CRS report via LC – Resources for Tracking Federal COVID-19 Spending, Updated January 6, 2021 – “Congress has responded to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with supplemental appropriations measures providing relief and assistance to individuals and families, state and local governments, businesses, health care providers, and other entities. For more information, see CRS Report R46474,… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Congress
We’re botching the vaccine rollout. Here’s how to get it back on track
Fast Company – “…To fix the problem, several things need to change. The Biden administration can help by giving clear guidance to states about how many vaccines they’re getting and how long they can be stored, providing training materials for staff, and setting targets for vaccinating a certain number of people by a certain date,… Continue Reading
Pew – 20 striking findings from 2020
“The global coronavirus pandemic upended life in the United States and around the world in 2020, disrupting how people work, go to school, attend religious services, socialize with friends and family, and much more. But the pandemic wasn’t the only event that shaped the year. The videotaped killing of George Floyd by police officers in… Continue Reading
Road Map for Improvements: GAO’s Transition Webpage Flags Ways to Improve Government, Save Money
“The 117th Congress and the incoming Presidential administration will be taking office in a time that presents significant challenges to the government. Today the U.S. Government Accountability Office launched a new webpage dedicated to informing incoming lawmakers and administration officials about major challenges facing the federal government, as well as possible solutions. This Presidential and… Continue Reading
CRS – Russian Cyber Units
CRS In Focus – Russian Cyber Units, January 4, 2021: “Russia has deployed sophisticated cyber capabilities to conduct disinformation, propaganda, espionage, and destructive cyberattacks globally. To conduct these operations, Russia maintains numerous units overseen by itsvarious security and intelligence agencies. Russia’s security agencies compete with each other and often conduct similar operations on the same… Continue Reading
What to expect when Congress meets to confirm Joe Biden’s win
Washington Post video – “When Congress convenes on Jan. 6 to certify the electoral college vote, President Trump’s allies will mount a final challenge to Joe Biden’s win. But history shows it’s destined to fail, as Capitol Hill reporter Rhonda Colvin explains. Related: How Trump allies in Congress will launch one more challenge to Biden’s… Continue Reading
Facts won’t fix this: experts on how to fight America’s disinformation crisis
The Guardian – “Trump’s false claims about the election and coronavirus are taking a dangerous toll. Can the divide be healed? At the beginning of 2021, millions of Americans appear to disagree about one of the most basic facts of their democracy: that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election. The consequences of Donald Trump’s… Continue Reading
COVID-19 in Congress
GovTrack – We’re tracking the impact of COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, on the operations of Congress. Below you’ll find information on: 108 Members of Congress who are or have been quarantined, tested positive for COVID-19, or came in contact with someone with COVID-19 Proxy voting in the House Quarantined and Sick… Continue Reading
What is “Section 230,” and why do many lawmakers want to repeal it?
CBS News: “Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act helped create the modern internet. Now the regulation is at the center of a high-stakes political battle that could reshape how we use social media, mobile apps and the open web. President Donald Trump and some Republicans in Congress have pushed to repeal the law, while… Continue Reading
As Understanding of Russian Hacking Grows, So Does Alarm
The New York Times – Those behind the widespread intrusion into government and corporate networks exploited seams in U.S. defenses and gave away nothing to American monitoring of their systems. “On Election Day, General Paul M. Nakasone, the nation’s top cyberwarrior, reported that the battle against Russian interference in the presidential campaign had posted major successes… Continue Reading
US Government Policy and Supporting Positions (Plum Book), 2020
United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions (Plum Book), 2020: “Every four years, just after the Presidential election, the United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions, commonly known as the Plum Book, is published, alternately, by the Senate and the House. The Plum Book is used to identify presidentially appointed positions within the Federal Government.”… Continue Reading
COVID-19: Potential Implications for International Security Environment—Overview of Issues and Further Reading for Congress
CRS report via LC. COVID-19: Potential Implications for International Security Environment—Overview of Issues and Further Reading for Congress, Updated December 30, 2020: “Some observers argue the COVID-19 pandemic could be a world-changing event with potentially profound and long-lasting implications for the international security environment and the U.S. role in the world. Other observers are more… Continue Reading
