Reference - General

Ex-Im is an independent agency operating under the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945, as amended. Its mission is to support the export of U.S. goods and services, thereby supporting U.S. jobs. Ex-Im's charter states that it should not compete with the private sector. Rather,...

In 2011, DOD allotted at least $ 5.6 billion for designated MAIS programs, which are intended to help the department sustain its key operations. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 mandated that GAO select and assess DOD MAIS programs through March...

In 1938, Congress established a program under the Wagner-O'Day Act that created employment opportunities for the blind. People employed under the program manufactured and sold certain products, such as brooms and mops, to the federal government. In 1971, Congress expanded the program under the...

As of June 30, 2012, the Secretariat employed 42,887 people, including 12,289 professional-level employees. 5United Nations, Composition of the Secretariat: Staff Demographics, Report of the Secretary General, A/67/329 (Aug. 2012). The UN Secretariat administers the programs and policies established by the other principal organs...

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is responsible for providing benefits and services that affect the lives of nearly every American. In calendar year 2012, SSA paid over 62 million people more than $826 billion in Social Security retirement and disability benefits and Supplemental Security...

The Small Business Administration (SBA) administers several programs to support small businesses, including loan guaranty and venture capital programs to enhance small business access to capital; contracting programs to increase small business opportunities in federal contracting; direct loan programs for businesses, homeowners, and renters...

EAS serves as the nation's primary alerting system. It provides the President the capability to issue alerts and communicate to the public in response to emergencies. It was built on a structure conceived in the 1950s when over-the-air broadcasting was the best-available technology for...

In part to improve the availability of information on and management of DOD's acquisition of services, in fiscal year 2002 Congress enacted section 2330a of title 10 of the U.S. Code, which required the Secretary of Defense to establish a data collection system to...

In its role as the lead Sector-Specific Agency for the Energy Sector, the Department of Energy has worked closely with dozens of government and industry partners to prepare this updated 2010 Energy Sector-Specific Plan (SSP). Much of that work was conducted through the two...

The National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) provides the unifying structure for the integration of critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) protection and resilience efforts as part of a coordinated national program. The NIPP provides the overarching framework for integrating protective programs and activities underway...

The Critical Manufacturing Sector is crucial to the economic continuity and prosperity of the United States. The U.S. manufacturing industry contributes greatly to the gross domestic product and employs roughly one million members of the Nation's workforce. While the contributions of the sector to...

The Chemical Sector-Specific Plan provides the unifying structure for the integration of Chemical Sector protection efforts into a single national program to help achieve the goal of a safe, secure, and resilient America through enhanced protection of the Nation's critical infrastructure and key resources...

In 2007, the Homeland Security Act of 2002 was amended to require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to initiate implementation of a Quadrennial Homeland Security Reviews (QHSR) in 2009, and to conduct subsequent reviews every four years thereafter. The purpose of the QHSR...

Americans work daily to create a better world We create products and services that improve the world's ability to communicate, to learn, to understand diverse cultures and beliefs, to be mobile, to live better and longer lives, to produce and consume energy efficiently and...

Illicit trafficking across the Southwest border continues to be a chronic threat to our Nation and one of the top homeland security priorities for the United States. Transnational criminal organizations in Mexico dominate the illegal drug supply chain, taking ownership of drug shipments after...

Remember Christmastime when you were young, and all of the joys it brought? Think about the snowman you built, the gingerbread man, and all of the soft cuddly teddy bears that became your personal friends. Well, they are all invited to the most memorable...

The National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) provides the unifying structure for the integration of critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) protection efforts as part of a coordinated national program. The NIPP provides the overarching framework for integrating protective programs and activities that are underway...

The National Infrastructure Protection Plan provides the unifying structure for the integration of critical infrastructure and key resources protection efforts into a single national program. The NIPP provides an overall framework for integrating programs and activities that are underway in the various sectors, as...

This Department of Homeland Security's overriding and urgent mission is to lead the unified national effort to secure the country and preserve our freedoms. While the Department was created to secure our country against those who seek to disrupt the American way of life,...

Every day in cities and towns across the Nation, emergency response personnel respond to incidents of varying scope and magnitude. Their ability to communicate in real time is critical to establishing command and control at the scene of an emergency, to maintaining event situational...

On February 28, 2003, the President issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 (HSPD-5), "Management of Domestic Incidents," which directed the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and administer a National Incident Management System (NIMS).Author: Department of Homeland SecurityISBN-10: 1503107043ISBN-13: 9781503107045Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing PlatformLanguage:...

Air Domain awareness is the effective understanding of threats associated with the Air Domain that could impact the security, safety, or economy of the United States. Achieving such understanding requires close coordination across the United States Government to better integrate intelligence, information, and surveillance...

The security and economic prosperity of the United States depend significantly upon the secure operation of its aviation system and use of the world's airspace by the Nation, its international partners, and legitimate commercial interests. Terrorists, criminals, and hostile nation-states have long viewed aviation...

President Bush has led a committed effort to strengthen the Nation's preparedness capabilities. The national preparedness architecture encompasses the full spectrum of prevention, protection, response, and recovery efforts to prepare the Nation for all hazards - whether terrorist attack or natural disaster.Author: Department of...

There are approximately 160,000 public drinking water utilities and more than 16,000 wastewater utilities in the United States. About 84 percent of the U.S. population receives its potable water from these drinking water utilities and more than 75 percent has its sanitary sewage treated...

The priority mission of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is homeland security. For the border agency charged with managing, securing and controlling the nation's border, that means the CBP priority mission is to prevent terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United...

Our responsibility is to express opinions on these financial statements and opinions on FDIC's internal control over financial reporting relevant to the DIF and the FRF based on our audits. U.S. generally accepted government auditing standards require that we plan and perform the audits...

Recent growth in domestic natural gas production, particularly due to increased production from shale, is resulting in an increase in the pipelines needed to transport that gas. Constructing natural gas pipelines requires clearing and maintaining rights of way, which may disturb habitat and historical...

In 2005, we designated the management of inter agency contracting as high risk due in part to unclear lines of accountability between customer and assisting agencies and the potential for improper use, including out of- scope work and noncompliance with competition requirements. We identified...

NIJ is the research, development and evaluation arm of the U.S. Department of Justice. It helps criminal justice professionals perform better on the job by conducting basic and applied research, assessing new technologies, promoting innovations and evaluating programs to learn what works and what...

Army Techniques Publication (ATP) 6-02.40, Techniques for Visual Information Operations, replaces Field Manual (FM) 6-02.40, Visual Information Operations, dated 10 March 2009. ATP 6-02.40 is the primary doctrine publication for visual information operations to support the Army's mission. This manual provides the techniques associated...

Are you interested in writing a book for the middle grade fiction genre? Don't have any ideas? Then this book is for you! And So It Begins helps you with an introduction to Nanowrimo (National Write a Novel Month-which takes place every November), writing...

The objective of the Financial Reporting Model Task Force was to increase users' access to and understanding and use of financial information in the Consolidated Financial Report (CFR) of the federal government, while avoiding costly requirements that do not add value. To help achieve...

Many people undergo a critical process of inquiry during the course of their lives. Whether a person is wise or foolish, brave or timid, pioneering or lazy, people touch on many of the same themes as they undertake development. The goal of this text...

The site of the ancient Bronze Age civilization of Dilmun, Bahrain was a trade hub linking Mesopotamia and the Indus valley until a drop in trade from India caused the Dilmun civilization to decline around 2,000 B.C. The inhabitants of Bahrain converted to Islam...

The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 defines qualified small business lending-as defined by and reported in an institution's quarterly regulatory filings, also known as Call Reports-as one of the following: commercial and industrial loans; owner-occupied nonfarm, nonresidential real-estate loans;loans to finance agricultural production...

This report examines the original intent and purpose of the Berry Amendment and legislative proposals to amend the application of domestic source restrictions, as well as potential options for Congress. In order to protect the U.S. industrial base during periods of adversity and war,...

In June 2006, the Secretary of Homeland Security, supported by the Secretary of Defense and all other Federal cabinet Heads, published the National Infrastructure Protection Plan(NIPP) as called for in the National Strategy for Homeland Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive-7 Critical Infrastructure Identifi...

Protecting the Untied States from direct attack is the highest priority of the Department of Defense. The military has traditionally secured the Untied States by protecting power overseas.Author: U S Department of DefenseISBN-10: 1503022188ISBN-13: 9781503022188Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing PlatformLanguage: EnglishPublished: 10/31/2014Pages: 48Format: PaperbackWeight: 0.30lbsSize:...

The new concept of "national intelligence" codified by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act passed by Congress in 2004 has its origins in the tragedy of September 11, 2001 and President Bush's National Security Strategy of the United States of America.Author: The National...

Congress has long been concerned about whether U.S. policy advances the national interest in reducing the role of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missiles that could deliver them. Recipients of China's technology reportedly...

CBP is charged with the dual mission of securing the Nation's borders while facilitating legitimate trade and travel. We accomplish this mission through CBP's six operational offices: the Office of Border Patrol, the Office of Field Operations, the Office of Air and Marine, the...

The strength, success and security of the United States of America rest on our commitment to certain fundamental values and principles. These values gave birth to our nation, and govern our actions in the world. We believe all individuals, men and women, are equal...

Since 1926, Congress has enacted three major laws that govern labor-management relations for private sector and federal employees. An issue for Congress is the effect of these laws on employers, workers, and the nation's economy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that, nationwide, 14.5...

The Maritime Commerce Security Plan contains recommendations to promote international supply chain security. The Maritime Commerce Security Plan is a component of the National Strategy for Maritime Security. The National Strategy for Maritime Security was produced in response to National Security Presidential Directive NSPD-41/...

Major changes have occurred in campaign finance policy since 2002, when Congress substantially amended campaign finance law via the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA). The Supreme Court's 2010 ruling in Citizens United and a related lower-court decision, SpeechNow.org v. FEC, arguably represent the most...

Mongolia is a sparsely populated young democracy in a remote part of Asia, sandwiched between two powerful large neighbors, China and Russia. It made its transition to democracy and free market reforms peacefully in 1990, after nearly 70 years as a Soviet satellite state....

This CRS report, updated as warranted, discusses policy issues regarding military-to-military (mil-to-mil) contacts with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and provides a record of major contacts and crises since 1993. The United States suspended military contacts with China and imposed sanctions on arms...

Since 2000, the U.S. military has been building up forward-deployed forces on the westernmost U.S. territory of Guam (west of Hawaii) to increase U.S. operational presence, deterrence, and power projection for potential responses to crises, disasters, or other contingencies to support Japan, Republic of...

In the 1970s, the Supreme Court handed down Smith v. Maryland and United States v. Miller, two of the most important Fourth Amendment decisions of the 20th century. In these cases, the Court held that people are not entitled to an expectation of privacy...