Homeland Security Digital Library

Homeland Security Digital Library

SEARCH THE HSDL

Advanced search Help

Set an Alert to get future results

Results 135781 - 135810 (of 140,567) sorted by relevance sort by date

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).

Defense Primer: Commanding U.S. Military Operations [December 13, 2016]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "Military operations, both in peacetime and in war, are an inherently complex undertaking. One key to success, therefore, is a clear, unified chain of command. This enables senior leaders in the U.S. government--in particular, the President and the Secretary of Defense--to command and control military forces around the world."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

McInnis, Kathleen J.

2016-12-13
COVID-19: Potential Implications for International Security Environment -- Overview of Issues and Further Reading for Congress [Updated May 28, 2020]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Introduction: "Some observers argue the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic could be a world-changing event with potentially profound and long-lasting implications for the international security environment and the U.S. role in the world. Other observers are more skeptical that the COVID-19 pandemic will have such effects. This report provides a brief overview of some potential implications the COVID-19 pandemic might have for the international security environment and the U.S. role in the world, and a bibliography of CRS [Congressional Research Service] reports and other writings for further reading. Issues for Congress may include whether and how the COVID-19 pandemic could change the international security environment, whether the Trump Administration's actions for responding to such change are appropriate and sufficient, and what implications such change could have for the role of Congress in setting and overseeing the execution of U.S. foreign and defense policy. Congress's decisions regarding these issues could have significant and even profound implications for U.S. foreign and defense policy, and for the status of Congress as a co-equal branch relative to the executive branch in setting and overseeing the implementation of U.S. foreign and defense policy."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

O'Rourke, Ronald; McInnis, Kathleen J.; Moodie, Michael, 1948-

2020-05-28
COVID-19: Potential Implications for International Security Environment-- Overview of Issues and Further Reading for Congress [Updated May 8, 2020]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Summary: "Some observers argue the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic could be a world-changing event with potentially profound and long-lasting implications for the international security environment and the U.S. role in the world. Other observers are more skeptical that the COVID-19 pandemic will have such effects. Observers who argue the COVID-19 pandemic could be world-changing for the international security environment and the U.S. role in the world have focused on several areas of potential change. [...] Issues for Congress may include whether and how the COVID-19 pandemic could change the international security environment, whether the Trump Administration's actions for responding to such change are appropriate and sufficient, and what implications such change could have for the role of Congress in setting and overseeing the execution of U.S. foreign and defense policy. Congress's decisions regarding these issues could have significant and even profound implications for U.S. foreign and defense policy, and for the status of Congress as a co-equal branch relative to the executive branch in setting and overseeing the implementation of U.S. foreign and defense policy."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

O'Rourke, Ronald; McInnis, Kathleen J.; Moodie, Michael, 1948-

2020-05-08
U.S.-Iran Conflict and Implications for U.S. Policy [Updated May 8, 2020]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "Since May 2019, U.S.-Iran tensions have heightened significantly, and evolved into conflict after U.S. military forces killed Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) and one of Iran's most important military commanders, in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad on January 3, 2020. The United States and Iran have appeared to be on the brink of additional hostilities since, as attacks by Iran-backed groups on bases in Iraq inhabited by U.S. forces have continued."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Katzman, Kenneth; Thomas, Clayton (Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs); McInnis, Kathleen J.

2020-05-08
United States European Command: Overview and Key Issues [Updated February 13, 2020]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the History: "The collapse of the Soviet Union led to a withdrawal of the bulk of forward-deployed U.S. troops in the European theater. Decisions to do so were arguably based on a number of strategic assumptions held by successive administrations after the end of the Cold War, including that: [1] Europe could be stable, whole, and free; [2] Russia could be a constructive partner in the Euro-Atlantic security architecture; and [3] particularly prior to September 11, 2001, threats posed by terrorism and migration from the Middle East/North Africa region were limited. EUCOM [United States European Command] subsequently focused its activities on non-warfighting missions, including building the security capacity and capability of former Soviet bloc states, prosecuting 'crisis management' operations in the Balkans, and logistically supporting other combatant commands (by providing, in particular, critical medical evacuation facilities at Landstuhl), including U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). Over the past 25 years, decisions regarding U.S. basing and posture in the European theater have largely reflected these assumptions. The bulk of U.S. forces in Europe have been withdrawn and many bases and outposts were either consolidated or closed. However, two Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) were retained (in Italy and Germany) as were some naval bases, particularly those along NATO's southern flank, and a number of Air Force bases that were deemed critical for supporting operations in the Middle East, Africa and Europe."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

McInnis, Kathleen J.; McGarry, Brendan W.

2020-02-13
Overview: The Department of Defense and COVID-19 [March 31, 2020]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "The Department of Defense (DOD) is one of many U.S. government agencies participating in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-led COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] national response framework. As developments unfold, interest has grown regarding what DOD might be able to contribute to the U.S. government's COVID-19 response. On March 24, 2020, Secretary of Defense Esper stated that DOD's top COVID-19 priorities are protecting the Defense Department's people, maintaining military readiness, and supporting the whole-of-government interagency response. With respect to whole-of-government response, below is a non-exhaustive survey of some DOD capabilities that might be applied to the current situation if directed to do so."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

McInnis, Kathleen J.

2020-03-31
COVID-19: National Security and Defense Strategy [April 30, 2020]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "The outbreak of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has prompted questions about U.S. national security and crisis preparedness. Inherent to those discussions are broader, foundational questions about how the United States government conceptualizes national security, and the currently held view by many of the relative prioritization of the Department of Defense (DOD) over other instruments of national power."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

McInnis, Kathleen J.

2020-04-30
United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) [March 17, 2020]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), headquartered in Miami, FL, was officially established in 1963. Prior to that, U.S. military elements in the Western hemisphere had been organized under the U.S. Caribbean Defense Command. SOUTHCOM's area of responsibility (AOR) begins at the southern Mexican border and contains the remaining elements of Central and South America, adjacent Atlantic and Pacific waters, as well as the Caribbean Sea, ultimately encompassing 31 countries and 16 dependencies and areas of special sovereignty. The region represents about one-sixth of the landmass of the world assigned to regional unified commands. SOUTHCOM is led by U.S. Navy Admiral Craig S. Faller."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

McInnis, Kathleen J.; McGarry, Brendan W.

2020-03-17
United States Central Command [February 13, 2020]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "According to the U.S. Unified Command Plan, the Department of Defense (DOD) document that articulates the division of operational responsibilities amongst the 11 Combatant Commands (CoCOMs), United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has command authority over U.S. forces in the Middle East and West/Central Asia. CENTCOM was formally established by DOD on January 1, 1983. Its area of responsibility (AOR) comprises Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Iran, Turkmenistan, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Accordingly, its geography spans more than 4 million square miles and is populated by more than 550 million people from 22 ethnic groups, speaking 18 languages with hundreds of dialects and professing multiple religions that transcend national borders. Headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base (AFB) in Tampa, Florida, CENTCOM is commanded by Marine Corps General Kenneth F. McKenzie, who previously served as the Director of Strategic Plans and Policy in the Joint Staff."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

McInnis, Kathleen J.; McGarry, Brendan W.

2020-02-13
Defense Primer: Commanding U.S. Military Operations [Updated February 18, 2020]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "Military operations, both in peacetime and in war, are an inherently complex undertaking. One key to success, therefore, is a clear, unified chain of command. This enables senior leaders in the U.S. government--in particular, the President and the Secretary of Defense--to command and control military forces around the world."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

McInnis, Kathleen J.

2020-02-18
U.S.-Iran Tensions and Implications for U.S. Policy [Updated August 30, 2019]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "Since May 2019, U.S.-Iran tensions have escalated, but not erupted into armed conflict. The Trump Administration, following its 2018 withdrawal from the 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement with Iran (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA), has taken several steps in its campaign of applying 'maximum pressure' on Iran. Iran and Iran-linked forces have targeted and sometimes seized commercial ships, attacked infrastructure in U.S. partner countries, and posed threats to U.S. forces and interests, including downing a U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle. The Administration has sent additional military assets to the region to try to deter future Iranian actions."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Katzman, Kenneth; McInnis, Kathleen J.; Thomas, Clayton (Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs)

2019-08-30
Niger: Frequently Asked Questions About the October 2017 Attack on U.S. Soldiers [October 27, 2017]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
"A deadly attack on U.S. soldiers in Niger and their local counterparts on October 4, 2017, has prompted many questions from Members of Congress about the incident. It has also highlighted a range of broader issues for Congress pertaining to oversight and authorization of U.S. military deployments, evolving U.S. global counterterrorism activities and strategy, interagency security assistance and cooperation efforts, and U.S. engagement with countries historically considered peripheral to core U.S. national security interests."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Arieff, Alexis; Blanchard, Lauren Ploch; Feickert, Andrew . . .

2017-10-27
U.S.-Iran Tensions and Implications for U.S. Policy [Updated July 29, 2019]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "Since May 2019, U.S.-Iran tensions have escalated. The Trump Administration, following its 2018 withdrawal from the 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement with Iran (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA), has taken several steps in its campaign of applying 'maximum pressure' on Iran. Iran and Iran-linked forces have targeted commercial ships and infrastructure in U.S. partner countries. U.S. officials have stated that Iran-linked threats to U.S. forces and interests, and attacks on several commercial ships in May and June 2019, have prompted the Administration to send additional military assets to the region to deter future Iranian actions. However, Iran's downing of a U.S. unmanned aerial aircraft might indicate that Iran has not been deterred, to date."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Katzman, Kenneth; Thomas, Clayton (Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs); McInnis, Kathleen J.

2019-07-29
U.S.-Iran Tensions and Implications for U.S. Policy [July 1, 2019]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "In the spring of 2019, U.S.-Iran tensions have escalated. The Trump Administration, following its 2018 withdrawal from the 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement with Iran (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA), has taken several steps in its campaign of applying 'maximum pressure' on Iran. Iran or Iran-linked forces have targeted commercial ships and infrastructure in U.S. partner countries. U.S. officials have stated that Iran-linked threats to U.S. forces and interests, and attacks on several commercial ships in May and June 2019, have prompted the Administration to send additional military assets to the region to deter future Iranian actions. President Donald Trump, while warning Iran not to take action against the United States, has said he prefers a diplomatic solution over moving toward military confrontation. The Administration has expanded U.S. sanctions against Iran, including sanctioning its mineral and petrochemical exports during May-June 2019, placing further pressure on Iran's economy."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Katzman, Kenneth; Thomas, Clayton (Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs); McInnis, Kathleen J.

2019-07-01
Precedent for the Service of Active Duty Three-Star Generals and Flag Officers as the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs [March 2, 2017]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
"On February 20, 2017, the Trump Administration announced the appointment of U.S. Army Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond 'H.R.' McMaster, Jr. to serve as the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. The Trump Administration further indicated that Lieutenant General McMaster would remain on active duty status following his assumption of the duties of the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs-a position that is also frequently referred to by the title of National Security Advisor. U.S. Presidents have acted in three previous instances to designate three-star active duty U.S. military flag and general officers as the National Security Advisor: U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft in 1975; U.S. Navy Vice Admiral John M. Poindexter in 1985; and U.S. Army Lieutenant General Colin L. Powell in 1987. While Scowcroft retired from active duty military service shortly after his designation as National Security Advisor by President Gerald Ford, Poindexter and Powell remained in their grades as three-star military officers while serving as the National Security Advisor, choices which mandated the involvement of the U.S. Senate. This memorandum proceeds in the following manner. It first explains the National Security Council, the policymaking processes it oversees, and the role of the National Security Advisor within the Executive Branch. It then explores these prior precedents of active duty three-star generals and flag officers serving as the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and includes discussions of related statutory provisions."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Peters, Heidi M.; Kapp, Lawrence; McInnis, Kathleen J.

2017-03-02
'Space Force' and Related DOD Proposals: Issues for Congress [April 8, 2019]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "Over the past year, Congress saw a variety of overlapping proposals advanced for the reorganization of U.S. military activities in space. Major proposals include [1] the creation of a Space Force (SF), a new branch of the Armed Forces under the Secretary of the Air Force; [2] the reestablishment of a U.S. Space Command as an additional unified combatant command; and [3] the establishment of a Department of Defense Space Development Agency. While few observers dispute the notion that the Department of Defense (DOD) should better organize and manage its space capabilities, agreement ends there. Some believe all three proposals should be adopted; others believe only some, if any, should become permanent institutions within DOD. Taken together, these overlapping proposals could present considerable challenges to DOD's functioning in one of the most critically important operational domains. Regardless, the concepts and details of these military spacerelated proposals remain unclear--if not contradictory--at this time, prompting fundamental questions about plans to reorganize DOD's space programs, capabilities, and agencies."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

McInnis, Kathleen J.; McCall, Stephen M.

2019-04-08
United States European Command: Overview and Key Issues [March 12, 2019]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "United States European Command (or EUCOM, pronounced 'YEW-com') is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, and was established in 1952. Today its area of responsibility comprises 51 countries stretching from Portugal's Azores Islands to Iceland and Israel. USEUCOM's commander is currently U.S. Army General Curtis Scaparrotti, who is simultaneously NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR). During the Cold War, the European theater was a primary focus for U.S. defense and national security and EUCOM was focused almost exclusively on deterring, and if necessary defeating, the Soviet Union. At the height of the Cold War, there were more than 400,000 U.S. troops stationed in Europe. [...] [...] Events in recent years, particularly since 2014, have tested, if not undermined, the strategic assumptions underpinning EUCOM's posture. To Europe's east, Russia annexed Crimea, began a proxy war in Eastern Ukraine, and is modernizing its conventional and nonconventional forces. Russia also increased its military activities in Europe's high north, particularly through reportedly adding nuclear-capable missiles to Kaliningrad (a Russian territory on the Baltic Sea that is not contiguous with Russia itself), enhancing its air patrolling activities close to other states' airspace, and enhancing its naval presence in the Baltic Sea, the Arctic Ocean, and the North Sea. Taken together, these moves have heightened some congressional concerns about Russian aggression and its implications for NATO territories, particularly among Central and Eastern European NATO allies."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

McInnis, Kathleen J.

2019-03-12
U.S. Military Presence in Poland [August 1, 2019]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Introduction: "Poland has been a major focus of U.S. and NATO efforts to deter potential Russian aggression in Europe. This is in part due to its geographic location situated on NATO's eastern flank, providing land access to the Baltic States. Although Ukraine is not a NATO ally, the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and subsequent initiation of a proxy war in Eastern Ukraine underscored to many international security observers that NATO allies, particularly those in Eastern Europe, could once again be threatened by Moscow. In response, the United States and its NATO allies have undertaken a number of initiatives to underscore NATO's collective defense agreements, thereby assuring allies of their own security while simultaneously deterring Russian aggression. Poland is a critical partner in these efforts."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Feickert, Andrew; McInnis, Kathleen J.

2019-08-01
Evaluating DOD Strategy: Key Findings of the National Defense Strategy Commission [March 19, 2019]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "On January 19, 2018, the Department of Defense (DOD, or the Department) released an unclassified summary of the congressionally mandated National Defense Strategy (NDS). On November 14, 2018, the congressionally appointed bipartisan National Defense Strategy Commission (NDSC, or the commission) issued its report, 'Providing for the Common Defense'. The NDSC's mandate was to critique the NDS in order to provide Congress some alternative ideas for improving DOD."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

McInnis, Kathleen J.

2019-03-19
Navy Readiness: Underlying Problems Associated with the USS Fitzgerald and USS John S. McCain, Joint Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Readiness, Meeting Jointly with Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces of the Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, September 7, 2017

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
This is the September 7, 2017 joint hearing titled "Navy Readiness: Underlying Problems Associated with the USS Fitzgerald and USS John S. McCain," held before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Readiness, Meeting Jointly with Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces of the Committee on Armed Services. From the opening statement of Joe Wilson: "As we begin today's unclassified hearing on 'Navy Readiness--Underlying Problems Associated with the USS 'Fitzgerald' and the USS 'John S. McCain',' I have no doubt that our Navy remains the most powerful in the world. But these recent tragic events only reinforce our committee's concerns about the depth of readiness challenges the Navy faces. I am especially concerned about the shortfalls in the force structure, and whether the sustained operational tempo of a reduced 277-ship Navy may have contributed to these events. I also believe that the first responsibility of the national government is to provide for the national security for our citizens to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. And that is especially true of our sailors, soldiers, airmen, and Marines. Therefore, it is our responsibility as members of this subcommittee to continue to better understand the readiness situation and underlying problems of the United States Navy, and then for us to chart a course which best assists the Department of the Navy in correcting any deficiencies and shortfalls." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: William F. Moran and John H. Pendleton.

United States. Government Publishing Office

2018
North Korean Nuclear Challenge: Military Options and Issues for Congress [November 6, 2017]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
"North Korea's apparently successful July 2017 tests of its intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities, along with the possibility that North Korea (DPRK) may have successfully miniaturized a nuclear warhead, have led analysts and policymakers to conclude that the window for preventing the DPRK from acquiring a nuclear missile capable of reaching the United States is closing. These events appear to have fundamentally altered U.S. perceptions of the threat the Kim Jong-un regime poses to the continental United States and the international community, and escalated the standoff on the Korean Peninsula to levels that have arguably not been seen since 1994. A key issue is whether or not the United States could manage and deter a nuclear-armed North Korea if it were to become capable of attacking targets in the U.S. homeland, and whether taking decisive military action to prevent the emergence of such a DPRK capability might be necessary. Either choice would bring with it considerable risk for the United States, its allies, regional stability, and global order. Trump Administration officials have stated that 'all options are on the table,' to include the use of military force to 'denuclearize'--generally interpreted to mean eliminating nuclear weapons and related capabilities from that area. One potential question for Congress is whether, and how, to employ the U.S. military to accomplish denuclearization, and whether using the military might result in miscalculation on either side, or perhaps even conflict escalation."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

McInnis, Kathleen J.; Feickert, Andrew; Manyin, Mark E. . . .

2017-11-06
COVID-19: Potential Implications for International Security Environment-- Overview of Issues and Further Reading for Congress [Updated November 3, 2020]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Introduction: "Some observers argue the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic could be a world-changing event with potentially profound and long-lasting implications for the international security environment and the U.S. role in the world. Other observers are more skeptical that the COVID-19 pandemic will have such effects. This report provides a brief overview of some potential implications the COVID-19 pandemic might have for the international security environment and the U.S. role in the world, and a bibliography of CRS [Congressional Research Service] reports and other writings for further reading. [...] Appendix A presents a list of CRS reports that provide more in-depth discussions of issues presented in this report. Appendix B presents a list of additional writings reflecting various perspectives on these issues. A separate CRS report discusses the question of whether the U.S. role in the world is changing as a result of factors other than the COVID-19 pandemic."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

O'Rourke, Ronald; Moodie, Michael, 1948-; McInnis, Kathleen J.

2020-11-03
COVID-19: Potential Implications for International Security Environment-- Overview of Issues and Further Reading for Congress [Updated August 31, 2020]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Introduction: "Some observers argue the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic could be a world-changing event with potentially profound and long-lasting implications for the international security environment and the U.S. role in the world. Other observers are more skeptical that the COVID-19 pandemic will have such effects. This report provides a brief overview of some potential implications the COVID-19 pandemic might have for the international security environment and the U.S. role in the world, and a bibliography of CRS [Congressional Research Service] reports and other writings for further reading. Issues for Congress may include whether and how the COVID-19 pandemic could change the international security environment, whether the Trump Administration's actions for responding to such change are appropriate and sufficient, and what implications such change could have for the role of Congress in setting and overseeing the execution of U.S. foreign and defense policy. Congress's decisions regarding these issues could have significant and even profound implications for U.S. foreign and defense policy, and for the status of Congress as a co-equal branch relative to the executive branch in setting and overseeing the implementation of U.S. foreign and defense policy."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

O'Rourke, Ronald; Moodie, Michael, 1948-; McInnis, Kathleen J.

2020-08-31
COVID-19 Pandemic and Seniors: A Look at Racial Health Disparities, Hearing Before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session, July 21, 2020

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
This is the July 21, 2020 hearing on "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Pandemic and Seniors: A Look at Racial Health Disparities," held before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. From the Opening Statement of Susan M. Collins: "Our focus today is on COVID-19's disproportionate health impact on black and Latino seniors, as well as seniors from other racial and ethnic minority communities. According to the New York Times analysis, black and Latino residents are infected with the virus at three times the rate of their white neighbors, and they are nearly twice as likely to die from COVID-19. [...] There is still a great deal that we do not yet know about COVID- 19, but we do know that individuals with chronic kidney disease, serious heart conditions, obesity, sickle cell disease, and type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and that black Americans experience these conditions at disproportionate rates. [...] [One] factor in the disproportionate impact of the virus on black Americans appears to be a distrust of the health care system. A study from a California health system observed that black patients were more likely to have been tested at a hospital than in and ambulatory environment and that patients' prior negative experiences with the health care system can lead to distrust and a decision to seek care only in the most extreme circumstances. Historical injustices with medical experimentation have also left a legacy of mistrust and skepticism among many African Americans that we need to work to resolve. Part of the solution may be found through community partnerships and greater health care workforce diversity." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Dominic H. Mack, Mercedes R. Carnethon, Eugene A. Woods, and Rodney B. Jones.

United States. Government Publishing Office

2022
European Commission Guidance on Strengthening the Code of Practice on Disinformation

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Introduction: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] crisis has starkly illustrated the threats and challenges disinformation poses to our societies. The 'infodemic' - the rapid spread of false, inaccurate or misleading information about the pandemic - has posed substantial risks to personal health, public health systems, effective crisis management, the economy and social cohesion. The pandemic has also elevated the role digital technology plays in our lives, making it increasingly central to how we work, learn, socialise, provide for material needs, and participate in the civic discourse. It has raised the stakes to ensure that the online ecosystem is a safe space, and it has shown that, despite considerable efforts made to date, there is an urgent need to step-up efforts to fight disinformation . From its inception, the EU approach to countering disinformation has been grounded in the protection of freedom of expression and other rights and freedoms guaranteed under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. In line with those rights and freedoms, rather than criminalising or prohibiting disinformation as such, the EU strategy aims to make the online environment and its actors more transparent and accountable, making content moderation practices more transparent, empowering citizens and fostering an open democratic debate. To this end, the EU has sought to mobilise all relevant."

European Commission

2021-05-26
Introduction to the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2015

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
"This year marks the 40th anniversary of the annual 'Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.' One of the fundamental guarantees of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is freedom of association - the freedom of people everywhere to form or join groups to protect their interests, advance their beliefs, and improve their communities. [...] Over the last several decades, civil society has grown stronger in every part of the world. This has given ordinary citizens more power and responsibility. But it has also threatened governments that wish to monopolize power and evade responsibility. Such governments have been pushing back against citizen-led activism with increasing vigor and viciousness. In 2015, this global crackdown by authoritarian states on civil society deepened, silencing independent voices, impoverishing political discourse, and closing avenues for peaceful change." To view the individual country reports, please use the following link: http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm#wrapper

United States. Department of State; United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

2016?
Responding to Nationwide Increase in Fentanyl-Related Mass-Overdose Events

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Letter: "The DEA [U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration] is seeing a nationwide spike in fentanyl-related mass-overdose events involving three or more overdoses occurring close in time at the same location. In just the past two months, there have been at least 7 confirmed mass overdose events across the United States resulting in 58 overdoses and 29 overdose deaths. Many victims of these mass overdose events thought they were ingesting cocaine and had no idea that they ere in fact ingesting fentanyl. [...] Fentanyl is driving the nationwide overdose epidemic: the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] estimates that in the 12-month period ending in October 2021, over 105,000 Americans died of drug overdoses and over 66% of those deaths were related to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. Last year, the United Stats suffered more fentanyl-related deaths than gun-related and auto-related deaths combined. At DEA, we are working to trace mass-overdose events back to the local drug trafficking organizations and to the international cartels that are responsible for the surging domestic supply of fentanyl."

United States. Drug Enforcement Administration

2022-04?
Evaluation of Department of Defense Military Medical Treatment Facility Challenges During the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic in Fiscal Year 2021 [Redacted]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "The objective of this evaluation was to determine the challenges and concerns encountered by medical personnel working at DoD Military Medical Treatment Facilities (MTF) during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. [...] On March 13, 2020, the President of the United States declared the COVID-19 outbreak an emergency. Since March 2020, the DoD's COVID-19 response operations supported the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services as part of the whole-of-government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On November 9, 2020, the Secretary of Defense issued guidance stating that the Military Departments are responsible for readiness, giving the Military Departments the 'unilateral authority to deploy military medical personnel from the MTFs to support wartime and related operational missions with feasible notice to the DHA [Defense Health Agency].' In 2021, the DoD also supported Operation Allies Refuge and Operation Allies Welcome."

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

2022-04-05
Data Brief: Telehealth Was Critical for Providing Services to Medicare Beneficiaries During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic created unprecedented challenges for how Medicare beneficiaries accessed health care. In response, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) took a number of actions to temporarily expand access to telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries. CMS allowed beneficiaries to use telehealth for a wide range of services; it also allowed beneficiaries to use telehealth in different locations, including in urban areas and from the beneficiary's home. Understanding the use of telehealth during the first year of the pandemic can shed light on how the temporary expansion of telehealth affected where and how beneficiaries accessed their health care. This information can help CMS, Congress, and other stakeholders make decisions about how telehealth can be best used to meet the needs of beneficiaries in the future. This data brief provides insight into the use of telehealth in both Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a companion to a report that examines the characteristics of beneficiaries who used telehealth during the pandemic. Another report in this series identifies program integrity concerns related to telehealth during the pandemic."

United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Inspector General

2022-03
U.S. Department of State: 2018 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

Show summary Open resource [html] (open full abstract)
From the Preface of the Report: "The policy of this Administration is to engage with other governments, regardless of their record, if doing so will further U.S. interests. At the same time, we recognize that U.S. interests in the enduring stability, prosperity, and security of a world filled with strong, sovereign states will only be served if governments respect human rights and fundamental freedoms. To that end, individuals seeking reforms to end the wrongful interference in the exercise of unalienable rights - whether those individuals are in or out of government - will find a sympathetic friend and strong supporter in the United States of America. These 43rd annual Country Reports on Human Rights are one contribution to that process."

United States. Department of State; United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

2019

4522 4523 4524 4525 4526 4527 4528 4529 4530 4531 4532