2008 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary: “The Judiciary, including the Supreme Court, other federal courts, the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, and the Federal Judicial Center, received a total appropriation in fiscal year 2008 of $6.2 billion. That represents a mere two-tenths of 1% of the United States total $3 trillion budget. Two-tenths of 1%! That is all we ask for one of the three branches of governmentthe one charged to guard the Constitution and the rights of individuals. Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 78.”
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Monthly Archives: December 2008
Earth and Space Security: Progress and Challenges Ahead
“The Secure World Foundation (SWF) spotlights progress in 2008 on several fronts: The work underway by the Association of Space Explorers, which has flagged the danger to the planet from incoming asteroids, organizing a series of workshops to identify possible institutional mechanisms for dealing with this problem. In 2008 they presented their findings to numerous… Continue Reading
Treasury Releases Responses to Congressional Oversight Panel
News release: “The Treasury Department today released responses to questions posed in the Congressional Oversight Panel’s first report on implementation of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act.” Responses to Questions of the First Report of the Congressional Oversight Panel for Economic Stabilization, Department of the Treasury, December 30, 2008: “The Nation has been experiencing an unprecedented… Continue Reading
New York Fed accepts $28.75 billion through Term Securities Lending Facility
“The Term Securities Lending Facility is a 28-day lending facility that offers Treasury general collateral to the Federal Reserve Bank of New Yorks primary dealers in exchange for other program-eligible collateral. It is intended to promote liquidity in the financing markets for Treasury and other collateral and thus foster the functioning of financial markets more… Continue Reading
Mine Safety and Health Administration Publishes Final Mine Rule on Refuge Alternatives
News release: “The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) [published] a final rule….in the Federal Register that requires operators of underground coal mines to provide refuge alternatives to protect miners when a life-threatening event occurs that makes escape impossible. The rule is based on agency data and experience, recommendations from the… Continue Reading
FEMA Launches DisasterAssistance.gov
“DisasterAssistance.gov is an easy to use website that consolidates disaster information in one place. Currently, 17 U.S. Government agencies, which sponsor more than 40 forms of disaster assistance, contribute to the website. You can apply for many forms of assistance with a single, online application. Your application information is shared only with those agencies that… Continue Reading
Council on Foreign Relations: Healthcare Costs and U.S. Competitiveness
Backgrounder – Healthcare Costs and U.S. Competitiveness, Lee Hudson Teslik, Associate Editor, Toni Johnson, Staff Writer, December 30, 2008 “Factoring in costs borne by government, the private sector, and individuals, the United States spends over $1.9 trillion annually on healthcare expenses, more than any other industrialized country. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical School estimate the… Continue Reading
Federal Reserve announces details of program to purchase mortgage-backed securities
News release: “The Federal Reserve on Tuesday announced that it expects to begin operations in early January under the previously announced program to purchase mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and that it has selected private investment managers to act as its agents in implementing the program. Under the MBS purchase program, the Federal Reserve will purchase MBS… Continue Reading
Congressionally-Mandated Study Says Improve, Do Not Suspend, Fair Value Accounting Standards
News release: “The Securities and Exchange Commission today delivered a report to Congress mandated by the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 that recommends against the suspension of fair value accounting standards. Rather, the 211-page report by the SEC’s Office of the Chief Accountant and Division of Corporation Finance recommends improvements to existing practice, including… Continue Reading
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index Falls to a New All-Time Low in December
News release: “The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had increased moderately in November, declined to a new all-time low in December. The Index now stands at 38.0 (1985=100), down from 44.7 in November. The Present Situation Index plummeted to 29.4 from 42.3 last month. The Expectations Index decreased to 43.8 from 46.2 in November.”… Continue Reading
Brady Campaign Files Suit Asking Court to Strike Down Bush Administration Change to Guns in Parks Rule
News release: “The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence today filed suit in federal court asking that the court strike down a last-minute Bush Administration rule change allowing concealed, loaded firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and seeks an injunction… Continue Reading
Home Price Declines Worsen As We Enter the Fourth Quarter of 2008 According to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices
News release: “Data through October 2008, released today by Standard & Poors for its S&P/Case-Shiller1 Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, shows continued broad based declines in the prices of existing single family homes across the United States, with 14 of the 20 metro areas showing record rates of annual decline… Continue Reading
