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Daily Archives: March 7, 2013

BLS – February payroll employment rises (+236,000); unemployment rate edges down (7.7%)

New release: “Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 236,000 in February, and the unemployment rate edged down to 7.7 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment increased in professional and business services, construction, and health care. Household Survey Data: The unemployment rate edged down to 7.7 percent in February but has shown little movement, on net, since September 2012. The number of unemployed persons, at 12.0 million, also edged lower in February. Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for whites (6.8 percent) declined in February while the rates for adult men (7.1 percent), adult women
(7.0 percent), teenagers (25.1 percent), blacks (13.8 percent), and Hispanics (9.6 percent) showed little or no change. The jobless rate for Asians was 6.1 percent (not seasonally adjusted), little changed from a year earlier. In February, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks
or more) was about unchanged at 4.8 million. These individuals accounted for 40.2 percent of the unemployed.”

New GAO Reports – Cybersecurity, Defense Technology Development, National Defense, Food Assistance

Cybersecurity – A Better Defined and Implemented National Strategy Is Needed to Address Persistent Challenges, GAO-13-462T, Mar 7, 2013 Defense Technology Development – Technology Transition Programs Support Military Users, but Opportunities Exist to Improve Measurement of Outcomes, GAO-13-286, Mar 7, 2012 National Defense – Department of Defense’s Waiver of Competitive Prototyping Requirement for Combat Rescue… Continue Reading

Federal Reserve releases summary results of bank stress tests

“The Dodd-Frank Act Stress Tests are a set of forward-looking exercises conducted both by the Federal Reserve and by financial companies regulated by the Federal Reserve. The stress tests were mandated by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and are intended to ensure institutions have sufficient capital to absorb losses and support… Continue Reading

CRS – Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2013

Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2013. Valerie Heitshusen – Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process. March 4, 2013 “This report briefly describes current responsibilities and selection mechanisms for 15 House and Senate party leadership posts and provides tables with historical data, including service dates, party affiliation, and other information for each. Tables… Continue Reading

CRS Report – Gun Control Proposals in the 113th Congress

Gun Control Proposals in the 113th Congress: Universal Background Checks, Gun Trafficking, and Military Style Firearms, William J. Krouse. Specialist in Domestic Security and Crime Policy, March 1, 2013 “Congress has debated the efficacy and constitutionality of federal regulation of firearms and ammunition, with strong advocates arguing for and against greater gun control. The mass… Continue Reading

NOAA Report – Fisheries Economics of the United States 2011

New release: “U.S. commercial and recreational saltwater fishing generated more than $199 billion in sales and supported 1.7 million jobs in the nation’s economy in 2011, according to a new economic report released by NOAA’s Fisheries Service. The report, Fisheries Economics of the United States 2011, is published annually on a two-year lag to allow… Continue Reading

Identifying Term Interbank Loans from Fedwire Payments Data

NY Fed Reserve: Identifying Term Interbank Loans from Fedwire Payments Data. Dennis Kuo, David Skeie, James Vickery, and Thomas Youle. March 2013 – Number 603. “Interbank markets for term maturities experienced great stress during the 2007-09 financial crisis, as illustrated by the behavior of one- and three-month Libor. Despite widespread interest in these markets, little… Continue Reading

Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering

“The National Science Foundation (NSF) last week released its biennial report, Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering, which provides a snapshot (as of 2010) of the participation of those groups which are underrepresented in science and engineering education and employment in the United States. The report, which takes its data primarily… Continue Reading

Partnership for a Healthier America Releases First Report on Private Sector Progress in Childhood Obesity Efforts

“The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), which works with Honorary Chair First Lady Michelle Obama and the private sector to end childhood obesity in a generation, today released its first report on the progress of private sector commitments to address the epidemic. The report comes as PHA kicks off its second Building a Healthier… Continue Reading