U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Current Conflicts, Barbara Salazar Torreon, Information Research Specialist, December 28, 2012 “Many wars or conflicts in U.S. history have federally designated periods of war, dates marking their beginning and ending. These dates are important for qualification for certain veterans pension or disability benefits. Confusion can occur because beginning… Continue Reading
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Monthly Archives: January 2013
CRS – Social Security: The Government Pension Offset
Social Security: The Government Pension Offset (GPO), Christine Scott, Specialist in Social Policy. January 8, 2013 “Social Security spousal benefits were established in the 1930s to help support wives who are financially dependent on their husbands. It has since become more common for both spouses in a couple to work, with the result that, in… Continue Reading
Monthly Budget Review – December 2012
“The federal budget deficit was $293 billion for the first three months of fiscal year 2013 (that is, October through December 2012), $29 billion less than the shortfall recorded in the first quarter of last fiscal year, CBO estimates. Without shifts in the timing of certain payments in both years, however, the deficit for the… Continue Reading
GPO Makes House Bills Available for Bulk Download in XML Format
“At the direction of the House Appropriations Committee, and in support of the task force on bulk data established by House report 112-511, the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) is making House bills in XML format available through GPOs Federal Digital System (FDsys) Bulk Data repository, beginning with the 113th Congress. The FDsys Bulk Data… Continue Reading
Protecting Consumers from Irresponsible Mortgage Lending
Fact Sheet: “When consumers apply for a mortgage, they often struggle to understand how much of a monthly payment they can afford to take on. They may assume that lenders and mortgage brokers will not make loans that people cannot afford. But in the years leading up to the financial crisis, lenders too often made… Continue Reading
Defining Homeland Security: Analysis and Congressional Considerations
CRS – Defining Homeland Security: Analysis and Congressional Considerations, Shawn Reese, Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy. January 8, 2013 “Varied homeland security definitions and missions may impede the development of a coherent national homeland security strategy, and may hamper the effectiveness of congressional oversight. Definitions and missions are part of strategy development.… Continue Reading
Tax Provisions in the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012
Tax Provisions in the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), Jim Nunns and Jeff Rohaly. January 9, 2013 “The fiscal cliff debate culminated in the passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA). ATRA makes permanent most of the tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003, permanently patches the alternative minimum tax,… Continue Reading
How Much of the Web Is Archived?
How Much of the Web Is Archived? Scott G. Ainsworth, Ahmed AlSum, Hany SalahEldeen, Michele C. Weigle, Michael L. Nelson, Jan 6, 2013. “Although the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine is the largest and most well-known web archive, there have been a number of public web archives that have emerged in the last several years. With… Continue Reading
Internet Users May Search, Pin, Tweet and Like – But Dont Know How Their Favorite Sites Turn a Profit
“The Search Agency, a global online marketing firm and the largest independent U.S. search marketing agency, today announced wave II results of its 2012 Online User Behavior and Engagement Study, conducted online by Harris Interactive among 2,006 U.S. online adults from August 14-16, 2012. In addition to other findings, the study shows that, while Americans… Continue Reading
US Forest Service report forecasts natural resource management trends and challenges for next 50 years
Future of Americas Forest and Rangelands: Forest Service 2010 Resources Planning Act Assessment, December 2012 “A comprehensive U.S. Forest Service report examines the ways expanding populations, increased urbanization, and changing land-use patterns could profoundly impact natural resources, including water supplies, nationwide during the next 50 years. Significantly, the study shows the potential for significant loss… Continue Reading
UK Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards publishes report
Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards, First Report of Session 201213, 19 December 2012 “The Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards is appointed by both Houses of Parliament to consider and report on professional standards and culture of the UK banking sector, taking account of regulatory and competition investigations into the LIBOR rate-setting process, lessons to be… Continue Reading
Coping with the Great Recession: Disparate Impacts on Economic Well-Being in Poor Neighborhoods
Coping with the Great Recession: Disparate Impacts on Economic Well-Being in Poor Neighborhoods, Robert I. Lerman and Sisi Zhang. January 7, 2013. “This study examines how residents of high- and low-poverty neighborhoods fared in terms of employment, wealth, and housing losses during the Great Recession, using the Panel Study of Income Dyanmics. While residents of… Continue Reading
