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The Army's Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) Program

Description: This report discusses the WIN-T communications program and network used by the Army for distributing information to the whole Army while in the field. There are two main stages of development and implementation the first being stationary command posts communication networks which is fully implemented and the second is equipping combat vehicles with mobile real-time communication devices to improve situational awareness and providing combat commanders with the same type of mobile communication a… more
Date: October 10, 2017
Creator: Feickert, Andrew
open access

Attack on U.S. Soldiers in Niger: Context and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses an attack on U.S. Special Operation Forces assisting local military forces in Niger in counterterrorism efforts which killed four U.S. military personnel and wounded two as well as killing several Niger military personnel. The U.S. response to the attack, the growing threat of Islamic extremism and terrorism in the Sahel of Africa, and terrorism and political and social instability in Niger are also discussed.
Date: October 5, 2017
Creator: Arieff, Alexis
open access

Congress Faces Calls to Address Expired Funds for Primary Care

Description: This report discusses funding for the Health Centers Program and the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) which provide medical care to underserved populations through health centers and provide scholarships and loan repayment to physicians in exchange for working in underserved areas for at least two years through the NHSC.
Date: October 18, 2017
Creator: Heisler, Elayne J. & Redhead, C. Stephen
open access

Department of the Interior Secretarial Order 3356

Description: This report discusses Department of Interior Secretarial Order 3356 which was issued on September 15, 2017 and directs bureaus and offices that manage public lands to enhance opportunities for hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting while also promoting conservation activities on all public lands including National Monuments. Past orders and related legislation and reactions to the order are also discussed.
Date: October 4, 2017
Creator: Crafton, R. Eliot
open access

DOE's Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule

Description: This report discusses a recently proposed rule by the Secretary of Energy "The Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule" which directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee (FERC) to establish "just and reasonable rates" for wholesale electricity sales in competitive markets. The rule is seen as as supporting coal-powered power plants, which have lost sales due to lower prices from more efficient and cheaper natural gas fired plants and alternative energy sources, because a recent report by the Departme… more
Date: October 13, 2017
Creator: Campbell, Richard J.
open access

Doing Business with Iran: EU-Iran Trade and Investment Relations

Description: This report discusses the European Union's (EU's) resumption of business with Iran after the signing of the 2015 nuclear disarmament agreement which led to the lifting of nuclear related sanctions. It outlines rates of business and major investments in Iran by European companies and the effect possible U.S. re-imposition of sanctions against Iran may have on the market and U.S.-EU relations.
Date: October 25, 2017
Creator: Cimino-Isaacs, Cathleen D. & Katzman, Kenneth
open access

GAO Issues Opinions on Applicability of Congressional Review Act to Two Guidance Documents

Description: This report discusses the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) issued opinions regarding whether a 2013 interagency guidance document and a 2016 amendment to the Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan by the Department of Agriculture were considered "rules" and as such be subject to the Congressional Review Act (CRA). The GAO determined neither document was a rule and thus they were not subject to CRA.
Date: October 25, 2017
Creator: Carey, Maeve P.
open access

Gun Control: "Bump-Fire" Stocks

Description: This report discusses "bump-fire" stocks for guns which allow less experienced users to shoot semiautomatic rifles more rapidly. "Bump-stocks" that contain a coiled spring are considered firearms by the ATF but other varieties of modified stocks that do not contain coiled springs are not classified as firearms and as such are unregulated. The shooter in the October 1, 2017 Las Vegas shooting used semiautomatic rifles with 'bump-stocks" which has led to renewed interest in their regulation in Co… more
Date: October 10, 2017
Creator: Krouse, William J.
open access

Gun Control: Silencers Under the Hearing Protection Act (H.R. 3668)

Description: This report discusses the proposed "Hearing Protection Act" (A part of the Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act,H.R. 3668) which would take gun silencers out from under the jurisdiction of the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA) and have them regulated only by the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA). The NFA requires fingerprint based background checks, taxes various parts of the production process, requires sellers to be federally licensed, and silencers must be registered with ATF.
Date: October 16, 2017
Creator: Krouse, William J.
open access

Human Trafficking: New Global Estimates of Forced Labor and Modern Slavery

Description: This report discusses a new report by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Walk Free Foundation that estimates that 40.3 million people worldwide were victims of modern slavery (including forced labor run by individuals and governments, forced marriages, and sex trafficking) which used a new methodology that combined multiple data sources and statistical probability calculations. A brief overview of the findings, past reports and variance between State Department Trafficking in Pe… more
Date: October 18, 2017
Creator: Rosen, Liana W.
open access

Iran Policy and the European Union

Description: This report discusses the European Union's reaction to President Trump's announcement of a new strategy for Iran and that the U.S. would not re-certify Iran under the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (INARA) which is separate from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) made in 2015. The European Union has expressed dismay with the announcement and urged support for the continued implementation of the JCPOA.
Date: October 18, 2017
Creator: Mix, Derek E. & Katzman, Kenneth
open access

Private Flood Insurance in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

Description: This report briefly discusses federal law regarding flood insurance. By law or regulation, federal agencies, federally-regulated lending institutions, and government-sponsored enterprises must require certain property owners to purchase flood insurance as a condition of any mortgage that these entities make, guarantee, or purchase.
Date: October 12, 2016
Creator: Webel, Baird & Horn, Diane P.
open access

Second Treasury Report on Regulatory Relief: Capital Markets

Description: This report describes highlights of the October 6, 2017, Treasury Department report "A Financial System that Creates Economic Opportunities: Capital Markets" that primarily examines the regulation of debt, equity, commodities, and derivatives markets. The report is the second of a series written in accordance with Executive Order (E.O.) 13772, which was issued by the President on February 3, 2017. The capital markets report provides 91 policy recommendations, the majority of which could be imp… more
Date: October 19, 2017
Creator: Su, Eva
open access

Transport Agencies Withdraw Proposed Sleep Apnea Rules

Description: This report discusses the withdrawing of a proposed rule by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) that would have required long-haul truck drivers and railroad engineers to be screened for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The risks of OSA, current regulations and safety requirements, and recent accidents involving drivers with OSA are also discussed.
Date: October 2, 2017
Creator: Peterman, David Randall
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