Weekly Roundup Archive: WR 5/22/21

5/24 - EPA Announces the Signing of the U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program: Border 2025 Framework Document (EPA; direct to report)

5/24 - NOAA index tracks how greenhouse gas pollution amplified global warming in 2020 (NOAA)

5/24 - Return Travel on Recently Expired U.S. Passports (State)

5/25 - Afghanistan Retrograde Nearly One-Quarter Complete (DOD)

5/25 - Biden-Harris Administration Advances Offshore Wind in the Pacific (DOI)

5/25 - IMLS Releases 2019 Data on American Public Libraries (IMLS; direct to data reports)

5/25 - Just Released! Condition of Education 2021 (NCES; direct to website)

5/26 - US Department of Labor announces selection of researchers to analyze how labor policies, protections, programs reach underserved communities (DOL)

5/26 - EPA Implements Court Decision Overturning Restrictive Trump-Era Rule; Reaffirms Commitment to Use Best Available Science (EPA; direct to documents)

5/26 - FAA Completes Rule Establishing Pilot Records Database to Increase Safety (FAA)

5/26 - USGS Releases Nationwide Marsh Vulnerability Maps (USGS; direct to website, which appears incompatible with Firefox browser)

5/27 - New Vintage 2020 Population Estimates Available for Cities and Towns, and Housing Unit Estimates for the Nation, States and Counties (Census)

5/27 - DHS Announces New Cybersecurity Requirements for Critical Pipeline Owners and Operators (DHS; see also, directive via Politico)

5/27 - New Data Shows Visits Soared Across National Forests in 2020 (FS; direct to report)

5/27 - New Report Examines Changes to Copyright Law for Sound Recordings (LOC; direct to report)

5/27 - ODNI Statement on COVID-19 Origins (ODNI; see also, statement by President Biden)

5/28 - Additional 2020 Census Operational Quality Metrics (Census)

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.

5/24 - H.R.1318: Alaska Tourism Restoration Act - temporarily allows foreign-flagged cruise ships to sail directly from Washington State to Alaska without having to dock in Canada first

5/26 - H.R.941: TRANSPLANT Act of 2021 - modifies and reauthorizes the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program, which provides support to patients who need a potentially life-saving bone marrow transplant or umbilical cord blood transplant; also requires HHS to conduct a periodic review of the science of using adult stem cells and birthing tissues in therapeutic treatments

Note: Spring 2021 OIG Semiannual Reports are being released and can be tracked/accessed from this page.

5/24 - Evaluation of Combatant Command Counter Threat Finance Activities (DOD)

5/24 - EPA Deviated from Typical Procedures in Its 2018 Dicamba Pesticide Registration Decision (EPA; see also, EPA Admits to Altering Science Under Trump, Pledges New Course via GovExec)

5/25 - Engagement Memo—Assessing the Company’s Actions in Response to Erosion at the Del Mar Bluffs (AMTRAK)

5/25 - Toolkit: Insights from OIG's Work on the Office of Refugee Resettlement's Efforts To Care for Unaccompanied Children (HHS)

5/25 - Deficiencies in Reporting Reliable Physical Infrastructure Cost Estimates for the Electronic Health Record Modernization Program (VA; see also, House VA chair statement)

5/26 - Persistent Data Issues Hinder DHS Mission, Programs, and Operations (DHS)

5/26 - Management Assistance Report: Accountability of Official and Diplomatic Passports of Separating Employees Needs Improvement (State)

5/24 - States Opting Out of COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance (UI) Agreements (CRS)

5/24 - Intelligence Community Presidentially Appointed Senate Confirmed Officials (PAS) During the Administrations of Presidents George W. Bush, Barack H. Obama, and Donald J. Trump: In Brief (CRS)

5/25 - Federal Budget: A Few Agencies and Program-Specific Factors Explain Most Unused Funds (GAO)

5/26 - NASA Lunar Programs: Significant Work Remains, Underscoring Challenges to Achieving Moon Landing in 2024 (GAO; see also, House Science chair statement)

5/24 - Commerce Department security unit evolved into counterintelligence-like operation, Washington Post examination found (via Washington Post; see also, fact sheet referenced in article)

5/24 - The Justice Department Under Biden Will Argue To Keep Most Of A Trump-Era Memo From The Mueller Probe Secret (via BuzzFeed News, with source documents; DOJ memo also posted in the agency’s FOIA library)

5/25 - Chair Maloney and Ranking Member Comer Request Postal Service IG Review of Internet Covert Operations Program (Congress)

5/27 - Biden administration backs ConocoPhillips drilling project in National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (via Alaska Daily News, with links to source documents; see also, House Natural Resource chair statement)

5/28 - FY 2022 President’s Budget and fact sheet (OMB)

5/28 - C.D.C. Will Not Investigate Mild Infections in Vaccinated Americans (via New York Times, with links to source documents)

5/28 - DHS warns law enforcement of rise in antisemitic attacks (via Yahoo News, with source document)

5/28 - Senate Republicans Block A Plan For An Independent Commission On Jan. 6 Capitol Riot (via NPR, with link to roll call vote)

See full weekly list of hearings on congress.gov.

5/24 - Voting in America: The Potential for Voter ID Laws, Proof-of-Citizenship Laws, and Lack of Multi-Lingual Support To Interfere with Free and Fair Access to the Ballot (House Administration)

5/25 - The Status of Drought Conditions Throughout the Western United States (House Natural Resources)

5/26 - The Pandemic Response and the Small Business Economy: An Update from the U.S. Small Business Administration (Senate Small Business)

5/26 - Annual Oversight of Wall Street Firms (Senate Banking)

5/27 - Understanding Authoritarianism and Kleptocracy in Russia (House Foreign Affairs)