The U.S. Government reached the statutory debt limit today, exhausting its normal ability to borrow money. In order to meet the government’s financial obligations, the Secretary of the Treasury must now take certain extraordinary measures. A newly updated report from the Congressional Research Service provides background on federal debt policy and explains the current state of affairs. See The Debt Limit Since 2011, March 9, 2015.
Other new or newly updated CRS reports that Congress has withheld from public distribution include the following.
Internet Domain Names: Background and Policy Issues, March 6, 2015
Internet Governance and the Domain Name System: Issues for Congress, March 6, 2015
Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate, March 9, 2015
The Federal Budget: Overview and Issues for FY2016 and Beyond, March 6, 2015
OSC Rule Seemingly Expands Federal Contractor Whistleblower Rights, CRS Legal Sidebar, March 11, 2015
Scientific Basis of Environmental Protection Agency Actions: H.R. 1029 and H.R. 1030, CRS Insights, March 11, 2015
Prevalence of Mental Illness in the United States: Data Sources and Estimates, March 9, 2015
Health Care for Veterans: Traumatic Brain Injury, March 9, 2015
Federal Grants to State and Local Governments: A Historical Perspective on Contemporary Issues, March 5, 2015
The European Capital Markets Union, CRS Insights, March 11, 2015
Cyprus: Reunification Proving Elusive, March 6, 2015
Northern Ireland: The Peace Process, March 11, 2015
China-U.S. Trade Issues, March 9, 2015
Navy Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Operations: Background and Issues for Congress, March 4, 2015
Iran Sanctions, March 9, 2015
The current wildfire management system is inadequate in the face of increasingly severe and damaging wildfires. Change is urgently needed
While it seems that the current political climate may not incentivize the use of evidence-based data sources for decision making, those of us who are passionate about ensuring results for the American people will continue to firmly stand on the belief that learning agendas are a crucial component to successfully navigate a changing future.
In recent months, we’ve seen much of these decades’ worth of progress erased. Contracts for evaluations of government programs were canceled, FFRDCs have been forced to lay off staff, and federal advisory committees have been disbanded.
This report outlines a framework relying on “Cooperative Technical Means” for effective arms control verification based on remote sensing, avoiding on-site inspections but maintaining a level of transparency that allows for immediate detection of changes in nuclear posture or a significant build-up above agreed limits.