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Category Archives: Legislation

COVID-19: Remote Voting Trends and the Election Infrastructure Subsector

CRS report via LC – COVID-19: Remote Voting Trends and the Election Infrastructure Subsector, June 10, 2020: “…Public health concerns about the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have accelerated consideration of remote voting options as many voters have sought to avoid the possible health risks of crowded polling places. Elections authorities have invested in new… Continue Reading

Legal Issues in COVID-19 Vaccine Development

CRS report via LC – Legal Issues in COVID-19 Vaccine Development, June 8, 2020: “Private companies, universities, and governmental entities are working to develop a vaccine for corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Vaccines are biological products regulated under the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). New… Continue Reading

Congress and Police Reform: Current Law and Recent Proposals

CRS report via LC – Congress and Police Reform: Current Law and Recent Proposals, Updated June 9, 2020: “In May and June 2020, protests erupted nationwide after the publication of video footage of a Minneapolis police officer pressing his knee into the neck of George Floyd, leading to his death. That incident and its aftermath… Continue Reading

To enact change in the world, we must protest

National Geographic – To enact change in the world, we must protest – African Americans have a legacy of fighting for their rights in the U.S.—today, the movement has become global…. Now, America is experiencing another wave of social unrest and civil disobedience. We have little choice. Neither Minneapolis nor its police officers represent an… Continue Reading

Senators propose COVID-19 contact-tracing privacy bill

CNet – The bipartisan effort aims to protect users as technology is used to trace the spread of the novel coronavirus. “A group of US senators on Monday introduced a bill to regulate contact-tracing apps, aiming to protect user privacy as technology is used to track the spread of the novel coronavirus.  The proposal is… Continue Reading

COVID Money Tracker

Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget – “The novel coronavirus (COVID) pandemic and resulting economic crisis has been met with an unprecedented policy response. Through legislative, administrative, and Federal Reserve actions, policymakers are currently working to pour trillions of dollars into the economy. COVID Money Tracker is a new initiative of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget… Continue Reading

Trump escalates war on Twitter, social media protections

AP: “President Donald Trump escalated his war on social media companies Thursday, signing an executive order challenging the liability protections that have served as a bedrock for unfettered speech on the internet. Still, the move appears to be more about politics than substance, as the president aims to rally supporters after he lashed out at… Continue Reading

Inspector General Vacancy Tracker

POGO – Where Are All the Watchdogs? “Offices of Inspectors General (OIG) serve as independent watchdogs within federal agencies and are essential to a well-functioning federal government. They conduct audits and investigations that identify wasteful government practices, fraud by individuals and government contractors, and other sorts of government misconduct, even including torture. Congress and the public… Continue Reading

COVID-19: Resources for Tracking Federal Spending and Federal Awards

COVID-19: Resources for Tracking Federal Spending May 27, 2020: “Congress has responded to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with various legislation providing relief to individuals and families, state and local governments, businesses, healthcare providers, and other entities. This CRS Insight provides information on selected sources for tracking COVID-19 relief funding provided through these bills.… Continue Reading

Even with a vaccine coronavirus may never go away

Washington Post – “There’s a good chance the coronavirus will never go away. Even after a vaccine is discovered and deployed, the coronavirus will likely remain for decades to come, circulating among the world’s population. Experts call such diseases endemic — stubbornly resisting efforts to stamp them out. Think measles, HIV, chickenpox. It is a… Continue Reading

HEROES Act: Selected Federal Reserve Provisions / Selected Consumer Loan Provisions

CRS reports via LC: HEROES Act (H.R. 6800): Selected Federal Reserve Provisions, May 26, 2020: On May 15, 2020, the House passed the HEROES Act (H.R. 6800), a wide-ranging Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) relief bill. This Insight discusses selected provisions related to the Federal Reserve (Fed). Background – In response to COVID-19, the Fed has… Continue Reading

Guide to Federal Reserve Main Street Loan Facilities and Primary Market Corporate Credit Facility

Bracewell LLP: “This guide describes the key provisions of the Main Street Loan Facilities and the Primary Market Corporate Credit Facility (collectively, the “Facilities”) that were recently introduced and expanded by the Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury, and provides considerations about the programs for borrowers, lenders and other interested parties. Part I provides an Executive… Continue Reading