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TIME: “Carla Hayden made history on Wednesday (July 13, 2016) as the Senate voted to approve her nomination as Librarian of Congress, making her both the first woman and the first African American to hold the post. Hayden was first nominated by President Obama in February, and the Senate Rules Committee approved her nomination in …
“If current laws governing taxes and spending did not change, the United States would face steadily increasing federal budget deficits and debt over the next 30 years, according to projections by CBO. Federal debt held by the public, which was equal to 39 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) at the end of fiscal year …
Via NIH: “What is the Precision Medicine Initiative®? In his State of the Union address (2015), President Obama announced that he’s launching the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) — a bold new research effort to revolutionize how we improve health and treat disease. The PMI aims to leverage advances in genomics, emerging methods for managing and …
Via EFF – “Despite strong opposition in Congress and from the grassroots, the FBI is still pushing to expand its National Security Letter (NSL) authority. The proposed amendments would allow the FBI to serve companies with NSLs and obtain a wide range of Internet records, known as Electronic Communication Transactional Records (ECTRs), including browsing history. …
The FDIC’s Process for Identifying and Reporting Major Information Security Incidents, July 2016. “Our audit focused on the FDIC’s processes for addressing one particular type of information security incident—a breach of sensitive information—because the incident we selected for detailed review (i.e., the Florida Incident) was a breach. The Florida Incident involved a former FDIC employee …
State Voter Identification Requirements: Analysis, Legal Issues, and Policy Considerations. Eric A. Fischer, Senior Specialist in Science and Technology; R. Sam Garrett, Specialist in American National Government; L. Paige Whitaker, Legislative Attorney. July 5, 2016: “About 60% of U.S. voters live in the 33 states that require a voter at a polling place to produce …
Via FCW.com – Zach Noble – “A new bill would allow federal employees to expense Uber and other app-powered transportation options. A bipartisan group of lawmakers wants feds to be able to use ride-hailing and -sharing services for official government travel. The Modernizing Government Travel Act, introduced July 5, would allow federal employees to seek …
News release – Upton, Grassley, Goodlatte, Alexander, and Hatch Hail Agreement to Combat Opioid Epidemic: “After this morning’s meeting of House and Senate opioid conferees, bicameral leaders announced that a conference report has been filed. The conference report will be considered by the House Rules Committee tonight, and is expected to be on the House …
“In Section 202 of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, Congress established the Commission on Care, charging it to examine veterans’ access to Department of Veterans Affairs health care and to examine strategically how best to organize the Veterans Health Administration, locate health resources, and deliver health care to veterans during the next …
Via FAS – Nanotechnology: A Policy Primer, John F. Sargent Jr., Specialist in Science and Technology Policy. June 28, 2016: “Nanoscale science, engineering, and technology—commonly referred to collectively as nanotechnology—is believed by many to offer extraordinary economic and societal benefits. Congress has demonstrated continuing support for nanotechnology and has directed its attention particularly to three …
Via FAS – Slow Growth in the Current U.S. Economic Expansion – Mark P. Keightley, Specialist in Economics; Marc Labonte, Specialist in Macroeconomic Policy; Jeffrey M. Stupak, Analyst in Macroeconomic Policy. June 24, 2016. “Between 2008 and 2015, economic growth has been, depending on the indicator, one-quarter to one-half the long-term average since World War …
National Security Archive posting June 30, 2016: “At 4:00 PM today President Barack Obama signed the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 (S. 337) into law. The bipartisan, bicameral bill – introduced by Senators John Cornyn, Chuck Grassley, and Patrick Leahy, and supported by Representatives Jason Chaffetz and Elijah Cummings in the House – will improve …
