Category «Legislation»

Procedures for Congressional Action in Relation to Nuclear Agreement with Iran

CRS report – Procedures for Congressional Action in Relation to a Nuclear Agreement with Iran. Valerie Heitshusen, Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process; Richard S. Beth, Specialist on Congress and the Legislative Process. June 23, 2015. “An April 2015 framework for negotiations on a comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran suggests that a final agreement …

Subjects: Congress, Defense, Government Documents, Legislation

What Do Rating Agencies Think about “Too-Big-to-Fail” Since Dodd-Frank?

Liberty Street Economics – New York Fed – First in a two-part series, Gara Afonso and João Santos: “Did the Dodd-Frank Act end ‘‘too-big-to-fail’’ (TBTF)? In this series of two posts, we look at this question through the lens of rating agencies and financial markets. Today we begin by discussing rating agencies’ views on this …

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

CFPB consumer complaint database

“[June 25, 2015] the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) [went] live with an enhanced public-facing consumer complaint database. It includes for the first time over 7,700 consumer accounts of problems they are facing with financial companies concerning mortgages, bank accounts, credit cards, debt collection, and more. The CFPB is also publishing a Request for Information …

Subjects: Congress, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents, Internet, Legal Research, Legislation

Job Opening – New Librarian of Congress

The Atlantic – Robinson Meyer: Experts say that a new librarian should digitize more works, raise more money—and use email. “The current librarian, James Billington, has held the title since his appointment by President Reagan in 1987. Though named by the president and confirmed by the Senate, the Librarian doesn’t change with every new White …

Subjects: Copyright, E-Government, E-Mail, E-Records, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Legislation, Libraries, Social Media

Supreme Court rejects latest challenge to Affordable Health Care Act

United States Supreme Court – KING ET AL. v. BURWELL, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ET AL., (2015) No. 14-114. Argued: March 4, 2015  Decided: June 25, 201 “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act grew out of a long history of failed health insurance reform. In the 1990s, several States sought to expand …

Subjects: Congress, Courts, Economy, Government Documents, Health Care, Legal Research, Legislation

FCC Implements Strict Rules to Halt Unwanted Telemarketing

EPIC: “The Federal Communications Commission has adopted new rules that impose strict limits on telemarketing practices. Under the rules, consumers can halt unwanted messages by telling companies to stop calling. The rules also allow phone companies to offer call-blocking services to screen out automated telemarketing calls. In 2014, the FCC received more than 215,000 complaints …

Subjects: Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation, Privacy, Wireless Web

Updated Guide to Mass Shootings in America

This guide by Mother Jones has been updated numerous times to include information on recurring mass shooting that involved the murder of Americans in houses of worship, schools, work places, and public places.  Please note, the majority of weapons used in these murders were purchased legally and ..”More than half of the cases involved school …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Government Documents, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Legislation

CRS – Invasive Species: Issues in Brief

Invasive Species: Issues in Brief – M. Lynne Corn, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy; Renée Johnson, Specialist in Agricultural Policy. May 22, 2015. “For the first few centuries after the arrival of Europeans in North America, plants and animals of many species were sent between the two continents. The transfer of non-natives consisted not only …

Subjects: Congress, Environmental Law, Government Documents, Legislation

How U.S. Surveillance Still Subverts U.S. Competitiveness

Beyond the USA Freedom Act: How U.S. Surveillance Still Subverts U.S. Competitiveness, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, June 2015, Daniel Catrol and Alan McQuinn | JUNE 2015: “Almost two years ago, ITIF described how revelations about pervasive digital surveillance by the U.S. intelligence community could severely harm the competitiveness of the United States if foreign customers …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Defense, Economy, Government Documents, Internet, Legislation, Privacy

UK Government Report – A Question of Trust

Via lawfareblog – “Entitled “A Question of Trust,” the report was presented to Parliament and the Prime Minister today and was authored by David Anderson QC, the UK’s Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation.  As required under the 2014 Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act, Anderson therein undertakes a broad review of law and policy regarding “investigatory powers” in the UK—essentially government surveillance and …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Defense, E-Government, EU Data Protection, Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation, Privacy