IRS Increases Mileage Rates through Dec. 31, 2008
"The Internal Revenue Service today announced an increase in the optional standard mileage rates for the final six months of 2008. Taxpayers may use the optional standard rates to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

The rate will increase to 58.5 cents a mile for all business miles driven from July 1, 2008, through Dec. 31, 2008. This is an increase of eight (8) cents from the 50.5 cent rate in effect for the first six months of 2008, as set forth in Rev. Proc. 2007-70."

Options for Offsetting the Economic Impact on Low- and Moderate-Income Households of a Cap-and-Trade Program for Carbon Dioxide Emissions
".. the Congressional Budget Office(CBO) has prepared the attached analysis of options for offsetting the economic impact on low- and moderate-income households of a cap-and-trade program for CO2 emissions."

Scientific Assessment Captures Effects of a Changing Climate on Extreme Weather Events in North America
"The U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research today released a scientific assessment that provides the first comprehensive analysis of observed and projected changes in weather and climate extremes in North America and U.S. territories. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change previously evaluated extreme weather and climate events on a global basis in this same context. However, there has not been a specific assessment across North America prior to this report."

EPA Proposes Standards for Water Efficient Homes
"To protect our nation’s water supply for future use, the Environmental Protection Agency is promoting and enhancing the market for water efficient products through the WaterSense program. The latest is a draft specification for water-efficient new single-family homes. The specification will create standards that new homes must meet to be certified and labeled as WaterSense homes

Annual Energy Review 2007
"The Annual Energy Review (AER) is the Energy Information Administration’s primary report of historical annual energy statistics. For many series, data begin with the year 1949. Included are data on total energy production, consumption, and trade; overviews of petroleum, natural gas, coal, electricity, nuclear energy, renewable energy, international energy, as well as financial and environmental indicators; and data unit conversion tables."

National Intelligence Assessment on the National Security Implications of Global Climate Change to 2030
"... We judge global climate change will have wide-ranging implications for US national security interests over the next 20 years. Although the United States will be less affected and is better equipped than most nations to deal with climate
change, and may even see a benefit owing to increases in agriculture
productivity, infrastructure repair and replacement will be costly. We judge
that the most significant impact for the United States will be indirect and
result from climate-driven effects on many other countries and their
potential to seriously affect US national security interests..."

International Energy Outlook 2008
"World marketed energy consumption is projected to increase by 57 percent
from 2004 to 2030. Total energy demand in the non-OECD countries increases
by 95 percent, compared with an increase of 24 percent in the OECD countries."

U.S. Copyright Office Releases New Technology to Process Applications Online
"Handling about 550,000 copyright claims annually, the U.S. Copyright Office in the Library of Congress is making it much easier for the public to register and protect its collective creativity. On July 1, the Copyright Office will enter the next phase in the implementation of its multi-year business process re-engineering effort to modernize operations from a paper-based to a Web-based processing environment...

At the heart of the re-engineering initiative is a new online registration system named electronic Copyright Office (eCO), which the Office plans to release through a portal on its Web site on July 1. Filing an eService claim via eCO offers several advantages:

* lower filing fee of $35 for a basic claim;
* fastest processing time;
* earlier effective date of registration;
* online status tracking;
* secure payment by credit or debit card, electronic check or Copyright Office deposit account;
* and ability to upload certain categories of deposits directly into eCO as electronic files."

New report finds highest-ever levels of THC in U.S. marijuana
"Today, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) released the latest analysis from the University of Mississippi's Potency Monitoring Project, which revealed that levels of THC - the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana - have reached the highest-ever amounts since scientific analysis of the drug began in the late 1970s. According to the latest data on marijuana samples analyzed to date, the average amount of THC in seized samples has reached a new high of 9.6 percent. This compares to an average of just under 4 percent reported in 1983 and represents more than a doubling in the potency of the drug since that time."

Afghanistan: Not Lost, But Needs More Attention
"This USIPeace Briefing discusses Afghanistan’s challenges and proposes solutions in economic development, project implementation, coordination and security. The briefing was prepared in anticipation of the June 2008 Paris donors conference to renew commitm"ents to the country and discuss the Afghan National Development Strategy.

FDA Warns Individuals and Firms to Stop Selling Fake Cancer ‘Cures’
"Warning Letters have been sent to 23 U.S. companies and two foreign individuals marketing a wide range of products fraudulently claiming to prevent and cure cancer, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today. The FDA also warns North American consumers against using or purchasing the products, which include tablets, teas, tonics, black salves, and creams, and are sold under various names on the Internet.

Those companies and individuals warned, the complete list of fake cancer 'cure' products and their manufacturers along with a consumer article on health scams can be found here, http://www.fda.gov/cder/news/fakecancercures.htm

Business Guide to U.S. EPA Climate Partnership Programs
"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to present this Business Guide to U.S. EPA Climate Partnership Programs. This guide, developed in response to requests from the non-profit business organization, BSR, and others, is designed to help you identify those EPA Partnership Programs that make the most sense for your business and climate stewardship."

In the Matter of Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991: Report and Order
"In this Report and Order (Order), we amend the Commission’s rules under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)1 to require sellers and/or telemarketers to honor registrations with the National Do-Not-Call Registry so that registrations will not automatically expire based on the current five year registration period..."

Fact Sheet: Reducing Gas Prices and Foreign Oil Dependence
"Today, President Bush called on Congress to help American families by removing barriers to domestic production of oil and gasoline. For many Americans, there is no more pressing concern than high gasoline prices. Behind them is the basic law of supply and demand. In recent years, the world's demand for oil has grown dramatically. Meanwhile, the supply of oil has grown much more slowly. As a result, oil prices have risen sharply, and that increase has been reflected at American gas pumps. And now much of the oil consumed in America comes from abroad, including from unstable regions and unfriendly regimes. The Bush Administration has repeatedly called on Congress to expand domestic oil production. Unfortunately, Congressional Democrats have rejected virtually every proposal. Now, Americans are paying the price at the pump for this obstruction..."

U.S. - China Strategic Economic Dialogue Fact Sheets
"The following fact sheets were released today at the conclusion of meeting of the U.S. – China Strategic Economic Dialogue.

REPORTS

* U.S. Fact Sheet
* Joint U.S. – China Fact Sheet
* Joint U.S. – China Fact Sheet on 10-Year Energy and Environment Cooperation Framework"

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve: History, Perspectives, and Issues
"Congress authorized the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in the Energy
Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA, P.L. 94-163) to help prevent a repetition of the
economic dislocation caused by the 1973-1974 Arab oil embargo. The program is
managed by the Department of Energy (DOE). The capacity of the SPR is 727
million barrels, and it currently holds around 704 million barrels of crude oil. In
addition, a Northeast Heating Oil Reserve (NHOR) holds 2 million barrels of heating
oil in above-ground storage. At issue in recent years has been whether SPR capacity
should be expanded and whether the reserve should continue to be filled."

Youth Transitioning From Foster Care: Background, Federal Programs, and Issues for Congress
"Nearly half of states have laws that explicitly permit the state child welfare system to continue providing foster care for children beyond the age of majority (usually no later than 19). However, the number of states that actually facilitate youth remaining in care beyond their 18th or 19th birthdays is significantly smaller..."

Foreign Direct Investors’ Outlays to Acquire or Establish U.S. Businesses Increased in 2007
"Outlays by foreign direct investors to acquire or to establish U.S. businesses increased sharply in 2007 after also increasing strongly in 2006. Outlays reached $276.8 billion in 2007, the second largest recorded and the highest since 2000, when new investment outlays peaked at $335.6 billion."

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)Proposal to Revise ADA Regulations under Title II and Title III
"On Friday, May 30, 2008, Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey signed proposed regulations to revise the Department’s ADA regulations, including its ADA Standards for Accessible Design. On Tuesday, June 17, 2008, the proposed regulations were published in the Federal Register. The proposed regulations consist of a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend the ADA regulation for State and local governments, a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend the ADA regulation for public accommodations and commercial facilities, a Regulatory Impact Analysis, and two supporting appendices."

Salmonellosis Outbreak in Certain Types of Tomatoes, Updated: June 17, 2008
"June 17, 2008: At this time, FDA recommends consuming raw red plum, raw red Roma, or raw red round tomatoes only if grown and harvested from the following areas that HAVE NOT BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE OUTBREAK:..."

Health and Environmental Impacts of Uranium Contamination in the Navajo Nation
Five-Year Plan
Five year plan to cleanup uranium contamination on the Navajo Nation. Requested by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Governmen Reform. March 3, 2008.

Summary of U.S. Assistance: International Conference in Support of Afghanistan
"The United States renewed its support for Afghanistan today, June 12, by pledging $10.2 billion for security and reconstruction assistance at the International Conference in Support of Afghanistan. This includes $3.1 billion in assistance appropriated in fiscal year 2008 (part of a total of more than $26 billion in U.S. assistance appropriated for Afghanistan since 2001) and an additional $7.1 billion in assistance for Afghanistan in fiscal years 2008 and 2009. The $7.1 billion is subject to Congressional approval. The United States is the leading donor to Afghanistan and has committed increasing amounts of security, reconstruction, governance, and humanitarian assistance since 2001."

Employment Characteristics of Families 2007
"In 2007, the share of families with an unemployed member was 6.3 per-
cent, little changed from the prior year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics
of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The proportion of fam-
ilies with an unemployed member remained lower than the recent peak of
8.1 percent in 2003. Of the nation’s 77.9 million families, the propor-
tion that had at least one employed member was little changed in 2007 at
82.6 percent."

WALGREENS TO PAY $35 MILLION TO UNITED STATES, 42 STATES AND PUERTO RICO TO SETTLE MEDICAID PRESCRIPTION DRUG FRAUD CLAIMS
"The United States, 42 states and Puerto Rico will receive $35 million from Walgreen Co., of Deerfield, Illinois, to settle Medicaid prescription-drug-fraud claims initiated by a whistleblower, federal and state officials announced today. Walgreens, a nationwide pharmacy chain with more than 5,000 stores in 48 states and Puerto Rico, allegedly substituted different versions of prescribed drugs (such as tablets for capsules) solely to significantly increase the cost and profit rather than for any legitimate medical reason. The settlement covers Walgreens’ submission of reimbursement claims to Medicaid programs in 42 states and Puerto Rico for three prescription drugs from July 2001 through 2005: Ranitidine (generic Zantac), Fluoxetine (generic Prozac) and Eldepryl or Selegiline (generic Eldepryl)."

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance --- United States, 2007
"In the United States, 72% of all deaths among persons aged 10--24 years result from four causes: motor-vehicle crashes, other unintentional injuries, homicide, and suicide. Results from the 2007 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) indicated that many high school students engaged in behaviors that increased their likelihood of death from these four causes. Among high school students nationwide during 2007, 11.1% had never or rarely worn a seat belt when riding in a car driven by someone else. During the 30 days before the survey, 29.1% of high school students had ridden in a car or other vehicle driven by someone who had been drinking alcohol, 18.0% had carried a weapon, and 5.5% had not gone to school because they felt they would be unsafe at school or on their way to or from school. During the 12 months before the survey, 6.9% of high school students had attempted suicide..."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Security Check Procedures for Immigration Applications and Petitions
"Our audit found that, faced with the increasing volume of name check requests, the FBI's name check processes are inefficient and untimely, rely on outdated technology, and provide litte assurance that pertinent and derogatory information is being retrieved and transmitted to customer agencies..."

EPA: Green Buildings On the Rise
"Green building continues to gain momentum as it demonstrates numerous opportunities to improve the impacts of buildings on the environment and health. To acknowledge this growing trend and EPA's expanded role in it, EPA has released a new video on green buildings in its Green Scene series. The video features Dr. Bill Sanders, director of EPA's National Center for Environmental Research, talking about how EPA is encouraging and supporting green building, and how homeowners can take simple steps to green their homes."

SEC Proposes Comprehensive Reforms to Bring Increased Transparency to Credit Rating Process
"The Securities and Exchange Commission today voted to formally propose a comprehensive series of credit rating agency reforms to bring increased transparency to the ratings process and curb practices that contributed to recent turmoil in the credit markets."

Conversion from Analog to Digital-TV – Feb. 17, 2009
"On Feb. 17, 2009, all full-power TV stations will cease to broadcast analog programming. This transition to digital television will enable more efficient use of the nation’s airwaves, providing new advanced wireless services and increased public safety services. To mark this historic transition, the Census Bureau has assembled a sampling of statistics from its publications about television and the television industry."

FDA Warns Consumers Nationwide Not to Eat Certain Types of Raw Red Tomatoes
"The Food and Drug Administration is alerting consumers nationwide that a salmonellosis outbreak appears to be linked to consumption of certain types of raw red tomatoes and products containing raw red tomatoes. The bacteria causing the illnesses are Salmonella serotype Saintpaul, an uncommon type of Salmonella.

The specific type and source of tomatoes are under investigation. However, preliminary data suggest that raw red plum, raw red Roma, or raw round red tomatoes are the cause. At this time, consumers should limit their tomato consumption to tomatoes that have not been implicated in the outbreak. These include cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, and tomatoes grown at home."

Executive Order: Amending Executive Order 12989, as Amended
[EPIC]"President Bush has signed Executive Order 12989 which gives the Department of Homeland Security authority to review employment eligibility for all federal employees and federal contractors."

"TIME CHANGE -- Coercive Interrogation Techniques: Do They Work, Are They Reliable, and What Did the FBI Know About Them?"
U.S. Senate Committe on the Judiciary hearing on "Coercive Interrogation Techniques", June 10, 2006 inlcudes testimony and committee member statements.

Broad Support for Extending Unemployment Benefits[letter of support. House Ways and Means Committee]
"A diverse set of bipartisan and nonpartisan organizations and individuals have declared their support for an immediate extension of unemployment insurance benefits, including leaders of State and local governments, economists, faith groups, advocates for working families and labor unions."

National Compensation Survey: Retirement Benefits in State and Local Governments in the United States, 2007
"Eighty-two percent of State and local government employees participating in defined benefit retirement plans were covered by early retirement provisions in 2007. Almost all workers (95 percent) were in plans with disability retirement provisions, and more than half (56 percent) had portability provisions. Virtually all workers
participating in defined benefit plans had their retirement benefits calculated on the basis of their preretirement earnings. Ninety-three percent of participants were in plans allowing newly hired employees to participate; the remainder were in plans that are closed to new employees. Eighty-one percent could begin their plan participation immediately upon being hired."

The Truth About America’s Energy: Big Oil Stockpiles Supplies and Pockets Profits — A Special Report by the Committee on Natural Resources Majority Staff
"While the oil industry and some Members of Congress argue that
opening more federal lands and waters would lead to lower gasoline prices,
the facts prove otherwise. The fact is that the Nation simply cannot drill its
way to lower prices at the pump. Other options, from greater energy
efficiencies to the development of alternative fuels, are essential to reducing
dependency on petroleum fuels and lowering fuel costs."

CRIME STATISTICS 2007: The Preliminary Numbers
"So far, so good. The preliminary Crime in the United States statistics for 2007 show that the number of violent crimes and property crimes nationwide both fell during the year."

National Security Presidential Directive and Homeland Security Presidential Directive: Biometrics for Identification and Screening to Enhance National Security
"This directive establishes a framework to ensure that Federal executive departments and agencies (agencies) use mutually compatible methods and procedures in the collection, storage, use, analysis, and sharing of biometric and associated biographic and contextual information of individuals in a lawful and appropriate manner, while respecting their information privacy and other legal rights under United States law."

Association between Traffic-Related Black Carbon Exposure and Lung Function among Urban Women
"Black carbon was associated with race/ethnicity and education in bivariate analyses and with smoking status. Hispanics and women with a high school education or less had higher black carbon levels than their counterparts. Non smokers also had higher levels of predicted black carbon exposure than current or former smokers. Lower levels of lung function were associated with a diagnosis of asthma or chronic bronchitis."

FEC Summarizes Party Financial Activity
"The Federal Election Commission (FEC) announced today that receipts of the national committees of the Democratic party increased significantly during the period January 1, 2007 through April 30, 2008, while receipts of Republican national committees declined over the same period, when compared with earlier election cycles. Republican committees were still able to raise more overall than their Democratic counterparts, though the gap is smaller now than in previous years. National committees of the major parties are required to submit financial reports on a monthly basis..."

Fact Sheet: A Clear Agenda for Overcoming Economic Challenges
A series of initiatives illustrating "President Bush's Plan For Continued Prosperity."

Jail Inmates at Midyear 2007
"Presents data on numbers of jails and jail inmates at midyear 2007 and analyzes patterns of growth from 2000 through 2007. This report includes data on rated capacity of jails, percent of capacity occupied, and capacity added. It provides estimates of admissions to jails and details the volume of movement among the jail population. This Bulletin includes total numbers for jail inmates by gender, race, and Hispanic origin as well as counts of jail inmates by conviction and confinement status."

Prison Inmates at Midyear 2007
"Presents data on prisoners under jurisdiction of federal or state correctional authorities on June 30, 2007, collected from the National Prisoner Statistics series. This annual report describes changes in the prison population during the first six months of 2007, compared to changes from yearend 2000 through yearend 2006.."

Report on Whether Public Statements Regarding Iraq by U.S. Government officials Were Substantiated by Intelligence Information
"This report's scope, as agreed to unanimously by the Committee on February 12, 2004, is to assess "whether public statements and reports and testimony regarding Iraq by U.S. Government officials made between the Gulf War period and the commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom were substantiated by intelligence information.""

Transportation Energy Data Book
"The Transportation Energy Data Book: Edition 26 is a statistical compendium prepared and published by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) under contract with the Office of planning, Budget Formulation, and Analysis, under the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) program in the Department of Energy (DOE). Designed for use as a desk-top reference, the data book represents an assembly and display of statistics and information that characterize transportation activity, and presents data on other factors that influence transportation energy use. The purpose of this document is to present relevant statistical data in the form of tables and graphs..."

Condition of Education
" This website is an integrated collection of the indicators and analyses published in The Condition of Education 2000–2008. Some indicators may have been updated since they appeared in print."

Statutory Individual Income Tax Rates and Other Elements of the Tax System: 1988 through 2008
"Statutory individual income tax rates, also referred to as "statutory marginal tax rates," are the rates of tax applicable to the last (marginal) increment of taxable income. Statutory rates play an important role in determining the real marginal tax rates, which affect taxpayers' economic behavior. Developments since enactment of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 (TRA86; P.L. 99-514) are the most relevant to the current state of affairs. Since then, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (OBRA90; P.L. 101-508), the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (OBRA93; P.L. 103-66), and the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA; P.L. 107-16) and its extensions all changed the marginal income tax rate structure. Under current law, upon expiration of tax cuts enacted in 2001-2007, the rate structure will revert in 2011 to the one set by OBRA93. The six marginal income tax rates for 2008 are 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, and 35%..."

Violence by Teenage Girls: Trends and Context
"Examines the involvement of girls in violent activity (including whether such activity has increased relative to the increase for boys) and the contexts in which girls engage in violent behavior. Increasing arrest rates of girls led the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to convene the Girls Study Group. The Girls Study Group examines strategies to reduce girls’ involvement in violence and delinquency. This OJJDP Bulletin assesses trends of juvenile arrest rates for violent crimes, focusing on simple and aggravated assault."

FBI National Crime Information Center Issues Missing Person and Unidentified Person Statistics for 2007
"Highlights from the report include:
*
As of December 31, 2007, there were 105,229 active missing person records in NCIC. Juveniles under the age of 18 accounted for 54,648 (51.93 percent) of the records, and 12,362 (11.75 percent) were for juveniles between the ages of 18 and 20.
*
During 2007, 814,967 missing person records were entered into NCIC, a decrease of 2.53 percent from the 836,131 records entered in 2006.
*
Missing person records cleared or canceled during 2007 totaled 820,212.
*
In 2007, there were 518 records entered as Abducted by a Stranger; 299,787 entered as Runaway; and 2,919 entered as Abducted by Non-Custodial Parent. This only accounts for 303,224 entries of the 418,967 entered, or 72.4 percent, which is an increase from 297,632 entries of the 836,131 entered, or 35.6 percent, in 2006. However, as the Missing Person Circumstances field is optional and is thus not an accurate reflection of the actual circumstances of all the entries..."

Unauthorized Aliens’ Access to Federal Benefits: Policy and Issues
"Federal law bars aliens residing without authorization in the United States from
most federal benefits; however, there is a widely held perception that many
unauthorized aliens obtain such benefits. The degree to which unauthorized resident
aliens should be accorded certain rights and privileges as a result of their residence in the United States, along with the duties owed by such aliens given their presence, remains the subject of intense debate in Congress. This report focuses on the policy and legislative debate surrounding unauthorized aliens’ access to federal benefits."

Youth Transitioning From Foster Care:Background, Federal Programs, and Issues for Congress
"Nearly half of states have laws that explicitly permit the state child welfare
system to continue providing foster care for children beyond the age of majority
(usually no later than 19). However, the number of states that actually facilitate
youth remaining in care beyond their 18th or 19th birthdays is significantly smaller.
Over 20,000 young people have been emancipated from foster care annually from
FY2002 through FY2006. While most young people have access to emotional and
financial support systems throughout their early adult years, older youth in care and
those who age out of care often face obstacles to developing independent living skills and building supports that ease the transition to adulthood. Older foster youth who return to their parents or guardians may continue to experience poor family dynamics or a lack of emotional and financial supports, and studies have shown that recently emancipated foster youth fare poorly relative to their counterparts in the general population on several outcome measures."

Alien Smuggling: Recent Legislative Developments
"The primary statutory provision proscribing alien smuggling is §274 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). INA §274 proscribes a broad spectrum of
activities that would aid aliens to enter and live within the United States without
proper legal status. Recently in Congress, a flurry of proposed legislation has been
introduced addressing alien smuggling. H.R. 4088/S. 2366/S. 2368 (the SAVE Act),
the House-passed H.R. 2399, its companion bill S. 2463, and the House-passed H.R.
2830 all contain similar language that would amend both the INA and Title 18 of the
U.S. Code. These bills would significantly alter the wording and structure of INA
§274, expanding its scope. They would also add alien smuggling provisions in §2237
of Title 18, which would enhance sentencing for disobeying federal officials on the
high seas while engaging in alien smuggling."

FTC Permanently Halts ‘Pretexting’ Scheme; Defendants Barred From Obtaining or Selling Consumers’ Phone Records to Third Parties
"The Federal Trade Commission has put a permanent halt to an operation that allegedly obtained consumers’ confidential phone records without their knowledge or consent and sold them to third parties. The defendants are barred from obtaining consumers’ telephone records without their consent and court orders impose judgments on the defendants totaling more than $600,000 – the estimated amount of their ill-gotten gains.

Tax Relief in 2001 through 2011
"The tax relief enacted during the President’s term in office, principally in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004, the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005, and the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, reduced taxes for everyone who pays income taxes as well as for business taxpayers. This document provides estimates of the aggregate tax reduction provided by the tax relief as well as estimates of the tax reduction received by representative taxpayers over the period 2001 through 2011."

Topics Related to the President’s Tax Relief
"The President’s tax relief, enacted principally in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004, the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005, and the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, reduced taxes for everyone who pays income taxes. This document provides discussions and estimates on several topics related to
the President’s tax relief."

EPA Finalizes Amendment to the F019 Hazardous Waste Listing
"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is amending the F019 hazardous waste listing to facilitate the use of aluminum in automobiles, light trucks and utility vehicles. This action will encourage motor vehicle manufacturers to use more aluminum parts, producing vehicles that are lighter. Lighter vehicles are capable of increased gas mileage and decreased exhaust air emissions, including greenhouse gas emissions.

F019 is one of EPA's F-code Resource Conservation and Recovery Act hazardous waste listings, which include waste that is generated from common industrial and manufacturing processes. The amendment excludes from hazardous waste regulation F019 waste generated in the auto manufacturing industry provided the waste: 1) is not placed outside on the land prior to shipment to a landfill for disposal; and 2) is disposed of at an appropriately lined landfill. EPA has determined that these changes to the F019 listing are protective of human health and the environment..."

National Security Strategy: Legislative Mandates, Execution to Date, and Considerations for Congress
"This report reviews current legislative mandates for security strategic
documents, assesses the recent history of execution, describes strategic documents
in related fields for comparison, presents considerations that may be useful in
assessing current requirements and execution, and notes several current proposals for
changes to legislative requirements. This report will be updated as events warrant."

American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics
"This report is written in response to numerous requests for war casualty statistics
and lists of war dead. It provides tables, compiled by sources at the Department of
Defense (DOD), indicating the number of casualties among American military
personnel serving in principal wars and combat actions.

Wars covered include the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican
War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the
Korean War, the Vietnam Conflict, and the Persian Gulf War. Military operations
covered include the Iranian Hostage Rescue Mission, Lebanon Peacekeeping, Urgent
Fury in Grenada, Just Cause in Panama, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Restore
Hope in Somalia, Uphold Democracy in Haiti, and the ongoing Operation Enduring
Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)."