New and newly updated reports from the Congressional Research Service that Congress has withheld from online public distribution include the following.
Military Sexual Assault: Chronology of Activity in Congress and Related Resources, July 30, 2013
Retaining and Preserving Federal Records in a Digital Environment: Background and Issues for Congress, July 26, 2013
Detention of U.S. Persons as Enemy Belligerents, July 25, 2013
U.S.-China Military Contacts: Issues for Congress, July 25, 2013
State Marijuana Legalization Initiatives: Implications for Federal Law Enforcement, July 25, 2013
The President’s Budget: Overview of Structure and Timing of Submission to Congress, July 25, 2013
Generalized System of Preferences: Background and Renewal Debate, July 24, 2013
The U.S. Postal Service’s Financial Condition: A Primer, July 24, 2013
Honduras-U.S. Relations, July 24, 2013
Singapore: Background and U.S. Relations, July 26, 2013
The European Parliament, July 29, 2013
Ocean Acidification, July 30, 2013
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.