A substantial new report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) considers the potential threat posed by radiological dispersal devices or “dirty bombs.” At the direction of Congress, the CRS does not make its publications directly available to the public. The “dirty bomb” report, as well as a shorter, abridged version of the report, and the other new reports listed below were obtained by Secrecy News (all pdf).
“‘Dirty Bombs’: Technical Background, Attack Prevention and Response, Issues for Congress,” June 24, 2011
“‘Dirty Bombs’: Background in Brief,” June 24, 2011
“Amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Extended Until June 1, 2015,” June 16, 2011
“Gun Control Legislation,” June 9, 2011
“State Taxation of Internet Transactions,” June 7, 2011
“Kazakhstan: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests,” June 1, 2011
“U.S. Foreign Aid to the Palestinians,” May 31, 2011
“New Zealand: Background and Bilateral Relations with the United States,” May 27, 2011
The new alignment signals a clear shift in priorities: offices dedicated to clean energy and energy efficiency have been renamed, consolidated, or eliminated, while new divisions elevate hydrocarbons, fusion, and a combined Office of AI & Quantum.
We came out of the longest shutdown in history and we are all worse for it. Who won the shutdown fight? It doesn’t matter – Americans lost. And there is a chance we run it all back again in a few short months.
Promising examples of progress are emerging from the Boston metropolitan area that show the power of partnership between researchers, government officials, practitioners, and community-based organizations.
Americans trade stocks instantly, but spend 13 hours on tax forms. They send cash by text, but wait weeks for IRS responses. The nation’s revenue collector ranks dead last in citizen satisfaction. The problem isn’t just paperwork — it’s how the government builds.