“U.S. home prices posted record declines in the fourth quarter of 2008 according to the Federal Housing Finance Agencys House Price Index (HPI). The FHFA seasonally-adjusted purchase-only house price index, based on data from home sales, was 3.4 percent lower on a seasonally-adjusted basis in the fourth quarter than in the third quarter. This decline… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: February 2009
CBO: Estimated Impact on the Deficit of Three Alternative Policy Scenarios Specified by Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Spratt
Estimated Impact on the Deficit of Three Alternative Policy Scenarios Specified by Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Spratt, February 23, 2009 – Letter to the Honorable Nancy Pelosi and the Honorable John M. Spratt Jr.: “CBO projects a deficit of $1.2 trillion for fiscal year 2009 and a cumulative deficit of $3.1 trillion between 2010 and… Continue Reading
Federal Reserve Board Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress
Chairman Ben S. Bernanke, Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress, Before the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C., February 24, 2009 “As you are aware, the U.S. economy is undergoing a severe contraction. Employment has fallen steeply since last autumn, and the unemployment rate has moved up to 7.6… Continue Reading
CNN Economy Tracker
Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data, this graphical Economy Tracker chart indicates by state, rates of unemployment, jobs by industry, and foreclosures. The information range is January 2007 to present. Continue Reading
President's Address to Congress
Remarks of President Barack Obama As Prepared for Delivery Address to Joint Session of Congress, Tuesday, February 24th, 2009 Continue Reading
National Health Expenditure Projections 2008-2018
HHS – Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: National Health Expenditure Projections 2008-2018 “Forecast Summary: Growth in national health expenditures (NHE) in the United States is projected to be 6.1 percent in 2008. National health spending is expected to increase from $2.2 billion in 2007 to $2.4 billion in 2008. Average annual NHE growth is… Continue Reading
NRC Issues Guidance On New Reactor Construction
“The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has published updated descriptions of the types of new reactor construction activity that require prior agency approval. The NRCs interim staff guidance covers the activities that companies can request in applications for Limited Work Authorizations and Combined Licenses under the agencys new reactor licensing process. The guidance, including specific examples of… Continue Reading
Brookings: The Economic Crisis and the Fiscal Crisis: 2009 and Beyond
The Economic Crisis and the Fiscal Crisis: 2009 and Beyond, Alan J. Auerbach William G. Gale, University of California, Berkeley, Brookings Institution, February 19, 2009 “This paper discusses the impact of recent tumultuous economic events and policy interventions on the Federal fiscal picture for the immediate future and for the longer run. In 2009, the… Continue Reading
DOD Releases Report Reviewing Guantánamo Detainee Conditions of Confinement
Follow up to Backgrounder, Database and Executive Order: Closing Guantanamo, the Department of Defense released a Review of Department Compliance With President’s Executive Order on Detainee Condition of Confinement: “After considerable deliberation and a comprehensive review, it is our judgment that the conditions of confinement in Guantánamo are in conformity with Common Article 3 of… Continue Reading
Report: Data Loss Risks During Downsizing
Data Loss Risks During Downsizing As Employees Exit, so does Corporate Data, February 23, 2009 “Sponsored by Symantec, Ponemon Institute independently conducted this national study…to understand what employees are doing with the data on the laptops their employers provided them. According to our findings, 59% of employees who leave or are asked to leave are… Continue Reading
DOJ: A Guide to Enhancing the Grant Oversight Processes and Identifying Best Practices for Combating Grant Fraud
“Based on input from members of the Grant Fraud Committee, this White Paper discusses recommendations for agencies to consider in preventing and detecting fraud, waste, and abuse in grants they administer. These recommendations include enhanced certifications, increased training, improved communications with grant recipients, increased information sharing concerning potential fraud, and rigorous oversight of how grant… Continue Reading
FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act
Press Release: “Today Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, introduced a $410 billion bill to wrap up work on the fiscal year 2009 appropriations bills. Last year, President Bush refused to work with Congress to come up with compromise to finish these nine bills, instead insisting on unacceptable cuts to energy… Continue Reading
