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Chemical Accident Prevention: EPA Should Ensure Regulated Facilities Consider Risks from Climate Change, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Highlights: "Over 11,000 RMP [Risk Management Plan] facilities across the nation have extremely hazardous chemicals in amounts that could harm people, property, or the environment if accidentally released. Risks to these facilities include those posed by natural hazards, which may damage the facilities and potentially release the chemicals into surrounding communities. Climate change may make some natural hazards more frequent or intense, according to the Fourth National Climate Assessment. GAO was asked to review climate change risks at RMP facilities. This report examines, among other things, (1) what available federal data indicate about RMP facilities in areas with natural hazards that may be exacerbated by climate change; and (2) challenges RMP facilities face in managing risks from natural hazards and climate change, and opportunities for EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] to address these challenges. GAO analyzed federal data on RMP facilities and four natural hazards that may be exacerbated by climate change, reviewed agency documents, and interviewed agency officials and stakeholders, such as industry representatives."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2022-02
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COVID-19 Response: Living with COVID-19
From the Introduction: "The Government's aim throughout the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has been to protect the lives and livelihoods of citizens across the United Kingdom (UK). This document sets out how the Government has and will continue to protect and support citizens by: enabling society and the economy to open up more quickly than many comparable countries; using vaccines; and supporting the National Health Service (NHS) and social care sector. It also sets out how England will move into a new phase of managing COVID-19. The Devolved Administrations will each set out how they will manage this transition in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The global pandemic is not yet over and the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) is clear there is considerable uncertainty about the path that the pandemic will now take in the UK. This document therefore also sets out how the Government will ensure resilience, maintaining contingency capabilities to deal with a range of possible scenarios."
Great Britain. HM Government
2022-02
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Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2020
From the Document: "This report presents maternal mortality rates for 2020 based on data from the National Vital Statistics System. A maternal death is defined by the World Health Organization as, 'the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and the site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes'. Maternal mortality rates, which are the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, are shown in this report by age group and race and Hispanic origin. This report updates a previous one that showed maternal mortality rates for 2018 and 2019. In 2020, 861 women were identified as having died of maternal causes in the United States, compared with 754 in 2019. The maternal mortality rate for 2020 was 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births compared with a rate of 20.1 in 2019[.]"
National Center for Health Statistics (U.S.)
Hoyert, Donna L.
2022-02
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Social Protection in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons from South Africa
From the Abstract: "South Africa responded to the stresses of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic and lockdown using a combination of existing social protection programmes, unemployment insurance, and additional measures to support those most affected. This paper reviews policies and implementation with the objective of highlighting lessons for the global community, including on the use of digital mechanisms. The government adopted a two-pronged and largely cash-based approach: unemployment benefits for formal sector workers and cash transfers to vulnerable individuals, informal workers, and beneficiaries of existing grants. Top-up payments for existing grants were rolled out efficiently; the new Special Relief of Distress (SRD) grant posed challenges but ultimately succeeded in reaching over six million previously uncovered beneficiaries. It may even become a permanent feature of South Africa's social protection system. Overall, the government reached over 30 million South Africans with cash-based relief measures. A distinctive feature of cash-based emergency relief was the use of digital technologies, especially in the application and verification process for the new SRD grant. The payment system, however, relied heavily on manual cash disbursements, thus failing to reflect the adoption of innovative digital technologies observed in many other African countries."
Center for Global Development
Gronbach, Lena; Seekings, Jeremy; Megannon, Vayda
2022-02
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Impact of the Pandemic on New York City's Municipal Workforce
From the Document: "New York City employs the largest municipal workforce in the United States. [...] The City government, like other public employers, was quickly confronted with a number of challenges after the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic took hold in March 2020, including a decline in anticipated resources and a substantial change in the demand for certain municipal services. Largely in response to fiscal challenges, the City's workforce has decreased (through attrition) to 283,809 through November 2021 (5.5 percent), but some agencies and occupations experienced a sharper decline, which may have led to service disruptions in the past and could pose service challenges as normal activity resumes. Overtime has also increased sharply in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. Only a few days into the new administation [sic], the Mayor directed his agency heads to identify ways to achieve annual savings of 3 percent of City-funded spending beginning in FY 2022, exempting public health agencies and the Department of Correction. The decline in staffing presents an opportunity for the City to re-examine its workforce and to restructure how its programs and services are delivered, in order to achieve efficiencies without the need for layoffs or service cuts."
New York (State). Office of the State Comptroller
Lotridge, Christopher
2022-02
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K-12 School Security Assessment Tool: Technical Appendix
From the Introduction: "The purpose of the 'School Security Assessment Tool' (SSAT) is to help schools create safe and secure learning environments without requiring the primary audience for this tool--i.e., school principals, assistant principals, facilities managers, and other staff involved in the physical security planning and implementation process--to be security experts. It provides action-oriented guidance to school staff by assisting them in identifying the physical security assets they already have in place and the gaps they have in their physical security system. The tool provides actionable results and relevant options for consideration that school staff can use to increase the overall benefits of the school's security system. The SSAT recognizes that no two schools across the United States are identical, and that creating safe and secure environments that promote teaching and learning requires considering unique school attributes such as the size of a student body, student demographics, the location and physical layout of a school campus, and the age of a school, among other factors. It applies the systems-based approach described in the 3rd edition of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructures Security Agency's (CISA's) 'K-12 [kindergarten through 12th grade] School Security Guide,' a companion product that can be used in conjunction with this tool to improve school physical security."
United States. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency
2022-02?
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K-12 School Security Assessment Tool: User Guide
From the Quick-Start Guide: "This Quick-Start Guide is intended to help users of the K-12 School Security Assessment Tool (SSAT) use the tool and interpret the results. Security and safety planning is a continuous process. Consider using the SSAT regularly, or whenever your school experiences substantial changes in relevant threats or in safety or security plans or capabilities. More information about the SSAT structure and limitations can be found in the accompanying User Guide and Technical Appendix. [...] The SSAT will help you identify the physical security assets already in place at your school, and the gaps in your physical security system. The results that it provides are actionable, relevant to your school's context, consider cost implications as well as the impact that security measures may have on school climate, and aim to increase the overall security benefits of your school's entire physical security system."
United States. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency
2022-02?
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State of Innovation in Antibacterial Therapeutics
From the Introduction: "Antibacterial drug discovery and development during the 20th century yielded one of the greatest armaments available to physicians, with more than 90% of all antibacterial drugs discovered during this period. Since the introduction of numerous antibiotic classes during the 1940s, deaths from bacterial infections have been reduced significantly. However, this next century is already presenting challenges that may render these older antibiotics obsolete. The COVID [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, which exposed multiple preparedness shortcomings, has elevated attention to the increasing threat of drug-resistant strains of bacteria. More than 1.2 million people worldwide are dying each year from antibiotic resistant infections and it is estimated this number will grow to 10 million per year by 2050. In the U.S. alone, more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur each year, with more than 35,000 people dying as a result. The CDC, EMEA [European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products], WHO [World Health Organization], IDSA [Infectious Diseases Society of America], Pew, and other groups have issued warnings to public policymakers for more than a decade about the reduced effectiveness of last century's antibiotic arsenal."
Biotechnology Innovation Organization
Thomas, David; Wessel, Chad
2022-02
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Preparing for and Mitigating Foreign Influence Operations Targeting Critical Infrastructure
From the Threat Overview: "Malicious actors use influence operations, including tactics like misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation (MDM) [hyperlink], to shape public opinion, undermine trust, amplify division, and sow discord. Foreign actors engage in these actions to bias the development of policy and undermine the security of the U.S. and our allies, disrupt markets, and foment unrest. While influence operations have historical precedent, the evolution of technology, communications, and networked systems have created new vectors for exploitation. [...] This CISA [Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency] Insights product is intended to ensure that critical infrastructure owners and operators are aware of the risks of influence operations leveraging social media and online platforms. Organizations can take steps internally and externally to ensure swift coordination in information sharing, as well as the ability to communicate accurate and trusted information to bolster resilience. CISA encourages leaders at every organization to take proactive steps to assess their risks from information manipulation, increase resilience, and mitigate the impact of potential foreign influence operations."
United States. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency
2022-02
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COVID-19 Related State of Emergency Measures: Impact and Responses
From the Executive Summary: "The American Bar Association (ABA) Center for Human Rights (CHR) undertook this report to analyze the impact of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] emergency measures on HRDs [human rights defenders] and explore the responses of HRDs through the use of strategic litigation and other actions to push back against disproportional restrictions related to COVID-19 states of emergency. This report captures the successes and challenges of such strategies. It examines the viability of such approaches to effectively push back against attempts to normalize restrictive measures that do not meet public health goals and maintain civic space for HRDs and other civil society actors. The report finds that the success of challenges largely hinged on the nature of the authorizing statute and scope of its enforcement. Successful legal efforts challenged the repurposing of statutes originally meant to target activity 'unrelated to public health or public safety.' Further, in cases where litigants focused on separation of powers, courts seemed more receptive to challenges to executive measures without legislative oversight. As the viability and success of strategic litigation largely depends on the degree of respect for rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, the report also examines non-litigation approaches adopted by civil society actors to challenge 'de facto' measures and practices, including the deployment of military forces to enforce lockdown measures, selective or disproportionate enforcement, and police brutality. Through the formation of new coalitions, enhanced coordination with other actors, and pressure on government agencies, civil society actors successfully challenged 'de facto' measures. Finally, the report concludes with a set of recommendations for all stakeholders to help ensure that, in the future, governments effectively respond to public health crises while protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms."
ABA Center for Human Rights
McCourt, Kersty; Nyaundi, Ken; Ndiku, Shalom M. . . .
2022-02
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Banking Services: Regulators Have Taken Actions to Increase Access, but Measurement of Actions' Effectiveness Could Be Improved, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Access to reliable and affordable banking services is essential for household financial well-being. In 2019, FDIC [Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation] estimated that 5.4 percent of surveyed U.S. households were unbanked. GAO [U.S. Government Accountability Office] used the survey data to estimate another 17.9 percent had a bank account but used alternative financial services, such as check cashing or payday loans that can have high fees or interest rates. GAO was asked to review factors affecting household access to basic banking services. Among other objectives, this report examines factors associated with households' use of basic banking services, statutory and regulatory factors affecting service availability and cost, and the efforts of selected federal financial regulators to address these issues. GAO analyzed survey data from FDIC on unbanked and underbanked households, reviewed studies on laws and regulatory factors, examined agency documentation, and interviewed market participants and observers and agency officials. [...] GAO recommends that FDIC, NCUA [National Credit Union Administration], and OCC [Office of the Comptroller of the Currency] establish outcome-based performance measures reflecting the full scope of their efforts to achieve strategic objectives related to access to banking services. The agencies generally agreed with these recommendations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2022-02
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Understanding the Threat of Biological Weapons in a World with COVID-19
From the Introduction: "Threats posed by biological weapons have been evolving for nearly a century. However, the pace of change has been accelerating in recent years due to several intersecting trends, including the accessibility of sophisticated biotechnology tools, plunging costs of sequencing and synthesis, and the convergence of new technology areas (e.g., synthetic biology, AI [Artificial Intelligence]/machine learning, and robotics). In 2020, a new set of dynamics around biological weapons emerged as a result of widespread failures of many nations around the world to effectively respond to the global spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 [Coronavirus Disease 2019]. After more than two years of global efforts to contain the spread of this highly transmissible disease, world leaders are still unable to discern the threat parameters of a COVID-19 era. However, one thing remains clear: the ongoing crisis could profoundly alter how countries perceive biological weapons and how these weapons may advance their security interests. For the hopefully-small number of nations that may consider biological weapons, the human, security, and economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to shape their views regarding the deliberate use of disease to cause disruption and destruction. [...] In this paper, we present findings from our 'futures research' in which we investigated 1) the incentives and disincentives for the development of biological weapons; 2) historical signals related to biological weapons; and 3) other trends, issues, and problems."
Janne E. Nolan Center on Strategic Weapons
Bajema, Natasha E.; Parthemore, Christine; Rezzonico, Andrea . . .
2022-02
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Public Health Supply Chain and Industrial Base One-Year Report In Response to Executive Order 10417
From the Foreword: "One year ago, President Joseph R. Biden issued Executive Order (EO) 14017, 'On America's Supply Chains.' In response to EO 14017, the Department of Health and Human Services is proud to report what it has done to help make our public health supply chain and industrial base more resilient, diverse, and secure. This report identifies the successes and practical strategies that HHS is implementing to further the U.S. Government's goals for America's public health supply chain and industrial base. Despite these great strides towards a more resilient public health supply chain, challenges remain. The actions outlined in this report ensure the U.S. is better prepared for the next public health emergency. We look forward to working towards a stronger and more resilient public health supply chain and industrial base so we can better protect the health of the Nation during public health emergencies."
United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; United States. Department of Health and Human Services
2022-02
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Information Technology: OPM Needs to Adopt Key Practices in Modernizing Legacy Financial System, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "OPM [U.S. Office of Personnel Management]'s legacy financial system, FFS [Trust Funds Federal Financial System], helps manage over $1 trillion in combined assets and supports over 8 million federal employees and retirees. However, according to OPM, FFS is outdated and consists of unsupported software. In fiscal year 2017, OPM created the Trust Funds Modernization (TFM) Program to replace FFS. In 2019, the agency selected a shared service provider to provide the replacement system. The House report accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to examine OPM's effort to modernize and replace FFS. This report (1) describes the status of OPM's effort to modernize and replace FFS; (2) evaluates the progress OPM has made in implementing key modernization practices for using a shared service provider; and (3) determines to what extent the TFM program has adopted leading practices for requirements management, cost and schedule estimation, and cybersecurity."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2022-02
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COVID-19, Mortality, and Nursing Homes: A Literature and Data Review and Policy Discussion
From the Abstract: "It is well established from research studies and basic data analysis that there is an exponential relationship between age and the infection to fatality ratio for COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. Hence, the high mortality of the pandemic has been concentrated among the elderly. The close living arrangements of nursing homes exacerbated that tendency, and mortality from COVID was initially very high there. The vector of infection often came from staff. In the absence of vaccines and effective medical treatment and natural immunity, various nonpharmaceutical interventions were imposed by governments on general society and nursing homes. The evidence on their effectiveness is modest and mixed, although they seemed to have had at least temporary reducing effects. But the price of these socially isolating interventions was high on other causes of death, including in nursing homes. Hence, with the availability of effective vaccines, and more recently boosters, it was essential to the reduction of national mortality that quick and complete treatment focus be on the elderly, nursing home residents, and their caregivers. Although there has been substantial progress here, especially seen with reduced mortality at nursing homes, spikes still occur, and vaccine hesitancy gaps remain. So more needs to be done, especially for boosters and especially for staff, as the US now discusses and implements the return to normalcy. A targeted mix of mandates and incentives and culturally aware effective outreach are appropriate for these groups."
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
Warshawsky, Mark
2022-02
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Rethinking the Police Response to Mass Demonstrations: '9 Recommendations'
From the Document: "Police agencies' management of protests and demonstrations is not a new issue. PERF [Police Executive Research Forum] produced major reports on this topic in 2006, 2011, and 2018 (see pp. 15-17). And yet, the demonstrations of 2020 required PERF to throw out those playbooks and realize that we had to look at demonstrations very differently. 'Police simply did not expect and were not prepared for the level and extent of violence they encountered. It was unlike anything they had seen in 20 years.' Police actually faced three major crises in 2020: 'Crisis 1:' The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, 'Crisis 2:' Thousands of demonstrations following the murder of George Floyd, and 'Crisis 3:' A spike in homicides and shootings. 'This report is mainly about Crisis 2, demonstrations. But I want to briefly discuss all three crises, because each one posed difficult, sometimes unprecedented challenges to law enforcement agencies, and the three crises compounded each other, creating a synergy that made all of the problems worse.' [...] This report is about the second crisis described above: the demonstrations that continued through the summer and into the fall of 2020, and the unprecedented violence that occurred in many cities. This report provides 35 recommendations for actions that law enforcement agencies can take to improve their planning for, and response to, demonstrations in their communities."
Police Executive Research Forum
2022-02
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Assessments of Revenues and Expenses Associated with the City's COVID-19 Response -- Report No. 4
From the Document: "The City of Sacramento will be subject to future audits of State and Federal funds, such as the Coronavirus Relief Fund or the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. These audits would likely be conducted by an Inspector General's Office or the Government Accountability Office. The key to successfully withstanding any future audit will be the City's ability to provide sufficient and appropriate documentation supporting the use of these funds. [...] The objective of these assessments is to help the City prepare for State and Federal audits of the City's use of emergency funding. This includes pro-active and real-time assistance in complying with regulatory requirements, securing reimbursements, tracking disaster recovery costs, and evaluating whether funds are being used efficiently and effectively."
Sacramento (Calif.). Office of the City Auditor
Oseguera, Jorge; Bashaw, Lynn; Sweeney, Jordan . . .
2022-02
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US-China Vaccine Diplomacy: Lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean
From the Introduction: "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] has laid bare the competing strategies and practices of the United States and China to amass further clout in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). In many ways, the pandemic is quickly accelerating a regional trend seen over the last decade: China uses its growing economic and diplomatic muscle to provide an alternative to US activities and interests. [...] Vaccine-related diplomacy also contributes to an evolving discussion about the different ways China and the United States more broadly engage the region--and vice versa. [...] Overall, the region's proximity, shared peoples, history, and borders with the United States provide greater depth and multidimensionality to the relationship. Consequently, vaccine diplomacy represents a greater marginal opportunity for China to broaden and deepen regional ties."
Atlantic Council of the United States. Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center
de Ávila, María Eugenia Brizuela; Insanally, Riyad; Trevisan, Claudia . . .
2022-02
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Management Assistance Report: Internal Controls Are Needed to Safeguard Inherently Governmental Functions at the Global Engagement Center
From the Summary of Review: "During an Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit of the Department of State's (Department) cooperative agreements and grants related to Iran, which is presently underway, OIG identified instances in which Global Engagement Center (GEC) third-party contractors were performing inherently Governmental functions. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Policy Letter 11-01 states that certain inherently Governmental functions, such as approving cooperative agreement activities, are intimately related to the public's interest and therefore may only be performed by Federal employees. [...] OIG reviewed five cooperative agreements awarded by GEC from FY 2018 through FY 2020 and found that third-party contractors were assigned to perform inherently Governmental functions on four of five (80 percent) cooperative agreements (awards) reviewed. Specifically, in GEC's award provisions, third-party contractors were improperly assigned to approve project workplans. OIG also identified two instances in which third-party contractors performed inherently Governmental activities by directing award recipients' messaging on sensitive topics related to Iran."
United States. Department of State. Office of the Inspector General
2022-02
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United States Department of Labor: COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan [February 2022]
From the Purpose and Scope: "The purpose of this document is to provide minimum mandatory safety guidance for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the DOL agencies. The health and safety of all DOL employees, onsite contractor employees, and individuals interacting with the DOL workforce is the Department's highest priority. DOL recognizes that COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] is a highly contagious infectious disease. This document is primarily focused on application of relevant guidelines at all DOL facilities to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. These guidelines apply to buildings wholly managed by DOL as well as those buildings (or areas within buildings) controlled by DOL, in combination referred to as 'DOL facilities.' These guidelines also apply to lands under DOL control."
United States. Department of Labor
2022-02
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'INR 2025' Strategic Plan
From the Strategic Context: "We are at a pivotal moment in history. China, Russia and other nations are seeking to upend the rules-based international order that has promoted peace, prosperity, and human rights for people around the world. Meanwhile, the threat environment is growing more complex, diverse, and interconnected, all fueled by a technological revolution. We face unprecedented challenges, but also immense opportunity. In this environment, the twin roles of intelligence and diplomacy will be vital in shaping a future that advances democratic values and creates a safer, more peaceful, and more prosperous world. As the only U.S. intelligence organization that operates at the intersection of intelligence and diplomacy, the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) is committed to empowering U.S. diplomats with the intelligence, information, and support they need to advance U.S. foreign policy. The INR 2025 Strategic Plan provides a vision and roadmap to achieve these goals."
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Intelligence and Research
2022-02?
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Plan to Advance Data Innovation
From the Executive Summary: "Executive Order 13994 on Ensuring a Data-Driven Response to COVID-19 [Coronavirus Disease 2019] and Future High-Consequence Public Health Threats calls for development of an improved public health infrastructure to effectively prevent, detect, and respond to future biological threats. Section 4 of the Executive order tasks the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to 'develop a plan for advancing innovation in public health data and analytics in the United States.' The Office of Science and Technology Policy formed a National Science and Technology Council Fast Track Action Committee to develop this plan to enhance data innovation and to ensure that epidemiological modeling and forecasting can support preparedness for and response to high-consequence biological threats, in particular respiratory pathogens. This plan also encourages the development of new and innovative thinking about data sources and their applications, and identifies mechanisms for data innovation that should be applied to public health data needs outside of epidemiological modeling, such as needs in maternal health, mental health, veterans health, and other areas. The objectives and policy recommendations in this plan were designed to guide the new National Center for Epidemic Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics and support contributors and users of robust data sources across multiple sectors. The plan is structured around a four-element data life cycle framework composed of data inputs and acquisition, data management, data use and analysis, and data outputs, including interpretation and communication."
National Science and Technology Council (U.S.); United States. Executive Office of the President
2022-02
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School Policing Programs: Where We Have Been and Where We Need to Go Next
From the Executive Summary: "In 2019, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) was directed to provide Congress with a report on the state of school policing in the United States that examined the current role of police in schools and provided recommendations on how they can better serve the needs of students. To address this directive, NIJ engaged two consultants to conduct a comprehensive literature review and examination of data sources, facilitate four days of expert panel discussions, and synthesize the results from these data collection efforts. This report is the result of those efforts. The report focuses exclusively on the United States and on sworn officers and does not consider the use of school police in nations outside the United States or on the employment of private security, retired military, or other types of nonsworn police in schools. Much of the writing of this report occurred in 2020 amid the civil unrest stemming from the murder of George Floyd and the police killings of other people of color. It also was written during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, which undoubtedly will also have impacts on school policing. This report focuses on what we currently knew at the time of its writing."
National Institute of Justice (U.S.)
McKenna, Joseph M.; Petrosino, Anthony J. (Anthony Joseph), 1961-
2022-02
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Forced Labor: Actions Needed to Better Prevent the Availability of At-Risk Goods in DOD's Commissaries and Exchanges, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "The U.S. government and others have raised concerns about the use of forced labor in the production of goods. DOD operates almost 3,000 commissaries and exchanges worldwide to enhance the quality of life of service members, their families, and retirees by providing reduced-priced groceries and retail goods. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to review DOD's efforts to prevent the resale of goods produced by forced labor in commissaries and exchanges. This report evaluates the extent to which (1) DeCA [Defense Commissary Agency] and the military service exchanges have established policies and processes for preventing the resale of goods produced by forced labor, (2) OSD [Office of the Secretary of Defense] monitors DeCA's and the exchanges' compliance with their policies and processes, and (3) opportunities exist for DeCA and the exchanges to use information from other federal agencies to inform their efforts. GAO analyzed DOD policies and processes related to the resale of goods that may be produced by forced labor and interviewed DOD and other federal agency officials. [...] GAO is making four recommendations, including that DOD establish an overarching policy and consistent processes to better prevent the availability of goods produced by forced labor, establish an oversight mechanism to monitor implementation, and use available federal information to identify risks. DOD concurred with these recommendations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2022-02
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 2794, Supporting Families of the Fallen Act
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs on December 15, 2021. From the Document: "S. 2794 would increase the maximum amount of Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) that a service member may carry from $400,000 to $500,000. The bill would similarly increase the maximum coverage amount available to veterans through the Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) program. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the administrator of both programs, would be required to confirm that the programs remain actuarially sound after the increases to the maximum coverage amounts and premiums. SGLI and VGLI are funded through premiums paid by service members and veterans. Balances in the federal account for the program earn interest but premiums have been sufficient to pay all benefit claims. Service members may elect SGLI coverage in increments of $50,000. Current monthly premiums for SGLI are set at $0.06 per $1,000 of coverage. Service members also pay $1 per month for additional traumatic injury insurance. Thus, service members electing the maximum $400,000 under current law will pay $300 per year in SGLI premiums. Increasing the coverage limit to $500,000 would increase maximum annual premiums for service members to $372. Under current law, the Department of Defense (DoD) is required to reimburse service members for SGLI premiums when they serve in a combat zone. Those reimbursements are made from appropriated funds."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-02-01
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 2681, Integrity Committee Transparency Act of 2021
This is the Congressional Budget Office [CBO] Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on May 13, 2021. From the Document: "H.R. 2681 would broaden the responsibilities of the Integrity Committee of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE). The bill would require the committee to provide more information to the Congress about its investigations of Members and its investigations of allegations of wrongdoing by inspectors general and their staff members. Finally, H.R. 2681 would require a former inspector general to be appointed to the committee. Using information from CIGIE, CBO estimates that implementing H.R 2681 would cost less than $500,000 annually and about $1 million over the 2022-2026 period. The costs would primarily stem from the appointment of a former inspector general to the committee. On June 16, 2021, CBO provided a cost estimate for H.R. 2662, the IG [Inspectors General] Independence and Empowerment Act, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on May 25, 2021. H.R. 2681 is similar to title IV in H.R. 2662 and the estimated costs are the same for both provisions."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-02-01
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Quantum Information Science and Technology Workforce Development National Strategic Plan: A Report by the Subcommittee on Quantum Information Science Committee on Science of the National Science & Technology Council
From the Executive Summary: "Workforce development in Quantum Information Science and Technology (QIST) is a priority for the United States as part of the National Quantum Initiative. To ensure economic and national security, several actions are recommended here to evaluate the QIST workforce landscape, prepare more people for jobs with quantum technology, enhance STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] education at all levels, accelerate exploration of quantum frontiers, and expand the talent pool for industries of the future. Beyond the significant technical challenges facing QIST research and development (R&D), the shortage of talent constrains progress. The field is currently creating more job openings than can be filled, with the variety of jobs related to QIST expanding in academia, industry, national labs, and government. New and sustained workforce training efforts are critical for maintaining American leadership in QIST. Fortunately, the requisite skills are widely applicable and in high demand. Therefore, investments that grow the professional expertise needed for QIST R&D will pay dividends in many sectors of the economy. Building the Nation's QIST workforce will require coordination among U.S. Government agencies, academic institutions, professional societies, non-profit organizations, industry, and international partners."
United States. Executive Office of the President
2022-02
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Critical and Emerging Technologies List Update: A Report by the Fast Track Action Subcommittee on Critical and Emerging Technologies of the National Science and Technology Council
From the Overview: "Critical and emerging technologies (CETs) are a subset of advanced technologies that are potentially significant to U.S. national security. The 2021 'Interim National Security Strategic Guidance' defines three national security objectives: protect the security of the American people, expand economic prosperity and opportunity, and realize and defend democratic values. This list identifies CETs with the potential to further these objectives and builds on the October 2020 'National Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technologies', which contains an initial list of priority CETs. This updated document expands upon that original CET list by identifying subfields for each CET with a focus, where possible, on core technologies rather than on technology application areas or performance characteristics. [...] Although not a strategy itself, this updated CET list will inform a forthcoming strategy on U.S. technological competitiveness and national security. This list may also inform future efforts to prioritize across CETs and their component subfields; however, 'this list should not be interpreted as a priority list for either policy development or funding.' Instead, this list should be used as a resource to: inform future efforts that promote U.S. technological leadership; cooperate with allies and partners to advance and maintain shared technological advantages; develop, design, govern, and use CETs that yield tangible benefits for society and are aligned with democratic values; and develop U.S. Government measures that respond to threats against U.S. security."
United States. Executive Office of the President
2022-02
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Education Stabilization Fund Programs Funded by the Cares Act, CRRSAA, and ARPA: Background and Analysis [February 1, 2022]
From the Summary: "From March 2020 through March 2021, three laws provided increasing levels of federal funding for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education primarily through the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) in response to the national emergency related to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic as declared by President Trump on March 13, 2020. On March 27, 2020, $30.750 billion was initially appropriated for the ESF by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act; P.L. 116-136). On December 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA; Division M of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 [P.L. 116-260]), was enacted, providing an additional $81.880 billion in appropriations for an amended ESF. On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA; P.L. 117-2), a budget reconciliation measure, provided an additional $169.609 billion for programs originally enacted as part of the ESF."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Skinner, Rebecca; Fountain, Joselynn H.; Dortch, Cassandria
2022-02-01
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US-Russia Relations: Geopolitical, Security, Economic and Human Dimensions
From the Summary: "After a period of détente, tensions are rising between the two former Cold War enemies again. Fundamental differences were already apparent during the Yeltsin years and have increasingly strained relations since 2000, under Vladimir Putin. There are few issues that Washington and Moscow agree on, but none is more divisive than Ukraine. Russia is determined to prevent further NATO expansion into post-Soviet eastern Europe, which it still sees as a buffer zone vital to its security and as a sphere of influence. Since late 2021, there are signs that Russia is planning renewed aggression against Kyiv; the US has promised a robust response if that happens. Both sides are likely to avoid direct conflict at all costs. Russia is not the military superpower that the Soviet Union was, but it is still a formidable adversary. Most of the bilateral arms control agreements that helped to maintain the fragile military balance have now gone, but talks launched at the first Biden-Putin summit in June 2021 aim at maintaining strategic stability."
European Union; European Parliament. European Parliamentary Research Service
Russell, Martin (Policy analyst)
2022-02
