Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002

Daily Archives: September 13, 2012

Federal Reserve issues Federal Open Market Committee statement

“The Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Open Market Committee on Thursday released the attached table and charts [Projections materials] summarizing the economic projections and the target federal funds rate projections made by Federal Reserve Board members and Federal Reserve Bank presidents for the September 12-13 meeting of the Committee. The table will be incorporated into a summary of economic projections released with the minutes of the September 12-13 meeting. Summaries of economic projections are released on a quarterly schedule.”

  • “To support a stronger economic recovery and to help ensure that inflation, over time, is at the rate most consistent with its dual mandate, the Committee agreed today to increase policy accommodation by purchasing additional agency mortgage-backed securities at a pace of $40 billion per month. The Committee also will continue through the end of the year its program to extend the average maturity of its holdings of securities as announced in June, and it is maintaining its existing policy of reinvesting principal payments from its holdings of agency debt and agency mortgage-backed securities in agency mortgage-backed securities. These actions, which together will increase the Committee’s holdings of longer-term securities by about $85 billion each month through the end of the year, should put downward pressure on longer-term interest rates, support mortgage markets, and help to make broader financial conditions more accommodative.”
  • Related postings on the financial system
  • CRS – Overview of the Federal Procurement Process and Resources

    CRS – Overview of the Federal Procurement Process and Resources – L. Elaine Halchin, Specialist in American National Government, September 11, 2012 “In the basic federal procurement process, acquisition personnel, after determining their agency’s requirements (that is, the goods and services the agency needs), post a solicitation on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website. Interested… Continue Reading

    Global Access to Clean Drinking Water and Sanitation: U.S. and International Programs

    CRS – Global Access to Clean Drinking Water and Sanitation: U.S. and International Programs, Tiaji Salaam-Blyther, Specialist in Global Health – September 10, 2012 “According to a 2012 report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), roughly 780 million people around the world lack access to clean drinking… Continue Reading

    Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2011

    News release includes links to data: “The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that in 2011, median household income declined, the poverty rate was not statistically different from the previous year and the percentage of people without health insurance coverage decreased. Real median household income in the United States in 2011 was $50,054, a 1.5 percent… Continue Reading

    Older Americans 2012: Key Indicators of Well-Being

    “Today’s older Americans enjoy longer lives and better physical function than did previous generations, although, for some, an increased burden in housing costs and rising obesity may compromise these gains, according to a comprehensive federal look at aging. The report, Older Americans 2012: Key Indicators of Well-Being, tracks trends at regular intervals to see how… Continue Reading

    Prevalence of Cholesterol Screening and High Blood Cholesterol Among Adults – U.S. 2005, 2007, and 2009

    Prevalence of Cholesterol Screening and High Blood Cholesterol Among Adults — United States, 2005, 2007, and 2009. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), September 7, 2012 / 61(35);697-702 “High blood cholesterol is a leading risk factor in the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease (CHD) (1,2). The risks associated with high blood cholesterol can… Continue Reading

    CRS – TARP Assistance for Chrysler: Restructuring and Repayment Issues

    TARP Assistance for Chrysler: Restructuring and Repayment Issues, Baird Webel, Specialist in Financial Economics – Bill Canis, Specialist in Industrial Organization and Business, September 7, 2012 “The recent recession and accompanying credit crisis posed severe challenges for all automakers, but especially for General Motors and Chrysler. Executives of both companies testified before congressional committees in… Continue Reading

    America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2012

    “The infant mortality rate, the preterm birth rate, and the adolescent birth rate all continued to decline, average mathematics scores increased for 4th and 8th grade students, the violent crime victimization rate among youth fell, as did the percentage of young children living in a home where someone smoked, according to the federal government’s annual… Continue Reading

    Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Acquisition: Issues for Congress

    CRS – Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Acquisition: Issues for Congress, September 10, 2012 “Increasing calls for intelligence support and continuing innovations in intelligence technologies combine to create significant challenges for both the executive and legislative branches. Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems are integral components of both national policymaking and military operations, including counterterrorism… Continue Reading