This page is an attempt to provide current awareness of federal government reports and activities. The page will be updated weekly to provide links to important, newsworthy, or interesting material published during the previous week. The goal is to keep the links to a manageable number for readers, not to be a comprehensive listing.
Each Monday, our GovInfo at UC San Diego Library Facebook page will link back to this page for the latest update. You're welcome to follow us there if you'd like to receive notifications. You can also get notified of updates by hovering over the Weekly Roundup tab and clicking "Receive Notifications," then entering your email address and hitting the subscribe button.
Please keep in mind that government agencies may present material in a way that reads favorably for the government. You are encouraged to consult other resources (e.g. newspapers) for additional information and/or context.
Note: statements concerning ongoing civil protests are being compiled on a separate guide
8/10 - The Bureau of Land Management’s Headquarters Officially Established in Grand Junction, Colorado (BLM)
8/10 - International Food Security Assessment, 2020–30 (ERS)
8/10 - State Department briefing on OIG report (State; see also Engel Statement on State Department’s Pre-Spin of OIG Arms Sales Report; report linked in OIG section)
8/11 - IG Confirms Emergency Arms Sales “Properly Executed” (State; see also, Engel Statement on OIG Report on Arms Sales)
8/11 - Justice Department Releases Report On Modernizing The Administrative Procedure Act (DOJ; direct to report)
8/11 - Introducing the Presidential Library Explorer (NARA)
8/11 - OSC Files Amicus Curiae Brief Reaffirming Federal Employees’ Right to Engage in Protected Activities (OSC)
8/12 - Trump Administration Continues to Improve Conservation of Western Big Game Species (DOI; direct to report)
8/12 - Reporting on the State of the Climate in 2019 (NCEI, with linked State of the Climate 2019 report)
8/13 - Trump Administration Outlines Comprehensive Strategy to Tackle $120 Billion Problem re: invasive species (DOI)
8/13 - EPA Issues Final Policy and Technical Amendments to the New Source Performance Standards for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry (EPA; see also, Pallone: EPA’s Final Methane Rule Defies Both Science and Human Decency)
8/14 - Census Bureau Adapts Operations to Ensure Everyone Is Counted (Census)
8/14 - Op-Ed by Commerce Secretary Wilbur L. Ross: The Census Bureau is Not Shortchanging the Count (DOC)
8/14 - U.S. Department of Education Launches New Title IX Resources for Students, Institutions as Historic New Rule Takes Effect (ED; direct to website)
8/14 - Establishment of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (DOD)
8/11 - New sections for Custody and Transfer Statistics and for Migrant Protection Protocols added to CBP Stats & Summaries page (CBP)
8/11 - Schumer, Heinrich, Manchin Lead Entire Democratic Caucus In Opposing Bureau Of Land Management Director Nominee William Perry Pendley (Congress)
8/11 - FEMA Told Congress It Had “Very Little Knowledge” About The Coronavirus Response Before March. New Documents Show It’s Been Deeply Involved Since The Beginning (via Buzzfeed, with source documents)
8/11 - Eagles And Mockingbirds Catch A Break As Judge Strikes Down Trump Bird Opinion (Courts, via NPR; includes source document)
8/11 - OGE rolling out redesigned website (OGE; preview available)
8/12 - Subcommittee Chair Raskin Leads Letter Condemning National Labor Relations Board’s Effort to Remove Nondiscrimination Protections for LGBTQ+ Employees (Congress)
8/12 - Pelosi, Maloney Joined by 192 House Democrats in Calling on Postmaster General to Reverse Assault on Postal Service (Congress)
8/14 - Federal Appeals Court Throws Out California Ban On Large-Capacity Gun Magazines (Courts, via NPR; includes source document)
8/14 - Appeals court nixes Hillary Clinton deposition on emails (Courts, via Politico; includes link to source document)
8/14 - Murray: Stalled Progress Indicated By Trump Administration’s Latest Demographic Data Report is Unacceptable (Congress, with link to data report)
8/14 - Pelosi, Schumer, Top Committee Democrats Press Postmaster General for Answers on Partisan Campaign to Slow the Mail Before the Election (Congress)
8/11 - Review of the Department of State’s Role in Arms Transfers to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (State; see also, unredacted version, via Politico)
8/11 - Alleged Interference in FOIA Litigation Process (DOI; see also, Wyden and Grijalva on New Interior Inspector General Report: Officials “Orchestrated A Cover-up To Protect Secretary Bernhardt During His Confirmation”)
8/11 - OIG's Top Unimplemented Recommendations: Solutions To Reduce Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in HHS Programs: August 2020 (HHS)
8/12 - FEMA Has Paid Billions in Improper Payments for SBA Dependent Other Needs Assistance since 2003 (DHS)
8/13 - Request for Information and Notice of Interview to Secretary Wilbur Ross and Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham from the Inspector General re: 2020 Census Schedule (DOC)
8/13 - EPA's 2018 BEACH Act Report to Congress Does Not Fully Meet Statutory Requirements (EPA)
8/14 - Audit of U.S. Special Operations Command Testing and Evaluation (DOD)
Most OIG Semiannual Reports (SARs) for Spring 2020 have been released, though a few remain outstanding. If interested, you can click here to track which ones are available.
8/10 - Understanding the Second-Quarter Fall in GDP (CRS)
8/10 - Child Welfare and Aging Programs: HHS Could Enhance Support for Grandparents and Other Relative Caregivers (GAO)
8/11 - Facial Recognition Technology: Privacy and Accuracy Issues Related to Commercial Uses (GAO)
8/12 - The Great American Outdoors Act, P.L. 116-152: Selected Provisions (CRS)
8/12 - Federal Election Commission: Membership and Policymaking Quorum, In Brief (CRS)
8/13 - Sequestration Update Report: August 2020 (CBO)
8/13 - EPA’s Affordable Clean Energy Rule and Related Issues: Frequently Asked Questions (CRS)
8/13 - Retirement Security: Older Women Report Facing a Financially Uncertain Future (GAO)
8/13 - Homelessness: Better HUD Oversight of Data Collection Could Improve Estimates of Homeless Population (GAO)
8/14 - Department of Homeland Security—Legality of Service of Acting Secretary of Homeland Security and Service of Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security (GAO; see also, Thompson and Maloney Release GAO Decision Confirming Trump’s Top DHS Appointments Were Illegal)
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.
8/14 - S.3637 A bill to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to extend lease protections for servicemembers under stop movement orders in response to a local, national, or global emergency, and for other purposes
8/14 - S.3607 Safeguarding America's First Responders Act of 2020 (extends death and disability benefits under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (PSOB) to public safety officers (e.g., law enforcement officers) and survivors of public safety officers who die or become injured as a result of COVID-19)
8/14 - S.2163 Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act (establishes the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys within the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to conduct a systematic study of the conditions affecting black men and boys)
