CRS Legal Sidebar – Google v. Oracle: Supreme Court Rules for Google in Landmark Software Copyright Case, May 10, 2021: “On April 5, 2021,the Supreme Court issued its highly anticipated decision in Google LLC v. Oracle America Inc., the culmination of a decade-long software copyright dispute between the two tech giants. Resolving what observers have… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Congress
The Biden Administration’s Initial Presidential Directives in Context
CRS Insight. The Biden Administration’s Initial Presidential Directives in Context, Updated May 10, 2021: ” In its first 100 days,the Biden Administration issued a number of presidential directives that have drawn significant public attention for their speed and range of purposes. A review of the pace with which recent presidential Administrations issued executive orders shows… Continue Reading
Amazon blocks 10 billion—yes, billion—listings in massive counterfeit crackdown
AP via Fortune – “Amazon, which has been under pressure from shoppers, brands and lawmakers to crack down on counterfeits on its site, said [in its 2020 Brand Protection Report] Monday that it blocked more than 10 billion suspected phony listings last year before any of their offerings could be sold. The numbers were released… Continue Reading
Deep Fakes and National Security
CRS In Focus – Updated May 7, 2021 Deep Fakesand National Security – “Deep fakes”—a term that first emerged in 2017 to describe realistic photo, audio, video, and other forgeries generated with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies—could present a variety of national security challenges in the years to come. As these technologies continue to mature, they… Continue Reading
Science and Technology Issues in the 117th Congress
CRS Report – Science and Technology Issues in the 117th Congress. May 5, 2021: “The federal government supports scientific and technological advancement directly by funding and performing research and development, and indirectly by creating and maintaining policies that encourage private sector efforts. Additionally, the federal government regulates many aspects of S&T activities. This report briefly… Continue Reading
Social Security: Who Is Covered Under the Program?
CRS In Focus – Social Security: Who Is Covered Under the Program? May 6, 2021: “Social Security pays cash benefits to about 65 million people each month. In all cases, a Social Security beneficiary becomes eligible for benefits either by working in a job that is covered by Social Security (a covered worker), by having… Continue Reading
Assessing the social and emotional costs of mass shootings with Twitter data
Brookings Blog – Assessing the social and emotional costs of mass shootings with Twitter data, Mary Blankenship and Carol Graham. May 5, 2021. “Mass shootings that result in mass casualties are almost a weekly occasion in the United States, which—not coincidentally—also has the most guns per capita in the world. Viewed from outside the U.S.,… Continue Reading
AI.gov, home of the National AI Initiative
“Welcome to AI.gov, home of the National AI Initiative and connection point to ongoing activities to advance U.S. leadership in AI. The National AI Initiative Act of 2020 became law on January 1, 2021, providing for a coordinated program across the entire Federal government to accelerate AI research and application for the Nation’s economic prosperity… Continue Reading
New citation tool for Congress.gov users
In Custodia Legis – “Last month, Robert publicized the addition of historic materials to Congress.gov, including the bound Congressional Record going back to 1951 and the Statutes at Large back to 1973. This month, we are very happy to be introducing a citation tool for Congress.gov users. Over the years, many of our patrons have… Continue Reading
Afghanistan: Background and U.S. Policy: In Brief
CRS – Afghanistan: Background and U.S. Policy:In Brief Updated March 25, 2021: “Afghanistan emerged as a significant U.S. foreign policy concern in 2001, when the United States, in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, led a military campaign against Al Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban government that harbored and supported it. In… Continue Reading
U.S. Case Law Research
Library of Congress video with transcript: “This webinar provides an overview of U.S. case law research, including information about the U.S. federal court system, the publication of court opinions, methods for researching case law, and information about locating records and briefs.” Continue Reading
Two Memos With Enormous Constitutional Consequences
The Atlantic – “What’s astonishing is that presidential criminal immunity has no grounding in actual law. It’s not in the Constitution or any federal statute, regulation, or judicial decision. It is not law at all.” “One conclusion is apparent following Donald Trump’s four years in office: A sitting president is perhaps the only American who… Continue Reading
