FAA National Wildlife Strike Database
"The FAA National Wildlife Strike Database contains strike reports that are voluntarily
reported to the FAA by pilots, airlines, airports and others. Current research
indicates that only about 20% of strikes are reported. Wildlife strike reporting is not
uniform as some organizations have more robust voluntary reporting procedures.
Because of variations in reporting, users are cautioned that the comparisons
between individual airports or airlines may be misleading."

Background Paper: How CBO Estimates the Costs of Reducing Greenhouse-Gas Emissions
"In accordance with the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of
1974, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) assists the Congress by providing
estimates of the costs the government could expect to incur as a result of enacting various legislative proposals. As the Congress has taken up the issue of addressing the risks associated with climate change, CBO has produced several estimates of the budgetary impact of policies designed to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). A notable recent example of such legislation was a bill introduced in the Senate, S. 2191, the America’s Climate Security Act of 2007—also known as the Lieberman-Warner bill—which would have established a regulatory program aimed at reducing the emission of GHGs in the United States over the 2010–2050 period.
To estimate the impact of such proposals on the federal budget, CBO must estimate the marginal, or incremental, cost of reducing emissions of a number of different greenhouse gases at various levels of mitigation and at different points in the future. This background paper describes CBO’s methodological approach to estimating such costs, the sources of data and analysis used to develop that approach, and the rationale for using it."

Key Facts about Swine Influenza (Swine Flu)

What is Swine Influenza?
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs. Swine influenza viruses may circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. The classical swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930.

How many swine flu viruses are there?
Like all influenza viruses, swine flu viruses change constantly. Pigs can be infected by avian influenza and human influenza viruses as well as swine influenza viruses. When influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses can reassort (i.e. swap genes) and new viruses that are a mix of swine, human and/or avian influenza viruses can emerge. Over the years, different variations of swine flu viruses have emerged. At this time, there are four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. However, most of the recently isolated influenza viruses from pigs have been H1N1 viruses..."

Agencies Propose Clarifications to Credit Card Rules
"The Federal Reserve Board, the Office of Thrift Supervision, and the National Credit Union Administration today proposed clarifications to aspects of their December 2008 final rules under the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act) prohibiting certain unfair credit card practices. The Federal Reserve Board also proposed clarifications to its December 2008 final rule under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) amending Regulation Z to improve the disclosures consumers receive in connection with credit card accounts and other revolving credit plans..."

The 2009 Economic Landscape:How the Recession Is Unfolding across Four U.S. Regions
"...The following series of articles takes a closer look at the distinct way that this recession is playing out in four major regions of the country. The first article describes how the latest downturn is exacerbating long-term problems in the manufacturing sector of the Industrial Midwest. In the second article, we explore how
formerly booming housing markets in Arizona, California, Florida, and Nevada have given way to a housing bust that has sharply reversed the momentum of the regional economy. The third article focuses on the impact of financial market turmoil on New York City and other financial centers along the East Coast, while the fourth article outlines why a number of states in the nation’s midsection have fared better than most thus far because of their high dependence on energy and agricultural
production."

Older Americans Month: May 2009
Find information on seniors from the Census Bureau's special "Facts for Features" series on Older Americans Month, May 2009.

Census in Schools
Find useful information for teachers and students on the use of census information in schools, especially as it pertains to the upcoming 2010 census.

HHS Releases Guidance for Securing Health Information and Preventing Harm from Breaches
"...The guidance issued today provides steps entities can take to secure personal health information and establishes the trigger for when entities must notify that patient data has been compromised. This guidance is related to “breach notification” regulations, which will be issued by HHS and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) respectively. The HHS regulations will apply to entities covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and the FTC regulation will apply to vendors of personal health records and certain others not covered by HIPAA. The Recovery Act requires that these regulations be published within 180 days of enactment."

President Obama’s FOIA Memorandum and Attorney General Holder’s FOIA Guidelines Creating a "New Era of Open Government"
"Agencies were directed to respond to requests "promptly and in a spirit of cooperation." The President also called on agencies to "adopt a presumption in favor of disclosure" and to apply that presumption "to all decisions involving [the] FOIA." This presumption of disclosure includes taking "affirmative steps to make information public," and utilizing "modern technology to inform citizens about what is known and done by their Government."

The President directed the Attorney General to issue FOIA Guidelines for the heads of executive departments and agencies "reaffirming the commitment to accountability and transparency." On March 19, 2009, during Sunshine Week, Attorney General Eric Holder issued those Guidelines. The Attorney General highlighted that the FOIA "reflects our nation’s fundamental commitment to open government" and that his Guidelines are "meant to underscore that commitment and to ensure that it is realized in practice."..."

Setting and Valuing Health Insurance Benefits
"This report briefly describes some of the key concepts and policy issues around specifying and valuing health insurance benefits.

“Actuarial value” is a summary measure of a health insurance plan’s benefit generosity. It is expressed as the percentage of medical expenses estimated to be paid by the insurer for a standard population and set of allowed charges. An actuarial value may also be referred to as a “benefit rate.” One purpose of an actuarial value is to distill all the benefit and enrollee cost-sharing
provisions of a health insurance plan into a single number, for easier comparisons among plans.
For example, under Massachusetts’ health reform, individuals purchasing unsubsidized coverage through the Connector have the choice of three benefit levels: Gold, Silver and Bronze. A Gold benefit package must be actuarially equivalent to the Gold package specified by the Connector, with low copayments and no deductible. The Gold benefit package has an estimated actuarial value of 93%. The Silver benefit package that an insurer develops can have greater cost-sharing (e.g., a deductible, higher copayments) but must have an actuarial value between 67% and 81%. The Bronze package must have an actuarial value of roughly 56%."

Retirement Savings and Household Wealth in 2007
"About half of all workers in the United States participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan of some kind, a proportion that has remained relatively stable over the past thirty years. Beginning in the early 1980s, however, employers began to move away from traditional pension plans – also known as defined benefit (DB) plans – to defined contribution (DC) plans, like those authorized under section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. Unlike DB plans, which are required by federal law to offer a benefit in the form of a life annuity, DC plans are individual accounts that typically pay the employee a lump sum at retirement. In 2007, approximately 21 million workers in the private sector participated in defined benefit plans, while more than 40
million workers participated in defined contribution plans..."

Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance --- United States, 2005--2007
"Overexposure to inorganic lead continues to be an important health problem worldwide. Furthermore, recent research has caused increased concerns about the toxicity of lead at low doses (1,2). Lead can cause acute and chronic adverse effects in multiple organ systems, ranging from subclinical changes in function to symptomatic, life-threatening intoxication. Since 1992, CDC's state-based Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program has tracked laboratory-reported elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) in U.S. adults. The vast majority (95%) of reported elevated BLLs have been work related. One of the Healthy People 2010 national public health objectives is to reduce to zero the prevalence of BLLs ≥25 µg/dL among adults (objective 20-7) (3). ABLES surveillance results through 2004 have been published previously (4--6). This report summarizes results for the period 2005--2007. An overall decline in national rates of elevated BLLs among state residents plus nonresidents from 14.0 in 1994 to 7.8 in 2007 has been observed. The national rate of state resident adults with BLLs ≥25 µg/dL was 7.2 per 100,000 employed adults in 2005 and 7.4 in 2006 and 2007. Industry subsectors with the highest numbers of lead-exposed workers were manufacturing of storage batteries, mining of lead and zinc ores, and painting and paper hanging. The most common nonoccupational exposures were shooting firearms; remodeling, renovating, or painting; retained bullets (gunshot wounds); and eating food containing lead. These findings indicate a need for increased preventive interventions to promote healthier workplaces and help move toward the Healthy People 2010 objective."

Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq, March 2009
"This report to Congress, Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq, is submitted pursuant to Section 9204 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act for 2008, Public Law 110-252.1 This report is also submitted pursuant to Section 1508(c) of the Department of Defense Authorization Act for 2009, Public Law 110-417. The report includes specific performance indicators and measures of progress toward political, economic, and security stability in Iraq, as directed by legislation. This is the
fifteenth report in this series of quarterly reports. The most recent report was submitted in January 2009. The report complements other reports and information about Iraq provided to Congress and is not intended as a single source of all information about the combined efforts or the future strategy of the United States, its Coalition partners, or Iraq..."

International Travel and Health, 2009 edition.
Provides information on health risks for international travelers

Vision of High-Speed Rail in America
"President Obama proposes to help address the nation's transportation challenges by launching a new and efficient high-speed passenger rail network in 100-600 mile corridors that connect communities across America. The Strategic Plan outlines the President’s vision that would transform the nation’s transportation system by rebuilding existing rail infrastructure while developing a comprehensive high-speed intercity passenger rail network through a long-term commitment at both the federal and state levels. This plan draws from the successful highway and aviation development models with a 21st century solution that focuses on clean, energy-efficient rail transportation..."

Assessment of the Impacts of Global Change on Regional U.S. Air Quality: A Synthesis of Climate Change Impacts on Ground-Level Ozone (An Interim Report of the U.S. EPA Global Change Research Program)
"The earth’s climate governs several of the natural processes that influence air quality. Climate change, along with other aspects of global change, including changes in population, land use and the technologies employed for energy production and transportation, may alter the capacity for US states to successfully attain the national air quality standards in the future. In 2000, the US EPA ORD Global Change Research Program (GCRP) initiated a research and assessment program devoted to the evaluation of the potential impact of global change on US air quality. The overall design of the research and assessment program benefitted from input provided by the EPA Office of Air and Radiation, several EPA Regional offices, and the climate change research community. The EPA GCRP air quality research and assessment program is analyzing the complex role of global change processes in US air quality in two phases. The major effort undertaken in Phase 1 included the development of modeling tools that:

1. incorporate the physical and chemical links between global- and regional-scale meteorological processes to project future regional air quality, and;
2. account for changes in energy and transportation technologies in future air quality-related emissions."

EPA Finds Greenhouse Gases Pose Threat to Public Health, Welfare / Proposed Finding Comes in Response to 2007 Supreme Court Ruling
"After a thorough scientific review ordered in 2007 by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposed finding Friday that greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare.

The proposed finding, which now moves to a public comment period, identified six greenhouse gases that pose a potential threat...

EPA’s proposed endangerment finding is based on rigorous, peer-reviewed scientific analysis of six gases – carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride – that have been the subject of intensive analysis by scientists around the world. The science clearly shows that concentrations of these gases are at unprecedented levels as a result of human emissions, and these high levels are very likely the cause of the increase in average temperatures and other changes in our climate..."

Official version. Certified by Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
PUBLIC LAW 111–5—FEB. 17, 2009 123 STAT. 115

EPA Adds Nine Hazardous Waste Sites to Superfund’s National Priorities List / EPA also proposes to add an additional 13 new sites to the NPL
"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is adding nine new hazardous waste sites that pose risks to human health and the environment to the National Priorities List of Superfund sites. Also, EPA is proposing to add 13 other sites to the list. Superfund is the federal program that investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country.

To date, there have been 1,596 sites listed on the NPL. Of these sites, 332 sites have been deleted resulting in 1,264 final sites currently on the NPL. With the proposal of the 13 new sites, there are 67 proposed sites awaiting final agency action: 62 in the general Superfund section and five in the federal facilities section. There are a total of 1,331 final and proposed sites..."

INVENTORY OF U.S. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND SINKS: 1990-2007
"This report presents estimates by the United States government of U.S. anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and sinks for the years 1990 through 2007. A summary of these estimates is provided in Table 2 1 and Table 2 2 by gas and source category in the Trends in Greenhouse Gas Emissions chapter. The emission estimates in these tables are presented on both a full molecular mass basis and on a Global Warming Potential (GWP) weighted basis in order to show the relative contribution of each gas to global average radiative forcing.18 This report also discusses the
methods and data used to calculate these emission estimates..."

IRS Offers Tax Payment Option
"The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers to file their federal tax returns and pay any taxes they owe by the April 15 deadline.

Aware that the economic downturn has affected many people, the agency urged taxpayers in difficult financial situations to file a tax return, pay what they can and work with the IRS to establish a payment plan that will keep them compliant.
Filing and Paying on Time Saves Money

The IRS cautioned that there is a failure-to-file penalty for taxpayers who don’t file their tax returns by April 15 and who owe taxes. Filing by the deadline allows taxpayers to avoid this penalty, even if they can’t pay all or some of their taxes by the deadline. Taxpayers who can’t meet the filing deadline can request an extension of time to file. However, an extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay.

Taxpayers who can’t pay the full amount would still benefit from filing their return and paying as much as they can by April 15. Interest and failure-to-pay penalties are due on any unpaid balance and increase the amount that the taxpayer owes.

Members of the military and some others serving in combat zones, or in support, can wait until after April 15 to file and pay. As a general rule, those eligible get the extra time penalty-free and interest-free without having to ask for it. Normally, the filing and payment deadline is postponed until 180 days after the service member leaves the combat zone..."

A Chartbook Of International Labor Comparisons, March 2009
" Chartbook Of International Labor Comparisons (March 2009) focuses on the labor market situation in selected countries for the most recent year available; some charts also show trends. This chartbook is presented on the BLS website in Adobe PDF format. The charts and the text for each section will soon be available from this page in individual PDF files; the chartbook is currently available in a single PDF (2.5 MB)."

Seat Belt Use in 2008—Use Rates in the States and Territories
"In 2008, seat belt use in the United States ranged from 55.7 percent in American Samoa to 97.2 percent in Michigan. These results are from probability-based observational surveys conducted by 50 States, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories in accordance with criteria established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to ensure reliable results. Compliance with the criteria is verified annually by NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis..."

FCC LAUNCHES DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL BROADBAND PLAN
"The Federal Communications Commission today begins the process of
developing a national broadband plan that will seek to ensure that every American has access to broadband capability.

In the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 – known as the stimulus package – Congress charged the Commission with creating a national broadband plan. In a Notice of Inquiry adopted today, the Commission begins a proceeding to create that national broadband plan, seeking input from all stakeholders: consumers, industry, large and small businesses, non-profits, the disabilities community, governments at the federal, state, local and tribal levels, and all other interested parties.

The Commission must deliver the plan to Congress by Feb. 17, 2010. It will provide a roadmap toward achieving the goal of ensuring that all Americans reap the benefits of broadband..."

The Impact of Ethanol Use on Food Prices and Greenhouse-Gas Emissions, April 2009
"The production and use of ethanol in the United States have been steadily
increasing since 2001, boosted in part by long-standing production subsidies.
That growth has exerted upward pressure on the price of corn and, ultimately, on the retail price of food, affecting both individual consumers and federal expenditures on nutritional support programs. It has also raised questions about the environmental consequences of replacing gasoline with ethanol.

This Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis, which was prepared at the request
of Representatives Ron Kind, Rosa DeLauro, and James McGovern, examines the relationship between increasing production of ethanol and rising prices for food.
In particular, CBO estimated how much of the rise in food prices between April 2007 and April 2008 was due to an increase in the production of ethanol and how much that increase in prices might raise federal expenditures on food assistance programs.

CBO also examined how much the increased use of ethanol might lower emissions of greenhouse gases. In keeping with CBO’s mandate to provide objective, impartial analysis, the report contains no recommendations."

FTC Halts Bogus Cancer Cures
"he Federal Trade Commission has brought to a halt two peddlers of bogus cancer cures that were targeted during Operation False Cures, a law enforcement sweep announced last fall. The FTC charged the companies in the sweep with making unsupported claims that their concoctions treated, cured, or prevented one or more types of cancer. With these two cases concluded, all but two of the 11 cases brought during the sweep have been resolved.

Mary T. Spohn, individually and doing business as Herbs for Cancer – The FTC’s administrative complaint alleged that Spohn marketed Chinese herbal teas that purportedly treated and cured many different types of cancer. After Spohn failed to respond to the complaint, the Administrative Law Judge issued an order on default judgment and initial decision against her on November 5, 2008. After Spohn failed to appeal, the judge’s order and initial decision became the final order and decision of the Commission. The final FTC Order prohibits false and deceptive claims that the products treat or cure cancer or have other health benefits..."

Federal and State Agencies Crack Down on Mortgage Modification and Foreclosure Rescue Scams
"The Federal Trade Commission today announced a crackdown on fraud and deception by mortgage modification and home foreclosure rescue companies. The FTC is seeking to halt the proliferation of these mortgage relief scams – which target distressed and vulnerable consumers who are delinquent or facing foreclosure – through increased law enforcement, consumer outreach, and close coordination with federal, state, and non-profit partners...

Guidance to Financial Institutions on Filing Suspicious Activity Reports regarding Loan Modification/Foreclosure Rescue Scams
"The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is issuing this advisory to highlight loan modification/foreclosure rescue scams so that financial institutions may better assist law enforcement when filing Suspicious Activity Reports. This guidance is consistent with the Department of the Treasury's broader efforts to ensure that U.S. financial institutions are not used as conduits for illicit activity, including loan modification/foreclosure rescue scams.

In the current economic environment, many homeowners are encountering significant difficulty in making their mortgage payments, which has led to an increasing amount of fraud in the form of loan modification/foreclosure "rescue" schemes that take advantage of those homeowners in desperate situations. Under the pretense of helping homeowners modify their mortgage obligations, these schemes result in the loss of money, equity and in many cases the home itself..."

Money Matters
"The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, created this website to help you tackle some money issues head-on. Use the menu to the right to find tips and resources on money matters."

Historical Effective Federal Tax Rates: 1979 to 2006
"The following tables update the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO’s) estimates
of historical effective tax rates—that is, households’ tax liability divided by their
income—for various income categories.1 These new tables incorporate estimates
for an additional calendar year, 2006, for the four largest sources of federal
revenues—individual income taxes, social insurance (payroll) taxes, corporate
income taxes, and excise taxes—as well as the total effective rate for the four
taxes combined. The tables also present average before-tax and after-tax
household income; counts of households; and shares of taxes, income, and
households for each fifth (quintile) of the income distribution and for the top
percentiles of households..."

Executive Branch Personnel Public Disclosure
"SF 278 Executive Branch Personnel Public Financial Disclosure reports for White House officials are now available. For the first time, interested parties will be able to request online those reports they would like to review. We have also streamlined the distribution process, so that each report is available in pdf form for quick transmission via email.

By filling out this electronic form, you can access the reports of the officials you wish to review. Requested reports will be emailed as quickly as possible - please call the press office if you experience a delay."

State Personal Income 2008
"U.S. personal income growth slowed to 3.9 percent in 2008 from 6.0 percent in 2007 with all states except Alaska sharing in the slowdown, according to preliminary estimates released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The U.S. growth was the slowest since 2003. Inflation, as measured by the national price index for personal consumption expenditures, rose to 3.3 percent in 2008 up from 2.6 percent in 2007."

Work-at-home patterns by occupation
"Working at home can provide people with numerous benefi ts—fl exibility in their schedules, fewer commutes, and opportunities to catch up on work. According to the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), about 12 percent of full-time workers with a single job did some work at home on an average day in 2003–07. (See table.) However, the ability to work at home is greatly affected by the nature of one’s work because some types of work can be more easily performed at home than others..."

Frequently Asked Questions About Section 504 and the Education of Children with Disabilities
"This document is a revised version of a document originally developed by the Chicago Office of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to clarify the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Section 504) in the area of public elementary and secondary education. The primary purpose of these revisions is to incorporate information about the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (Amendments Act), effective January 1, 2009, which amended the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and included a conforming amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that affects the meaning of disability in Section 504. The Amendments Act broadens the interpretation of disability. The Amendments Act does not require ED to amend its Section 504 regulations. ED’s Section 504 regulations as currently written are valid and OCR is enforcing them consistent with the Amendments Act. In addition, OCR is currently evaluating the impact of the Amendments Act on OCR’s enforcement responsibilities under Section 504 and Title II of the ADA, including whether any changes in regulations, guidance, or other publications are appropriate..."

Getting Through Tough Economic Times
"This guide provides practical advice on how to deal with the effects financial difficulties can have on your physical and mental health -- it covers:

* Possible health risks
* Warning signs
* Managing stress
* Getting help
* Suicide warning signs
* Other steps you can take"

FDA Alerts Consumers to Recall of Certain Pistachios
"The FDA and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) are investigating Salmonella contamination in pistachio products sold by Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc, Calif. The company has stopped all distribution of processed pistachios and will issue a voluntary recall involving approximately 1 million pounds of its products. Because the pistachios were used as ingredients in a variety of foods, it is likely this recall will impact many products. In addition, the investigation at the company is ongoing and may lead to additional pistachio product recalls.

The contamination involves multiple strains of Salmonella. Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Thus far, several illnesses have been reported by consumers that may be associated with the pistachios. It is not yet known whether any of the Salmonella strains found in the pistachio products are linked to an outbreak. The FDA is conducting genetic testing of the samples to pursue all links.

FDA is working closely with the pistachio industry and recommends that consumers avoid eating pistachio products until further information is available about the scope of affected products.

FDA will provide a searchable database of affected products at http://www.fda.gov/pistachios/ and will continue to update the public."

HHS Issues Special Report on Health Reform and Launches New healthreform.gov Web Site
"Americans expressed serious concerns regarding health care in a new report released today by the Department of Health and Human Services. The report, Americans Speak on Health Reform: Report on Health Care Community Discussions, summarizes comments from the thousands of Americans who hosted and participated in Health Care Community Discussions across the country and highlights the need for immediate action to reform health care.

The report is available on a new Web site dedicated to health reform: www.healthreform.gov. Unveiled today, the Web site will allow Americans to view today’s White House Health Forum, share their thoughts about health reform with the Obama Administration and sign a statement in support of President Obama’s commitment to enacting comprehensive health reform this year..."

Smokeless Tobacco Use, Initiation, and Relationship to Cigarette Smoking: 2002 to 2007
"# The rate of past month smokeless tobacco use remained relatively stable in the range of 3.0 to 3.3 percent between 2002 and 2007 among persons aged 12 or older; however, there were increases among certain subpopulations—in particular, among adolescent males
# Among past month smokeless tobacco users, 85.8 percent used cigarettes at some time in their lives, and 38.8 percent used cigarettes in the past month
# Among persons who had used both smokeless tobacco and cigarettes in their lifetime, 31.8 percent started using smokeless tobacco first, 65.5 percent started using cigarettes first, and 2.7 percent initiated use of smokeless tobacco and cigarettes at about the same time."

Teaching with Primary Sources Newsletter
"This Issue's Theme: Technology Integration
This issue explores how teachers can use technology to bring primary sources into their classrooms to enhance learning."

State of Birds
"Birds are a priceless part of America’s heritage. They are beautiful, they are economically important—and they reflect the health of our environment. This State of the Birds report reveals troubling declines of bird populations during the past 40 years—a warning signal of the failing health of our ecosystems. At the same time, we see heartening evidence that strategic land management and conservation action can reverse declines of birds. This report calls attention to the collective efforts needed to protect nature’s resources for the benefit of people and wildlife."

2008 Internet Crime Report
"In December 2003, the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) was renamed the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to better reflect the broad character of such
criminal matters having a cyber (Internet) nexus. The 2008 Internet Crime Report is the eighth annual compilation of information on complaints received and referred by
the IC3 to law enforcement or regulatory agencies for appropriate action. From January 1, 2008 – December 31, 2008, the IC3 website received 275,284 complaint
submissions. This is a (33.1%) increase when compared to 2007 when 206,884 complaints were received. These filings were composed of complaints primarily related to fraudulent and non-fraudulent issues on the Internet..."

Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative
"Federal agencies report increasing cyber-intrusions into government computer networks, perpetrated by a range of known and unknown actors. In response, the President, legislators, experts, and others have characterized cybersecurity as a pressing national security issue.

Like other national security challenges in the post-9/11 era, the cyber threat is multi-faceted and lacks clearly delineated boundaries. Some cyber attackers operate through foreign nations’ military or intelligence-gathering operations, whereas others have connections to terrorist groups or operate as individuals. Some cyber threats might be viewed as international or domestic criminal enterprises..."

Jail Inmates at Midyear 2008 - Statistical Tables
"Presents data on numbers of jails and jail inmates at midyear 2008 and analyzes patterns of growth from 2000 through 2008. These statistical tables include data on rated capacity of jails, percent of capacity occupied, and capacity added. They provide estimates of admissions to jails and detail the volume of movement among the jail population. This web document also includes total numbers for jail inmates by gender, race, and Hispanic origin. Standard errors for jail estimates are included."

Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq, March 2009
"This report to Congress, Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq, is submitted pursuant to Section 9204 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act for 2008, Public Law 110-252.1 This report is also submitted pursuant to Section 1508(c) of the Department of Defense Authorization Act for 2009, Public Law 110-417. The report includes specific performance indicators and measures of progress toward political, economic, and security stability in Iraq, as directed by legislation. This is the
fifteenth report in this series of quarterly reports. The most recent report was submitted in January 2009. The report complements other reports and information about Iraq provided to Congress and is not intended as a single source of all information about the combined efforts or the future strategy of the United States, its Coalition partners, or Iraq."

EPA Launches Guidance on Environmental Models
"EPA has released a guidance document on the development, evaluation and application of environmental models used to inform environmental decision making. This new resource also provides greater transparency of EPA’s use of models and guidance on the use of proprietary tools and software.

EPA develops and uses a wide range of computer models to simulate the fate of various pollutants, estimate pollution’s impact on public health and the environment, and evaluate the cost and benefits of alternative policies. EPA has been a global leader in the development and use of environmental computer models for environmental protection and continues to improve model development and use."

Annual Energy Outlook 2009
"The Annual Energy Outlook 2009 (AEO2009) presents projections and analysis of US energy supply, demand, and prices through 2030. The projections are based on results from the Energy Information Administration's National Energy Modeling System. The AEO2009 includes the reference case, additional cases examining energy markets, and complete documentation."

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
"Sexual assault takes many forms—it is any unwanted sexual contact, including rape, attempted rape, and child sexual abuse. It can affect people of any gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or ability.

According to the National Violence Against Women Survey, 1 in 6 American women has been the victim of rape or attempted rape.

For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women at www.ovw.usdoj.gov."