Cost estimate for the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (PDF; 150 KB)
Source: Congressional Budget Office
CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimate that over the 2010-2019 period enacting this legislation would:
- Increase federal revenues by about $846 billion; and
- Increase direct spending by about $821 billion.
In total, those changes would reduce budget deficits (or increase future surpluses) by about $24 billion over the 2010-2019 period.
2008 Presidential Campaign Financial Activity Summarized: Receipts Nearly Double 2004 Total
Source: Federal Election Commission
Financial activity of 2008 presidential candidates and national party convention committees increased 80% in receipts over the 2004 presidential election, totaling more than $1.8 billion.The Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain (AZ), received $84.1 million in public funds to conduct his general election campaign and raised an additional $46.4 million for legal and accounting expenses.The Democratic presidential nominee, then-Sen. Barack Obama (IL), raised a total of $745.7 million in private funds for his primary nomination and general election campaign. It was the first time in the history of presidential public financing that a major party nominee declined to accept public funds for the general election.
The two parties received $16.8 million each from the treasury for their nominating conventions, while host committees raised a total of $124.3 million in support of their activities.A table attached to this release summarizes these three categories of activity for the last four presidential campaigns.
Tables in Excel and PDF.
DHS’ Progress in Addressing Technical Security Challenges at Washington Dulles International Airport (Redacted) (PDF; 1.03 MB)
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) was established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-296) by amendment to the Inspector General Act of 1978. This is one of a series of audit, inspection, and special reports prepared as part of our oversight responsibilities to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness within the department.
This report addresses DHS’ progress in strengthening technical and information security policies and procedures at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia. It is based on interviews with employees and officials of relevant agencies and institutions, direct observations, and a review of applicable documents.
The recommendations herein have been developed to the best knowledge available to our office, and have been discussed in draft with those responsible for implementation. We trust this report will result in more effective, efficient, and economical operations. We express our appreciation to all who contributed to the preparation of this report.
The DHS Personnel Security Process (PDF; 6.59 MB)
Sourece: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) was established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-296) by amendment to the Inspector General Act of 1978. This is one of a series of audit, inspection, and special reports prepared as part of our oversight responsibilities to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness within the department.
This report addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the department’s personnel security program. It is based on interviews with employees and officials of relevant agencies and institutions, direct observations, and a review of applicable documents.
The recommendations herein have been developed to the best knowledge available to our office, and have been discussed in draft with those responsible for implementation. We trust this report will result in more effective, efficient, and economical operations. We express our appreciation to all who contributed to the preparation of this report.
OPEC Oil Export Revenues
Source: Energy Information Administration
Based on projections from the EIA June 2009 Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) could earn $530 billion of net oil export revenues in 2009 and $620 billion in 2010. Last year, OPEC earned $968 billion in net oil export revenues, a 42 percent increase from 2007. Saudi Arabia earned the largest share of these earnings, $285 billion, representing 29 percent of total OPEC revenues. On a per-capita basis, OPEC net oil export earning reached $2,680 in 2008, a 40 percent increase from 2007.
Fast-Forward: Key Issues in Modernizing the U.S. Freight-Transportation System for Future Economic Growth
Source: RAND Corporation
Efficient movement of freight within the United States and across its borders is a critical enabler of future U.S. economic growth and competitiveness. Such efficiency is now threatened by capacity bottlenecks, inefficient use of some components of the freight infrastructure, interference with passenger transport, the system’s vulnerability to disruption, and the need to address important emission and energy constraints. In this volume, the authors provide a broad overview of U.S. freight transportation, discuss its role in the supply chains of various types of businesses, and provide data about its capacity in relation to demand for goods movement. They conclude with a discussion of the need to modernize the freight-transportation system and the overarching issues this involves: increasing capacity through operational improvements and infrastructure enhancement, making the system more adaptable and less vulnerable to disruption, addressing the energy and environmental concerns associated with freight transportation, and building support for public and private investment in the system.
+ Summary (PDF; 494 KB)
+ Full Document (PDF; 4.3 MB)
The one-child family: France in the European context
Source: Demographic Research
This paper observes the change since the 1970s in the proportion of men and women having only one child during their reproductive life, and examines their sociodemographic characteristics. The aim is to explore the significant variables of the complement of the parity progression ratio from first to second birth (1-A1). First, we present the theories, findings and results relating to the single-child family model in Europe. Then, we perform a multivariate analysis with the dependent variable of the model being the fact of not having had a second child ten years after the birth of a first child in stable unions.
+ Full Paper (PDF; 943 KB)
Adherence to Healthy Lifestyle Habits in US Adults, 1988-2006
Source: American Journal of Medicine
Over the last 18 years, the percent of adults aged 40-74 years with a body mass index ?30 kg/m2 has increased from 28% to 36% (P <.05); physical activity 12 times a month or more has decreased from 53% to 43% (P <.05); smoking rates have not changed (26.9% to 26.1%); eating 5 or more fruits and vegetables a day has decreased from 42% to 26% (P <.05), and moderate alcohol use has increased from 40% to 51% (P <.05). Adherence to all 5 healthy habits has gone from 15% to 8% (P <.05). Although adherence to a healthy lifestyle was lower among minorities, adherence decreased more among non-Hispanic Whites over the period. Individuals with a history of hypertension/diabetes/cardiovascular disease were no more likely to be adherent to a healthy lifestyle than people without these conditions.
New GAO Report and Testimonies (PDFs)
Source: Government Accountability Office
9 June 2009
+ Report
1. Federal Energy and Fleet Management: Plug-in Vehicles Offer Potential Benefits, but High Costs and Limited Information Could Hinder Integration into the Federal Fleet
–
+ Testimonies
1. Scientific Integrity: EPA’s Efforts to Enhance the Credibility and Transparency of Its Scientific Processes, by John B. Stephenson, director, natural resources and environment, before a joint hearing of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and its Subcommittee on Oversight
2. VA Health Care: Overview of VA’s Capital Asset Management, by Mark L. Goldstein, director, physical infrastructure, before the Subcommittee on Health, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
Medical Bankruptcy in the United States, 2007: Results of a National Study (PDF; )
Source: American Journal of Medicine
Using a conservative definition, 62.1% of all bankruptcies in 2007 were medical; 92% of these medical debtors had medical debts over $5000, or 10% of pretax family income. The rest met criteria for medical bankruptcy because they had lost significant income due to illness or mortgaged a home to pay medical bills. Most medical debtors were well educated, owned homes, and had middle-class occupations. Three quarters had health insurance. Using identical definitions in 2001 and 2007, the share of bankruptcies attributable to medical problems rose by 49.6%. In logistic regression analysis controlling for demographic factors, the odds that a bankruptcy had a medical cause was 2.38-fold higher in 2007 than in 2001.
Healthcare Inspection Review of VA Use of Animals in Research Activities
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General
The purpose of this national review of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) animal research was to assess compliance with certain requirements of VHA Handbook 1200.7, Use of Animals in Research. In 2007, there were 824 active animal research projects at 71 VA facilities. We found that there was overall good compliance with the documentation requirements for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee minutes. The highest area of non-compliance was in the facilities’ performance of the Semi Annual Review of the Animal Research Facilities. In addition we found most of the research facilities to be clean, in good repair, and adequately secured. We did not identify any instances of animal abuse or neglect.
We recommended that VHA animal research programs require university affiliates’ compliance with the requirements of the Handbook and that all VA animal research programs have an active occupational health program. We also recommended improvements in security at one facility and full implementation of Handbook requirements at another facility. Finally, we recommended that VHA define minimum qualification standards for Veterinary Medical Officers and Veterinary Medical Consultants.
+ Full Report (PDF; 261 KB)
Diplomas Count 2009 — Broader Horizons: The Challenge of College Readiness for All Students
Source: Education Week
From press release (PDF; 2 MB):
A new national report from Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education (EPE) Research Center paints a cautiously optimistic picture of high school graduation trends, finding that the national graduation rate has improved over the past decade, though a recent one-year downturn—the first significant annual decline in that 10-year period—raises cause for concern.
Despite overall progress, three out of every 10 students in U.S. public schools still fail to finish high school with a diploma, the report finds. That amounts to 1.3 million students lost from the graduation pipeline every year, or almost 7,200 students lost every day, it adds. The report also points out that there is no firm consensus among states, schools, and policymakers on what it means to be ready for postsecondary education or how to measure college readiness.
The report, Diplomas Count 2009: Broader Horizons: The Challenge of College Readiness for All Students, investigates one of the most critical issues facing the nation’s educational and economic future—the challenge to prepare all students for college.
+ Executive Summary
+ Graduation Rate Trends 1996-2006
+ District Graduation Rate Map Tool
Agencies Release List of Distressed or Underserved Nonmetropolitan Middle-Income Geographies
Source: Federal Reserve Board, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Thrift Supervision
The federal bank and thrift regulatory agencies today announced the availability of the 2009 list of distressed or underserved nonmetropolitan middle-income geographies in which revitalization or stabilization activities will receive Community Reinvestment Act consideration as “community development.”
“Distressed nonmetropolitan middle-income geographies” and “underserved nonmetropolitan middle-income geographies” are designated by the agencies in accordance with their CRA regulations. The criteria used to designate these areas are available on the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) website (http://www.ffiec.gov/cra). The designations reflect local economic conditions, including such triggers as unemployment, poverty, and population changes.
As with past releases, the 2009 list will incorporate a one-year lag period for geographies designated as distressed or underserved in 2008, but not designated as such in the 2009 release. Geographies subject to this one-year lag period are eligible to receive consideration for community development activities for 12 months after publication of the 2009 list.
HUD and Fair Housing Partners Report Record Number of Housing Discrimination Complaints
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
A record 10,552 fair housing discrimination complaints were filed in fiscal year 2008, according to a report just released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The report, which is produced for Congress each year, shows that a large portion of the complaints, 44 percent, were filed by persons with disabilities. Thirty-five percent, or 3,699, of the complaints alleged discrimination based on race.
+ Full Report (PDF; 8 MB)
Roadmap to Recovery
Source:
Our “Roadmap to Recovery” initiative is an ambitious effort to reflect the commitments of your Cabinet members for a stepped up level of activity in implementing the Recovery Act in the next 100 days. We intend to deliver this increased pace at virtually every agency, and in countless programs.
In this report, we have highlighted ten of these commitments and provided a graphic representation of where Americans can expect to see the Recovery Act in action across the country this summer.
+ Roadmap to Recovery (PDF; 9 MB)
+ American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (PDF; 1.2 MB)
