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Category Archives: Legislation

Paper – The Shooting Cycle – A Study of Mass Shootings in America

The Shooting Cycle – Josh Blackman, South Texas College of Law; Shelby Baird, Yale University, January 5, 2014. Connecticut Law Review, Vol 46, 2014. “The pattern is a painfully familiar one. A gunman opens fire in a public place, killing many innocent victims. After this tragedy, support for gun control surges. With a closing window for reform, politicians and activists quickly… Continue Reading

Agencies Release Public Sections of Resolution Plans

“The Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) on Friday made available the public portions of resolution plans for 116 institutions that submitted plans for the first time in December 2013, the latest group to file resolution plans with the agencies. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act requires that bank… Continue Reading

China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles: Policy Issues

CRS – China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles: Policy Issues, Shirley A. Kan, Specialist in Asian Security Affairs, January 3, 2014. “Congress has long been concerned about whether U.S. policy advances U.S. security interests in reducing the role of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missiles as… Continue Reading

CRS – National Security Letters in Foreign Intelligence Investigations

National Security Letters in Foreign Intelligence Investigations: Legal Background, January 3, 2014: “Five statutory provisions vest government agencies responsible for certain foreign intelligence investigations (principally the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)) with authority to issue written commands comparable to administrative subpoenas. A National Security Letter (NSL)  seeks customer and consumer transaction information in national security investigations from communications providers,… Continue Reading

Women at high risk for breast cancer now to receive some drugs free under Affordable Care Act

HHS news release: “Based on a robust review of the evidence, an independent panel of experts known as the United States Preventive Services Task Force – or USPSTF – recently recommended  that clinicians offer to prescribe chemo-preventive medications like tamoxifen or raloxifene for women who are at an increased risk (provided they are also at… Continue Reading

Net Loss: The Killing of Marine Mammals in Foreign Fisheries

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): “Few realize it, but nearly every foreign fish product sold in the United States enters the U.S. market in violation of federal law. from the cod and haddock that go into the fish sticks enjoyed by children to the sea bass served at fine restaurants, if it was imported, it probably entered this country… Continue Reading

Consumer Privacy Framework Needs to Reflect Changes in Technology and the Marketplace

INFORMATION RESELLERS: Consumer Privacy Framework Needs to Reflect Changes in Technology and the Marketplace, GAO-14-251T, Dec 18, 2013 “No overarching federal privacy law governs the collection and sale of personal information among private-sector companies, including information resellers. Instead, laws tailored to specific purposes, situations, or entities govern the use, sharing, and protection of personal information. For example,… Continue Reading

CRS – In Re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001

In Re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001: Claims Against Saudi Defendants Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA). Jennifer K. Elsea, Legislative Attorney, December 27, 2013. “Practical and legal hurdles, including the difficulty of locating hidden al Qaeda members and the infeasibility of enforcing judgments in terrorism cases, hinder victims’ attempts to establish liability in U.S. courts against, and… Continue Reading

Dodd-Frank Progress Report – January 2014

Dodd-Frank Progress Report Generated using the Davis Polk Regulatory Tracker™ January 2014 “In Brief: December 2013  36 Requirements Met, 1 Proposed. The CFTC, FDIC, Federal Reserve, OCC and SEC released final regulations implementing the Volcker Rule. The Federal Reserve released a proposed rule on extensions of credit by Federal Reserve Banks. 1 Study. The FIO issued a study… Continue Reading

The 2013 Cybersecurity Executive Order: Overview and Considerations for Congress

CRS – The 2013 Cybersecurity Executive Order: Overview and Considerations for Congress. November 8, 2013 “Cyberthreats to U.S. infrastructure and other assets are a growing concern to policymakers. Information and communications technology (ICT) is ubiquitous and relied upon for government services, corporate business processes, and individual professional and personal pursuits—almost every facet of modern life. Many ICT devices and other… Continue Reading

CRS – Federal Pollution Control Laws: How Are They Enforced?

Federal Pollution Control Laws: How Are They Enforced? by Robert Esworthy, Specialist in Environmental Policy. December 16, 2013 “This report focuses on enforcement of federal environmental pollution control requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA); the Clean Water Act (CWA); the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund); and other statutes for which EPA is the primary federal… Continue Reading