Drones, Pope Francis, Encryption, and More from CRS
A new report from the Congressional Research Service looks at the commercial prospects for the emerging drone industry.
“It has been estimated that, over the next 10 years, worldwide production of UAS for all types of applications could rise from $4 billion annually to $14 billion. However, the lack of a regulatory framework, which has delayed commercial deployment, may slow development of a domestic UAS manufacturing industry,” the report said. See Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS): Commercial Outlook for a New Industry, September 9, 2015.
In advance of the September 22 visit to the United States by Pope Francis, another new CRS report “provides Members of Congress with background information on Pope Francis and a summary of a few selected global issues of congressional interest that have figured prominently on his agenda.” See Pope Francis and Selected Global Issues: Background for Papal Address to Congress, September 8, 2015.
Another new report from CRS on encryption and law enforcement presents “an overview of the perennial issue involving technology outpacing law enforcement and discusses how policy makers and law enforcement officials have dealt with this issue in the past.” See Encryption and Evolving Technology: Implications for U.S. Law Enforcement, September 8, 2015.
Other new and newly updated publications from the Congressional Research Service include the following.
Syrian Refugee Admissions to the United States, CRS Insight, September 10, 2015
An Analysis of Efforts to Double Federal Funding for Physical Sciences and Engineering Research, updated September 8, 2015
Cybersecurity: Data, Statistics, and Glossaries, updated September 8, 2015
Cybersecurity: Legislation, Hearings, and Executive Branch Documents, updated September 8, 2015
The EMV Chip Card Transition: Background, Status, and Issues for Congress, updated September 8, 2015
Cyprus: Reunification Proving Elusive, udpated September 10, 2015
Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations, updated September 8, 2015
Iran Nuclear Agreement, updated September 9, 2015
Statutory Qualifications for Executive Branch Positions, updated September 9, 2015
Federal Reserve: Emergency Lending, September 8, 2015
Denice Ross, former U.S. Chief Data Scientist and Data Policy Institute lead at the Federation of American Scientists, will be honored for her stewardship of public data by the National Academy of Public Administration, where she has been named a Fellow.
Confirmation that the construction of the security perimeter and associated security infrastructure at RAF Lakenheath are still ongoing once again raises questions about whether U.S. nuclear weapons have already been deployed to the base.
Alaskans are sensibly pulling back from the vogue for bans and returning to a western tradition that has worked for more than half a century – one that welcomes innovation but also oversees it closely.
The strength of our nation’s data policy isn’t just in the rules we write, but in how effectively we translate those rules into a system that prioritizes the public good. Join us in this movement to design and build more resilient national data policies.