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News release: “The Congressional Oversight Panel’s December oversight report, Taking Stock: What Has the Troubled Asset Relief Program Achieved?, concludes that TARP was an important part of a broader government strategy that stabilized the U.S. financial system. It is apparent after 14 months, however, that significant underlying weaknesses in the financial system remain. The Troubled …
The Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action Act of 2009, December 9, 2009 Why is the Bipartisan Fiscal Task Force Needed?: Long-term projections show an unsustainable imbalance between government spending and revenues. Gross debt is likely to exceed 100 percent of GDP within the next few years, nearing levels not seen since the end …
“The Federal Trade Commission [is hosting] a series of day-long public roundtable discussions to explore the privacy challenges posed by the vast array of 21st century technology and business practices that collect and use consumer data. Such practices include social networking, cloud computing, online behavioral advertising, mobile marketing, and the collection and use of information …
“The Congressional Directory is the official directory of the U.S. Congress, prepared by the Joint Committee on Printing (JCP). Published since 1888, the Congressional Directory presents short biographies of each member of the Senate and House, listed by state or district, and additional data, such as committee memberships, terms of service, administrative assistants and/or secretaries, …
Word from the White House: Health CEOs Confirm Reform Lowers Costs Supporting letter: CEO Work Group on Health Reform, 12/8/09 Supporting letter: David M. Cote, CEO, Honeywell, 12/7/09 Related postings on health care reform
The Open Government Directive The Open Government Progress Report to the American People “The directive, sent to the head of every federal department and agency today, instructs the agencies to take specific actions to open their operations to the public. The three principles of transparency, participation, and collaboration are at the heart of this directive. …
“Results from the 2009 NAEP [National Center for Education Statistics] Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) make it possible to compare the performance of students in urban districts to public school students in the nation and large cities (i.e., cities with populations of 250,000 or more). Changes in students performance over time can also be seen …
Rail Transit: Observations on FTA’s State Safety Oversight Program and Potential Change in Oversight Role, GAO-10-293T, December 08, 2009 Tax Policy: The Research Tax Credit’s Design and Administration Can Be Improved, GAO-10-136, November 06, 2009
Washington Post: “The Transportation Security Administration inadvertently revealed closely guarded secrets regarding airport passenger screening practices when it posted online this spring a document as part of a contract solicitation, the agency confirmed Tuesday. The 93-page TSA operating manual details procedures for screening passengers and checked baggage and reveals technical settings used by X-ray machines …
News release: “The year 2009 is likely to rank in the top 10 warmest on record since the beginning of instrumental climate records in 1850, according to data sources compiled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The global combined sea surface and land surface air temperature for 2009 (JanuaryOctober) is currently estimated at 0.44°C ± …
News release: “The House Financial Services Committee today [began] marking up a bill that would create a new consumer protection agency and increase regulation of a number of financial products, including credit cards, insurance, mortgages and “derivatives.” Even as members of the committee consider how to prevent another economic collapse, they may have another financial …
Health at a Glance 2009 OECD Indicators: “This fifth edition of Health at a Glance provides the latest comparable data on different aspects of the performance of health systems in OECD countries. It provides striking evidence of large variations across countries in the costs, activities and results of health systems. Key indicators provide information …
