Advanced search Help
Clear all search criteria
Only 2/3! You are seeing results from the Public Collection, not the complete Full Collection. Sign in to search everything (see eligibility).
-
CDSE Pulse: Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience (Volume 2, Issue 11)
From the Document: "There are '16 critical infrastructure sectors' whose assets, systems, and networks (whether physical or virtual) are considered so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, the economy, public health or safety, or any combination thereof. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) promotes Infrastructure Security Month (ISM), an annual effort in November to educate and engage all levels of government, infrastructure owners and operators, and the American public about the vital role critical infrastructure plays in the nation's wellbeing. [...] Shining a spotlight on critical infrastructure is crucial due to modern, sophisticated cybercrimes that put the U.S. at risk. Earlier this year, major cyberattacks caused issues up and down the supply chain. Since our nation relies on critical infrastructure for health, energy, communications, and other vital services, it is equally important that everyone understand their role and take action to ensure our critical infrastructure remains strong, secure, and functional."
United States. Defense Security Service. Center for Development of Security Excellence
2021-11
-
CTC Sentinel [November 2021]
This April/May 2021 issue of the U.S. Military Academy's Combating Terrorism Center (CTC) Sentinel features the following article: "An Assessment of Taliban Rule at Three Months" by Andrew Watkins. Other reports include: "A View from the CT [counterterrorism] Foxhole: General Richard D. Clarke, Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command" by Sean Morrow and Nicholas Tallant; "Placing Terrorism in a Violent Non-State Actor Framework for the Great Power Competition Era" by Jerome P. Bjelopera; and "'Without Us, There Would Be No Islamic State:' The Role of Civilian Employees in the Caliphate" by Matthew Bamber.
Combating Terrorism Center (U.S.)
2021-11
-
COVID-19 Vaccines for Children: Exploring Immunization Strategies for Individuals Under 12
From the Document: "During the first year of the pandemic, COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] cases in children were primarily asymptomatic or mild [hyperlink]. Children's infections rose during the delta variant surge [hyperlink] in July and August of 2021, leading to more COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations for those under 18. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children and adolescents are four times [hyperlink] more likely to be hospitalized in states with vaccination rates under 50 percent compared to those with higher rates. Children with severe COVID-19 [hyperlink] may require hospitalization, intensive care or even ventilation. In rare instances [hyperlink], children have died. Like adults, children with underlying health conditions and within communities of color are at greater risk [hyperlink] of severe illness. Vaccination [hyperlink] can protect the nearly 49 million [hyperlink] children in the United States under the age of 12 against COVID-19, especially the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death. At the time of this publication, a pediatric COVID-19 vaccine [hyperlink] is available for children as young as 5. Since the pandemic began, Governors have been on the front lines, creating and executing policies to strengthen the nation's COVID-19 response. Governors have employed system-wide approaches and innovative procedures to protect health in this and other public health emergencies, such as the H1N1 [Swine Flu] outbreak."
National Governors' Association
LeBlanc, Michelle; Roy, Brittney
2021-11
-
On the Horizon: Planning for Post-Pandemic Travel
From the Executive Summary: "Transit agencies played an essential role in ensuring the mobility of Americans during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. Faced with a challenging environment, agencies operated buses and trains day in, day out, moving millions of people, especially essential workers who kept society going even at the height of the health crisis. Even though agencies experienced a dramatic loss of riders during the pandemic, they were resilient and creative in moving forward. With good planning, effective operations, and strong communication, they can adjust their services to attract more riders. To evaluate transit agencies' responses to the pandemic and their future plans, we collected data from operators, deployed a nationwide survey of staff, and conducted detailed case studies of five agencies. We amassed information on how demographic, employment, and travel trends may change in the coming decades. Finally, we developed recommendations for agencies to leverage best practices to ensure their ability to provide equitable access to mobility in the coming decades."
American Public Transportation Association
Freemark, Yonah; González-Hermoso, Jorge; Morales-Burnett, Jorge . . .
2021-11
-
Effects of COVID-19 on U.S. Small Businesses: Evidence from Owners, Managers, and Employees
From the Abstract: "We analyze a large-scale survey of small business owners, managers, and employees in the United States to understand the effects of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic on those businesses. We explore two waves of the survey that were fielded on Facebook in April 2020 and December 2020. We document five facts about the impact of the pandemic on small businesses. (1) Larger firms, older firms, and male-owned firms were more likely to remain open during the early stages of the pandemic, with many of these heterogeneities persisting through the end of 2020. (2) At businesses that remained open, concerns about demand shocks outweighed concerns about supply shocks, though the relative importance of supply shocks grew over time. (3) In response to the pandemic, almost a quarter of the firms reduced their prices, with price reductions concentrated among businesses facing financial constraints and demand shocks; almost no firms raised prices. (4) Only a quarter of small businesses had access to formal sources of financing at the start of the pandemic, and access to formal financing affected how firms responded to the pandemic. (5) Increased household responsibilities affected the ability of managers and employees to focus on their work, while increased business responsibilities impacted their ability to take care of their household members. This effect persisted through December 2020 and was particularly strong for women and parents of school-aged children. We discuss how these facts inform our understanding of the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and how they can help design policy responses to similar shocks."
New York University. Stern Center for Business and Human Rights
Kuchler, Theresa; Alekseev, Georgij; Amer, Safaa . . .
2021-11
-
Tunisia: In Brief [Updated November 1, 2021]
From the Summary: "A decade after a popular uprising in Tunisia set off the 'Arab Spring,' Tunisia's ability to sustain the sole democratic political system to emerge from that wave of regional unrest is now in question. On July 25, 2021, amid political gridlock and economic and health crises, President Kaïs Saïed unilaterally dismissed the prime minister and suspended parliament. He then asserted the right to rule by decree and an intent to amend the constitution and electoral law. Saïed's assertion of sweeping executive powers has fueled uncertainty about the future of Tunisia's democracy, which successive U.S. Administrations and Congress have sought to foster. Tunisian reactions to the president's actions have varied amid shared concerns about economic suffering, partisan infighting, police abuses, and the dismissed prime minister's ineffective response to an acute wave of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in mid-2021. Polls suggest that President Saïed remains popular, particularly in comparison to his political opponents. In September and October, thousands of Tunisians turned out in rival protests for and against the president. It is unclear whether Tunisia is likely to return to a democratic political system, move further into presidential authoritarianism, or experience greater instability if the economy worsens and tensions among political factions escalate."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Arieff, Alexis
2021-11-01
-
Mexico: Evolution of the Mérida Initiative, FY2008-FY2022 [Updated November 1, 2021]
From the Document: "Congress remains concerned about the effects of organized-crime-related violence in Mexico on U.S. security interests and U.S. citizens' safety in Mexico. Homicides in Mexico reached record levels from 2016 to 2019, followed by a slight decline during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Femicides, or killings of women, have increased faster than other homicides. With bipartisan support in Congress, the Mérida Initiative has comprised the majority of U.S. foreign aid to Mexico since FY2008. This product provides an overview of the roughly $3.3 billion appropriated to date for the Mérida Initiative; Mexico's security strategy and key pillars of the new 'Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health, and Safe Communities' that is to replace the Mérida Initiative. [...] The Biden Administration requested $116.5 million in foreign assistance for Mexico for FY2022, nearly 27% lower than the estimated FY2021 appropriation of $158.9 million. The Administration's FY2022 request for International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement (INCLE) funds for Mexico, which support antidrug efforts with federal agencies, is $44 million less than the FY2021 estimated appropriation. The U.S. and Mexican governments are expected to release detailed agreements in December under the Bicentennial Framework. Future U.S. budget requests could shift to reflect those priorities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Seelke, Clare Ribando
2021-11-01
-
Homelessness: HUD Should Help Communities Better Leverage Data to Estimate Homelessness, Report to the Chair, Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "HUD's [Department of Housing and Urban Development] PIT [Point-in-Time] count is a key tool for estimating the size of the U.S. homeless population. However, developing an accurate understanding of the extent of homelessness is challenging due to the hidden nature of the population. Further, some members of Congress and others have raised questions about the reliability of HUD's estimates. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review the PIT count and alternative methods for estimating the size of homeless populations. This report (1) examines communities' approaches for counting people experiencing homelessness and HUD's guidance for using these approaches, (2) describes approaches used by selected foreign countries to estimate their homeless populations, and (3) describes what is known about funding sources and resources expended by selected communities in conducing the PIT count."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
-
Drug Development: Pathway for Approving Antibacterial and Antifungal Drugs for Patients with Limited Treatment Options is Infrequently Used, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "It is estimated that at least 2.8 million antibacterial and antifungal-resistant infections occur each year in the United States, and more than 35,000 people die as a result, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The development of new antibacterial and antifungal treatments is one strategy to address the threat of antimicrobial resistance. The 21st Century Cures Act, enacted in 2016, established LPAD [limited population pathway for antibacterial and antifungal drugs] to help facilitate the approval of certain antibacterial and antifungal drugs. FDA [Food and Drug Administration] oversees the approval of such drugs. The 21st Century Cures Act includes a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to review and report on FDA's LPAD activities. This report describes (1) the extent to which LPAD changes FDA's drug approval process, (2) the extent to which drug developers have sought to use LPAD for drugs under development, and (3) stakeholders' and FDA's views on the effectiveness of LPAD in benefiting the development and approval of antibacterial and antifungal drugs."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
-
Rethinking Health Security After COVID-19
From the Executive Summary: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has posed major challenges to existing systems of global health governance. Even countries considered leaders in health preparedness, notably the US and the UK, struggled to contain COVID-19 domestically and were unable to mount an effective international response. As a result, the world suffered over 4.4 million deaths and an estimated 4.4 per cent decline in global GDP [Gross domestic product] in 2020 alone - the deepest global recession since the end of World War II. The economic and health impacts of the pandemic have, meanwhile, fallen disproportionately on the world's most disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. COVID-19 has therefore laid bare deep fissures in the current global health architecture and highlighted the need for urgent reform. One proposal for reducing the risk of future pandemics is to elevate public health as a national security priority."
University of Oxford. Blavatnik School of Government.
Moodie, Amanda; Gerami, Nima; D'Alessandra, Federica
2021-11
-
Adapting to Endemic Covid-19: The Outlook for Business Travel
From the Executive Summary: "'COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] has had a major effect on Travel & Tourism, leading to financial losses of almost US$4.5 trillion and a loss of more than 62 million jobs. But there are signs that the sector is beginning to recover, with global travel spending on the rise.' However, the road to recovery will be a long and winding one, given the likelihood that COVID-19 will become endemic. Experts, including the World Health Organization (WHO), predict that the pandemic will not end with the virus disappearing, but rather that the virus will persist, albeit with decreased potency over time. In this context, the Travel & Tourism sector may need to contend with shifts in international travel restrictions which could last for several years. This report examines what endemic COVID-19 could mean for the sector, and for business travel in particular. It draws on insights from Travel & Tourism stakeholders around the world to shed light on the shifting trends experienced over the past 18 months--and how these may influence the sector's recovery. The report also highlights opportunities and offers potential actions that stakeholders can take to adjust to the new reality and strengthen recovery." Source: World Travel & Tourism Council: Adapting to Endemic Covid-19: The Outlook For Business Travel, October 2021. All rights reserved. Licensed under the Attribution, Non-Commercial 4.0 International Creative Commons Licence.
World Travel & Tourism Council
Misrahi, Tiffany; Royds, Lethabo-Thabo
2021-11
-
Rapidly Growing 'Buy Now, Pay Later' (BNPL) Financing: Market Developments and Policy Issues [Updated November 1, 2021]
From the Document: "'Buy now, pay later' (BNPL) is a form of point-of-sales financing. With BNPL financing, a consumer can purchase an item now and pay for it later on an agreed upon payment schedule. BNPL financing is often offered online and has generally been developed by technology-focused, nonbank financial companies, often characterized as 'fintech' companies [hyperlink]. BNPL financing has been growing rapidly in recent years. Reports [hyperlink] suggest that BNPL financing may have tripled in 2020 compared to the prior year. A consulting firm estimates [hyperlink] that BNPL balances grew by 24% from 2016 to 2019 and are expected to grow around 20% annually for the next three years. This Insight discusses the BNPL financing market and potential policy issues in this market. The House Financial Services committee is holding a hearing [hyperlink] on this and other related topics on November 2, 2021."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cooper, Cheryl R.; Tierno, Paul
2021-11-01
-
Healthcare Provider Shortages: Resources and Strategies for Meeting Demand
From the Document: "Staff shortages have been a primary challenge in the management of patient surge during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic and other disasters. Healthcare providers may become ill, family concerns may decrease the ability of staff to work extra hours, school closures may inhibit staff from performing normal duties, and physical and emotional fatigue causes burnout. Many healthcare workers are reducing hours, leaving the field, or taking contract jobs, further depleting the workforce, and increasing the stressors on remaining employees. In a recent survey of leaders from 100 large and private sector hospitals, nearly half of respondents had to reduce inpatient capacity due to nursing shortages. Ongoing and close coordination with local, county, state, territorial, and tribal public health agencies, and coordination among healthcare facilities to ensure staffing remains at functional levels are vital throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and other disasters."
United States. Technical Resources, Assistance Center and Information Exchange; United States. Department of Health and Human Services; United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response
Aronson, Scott; Bennett, Mary Ellen; Clawson, Susan Sutton . . .
2021-11
-
U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan
From the Executive Summary: "The Biden-Harris Administration, through the National Climate Task Force, has launched an ambitious, whole-of-government initiative to significantly redouble efforts and reduce emissions. Through these domestic actions, the United States is catalyzing similar actions around the world, working in partnership with the European Union to lead a Global Methane Pledge--with signatories representing more than 60% of global GDP [gross domestic product] and many of the largest emitters--to reduce overall methane emissions by 30% below 2020 levels by 2030. This 'U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan' focuses on cutting pollution here at home from the largest sources of methane emissions in the United States. It uses all available tools--commonsense regulations, catalytic financial incentives, transparency and disclosure of actionable data, and public and private partnerships--to identify and reduce methane emissions. These cost-effective actions will dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cut leaks, waste, and consumer costs, protect workers and communities, maintain and create high-quality, union-friendly jobs, and promote U.S. innovation and manufacturing of critical new technologies."
United States. White House Office
2021-11
-
Ignored Pandemic: The Dual Crises of Gender-Based Violence and COVID-19
From the Summary: "Globally, the prevalence of violence against women and girls by an intimate partner in 2018 was higher than the prevalence of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] in the past 12 months, throwing into sharp relief the disparity in attention and resources each crisis has received. Coronavirus has devastated efforts to prevent and respond to GBV [Gender-Based Violence] and catalyzed an explosion in global GBV case numbers. Data from 10 countries shows calls to domestic violence or GBV helplines increased by 25 to 111% in the first months of the pandemic as women, including trans women, and girls and LGBTQIA+ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual] people were isolated with their abusers and cut off from social networks and essential and life-saving services. [...] In this paper, we will explore the impact of coronavirus on victims and survivors of GBV, consider the implications of a continued failure to respond, and call for a stronger link to be made between efforts to recover from COVID-19 and efforts to end the less recognized but equally devastating GBV pandemic."
Oxfam International
Harvey, Rowan
2021-11
-
'Final Audit Report': The Peace Corps' Compliance with Cares Act Supplemental Funding Requirements
From the Executive Summary: "The Peace Corps responded to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by suspending all Volunteer activities and evacuating approximately 7,000 Volunteers and Trainees from 60 countries of service. The fiscal and programmatic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Peace Corps operations is substantial. For the first time since its establishment in 1961, the Peace Corps is without a single overseas Volunteer. The CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act allotted the Peace Corps $88 million in supplemental funding to respond to COVID-19 available through September 30, 2022. Additionally, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued subsequent implementing guidance for the law. The objective of this compliance audit was to assess Peace Corps' internal controls over the budget, obligation, and disbursement of CARES Act funds including reimbursements for expenses incurred prior to the enactment of this act on March 27, 2020. Our work included assessing internal controls, interviewing agency officials, and reviewing financial processes and supporting documentation. Based on our review, we concluded that the Peace Corps complied with the provisions of the CARES Act, OMB implementing guidance, and other relevant policies."
Peace Corps (U.S.). Office of Inspector General
2021-11
-
Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs (Volume 4, Number 8)
This 2021 "Africa in the Indo-Pacific Construct" special edition of the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs contains the following articles: "Competing of Colluding Commercial Interests?: Ports and Free Zones along China's Maritime Silk Road in Africa" by April A. Herlevi; "Comparing the Strategic Worldviews of the United States and China: Implications for Strategy and Engagement with Africa" by Scott M. Edmondson; "Djibouti: The Organizing Principle of the Indo-Pacific" by Sankalp Gurjar; "Regional Security Complexes and African Foreign Policies" by Stephen Burgess; "Africa, America, and China: Estimation or Underestimation?" by Ross Coffey; "Counterbalancing Chinese Influence in the Horn of Africa: A Strategy for Security and Stability" by Ryan CK Hess; "China's Military and Economic Prowess in Djibouti: A Security Challenge for the Indo-Pacific" by Indu Saxena, Robert Uri Dabaly, and Arushi Singh; and "Peacekeeping Operations to Address Counterinsurgency and Criminal Deviance in Mozambique" by Robert Uri Dabaly.
Air University (U.S.). Press
2021-11
-
Social Security Administration's Telephone Service Performance
From the Background: "On July 21, 2020, John Larson, Chair, and Tom Reed, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Social Security, requested we answer a series of questions related to SSA's [ Social Security Administration] telephone services during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. For this review, we obtained SSA's telephone service data for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 (October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020). We compared SSA's performance data from October 2019 through March 2020 with the data from April through September 2020, when SSA limited in-person service. We also compared SSA's FY 2020 performance to other Federal agencies' and industry performance and to SSA's telephone service performance in FYs 2010 through 2019. In addition, we obtained information on changes in staffing and workloads, including steps SSA took to strengthen telephone services and better track and evaluate callers' experience and satisfaction in FY 2020. Finally, we identified changes SSA made in response to COVID-19, their effect on telephone performance metrics and customer service, and lessons SSA learned during COVID-19 related to telephone services."
United States. Social Security Administration. Office of the Inspector General
2021-11
-
VA Community Living Centers: Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Oversight of Quality of Care, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] is responsible for overseeing the quality of care provided in its CLCs [community living centers], such as through unannounced inspections that identify deficiencies when CLCs do not meet quality standards. However, recent reports have raised questions about substandard treatment and conditions at certain CLCs, as well as about the transparency of VA data on CLC quality. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to examine VA data on CLC quality and how the data are used to oversee CLCs. In this report, GAO describes what VA data reveal about quality at the CLCs and assesses VA's oversight of CLCs and how, if at all, it could be strengthened, among other issues."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
-
COVID-19 Uncertainty: A Tale of Two Tails
From the Abstract: "Uncertainty about own-firm sales growth rates over the year ahead roughly doubled in reaction to the COVID [coronavirus disease] shock, according to our surveys of U.S. and U.K. business executives. Firm-level uncertainty receded after spring 2020 but remains much higher than pre-COVID levels. Moreover, the 'nature' of firm-level uncertainty has shifted greatly since the pandemic struck: Initially, business executives perceived an enormous increase in downside uncertainty, which has now dissipated. As of October 2021, almost all of the extra firm-level uncertainty is to the upside. In short, economic uncertainty associated with the pandemic has morphed from a tale of the lower tail into a tale about the upper tail."
Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics
Bunn, Philip, 1979-; Altig, David, 1956-; Anayi, Lena . . .
2021-11
-
Vaccine Development: Capabilities and Challenges for Addressing Infectious Diseases, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "The CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to report on its ongoing monitoring and oversight efforts related to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. This report discusses technologies, approaches, and associated challenges for vaccine (1) research and development, (2) testing, and (3) manufacturing, as well as (4) the economic factors that affect vaccine investment."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
-
Examining the Pandemic's Economic Effects on Women
From the Document: "This issue of 'Consumer & Community Context' is being released in conjunction with the Federal Reserve Board's Gender and the Economy Conference [hyperlink]. Together, these efforts demonstrate the Federal Reserve's interest in understanding the barriers to gender equality and strategies that achieve the benefits of a more inclusive economy. [...] In this issue, researchers from the Federal Reserve System present analysis of the pandemic's economic impact on women."
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.)
2021-11
-
Telehealth Saves Money and Lives: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic
From the Introduction: "'Prior to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, few Americans could access telehealth to meet their health care needs. State and national lawmakers imposed enormous obstacles on patients seeking to virtually connect with their health care provider. Policymakers feared widespread telehealth use would increase spending on unnecessary health care services. As such, Medicare banned clinicians from delivering telehealth outside of rural communities and prohibited patients from receiving telehealth within their homes'. But that dynamic changed when the coronavirus pandemic arrived in the United States, shutting down large parts of the economy and forcing families to stay home to reduce the spread of infection. [...] As a result, telehealth became a safe, reliable source of high-quality care for tens of millions of Americans during the pandemic. [...] The pandemic provides an opportunity to study the impact of the increasing use of telehealth services on health care outcomes and costs. [...] Our study confirms a promising trend toward cost savings for patients who use a combination of in-person and telehealth services. These results should give lawmakers confidence to extend the telehealth provisions of the public health emergency rather than letting them expire."
Progressive Policy Institute (U.S.)
Kane, Arielle; Katebi, Charlie; Subramanian, Maha
2021-11
-
K-12 Education: Students' Experiences with Bullying, Hate Speech, Hate Crimes, and Victimization in Schools, Report to the Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives
From the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Highlights: "Hostile behaviors, including bullying, harassment, hate speech and hate crimes, or other types of victimization like sexual assault and rape, in schools can negatively affect K-12 [kindergarten through twelfth grade] students' short- and long-term mental health, education, income, and overall well-being. According to Education's guidance, incidents of harassment or hate, when motivated by race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), or disability status can impede access to an equal education. In certain circumstances, these kinds of incidents may violate certain federal civil rights laws, which Education's OCR [Office for Civil Rights] is tasked with enforcing in K-12 schools. GAO was asked to review hostile behaviors in K-12 schools. This report examines (1) the prevalence and nature of hostile behaviors in K-12 public schools; (2) the presence of K-12 school programs and practices to address hostile behaviors; and (3) how Education has addressed complaints related to these issues in school years 2010-11 through 2019-20."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
-
Report on the Federal Oil and Gas Leasing Program: 'Prepared in Response to Executive Order 14008'
From the Introduction: "This report responds to Executive Order 14008, 'Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,' which directed the Department of the Interior (DOI) to conduct a review of Federal oil and gas leasing and permitting practices. This report considers both onshore and offshore oil and gas leasing programs in light of the Secretary of the Interior's broad stewardship responsibilities over public lands and Federal offshore waters. The review found a Federal oil and gas program that fails to provide a fair return to taxpayers, even before factoring in the resulting climate-related costs that must be borne by taxpayers; inadequately accounts for environmental harms to lands, waters, and other resources; fosters speculation by oil and gas companies to the detriment of competition and American consumers; extends leasing into low potential lands that may have competing higher value uses; and leaves communities out of important conversations about how they want their public lands and waters managed. [...] This report identifies a number of recommendations that begin to modernize Federal land management. The reforms serve three main programmatic goals: [1] Providing a fair return to the American public and States from Federal management of public lands and waters, including for development of energy resources; [2] Designing more responsible leasing and development processes that prioritize areas that are most suitable for development and ensure lessees and operators have the financial and technical capacity to comply with all applicable laws and regulations; and [3] Creating a more transparent, inclusive, and just approach to leasing and permitting that provides meaningful opportunity for public engagement and Tribal consultation."
United States. Department of the Interior
2021-11
-
State of the Space Industrial Base 2021: Infrastructure & Services for Economic Growth & National Security
From the Introduction: "This report represents the collective voice of 232 industry experts who gathered to provide inputs and recommendations to nurture and grow a healthy space industrial base and national security innovation base. While these recommendations do not represent the official position of the United States Space Force, or any other branch of government, they are extremely valuable inputs for consideration. The intended audience includes the Administration, National Space Council, senior policymakers across the executive departments, Congress, the U.S. Venture Capital (VC) and investor community, and the broader commercial space ecosystem. The main body of the report provides an overall assessment and general recommendations. It is followed by more in-depth assessments of the current state, challenges, inflections and recommendations needed to preserve America's leadership, as explored by the five workshop teams representing areas of most significant commercial, civil and national security space activity: information services, space logistics, operational concepts, enablers, policy and finance."
United States. Department of Defense; United States. Space Force; United States. Defense Innovation Unit . . .
Butow, Steven J.; Cooley, Thomas; Felt, Eric . . .
2021-11
-
Federal Debt and the Statutory Limit, November 2021
From the Document: "The debt limit--commonly called the debt ceiling--is the maximum amount of debt that the Department of the Treasury can issue to the public or to other federal agencies. The amount is set by law and has been increased over the years to finance the government's operations. On October 14, 2021, lawmakers raised the debt limit by $480 billion to a total of $28.9 trillion. On October 18, the Treasury announced a continuation of the 'debt issuance suspension period' during which, under current law, it could take 'extraordinary measures' to borrow additional funds without breaching the debt ceiling. (The debt issuance suspension period began on August 1, 2021.) The Treasury has already reached the new debt limit of $28.9 trillion, so it currently has no room to borrow under its standard operating procedures, other than to replace maturing debt. [...] The Congressional Budget Office [CBO] projects that, if the debt limit remained unchanged and if the Treasury made that transfer in full, the government's ability to borrow using extraordinary measures would be exhausted soon after it made the transfer. In that case, the Treasury would most likely run out of cash before the end of December. If that occurred, the government would be unable to pay its obligations fully, and it would delay making payments for some activities, default on its debt obligations, or both. [...] The timing and amount of revenue collections and outlays over the next few weeks are especially uncertain, given the magnitude of outlays related to the 2020-2021 coronavirus pandemic, and could differ from CBO's projections. Therefore, the extraordinary measures could be exhausted, and the Treasury could run out of cash, earlier or later than CBO projects."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
Lerner, Avi
2021-11
-
Five Things About School-Based Violence Prevention and Intervention Programs
From the Document: "School-based prevention and intervention programs are designed to address a variety of issues faced by youth today, both within and outside of schools. The five statements below are based on practices rated by CrimeSolutions. '1. School-based bullying prevention programs prevent victimization and reduce perpetration[,]' '2. Cyberbullying prevention and intervention programs can reduce online bullying perpetration and victimization[,]' '3. Universal school-based prevention and intervention programs for aggressive and disruptive behavior can reduce aggressive or disruptive behavior[,]' '4. Interventions to reduce dating and sexual violence for school-aged youth and young adults do not reduce dating violence victimization[,]' [and] '5. Selective school-based violence prevention programs can reduce aggression in K-12 students who are considered at risk or who have demonstrated such antisocial behaviors.'"
United States. Department of Justice; United States. Office of Justice Programs; National Institute of Justice (U.S.)
2021-11
-
USDA Market Facilitation Program: Stronger Adherence to Quality Guidelines Would Improve Future Economic Analyses, Report to the Chairwoman, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry U.S. Senate
From the Highlights: "In 2018, the President, citing national security concerns in one action and unfair foreign trade practices in another, increased tariffs on certain imported products. Affected trade partners retaliated with tariffs targeting U.S. exports. USDA's 2018 MFP [Market Facilitation Programs] and 2019 MFP provided a total of $23 billion to address the effect of foreign trade actions on U.S. agricultural producers. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review USDA's methods for estimating trade damages and providing payments to producers. This report examines (1) the extent to which the methodologies USDA used to estimate trade-related damages for the 2018 MFP and 2019 MFP addressed key elements of an economic analysis, and how those methodologies affected the estimates, and (2) strengths and limitations of the methodologies USDA used to calculate payments for the 2018 MFP and 2019 MFP and how the methodologies affected the payments."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
-
Disaster Recovery: Better Data Are Needed to Ensure HUD Block Grant Funds Reach Vulnerable Populations, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Large-scale disasters, such as the 2017 hurricanes, have resulted in catastrophic damage and particularly have challenged vulnerable populations. Since 1993, Congress has provided over $90 billion in supplemental appropriations through HUD's [Department of Housing and Urban Development's] CDBG-DR [ Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery] funds to help affected areas recover. GAO [U.S. Government Accountability Office] was asked to evaluate the delivery of CDBG-DR assistance to vulnerable populations. This report examines (1) HUD's approach to assisting vulnerable populations, (2) grantees' actions to assist vulnerable populations, and (3) challenges grantees and vulnerable populations face in implementing and using CDBGDR. GAO reviewed documentation from HUD and a nongeneralizable sample of six grantees (the four largest 2017 CDBG-DR grantees--Florida, Puerto Rico, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands--and Louisiana and New Jersey, which are further along in implementation). GAO also interviewed HUD officials, grantees, and organizations representing vulnerable populations. [...] GAO recommends that HUD collect, analyze, and publish demographic data from CDBG-DR grantees on vulnerable populations who apply for and receive assistance. HUD did not agree or disagree with the recommendation but identified potential ways to collect data to assess how vulnerable populations are being served and the associated challenges. GAO continues to believe the recommendation would assist in assessing outcomes."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
