___________________________________________________________________

 

USA WEB ALERT

 

U.S. Reference Service

Public Affairs Section

U.S. Embassy in Australia

 

July 2009

 

________________________________________________________________________________

 

Web Alert is produced by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Mission to Australia as a free service to our subscribers.  The views expressed in these documents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. federal government.

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

TOPICS IN THIS WEB ALERT:

 

Featured item  

 

East Asia and the Pacific

South Asia and Afghanistan

Middle East

Africa  

Latin America

 

Defense and international security

Terrorism and homeland security

 

Economics and finance

International economic relations and trade

Development and foreign aid

Food security  

Agriculture and food

 

Science, technology and space

Energy

Environment

Climate change  

Water

 

Cities

Higher education

Labor and training

Social issues

Aging

Arts and recreation

Emergency preparedness

 

Politics and elections  

Justice and legal issues

Telecommunications and information technology

Consumer issues  

 

 

 

FEATURED ITEM

 

United States Foreign Policy 

Address by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, July 15, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/july/126071.htm 

A transcript of the following question-and-answer session is at

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/july/126085.htm 

 

Top

 

 

EAST ASIA and the PACIFIC 

 

U.S. Accedes to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia 

U.S. Dept of State, July 22, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/july/126294.htm 

Remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton from the signing ceremony are at

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/july/126334.htm 

 

Maritime Disputes and Sovereignty Issues in East Asia 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, July 15, 2009 

http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090715p.html 

 

Remarks by President Obama at the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue 

Washington DC, July 27, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-the-US/China-Strategic-and-Economic-Dialogue/ 

Excerpts and video are at

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/A-Dialogue-with-China/  

 

U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue 

Fact sheet, U.S. Dept of the Treasury, July 2009 

http://www.treasury.gov/press/releases/reports/sed%20fact%20sheet.pdf 

The first joint meeting of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue will be held in Washington DC on July 27-28, 2009.

http://www.treasury.gov/press/releases/tg206.htm 

 

Human Rights in China: Trends and Policy Implications 

Congressional Research Service, June 12, 2009 

http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/125955.pdf 

 

Japan’s Changing Role 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, June 25, 2009 

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1092 

For transcripts, please go to

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/schedule.asp and scroll down. 

 

Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress 

Congressional Research Service, updated June 3, 2009 

http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/125933.pdf 

 

U.S.-Republic of Korea Alliance 

Briefing by General Walter Sharp, Commander, U.S. Forces Korea, at the Foreign Press Center, U.S. Dept of State, July 14, 2009 

http://fpc.state.gov/126083.htm 

 

North Korea’s Nuclear and Missile Tests and the Six-Party Talks: Where Do We Go from Here? 

Hearing before subcommittees of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, June 17, 2009 

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1084 

For transcripts, please go to

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/schedule.asp and scroll down. 

 

The China-North Korea Relationship 

Backgrounder by Jayshree Bajoria, Council on Foreign Relations, updated July 21, 2009 

http://www.cfr.org/publication/11097/ 

 

Kim Beazley on Obama and Australia 

Lecture at Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, by Professor Kim Beazley, July 21, 2009 

http://www.murdoch.edu.au/News/Kim-Beazley-on-Obama-and-Australia/ 

In this address, the former Australian Leader of the Opposition reflects on the impact the Obama Administration is having on Australia’s relationship with the United States. 

 

Top

 

 

SOUTH ASIA and AFGHANISTAN 

 

A Regional Overview of South Asia 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Relations, June 25, 2009 

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1094 

For testimony, please go to

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/schedule.asp and scroll down. 

 

U.S.-India Agreements and Achievements 

U.S. Dept of State, July 20, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/july/126229.htm 

This gives highlights of the outcome of discussions by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton with Indian Government officials during her visit to India in July 2009. The text of the U.S.-India Joint Statement is at

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/july/126230.htm 

 

Reflections on U.S.-India Relations 

Address by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Robert O. Blake at the American Enterprise Institute, June 30, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/p/sca/rls/remarks/125513.htm 

 

Afghanistan and Pakistan: Oversight of a New Interagency Strategy 

Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, June 22, 2009 

http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2508 

 

From Strategy to Implementation: Strengthening U.S.-Pakistan Relations 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, July 7, 2009 

http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=b3968170-80d8-4dce-8f8e-d3c9144f4bfe 

 

Delivery of U.S. Assistance to Aid Pakistan’s Crisis Response 

U.S. Dept of State, July 22, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/july/126314.htm 

 

A Conversation about Pakistan 

Briefing with author and reporter Nicholas Schmidle, at the Foreign Press Center, U.S. Dept of State, June 26, 2009 

http://fpc.state.gov/125584.htm 

 

Sri Lanka: Background and U.S. Relations 

Congressional Research Service, June 4, 2009 

http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/125940.pdf 

 

Top

 

 

MIDDLE EAST 

 

The State of the Global Economy and the Relationship between the United States and the Gulf Region 

Speech by U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy F. Geithner at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce, July 14, 2009 

http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/tg211.htm 

 

Iran: Recent Developments and Implications for U.S. Policy 

Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, July 22, 2009 

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1101 

For transcripts, please go to

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/schedule.asp and scroll down. 

 

Iran’s Political Crisis Far from Over 

Interview with Professor Shaul Bakhash of George Mason University, Council on Foreign Relations, July 22, 2009 

http://www.cfr.org/publication/19881/ 

 

Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses 

Congressional Research Service, updated July 2, 2009 

http://fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL32048.pdf 

 

After the Iranian Uprising 

Views of four experts, Council on Foreign Relations, June 29, 2009 

http://www.cfr.org/publication/19707/ 

 

Iran Tracker 

A website of the Critical Threats project of the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research 

http://www.irantracker.org/ 

 

Nuclear Cooperation with the United Arab Emirates: Review of the Proposed U.S.-UAE Agreement 

Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, July 8, 2009 

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1096 

For transcripts, please go to

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/schedule.asp and scroll down. 

 

Top

 

 

AFRICA

 

A New Moment of Promise 

Address by U.S. President Barack Obama to the Parliament of Ghana, July 11, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-to-the-Ghanaian-Parliament/ 

Video and key points from the speech are at

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/A-New-Moment-of-Promise-in-Africa/ 

 

U.S.-Africa Trade Relations: Creating a Platform for Economic Growth 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, June 24, 2009 

http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1692:joint-subcommittee-hearing-on-us-africa-trade-relations-creating-a-platform-for-economic-growth&catid=129:subcommittee-on-commerce-trade-and-consumer-protection&Itemid=70 

 

Somalia: Prospects for Lasting Peace and a Unified Response to Extremism and Terrorism 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, June 25, 2009 

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1093 

For testimony, please go to

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/schedule.asp and scroll down. 

 

Confronting Drug Trafficking in West Africa 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, June 23, 2009 

http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090623a.html 

 

Current Status of U.S.-South African Relations 

Address by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson at the Woodrow Wilson Center, June 10, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/p/af/rls/rm/2009/125095.htm 

 

Top

 

 

LATIN AMERICA 

 

The Future of Inter-American Relations 

Address by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Thomas A. Shannon, Jr., at George Washington University, June 8, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rls/rm/2009/124674.htm

 

The Crisis in Honduras 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, July 10, 2009 

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1098 

For transcripts, please go to

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/schedule.asp and scroll down. 

 

Honduran-U.S. Relations 

Congressional Research Service, June 8, 2009 

http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/125946.pdf 

 

Guatemala at a Crossroads 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, June 9, 2009 

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1080 

For transcripts, please go to

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/schedule.asp and scroll down. 

 

The Rise of the Mexican Drug Cartels and U.S. National Security 

Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, July 9, 2009  

http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2531 

 

Brazil on the International Stage 

Backgrounder by Stephanie Hanson, Council on Foreign Relations, July 21, 2009 

http://www.cfr.org/publication/19883/ 

 

Brazil-U.S. Relations 

Congressional Research Service, June 3, 2009 

http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/125934.pdf 

 

Top

 

 

DEFENSE and INTERNATIONAL SECURITY 

 

Climate Change and Global Security: Challenges, Threats, and Diplomatic Opportunities 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, July 21, 2009 

http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090721p.html 

 

$150 Oil: Instability, Terrorism, and Economic Disruption 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, July 16, 2009 

http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090716a.html 

 

Navy Role in Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism: Background and Issues for Congress 

Congressional Research Service, June 4, 2009 

http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/125497.pdf 

 

An Analysis of the Army’s Transformation Programs and Possible Alternatives 

Congressional Budget Office, June 2009 

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/102xx/doc10250/06-01-ArmyTransformation.pdf 

 

Addressing a New Generation of Threats from Weapons of Mass Destruction 

Opening statement by committee chairman Ike Skelton at hearing on Addressing a New Generation of Threats from Weapons of Mass Destruction, before the U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, July 15, 2009 

http://armedservices.house.gov/apps/list/speech/armedsvc_dem/skeltonfc_07152009.shtml 

For transcripts, please go to

http://armedservices.house.gov/hearing_information.shtml and scroll down. 

 

The Legacy of START and Related U.S. Policies 

Fact sheet, U.S. Dept of State, July 16, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/t/vci/rls/126119.htm 

 

Top

 

 

TERRORISM and HOMELAND SECURITY 

 

Preliminary Report of the Detention Policy Task Force 

July 20, 2009 

http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/documents/preliminary-rpt-dptf-072009.pdf 

There is a U.S. Dept of Justice news release at

http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2009/July/09-ag-705.html

The Task Force was created pursuant to the Executive Order 13493

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=85671

which was issued by President Obama two days after his inauguration. 

 

Prosecuting Law of War Violations: Reforming the Military Commissions Act of 2006 

Opening statement by committee chairman Ike Skelton at hearing on Prosecuting Law of War Violations: Reforming the Military Commissions Act of 2006, before the U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, July 16, 2009 

http://armedservices.house.gov/apps/list/speech/armedsvc_dem/fc_07162009.shtml 

For witness statements, please go to

http://armedservices.house.gov/hearing_information.shtml and scroll down. 

 

Legal Issues Regarding Military Commissions and the Trial of Detainees for Violations of the Law of War 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Service, July 7, 2009 

http://armed-services.senate.gov/e_witnesslist.cfm?id=3956 

 

Legal Issues Surrounding the Military Commissions System 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, July 8, 2009 

http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/hear_090708.html 

 

Protecting Civil Aviation from MANPADS Attacks: New Milestone Reached 

U.S. Dept of State, July 23, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/july/126397.htm 

 

General Aviation Security: Assessing Risks and the Road Ahead 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, July 15, 2009 

http://homeland.house.gov/Hearings/index.asp?ID=204 

 

Identification Security: Reevaluating the REAL ID Act 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, July 15, 2009 

http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=3d9a52cd-c442-4dee-9a1f-b02ed3b38000 

 

Securing the Modern Electric Grid from Physical and Cyber Attacks 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, July 21, 2009 

http://homeland.house.gov/Hearings/index.asp?ID=206 

 

The Federal Protective Service: Time for Reform 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, July 8, 2009 

http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=8941fcad-b79f-47f5-8274-bf93d2ee7170 

 

Top

 

 

ECONOMICS and FINANCE

 

Regulatory Reform 

Address by U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Michael Barr to the Exchequer Club, in Washington DC, July 15, 2009 

http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/tg213.htm  

 

Rescuing and Rebuilding the U.S. Economy: A Progress Report 

Address by Lawrence H. Summers, director of the National Economic Council and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, July 17, 2009 

http://petersoninstitute.org/publications/papers/paper.cfm?ResearchID=1264 

 

Capitalism and the Process of Renewal 

Address by Thomas M. Hoenig, president, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, June 30, 2009 

http://www.kansascityfed.org/speechbio/hoenigpdf/capitalism.NYU.06.30.09.pdf 

 

Establishing a Framework for Systemic Risk Regulation 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, July 23, 2009 

http://banking.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=dabb299b-02c3-4e4b-a116-0767b04768ff 

 

Systemic Risk: Are Some Institutions Too Big to Fail and If So, What Should We Do about It? 

Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, July 21, 2009 

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/fchrcars_072109.shtml 

 

Lessons Learned from the Financial Crisis 

Remarks by William C. Dudley, president and chief executive officer, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, to the 8th annual BIS conference in Basel, Switzerland, June 26, 2009 

http://www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/speeches/2009/dud090702.html 

 

Financial Regulation in the Wake of the Crisis 

Speech by Daniel K. Tarullo, a governor of the U.S. Federal Reserve, June 8, 2009 

http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/tarullo20090608a.htm 

 

Reforming the Nation’s Financial System: A Timeline 

The Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis 

http://www.stlouisfed.org/regtimeline/ 

There is a news release about this new website feature, July 21, 2009, at

http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/07-21-2009/0005063746&EDATE 

 

Creating a Consumer Financial Protection Agency: A Cornerstone of America’s New Economic Foundation 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, July 14, 2009 

http://banking.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=9a56da23-60cb-4fd0-ac04-f94ead7d1859 

 

Regulatory Restructuring: Enhancing Consumer Financial Products Regulation 

Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, June 24, 2009 

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/hrfc_062409.shtml 

 

The Balance of Power: The Political Fight for an Independent Central Bank, 1790-present 

Tim Todd, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, 2009 

http://www.kansascityfed.org/home/subwebnav.cfm?level=3&theID=11114&SubWeb=7 

The book is available online by chapter at this web page.

There is also a chronology, The Political History of Central Banking in the United States 1790-2009, at

http://www.kansascityfed.org/publicat/balanceofpower/timeline.pdf 

 

Top

 

 

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC RELATIONS and TRADE 

 

The U.S. as Global Competitor: What Are the Elements of a National Manufacturing Strategy? 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, July 17, 2009 

http://banking.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=5b859624-53e8-4b7c-bfe6-321070a10038 

 

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk Announces New Initiatives for Trade Enforcement 

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), July 16, 2009 

http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/speeches/transcripts/2009/ambassador-kirk-announces-new-initiatives-trade-enfo 

Excerpts from USTR Kirk’s announcement are at

http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/blog/ambassador-kirk-announces-new-trade-enforcement-measures 

 

Recent Trends in U.S. Services Trade: 2009 Annual Report 

U.S. International Trade Commission, July 2009 

http://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub4084.pdf 

There is a press release about this 132-page publication at

http://www.usitc.gov/ext_relations/news_release/2009/er0706gg1.htm 

 

Obama Administration Completes 2008 Annual Review of the Generalized System of Preferences 

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), June 30, 2009 

http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/press-releases/2009/june/obama-administration-completes-2008-annual-review-gen 

Results of the review are at

http://www.ustr.gov/webfm_send/1174 

 

U.S.-Japan Investment Initiative 2009 Report 

U.S. Dept of State, July 6, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/p/eap/rls/reports/2009/125605.htm 

There is a summary at

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/july/125609.htm 

 

China’s Changing Outbound Foreign Direct Investment Profile: Drivers and Policy Implications 

Daniel H. Rosen and Thilo Hanemann, Peterson Institute for International Economics, June 2009 

http://petersoninstitute.org/publications/pb/pb09-14.pdf 

There is a summary and related links at

http://petersoninstitute.org/publications/interstitial.cfm?ResearchID=1245 

 

The Export Administration Act: A Review of Outstanding Policy Considerations 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, July 9, 2009 

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1095 

For witness testimony, please go to

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/schedule.asp and scroll down. 

 

Top

 

 

DEVELOPMENT and FOREIGN AID 

 

The Case for Reform: Foreign Aid and Development in a New Era 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, July 22, 2009 

http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090722p.html 

 

U.S. Commitment to Development 

U.S. Dept of State, July 9, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/july/125871.htm 

 

Global Development Finance: Charting a Global Recovery 

World Bank, June 2009 

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTGDF2009/Resources/gdf_combined_web.pdf 

There is a news release at

http://go.worldbank.org/C8SBG37HG0 

 

Top

 

 

FOOD SECURITY 

 

Food Security: Investing in Agricultural Development to Reduce Hunger and Poverty 

The White House, July 10, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Food-Security-Investing-in-Agricultural-Development-to-Reduce-Hunger-and-Poverty/ 

 

Food Security Assessment 2008-09 

Economic Research Service, U.S. Dept of Agriculture, June 2009 

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/GFA20/#2009-6-30 

The report in PDF format is at

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/GFA20/GFA20.pdf 

 

Top

 

 

AGRICULTURE and FOOD 

 

The Transmission of Exchange Rate Changes to Agricultural Prices 

Economic Research Service, U.S. Dept of Agriculture, July 2009 

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ERR76/ERR76.pdf 

There is a short summary at

http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err76/

and a longer summary at

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ERR76/ERR76_ReportSummary.pdf 

 

Excessive Speculation in the Wheat Market 

Hearing before the Subcommittee on Investigations, U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, July 21, 2009 

http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=26f85374-c43a-4e2a-ac16-b64a40ca263a 

 

Excessive Speculation in the Wheat Market 

Staff report of the Subcommittee on Investigations, U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, June 24, 2009 

http://levin.senate.gov/newsroom/supporting/2009/PSI.WheatSpeculation.062409.pdf 

 

Imports from China and Food Safety Issues 

Economic Research Service, U.S. Dept of Agriculture, July 2009 

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/EIB52/EIB52.pdf 

There is a short summary at

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/EIB52/ 

 

The Interplay of Regulation and Market Incentives in Providing Food Safety 

Economic Research Service, U.S. Dept of Agriculture, July 2009 

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ERR75/ERR75.pdf

There is a short summary at

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ERR75/#2009-7-10 

 

Top

 

 

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY and SPACE 

 

America’s Future in Space: Aligning the Civil Space Program with National Needs 

Report of a committee of the National Research Council, July 2009 

http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12701 

There is a news release at

http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=12701 

 

Enhancing the Relevance of Space to Address National Needs 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology, July 16, 2009 

http://science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?NewsID=2544 

 

Ensuring the Integrity, Accessibility, and Stewardship of Research Data in the Digital Age 

Report of a committee of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, National Academies Press, July 2009 

http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12615 

There is a press release about this 188-page report at

http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=12615 

 

Public Praises Science: Scientists Fault Public, Media; Scientific Achievements Less Prominent than a Decade Ago 

Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, July 9, 2009 

http://people-press.org/report/528/ 

The full report (100 pages) is at

http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/528.pdf 

 

Comparative Effectiveness Research 

Report of the Federal Coordinating Council for Effectiveness Research, June 30, 2009 

http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/programs/cer/cerannualrpt.pdf 

There is a news release, “Patient-Centered Research Report Sent to Congress Outlining Research Priorities”, at

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/06/20090629a.html

and general information on comparative effectiveness research at

http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/programs/cer/ 

 

Top

 

 

ENERGY 

 

Ensuring and Enhancing U.S. Competitiveness While Moving Toward a Clean Energy Economy 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, July 16, 2009 

http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=61c08454-802a-23ad-494a-4ff5e60d89d5 

 

Obama Administration Launches New Energy Efficiency Efforts 

The White House, June 29, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Obama-Administration-Launches-New-Energy-Efficiency-Efforts/ 

Remarks by President Obama are at

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-on-Energy/ 

 

Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Critical Barriers and Congressional Policy 

Congressional Research Service, June 24, 2009 

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40670_20090624.pdf 

 

Effectively Transforming Our Electric Delivery System to a Smart Grid 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology, July 23, 2009 

http://science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?NewsID=2553 

 

New Roadmaps for Wind and Solar Research and Development 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology, July 14, 2009 

http://science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?NewsID=2542 

 

Energy Markets: Estimates of the Effects of Mergers and Market Concentration on Wholesale Gasoline Prices 

Government Accountability Office (GAO), June 2009 

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09659.pdf 

 

Top

 

 

ENVIRONMENT 

 

Environmental Justice 

A resource guide from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

http://epa.gov/region09/ej/ 

There is a news release, June 24, 2009, at

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/6427a6b7538955c585257359003f0230/ffa1e5a76d8f3fce852575df00665f78!OpenDocument 

 

Threats to Native Wildlife Species 

Joint hearing before subcommittees of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, July 8, 2009 

http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=38009204-802a-23ad-4d13-f2bfbd089682 

 

Top

 

 

CLIMATE CHANGE 

 

Meeting the International Clean Energy and Climate Challenges 

White House, July 9, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/FACT-SHEET-Meeting-the-International-Clean-Energy-and-Climate-Change-Challenges/ 

 

From L’Aquila to Copenhagen: Climate Change and Vulnerable Societies 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, July 23, 2009 

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1103 

For transcripts, please go to

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/schedule.asp and scroll down. 

 

Industrial Competitiveness under Climate Policies: Lessons from Europe 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, July 8, 2009 

http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090708p.html 

 

Climate Change Legislation: International Trade Considerations 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, July 8, 2009 

http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/hearing070809.html 

 

Climate Change Trade Measures: Considerations for U.S. Policy Makers 

Government Accountability Office (GAO), July 8, 2009 

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09724r.pdf 

 

Productive and Unproductive Costs of CO2 Cap-and-Trade: Impacts on Electricity Consumers and Producers 

Report by Synapse Energy Economics Inc. for four energy industry associations, July 15, 2009 

http://www.synapse-energy.com/downloads/cap-and-trade.pdf 

There is a press release at

http://www.appanet.org/files/pdfs/synapsestudyrelease71509.pdf 

 

Clean Energy Jobs, Climate-Related Policies and Economic Growth: State and Local Views 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, July 21, 2009 

http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=7badef5f-802a-23ad-4525-e7f73ab98c63 

 

Economic Opportunities for Agriculture, Forestry Communities, and Others in Reducing Global Warming Pollution 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, July 14, 2009 

http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=57b7e7dd-802a-23ad-4856-9fe5653daad2 

 

Climate Change: The Role of the U.S.  Agriculture Sector and Congressional Action 

Congressional Research Service, June 19, 2009 

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL33898_20090619.pdf 

 

Transportation’s Role in Climate Change and Reducing Greenhouse Gases 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, July 14, 2009 

http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=57b8818d-802a-23ad-4d8d-e09cd7cb134a 

 

Climate Science 2008: Major New Discoveries 

World Resources Institute, July 2009 

http://pdf.wri.org/climate_science_2008.pdf 

There is a news release, “Science Reinforces Human Role as Climate Change Impacts Accelerate”, at

http://www.wri.org/press/2009/07/science-reinforces-human-role-climate-change-impacts-accelerate

and links to other reports in this annual series are at

http://www.wri.org/publication/climate-science 

 

Energy Update: Voters Closely Divided over Cause of Global Warming 

Rasmussen Reports, June 18, 2009 

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/environment/energy_update 

 

Communities Tackle Global Warming: A Guide to California’s SB 375 

Natural Resources Defense Council, June 2009 

http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/sb375/files/sb375.pdf 

There is a summary at

http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/sb375/

and a press release at

http://www.nrdc.org/media/2009/090625.asp 

 

The Arctic Climate Change and Security Policy Conference: Final Report and Findings 

June 2009. Report of a December 2008 conference convened by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the University of the Arctic, and Dartmouth College 

http://carnegieendowment.org/files/arctic_climate_change.pdf 

There is a summary at

http://carnegieendowment.org/publications/index.cfm?fa=view&id=23314&prog=zru&proj=zec 

 

Top

 

 

WATER 

 

Technology Research and Development Efforts Related to the Energy and Water Linkage 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology, July 9, 2009 

http://science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?NewsID=2540 

 

Regulation of Bottled Water 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, July 8, 2009 

http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1703:energy-and-commerce-subcommittee-hearing-on-regulation-of-bottled-water&catid=133:subcommittee-on-oversight-and-investigations&Itemid=73 

 

Top

 

 

CITIES 

 

Remarks by President Obama

At the Urban and Metropolitan Policy Roundtable, July 13, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-Urban-and-Metropolitan-Roundtable/ 

 

Informed and Interconnected: A Manifesto for Smarter Cities 

Working paper by Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Stanley S. Litow, Harvard Business School, June 2009 

http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/09-141.pdf 

 

Bootstrapping High-Tech: Evidence from Three Emerging High Technology Metropolitan Areas 

Heike Mayer, Brookings Institution, June 2009 

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2009/06_metro_hightech_mayer/06_metro_hightech_mayer.pdf

There is a summary at

http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2009/06_metro_hightech_mayer.aspx

The report focuses on Portland (Oregon), Kansas City, and Boise. 

 

Top

 

 

HIGHER EDUCATION 

 

American Graduation Initiative 

Announcement and remarks by President Obama, July 14, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-on-the-American-Graduation-Initiative-in-Warren-MI/ 

The American Graduation Initiative seeks to reform, resource and strengthen community colleges in the United States. There is a White House fact sheet at

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Excerpts-of-the-Presidents-remarks-in-Warren-Michigan-and-fact-sheet-on-the-American-Graduation-Initiative/ 

 

New Data Show Jump in Science and Engineering Graduate Study 

National Science Foundation, June 24, 2009 

http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=115008&org=NSF&from=news 

 

Ready to Assemble: Grading State Higher Education Accountability Systems 

Education Sector, June 2009 

http://www.educationsector.org/usr_doc/HigherEdSummary.pdf 

There is a press release at

http://www.educationsector.org/research/research_show.htm?doc_id=934393 

 

Top

 

 

LABOR and TRAINING 

 

Balancing Work and Family in the Recession: How Employees and Employers are Coping 

Hearing before the Joint Economic Committee, U.S. Congress, July 23, 2009 

http://jec.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.HearingsCalendar&ContentRecord_id=99ee5f92-5056-8059-7616-a8c4e550360a&Region_id=&Issue_id 

 

Preparing the Workers of Today for the Jobs of Tomorrow 

Council of Economic Advisers, July 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/cea/Jobs-of-the-Future/ 

The text in PDF format (30 pages) is at

http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/Jobs_of_the_Future.pdf

and there is a summary at

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Council-of-Economic-Advisers-Releases-Report-on-Jobs-of-the-Future/ 

 

The Ill-Prepared U.S. Workforce: Exploring the Challenges of Employer-Provided Readiness Training 

Report for a consortium (The Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, American Society for Training and Development, and the Society for Human Resource Management), July 2009 

http://www.cvworkingfamilies.org/system/files/Ill_preparedWorkforce_RR.pdf 

Key findings are at

http://www.cvworkingfamilies.org/system/files/Ill_Prepared_Workforce_KF.pdf

and there is a press release at

http://www.conference-board.org/utilities/pressDetail.cfm?press_ID=3693 

 

Top

 

 

SOCIAL ISSUES 

 

Talkin’ ‘bout My Generation: Exploring Age-Related Resources 

Sidney Lowe and Susie Skarl, Association of College and Research Libraries, C&RL News, July-August 2009 

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/publications/crlnews/2009/jul/agerelate.cfm 

This article is a guide to “internet sites and online articles about generational differences … on a wide range of subjects, such as learning styles, social behaviors, moral values, technological skills, marketing, communication, and workplace performance.” 

 

Social Protection for the Economic Crisis: The U.S. Experience 

Gary Burtless, Brookings Institution, July 2009 

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2009/0715_social_protection_burtless/0715_social_protection_burtless.pdf 

There is a summary at

http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2009/0715_social_protection_burtless.aspx 

 

Ups and Downs: Does the American Economy Still Promote Economic Mobility? 

Stephen J. Rose and Scott Winship, Pew Charitable Trusts, June 2009 

http://www.pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/Reports/Economic_Mobility/EMP%20Ups%20and%20Downs%20Full%20Report.pdf 

 

Social Justice Grantmaking II: Highlights 

The Foundation Center, July 2009  

http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/pdf/socialjustice2009_highlights.pdf 

There is a news release at

http://foundationcenter.org/media/news/20090715.html

and the full report can be purchased from the Foundation Center. 

 

Top

 

 

AGING 

 

An Aging World: 2008 

U.S. Census Bureau, June 2009 

http://www.census.gov/prod/2009pubs/p95-09-1.pdf 

There is a news release about this 204 page report at

 http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jul2009/nia-20.htm 

 

Growing Old in America: Expectations vs. Reality 

Pew Research Center, June 29, 2009 

http://pewsocialtrends.org/assets/pdf/getting-old-in-america.pdf 

There is a summary at

http://pewsocialtrends.org/pubs/736/getting-old-in-america

and a press release at

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1269/aging-survey-expectations-versus-reality 

 

Health Characteristics of Adults Aged 55 Years and Over: United States, 2004-2007 

National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, July 8, 2009 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr016.pdf 

 

Top

 

 

ARTS and RECREATION 

 

Arts Participation 2008: Highlights from a National Survey 

National Endowment for the Arts, June 2009 

http://www.arts.gov/research/NEA-SPPA-brochure.pdf 

There is a news release at

http://www.arts.gov/news/news09/SPPA-highlights.html 

 

The Nation’s Report Card: Arts 2008 Music and Visual Arts 

National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education, June 2009 

http://nationsreportcard.gov/arts_2008/ 

There is a summary at

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009488,

full text at

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/main2008/2009488.pdf

and a news release at

http://nationsreportcard.gov/arts_2008/media/pdf/arts_news_release.pdf 

 

President Obama announces a new White House Office of Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport 

The White House, June 16, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Announces-New-White-House-Office-of-Olympic-Paralympic-and-Youth-Sport/ 

 

Top

 

 

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS 

 

The Preparedness of Federal Land Management Agencies for the 2009 Wildfire Season 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, July 21, 2009 

http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=5679e400-eeee-2bba-4db4-00628c95dec9 

 

Wildland-Urban Interface and Wildland Fires 

National Institute of Standards and Technology, updated June 2009 

http://www2.bfrl.nist.gov/userpages/wmell/public.html 

There is a news release at

http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/techbeat/tb2009_0616.htm#fire 

 

The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and All-Hazard Warnings 

Congressional Research Service, June 26, 2009 

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL32527_20090626.pdf 

 

Emergency Communications: The Future of 911 

Congressional Research Service, June 16, 2009 

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL34755_20090616.pdf 

 

Top

 

 

POLITICS and ELECTIONS 

 

Voter Turnout Increases by 5 Million in 2008 Presidential Election, U.S. Census Bureau Reports 

U.S. Bureau of the Census, July 20, 2009 

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/013995.html 

There is a link to data tables at

http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/voting.html 

 

The Impact of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 on the Administration of Elections for Federal Office 2007-2008 

A report to the 111th Congress, by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, June 30, 2009 

http://www.eac.gov/program-areas/research-resources-and-reports/completed-research-and-reports/program-areas/research-resources-and-reports/copy_of_docs/nvra-report-final_congress.pdf/attachment_download/file 

There is a press release at

http://www.eac.gov/News/press/eac-releases-report-on-voter-registration/ 

 

The National Voter Registration Act at Fifteen 

A report by Estelle H. Rogers, Project Vote, July 2009 

http://www.projectvote.org/images/publications/NVRA/THE%20NVRA%20at%20FIFTEEN--A%20Report%20to%20Congress.pdf 

There is a news release and summary at

http://www.projectvoteblog.org/265/?tx_ttnews[tt_news]=3365&tx_ttnews[backPid]=263&cHash=7be648563f 

 

Expanding Democracy: Voter Registration around the World 

Jennifer S. Rosenberg with Margaret Chen, Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, June 2009 

http://brennan.3cdn.net/3234b49c4234d92bf3_3km6i2ifu.pdf 

There is a summary at

http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/expanding_democracy_voter_registration_around_the_world/

and a press release at

http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/can_the_us_register_every_voter/ 

 

Top

 

 

JUSTICE and LEGAL ISSUES 

 

Anatomy of a Jury Trial 

eJournal USA, July 2009 

http://www.america.gov/publications/ejournalusa/0709.html 

eJournal USA is a monthly electronic publication of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. 

 

Judge Sonia Sotomayor: Analysis of Selected Opinions 

Congressional Research Service, June 19, 2009 

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40649_20090619.pdf 

The nomination of Judge Sotomayor to be a Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court was announced on May 26, 2009. 

 

The Nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, July 13, 2009 

http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/hearing.cfm?id=3959 

Hearings were continued on subsequent days of the same week:

http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/index.cfm?changedate=07-13-09&p=hearings 

 

Language Access in State Courts 

Laura Abel, Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, 2009 

http://brennan.3cdn.net/c611a37ee2b6eb199e_9bm6b3so4.pdf 

There is a news release, July 4, 2009, at

http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/people_forced_to_appear/ 

 

Top

 

 

TELECOMMUNICATIONS and INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 

 

The Substantial Consumer Benefits of Broadband Connectivity for U.S. Households 

Internet Innovation Alliance, July 2009 

http://internetinnovation.org/files/special-reports/CONSUMER_BENEFITS_OF_BROADBAND.pdf 

 

Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate 

Congressional Research Service, June 1, 2009 

http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/125493.pdf 

 

A New Approach to Classifying Industries in the Information Sector 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Dept of Labor, May 2009 

http://www.bls.gov/opub/ils/pdf/opbils75.pdf 

 

Internet Wireless Use 

Pew Internet & American Life Project, July 2009 

http://pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2009/Wireless-Internet-Use.pdf 

There is an overview of this report, which looks at wireless internet use in the United States, at

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/12-Wireless-Internet-Use.aspx 

 

The Internet and the Recession 

Pew Internet & American Life Project, July 2009 

http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/11-The-Internet-and-the-Recession.aspx?r=1 

The text (54 pages) is at

http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2009/The-Internet-and-the-Recession.pdf

and there is an overview at

http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/11-The-Internet-and-the-Recession.aspx 

 

Cyberbullying Legislation: Why Education is Better than Regulation 

Progress & Freedom Foundation, June 2009 

http://www.pff.org/issues-pubs/pops/2009/pop16.12-cyberbullying-education-better-than-regulation.pdf 

There is a news release at

http://www.pff.org/news/news/2009/061909-cyberbullying-online-safety-free-speech.html 

 

Top

 

 

CONSUMER ISSUES 

 

Advertising Trends and Consumer Protection 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, July 22, 2009 

http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=ad2f9a08-8934-4ca0-a682-81df8e3ecdec 

 

The Economy and Fraud: Protecting Consumers during Downward Economic Times 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, July 14, 2009 

http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=b88504e4-a446-4bd4-8f52-1aff25b38720 

 

Agencies Publish Final Rules and Guidelines to Promote Accurate Reports about Consumers 

Joint press release by the U.S. Federal Reserve and other agencies, July 2, 2009 

http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/press/bcreg/20090702a.htm 

 

Top

 

 

____________________________________________________________________________________

 

U.S. Reference Service

 

Canberra: Alexis Yeadon

[ACT, NT, SA, TAS, VIC, WA]

 

Sydney: Peter Gilbert

[NSW, QLD]