Presidential authority to seek modifications to NAFTA independent of Congress was addressed by the Congressional Research Service last week in Renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): What Actions Do Not Require Congressional Approval?, CRS Legal Sidebar, January 26, 2017.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II is visiting Washington today. See Jordan: Background and U.S. Relations, updated January 25, 2017.
Other new and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following.
Cross-Border Energy Trade in North America: Present and Potential, January 24, 2017
Clean Air Act Issues in the 115th Congress: In Brief, January 24, 2017
President Trump Freezes Federal Civil Service Hiring, CRS Legal Sidebar, January 26, 2017
Keystone Revival: Executive Memorandum Paves Way for Possible Approval of Keystone XL Pipeline, CRS Legal Sidebar, January 26, 2017
Dakota Access Pipeline: Siting Controversy, CRS Insight, updated January 26, 2017
House Office of Congressional Ethics: History, Authority, and Procedures, updated January 24, 2017
Affordable Care Act Executive Order: Legal Considerations, CRS Legal Sidebar, January 24, 2017
Abortion and Family Planning-Related Provisions in U.S. Foreign Assistance Law and Policy, updated January 24, 2017
The First Responder Network (FirstNet) and Next-Generation Communications for Public Safety: Issues for Congress, updated January 26, 2017
National Special Security Events: Fact Sheet, updated January 25, 2017
DNA synthesis and export controls remain the primary regulatory safeguards against de novo production of harmful biological agents, yet governance frameworks lack the situational awareness and enforcement capacity to keep pace with rapidly falling technical barriers.
Called today to speak on behalf of U.S. science and technology, Dr. Jedidah Isler, astrophysicist, educator, strategist, policy-maker, and science communicator, will provide constructive, nonpartisan feedback to the House Committee’s hearing “American Global Competitiveness at 250: Legislative Proposals to Secure U.S. Technology Leadership.”
“Federal data and access to it is not a partisan issue. It is a people issue. Our country cannot achieve greatness without access to the data that measure what we value, who we are, and where we’re heading.”
The United States’ biosecurity governance system is structurally incapable of detecting and responding to certain classes of threats. U.S. biosecurity tools have not kept pace with technological advancements or a changing threat landscape.