Category «Congress»

New GAO Reports – Combatting Terrorism, Recovery Act, Sequestration

COMBATING TERRORISM: State Department Can Improve Management of East Africa Program, GAO-14-502: Published: Jun 17, 2014. Publicly Released: Jun 17, 2014. RECOVERY ACT: USDA Should Include Broadband Program’s Impact in Annual Performance Reports, GAO-14-511: Published: Jun 17, 2014. Publicly Released: Jun 17, 2014. SEQUESTRATION: Comprehensive and Updated Cost Savings Would Better Inform DOD Decision Makers If Future Civilian Furloughs Occur, GAO-14-529: Published: Jun 17, …

Subjects: Congress, Defense, Economy, Financial System

The Highway Trust Fund and the Treatment of Surface Transportation Programs in the Federal Budget

June 2014 – CBO Report – “The federal government spends more than $50 billion per year on surface transportation programs, mostly in the form of grants to state and local governments. Much of this spending is for highways and mass transit programs financed through the Highway Trust Fund. Those programs have an unusual treatment in …

Subjects: Congress, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents, Transportation

Mobility Progress Report: Are Federal Agencies Passing the Test?

Download the survey here via the Mobile Work Exchange: “It’s been two years since OMB’s Digital Government Strategy and nearly four years since the passage of the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010. Is the Federal government making the grade in mobility and telework or is it barely passing? So where are we? Mobile Work Exchange interviewed 154 …

Subjects: Congress, E-Government, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legislation

On Privacy, New Survey Places US Attitudes Among EU Countries

EPIC – “One of the most comprehensive surveys of privacy ever undertaken finds US attitudes toward privacy remarkably similar to those of Europeans. The survey of 15 countries on privacy, and tradeoffs consumers are prepared to make, placed the US squarely in the middle of European countries, roughly between France and Italy on one side and Germany and …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, E-Mail, EU Data Protection, Government Documents, Internet, Legislation, Patriot Act, Privacy

U.S. Rail Transportation of Crude Oil: Background and Issues for Congress

CRS – U.S. Rail Transportation of Crude Oil: Background and Issues for Congress, May 5, 2014 “North America is experiencing a boom in crude oil supply, primarily due to the growth of heavy crude production in the Canadian oil sands1and the recent expansion of shale oil production in North Dakota, Montana, and Texas. North American production …

Subjects: Congress, Education, Energy, Environmental Law, Government Documents, Transportation

The Fourth Amendment Third-Party Doctrine – CRS

The Fourth Amendment Third-Party Doctrine, Richard M. Thompson II, Legislative Attorney. June 5, 2014. “In the 1970s, the Supreme Court handed down Smith v. Maryland and United States v. Miller, two of the most important Fourth Amendment decisions of the 20th century. In these cases, the Court held that people are not entitled to an expectation of privacy …

Subjects: Congress, Courts, E-Mail, E-Records, Government Documents, Internet, Privacy

Political Polarization in the American Public – Pew

How Increasing Ideological Uniformity and Partisan Antipathy Affect Politics, Compromise and Everyday Life “Republicans and Democrats are more divided along ideological lines – and partisan antipathy is deeper and more extensive – than at any point in the last two decades. These trends manifest themselves in myriad ways, both in politics and in everyday life. …

Subjects: Congress, Government Documents, Legislation

CIO/CISO Insights 2014

Achieving Results and Confronting Obstacles: “TechAmerica has conducted an annual Federal government Chief Information Officer (CIO) survey for 24 years, with the support of Grant Thornton LLP. In 2014, 59 information technology (IT) leaders participated in the survey, including CIOs of major federal departments and staff from OMB and Capitol Hill. Professionals from TechAmerica member firms …

Subjects: Congress, Cybercrime, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management

Semi-Annual Report Spring 2014 – CFPB

“Congress created the CFPB to stand on the side of consumers and ensure they are treated fairly in the financial marketplace. Since we opened our doors, we’ve been focused on making consumer financial markets work better for the American people, and helping them improve their financial lives. In our fifth Semi-Annual Report, we describe our efforts …

Subjects: Congress, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents

Monthly Budget Review for May 2014

“The federal government ran a budget deficit of $439 billion for the first eight months of fiscal year 2014, CBO estimates—$188 billion less than the shortfall recorded over the same span last year and the smallest deficit for those months since fiscal year 2008. Compared with the amounts at this point last year, revenues were …

Subjects: Congress, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents

Nuclear Cooperation with Other Countries: A Primer

Nuclear Cooperation with Other Countries: A Primer – Paul K. Kerr, Analyst in Nonproliferation; Mary Beth D. Nikitin, Specialist in Nonproliferation. May 14, 2014. “Under existing law (Atomic Energy Act [AEA] of 1954, as amended; P.L. 95-242; 42 U.S.C. §2153 et seq.) all significant U.S. nuclear cooperation with other countries requires a peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement. Significant nuclear cooperation includes the transfer …

Subjects: Congress, Defense, Government Documents, Legal Research

Senate Holds Hearing on Consumer Location Privacy Protection

EPIC – “The Senate recently held a hearing on the Location Privacy Protection Act of 2014 authored by Senator Franken. In an opening statement, Senator Franken said his “bill makes sure that if a company wants to get your location…they need to get your permission first.” FTC Director, Jessica Rich, testified that location data is “sensitive information” that “raises privacy concerns.” The …

Subjects: Congress, Courts, E-Mail, Government Documents, Internet, Legislation, Privacy

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