In principle, the COVID-19 outbreak could provide a compelling new justification for expediting the processing of certain Freedom of Information Act requests related to the pandemic. But it is more likely to slow down the handling of most requests as agency employees work remotely and other concerns are understandably prioritized.
The impact of COVID-19 was surveyed by the Congressional Research Service in Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Processing Changes Due to COVID-19: In Brief, March 27, 2020.
Other noteworthy new and updated reports from CRS include:
U.S. Role in the World: Background and Issues for Congress, updated March 27, 2020
The Employment-Based Immigration Backlog, March 26, 2020
Demographic and Social Characteristics of Persons in Poverty: 2018, March 26, 2020
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) and COVID-19, March 26, 2020
Arms Control and Nonproliferation: A Catalog of Treaties and Agreements, updated March 26, 2020
Congressional Use of Advisory Commissions Following Crises, CRS In Focus, March 25, 2020
The three new members to serve the nonpartisan organization include Drs: Jim Gates, Theresa Mayer, and Allison Scott.
Comprehensive heat safety standards are essential to mitigate the impacts of climate change on farmworkers and ensure the sustainability and resilience of agricultural operations.
Public deliberation, when performed well, can lead to more transparency, accountability to the public, and the emergence of ideas that would otherwise go unnoticed.
As emerging clean energy technologies move along the innovation pipeline from first concept to commercialization, they encounter hurdles that can prove to be a death knell for young startups.