Category «Legislation»

22nd Annual ABA Real Estate Survey Report

“The 22nd Real Estate Lending Survey had the participation of 182 banks. The data was collected from March 4, 2015 to April 17, 2015, and in most cases reports calendar year or year – end results. In other cases, data reflect current activities and expectations at the time of data collection. Of the survey participants, …

Subjects: Congress, Economy, Financial System, Housing, Legal Research, Legislation

H.R. 2685 – FY2016 Department of Defense Appropriations

H.R. 2685 – FY2016 Department of Defense Appropriations 114th Congress Report – House of Representatives – 1st Session 114-139. June 5 2015. “BILL TOTALS – Appropriations for most military functions of the Department of Defense are provided for in the accompanying bill for fiscal year 2016. This bill does not provide appropriations for military con- …

Subjects: Congress, Defense, Government Documents, Legislation

CRS – Israel: Background and U.S. Relations

Israel: Background and U.S. Relations, Jim Zanotti, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs. June 1, 2015. “Since Israel’s founding in 1948, successive U.S. Presidents and many Members of Congress have demonstrated a commitment to Israel’s security and to maintaining close U.S.-Israel cooperation. Common perceptions of shared democratic values and religious affinities have contributed to the strong …

Subjects: Congress, Defense, Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation

USA FREEDOM Act Reinstates Expired USA PATRIOT Act Provisions

CRS Legal Sidebar USA FREEDOM Act Reinstates Expired USA PATRIOT Act Provisions but Limits Bulk Collection 6/4/2015: “Following a contentious debate and passagein the Senate, the USA FREEDOM Act (H.R. 2048) was signed into law onJune 2, 2015. The new law contains eight titles, spanning a range of national security topics from reauthorizing expired investigative …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Defense, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Internet, Legal Research, Legislation, Patriot Act, Privacy

The Media’s Role in Lawmaking: A Case Study Analysis

The International Journal of Press/Politics 1–20 DOI: 10.1177/1940161215581924 – The Media’s Role in Lawmaking: A Case Study Analysis. Lotte Melenhorst, June 1, 2015. “Despite the ongoing debate about the role the media play in democracies, there is little empirical research on its role in lawmaking. Yet studies conducted at the micro- level can provide insight …

Subjects: Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Legislation, Social Media

US Legal System on Data Protection in the Field of Law Enforcement

The US Legal System on Data Protection in the Field of Law Enforcement. Safeguards, Rights and Remedies for EU Citizens 15-05-2015: “Upon request by the LIBE Committee, this study surveys the US legal system of data protection in the field of federal law enforcement. It reviews two principal sources of US data protection law, the …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Courts, E-Government, EU Data Protection, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Legislation, Privacy

NSA surveillance: how librarians have been on the front line to protect privacy

Dan Roberts – The Guardian UK – “In the hours before US senators voted to take on the might of the National Security Agency this week, their inboxes were deluged with more than 2,200 supportive emails from a most unlikely group of revolutionaries: America’s librarians. Their contribution to the passage of the USA Freedom Act …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, E-Government, E-Mail, E-Records, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Legislation, Libraries

Data Collection From Consumers Continues Without Transparency

National Journal – “Don’t be fooled: Congress may have finally passed the bill reining in the National Security Agency’s bulk-surveillance programs  [USA Freedom Act of 2015], but your data is still being collected on the Internet. Lost in the debate over the NSA is the fact that companies like Google and Facebook continue to vacuum …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, E-Commerce, E-Mail, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legislation, Privacy, Search Engines, Social Media

Congress.gov adds new features

Please see the full posting by Andrew Weber: “So far, 2015 has been a great year for Congress.gov.  First, we launched email alerts in February. Then, we added treaty documents and more in March.  With today’s update, improvements have been made to search (results, command line and advanced), alerts, browse, and accessibility. The Federalist Papers have …

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

Agencies Release Statement on Dodd-Frank Act Company-run Stress Tests at Medium-sized Financial Companies

“Federal banking agencies today reiterated the disclosure requirements for the annual stress tests conducted by financial institutions with total consolidated assets between $10 billion and $50 billion. These medium-sized companies are required to conduct annual, company-run stress tests–implementing a provision of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act–with the results disclosed to the …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System, Government Documents, Legislation

CRS – The Violence Against Women Act

The Violence Against Women Act: Overview, Legislation, and Federal Funding, Lisa N. Sacco, Analyst in Illicit Drugs and Crime Policy. May 26, 2015. “In February 2013, Congress passed legislation (Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013; P.L. 113-4) that reauthorized most of the programs under VAWA, among other things. The VAWA reauthorization also amended and …

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

Congressional Primer on Responding to Major Disasters and Emergencies

CRS – Congressional Primer on Responding to Major Disasters and Emergencies. Francis X. McCarthy, Analyst in Emergency Management Policy; Jared T. Brown, Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy. May 19, 2015. “The principles of disaster management assume a leadership role by the local, tribal, and state governments with the federal government providing coordinated …

Subjects: Climate Change, Congress, Economy, Environmental Law, Government Documents, Legislation