Newly updated reports of interest from the Congressional Research Service include the following (all pdf).
“Egypt: The January 25 Revolution and Implications for U.S. Foreign Policy,” February 11, 2011.
“Amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Set to Expire February 28, 2011,” February 10, 2011 (a three month extension until May 27, 2011 was passed by Congress last week).
“Intelligence Identities Protection Act,” January 28, 2011.
“Closing the Guantanamo Detention Center: Legal Issues,” February 11, 2011.
“Nanotechnology and Environmental, Health, and Safety: Issues for Consideration,” January 20, 2011.
“Foreign Aid: An Introduction to U.S. Programs and Policy,” February 10, 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.