acquire these large UVs as part of an effort to shift the Navy to a more distributed fleet architecture, meaning a mix of ships that spreads the Navy's capabilities over an increased number of platforms and avoids concentrating a large portion of the fleet's overall capability into a relatively small number of high-value ships (i.e., a mix of ships that avoids 'putting too many eggs into one basket'). The Navy's proposed FY2023 budget requests $549.3 million in research and development funding for these large UVs and LUSV/MUSV-enabling technologies, and $60.7 million in additional funding for core technologies for XLUUV and other Navy UUVs [Unmanned Undersea Vehicles]. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's acquisition strategies and funding requests for these large UVs. The Navy's proposals for developing and procuring them pose a number of oversight issues for Congress. Congress's decisions on these issues could substantially affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the shipbuilding and UV industrial bases."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-05-11
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Navy Constellation (FFG-62) Class Frigate Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated May 11, 2022]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and discusses potential issues for Congress regarding the Navy's Constellation (FFG-62) class frigate program, a program to procure a new class of 20 guided-missile frigates (FFGs). The Navy's proposed FY2023 budget requests the procurement of the fourth ship in the program. The FFG-62 program presents several potential oversight issues for Congress. Congress's decisions on the program could affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-05-11
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Northern Ireland's 2022 Assembly Election: Outcome and Implications [May 11, 2022]
From the Document: "On May 5, 2022, voters in Northern Ireland--a part of the United Kingdom (UK)--went to the polls in elections for Northern Ireland's Assembly, its regional legislature. In a landmark outcome [hyperlink], the all-Ireland Sinn Fein party--which supports a united Ireland--came in first place. The Assembly is a key institution in Northern Ireland's devolved government, established by the 1998 peace agreement [hyperlink] aimed at ending 'the Troubles,' a 30-year sectarian conflict in which roughly 3,500 people died. The peace accord mandates power sharing in the devolved government between Northern Ireland's two dominant communities: 'unionists,' or Protestants who largely define themselves as British and support remaining part of the UK, and 'nationalists,' or Catholics who consider themselves Irish and may favor a united Ireland. Despite a much improved security situation since 1998, peace and stability in Northern Ireland remain fragile and of continued interest to many in Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Archick, Kristin
2022-05-11
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U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress [Updated May 11, 2022]
From the Summary: "Special Operations Forces (SOF) play a significant role in U.S. military operations and have been given greater responsibility for planning and conducting worldwide counterterrorism operations. U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has about 70,000 Active Duty, National Guard, and reserve personnel from all four services and Department of Defense (DOD) civilians assigned to its headquarters, its four service component commands, and eight sub-unified commands. In 2013, based on a request from USSOCOM (with the concurrence of Geographic and Functional Combatant Commanders and the Military Service Chiefs and Secretaries), the Secretary of Defense assigned command of the Theater Special Operations Commands (TSOCs) to USSOCOM. USSOCOM has the responsibility to organize, train, and equip TSOCs. While USSOCOM is responsible for the organizing, training, and equipping of TSOCs, the Geographic Combatant Commands will have operational control over the TSOCs. Because the TSOCs are now classified as sub-unified commands, the services are responsible to provide non-SOF support to the TSOCs in the same manner in which they provide support to the Geographic Combatant Command headquarters. [...] USSOCOM's FY2022 budget request was for $12.6 billion, representing a decrease of $495 million (4%) of the FY2021-enacted position of $13.1 billion. A potential issue for Congress includes potential implications of the Ukraine Conflict for U.S. SOF."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Feickert, Andrew
2022-05-11
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Missile Defense: Acquisition Processes Are Improving, but Further Actions Are Needed to Address Standing Issues, Statement of John D. Sawyer, Acting Director, Contracting and National Security Acquisitions, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "Since MDA [Missile Defense Agency] was established in 2002, DOD has spent over $174 billion to develop a network of sensors, interceptors, and command and control capabilities collectively called the Missile Defense System. GAO [Government Accountability Office] has previously reported on MDA's process to acquire assets and capabilities for this system. This statement highlights key findings from GAO's work on missile defense acquisitions. Specifically, this testimony provides information on (1) changes to MDA's acquisition processes; (2) program and flight test cost estimates and reporting; and (3) MDA's implementation of GAO's prior recommendations relevant to missile defense acquisitions. This statement is primarily based on GAO reports issued since 2020 on MDA's requirements and cost estimating process. In addition, the statement draws upon GAO's body of work issued since 2010."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Sawyer, John D.
2022-05-11
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(U) Executive Summary: Review of the Civilian Casualty Incident That Occurred on 18 March 2019 in Baghuz, Syria
From the Letter: "On 18 March 2019 in Baghuz, Syria, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) launched a successful counterattack against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). In response, SDF requested defensive Coalition air support. The U.S. Ground Force Commander (GFC) responsible for support validated ISIS' hostile act/intent, repeatedly received confirmation that no civilians were in the strike areas, and authorized supporting aerial strikes. Unbeknownst to the GFC, civilians were within the blast radius resulting in CIVCAS [civilian casualty]. [...] No Rules of Engagement (ROE) or Law of War (LOW) Violations Occurred. In authorizing those strikes, the GFC acted within Presidentially-authorized defensive ROE, did not deliberately or with wanton disregard cause civilian casualties, and did not violate the LOW. The GFCs decision to engage the ISIS fighters was necessary to defend SDF partner forces, multiple efforts to distinguish civilians from ISIS were made, and the engagements were proportional. [...] s. I recommend improvements to CIVCAS policy to establish training and procedures common to all Services; review of Command Relationships (COMREL) to create common understanding and practice across organizations; and increased situational awareness and reduction of incidents of CIVCAS through the adoption of refined processes and improvement to Mission Command Systems."
United States. Department of the Army; United States. Department of Defense
Garrett, Michael X.
2022-05-11
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Joint Cybersecurity Advisory: Protecting Against Cyber Threats to Managed Service Providers and Their Customers
From the Summary: "The cybersecurity authorities of the United Kingdom (NCSC-UK [United Kingdom National Cyber Security Centre] [hyperlink]), Australia (ACSC [Australian Cyber Security Centre] [hyperlink]), Canada (CCCS [Canadian Centre for Cyber Security] [hyperlink]), New Zealand (NCSC-NZ [New Zealand National Cyber Security Centre] [hyperlink]), and the United States (CISA [U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency] [hyperlink]), (NSA [National Security Agency] [hyperlink]), (FBI [hyperlink]) are aware of recent reports that observe an increase in malicious cyber activity targeting managed service providers (MSPs) and expect this trend to continue. This joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) provides actions MSPs and their customers can take to reduce their risk of falling victim to a cyber intrusion. This advisory describes cybersecurity best practices for information and communications technology (ICT) services and functions, focusing on guidance that enables transparent discussions between MSPs and their customers on securing sensitive data. Organizations should implement these guidelines as appropriate to their unique environments, in accordance with their specific security needs, and in compliance with applicable regulations. MSP customers should verify that the contractual arrangements with their provider include cybersecurity measures in line with their particular security requirements."
United Kingdom. National Cyber Security Centre; Australian Cyber Security Centre; Canadian Centre for Cyber Security . . .
2022-05-11
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MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, May 10, 2022: 'Vital Signs': Changes in Firearm Homicide and Suicide Rates -- United States, 2019-2020
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 early release issue of MMWR contains the following article: "'Vital Signs': Changes in Firearm Homicide and Suicide Rates -- United States, 2019-2020." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from this issue can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2022.html].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2022-05-10
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Biden-Harris Permitting Action Plan to Rebuild America's Infrastructure, Accelerate the Clean Energy Transition, Revitalize Communities, and Create Jobs
From the Document: "With the passage of President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the United States is making generational investments in our infrastructure and competitiveness that will create well-paying union jobs, grow our economy, invest in communities, combat climate change, and conserve and restore the natural places we value. To ensure the timely and sound delivery of much-needed upgrades to America's infrastructure, the Biden-Harris Administration is today releasing an Action Plan to strengthen and accelerate Federal permitting and environmental reviews, fully leveraging the permitting provisions in the BIL. The Biden-Harris Permitting Action Plan establishes that Federal environmental review and permitting processes will be: [1] 'Effective, efficient, and transparent' to accelerate delivery of well-designed infrastructure projects, to ensure predictability and timeliness for project sponsors and stakeholders; [2] 'Guided by the best science', information, and complete environmental effects analysis to promote the best outcomes; and [3] 'Shaped by early and meaningful public input' - particularly from disadvantaged communities - and through 'partnership with State, territorial, and local governments' and in consultation with 'Tribal Nations' to deliver results for all Americans."
United States. White House Office
2022-05-10?
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Veterans Health Administration Needs to Do More to Promote Emotional Well-Being Supports Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
From the Executive Summary: "The VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a review to assess how the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) addressed the emotional well-being of employees during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The OIG also conducted an overview of VHA programs, including what specialized programs, if any, were developed and deployed in response to the unique psychological challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic for VHA's staff. Mental health needs generally surge during and after disasters, including pandemics. In March 2020, after declaring COVID-19 a pandemic, the World Health Organization highlighted the importance of maintaining the mental health and emotional well-being of healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients. On March 23, 2020, the VHA Office of Emergency Management issued the initial COVID-19 Response Plan with its four-phase approach and a second, updated version on August 7, 2020. The August 2020 response plan update included language allowing VHA to delegate responsibility to program offices to develop resources for response plan strategies. With that delegated authority, the National Center for Organization Development created and maintained resources for leaders and the VHA Organizational Health Council created and maintained across multiple program offices. The OIG initiated the review on November 30, 2020, and conducted virtual interviews with VA and VHA leaders in multiple offices. The OIG developed a series of survey questions about VHA guidance regarding employees' emotional well-being during the pandemic, available resources, monitoring of available support programs, and employee engagement with available support programs."
United States. Department of Veterans Affairs. Office of Inspector General
2022-05-10
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Is Unauthorized Dissemination of a Draft Supreme Court Opinion a Federal Crime? [May 10, 2022]
From the Document: "On May 2, 2022, it was first reported that a news organization had obtained a draft Supreme Court majority opinion in 'Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization' and received confirmation from [hyperlink] 'a person familiar with the court's proceedings' in the case. The Court subsequently authenticated [hyperlink] the draft opinion, and Chief Justice Roberts ordered an internal investigation. Beyond discussion of the substance of the draft opinion and its implications for the constitutional right recognized in 'Roe v. Wade'--and setting aside potential [hyperlink] employment or professional consequences for the person or persons who shared the draft--a number [hyperlink] of commentators [hyperlink] have questioned [hyperlink] whether the act of providing [hyperlink] the draft opinion to a media organization was a federal crime. Several Members of the House Oversight Committee wrote a letter [hyperlink] to the Attorney General on May 3, 2022, calling for, among other things, a Department of Justice investigation and a briefing on 'whether criminal charges are being considered against the individual or individuals responsible for this breach.' Although federal law does prohibit the dissemination of certain kinds of government information [hyperlink]--such as 'classified' information related to national security--there does not appear to be a federal criminal statute expressly prohibiting unauthorized sharing of Supreme Court documents like draft opinions. [...] The provenance of the disclosure is unknown, so the laws addressed in this Legal Sidebar may or may not apply depending on the facts. [...] As relevant to the disclosure itself, this Legal Sidebar will briefly describe three federal criminal provisions that have been cited by commentators in the context of apparently unauthorized Supreme Court information dissemination and identify some of the potential issues that application of each of those laws could raise."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Foster, Michael A. (Legislative attorney)
2022-05-10
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Brazil: Background and U.S. Relations [Updated May 10, 2022]
From the Introduction: "As the 6th -most populous country and the 12th -largest economy in the world, Brazil plays an important role in global governance[.] Over the past 20 years, Brazil has forged coalitions with other large, developing countries to push for changes to multilateral institutions and to ensure that global agreements on issues ranging from trade to climate change adequately protect their interests. Brazil also has taken on a greater role in promoting peace and stability, contributing to U.N. peacekeeping missions and mediating conflicts in South America and further afield. Although recent domestic challenges have led Brazil to turn inward and weakened its appeal globally, the country continues to exert considerable influence on international policy issues that affect the United States. U.S. policymakers have often viewed Brazil as a natural partner in regional and global affairs, given its status as a fellow multicultural democracy. Repeated efforts to forge a close partnership have left both countries frustrated, however, as their occasionally divergent interests and policy approaches have inhibited cooperation. [...] Congress has expressed considerable interest in Brazil in recent years, recognizing Brazil's potential to affect U.S. foreign policy initiatives and interests."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Meyer, Peter J.
2022-05-10
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H. Rept. 117-315: Empowering States to Protect Seniors from Bad Actors Act, Report to Accompany H.R. 5914, May 10, 2022
From the Purpose and Summary: "On November 9, 2021, Representative Gottheimer introduced H.R. 5914, the 'Empowering States to Protect Seniors from Bad Actors Act', which would move the responsibility for administering the Senior Investor Protection Grant Program established by Sec. 989A of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to the Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC]. The bill would establish an interdivisional task force within the SEC to review grant applications and oversee the administration of the program. The bill would authorize $10 million annually in appropriations for the program for the period of FY 2023-2028. The bill would provide that the entities that would be eligible to apply for grants under the program are state securities regulators and state insurance regulators, and would cap the amount of grant funding that could be awarded to any single 'eligible entity' at $500,000."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-05-10
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Islamic State [Updated May 10, 2022]
From the Document: "The Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL, ISIS, or the Arabic acronym 'Da'esh') is a transnational Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group. At its 2015 height, the group controlled large areas of Iraq and Syria, including some cities, from which it launched attacks in the region and beyond. While the group no longer controls territory outright in Syria and Iraq, U.S. military officials warn that it maintains a low-level insurgency and has worked to expand its global presence via a burgeoning number of affiliate groups. The 2022 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) stated that 'ISIS leaders remain committed to their vision of building a self-styled global caliphate headquartered in Iraq and Syria and are working to rebuild capabilities and wear down opponents until conditions are ripe for seizing and holding territory.' [...] The Islamic State continues to wage a low-level insurgency across Syria and Iraq. In 2021, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) assessed that, 'ISIS likely has sufficient manpower and resources to operate indefinitely at its present level in the Syrian desert.' [...] The 2022 IC Annual Threat Assessment reported that the threat posed by the Islamic State to U.S. persons and interests 'probably will remain greatest in regions where the group has an operational presence; ISIS's ideology and propaganda, however, almost certainly will continue to inspire attacks in the West, including in the United States.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humud, Carla E.
2022-05-10
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Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs: An Overview and Issues for Congress [May 10, 2022]
From the Document: "Congress is considering the establishment of a new regional technology and innovation hub program in U.S. competition legislation. The House and Senate are reconciling H.R. 4521 [hyperlink], the America COMPETES Act of 2022, as agreed to by the House on February 4, 2022, with the version [hyperlink] as agreed to by the Senate on March 28, 2022. The Senate substituted the text of H.R. 4521 with S. 1260, the United States Competitiveness and Innovation Act. Both bills would establish a competitive award program to plan for or implement regional consortia in an effort to advance innovation and technology-based economic development. This Insight provides a brief overview of regional innovation and technology-based economic development; describes key features of the proposed program--including differences in the House and Senate bills; and highlights potential considerations for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lawhorn, Julie M.; Gallo, Marcy E.
2022-05-10
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United Arab Emirates (UAE): Issues for U.S. Policy [Updated May 10, 2022]
From the Summary: "The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven principalities or 'emirates.' Its population is nearly 10 million, of which 90% are expatriates from within and outside the region who work in its open economy. The UAE is a significant U.S. security partner that hosts about 3,500 U.S. military personnel at UAE military facilities and buys sophisticated U.S. military equipment, including missile defenses and combat aircraft. A January 20, 2021, deal signed with the UAE to allow the country to procure up to 50 F-35s and 18 Reaper Drones was placed under review by the Biden Administration, but finalizing the sale has been delayed over several issues, including the UAE's ability to secure the F-35 and its technology from other large powers, including China, with which the UAE has been expanding relations. Furthermore, U.S.-UAE differences on the F-35 sale, as well as issues including energy production, Iran, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the conflict in Yemen, appear to have widened since late 2021. The UAE abstained on a February 24, 2022, U.N. Security Council resolution denouncing Russia's invasion of Ukraine. With ample financial resources and a U.S.-armed and advised military, the UAE has been asserting itself in the region, in many cases seeking to keep authoritarian Arab leaders in power and work against Islamist organizations that UAE leaders assert are regional and domestic threats."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2022-05-10
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U.S.-Proposed Missile Technology Control Regime Changes [Updated May 10, 2022]
From the Introduction: "Beginning in 2017, the United States has submitted a series of proposals to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) partners that would relax the regime's export guidelines for certain Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). Advocates of altering the guidelines to ease such exports argue that increasing competition from foreign UAS manufacturers is undermining the competitive advantage of their U.S. counterparts. Other observers have emphasized the need to maintain the MTCR's standards, which are widely regarded as effective. [...] The MTCR, according to its website, 'seeks to limit the risks of proliferation of' nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons (NBC weapons) 'by controlling exports of goods and technologies that could make a contribution to delivery systems (other than manned aircraft) for such weapons.' Established in 1987 by the United States and six other countries, the MTCR, which holds several meetings per year and currently consists of 35 partner countries, is an informal voluntary arrangement whose partners agree to apply common export policy guidelines to an annex containing two categories of controlled items. Partner countries implement these guidelines pursuant to national legislation and regularly exchange information on relevant export licensing issues, including denials of technology transfers. The MTCR guidelines apply to both armed and unarmed UAS."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kerr, Paul K.
2022-05-10
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FEMA's Waiver Authority Under the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018
From the Document: "Several challenges limited our ability to fulfill the mandate in Section 1216 of the 'Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018' (DRRA). For instance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) data system does not capture Individuals and Households Program (IHP) assistance data in a manner that allows us to accurately calculate a percentage of distributions made in error in any 12-month period. In addition, the amount of data required to conduct the audit represents millions of rows of data, as well as underlying supporting documents. These efforts require considerable resources for FEMA to provide, and the Office of Inspector General to review, the IHP information. Facing these limitations, we adopted an alternate approach to estimate FEMA's percentage of distributions made in error. Specifically, we analyzed FEMA's IHP Recoupment Processing Executive Summary for fiscal years 2015 through 2019 and concluded that, for these fiscal years, FEMA's percentage of distributions identified for recoupment was, on average, less than 1 percent -- well below the DRRA's 4 percent threshold."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2022-05-10
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Lessons Learned from DHS' Employee COVID-19 Vaccination Initiative
From the Document: "In advance of Federal approval for emergency use of the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine, DHS prepared to coordinate employee vaccinations by tasking its components to identify eligible personnel in health care and frontline occupations in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. DHS acted swiftly to identify employees in vaccination priority groups, but provided minimal guidance to components, resulting in inconsistent responses across the Department as to which types of employees were deemed eligible. DHS only partially committed staff resources and delayed establishing a comprehensive, full-time task force to manage the effort. Also, at times, DHS' communications to its employees were inconsistent or unclear, causing confusion among some employees. DHS successfully vaccinated some employees, but missing and erroneous personnel data in DHS systems used to facilitate vaccinations contributed to DHS falling short of reaching its vaccination goals. This report identifies areas of consideration for DHS to better prepare for future emergencies and pandemics. We make one recommendation to improve DHS' ability to identify essential employees, when necessary, in future emergency situations. Also, DHS should consider improving its preparedness by developing incident response protocols that include a plan for establishing and staffing an incident response team. To foster trust among its workforce, DHS should strive to communicate directly and consistently with personnel during future initiatives. Finally, DHS should consider devising and implementing a methodology for conducting oversight of employee data."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2022-05-10
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FBI Releases 2021 Statistics on Law Enforcement Officers Killed in the Line of Duty
This press release from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Press Office releases 2021 statistics on law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. From the document: "According to statistics reported to the FBI [U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation], 129 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2021. Of these, 73 officers died as a result of felonious acts, and 56 officers died in accidents. Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing the fatal attacks were released today in the Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) portion on the FBI's Law Enforcement Data Explorer (a subset of the Crime Data Explorer) [hyperlink]."
United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation
2022-05-09
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U.S. International Climate Finance: FY2023 [Updated May 9, 2022]
From the Document: "Over the past several decades, to varying degrees, the United States has delivered financial and technical assistance for climate change activities in the developing world through a variety of bilateral and multilateral channels with appropriations passed by Congress and implemented by the executive agencies. Climate finance is funded primarily through programs at the Department of State, the Department of the Treasury, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Funds for these programs are requested in the President's budget under the International Affairs function (Function 150) and funded through the annual State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) appropriation. [...] U.S. Administrations have typically divided international climate finance into three main programmatic initiatives or categories: [1] 'Adaptation:' programs that aim to assist low-income countries with reducing their vulnerability to climate change impacts and building climate resilience. [2] 'Clean Energy:' programs that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy generation and energy use by accelerating the deployment of clean energy technologies, policies, and practices. [3] 'Sustainable Landscapes:' programs that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. Congress oversees U.S. government assistance to lower-income countries for climate change initiatives. [...] With Executive Order (E.O.) 14008, 'Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,' of February 1, 2021 (86 'Federal Register' 7619), President Joe Biden directed that climate change 'shall be an essential element of United States foreign policy and national security. The United States will work with other countries and partners, both bilaterally and multilaterally, to put the world on a sustainable climate pathway.' As called for by the E.O., the United States released the U.S. International Climate Finance Plan."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lattanzio, Richard K.
2022-05-09
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 1546, Combating Online Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2021
From the Document: "The authorization for the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking expired on October 7, 2021. H.R. 1546 would renew the authorization through October 7, 2026. However, the task force continued to operate and fulfill ongoing responsibilities under an Executive Order for combating wildlife trafficking; therefore, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that extending its authorization would not affect the federal budget."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-05-09
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CBO's Estimate of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Effects of S. 4119, the RECA Extension Act of 2022, as Passed by the Senate on April 28, 2022
From the Document: "The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 establishes budget-reporting and enforcement procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or revenues. The net changes in outlays that are subject to those procedures are shown here. The Radiation Exposure Compensation Program provides lump-sum cash compensation to people who participated in or lived downwind of certain atmospheric nuclear tests or who worked in the uranium industry if they contracted specified diseases. Those payments are made from mandatory appropriations. Under current law, the program expires on July 10, 2022. The RECA [Radiation Exposure Compensation Act] Extension Act of 2022 would extend the program's authorization for two years. For this estimate, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] assumes that claims filed before the program terminates would be paid even if they were not adjudicated by the termination date."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-05-09
