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USA WEB ALERT

 

U.S. Reference Service

Public Affairs Section

U.S. Embassy in Australia

 

September 2009

 

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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.

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TOPICS IN THIS WEB ALERT:

 

Featured item  

 

International relations

East Asia and the Pacific

Europe and Russia

Pakistan and Afghanistan

Middle East

Africa

International development

Defense and international security

Maritime security and piracy

 

Economics and finance

Housing finance

Agricultural trade

Space  

Energy

Climate change  

Environment

Marine environment

 

Health

Influenza

Labor  

Aging, retirement and social security

 

Government and public administration  

Budget and taxation  

Media and publishing

Information technology and the internet

 

 

 

FEATURED ITEM 

 

Climate Change Perspectives 

eJournal USA, September 2009 

http://www.america.gov/publications/ejournalusa/0909.html 

This issue of eJournal USA offers perspectives of experts and activists in several key countries on effective policies to curb greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate global warming and adapt to irreversible changes, and features an introduction by U.S. special envoy Todd Stern. eJournal USA is an electronic journal of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. 

 

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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 

 

G-20 Summit, Pittsburgh 

September 24-25, 2009 

http://www.pittsburghsummit.gov/ 

The Leaders’ Statement, September 25, 2009, is at

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Leaders-statement-on-the-Pittsburgh-summit/

and links to White House fact sheets, September 25, 2009, are at

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Post-G20-meeting-fact-sheets/ 

 

Address by President Barack Obama to the United Nations General Assembly 

New York, September 23, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-to-the-United-Nations-General-Assembly/ 

 

The Berlin Wall: 20 Years Later 

U.S. Dept of State, Bureau of International Information Programs, September 2009 

http://www.america.gov/media/pdf/books/the-berlin-wall.pdf 

This publication looks at the role of the Berlin Wall during the Cold War, and the legacy of its dismantlement amid the collapse of Cold War regimes in central and eastern Europe in 1989. It can be downloaded by chapter at http://www.america.gov/publications/books/berlin_wall.html 

 

Political-Military Affairs: Smart Power Starts Here 

Address by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Andrew J. Shapiro to ComDef 2009, September 9, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/rm/128752.htm 

 

Reinforcing Treasury’s Strategic Roles in International Affairs and National Security

Addressing International Financial Crises, Combating Illicit Finance, Strengthening Public Finance Institutions 

Jeremiah S. Pam, U.S. Institute of Peace, September 8, 2009 

http://www.usip.org/files/resources/treasury_roles.pdf 

There is a summary at

http://www.usip.org/resources/reinforcing-treasury-s-strategic-roles-in-international-affairs-and-national-security 

 

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EAST ASIA and the PACIFIC 

 

U.S.-China Relations: Maximizing the Effectiveness of the Strategic and Economic Dialogue 

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

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1111 

For transcripts, please go to http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/schedule.asp and scroll down. 

 

China’s International Behavior: Activism, Opportunism, and Diversification 

Evan S. Medeiros, RAND, August 2009 (279 pages) 

http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2009/RAND_MG850.pdf 

There is a short summary at http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG850/index.html 

 

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EUROPE and RUSSIA 

 

Remarks at the German Marshall Fund 

Remarks by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg, September 9, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/s/d/2009/129215.htm 

Observations on the findings of the German Marshall Fund report Transatlantic Trends 2009; for this report, please see http://www.transatlantictrends.org/trends/ 

 

The United States and Europe: Current Issues

Congressional Research Service, August 5, 2009 

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RS22163_20090805.pdf 

 

Strengthening Missile Defense in Europe 

Remarks by U.S. President Barack Obama, September 17, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-on-Strengthening-Missile-Defense-in-Europe/ 

 

A “Phased, Adaptive Approach” for Missile Defense in Europe 

White House fact sheet on U.S. missile defense policy, September 17, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/FACT-SHEET-US-Missile-Defense-Policy-A-Phased-Adaptive-Approach-for-Missile-Defense-in-Europe/ 

 

The President’s Decision on Missile Defense in Europe 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services, September 24, 2009 

http://armed-services.senate.gov/e_witnesslist.cfm?id=4082 

 

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PAKISTAN and AFGHANISTAN 

 

Friends of Democratic Pakistan Summit Meeting Concluding Statement by the Co-Chairs 

Washington DC, September 25, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/sept/129651.htm 

The co-chairs of the summit are the President of Pakistan, the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. 

 

Exploring Three Strategies for Afghanistan 

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

http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090916p.html 

 

Countering the Threat of Failure in Afghanistan 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, September 17, 2009 

http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090917a.html 

 

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MIDDLE EAST 

 

Iranian Nuclear Facility 

Statements by U.S. President Obama, French President Sarkozy, and British Prime Minister Brown, in Pittsburgh, September 25, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Statements-By-President-Obama-French-President-Sarkozy-And-British-Prime-Minister-Brown-On-Iranian-Nuclear-Facility/ 

 

Briefing by Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell on the President’s Trilateral Meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel and President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority 

Briefing at the New York Foreign Press Center, U.S. Dept of State, September 22, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/p/nea/rls/rm/2009/129506.htm 

 

Joint Statement by the Quartet 

September 24, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/sept/129602.htm 

 

United Nations Chapter VII Mandates and the U.S.-Iraq Bilateral Agreement 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, September 17, 2009 

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1114 

For transcripts, please go to http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/schedule.asp and scroll down. 

 

Iraq: Report from the Field 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, September 10, 2009 

http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090910p.html 

The witness is U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher R. Hill. 

 

Outlook for Iraq and U.S. Policy 

Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, September 10, 2009 

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1110 

The witness is U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher R. Hill. For his statement to the Committee, please go to http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/schedule.asp and scroll down. 

 

Criminals, Militias, and Insurgents: Organized Crime in Iraq 

Phil Williams, Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College, August 2009 

http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/display.cfm?pubID=930 

 

Yemen: Avoiding a Downward Spiral 

Christopher Boucek, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, September 2009 

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

 

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AFRICA 

 

Remarks at the Millennium Challenge Corporation Signing Ceremony with Senegal 

Remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, September 16, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/09/129268.htm 

 

The Global Economic Crisis: Impact on Sub-Saharan Africa and Global Policy Responses 

Congressional Research Service, August 25, 2009 

http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/128815.pdf 

 

Remarks at the 8th Forum of the African Growth and Opportunity Act 

Remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, in Nairobi, August 5, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/08/126902.htm 

 

Corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa  

Backgrounder by Stephanie Hanson, Council on Foreign Relations, August 6, 2009 

http://www.cfr.org/publication/19984/ 

 

Scenarios for Sudan: Avoiding Political Violence through 2011 

Alan Schwartz, U.S. Institute of Peace, August 2009 

http://www.usip.org/files/resources/SR228_0.pdf 

 

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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

 

The Pittsburgh Summit: Support for the Most Vulnerable 

White House fact sheet, September 25, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/g20/Pittsburgh_Fact_Sheet_Most_Vulnerable.pdf 

 

The Pittsburgh Summit: Partnering on Food Security 

White House fact sheet, September 25, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/g20/Pittsburgh_Fact_Sheet_Food_Security.pdf 

 

Partnering for Food Security: Moving Forward 

A Proposal from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, September 26, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/s/globalfoodsecurity/129626.htm 

Further information is at

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/sept/129671.htm

and remarks by Secretary Clinton are at

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/09/129673.htm 

 

Remarks at Launch of Inter-American Social Protection Network (IASPN) 

Remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, September 22, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/09/129473.htm 

 

World Development Report 2010 

World Bank, September 15, 2009

http://go.worldbank.org/ZXULQ9SCC0 

There is a press release at http://go.worldbank.org/CEYPULJJ00 

 

The World Bank’s Disclosure Policy Review and the Role of Democratic Participatory Processes in Achieving Successful Development Outcomes 

Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, September 10, 2009 

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/FShr_091009.shtml 

 

A Global Fund for Education: Achieving Education for All 

David Gartner, Brookings Institution, August 2009 

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2009/08_education_gartner/08_education_gartner.pdf 

 

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DEFENSE and INTERNATIONAL SECURITY 

 

Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Disarmament 

Remarks by President Obama at the UN Security Council Summit on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Disarmament, September 24, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-By-The-President-At-the-UN-Security-Council-Summit-On-Nuclear-Non-Proliferation-And-Nuclear-Disarmament/ 

There is a White House fact sheet on this Summit at

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Fact-Sheet-on-the-United-Nations-Security-Council-Summit-on-Nuclear-Nonproliferation-and-Nuclear-Disarmament-UNSC-Resolution-1887/ 

 

World at Risk: The Weapons of Mass Destruction Prevention and Preparedness Act of 2009 (S.1649) 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, September 22, 2009 

http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=6da43cb1-c958-4e67-8d2b-d85a3f407377 

 

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MARITIME SECURITY and PIRACY 

 

Key Outcomes of 4th Plenary of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia 

U.S. Dept of State, September 16, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/sept/129267.htm 

 

Taking Diplomatic Action against Piracy 

Remarks by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Andrew J. Shapiro to the Global Maritime Information Sharing Symposium, September 16, 2009  

http://www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/rm/129258.htm 

 

United States Actions to Counter Piracy off the Horn of Africa 

Fact sheet, U.S. Dept of State, September 1, 2009 

http://www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/fs/128540.htm 

 

Countering Piracy in the Modern Era 

RAND, September 2009 

http://www.rand.org/pubs/conf_proceedings/2009/RAND_CF269.pdf 

Notes from a RAND workshop held in March 2009. There is a summary at

http://www.rand.org/pubs/conf_proceedings/CF269/index.html 

 

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ECONOMICS and FINANCE

 

Financial Rescue and Reform 

Address by President Barack Obama, September 14, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-on-Financial-Rescue-and-Reform-at-Federal-Hall/ 

 

Remarks by U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Neal S. Wolin 

Remarks to the Financial Services Roundtable, September 24, 2009 

http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/tg299.htm 

In this address, the Deputy Secretary describes the Administration’s moves to reform the United States financial system. 

 

The Administration’s Proposals for Financial Regulatory Reform 

Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, September 23, 2009 

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/fchr1_092309.shtml 

The witness is U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy F. Geithner. The perspectives of federal financial regulators and state banking regulators on this topic are presented in a separate hearing the same day, at

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/fchr2_092309.shtml 

 

The Next Phase of Government Financial Stabilization and Rehabilitation Policies 

U.S. Dept of the Treasury, September 2009 

http://treas.gov/press/releases/docs/Next%20Phase%20of%20Financial%20Policy,%20Final,%202009-09-14.pdf 

There is a news release, September 14, 2009, at

http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/tg285.htm 

 

Emergency Economic Stabilization Act: One Year Later 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, September 24, 2009 

http://banking.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=ff78e881-372e-41e3-915d-e4d5a93da22d 

 

The Economic Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 

First quarterly report by the White House Council of Economic Advisers, September 10, 2009 

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

 

Comments on “Interpreting the Unconventional U.S. Monetary Policy of 2007-2009” 

Speech by Donald L. Kohn, vice chairman, U.S. Federal Reserve, September 10, 2009 

http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/kohn20090910a.htm 

 

Reflections on a Year of Crisis 

Speech by Ben S. Bernanke, chairman, U.S. Federal Reserve, August 21, 2009 

http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/bernanke20090821a.htm 

 

Regulatory Perspectives on the Changing Accounting Landscape 

Speech by Elizabeth A. Duke, a governor of the U.S. Federal Reserve, September 14, 2009 

http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/duke20090914a.htm 

 

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HOUSING FINANCE 

 

The Role of the Lending Industry in the Home Foreclosure Crisis 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, September 9, 2009 

http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/hear_090909_1.html 

 

First-Time Homebuyer Credit Provides Tax Benefits to 1.4 Million Families to Date, More Claims Expected 

News release, Internal Revenue Service, September 17, 2009 

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=213375,00.html 

 

Hitting Bottom? An Updated Analysis of Rents and the Price of Housing in 100 Metropolitan Areas 

Center for Economic and Policy Research, August 2009 

http://www.cepr.net/documents/publications/100city-2009-08.pdf 

There is a summary at

http://www.cepr.net/index.php/publications/reports/hitting-bottom-100-city/

and a press release at

http://www.cepr.net/index.php/press-releases/press-releases/possible-slump-remains/ 

 

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INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ISSUES 

 

The Pittsburgh Summit: Creating a 21st-Century International Economic Architecture 

White House fact sheet, September 25, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/g20/Architecture_Fact_Sheet.pdf 

 

The Pittsburgh Summit: Strong, Sustainable, and Balanced Growth 

White House fact sheet, September 25, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/g20/Framework_Fact_Sheet_Pittsburgh.pdf 

 

The Pittsburgh Summit: Bold and Coordinated Actions from Crisis to Recovery 

White House fact sheet, September 25, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/g20/Pittsburgh_Fact_Sheet_Recovery.pdf 

 

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AGRICULTURAL TRADE  

 

USDA Announces New Global Agricultural Trade System Database 

News release, U.S. Dept of Agriculture, August 26, 2009 

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/08/0404.xml 

The database is at http://www.fas.usda.gov/gats/default.aspx 

 

What the 2008/2009 World Economic Crisis Means for Global Agricultural Trade 

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

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/WRS0905/WRS0905.pdf 

 

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SPACE 

 

International Space Station: Science Research Accomplishments during the Assembly Years 

An Analysis of Results from 2000-2008 

NASA, June 2009 

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20090029998_2009030907.pdf 

There is a news release, September 10, 2009, at

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/sep/HQ_09-203_ISS_Science_Report.html 

 

Options from the Review of the Human Space Flight Plants Committee 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, September 16, 2009 

http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=29eead2d-8fee-417f-9ef5-21992265f281 

 

Options and Issues for NASA’s Human Space Flight Program 

Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology, September 15, 2009 

http://science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?NewsID=2590 

 

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ENERGY 

 

2008 State of the Markets Report 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, August 2009 

http://www.ferc.gov/market-oversight/st-mkt-ovr/2008-som-final.pdf 

 

Building a Sustainable Energy Future: U.S. Actions for an Effective Energy Economy Transformation 

National Science Foundation, August 3, 2009 

http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsb0955/nsb0955.pdf 

 

Electric Power Storage 

Congressional Research Service, September 8, 2009 

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40797_20090908.pdf 

There is a summary at http://opencrs.com/document/R40797/ 

 

Allocating Investment Risk in Today’s Uncertain Electric Industry: A Guide to Competition and Regulatory Policy in “Interesting Times” 

Susan Tierney, Electric Power Supply Association, September 2009 

http://www.epsa.org/forms/uploadFiles/11863000007C9.filename.Tierney_-_EPSA_-_Allocating_Investment_Risk_-_September_2009_FINAL.pdf 

There is a news release at

http://www.epsa.org/forms/documents/DocumentFormPublic/view?id=11865000006BF 

 

Full Throttle U.S. Ethanol Expansion Faces Challenges down the Road 

U.S. Dept of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Amber Waves, September 2009 

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Amberwaves/September09/Features/EthanolExpansion.htm 

 

Wind Power Development in the United States: Current Progress, Future Trends 

Ryan H. Wiser, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, August 2009 

http://repositories.cdlib.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8726&context=lbnl 

 

Improving the Energy Performance of Buildings: Learning from the European Union and Australia 

RAND, September 2009 

http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/2009/RAND_TR728.pdf 

There is a summary at

http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR728/

and a press release at

http://www.rand.org/news/press/2009/09/21/index.html 

 

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CLIMATE CHANGE 

 

Remarks by President Obama at the UN Secretary General’s Climate Change Summit 

Delivered at UN Headquarters, New York, September 22, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-UN-Secretary-General-Ban-Ki-moons-Climate-Change-Summit/ 

 

The Pittsburgh Summit: Acting on our Global Energy and Climate Change Challenges 

White House fact sheet, September 25, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/g20/Pittsburgh_Fact_Sheet_Energy_Security.pdf 

 

The Economic Effects of Legislation to Reduce Greenhouse-Gas Emissions 

Congressional Budget Office, September 2009 

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/105xx/doc10573/09-17-Greenhouse-Gas.pdf 

 

Potential Costs and Price Volatility in the Energy Sector as a Result of a Greenhouse Gas Trading Program 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, September 15, 2009 

http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=9f3597e7-a135-e397-f850-b22b300d4b24 

 

Smaller, Simpler, and More Stable: Designing Carbon Markets for Environmental and Financial Integrity 

Friends of the Earth, September 2009 

http://www.foe.org/sites/default/files/CarbonMarketsReport.pdf 

There is a news release at

http://www.foe.org/report-warns-carbon-derivatives-markets-pose-threats-congress-has-not-addressed 

 

EPA Finalizes the Nation’s First Greenhouse Gas Reporting System/Monitoring to Begin in 2010 

News release, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), September 22, 2009 http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/6427a6b7538955c585257359003f0230/194e412153fcffea8525763900530d75 

The rule is available at

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.html 

 

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar Launches Department of the Interior Climate Change Response Strategy 

News release, U.S. Dept of the Interior, September 14, 2009 

http://www.doi.gov/news/09_News_Releases/091409.html 

Details are at http://www.doi.gov/climatechange/ 

 

Opportunities to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Materials and Land Management Practices 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), September 2009 

http://www.epa.gov/oswer/docs/ghg_land_and_materials_management.pdf 

There is a news release at

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/6427a6b7538955c585257359003f0230/da43f909a556e633852576350055d408 

 

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ENVIRONMENT 

 

Advancing the National Park Idea 

Report of the National Parks Second Century Commission, September 2009 

http://www.doi.gov/documents/Second_Century_Commission_Report.pdf 

A news release from the U.S. Dept of the Interior, September 24, 2009, is at

http://www.doi.gov/news/09_News_Releases/092409.html 

 

Transitions and Tipping Points in Complex Environmental Systems 

National Science Foundation Advisory Committee for Environmental Research and Education, updated

September 2009 

http://www.nsf.gov/geo/ere/ereweb/ac-ere/nsf6895_ere_report_090809.pdf 

For the press release, please see

http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=115474&org=NSF&from=news 

 

Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia: Formulating an Action Plan 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology, September 17, 2009 

http://science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?NewsID=2591 

 

Endangered Species: Selected Internet Resources 

A bibliography by Science Reference Services, Library of Congress, September 9, 2009 

http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/selected-internet/endangeredspecies.html 

 

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MARINE ENVIRONMENT 

 

Interim Report of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force 

White House Council on Environmental Quality, September 10, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/09_17_09_Interim_Report_of_Task_Force_FINAL2.pdf 

 

Offshore Aquaculture 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources, September 9, 2009 

http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&extmode=view&extid=285 

 

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HEALTH 

 

Address by President Obama to a Joint Session of Congress on Health Care 

September 9, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-to-a-Joint-Session-of-Congress-on-Health-Care/ 

 

Understanding the Effects of Health Care Reform from a National Perspective 

Christine Eibner, RAND, 2009 

http://www.rand.org/pubs/documented_briefings/2009/RAND_DB584.pdf 

There is a summary at http://www.rand.org/pubs/documented_briefings/DB584/ 

 

Improving Quality and Value in the U.S. Health Care System 

Bipartisan Policy Center, August 2009 

http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/sites/default/files/BPC8-09-PCHC%20Qual%20rpt-8-20-09.pdf 

There is a brief summary at

http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/library/report/improving-quality-and-value-us-health-care-system and a news release at

http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/news/press-releases/2009/08/bipartisan-policy-center-releases-report-improving-health-care-quality-a 

 

Bending the Curve: Effective Steps to Address Long-Term Health Care Spending Growth 

Brookings Institution, August 2009 

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2009/0826_btc/0826_btc_fullreport.pdf 

There is a news release, September 2009, at

http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2009/0901_btc.aspx 

 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Global Health Programs: FY2001-FY2010 

Congressional Research Service, August 21, 2009 

http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/128822.pdf 

 

A Snapshot of U.S. Physicians 

Key Findings from the 2008 Health Tracking Survey Physician Study 

Center for Studying Health System Change, September 2009 

http://www.hschange.org/CONTENT/1078/ 

There is a news release at http://www.hschange.org/CONTENT/1079/ 

 

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INFLUENZA 

 

President Obama Announces Plan to Expand Global Fight against H1N1 Pandemic 

The White House, September 17, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Announces-Plan-to-Expand-Fight-Against-Global-H1N1-Pandemic/ 

 

Report to the President on U.S. Preparedness for 2009 – H1N1 Influenza 

President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology, August 7, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/PCAST_H1N1_Report.pdf 

There is a White House press release at

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidents-Council-of-Advisors-on-Science-and-Technology-PCAST-releases-report-assessing-H1N1-preparations/ 

 

Preparing for the 2009 Pandemic Flu 

Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, September 15, 2009 

http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1740:preparing-for-the-2009-pandemic-flu&catid=128:full-committee&Itemid=84 

 

H1N1 Flu: Protecting Our Community 

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

http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=b72c05b4-039e-40a0-b5cc-d2087ffdf452 

 

The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: An Overview 

Congressional Research Service, August 6, 2009 

http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/128854.pdf 

 

State and Local Pandemic Influenza Preparedness: Medical Surge 

Report by the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, September 2009 

http://www.oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-02-08-00210.pdf 

 

Local Pandemic Influenza Preparedness: Vaccine and Antiviral Drug Distribution and Dispensing 

Report by the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, September 2009 

http://www.oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-04-08-00260.pdf 

 

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LABOR 

 

The U.S. Economy and the Employment Challenge 

Speech by Dennis P. Lockhart, president and chief executive officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, August 26, 2009 

http://www.frbatlanta.org/invoke.cfm?objectid=572D828F-5056-9F12-12AD9734C17D1C6A&method=display 

 

Recession Turns a Graying Office Grayer: America’s Changing Work Force 

Pew Research Center, September 3, 2009 

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1330/american-work-force-is-graying 

 

Older Workers: Employment and Retirement Trends 

Congressional Research Service, September 16, 2009 

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL30629_20090916.pdf 

 

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AGING, RETIREMENT and SOCIAL SECURITY 

 

President Obama Announces New Initiatives for Retirement Savings 

The White House, September 5, 2009 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Weekly-Address-President-Obama-Announces-New-Initiatives-for-Retirement-Savings/ 

 

CBO’s Long-Term Projections for Social Security: 2009 Update 

Congressional Budget Office (CBO), August 2009 

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/104xx/doc10457/08-07-SocialSecurity_Update.pdf 

For data, please see http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=10457 

 

Growing Smarter, Living Healthier: A Guide to Smart Growth and Active Aging 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, August 2009 

http://www.epa.gov/aging/bhc/guide/index.html 

The full text of this 36-page guidebook is at

http://www.epa.gov/aging/bhc/guide/2009_Aging.pdf

and there is a news release at

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/1D277FEC3C945775852576180052D019 

 

Older Americans on the Go: How Often, Where, and Why? 

Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, September 2009 

http://crr.bc.edu/images/stories/Briefs/ib_9-18.pdf 

 

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GOVERNMENT and PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 

 

2009 Legislative Review 

Stateline.org 

http://www.stateline.org/live/static/Legislative_Year_in_Review_2009 

There is a news release noting the impact of the 2008-2009 economic crisis on U.S. state government budgets and services, August 27, 2009, at

http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=54846

 

The Blogging Revolution: Government in the Age of Web 2.0 

David C. Wyld, IBM Center for the Business of Government, September 2009 

http://www.businessofgovernment.org/pdfs/WyldReportBlog.pdf 

There is a summary at

http://www.businessofgovernment.org/main/publications/grant_reports/details/index.asp?GID=291 

 

Access to Government Information in the United States 

Congressional Research Service, August 31, 2009 

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/97-71_20090831.pdf 

There is a short summary at http://opencrs.com/document/97-71/ 

 

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BUDGET and TAXATION    

 

Measuring the Effects of the Business Cycle on the Federal Budget: An Update 

Congressional Budget Office, September 1, 2009 

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/105xx/doc10544/09-01_Update_BusinessCycle.pdf 

For data, please see http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=10544 

 

Description of Revenue Provisions Contained in the President’s Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Proposal Part Three: Provisions Related to the Taxation of Cross-Border Income and Investment 

Staff report of the Joint Committee on Taxation, U.S. Congress, September 14, 2009 

http://www.jct.gov/publications.html?func=startdown&id=3578 

 

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MEDIA and PUBLISHING 

 

The Future of Newspapers: The Impact on the Economy and Democracy 

Hearing before the Joint Economic Committee, U.S. Congress, September 24, 2009 

http://jec.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.HearingsCalendar&ContentRecord_id=ce03ce4d-5056-8059-76f2-8b02fccb18e3&Region_id=&Issue_id 

 

Press Accuracy Rating Hits Two Decade Low 

Public Evaluations of the News Media, 1985-2009 

Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, September 12, 2009 

http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/543.pdf 

There is an overview at http://people-press.org/report/543/ 

 

Competition and Commerce in Digital Books 

Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, September 10, 2009 

http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/hear_090910.html 

 

Implementation of the Child Safe Viewing Act: Examination of Parental Control Technologies for Video or Audio Programming 

Report by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), adopted August 27, 2009 and released August 31, 2009 

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-69A1.pdf 

 

Television, Internet and Mobile Usage in the U.S.: A2/M2 Three Screen Report 

Nielsen, 2nd Quarter 2009 

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/3ScreenQ209_US_rpt_090209.pdf 

There is a blog summarizing the trends noted in the report, September 2, 2009, at

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/three-screen-report-media-consumption-and-multi-tasking-continue-to-increase/

 

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY and the INTERNET 

 

After the Dot-Com Bubble: Silicon Valley High-Tech Employment and Wages in 2001 and 2008 

Amar Mann and Tony Nunes, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Dept of Labor, Regional Report, August 2009 

http://www.bls.gov/opub/regional_reports/200908_silicon_valley_high_tech.pdf 

 

The Expansion of Top Level Domains and its Effects on Competition 

Hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, September 23, 2009 

http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/hear_090923.html 

 

The Internet and Civic Engagement 

Pew Internet & American Life Project, September 2009 

http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2009/The%20Internet%20and%20Civic%20Engagement.pdf 

See also

http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/15--The-Internet-and-Civic-Engagement.aspx?r=1

and an overview at

http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/15--The-Internet-and-Civic-Engagement.aspx 

 

The Internet as a Diversion 

Aaron Smith, Pew Internet & American Life Project, September 2009 

http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2009/PIP-The-Internet-as-a-Diversion.pdf 

There is a summary at

http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/16--The-Internet-as-a-Diversion.aspx 

 

Understanding Users of Social Networks 

Sean Silverthorne, Harvard Business School, Working Knowledge, September 14, 2009 

http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6156.html 

 

Cyber Attacks: Protecting Industry against Growing Threats 

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, September 14, 2009 

http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=c643f97a-0814-4770-8121-ba20ce4d90db 

 

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____________________________________________________________________________________

 

U.S. Reference Service

 

Canberra: Alexis Yeadon

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

 

Sydney: Peter Gilbert

[NSW, QLD]