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Are We Entering a New Age of Pandemics?
From the Document: "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] is only the latest in a succession of new infectious threats that have emerged in recent decades. Since 1970, we've faced bird flu, SARS [Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome], Ebola, Nipah virus, Marburg fever, cryptosporidiosis and hantavirus. Not to mention resurging diseases, which include monkeypox, dengue and yellow fever, drug-resistant malaria, and even plague. And while HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, may have emerged as early as the 1920s, it only became a mass global killer in the 1980s, responsible for over thirty million deaths since then. The irony of our progress against death from infection over the past two centuries is that our success has helped create the perfect environment for the emergence of a new disease outbreak, and for that outbreak to have catastrophic global social and economic impact. Does that mean we are entering a new age of pandemics? Certainly, the risk is there. Evolutionary biologist Katherine Smith and colleagues at Brown University studied more than 12,000 reported disease outbreaks worldwide since 1980 and concluded that both the number of diseases and the number of outbreaks have been increasing over time. [...] Adding to the danger--and despite everything we've learned since the first age of pandemics--the world responds poorly to the risk of outbreak infections. Not least, we could reduce that risk in the first place through far better sanitation, for humans and domestic animals alike."
Center for Global Development
Kenny, Charles
2021-10
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Trusted Internet Connections 3.0: Remote User Use Case, Version 1
From the Introduction: "Trusted Internet Connections (TIC), originally established in 2007, is a federal cybersecurity initiative intended to enhance network and perimeter security across the Federal Government. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the General Services Administration (GSA) oversee the TIC initiative through a robust program that sets guidance and an execution framework for agencies to implement a baseline perimeter security standard. The initial versions of the TIC initiative sought to consolidate federal networks and standardize perimeter security for the federal enterprise. As outlined in OMB Memorandum (M) 19-26: 'Update to the Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) Initiative', this modernized version of the initiative expands upon the original to drive security standards and leverage advances in technology as agencies adopt mobile and cloud environments. The goal of TIC 3.0 is to secure federal data, networks, and boundaries while providing visibility into agency traffic, including cloud communications."
United States. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency
2021-10
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PFAS Strategic Roadmap: EPA's Commitments to Action 2021-2024
From the Introduction: "Harmful per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are an urgent public health and environmental issue facing communities across the United States. PFAS have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries in the United States and around the globe since the 1940s, and they are still being used today. Because of the duration and breadth of use, PFAS can be found in surface water, groundwater, soil, and air--from remote rural areas to densely-populated urban centers. A growing body of scientific evidence shows that exposure at certain levels to specific PFAS can adversely impact human health and other living things. Despite these concerns, PFAS are still used in a wide range of consumer products and industrial applications. Every level of government--federal, Tribal, state, and local--needs to exercise increased and sustained leadership to accelerate progress to clean up PFAS contamination, prevent new contamination, and make game-changing breakthroughs in the scientific understanding of PFAS. The EPA Council on PFAS developed this strategic roadmap to lay out EPA's whole-of-agency approach to addressing PFAS. To deliver needed protections for the American people, the roadmap sets timelines by which the Agency plans to take specific actions during the first term of the Biden-Harris Administration. The strategic roadmap builds on and accelerates implementation of policy actions identified in the Agency's 2019 action plan and commits to bolder new policies to safeguard public health, protect the environment, and hold polluters accountable."
United States. Environmental Protection Agency
2021-10
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COVID-19 Contracting: Indian Health Service Used Flexibilities to Meet Increased Medical Supply Needs, Report to Congressional Addressees
From the Government Accountability Office Highlights: "The Indian Health Service (IHS) serves over 2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. These groups have been disproportionately vulnerable to negative outcomes from COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. During emergencies, federal contracting staff face pressure to work quickly to meet increased needs. We examined some of IHS's COVID-related contracts to see how the agency's efforts fared. [...] We analyzed relevant federal procurement data through June 30, 2021. We also reviewed four contracts-- covering about 1/4 of obligations in IHS's largest product category (medical and surgical instruments, equipment, and supplies). We also interviewed IHS contracting officials."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-10
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Climate Adaptation Action Plan [October 2021]
From the Introduction: "Climate change poses a real and present danger to communities all across the country. Its impacts are already being felt. President Biden's Executive Order 14008, 'Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,' requires federal agencies to develop Climate Action Plans that describe their agency's climate vulnerabilities and the steps it will take to bolster adaptation and increase resilience to the impacts of climate change. This 2021 EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] Climate Adaptation Action Plan ('Plan') builds on a strong foundation. The agency released its first Climate Change Adaptation Plan in June 2014, followed by 17 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plans prepared by its National Environmental Program Offices, National Support Offices, and 10 Regional Offices. The 2021 Plan accelerates action and focuses agency attention on priority actions it will take to fulfill our mission and increase human and ecosystem resilience even as the climate changes. This Plan will be followed by updates to the 17 'Implementation Plans' produced in 2014. Every office will report on its progress since 2014 and identify future actions to address the agency-wide priorities identified in this Plan. EPA offices will engage with states, tribes, territories, local communities, and other stakeholders when updating their plans."
United States. Environmental Protection Agency
2021-10
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Report on the Impact of Climate Change on Migration
From the Introduction: "The climate crisis is reshaping our world, as the Earth's climate is now changing faster than at any point in the history of modern civilization. Defined by changes in average weather conditions that persist over multiple decades or longer, climate change includes changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, the frequency and severity of certain weather events, and other features of the climate system. When combined with physical, social, economic, and/or environmental vulnerabilities, climate change can undermine food, water, and economic security. Secondary effects of climate change can include displacement, loss of livelihoods, weakened governments, and in some cases political instability and conflict. In recognition of this, on February 9, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order (E.O.) 14013, 'Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration,' in which he directed the National Security Advisor to prepare a report on climate change and its impact on migration. This report marks the first time the U.S. Government is officially reporting on the link between climate change and migration."
United States. White House Office
2021-10
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Fast Act Expires; the Department of Transportation Initiates Shutdown Procedures [October 1, 2021]
From the Document: "At midnight on September 30, 2021, the law authorizing federal surface transportation programs, the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act; P.L. [Public Law] 114-94), as extended, expired. The House is considering the Senate-passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684), which would reauthorize surface transportation programs. In the absence of new authority to expend from the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), the Department of Transportation (DOT) has begun to shut down the programs and activities supported by the HTF and furlough staff. The Anti-Deficiency Act (ADA; 31 U.S.C. [United States Code] §1341 [hyperlink]) prohibits agencies from incurring obligations that are in advance of appropriations except in certain circumstances. This means that transportation programs and activities supported by money from the general fund of the U.S. Treasury must be appropriated. In contrast, HTF funding is a form of budget authority, known as contract authority, which by law may be obligated prior to an appropriation and is effectively an exception under the ADA. However, the authority to make new obligations from the HTF must be authorized, and that authorization expired September 30, 2021. The highway taxes that support the HTF have not expired, and their revenues will continue to be deposited into the HTF. Under current authority, the motor fuel and tire taxes expire at the end of September 30, 2022, and the heavy vehicle use tax expires at the end of September 30, 2023. According to DOT's September 28, 2021, shutdown plan [hyperlink], all HTF-funded personnel not needed to fulfill excepted activities under the ADA (such as life, safety, and the protection of property), or funded with appropriations, would be furloughed. Approximately 3,700 employees in the four DOT surface transportation agencies discussed below would be affected."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kirk, Robert S.
2021-10-01
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Department of Defense Climate Risk Analysis
From the Executive Summary: "Climate change is reshaping the geostrategic, operational, and tactical environments with significant implications for U.S. national security and defense. Increasing temperatures; changing precipitation patterns; and more frequent, intense, and unpredictable extreme weather conditions caused by climate change are exacerbating existing risks and creating new security challenges for U.S. interests. The risks of climate change to Department of Defense (DoD) strategies, plans, capabilities, missions, and equipment, as well as those of U.S. allies and partners, are growing. Global efforts to address climate change - including actions to address the causes as well as the effects - will influence DoD strategic interests, relationships, competition, and priorities. To train, fight, and win in this increasingly complex environment, DoD will consider the effects of climate change at every level of the DoD enterprise."
United States. Department of Defense. Office of the Under Secretary for Policy
2021-10
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COVID-19 Pandemic: Observations on the Ongoing Recovery of the Aviation Industry, Report to Congressional Addressees
From the Highlights: "International flight restrictions, local stay-at-home orders, and a general fear of contracting and spreading COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] through air travel had a sudden and profound effect on the U.S. aviation industry. According to Department of Transportation (DOT) statistics, passenger traffic in April 2020 was 96 percent lower systemwide than April 2019, and remained 60 percent below 2019 traffic levels throughout 2020. This report examines (1) immediate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses across the aviation industry; (2) actions those businesses took in response; (3) actions the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] took to help the industry respond to the pandemic; and (4) the outlook for industry recovery, among other issues."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-10
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Weapon System Requirements: Joint Staff Lacks Reliable Data on the Effectiveness of Its Revised Joint Approval Process, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "In the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, Congress mandated revisions to the JCIDS [Joint Staff uses the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development
System] process by modifying the scope of the JROC [Joint Requirements Oversight Council]'s responsibilities. The accompanying Senate Armed Services Committee report noted that these changes were, in part, to improve the timeliness of the JCIDS process. House Armed Services Committee report 116-120 included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to review the revisions to the JCIDS process. This report examines (1) key revisions to the process, (2) how many programs have been through the revised process and how long it took, and (3) the Joint Staff's ability to assess the timeliness of the process."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-10
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Alternatives to Radioactive Materials: A National Strategy to Support Alternative Technologies May Reduce Risks of a Dirty Bomb, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "Radioactive material, which is dangerous if mishandled, is found in many medical and industrial applications. In the hands of terrorists, it could be used to construct a radiological dispersal device, or dirty bomb, that uses conventional explosives to disperse the material. Replacing technologies that use dangerous radioactive materials with safer alternatives may help protect people and reduce potential socioeconomic costs from remediation and evacuation of affected residents. Senate Report 116-102 included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to review alternative technologies to applications that use radioactive materials. This report examines (1) the potential for adopting alternative technologies in the United States for the six most commonly used medical and industrial applications; (2) factors affecting adoption of alternative technologies; and (3) federal activities relating to alternative technologies in the United States."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-10
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National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality
From the Document: "This strategy is the product of and roadmap for a whole-of-government effort to advance gender equity and equality. Responsibility for realizing its bold vision is not the task of a sole agency or White House office, but rather a responsibility that cuts across the work of the Biden-Harris Administration in both domestic and foreign affairs. In order to mainstream gender equity and equality across our domestic and foreign policy, we will elevate gender in strategic planning and budgeting, policy development, management and training, and monitoring and evaluation efforts. We will also strengthen data collection and analysis and take steps to ensure transparency and accountability for progress toward the goals laid out in this strategy. This work will be conducted in partnership with Congress, state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments, foreign governments and multi-lateral organizations, and non-governmental actors--including faith-based groups, civil society, and private sector organizations--who were also consulted in the development of the strategy and have an essential role in the work ahead."
United States. White House Office
2021-10?
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Debt Limit in 2021 [Updated September 30, 2021]
From the Document: "Debt limit episodes [hyperlink] --which can be defined as starting when the statutory limit on federal debt restricts some of the U.S. Treasury's normal debt operations and ending when new legislation to modify the limit is enacted--have been a recurrent federal fiscal feature in the past two decades. Since 2002, the debt limit has been modified 18 times [hyperlink]. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 (BBA 2019; P.L. 116-37), enacted in August 2019, had suspended the debt limit through July 31, 2021. The limit was reset at just over $28.4 trillion [hyperlink] at the beginning of August 2021. On September 28, 2021, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen notified Congress [hyperlink] that 'Treasury is likely to exhaust its extraordinary measures if Congress has not acted to raise or suspend the debt limit by October 18. At that point, we expect Treasury would be left with very limited resources that would be depleted quickly.' Projections from other sources, discussed below, are mostly similar. Secretary Yellen called on Congress to act in a September 19, 2021, commentary [hyperlink], warning of dire consequences if the debt limit were not raised."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Austin, D. Andrew
2021-09-30
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Assessing SARS-CoV-2 Circulation, Variants of Concern, Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions and Vaccine Rollout in the EU/EEA, 16th Update
From the Summary: "Since its emergence in March 2021, the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant of concern (VOC) has rapidly become predominant across the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA). More than 99% of newly reported cases are attributed to this variant. The Delta variant has demonstrated a significant transmission advantage relative to previously circulating SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] strains. However, full vaccination remains protective against severe outcomes such as hospitalisation, admission to intensive care and death. Currently available vaccines have played a crucial role in limiting viral circulation and in particular, limiting the impact of infections by the Delta variant. Despite the fact that over 565 million vaccine doses have been administered in the EU/EEA so far, only 61.1% (range: 18.4-79.4%) of the total population in the EU/EEA have been fully vaccinated to date. The total population includes children and adolescents for whom the vaccine is not available or who may not be included in national target groups yet. There is considerable inter-country and sub-national variation in vaccine uptake, resulting in large proportions of the EU/EEA population remaining susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Modelling scenarios that consider vaccination coverage, vaccine effectiveness, natural immunity and population contact rates--in the context of continued Delta circulation--indicate that the potential burden of disease risk in the EU/EEA from the Delta variant is high between now to the end of November, unless vaccination coverage can be increased rapidly in the total population in the next few weeks."
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
2021-09-30
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Defense Primer: Emerging Technologies [Updated September 30, 2021]
From the Document: "Both the '2018 National Defense Strategy' and senior U.S. defense and intelligence officials have identified a number of emerging technologies that could have a disruptive impact on U.S. national security in the years to come. These technologies include [1] artificial intelligence, [2] lethal autonomous weapons, [3] hypersonic weapons, [4] directed energy weapons,[5] biotechnology, and [6] quantum technology. As these technologies continue to mature, they could hold significant implications for congressional oversight, U.S. defense authorizations and appropriations, military concepts of operations, and the future of war."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sayler, Kelley M.
2021-09-30
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Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (Bmd) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated September 30, 2021]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program, a program carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy that gives Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers a capability for conducting BMD operations. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify Department of Defense (DOD) acquisition strategies and proposed funding levels for the Aegis BMD program. Congress's decisions on the Aegis BMD program could significantly affect U.S. BMD capabilities and funding requirements, and the BMD-related industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2021-09-30
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Costa Rica: An Overview [Updated September 30, 2021]
From the Document: "Costa Rica historically has been an outpost of political and economic stability in an often-turbulent region. The United States has worked closely with the country to address challenges in Central America and to advance shared values, such as democracy and human rights, worldwide. [...] Socioeconomic conditions have deteriorated considerably due to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. Although the government enacted emergency measures to support businesses and households, the economy contracted by 4.1% and the poverty rate increased from 24% to 30% in 2020. More than 19% of Costa Ricans remained unemployed in the second quarter of 2021. Nevertheless, the Central Bank of Costa Rica estimates that economic activity has returned to pre-pandemic levels and forecasts 3.9% growth for 2021. [...] The United States coordinates closely with Costa Rica and provides the country with assistance to combat transnational crime and other security threats. In the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. [Public Law] 116-260), Congress appropriated $40.7 million of security assistance for Costa Rica. [...] U.S. assistance has helped Costa Rica expand community-based crime prevention programs, train security and justice sector personnel, and acquire equipment--including aircraft, patrol boats, and ground-based radar--that enhances the country's ability to monitor and control its national territory. According to the U.S. State Department, Costa Rica, working closely with the United States, disrupted at least 17 international drug trafficking organizations and seized more than 71 metric tons of illicit drugs in 2020."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Meyer, Peter J.
2021-09-30
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Defense Primer: Command and Control of Nuclear Forces [Updated September 30, 2021]
From the Document: "The U.S. President has sole authority to authorize the use of U.S. nuclear weapons. [...] The President can seek counsel from his military advisors; those advisors are then required to transmit and implement the orders authorizing nuclear use. [...] General Milley, the current Commander of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) [...] noted that he is a part of the 'chain of communication,' in his role as the President's primary military advisor, but he is not in the 'chain of command' for authorizing a nuclear launch. He also noted that, if the President ordered a launch, the CJCS would participate in a 'decision conference' to authenticate the presidential orders and to ensure that the President was 'fully informed' about the implications of the launch. The President, however, does not need the concurrence of either his military advisors or the U.S. Congress to order the launch of nuclear weapons. In addition, neither the military nor Congress can overrule these orders. As former STRATCOM [U.S. Strategic Command] Commander General Robert Kehler has noted, members of the military are bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice 'to follow orders provided they are legal and have come from competent authority.' But questions about the legality of the order--whether it is consistent with the requirements, under the laws of armed conflict (LOAC), for necessity, proportionality, and distinction--are more likely to lead to consultations and changes in the President's order than to a refusal by the military to execute the order."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Woolf, Amy F.
2021-09-30
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Bargaining Over Workplace Issues During the COVID-19 Pandemic
This document from UNISON, the United Kingdom's (UK) largest public service trade union, provides workplace guidance relating to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK. Topics include: working from home, absence due to illness or care-taking responsibilities, mental health issues, hygiene, etc. The document is updated on a regular basis.
UNISON (Organization)
2021-09-30
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Egypt: Background and U.S. Relations [Updated September 30, 2021]
From the Summary: "Historically, Egypt has been an important country for U.S. national security interests based on its geography, demography, and diplomatic posture. Egypt controls the Suez Canal, which is one of the world's most well-known maritime chokepoints, linking the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Egypt's population of more than 100 million people makes it by far the most populous Arabic-speaking country. Although today it may not play the same type of leading political or military role in the Arab world as it has in the past, Egypt may retain some 'soft power' by virtue of its history, media, and culture. Cairo hosts both the 22-member Arab League and Al Azhar University, which claims to be the oldest continuously operating university in the world and has symbolic importance as a leading source of Islamic scholarship."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sharp, Jeremy Maxwell
2021-09-30
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Morocco: Background and U.S. Relations [Updated September 30, 2021]
From the Document: "Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament and local government officials. King Mohammed VI, who inherited the throne in 1999, maintains overarching political authority but has taken some liberalizing steps. In 2011, amid large protests in Morocco and the popular overthrow of governments in other North African countries, the king introduced a new constitution that strengthened the office of the Prime Minister and expanded individual rights. The monarch remains the arbiter of national decision-making, the head of the military, and--as 'Commander of the Faithful'--the country's highest religious authority. Morocco's stability has taken on greater prominence amid the conflicts in Libya and the Sahel region and political turbulence in Tunisia and Algeria. The country has nonetheless seen recurrent protests over economic challenges, corruption, and police brutality, to which authorities have sometimes responded harshly. [...] Successive U.S. Administrations have viewed Morocco as an important regional partner on security, trade, and development."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
2021-09-30
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Navy Large Unmanned Surface and Undersea Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated September 30, 2021]
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 FY2022 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 new fleet architecture (i.e., a new combination of ships and other platforms) that is more widely distributed than the Navy's current fleet architecture. The Navy's proposed FY2022 budget requests $434.1 million in research and development funding for these large UVs and their enabling technologies. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's acquisition strategies and funding requests for these large UVs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2021-09-30
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Evaluation of DHS' Information Security Program for Fiscal Year 2020
From the Highlights: "We reviewed Department of Homeland Security's information security program for compliance with 'Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014' requirements. We conducted our evaluation according to fiscal year 2020 reporting instructions. Our objective was to determine whether DHS' information security program and practices adequately and effectively protected data and information systems supporting DHS' operations and assets for FY 2020."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2021-09-30
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FLETC's Actions to Respond to and Manage COVID-19 at Its Glynco Training Center
From the Highlights: "After temporarily closing in March 2020 due to COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], FLETC [Federal Law Enforcement Training Center] reopened its facilities in June 2020 with 'reengineered training programs' designed to mitigate the risks associated with COVID-19. We conducted a review to determine actions the Glynco training center has taken to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among staff and students."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2021-09-30
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Redefining 'Waters of the United States' (WOTUS): Recent Developments [September 30, 2021]
From the Introduction: "Congress established the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Clean Water Act (CWA), to restore and protect the quality of the nation's surface waters. The CWA protects 'navigable waters,' defined in the statute as 'waters of the United States, including the territorial seas.' The scope of this term--'waters of the United States,' or WOTUS--determines which waters are federally regulated and has been the subject of debate for decades. The CWA does not define the term. Thus, in implementing the CWA, the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)--the two agencies that administer the statute--have defined the term in regulations. For several decades, successive presidential administrations have struggled to interpret the term 'waters of the United States' for the purpose of implementing various requirements of the CWA, and courts have been asked repeatedly to review the regulations and policy expressing those interpretations. [...] Actions by the courts, the Biden Administration, and Congress all have the potential to continue to alter the scope of federal jurisdiction under the CWA. This report examines the actions taken by the Obama, Trump, and Biden Administrations to define 'waters of the United States,' along with related legislation and case law."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gatz, Laura; Bowers, Kate R.
2021-09-30
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Nuclear Arms Control After the Biden-Putin Summit [Updated September 30, 2021]
From the Document: "After meeting in Geneva on June 16, 2021, President Biden and Russia's President Vladimir Putin released a Joint Statement on Strategic Stability [hyperlink], which outlined their agreement on a path forward for nuclear arms control and risk reduction. In February, the two Presidents had agreed [hyperlink] to extend [hyperlink] the New START Treaty for five years [hyperlink] beyond its planned expiration on February 5, 2021. This treaty limits deployed long-range strategic nuclear weapons but does not address all U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons or other factors that could affect the risk of nuclear use. In their joint statement, the Presidents agreed to hold further discussions on these issues. The first round of these talks occurred [hyperlink] on July 28, 2021; the second round occurred [hyperlink] on September 30, 2021."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Woolf, Amy F.
2021-09-30
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Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Gun-Launched Guided Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated September 30, 2021]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on three potential new ship-based self-defense weapons for the Navy--solid state lasers (SSLs), the electromagnetic railgun (EMRG), and the gun-launched guided projectile (GLGP), also known as the hypervelocity projectile (HVP). The Navy's proposed FY2022 budget requests research and development funding for continued work on SSLs, but proposes suspending further work on the EMRG and GLGP programs and requests no research and development funding for them. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's acquisition strategies and funding requests for these three potential new weapons. Congress's decisions on this issue could affect future Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the defense industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2021-09-30
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EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 21 Issue 39, September 30, 2021
The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "POINTER [Precision Outdoor and Indoor Navigation and Tracking for Emergency Responders] location-tracking tech from DHS S&T [Science and Technology Directorate] and NASA is tested by Virginia fire department, scheduled for commercial release next year"; "Securing houses of worship with community partnerships, the Power of Hello and suspicious activity reporting"; "Guidance on preparing for the upcoming Assistance to Firefighters grant application period"; "CISA [Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency] holds virtual Cybersecurity Summit in October"; "CISA and NSA [National Security Agency] release guidance on selecting and hardening VPNs [Virtual Private Networks]"; "#NITAM [National Insider Threat Awareness Month]"; "Mitigating non-malicious insider risk"; "CISA releases new tool to help organizations guard against insider threats"; "Cyberespionage implant delivered via targeted government DNS [Domain Name System] hijacking"; and "CISA warns of Hikvision camera flaw as U.S. aims to rid Chinese gear from networks."
Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)
2021-09-30
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COVID-19 Vaccine Decision-Making Factors in Racial and Ethnic Minority Communities in Los Angeles, California
From the Abstract: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has had disproportionate effects on racial and ethnic minority communities, where preexisting clinical and social conditions amplify health and social disparities. Many of these communities report lower vaccine confidence and lower receipt of the COVID-19 vaccine. Understanding factors that influence the multifaceted decision-making process for vaccine uptake is critical for narrowing COVID-19-related disparities. [...] This qualitative study used community-engaged methods to conduct virtual focus groups from November 16, 2020, to January 28, 2021, with Los Angeles County residents. Potential participants were recruited through email, video, and telephone outreach to community partner networks. Focus groups were stratified by self-identified race and ethnicity as well as age. Transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis."
JAMA Network
Carson, Savanna L.; Casilla, Alejandra; Castellon-Lopez, Yelba . . .
2021-09-30
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Assessment of Communication Strategies for Mitigating COVID-19 Vaccine-Specific Hesitancy in Canada
From the Introduction: "Mass vaccination campaigns are rapidly proceeding globally. These campaigns make use of vaccines with different characteristics, such as their country of origin, number of required doses, underlying technology (eg, mRNA [Messenger ribonucleic acid]), and their levels of efficacy and safety. Containing the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic will require vaccinating at least 70% of US individuals and billions more globally. It will also likely require follow-up or booster vaccinations. Understanding the sources of hesitancy and identifying correctives is, thus, vitally important for global public health. Important research identifies sources of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Resistance appears to be higher among people with low trust in expertise and, in the US, among Republican party identifiers. Vaccine hesitancy is also higher among racial and ethnic minority groups, women, those with more skepticism about childhood vaccines, and those skeptical of the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. This work aligns with findings on which groups of citizens are more likely to comply with public health directives on mask usage and social distancing and broader findings on vaccine hesitancy outside of the COVID-19 context. [...] . In this study, we examine whether providing information on the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines at preventing death from COVID-19 increases people's confidence in their effectiveness and reduces their hesitancy toward these vaccines. We also explore whether this information can mitigate possible negative consequences that arise from providing information on the comparatively less-impressive record of these vaccines at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infection."
JAMA Network
Merkley, Eric; Loewen, Peter John, 1979-
2021-09-30
