Noteworthy new and newly updated reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following (all pdf).
“Presidential Transitions,” updated December 27, 2007.
“Engineered Nanoscale Materials and Derivative Products: Regulatory Challenges,” January 22, 2008.
“NATO in Afghanistan: A Test of the Transatlantic Alliance,” updated January 7, 2008.
“The Changing U.S.-Japan Alliance: Implications for U.S. Interests,” updated January 10, 2008.
“Does the Army Need a Full-Spectrum Force or Specialized Units? Background and Issues for Congress,” January 18, 2008.
“Security Classified and Controlled Information: History, Status, and Emerging Management Issues,” updated January 2, 2008.
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.