Secrecy News Blog: “The Congressional Research Service once played a prominent role in supporting oversight by congressional committees. Although that support has diminished sharply in recent years, it could conceivably be restored in a new Congress, writes former CRS analyst Kevin R. Kosar in a new paper. In the past, CRS “closely assisted Congress in… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Congress
Rand – Evolution of the U.S. Overdose Crisis
Understanding China’s Role in the Production and Supply of Synthetic Opioids by Bryce Pardo: Testimony presented before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations on September 6, 2018. [h/t Mary Whisner] “The introduction of illicitly manufactured synthetic opioids to U.S. drug markets presents new challenges for contemporary… Continue Reading
Making advocacy accessible – 5 Calls make it effortless for regular people to have a voice when it’s needed most
“Calling members of Congress is the most effective way to have your voice heard. Calls are tallied by staffers and the count is given to your representatives, informing them how strongly their constituents feel about a current issue. The sooner you reach out, the more likely it is that your voice will influence their position….5… Continue Reading
After Equifax’s mega-breach, nothing changed
Axios: The Equifax data breach was supposed to change everything about cybersecurity regulation on Capitol Hill. One year later, it’s not clear it changed much of anything. “Why it matters: A year ago Friday, Equifax — one of the major credit reporting agencies — announced that 145.5 million U.S. adults had their social security numbers… Continue Reading
Facebook, Twitter Execs Admit Failures, Warn of ‘Overwhelming’ Threat to Elections
Gizmodo: “Openly recognizing their companies’ past failures in rare displays of modesty, Facebook and Twitter executives touted new efforts to combat state-sponsored propaganda across their platforms before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, acknowledging that the task is often “overwhelming” and proving a massive drain on their resources. Despite frequent and contradictory remarks by President… Continue Reading
GPO issues digital version of official directory of 115th Congress
“The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) makes available the authentic, digital version of the official directory of the 115th Congress. Mandated by Title 44 of the U.S. Code, the Congressional Directory is prepared by GPO under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing (JCP). More than just a guide to Members, committees, and officials… Continue Reading
Yale Climate Opinion Maps 2018
The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication released their 2018 Climate Opinion Maps last month (August 2018). Users may create queries that will deliver results specific to “how Americans’ climate change beliefs, risk perceptions, and policy support vary at the state, congressional district, metro area, and county levels.” “…Public opinion estimates are produced using a… Continue Reading
Trump issues Order to Cut Federal Government Employee Pay Raises and Locality Pay
Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate Issued on: August 30, 2018: “I am transmitting an alternative plan for pay adjustments for civilian Federal employees covered by the General Schedule and certain other pay systems in January 2019. Title 5, United… Continue Reading
Tech Industry Pursues a Federal Privacy Law, on Its Own Terms
The New York Times: “In recent months, apparently, Facebook, Google, IBM, Microsoft and others have aggressively lobbied officials in the Trump administration and elsewhere to start outlining a federal privacy law. The law would have a dual purpose, they said: It would overrule the California law and instead put into place a kinder set of… Continue Reading
GPO – A Tribute to Senator John McCain
Govinfo: “After being held as a POW for 5 ½ years in North Vietnam, Lieut. Commander McCain was released on May 14, 1973. Nine years later in 1982 he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona. In 1986 he was elected to the United States Senate. Throughout his tenure in Congress, he… Continue Reading
CRS – Election Security: Issues in the 2018 Midterm Elections
Election Security: Issues in the 2018 Midterm Elections August 16, 2018 IN10955 In the wake of assessments about foreign interference in the 2016 presidential election, concerns have been mounting about the security of the 2018 midterm elections. Security efforts are complicated by the complex, multidimensional election life cycle, with each dimension involving a broad array… Continue Reading
CRS – Gun Control: 3D-Printed AR-15 Lower Receivers
Gun Control: 3D-Printed AR-15 Lower Receivers August 22, 2018. IN10957 “The possibility that criminals could use three dimensional-printing (3D-printing) technology to produce “untraceable” firearms, including AR-15s, is an issue of growing concern for some lawmakers. It overlaps in part with the issue of 3D-printed “undetectable” firearms discussed in a previous Insight (CRS Insight IN10953, Gun… Continue Reading
