Weekly Roundup Archive: WR 1/6/24

1/3 (missed last week) - Some of the Most Diverse Census Tracts in 2020 Were in Anchorage, Alaska and Queens County, New York (Census, with link to interactive tool/tables)

1/8 - Review of Notification Process for Assumption of Functions and Duties of the Secretary of Defense (DOD; see also, 1/11 updated memo | DOD OIG project announcement | statements from Senate and House Armed Services)

1/8 - FTC Issues Biennial Report to Congress on the National Do Not Call Registry (FTC; direct to report)

1/8 - Georgia Guard Unit to Document US Central Command Operations (National Guard)

1/9 - 2023 Year in Review: Secretary Mayorkas Champions Department-Wide Efforts to Save Lives and Prepare for 21st Century Security Challenges (DHS)

1/9 - Justice Department Releases Information on Efforts to Protect the Right to Vote, Prosecute Election Crimes, and Secure Elections (DOJ)

1/9 - Justice Department Advances Proposed Rule to Improve Access to Medical Care for People with Disabilities (DOJ)

1/9 - US Department of Labor announces final rule on classifying workers as employees or independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act (DOL; direct to info page)

1/9 - HHS Issues New Nondiscrimination Final Rule to Protect Conscience Rights (HHS; direct to final rule and fact sheet; see also, 2019 final rule)

1/9 - Library of Congress Awards More than $160,000 to Artists, Scholars to Remix Digital Collections (LOC)

1/9 - Assessing the U.S. Climate in 2023 (NCEI)

1/9 - NEH Announces $33.8 Million for 260 Humanities Projects Nationwide (NEH; direct to awards list)

1/10 - Census Bureau Releases Summary File for 2020 Census Detailed DHC-A (Census)

1/10 - Justice Department Releases New Guide on the Use of Specialized Units in Law Enforcement Agencies (DOJ; direct to guide)

1/10 - USDOT Announces Progress Delivering Results for America (DOT; direct to report)

1/10 - Library of Congress and American Library Association Announce New Educational Book Series (LOC)

1/10 - This Week’s International Court of Justice Hearings (State; see also, ICJ case website)

1/11 - CFPB Addresses Inaccurate Background Check Reports and Sloppy Credit File Sharing Practices (CFPB)

1/11 - DOD Releases First-Ever National Defense Industrial Strategy (DOD; direct to website)

1/11 - Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Coalition Strikes in Houthi-Controlled Areas of Yemen (DOD; see also, president’s statement)

1/11 - Biden-Harris Administration to Shorten Path to Debt Cancellation for Some SAVE Borrowers (ED; see also, president’s statement)

1/11 - Updates on Grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 9 Aircraft (FAA; see also, 1/12 FAA Increasing Oversight of Boeing Production and Manufacturing)

1/11 - Affordable Connectivity Program to End Soon Barring Congressional Action (FCC)

1/11 - Chairwoman on Safe Connected Cars for Domestic Violence Survivors (FCC)

1/11 - Applications Now Open for IMLS 2024 Native Hawaiian Library Services and Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants That Award up to 150K (IMLS)

1/11 - USPTO to expand Law School Clinic Certification Program (USPTO)

1/12 - The Opportunity Project Finds Ways to Funnel Investment to American Indian and Alaska Native Communities (Census)

1/12 - Biden-Harris Administration Announces Proposed Rule to Reduce Wasteful Methane Emissions from the Oil and Gas Sector to Drive Innovation and Protect Communities (EPA)

1/12 - ICE announces updated policy for body-worn cameras (ICE)

1/12 - IRS Free File now available; free service through IRS.gov available for millions of taxpayers (IRS; direct to website)

1/12 - 2023 was the world’s warmest year on record, by far (NOAA)

Information below is from congress.gov. Date listed is date signed into law, and the description is an abbreviated version of bill summary available on that website.

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None this week

1/8 - Postal Retirement Funds in Perspective: Historical Evolution and Ongoing Challenges (USPS)

1/9 - Evaluation of the DoD Internal Controls Related to Patient Eligibility and Pharmaceutical Management Within the National Capital Region Executive Medicine Services (DOD)

1/9 - The EPA Needs to Improve the Completeness and Accuracy of the Obligation and Outlay Information That It Reports in USAspending.gov (EPA)

1/10 - Evaluation of the DoD’s Enhanced End-Use Monitoring of Defense Articles Provided to Ukraine (DOD)

1/11 - The CFPB Can Enhance Certain Aspects of Its Enforcement Investigations Process (Fed)

1/12 - CDC Has Improved the Nursing Homes Reporting Process for COVID-19 Data in NHSN, but Challenges Remain (HHS)

1/8 - CBO to Launch a Newsletter, "CBO's Quarter in Review" (CBO)

1/8 - Deferred Maintenance: Agencies Generally Followed Leading Practices in Selections but Faced Challenges (GAO)

1/9 - Cybersecurity: OMB Should Improve Information Security Performance Metrics (GAO)

1/10 - Abolishing a Federal Agency: The Interstate Commerce Commission (CRS)

1/11 - Digital Accessibility: Agencies Receive New Guidance from OMB (CRS)

1/11 - Traveler Inspections: DHS Mechanisms to Help Prevent Discrimination and Address Complaints (GAO)

1/12 - Houthi Attacks in the Red Sea: Issues for Congress (CRS)

1/12 - University Liability Under Title IX for Off-Campus Sexual Harassment (CRS)

1/8 - Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships Fiscal Year 2023 Report to Congress (DHS)

1/8 - Plan to Eliminate Records Backlog at the National Personnel Records Center, November 25, 2023 (NARA FOIA)

1/8 - Yellen says 100,000 firms have joined a business database aimed at unmasking shell company owners (via AP; see also, BOI website)

1/8 - Supreme Court rejects Pebble mine, climate and water cases (via E&E News, with link to source document)

1/9 - More details emerge on FCC’s cyber program for schools, libraries (via RouteFifty)

1/9 - Democrats say Biden must notify Congress about Israel arms transfers (via Washington Post)

1/10 - For IRS, backlogs and identity theft problems remain, but there is ‘cautious optimism’ watchdog says (via AP; see also, Taxpayer Advocate’s report page)

1/12 - 15 G.O.P. Governors Shut Out Food Aid for 8 Million Children (via NYT, with link to source document)

1/12 - More money is helping the IRS. Republicans still want to cut its budget. (via Washington Post; see also, IRS announcement)

See full weekly list of Congressional hearings on congress.gov.

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1/10 - Investing in the Future: Safeguarding Municipal Bonds from Climate Risk (Senate Budget)

1/10 - Harnessing AI to Improve Government Services and Customer Experience (Senate Homeland)

1/10 - Oversight of A.I.: The Future of Journalism (Senate Judiciary)

1/11 - Safeguarding Americans' Communications: Strengthening Cybersecurity in a Digital Era (House Energy)