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Category Archives: Congress

Congress Considers Possible Responses to the Disappearance of a Saudi Journalist

EveryCRSReport.com – Congress Considers Possible Responses to the Disappearance of a Saudi Journalist October 18, 2018. IN10983. “Congress is considering potential responses to the disappearance and reported death of prominent Saudi Arabian journalist and former diplomatic advisor Jamal Khashoggi. Some members of Congress have requested additional information from the executive branch, raised the prospect of… Continue Reading

Are There Any Systemically Important Nonbanks?

EveryCRSreport.com – Are There Any Systemically Important Nonbanks?, October 17, 2018. IN10982. “During the 2008 financial crisis, problems at AIG, Bear Stearns, and Lehman Brothers led to broader financial instability or government “bailouts” in order to prevent instability. At the time, these firms were nonbank financial institutions and not generally subject to effective safety and… Continue Reading

Global Trends in Democracy: Background, U.S. Policy, and Issues for Congress

CRS Report via LC repository: Global Trends in Democracy: Background, U.S. Policy, and Issues for Congress. Michael A. Weber, Analyst in Foreign Affairs. Updated October 17, 2018. “Widespread concerns exist among analysts and policymakers over the current trajectory of democracy around the world. Congress has often played an important role in supporting and institutionalizing U.S. democracy… Continue Reading

Quickly Understand Complicated Ballot Initiatives in Your State Using This Site

lifehacker: “If the past few years have taught us as a nation nothing, it’s that we all should not only vote, but be informed about what we’re voting about. With all the information out there, figuring out what every item on the ballot means can be a daunting proposition. Vote Save America has created explainers… Continue Reading

Trump Administration Reform and Reorganization Plan: Discussion of 35 “Government-Wide” Proposals

Trump Administration Reform and Reorganization Plan: Discussion of 35 “Government-Wide” Proposals, CRS memorandum, July 25, 2018. “This memorandum provides a brief summary and some preliminary analysis of the Donald J. Trump Administration’s recent proposals to restructure and reform agencies, programs, and operations in the executive branch. Specifically, the memorandum covers the 32 proposals characterized by the… Continue Reading

After a year of MeToo, American opinion has shifted

The Economist – After a year of #MeToo, American opinion has shifted against victims – Survey respondents have become more sceptical about sexual harassment: “… #MeToo…resonated most on social media, as millions of women shared their experiences of abuse, intimidation and discrimination. In the past 12 months, the hashtag has been tweeted 18m times according… Continue Reading

Social Media Adoption by Members of Congress: Trends and Congressional Considerations

Social Media Adoption by Members of Congress: Trends and Congressional Considerations, Updated October 9, 2018. “Communication between Members of Congress and their constituents has changed with the development of online social networking services. Many Members now use email, official websites, blogs, YouTube channels, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms to communicate—technologies that were nonexistent… Continue Reading

What’s new to Congress.gov in October?

In Custodia Legis: “For this release the Congress.gov Enhancements include: Enhancement – Advanced Legislation Search – Committee selection pages list all names When you choose all Congresses on the Advanced Legislation Search, the committee selection pages show committee name changes. Enhancement – Search Results Navigation – Page through all amendments for a specific bill From the Amendments tab… Continue Reading

POLITICO seeking to identify and trace origins of political disinformation and debunk it

Politico.com: “The term “fake news” has become a cudgel for political leaders trying to discredit reporting, but disinformation – false content created explicitly to deceive or misinform – runs rampant online. Just last week, a study out of George Washington University found that a vast majority of Twitter accounts that spread disinformation in 2016 remained… Continue Reading

Interruptions at Supreme Court confirmation hearings have been rising since the 1980s

The Conversation: “Depending on who you ask, the American people saw very different things in the riveting testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. To some, Kavanaugh’s behavior was the self-indulgent temper tantrum of an angry and entitled man. To others, it was the understandable – even laudable – reaction… Continue Reading