News release: “The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency released today its 14th annual Survey of Credit Underwriting Practices and reported that commercial and retail underwriting standards tightened after four consecutive years of eased underwriting standards. The 2008 survey included examiner observations and assessments of credit underwriting standards at the largest national banks. The… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: June 2008
A Preliminary Analysis of the 2008 Presidential Candidates' Tax Plans
A Preliminary Analysis of the 2008 Presidential Candidates’ Tax Plans, The Tax Policy Center, June 11, 2008. “Tax and fiscal policy will loom large in the next president’s domestic policy agenda. Nearly all of the tax cuts enacted since 2001 expire at the end of 2010 and the individual alternative minimum tax (AMT) threatens to… Continue Reading
HHS OIG OIG Reports More Than $2 Billion in Recoveries From Fighting Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
News release: OIG Reports More Than $2 Billion in Recoveries From Fighting Fraud, Waste, and Abuse for First-Half FY 2008 the full Semiannual Report Continue Reading
Report of the Secretary-General on children and armed
Report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in Somalia, May 2008. “Covering the period from 16 March 2007 to 15 March 2008, [the] report stresses that the level of grave violations against children in Somalia has been increasing over the past year, particularly with regard to the recruitment and use of children in… Continue Reading
Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions by the Federal Reserve
The Beige Book, June 11, 2008: “Reports from the Federal Reserve Districts suggest that economic activity remained generally weak in late April and May. Three Districts described economic activity as softer, weaker, or lower, with an additional four Districts reporting slower, sluggish, or modest economic growth. The remaining five Districts of Philadelphia, Cleveland, Atlanta, St.… Continue Reading
SEC Proposes Comprehensive Reforms to Bring Increased Transparency to Credit Rating Process
News release: “The Securities and Exchange Commission today voted to formally propose a comprehensive series of credit rating agency reforms to bring increased transparency to the ratings process and curb practices that contributed to recent turmoil in the credit markets. The first part of the Commission’s rule proposal would: Prohibit a credit rating agency from… Continue Reading
Crime Victims' Rights Act Key Provisions Explained
The Crime Victims Rights Act of 2004 and the Federal Courts, Jefri Wood Federal Judicial Center, June 2, 2008. “A newly published paper available on the Federal Judicial Center’s web site provides an overview of key provisions of the Crime Victims’ Rights Act.” Continue Reading
National Intelligence Estimate – Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities
National Intelligence Estimate – Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities, November 2007 – released June 11, 2008: “This National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) assesses the status of Irans nuclear program, and the programs outlook over the next 10 years. This time frame is more appropriate for estimating capabilities than intentions and foreign reactions, which are more difficult… Continue Reading
EPA: Green Buildings On the Rise
News release: “Green building continues to gain momentum as it demonstrates numerous opportunities to improve the impacts of buildings on the environment and health. To acknowledge this growing trend and EPA’s expanded role in it, EPA has released a new video on green buildings in its Green Scene series. The video features Dr. Bill Sanders,… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports: FAA, National Response Framework, DHS's Preparedness for Catastrophic Disasters
Federal Aviation Administration: Efforts to Hire, Staff, and Train Air Traffic Controllers Are Generally on Track, but Challenges Remain, GAO-08-908T, June 11, 2008 National Response Framework: FEMA Needs Policies and Procedures to Better Integrate Non-Federal Stakeholders in the Revision Process, GAO-08-768, June 11, 2008 Emergency Management: Observations on DHS’s Preparedness for Catastrophic Disasters, GAO-08-868T, June… Continue Reading
Intelligence Community Legal Reference Book
Office of the Director of National Intelligence: Intelligence Community Legal Reference Book, (Published Fall 2007 – 688 pages, PDF, declassified), released June 11, 2008. Continue Reading
Report on the "Surveillance Society" by the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee
UK House of Commons, Home Affairs Committee, A Surveillance Society? Fifth Report of Session 200708 Volume I Report, together with formal minutes Ordered by The House of Commons to be printed 20 May 2008. House of Commons Home Affairs Committee – A Surveillance Society? Fifth Report of Session 200708, Volume II, Oral and written evidence,… Continue Reading
