News release: “The U.S. Department of Energy released a new report which assesses how America’s critical energy and electricity infrastructure is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Historically high temperatures in recent years have been accompanied by droughts and extreme heat waves, more wildfires than usual, and several intense storms that caused power and… Continue Reading
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Monthly Archives: July 2013
New GAO Reports – Compacts of Free Association, NOAA, Transit Asset Management
Compacts of Free Association, Guidelines Needed to Support Reliable Estimates of Cost Impacts of Growing Migration, GAO-13-773T, Jul 11, 2013 Compacts of Free Association Initial Response to Post-Storm Assessment Requirements, GAO-13-559R, Jul 11, 2013 Transit Asset Management, Additional Research on Capital Investment Effects Could Help Transit Agencies Optimize Funding, GAO-13-571, Jul 11, 2013 Continue Reading
LA Times Editorial – Privacy and the FISA court
“Though most Americans have little idea what it does, the FISA court is extremely influential. Thanks to a leak by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, we now know that it was the FISA court that decided, in a secret opinion, that the telephone records of millions of Americans could be acquired and stored… Continue Reading
The Economics of Student Debt
The Economics of Student Debt, Hamilton Place Strategies, July 2013. “As Congress returns from the Fourth of July recess, one of the first pieces of unfinished business it hopes to address is the rising interest rate on federal student loans. Specifically, the interest rate for newly originated subsidized Stafford Loans loans provided interest free until six… Continue Reading
2013 Wharton Private Equity Review: Navigating the ‘New Normal
“Some $200 billion of new capital went to private equity (PE) and venture capital management partnerships globally in 2012. For the first time, 20% of that total — some $40 billion — went to fund managers in emerging market countries. Surprisingly, of that amount, only $15 billion went to the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and… Continue Reading
The Economic Benefits of Fixing Our Broken Immigration System
The Economic Benefits of Fixing Our Broken Immigration System – Executive Office of the President, July 2013: “The Senate’s Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744) represents the best chance that our country has had in years to modernize our immigration system. The President urges the House of Representatives to take action… Continue Reading
Major Study Finds That Overall Population Health in U.S. Has Improved
“In a major study that includes data on the status of population health from 34 countries from 1990-2010, overall population health improved in the U.S. during this period, including an increase in life expectancy; however, illness and chronic disability now account for nearly half of the health burden and improvements in the U.S. have not… Continue Reading
Minutes of June 18-19 Federal Open Market Committee meeting
“The Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Open Market Committee on Wednesday released the attached minutes of the Committee meeting held on June 18-19, 2013. A summary of economic projections made by Federal Reserve Board members and Reserve Bank presidents for the meeting is also included as an addendum to these minutes. The minutes for… Continue Reading
Agencies Issue Proposed Rule to Exempt Subset of Higher-Priced Mortgage Loans from Appraisal Requirements
News release: “Six federal financial regulatory agencies today issued a proposed rule that would create exemptions from certain appraisal requirements for a subset of higher-priced mortgage loans. The proposed exemptions are intended to save borrowers time and money and to promote the safety and soundness of creditors. The appraisal requirements for higher-priced mortgages were imposed… Continue Reading
EPIC Speaks to Oversight Board, Former Judge Questions FISC
“EPIC, in a prepared statement, addressed the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board regarding NSA surveillance under the Patriot Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act at day long workshop. Retired Judge James Robertson, who served on the FISA Court, told the panel that he was “stunned” by the news that the government was collecting… Continue Reading
DOJ Statement on U.S. District Court Ruling That Apple Violated Antitrust Laws
“Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer in charge of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division made the following statement today after the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York found that Apple Inc. violated Section 1 of the Sherman Act by conspiring to raise e-book prices and end e-book retailers’ freedom to compete… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports – Elder Justice, Federal Employees’ Compensation Act, Financial and Performance Management, Counterfeit and Pirated Goods in U.S. Economy
Elder Justice More Federal Coordination and Public Awareness Needed, GAO-13-498, Jul 10, 2013 Federal Employees’ Compensation Act Analysis of Benefits Under Proposed Program Changes, GAO-13-730T, Jul 10, 2013 Financial and Performance Management More Reliable and Complete Information Needed to Address Federal Management and Fiscal Challenges, GAO-13-752T, Jul 10, 2013 Medicare Outpatient Therapy Implementation of the… Continue Reading
