New York Times: Jobless Checks for Millions Delayed as States Struggle – “Years of state and federal neglect have hobbled the nations unemployment system just as a brutal recession has doubled the number of jobless Americans seeking aid. In a program that values timeliness above all else, decisions involving more than a million applicants have… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: July 2009
DHS OIG – FEMA Response to Formaldehyde in Trailers
FEMA Responses to Formaldehyde in Trailers (OIG-09-83), (Redacted), June 2009 “Nearly one-third of the trailers provided to victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita were eventually projected to have significant potential formaldehyde problems. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials, in our opinion, did not take sufficiently prompt and effective action to determine the extent of the… Continue Reading
Human Rights Watch: Disabilities Convention Will Be First Human Rights Treaty Signed by US in Nearly a Decade
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which President Obama ….announce[d] that the US will sign, will be the first international human rights treaty signed by the United States in nearly a decade, Human Rights Watch said… “This treaty was created to make sure that people with disabilities have the same opportunities… Continue Reading
Twitter 101 for Business – A Special Guide
Twitter 101 for Business: “Every day, millions of people use Twitter to create, discover and share ideas with others. Now, people are turning to Twitter as an effective way to reach out to businesses, too. From local stores to big brands, and from brick-and-mortar to internet-based or service sector, people are finding great value in… Continue Reading
Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) Program Final Rule Released
“NHTSA has released the final rule for the Car Allowance Rebate System, the $1 billion Federal program that will help consumers purchase a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle when they trade in a less fuel-efficient vehicle. Consumers could receive a $3,500 or $4,500 discount from the car dealer when they trade in their old vehicle and… Continue Reading
FCC Releases Data on Local Telephone Competition
News release: “The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today released new data on local telephone service competition in the United States. Twice a year, all incumbent local exchange carriers (incumbent LECs) and competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) are required to report basic information about their local telephone service, and all facilities-based mobile telephony providers are required… Continue Reading
CBO: Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009
Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009: “H.R. 3221 would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965, which authorizes most federal postsecondary education programs. It would prohibit new federally guaranteed loans from being made under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program and would increase direct spending for the Federal Pell Grant Program and… Continue Reading
CBO: Approaches for Giving the President Broad Authority to Change Medicare
Approaches for Giving the President Broad Authority to Change Medicare – July 25, 2009. Letter to the Honorable Steny H. Hoyer. “Expanding the authority of the President to effect change in the Medicare program might lead to significant long-term savings in federal spending on health care. The available evidence implies that a substantial share of… Continue Reading
Pew Survey: Few See U.S. Health Care as Best in the World
“Most Americans rate the nation’s health care as no better than average when compared with health care in other industrialized countries. Just 15% say health care in this country is the “best in the world,” while 23% rate it as “above average”; about six-in-ten (59%) view U.S. health care as either “average” (32%) or “below… Continue Reading
Mandatory Minimums: A Statistical Overview
Overview of Statutory Mandatory Minimum Sentencing: “The Commission has identified at least 171 individual mandatory minimum provisions currently in the federal criminal statutes. In the Commissions fiscal year 2008 datafile, there were 31,239 counts of conviction that carried a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment.3 Because an offender may be sentenced for multiple counts of conviction… Continue Reading
FCC Report to Congress On State Collection and Distribution of 911 and Enhanced 911 Fees and Charges
FCC Report to Congress On State Collection and Distribution of 911 and Enhanced 911 Fees and Charges: “This report is submitted by the Chairman, Federal Communications Commission pursuant to the New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008 (NET 911 Act). This report, which was prepared by Commission staff, is the first annual report… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports: Combating Gangs, Electronic Records Archive, Federal-Aid Highways, Juvenile Justice
Combating Gangs: Better Coordination and Performance Measurement Would Help Clarify Roles of Federal Agencies and Strengthen Assessment of Effort, GAO-09-708, July 24, 2009 Electronic Records Archive: The National Archives and Records Administration’s Fiscal Year 2009 Expenditure Plan, GAO-09-733, July 24, 2009 Federal-Aid Highways: FHWA Has Improved Its Risk Management Approach, but Needs to Improve Its… Continue Reading
