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Mexico: Evolution of the Mérida Initiative, 2007-2019 [July 23, 2018]
"For more than a decade, violent crime perpetrated by warring criminal organizations has threatened security and governance in parts of Mexico. This situation affects U.S. security interests, particularly in the Southwest border region. Although the illicit drug trade has long been prevalent in Mexico, violence has escalated as more transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) have fought for control of smuggling routes into the United States. In 2007, Mexico and the United States created the Mérida Initiative, a security and rule-of-law partnership to address drug trafficking and crime. Through this partnership, which is now the centerpiece of bilateral security cooperation, both countries have invested in a broad range of efforts to combat transnational crime and its consequences. U.S. appropriations for the Mérida Initiative since FY2008 (nearly $2.9 billion) have constituted only 2% of Mexico's total security budget but have enabled the U.S. government to help shape Mexico's policies. The Mérida Initiative has helped advance bilateral law enforcement cooperation and intelligence sharing. Nevertheless, homicides in Mexico and opioid-related deaths in the United States have surged. A revision of the Mérida Initiative strategy and programs is likely to occur after the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador takes office in Mexico on December 1, 2018."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Seelke, Clare Ribando
2018-07-23
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Enforcing U.S. Trade Laws: Section 301 and China [July 23, 2018]
"U.S. innovation and the intellectual property that it generates have been cited by various economists as a critical source of U.S. economic growth and global competitiveness. China has been a particular concern to U.S. IPR stakeholders for many years. On August 14, 2017, President Trump directed the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR to determine whether it should launch a Section 301 investigation into any of China's laws, policies, practices, or actions that may be unreasonable or discriminatory and that may be harming American intellectual property rights (IPR), innovation, or technology development. On August 18, 2017, the USTR announced it had decided to proceed with Section 301 case against China's IPR policies. On June 15, 2018, the White House announced its intent to impose 25% ad valorem tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese products."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Morrison, Wayne M.
2018-07-23
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Argentina [July 23, 2018]
"Current President Mauricio Macri--leader of the centerright Republican Proposal and the Cambiemos (Let's Change) coalition representing center-right and center-left parties--won the 2015 presidential election in a close race. Macri defeated the candidate of the leftist faction of the Peronist party (Front for Victory, or FPV) led by outgoing President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who was ineligible to run for a third consecutive term. Macri's election ended 12 years of FPV rule by the Kirchners (Néstor Kirchner, 2003-2007, and Cristina Fernández, 2007-2015). The Kirchners' rule helped Argentina emerge from a severe economic crisis in 2001-2002 but was characterized by protectionist and unorthodox economic policies and increasing corruption."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.
2018-07-23
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Flying Cars and Drones Pose Policy Challenges for Managing and Regulating Low-Altitude Airspace [July 23, 2018]
"For more than half a century, 'flying car' concepts have graced the covers of Popular Science magazine, have been featured in futuristic Hollywood sci-fi movies, and, of course, have hauled that famous space-age cartoon family, the Jetsons. Until recently, though, small hovercraft and drone-like air taxis existed only as prototype concepts and amateur built curios. Recent advances in aerospace design and propulsion, as well as in computer control and autonomous systems, are raising the prospect that flying cars may soon become a reality. Development and marketing efforts are bringing to the fore new policy and regulatory challenges regarding the control of low-altitude airspace, safety, noise, privacy, and landowner rights. They also are raising new questions about the appropriate roles of federal, state, and local authorities in regulating and managing these operations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Elias, Bartholomew
2018-07-23
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Judicial Opinions of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh [July 23, 2018]
"On July 9, 2018, President Trump announced the nomination of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit) to succeed Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who is scheduled to retire from active status on July 31, 2018. Judge Kavanaugh has served as a judge on the D.C. Circuit since May 30, 2006. He has also sat, by designation, on judicial panels of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and also served on three-judge panels of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Garcia, Michael John
2018-07-23
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FEMA Daily Operations Briefings, July 22 - 28, 2018
This document is a compilation of all the FEMA Daily Operations Briefings from July 22 - 28, 2018. The FEMA Daily Operations Briefing provides an overview of the current emergency management situation nationwide and includes a summary of current significant events, weather activity, recent emergency declarations and projections for the coming week.
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2018-07-22?
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 2345: National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2018
"H.R. 2345 would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to coordinate with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the Department of Health and Human Services to study and report on the feasibility of designating a N11 dialing code as a national suicide prevention and mental health crises hotline system"
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2018-07-20
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 6226: American Space Situational Awareness and Framework for Entity Management Act
"H.R. 6226 would direct the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Department of Commerce (DOC) to implement programs in space situational awareness and traffic management. CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that implementing H.R. 6226 would cost $127 million over the 2019-2023 period, assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2018-07-20
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 6142: Reducing Drug Waste Act of 2018
"H.R. 6142 would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a plan to reduce drug waste related to unused medicine in single-use packaging. Developing the plan would involve soliciting input from relevant stakeholders, including drug manufacturers, patient representatives, and health care providers. The Secretary would be required to issue a report to the Congress no later than 18 months after enactment of H.R. 6142. That report would include the plan as well as legislative options to reduce drug waste and manage drug costs."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2018-07-20
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 3906: Innovative Stormwater Infrastructure Act of 2018
"H.R. 3906 would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to convene a task force to study how to improve the availability of public and private funds for stormwater infrastructure. Within 18 months of enactment, the task force would be required to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Congress."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2018-07-20
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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, July 20, 2018
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This issue of MMWR contains the following: "World Hepatitis Day -- July 28, 2018"; "Access to Treatment for Hepatitis B Virus Infection -- Worldwide, 2016"; "HIV Testing, Linkage to HIV Medical Care, and Interviews for Partner Services Among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men -- Non-Health Care Facilities, 20 Southern U.S. Jurisdictions, 2016"; "Identification of Primary Congenital Hypothyroidism Based on Two Newborn Screens -- Utah, 2010 -2016"; "Notes from the Field: Occupational Carbon Monoxide Exposure in an Industrial Kitchen Facility -- Wisconsin, 2017"; "Notes from the Field: Widespread Transmission of Circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Identified by Environmental Surveillance and Immunization Response -- Horn of Africa, 2017-2018"; and "QuickStats: Percentage of Residential Care Community Residents with an Advance Directive, by Census Division -- National Study of Long-Term Care Providers, 2016."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2018-07-20
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 6206: Coast Guard Blue Technology Center of Expertise Act
"Under current law, the Coast Guard (USCG) operates several centers of expertise, often under agreements with educational institutions, to provide technical assistance on a range of issues related to maritime safety. H.R. 6206 would direct the Coast Guard to establish a new center to promote the use of new maritime technologies related to activities including surveillance and monitoring, search and rescue, emergency response, and law enforcement."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2018-07-20
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Shift in the International Security Environment: Potential Implications for Defense--Issues for Congress [July 20, 2018]
"The shift in the international security environment has become a major factor in the debate over future U.S. defense spending levels, and has led to new or renewed emphasis on the following in discussions of U.S. defense strategy, plans, and programs: [1] grand strategy and geopolitics as part of the context for discussing U.S. defense budgets, plans, and programs; [2] U.S. and NATO military capabilities in Europe; [3] capabilities for countering so-called hybrid warfare and gray-zone tactics employed by countries such as Russia and China; [4] capabilities for conducting so-called high-end warfare (i.e., large-scale, highintensity, technologically sophisticated warfare) against countries such as China and Russia; [5] maintaining U.S. technological superiority in conventional weapons; [6] nuclear weapons and nuclear deterrence; [7] speed of weapon system development and deployment as a measure of merit in defense acquisition policy; and [8] minimizing reliance in U.S. military systems on components and materials from Russia and China. The issue for Congress is how U.S. defense funding levels, strategy, plans, and programs should respond to the shift in the international security environment. Congress's decisions on these issues could have significant implications for U.S. defense capabilities and funding requirements."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2018-07-20
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U.S.-EU Trade and Investment Ties: Magnitude and Scope [July 20, 2018]
"The United States and European Union (EU) (and its predecessors) have deep and extensive trade and investment ties that have evolved since World War II. Their ties have broadened as the EU's membership has grown, and have deepened with the growth of global supply chains, trade in services, and cross-border investment. The transatlantic economy is a dominant force globally, accounting for 46% of global GDP (current U.S. dollars), 11% of world population, one-third of goods trade, over half of global foreign direct investment (FDI), and the highest level of cross-border data flows."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Akhtar, Shayerah Ilias
2018-07-20
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Trump-Putin Summit [July 20, 2018]
"On July 16, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit in Helsinki, Finland. This was the first U.S.-Russia summit since 2010, when President Barack Obama met with Putin's predecessor Dmitry Medvedev in Prague to sign the New START strategic arms reduction treaty. The Presidents characterized the July 2018 summit as a first step to improving relations. President Trump stated his view that the United States and Russia need 'to find ways to cooperate in pursuit of shared interests' and resolve global challenges. President Putin said his goal is to restore an acceptable level of trust and past levels of cooperation on issues of mutual interest. Media reports have focused on President Trump's remarks about whether or not he believes the U.S. intelligence community's conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. However, the summit discussions apparently ranged widely and touched on many issues central to U.S.-Russia relations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Welt, Cory
2018-07-20
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'Duck Boat' Accident Highlights Gap in Regulation [July 20, 2018]
"On July 19, 2018, an amphibious vehicle capsized during a sudden storm on a lake in Branson, MO, killing at least 17 passengers. The accident highlights gaps and discrepancies in federal safety regulations affecting amphibious passenger vehicles (APVs), more widely known as 'duck boats.' Duck boats are tourist vehicles designed both to drive on roads and operate as boats in the water. These vehicles host thousands of tours for more than 1 million passengers annually. The original vehicles were built during World War II to deliver cargo from ships at sea directly to the shore, and often to evacuate injured military personnel. Some of the vehicles in use today have been refurbished, but others were built more recently. Many duck boats are operated under a license from Ride the Ducks International (RTDI), a private company, but there may be others operated independently as well."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Canis, Bill
2018-07-20
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Addressing the Impact of Climate Change on Public Health and Natural Disasters
"The panel discussion will be an opportunity to hear from policy experts on how the Federal government should incorporate climate change in its preparedness plan for natural disasters and how it should work to mitigate the public health impacts of climate change."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2018-07-20
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Supreme Court Invalidates Public-Sector Union Agency Fees: Considerations for Congress in the Wake of Janus [July 20, 2018]
"On June 27, 2018, the Supreme Court held that 'agency fee' arrangements between a union and a government employer necessarily violate the First Amendment, overruling its 1977 decision in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education. Agency fee arrangements (sometimes called 'fair share' provisions) require employees to pay a fee to the union designated to represent their bargaining unit (i.e., an exclusive union representative) even if the employees are not members of that union. The Abood Court had held that these arrangements are constitutional insofar as the union uses the fees for 'collective bargaining activities' and not 'ideological activities unrelated to collective bargaining'--described in later cases as 'chargeable' versus 'nonchargeable' expenditures. But this term, in Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31 (AFSCME), a five-member majority of the Court reversed course, holding that Abood was 'wrongly decided' and that public-sector agency fee arrangements 'violate[] the free speech rights of nonmembers by compelling them to subsidize private speech on matters of substantial public concern.' The case has potential implications not only for public-sector employers and workers, including those in more than twenty states that authorize public-sector agency fees, but also for other forms of compulsory fee arrangements required or authorized by Congress, the states, or other governmental entities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Killion, Victoria L.
2018-07-20
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Vacancies Act: A Legal Overview [July 20, 2018]
"The Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 (Vacancies Act) generally provides the exclusive means by which a government employee may temporarily perform the nondelegable functions and duties of a vacant advice and consent position in an executive agency. Unless an acting officer is serving in compliance with the Vacancies Act, any attempt to perform the functions and duties of that office will have no force or effect. The Vacancies Act limits a government employee's ability to serve as an acting officer in two primary ways. First, the Vacancies Act provides that only three classes of people may serve temporarily in an advice and consent position. As a default rule, the first assistant to a position automatically becomes the acting officer. Alternatively, the President may direct either a senior official of that agency or a person serving in any other advice and consent position to serve as the acting officer. Second, the Vacancies Act limits the length of time a person may serve as acting officer: a person may serve either (1) for a limited time period running from the date that the vacancy occurred or (2) during the pendency of a nomination to that office. The Vacancies Act is primarily enforced when a person who has been injured by an agency's action challenges the action based on the theory that it was taken in contravention of the Act."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brannon, Valerie C.
2018-07-20
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Trump Administration's 'Zero Tolerance' Immigration Enforcement Policy [July 20, 2018]
"In recent years, Central American migrant families have been arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in relatively large numbers, many seeking asylum. While some request asylum at U.S. ports of entry, others do so after attempting to enter the United States illegally between U.S. ports of entry. On May 7, 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Department of Justice (DOJ) implemented a 'zero tolerance' policy toward illegal border crossing, both to discourage illegal migration into the United States and to reduce the burden of processing asylum claims that Administration officials contend are often fraudulent."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kandel, William A.
2018-07-20
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Executive Order 13845: Establishing the President's National Council for the American Worker
"By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to provide a coordinated process for developing a national strategy to ensure that America's students and workers have access to affordable, relevant, and innovative education and job training that will equip them to compete and win in the global economy, and for monitoring the implementation of that strategy, it is hereby ordered as follows [...]"
United States. Office of the Federal Register
Trump, Donald, 1946-
2018-07-19
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Management Weaknesses Delayed Response to Flint Water Crisis
"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this audit to examine the circumstances of, and the EPA's response to, contamination in the city of Flint, Michigan's community water system, including the EPA's exercise of its oversight authority. After Flint switched its drinking water supply in April 2014, inadequate water treatment exposed many Flint residents to lead. In October 2016, the OIG issued a Management Alert to the EPA about specific factors that delayed its emergency response. Our current report evaluates additional matters concerning the agency's management controls when responding to the Flint contamination incident. According to the MDEQ [Michigan Department of Environmental Quality], more than $400 million in public funds has been spent by the EPA and Michigan to address the Flint crisis. Eight other federal agencies also provided support. This report addresses the following: [1] Ensuring clean and safe water; and, [2] Compliance with the law."
United States. Environmental Protection Agency; United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Office of the Inspector General
2018-07-19
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China's Actions in South and East China Seas: Implications for U.S. Interests-Background and Issues for Congress [July 19, 2018]
"This report provides background information and issues for Congress regarding China's actions in the South China Sea (SCS) and East China Sea (ECS), with a focus on implications for U.S. strategic and policy interests. Other CRS reports focus on other aspects of maritime territorial disputes involving China."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2018-07-19
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EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 18 Issue 29, July 19, 2018
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: "DOJ launches Violence Reduction Response Center"; "Countering false social media information"; "Starting a law enforcement agency-based cybercrime unit"; and "Webinar: Office for Bombing Prevention programs for first responders".
Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)
2018-07-19
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Transnational Crime Issues: Human Trafficking [July 19, 2018]
"Trafficking in persons, or human trafficking, is a domestic and international phenomenon that refers to the subjection of men, women, and children to exploitative conditions that may be tantamount to slavery. In 2000, Congress defined 'severe forms of trafficking in persons' to mean sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rosen, Liana; Weber, Michael A.
2018-07-19
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FY2019 Defense Appropriations Bill: An Overview of Housepassed H.R. 6157 [July 19, 2018]
"While the total appropriation would be nearly equal to the request, the House bill would provide more funding than requested for dozens of programs, with the gross increase exceeding $10 billion. Those proposed additions would be offset by hundreds of proposed reductions to the budget request. The House Appropriations Committee report to accompany H.R. 6157 (H.Rept. 115-769) characterizes many of these reductions in terms that imply they would have no anticipated adverse impact on DOD programs. In effect, these reductions allowed the House committee to add billions of dollars to the Administration's request without exceeding the cap on defense spending that arose from the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-123). That cap applies to discretionary appropriations for DOD's base budget--that is, funding for those activities not associated with current operations in Afghanistan and Syria, and other operations which are designated by Congress and the President as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Towell, Pat
2018-07-19
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Emergency Department Boarding of Behavioral Health Patients [July 19, 2018]
"This In Focus outlines emergency department (ED) boarding of behavioral health (BH) patients. Behavioral health refers to patients with psychiatric and/or substance use disorders. Boarding refers to the holding of inpatients in an ED after an admission or transfer decision has been made. ED boarding, as it contributes to ED crowding, has been a long-standing area of concern for Congress, payors, and health care providers (see CRS Report R43812, Hospital-Based Emergency Departments: Background and Policy Considerations). This In Focus highlights areas for research and discusses policy options Congress may consider to reduce BH patient boarding."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Towell, Pat
2018-07-19
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National Hurricane Center and Forecasting Hurricanes: 2017 Overview and 2018 Outlook [July 19, 2018]
"The National Hurricane Center (NHC), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) National Weather Service (NWS), is responsible for forecasting hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean and the eastern Pacific Ocean. The NHC provides estimates of the path of a storm (i.e., hurricane track), the intensity, and the size and structure of the storm, as well as predictions of storm surge, rainfall, and even tornadoes. Depending on the storm's status, this information may be used to create a hurricane watch or a hurricane warning and public advisories, which are issued on an increasingly frequent basis if a storm strengthens and approaches the U.S. coastline."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Folger, Peter (Peter Franklin)
2018-07-19
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China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities- Background and Issues for Congress [July 19, 2018]
"This report provides background information and issues for Congress on China's naval modernization effort and its implications for U.S. Navy capabilities. The question of how the United States should respond to China's military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort, is a key issue in U.S. defense planning and budgeting. Many U.S. military programs for countering improving Chinese military forces (particularly its naval forces) fall within the U.S. Navy's budget. The issue for Congress is how the U.S. Navy should respond to China's military modernization effort, particularly its naval modernization effort. Decisions that Congress reaches on this issue could affect U.S. Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the U.S. defense industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2018-07-19
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DNA Evidence: Preliminary Observations on DOJ's DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Grant Program, Statement of Gretta L. Goodwin, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Testimony Before the Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. Senate
"Many state and local crime labs have backlogs of requests for DNA analysis of crime scene evidence, as reported by grantees participating in DOJ's CEBR [Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program] grant program. These backlogs can include sexual assault kits. Since 2011, DOJ's Office of Justice Programs --the primary grant -making arm of DOJ --has awarded nearly $500 million to states and local jurisdictions through the CEBR grant program to help reduce DNA evidence awaiting analysis at crime labs. There have been concerns that these backlogs of unanalyzed evidence have enabled serial offenders to reoffend or have delayed justice. This statement is based on preliminary observations and analyses from GAO's [Government Accountability Office] ongoing review of (1) the level of crime scene DNA evidence backlogs among CEBR grantees and the factors that contribute to such backlogs; (2) the extent to which DOJ has clearly defined goals for CEBR; and (3) the extent to which OJP has controls for CEBR related to federal conflicts of interest and lobbying requirements. To develop these preliminary findings, GAO reviewed CEBR grantee data from 2011- 2016 (the latest data available) and studies relevant to the DNA backlog, visited selected labs, and interviewed DOJ officials, among others."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2018-07-18
