Noteworthy reports from the Congressional Research Service that have not been made readily available to the public include the following (all pdf).
“Congress and the Internet: Highlights,” August 29, 2007.
“Pakistan-U.S. Relations,” updated August 24, 2007.
“United Nations Peacekeeping: Issues for Congress,” updated August 21, 2007.
“Intelligence Issues for Congress,” updated August 7, 2007.
“Extradition To and From the United States: Overview of the Law and Recent Treaties,” updated August 3, 2007.
“Congressional Commissions, Committees, Boards, and Groups: Appointment Authority and Membership,” updated April 4, 2007.
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.
At a recent workshop, we explored the nature of trust in specific government functions, the risk and implications of breaking trust in those systems, and how we’d known we were getting close to specific trust breaking points.