Noteworthy new and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service that have not been made readily available to the public online include these (all pdf).
“Obstruction of Justice: an Overview of Some of the Federal Statutes that Prohibit Interference with Judicial, Executive, or Legislative Activities,” December 27, 2007.
“Obstruction of Congress: a Brief Overview of Federal Law Relating to Interference with Congressional Activities,” December 27, 2007.
“Suits Against Terrorist States By Victims of Terrorism,” updated December 17, 2007.
“Proposals to Reform ‘Holds’ in the Senate,” updated December 20, 2007.
“Federal Tort Claims Act,” updated December 11, 2007.
“Intelligence Issues for Congress,” updated December 18, 2007.
January saw us watching whether the government would fund science. February has been about how that funding will be distributed, regulated, and contested.
This rule gives agencies significantly more authority over certain career policy roles. Whether that authority improves accountability or creates new risks depends almost entirely on how agencies interrupt and apply it.
Our environmental system was built for 1970s-era pollution control, but today it needs stable, integrated, multi-level governance that can make tradeoffs, share and use evidence, and deliver infrastructure while demonstrating that improved trust and participation are essential to future progress.
Durable and legitimate climate action requires a government capable of clearly weighting, explaining, and managing cost tradeoffs to the widest away of audiences, which in turn requires strong technocratic competency.