News release: “Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee will conduct an “in-depth inquiry” into the US surveillance programmes, including the bugging of EU premises and other spying allegations, and present its results by the end of this year, says a resolution passed by the full House on Thursday. Parliament’s President and political group leaders formally confirmed the… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Legislation
European Parliament has adopted new EU legislation to fight cyber-crime
“The Directive on attacks against information systems builds on rules that have been in force since 2005 (Council Framework Decision 2005/222/JHA). While retaining a number of current provisions, it introduces new offences, such as the use of tools to commit large-scale attacks, new aggravating circumstances and higher criminal sanctions that are necessary to fight more… Continue Reading
ALA Resources Guide on the Affordable Care Act
“The Affordable Care Act was passed by Congress and then signed into law by the President on March 23, 2010. On June 28, 2012, the Supreme Court rendered a final decision to uphold the health care law… Role of Libraries – ALA Policy B.8.11, The Role of Libraries in Providing E-Government and Emergency Services (Old… Continue Reading
CRS – Criminal Prohibitions on the Publication of Classified Defense Information
Criminal Prohibitions on the Publication of Classified Defense Information – Jennifer K. Elsea, Legislative Attorney, June 24, 2013 “The publication of classified information related to National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance activity is the latest in a series of leaks to the press that has riveted Congress’s attention. Press reports describing classified U.S. operations abroad have… Continue Reading
CRS – The Commodity Futures Trading Commission: Background and Current Issues
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission: Background and Current Issues – Rena S. Miller – Analyst in Financial Economics, June 24, 2013 “The CFTC witnessed a major expansion of its role in overseeing derivatives markets following passage of the Dodd-Frank Act in 2010. This act br ought previously unregulated over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives, called swaps, under the… Continue Reading
Revised Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule Goes Into Effect Today
News release: “The Federal Trade Commission’s revised Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Rule took effect today, giving parents greater control over the online collection of their children’s personal information. The revised COPPA rule culminates more than two years of review by the agency to modernize the rule. The revised COPPA rule addresses changes in the… Continue Reading
Banking Agencies Issue Host State Loan-to-Deposit Ratios
News release: “The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency today issued the host state loan-to-deposit ratios that the banking agencies will use to determine compliance with section 109 of the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994.… Continue Reading
Commentary – Calling It ‘Metadata’ Doesn’t Make Surveillance Less Intrusive
By Geoff Nunberg: “Metadata” was bound to break out sooner or later, riding the wave of “data” in all its forms and combinations. “Big data” and “data mining” are the reigning tech buzzwords these days, and university faculties are scrambling to meet the surge in demand for courses in the hot new field of data… Continue Reading
ICBA Report: Ending-Too-Big-to-Fail
“The Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) [on May 22, 2013] released End Too-Big-To-Fail, a report that examines the impact of too-big-to-fail financial institutions on the U.S. economy and why too-big-to-fail must be brought to an end now. In the report, ICBA also highlights the Terminating Bailouts for Taxpayer Fairness Act of 2013 (TBTF Act,… Continue Reading
Council on Foreign Relations Backgrounder – U.S. Domestic Surveillance
“Two NSA surveillance programs have been exposed in press reports in June 2013. First, a Guardian report disclosed a classified FISC court order instructing Verizon, one of the largest U.S. telecommunications firms, to hand over phone records of millions of Americans to the NSA. Amid criticism from civil rights groups, the Obama administration defended the… Continue Reading
CBO Releases Two Analyses of the Senate’s Immigration Legislation
“The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744) would revise laws governing immigration and the enforcement of those laws, allowing for a significant increase in the number of noncitizens who could lawfully enter the United States on both a permanent and temporary basis. Additionally, the bill would create a process for many… Continue Reading
CRS – Budget Issues Shaping a Farm Bill in 2013
Budget Issues Shaping a Farm Bill in 2013, Jim Monke – Specialist in Agricultural Policy. June 3, 2013: “The desire by many to redesign farm policy and reallocate the remaining farm bill baseline—in asequestration and deficit reduction environment—is driving much of the farm bill debate this year. Several high-profile congressional and Administration proposals for deficit… Continue Reading
