Refugee Admissions and Resettlement, & More from CRS
The total number of refugees that can be admitted to the United States this year — termed the worldwide refugee ceiling — is 110,000 persons.
The total amount is allocated among refugees from Africa (35,000), East Asia (12,000), Europe and Central Asia (4,000), Latin America/Caribbean (5,000), and Near East/South Asia (40,000), with an unallocated reserve of 14,000 persons.
Background on law and policy affecting refugees is presented in a newly updated report from the Congressional Research Service. See Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy, November 30, 2016.
The number of government employees involved in acquisition of U.S. military systems, equipment and services reached 158,212 as of March 2016, according to another new CRS report. See The Civil Defense Acquisition Workforce: Enhancing Recruitment Through Hiring Flexibilities, November 22, 2016.
The U.S. has gone from being a net exporter of fruits and vegetables in the 1970s to being a net importer today, CRS found. On the other hand, U.S. production of nuts is strong. As far as nuts are concerned, there have been “continued increases and, generally, a growing U.S. trade surplus.” See The U.S. Trade Situation for Fruit and Vegetable Products, updated December 1, 2016.
Other new and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following.
Demographic and Social Characteristics of Persons in Poverty: 2015, November 30, 2016
Child Welfare: An Overview of Federal Programs and Their Current Funding, updated November 30, 2016
Agency Final Rules Submitted After June 2, 2016, May Be Subject to Disapproval, CRS Insight, updated November 30, 2016
The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction, November 30, 2016
Authorization of Appropriations: Procedural and Legal Issues, updated November 30, 2016
Federal Income Tax Treatment of the Family, updated November 23, 2016
Social Security: What Would Happen If the Trust Funds Ran Out?, updated November 23, 2016
Conflict of Interest and “Ethics” Provisions That May Apply to the President, CRS memorandum, November 22, 2016
Iran’s Nuclear Program: Status, updated November 30, 2016
The Central African Republic: Background and U.S. Policy, updated December 1, 2016
What Happens if Johnny Hacks His Seventh Grade Report Card?, CRS Legal Sidebar, December 1, 2016
Investing in interventions behind the walls is not just a matter of improving conditions for incarcerated individuals—it is a public safety and economic imperative. By reducing recidivism through education and family contact, we can improve reentry outcomes and save billions in taxpayer dollars.
The U.S. government should establish a public-private National Exposome Project (NEP) to generate benchmark human exposure levels for the ~80,000 chemicals to which Americans are regularly exposed.
The federal government spends billions every year on wildfire suppression and recovery. Despite this, the size and intensity of fires continues to grow, increasing costs to human health, property, and the economy as a whole.
To respond and maintain U.S. global leadership, USAID should transition to heavily favor a Fixed-Price model to enhance the United States’ ability to compete globally and deliver impact at scale.