Health Insurance

Find the latest data on health insurance coverage from the U.S. Census  Bureau.
Health Insurance

Administration Strategy on Mitigating the Theft of U.S. Trade Secrets

"The Administration is focused on protecting the innovation that drives the American economy and supports jobs in the United States. As a Nation, 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 to secure food, nourishment and safety. Most of the value of this work is intangible—it lies in America’s entrepreneurial spirit, our creativity, ingenuity and insistence on progress and in creating a better life for our communities and for communities around the world. These intangible assets are often captured as intellectual property—copyrights, patents, trademarks and trade secrets, and reflect America’s advantage in the global economy..."
U.S. Trade Secrets

FTC Warns Veterans: Be Wary of ‘Free’ Pension Advice

"The Federal Trade Commission warns veterans and their families:  Be wary of dishonest advisers offering “free” help with paperwork for pension claims.

Unscrupulous lawyers, financial planners and insurance agents advise veterans over 65 to transfer their assets to a trust, or to invest in insurance products, so they can qualify for Aid and Attendance benefits.  By following their advice, you could lose your eligibility for Medicaid services and the use of your money for a long time, plus get billed for fees that range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

To learn more, read the FTC’s Poaching Veterans’ Pensions.."
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2013/02/vetspension.shtm

A Balanced Plan to Avert the Sequester and Reduce the Deficit

President  Obamas plan to a avert the forthcoming sequester.
 A Balanced Plan to Avert the Sequester

What is the Sequester (Whitehouse)

An examination of the sequester issues from the  Obama's administration perspective.
What it the Sequester

What to do in a Power Outage

"To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, use generators, pressure washers, grills, and similar items outdoors only.

• If the power is out longer than two hours, throw away food that has a temperature higher than 40°F.
• Check with local authorities to be sure your water is safe.
• In hot weather, stay cool and drink plenty of fluids to prevent heat-related illness.
• In cold weather, wear layers of clothing, which help to keep in body heat.
• Avoid power lines and use electric tools and appliances safely to prevent electrical shock." 
  What to do in a Power Outage

Protect Your Unborn Baby or Newborn from Infections

"If you are pregnant—or know anyone who is—you need to know about group B strep. About a quarter of all women carry the bacteria that cause group B strep infection. Group B strep bacteria are usually not harmful to you and won't make the people around you sick. But these bacteria can be very dangerous for your newborn. Babies can get very sick and even die if their mothers pass group B strep bacteria to them during childbirth.."
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PrenatalInfections/

Poverty Rates for Selected Detailed Race and Hispanic Groups by State and Place: 2007–2011

"Poverty rates are important indicators of community well-being and are used by government agencies and organizations to allocate need-based resources. The American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year data allow for the analysis of poverty rates by race and Hispanic origin for many levels of geography.

In this report, poverty rates are summarized by race and Hispanic origin for the United States, each state, and the District of Columbia..."
Poverty Rates for Selected Detailed Race and Hispanic Groups by State and Place: 2007–2011

Criminal Prohibitions on the Publication of Classified Defense Information

"This report identifies some criminal statutes that may apply to the publication of classified
defense information, noting that these have been used almost exclusively to prosecute individuals with access to classified information (and a corresponding obligation to protect it) who make it available to foreign agents, or to foreign agents who obtain classified information unlawfully while present in the United States..."
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/secrecy/R41404.pdf

Measuring Broadband America - 2012

"This 2013 Measuring Broadband America—February Report contains the most recent results from the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Measuring Broadband America program. This program, whose first results were published in August 2011, is an ongoing, rigorous, nationwide study of residential broadband performance in the United States. This study, like those conducted before, involves actual performance tests for thousands of subscribers of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) serving well over 80 percent of the residential market..."
Measuring Broadband America - 2012

State of the Union Address (Barack Obama, 2/12/2013)

Find the official version of President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address, Feb. 12, 2013
President Obama's State of the Union Address, Feb. 12, 2013

North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons: Technical Issues

"This report summarizes what is known from open sources about the North Korean nuclear weapons program—including weapons-usable fissile material and warhead estimates—and assesses current developments in achieving denuclearization. Little detailed open-source information is available about the DPRK’s nuclear weapons production capabilities, warhead sophistication, the scope and success of its uranium enrichment program, or extent of its proliferation activities. In total, it is estimated that North Korea has between 30 and 50 kilograms of separated plutonium, enough for at least half a dozen nuclear weapons..."
North Korea's Nuclear Weapons: Technical Issues

The President’s Plan to Make America a Magnet for Jobs by Investing in Manufacturing

A fact sheet on President Obama's plan for investing in manufacturing.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/fact-sheet-president-s-plan-make-america-magnet-jobs-investing-manufacturing

FTC Announces New Videos to Help You Be Secure Online

"Today, the Federal Trade Commission released a series of video tips to help you protect your personal information online. The videos are available at OnGuardOnline.gov, the federal government’s site to help computer users be safe, secure and responsible.

The new video Using Public Wi-Fi Networks, explains that most public Wi-Fi hotspots don’t encrypt information you send through the network. So, if you login to an unsecured website — say a social networking site — or enter personal information in a web form, you may be sharing that information with others on the network. Hackers could use the information to hijack your accounts, or to impersonate you..."
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2013/02/onguardonline.shtm

Smart Disclosure Data

"These federal datasets contain a wealth of information to help consumers make important choices and drive innovative consumer products and services - either from information in a single dataset or by combining data from more than one place. Local data on environmental quality, for example, could be combined with data on housing and rental prices to help consumers decide where to live. This site will be enhanced with the addition of new datasets, and new apps using these datasets, as they are developed...."
Smart Disclosure Data

Using the American Factfinder 2(revised)

The University of Western Illinois Libraries has produced a revised guide to using the American Factfinder 2  which includes a guide to the new Guided Search and Advanced Search features. 
Using the American Factfinder 2

New Smart Phone App Lets Public Report Rain, Hail, Sleet and Snow to NOAA

"It’s now easier than ever to be a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) weather research. The NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, in partnership with the University of Oklahoma, has launched a free app for users to anonymously report precipitation from their Apple or Android mobile device.

With the mPING app,anyone can send a weather observation on the go. The user simply opens the app, selects the type of precipitation that is falling at his or her location, and presses submit. The user’s location and the time of the observation are automatically included in the report..."
New Smart Phone App Lets Public Report Rain, Hail, Sleet and Snow to NOAA

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)

"The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is meant to induce employers to hire members of
families receiving benefits under the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program
and other groups thought to experience employment problems regardless of general economic
conditions (e.g., food stamp recipients and ex-felons). In 1997, Congress passed the Welfare-to-
Work (WtW) tax credit to focus specifically on more disadvantaged TANF recipients. The 109th
Congress folded the WtW credit into a revised WOTC as part of the Tax Relief and Health Care
Act of 2006..."
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)

Annual Statistical Supplement, 2012

Find annual data on the social security program.
Social Security Annual Statistical Supplement: 2012

Veterans and Homelessness

 "The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have brought renewed attention to the needs of veterans,
including the needs of homeless veterans. Researchers have found both male and female veterans
to be overrepresented in the homeless population, and as the number of veterans increases due to
these conflicts, there is concern that the number of homeless veterans could rise commensurately.
The 2007-2009 recession and the subsequent slow economic recovery also raised concerns that
homelessness could increase among all groups, including veterans..."
Veterans and Homelessness

Women's History Month: March 2013

Find  selected statistics  from the U.S. Census Bureau highlighting Women's History Month.
Women's History Month: March 2013

Working to Counter Online Radicalization to Violence in the United States

"The American public increasingly relies on the Internet for socializing, business transactions, gathering information, entertainment, and creating and sharing content. The rapid growth of the Internet has brought opportunities but also risks, and the Federal Government is committed to empowering members of the public to protect themselves against the full range of online threats, including online radicalization to violence.."
Working-Counter-Online-Radicalization-Violence-United-States

Congressional Redistricting and the Voting Rights Act: A Legal Overview

"The Constitution requires a count of the U.S. population every 10 years. Based on the census, the number of seats in the House of Representatives is reapportioned among the states. Thus, at least every 10 years, in response to changes in the number of Representatives apportioned to it or to shifts in its population, each state is required to draw new boundaries for its congressional districts. Although each state has its own process for redistricting, congressional districts must conform to a number of constitutional and federal statutory standards, including the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965, as amended..."
https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42482.pdf

Youth Homelessness

Find recent statistics on the homeless youth population from the U.S. Interagency Council  on Homelessness.
Youth Homelessness

Integration of Drones into Domestic Airspace: Selected Legal Issues

"Under the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, P.L. 112-95, Congress has tasked the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with integrating unmanned aircraft systems (UASs),
sometimes referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, into the national airspace system by September 2015. Although the text of this act places safety as a predominant concern, it fails to establish how the FAA should resolve significant, and up to this point, largely unanswered legal questions..."
https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R42940.pdf

The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2013 to 2023

 A report from the U.S. Congressional Budget Office on forecasts for the federal budget for 2013 to 2023.
https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/43907_Outlook_2012-2-5_Corrected.pdf