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Iraq: Politics, Governance, and Human Rights, Kenneth Katzman, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs. December 17, 2013 “Two years after the 2011 U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, sectarian divisions and the Sunni-led uprising in neighboring Syria have fueled a revival of radical Islamist Sunni Muslim insurgent groups that are attempting to undermine Iraq’s stability. Iraq’s Sunni Arab …
Social media: The next generation of archiving, by John Moore: “Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have become commonplace tools for government outreach. Agencies tweet about everything from developments in medical research to public safety information. Federal Facebook pages offer a similar scope of government missives, while YouTube provides a collection of …
“The Federal Trade Commission published a biennial report to Congress focusing on the use of the Do Not Call Registry by both consumers and businesses over the past two years. The report also highlights how the FTC is responding to new technologies that have increased the number of illegal robocalls made to telephone numbers on …
“A new interactive infographic from the Kaiser Family Foundation presents a comprehensive look at how the uninsured are expected to fare in each state next year after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) takes full effect on Jan. 1. The ACA provides new coverage options for many of the nation’s 47 million nonelderly uninsured people across the income spectrum, …
“The Library of Congress unveiled The Survival of American Silent Feature Films: 1912–1929, by David Pierce, the first comprehensive survey of American feature films that survived the silent era of motion pictures. Previous documentation established that nearly 11,000 (10,919) silent feature films of American origin were released from 1912 through 1929. There was, however, no definitive, …
“Consumers are conducting more and more of their daily business online and through their mobile devices. They use the Internet and their smart phones and tablets to make purchases, research medical conditions, plan vacations, interact with friends and relatives, do their jobs, map travel routes, and otherwise pursue their interests. With these activities, consumers are …
“As required by the bipartisan FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today proposed a rule that would require the largest food businesses in the United States and abroad to take steps to prevent facilities from being the target of intentional attempts to contaminate the food supply. The FDA is unaware …
2013 Status of Telework in the Federal Government – Report to the Congress. United States Office of Personnel Management, December 2013 “As demonstrated in this second U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) status report under the Telework Enhancement Act (the Act), the utility of telework as a strategic organizational change program is increasingly appreciated within the Federal Government. Reported results …
Nanotechnology: A Policy Primer, John F. Sargent Jr., Specialist in Science and Technology Policy. December 16, 2013 “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 primarily to three topics that may affect the realization of this …
“Three federal financial institution regulatory agencies today issued a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) document to provide clarification and guidance to banking entities regarding investments in “Covered Funds” and whether collateralized debt obligations backed by trust preferred securities (TruPS CDOs) could be determined to be Covered Funds under the final rules to implement section 619 of …
Resetting the Poverty Debate: State of the States 2013 by Erik Stegman and Sarah Baron | December 17, 2013 “In 2012, the official poverty rate in the United States was 15 percent, statistically unchanged from 2011. Nearly one in six people, or 46.5 million Americans, lived below the official federal poverty line—$23,492 per year for a family of four. Each year, to track …
CRS – Women in the United States Congress: Historical Overview, Tables, and Discussion, Jennifer E. Manning, Information Research Specialist; Colleen J. Shogan, Deputy Director CRS; Ida A. Brudnick, Specialist on the Congress. December 16, 2013. “A record 102 women currently serve in the 113th Congress: 82 in the House (63 Democrats and 19 Republicans) and 20 in the Senate (16 Democrats …
