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Daily Archives: August 17, 2016

Background Checks for Firearm Transfers, 2013–2014 – Statistical Tables

Background Checks for Firearm Transfers, 2013–14 – Statistical Tables – Trent D. Buskirk, Ph.D., Regional Justice Information Service, Joseph M. Durso, Regional Justice Information Service, Ronald J. Frandsen, Regional Justice Information Service, Jennifer C. Karberg, Regional Justice Information Service, Allina D. Lee, Bureau of Justice Statistics, June 30, 2016. NCJ 249849.
“Describes background checks for firearm transfers conducted in 2014, including partial data for 2013, and presents estimates of firearm applications received and denied annually since the effective date of the Brady Act through 2014. Tables provide data on the number of firearm transaction applications processed by the FBI and by state and local agencies, the number of applications denied, reasons for denial, and estimates of applications by jurisdiction and by each type of approval system. State-level 2014 estimates are included for states with local checking agencies. Data are from BJS’s Firearm Inquiry Statistics (FIST) program, which annually surveys state and local checking agencies to collect information on firearm background check activity and combines this information with FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) transaction data.”

EPA and DOT Finalize Greenhouse Gas and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Heavy-Duty Trucks

“Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) jointly finalized standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles that will improve fuel efficiency and cut carbon pollution, while bolstering energy security and spurring manufacturing innovation. The final phase two standards were called for by President Obama’s… Continue Reading

Kaiser Foundation – Disparities in Health and Health Care: Five Key Questions and Answers

“Disparities in health and health care in the United States have been a longstanding challenge resulting in some groups receiving less and lower quality health care than others and experiencing poorer health outcomes. This brief provides an introductory overview of health and health care disparities, including what disparities are and why they matter, the status… Continue Reading

DOD Contractor and Troop Levels in Iraq and Afghanistan: 2007-2016

Department of Defense Contractor and Troop Levels in Iraq and Afghanistan: 2007-2016, Heidi M. Peters, Coordinator, Information Research Specialist; Moshe Schwartz, Specialist in Defense Acquisition; Lawrence Kapp, Specialist in Military Manpower Policy. August 15, 2016. “This report provides background information for Congress on the levels of Department of Defense (DOD) troop and contractor personnel deployed… Continue Reading

Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee, July 26-27, 2016

Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee – Long-Run Monetary Policy Implementation Framework – “The staff provided several briefings that reviewed progress on a long-term effort begun in July 2015 to evaluate potential long-run frameworks for monetary policy implementation. The briefings highlighted some foundational considerations that are relevant for such an evaluation. The staff described… Continue Reading

2016 International Data Base Update

“The current update provides revisions for 14 countries and areas, incorporating new data from censuses, surveys, and administrative records and new analyses. Revised estimates and projections are available for Argentina, Bangladesh, Croatia, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Gaza Strip, Haiti, Namibia, Nepal, South Korea, the United States, Venezuela and West Bank. Highlights from the International Data Base:… Continue Reading

NASA Analysis Finds July 2016 is Warmest on Record

“July 2016 was the warmest July in 136 years of modern record-keeping, according to a monthly analysis of global temperatures by scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York. Because the seasonal temperature cycle peaks in July, it means July 2016 also was warmer than any other month on record. July… Continue Reading