Government Report: Ali v. Rumsfeld: U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Decision

Ali v. Rumsfeld: United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Decision

by Karen LeCraft Henderson
Paperback, 27 pages, 2011, $20.00
ISBN: 1437988091

This legal decision affirms that Donald Rumsfeld has qualified immunity from a suit brought by Abu Ghraib prisoners.

Four Afghan and five Iraqi citizens captured and subsequently held in Afghanistan and Iraq by the U.S. military sued Rumsfeld, former Secretary of Defense, and three Army officers under the 5th and 8th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the Alien Tort Statute, and the 3rd and 4th Geneva Conventions, seeking damages and declaratory relief as the result of their treatment while in U.S. custody.

The district court granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss all 6 claims and the plaintiffs appealed the dismissal. This decision sets forth the reasons why the U.S. Court of Appeals affirms the district court’s judgment. A print on demand report.

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Government Report: Flood Insurance: Public Policy Goals Provide a Framework for Reform: Congressional Testimony

Flood Insurance: Public Policy Goals Provide a Framework for Reform: Congressional Testimony

by Orice Williams Brown
Paperback, 21 pages, 2011, $20.00
ISBN: 1437988024

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has been on the high-risk list since 2006, when the program had to borrow form the U.S. Treasury to cover losses from the 2005 hurricanes.

The outstanding debt is $17.8 billion as of June 2011. This sizeable debt, plus operational and mgmt. challenges at FEMA, which administers NFIP, have combined to keep the program on the high-risk list. NFIP’s need to borrow to cover claims in years of catastrophic flooding has raised concerns about the program’s long-term financial solvency.

This testimony: (1) discusses ways to place NFIP on a sounder financial footing; and (2) highlights operational and mgmt. challenges at FEMA that affect the program. This is a print on demand report.

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Government Report: Department of Defense’s Military Cash Incentives

Military Cash Incentives: DOD Should Coordinate and Monitor Its Efforts to Achieve Cost-Effective Bonuses and Special Pays

by Brenda S. Farrell
Paperback, 43 pages, 2011, $20.00
ISBN: 1437988016

Assesses DoD’s use of cash incentives to recruit and retain highly qualified individuals for service in the armed forces.

It: (1) identifies recent trends in DoD’s use of enlistment and reenlistment bonuses; (2) assesses the extent to which the services have processes to determine which occupational specialties require bonuses and whether bonus amounts are optimally set; and (3) determines how much flexibility DoD has in managing selected special and incentive pays for officer and enlisted personnel.

The report analyzed service data on bonuses and special and incentive pays, and reviewed relevant guidance and other documentation from DoD and the services. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand report.

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Government Report: Medical Devices: FDA Should Enhance Its Oversight of Recalls

Medical Devices: FDA Should Enhance Its Oversight of Recalls

by Marcia Crosse
Paperback, 57 pages, 2011, $25.00
ISBN: 1437988067

Recalls are an important tool to mitigate serious health consequences associated with defective or unsafe medical devices. Typically, a recall is voluntarily initiated by the firm that manufactured the device. The FDA oversees implementation of the recall. FDA classifies recalls based on health risks of using the recalled device. FDA also determines whether a firm has effectively implemented a recall, and when a recall can be terminated.

This report identifies: (1) the numbers and characteristics of medical device recalls and FDA’s use of this info. to aid its oversight; and (2) the extent to which the process ensures the effective implementation and termination of the highest-risk recalls. Charts and tables. A print on demand report.

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Government Report: China Taiwan: Evolution of the One Child Policy

China/Taiwan: Evolution of the “One China” Policy — Key Statements from Washington, Beijing, and Taipei

by Shirley A. Kan
Paperback, 81 pages, 2011, $25.00
ISBN: 1437988083

Despite apparently consistent statements in 4 decades, the U.S. “one China” policy concerning Taiwan remains somewhat ambiguous and subject to different interpretations. Apart from questions about what the “one China” policy entails, issues have arisen about whether U.S. Presidents have stated clear positions and have changed or should change policy, affecting U.S. interests in security and democracy.

Contents of this report: (1) U.S. Policy on “One China”: Has U.S. Policy Changed?; Overview of Policy Issues; (2) Highlights of Key Statements by Washington, Beijing, and Taipei: Statements During the Admin. of Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Clinton, George W. Bush, Clinton, and Obama. A print on demand report.

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New Government Report: Oman

Oman: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy

by Kenneth Katzman
Paperback, 15 pages, 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 1437987958

Contents: (1) Introduction; (2) Democratization and Human Rights: Election History; Broader Human Rights Issues: Freedom of Expression/Media; Labor Rights; Religious Freedom; Advancement of Women; Trafficking in Persons; 2011 Unrest: Dissatisfaction, but Not Hunger for Major Change; (3) Defense and Security Ties: U.S. Arms Sales and Other Security Assistance to Oman: Arms Purchases by Oman; U.S. Security Aid and Its Uses; Cooperation Against Islamic Militancy; Cooperation on Regional Stability: Iran; Iraq; Arab-Israeli Issues; Yemen; Other Cooperation Council For The Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) Issues: Bahrain; (4) Economic and Trade Issues. Map and tables. This is a print on demand report.

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New Government Report: Defense Department Cyberefforts

Defense Department Cyberefforts: More Detailed Guidance Needed to Ensure Military Services Develop Appropriate Cyberspace Capabilities

by Davi M. D’Agostino
Paperback, 35 pages, 2011, $20.00
ISBN: 1437987923

The U.S. military depends heavily on computer networks, and potential adversaries see cyberwarfare as an opportunity to pose a significant threat at low cost — a few programmers could cripple an entire information system. The Department of Defense (DoD) created the U.S. Cyber Command to counter cyber threats, and tasked the military services with providing support. This report examined the extent to which DoD and the U.S. Cyber Command have identified for the military services the: (1) roles and responsibilities; (2) command and control relationships; and (3) mission requirements and capabilities to enable them to organize, train, and equip for cyberspace operations. Includes recommend. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand report.

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New Government Report: Critical Infrastructure Protection

Critical Infrastructure Protection: DHS Has Taken Action Designed to Identify and Address Overlaps and Gaps in Infrastructure Security Activities

by Stephen L. Caldwell
Paperback, 29 pages, 2011, $20.00
ISBN: 1437987907

This report reviews the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) framework for securing critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR), and subsequent agency comments. The report provides information on: (1) how DHS coordinates with CIKR stakeholders to identify overlaps and gaps in CIKR security activities across all sectors; (2) how DHS addresses these potential overlaps in CIKR security activities; and (3) how DHS addresses CIKR security gaps. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand edition of an important, hard-to-find publication.

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New Government Report: Public Radio and the Role of Federal Funding

Public Radio and the Role of Federal Funding

by Mark Goldstein
Paperback, 26 pages, 2011, $20.00
ISBN: 1437987188

Info. on fed. funding used to support public radio. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) receives federal payments through the annual appropriate process. CPB distributes these federal payments in accordance with a statutory formula. Under this formula, the majority of each annual federal payment is distributed to public broadcasting TV and radio stations and program producers, such as National Public Radio (NPR), typically in the form of grants. This report addresses the following questions: (1) What are the missions of CPB, NPR, and local public radio stations? (2) What are the processes through which CPB receives federal payments and disburses them to grantees?; (3) What are NPR’s sources of revenue, both federal and non-federal?

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New Government Report: Motor Vehicle Supply Chain

Motor Vehicle Supply Chain: Effects of the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami

by Bill Canis
Paperback, 16 pages, 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 1437987188

The March 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami devastated the northeast coast of Japan. The resulting destruction of several nuclear reactors in the region cut off electricity for homes and industry. Manufacturing facilities which are integral to the global motor vehicle supply chain were also affected. Some of these factories that were forced to close provided parts and chemicals not easily available elsewhere. Contents of this report: Introduction; Overview of the Motor Vehicle Industry; The U.S. Motor Vehicle Supply Chain; High Technology Components Change Manufacturing Dynamics; Events in Japan Affect U.S. Motor Vehicle Manufacturing and Retailing; What is the Near-Term Impact in the U.S.?

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