AP: “All the bill needed to become law was President Donald Trump’s signature. It would create a national archive of documents from civil rights cold cases. Students had been working on the project for years, families waiting on it for decades. But time was running out. Legislation dies in the transition from one session of… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Congress
Convergence of scientific reports and public opinion begins on climate warming
Axios: “Dire scientific reports and extreme weather events are combining to force a make-or-break season for confronting global warming. The rare convergence includes extreme weather events nationwide, and shifting public views fueling support for stronger policies. Why it matters: The actions we take in the next 10 to 20 years could be crucial to determining… Continue Reading
Whistleblowers Raise Grave Concerns with Trump Administration’s Efforts to Transfer Sensitive Nuclear Technology to Saudi Arabia
Whistleblowers Raise Grave Concerns with Trump Administration’s Efforts to Transfer Sensitive Nuclear Technology to Saudi Arabia. Prepared for Chairman Elijah E. Cummings Interim Staff Report Committee on Oversight and Reform U.S. House of Representatives. February 2019. “This interim staff report was prepared for Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and… Continue Reading
Internet Privacy – Additional Federal Authority Could Enhance Consumer Protection and Provide Flexibility
Internet Privacy: Additional Federal Authority Could Enhance Consumer Protection and Provide Flexibility GAO-19-52: Published: Jan 15, 2019. Publicly Released: Feb 13, 2019. “In April 2018, Facebook said that up to 87 million users’ personal data may have been improperly disclosed. This was one of many recent Internet privacy incidents. We found that there is no… Continue Reading
AALL Calls on Congress to Improve Access to Electronic Records of Federal Court System
“The American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) is advocating for the passage of the Electronic Court Records Reform Act, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives today by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Congressman Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), chair of the Congressional Transparency Caucus. This legislation would, for the first time, allow… Continue Reading
Weather Service prepares to launch prediction model many forecasters don’t trust
The Washington Post: “In a month, the National Weather Service plans to launch its “next generation” weather prediction model with the aim of “better, more timely forecasts.” But many meteorologists familiar with the model fear it is unreliable. The introduction of a model that forecasters lack confidence in matters, considering the enormous impact that weather… Continue Reading
Congress.gov New, Tip, and Top for February 2019
In Custodia Legis – “In January, Robert announced the first version of the new Committee Schedule that we have been working on. It is a great way to see quickly which meetings and hearings the House and Senate committees have scheduled for the week…” Continue Reading
Senate passed biggest public lands package in a decade – it is not all positive
The Washington Post – “The Senate on Tuesday passed the most sweeping conservation legislation in a decade, protecting millions of acres of land and hundreds of miles of wild rivers across the country and establishing four new national monuments honoring heroes including Civil War soldiers and a civil rights icon. The 662-page measure [S.47, Natural… Continue Reading
A New Americanism Why a Nation Needs a National Story
Foreign Affairs – Jill Lepore: “…The United States is different from other nations—every nation is different from every other—and its nationalism is different, too. To review: a nation is a people with common origins, and a state is a political community governed by laws. A nation-state is a political community governed by laws that unites… Continue Reading
For 230 years in the US presidential leadership has been male
The New York Times – ‘A Woman, Just Not That Woman’: How Sexism Plays Out on the Trail – “Women are conscious that small elements of how they present themselves are subject to scrutiny. Representative Madeleine Dean — one of four Democratic women elected to the House last year from Pennsylvania, whose congressional delegation was… Continue Reading
What’s in the Natural Resources Management Act
Outside Magazine – The crucial public lands legislation just might pass the Senate. Here’s what you can do to help—and why you should care. “The Senate will vote on the bi-partisan Natural Resources Management Act next week. It looks like it actually stands a chance of passing, in which case it will go to the House of… Continue Reading
Bribery, Kickbacks, and Self-Dealing: An Overview of Honest Services Fraud and Issues for Congress
CRS report via FAS – Bribery, Kickbacks, and Self-Dealing: An Overview of Honest Services Fraud and Issues for Congress, January 30. 2019. “As the trials of Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos illustrate, corruption among high-profile public officials continues to be a concern in the United States. Likewise, recent examples abound of powerful executives in the… Continue Reading
