Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning Prevention

"When power outages occur after severe weather, using alternative sources of power can cause carbon monoxide (CO) to build up in a home and poison the people and animals inside.
Every year, at least 430 people die in the U. S. from accidental CO poisoning. Approximately 50,000 people in the U.S. visit the emergency department each year due to accidental CO poisoning. There are steps you can take to help protect yourself and your household from CO poisoning.
CO is found in fumes produced by portable generators, stoves, lanterns, and gas ranges, or by burning charcoal and wood. CO from these sources can build up in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces. People and animals in these spaces can be poisoned and can die from breathing CO..."

Carbon Monoxide

Rubella: Make Sure Your Child Gets Vaccinated

"Rubella is a contagious disease caused by a virus. For some people—especially pregnant women and their unborn babies—rubella can be serious. Make sure you and your child are protected from rubella by getting vaccinated on schedule.
Young children who get rubella usually have a mild illness, with symptoms that can include a low-grade fever, sore throat, and a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. Older children and adults are more likely to have a headache, pink eye, and general discomfort before the rash appears..."
Rubella

CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Surveys

"CDC supports adolescent and school health efforts using state-of-the-art monitoring systems designed to collect, analyze, and disseminate data on youth risk behaviors and school health policies and practices.
CDC is committed to protecting and improving the health and quality of life of adolescents. Our nation’s state and local education agencies and schools are significant partners in the effort to not only protect the health of adolescents, but to also help educate them on how to live a healthy life now and as they grow into adulthood.
Information is gathered on youth health risk behaviors and school health policies and practices to help public health and education professionals identify national, state, and local youth health risk behaviors and develop school health programs, policies, and practices. This type of information is of interest to a variety of audiences (e.g., school board members, school administrators, teachers, parents, legislators, community health organizations) and can be used to focus efforts on improving the health of youth, tracking progress over time, and assessing program effectiveness..."

Youth Risk Survey

Friday, January 26, 2018

Protect Yourself & Your Family Against Flu


"Flu activity has increased sharply in the United States in recent weeks, with widespread activity reported in 49 states in the last CDC FluView report. While flu vaccination is the most important way to prevent influenza, antiviral drugs are the most important way to treat influenza infection. Studies have shown that early treatment with a flu antiviral drug can shorten the duration of fever and illness symptoms, and can reduce the risk of serious flu complications.
CDC recommends these drugs be used as soon as possible in people who are severely ill or people who are at high risk of serious flu complications who develop flu symptoms.
For people with an age or medical factor that puts them at high-risk of serious flu complications, prompt treatment with a flu antiviral drug can mean the difference between having a milder illness and a stay in the hospital.
At this time vaccination to prevent future cases of influenza is still a good idea. There are likely weeks of flu activity to come during the current flu season so vaccination can still offer important protection. While influenza A(H3N2) viruses have been most common to date, it is not unusual for different flu viruses to circulate at different times of the season and most flu vaccines protect against four different influenza viruses..."
Protection against Flu

Adventure Travel


"Is an adventure off the beaten path on your to-do list this year? Learn about your risks and prepare for a fun and safe trip with CDC Travelers’ Health.
From trekking the Inca Trail to surfing off the shores of Bali, adventure travel has become a popular way to explore new destinations and test your physical abilities. Adventure travel includes “extreme” activities like mountaineering, backpacking, diving, surfing, bungee jumping, rafting, zip lining, and paragliding.

Risks of Adventure Travel

Adventure activities, both at home and abroad, carry some risk of injury. If you travel to a remote location, some additional risks to consider include
  • Limited or no access to medical care
  • Unreliable communication that can delay emergency response
  • Unexpected weather changes that can make safety challenging and rescue efforts more difficult.."

Adventure Travel

Scarlet Fever: A Group A Streptococcal Infection

"If your child has a sore throat and a rash, it may be scarlet fever. Your child’s doctor can do a quick strep test to find out. If your child has scarlet fever, antibiotics can help your child feel better faster and prevent long-term health problems. Antibiotics can also help protect others from getting sick.
Scarlet fever – or scarlatina – is a bacterial infection caused by group A Streptococcus or “group A strep.” These bacteria cause many types of infections, including strep throat and skin infections. Certain strep bacteria produce a toxin (poison) that can cause a red rash—the “scarlet” of scarlet fever. Scarlet fever is usually a mild illness that most commonly affects children between 5 and 15 years old..."

Scarlet Fever

Monday, January 22, 2018

Educational Attainment in the United States:2017

Find the latest data on educational attainment in the United States for those 18 years and older by age, sex, race, and Hispanic Origin.  
Educational attainment

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Protect Your Daughters from Cervical Cancer

"HPV vaccination can protect your children from several types of cancers. For girls, this includes cervical cancer. For boys, HPV vaccination means stopping the spread of the virus, which results in the reduction of cervical and other HPV-related cancers.
Every year in the United States, 31,500 women and men are diagnosed with a cancer caused by HPV infection and more than 4,000 women die from cervical cancer, even with screening and treatment. Any woman can get cervical cancer, at any point in their lives. Cervical cancer doesn’t discriminate for age or how healthy a woman’s lifestyle may be. Cervical cancer, along with most other HPV-related cancers, can be prevented by receiving the HPV vaccine.
Vaccinating for HPV also protects women against the uncomfortable process of dealing with cervical “precancers.” Each year in the U.S. nearly 500,000 women endure invasive testing and treatment for lesions (changes in the cells) on the cervix that can develop into cancers. Procedures to eliminate these precancers are necessary to prevent cancer, but can have lasting effects on a woman..."

HPV and cervical cancer

Prompt Use of Antivirals is Key this Flu Season

"A recent sharp increase in influenza A(H3N2) activity in the United States has prompted the CDC to release a health advisory emphasizing the importance of its antiviral treatment recommendations this season. Read more about what clinicians can do.
The December 27 health advisory published via CDC’s Health Alert Network (HAN) highlights the potential for influenza A(H3N2) virus-predominant seasons to be associated with more hospitalizations and deaths in persons aged 65 years and older and young children compared with other age groups.

In addition, the HAN also discusses that influenza (flu) vaccines are generally less effective against influenza A(H3N2) viruses than against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 or influenza B viruses. Last season, flu vaccine effectiveness (VE) against circulating influenza A(H3N2) viruses was estimated to be 32% in the United States. While CDC’s preliminary VE estimates for the 2017-2018 season will not be available until later in the season, CDC expects that U.S. VE estimates against circulating A(H3N2) viruses will be similar to last season, assuming the same A(H3N2) viruses continue to predominate. This underscores the need for clinicians to step up influenza treatment efforts this season with the appropriate use of antiviral medications..."
Antiviral and flu

New Book Celebrates the History of the Library of Congress

"A new book from Library of Congress Historian John Y. Cole, “America’s Greatest Library: An Illustrated History of the Library of Congress,” tells the story of the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and how it came to be the world’s largest library.

Librarian of Congress Carla D. Hayden calls the Library “a place where you can touch history and imagine your future,” and the story of its creation and evolution comes alive in this rich chronology. The book is the first authoritative history of the Library published in nearly 20 years.

“America’s Greatest Library,” which will be published Jan. 9 by D Giles Limited in association with the Library of Congress, highlights the personalities and events that created and sustained the institution over its 217-year history, starting at a time when Washington had no other libraries or cultural institutions. Packed with fascinating stories, compelling images and little-known nuggets of information, the narrative traces the growth of the collections with the development of the nation’s capital through a combination of concise milestones, brief essays and vivid photographs and illustrations..."
Library of Congress


Privacy & Data Security Update (2017): An Overview of the Commission’s Enforcement, Policy Initiatives, and Consumer Outreach and Business Guidance in the Areas of Privacy and Data Security: January 2017 – December 2017

"Federal Trade Commission 2017 Privacy and Data Security Update.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) is an independent U.S. law enforcement agency charged with protecting consumers and enhancing competition across broad sectors of the economy. The FTC’s primary legal authority comes from Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive practices in the marketplace. The FTC also has authority to enforce a variety of sector specific laws, including the Truth in Lending Act, the CAN-SPAM Act, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act. This broad authority allows the Commission to address a wide array of practices affecting consumers, including those that emerge with the development of new technologies and business models.
How Does the FTC Protect Consumer Privacy and Promote Data Security?

 The FTC uses a variety of tools to protect consumers’ privacy and personal information. The FTC’s principal tool is to bring enforcement actions to stop law violations and require companies to take affirmative steps to remediate the unlawful behavior. This includes, when appropriate, implementation of comprehensive privacy and security programs, biennial assessments by independent experts, monetary redress to consumers, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, deletion of illegally obtained consumer information, and providing robust transparency and choice mechanisms to consumers. If a company violates an FTC order, the FTC can seek civil monetary penalties for the violations. The FTC can also obtain civil monetary penalties for violations of certain privacy statutes and rules, including the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the Telemarketing Sales Rule. To date, the Commission has brought hundreds of privacy and data security cases protecting billions of consumers..."
FTC privacy and data security report

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

UPDATE: Who’s the Boss at the CFPB?

"Update: On January 10, 2018, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia denied Leandra English’s request for a preliminary injunction, ruling that the Federal Vacancies Reform Act (Vacancies Act) authorized the President to appoint Mick Mulvaney to serve as the Acting Director of the CFPB. Since the Sidebar below was originally published, English filed an amended complaint and moved for a preliminary injunction on substantially similar grounds to those described below. In rejecting her motion, the district court held that because the provision of the Dodd-Frank Act that authorizes the Deputy Director to serve as the Acting Director when the Director is absent or unavailable did not expressly displace the Vacancies Act, the Vacancies Act remained available and authorized the President to fill the position. English had also argued that even if the Vacancies Act generally would allow the President to appoint an Acting Director, because Mulvaney is also the head of the Office of Management and Budget, an agency housed directly under the White House, he may not head an independent agency like the CFPB. But the judge rejected this argument, noting that no such restriction could be found in the text of the Dodd-Frank Act. The district court ultimately denied the request for a preliminary injunction because English had failed to show either a likelihood of success on the merits or that she would suffer irreparable injury absent relief. It is possible that English might appeal this order, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit could weigh in on this issue..."
CFPB

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): An Overview

"In the ongoing energy debate in Congress, one recurring issue has been whether to allow oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR, or the Refuge) in northeastern Alaska. ANWR is rich in fauna and flora and also has significant oil and natural gas potential. Energy development in the Refuge has been debated for more than 50 years. On December 20, 2017, President Trump signed into law P.L. 115-97, which provides for an oil and gas program on ANWR’s Coastal Plain. The Congressional Budget Office estimated federal revenue from the program’s first two lease sales at $1.1 billion, but actual revenues may be higher or lower depending on market conditions and other factors. This report discusses the oil and gas program in the context of the Refuge’s history, its energy and biological resources, Native interests and subsistence uses, energy market conditions, and debates over protection and development..."
Arctic National Wildlife

Mandatory Minimum Sentencing of Federal Drug Offenses

"As a general rule, federal judges must impose a minimum term of imprisonment upon defendants convicted of various controlled substance (drug) offenses and drug-related offenses. The severity of those sentences depends primarily upon the nature and amount of the drugs involved, the defendant’s prior criminal record, any resulting injuries or death, and in the case of the related firearms offenses, the manner in which the firearm was used. The drug offenses reside principally in the Controlled Substances Act or the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act.

The drug-related firearms offenses involve the possession and use of firearms in connection with serious drug offenses and instances in which prior drug convictions trigger mandatory sentences for unlawful firearms possession.

The minimum sentences range from imprisonment for a year to imprisonment for life. Although the sentences are usually referred to as mandatory minimum sentences, a defendant may avoid them under several circumstances. Prosecutors may elect not to prosecute. The President may choose to pardon the defendant or commute his sentence. The defendant may qualify for sentencing for providing authorities with substantial assistance or under the so-called “safety valve” provision available to low-level, nonviolent, first-time offenders..."
Mandatory minimun sentencing

Introduction to the Legislative Process in the U.S. Congress

"This report introduces the main steps through which a bill (or other item of business) may travel in the legislative process—from introduction to committee and floor consideration to possible presidential consideration. However, the process by which a bill can become law is rarely predictable and can vary significantly from bill to bill. In fact, for many bills, the process will not follow the sequence of congressional stages that are often understood to make up the legislative process. This report presents a look at each of the common stages through which a bill may move, but complications and variations abound in practice.

Throughout, the report provides references to a variety of other CRS reports that focus on specific elements of congressional procedure. CRS also has many other reports not cited herein that address some procedural issues in additional detail (including congressional budget and appropriations processes). These reports are organized by subissue at http://www.crs.gov/iap/ congressional-process-administration-and-elections.

Congressional action on bills typically is planned and coordinated by party leaders in each chamber, though as described in this report, majority party leaders in the House have more tools with which to set the floor agenda than do majority party leaders in the Senate. In both chambers, much of the policy expertise resides in the standing committees, panels of Members who typically take the lead in developing and assessing proposed legislation within specified policy jurisdictions..."
Congressional legislative process

Monday, January 15, 2018

FBI's Complete File on MLK

via[The MemoryHole]

"Martin Luther King’s entire FBI file (16,000+ pages), as posted by the original Memory Hole

Martin Luther King Jr.'s main FBI file is more than 16,000 pages long. Due to a Freedom of Information Act request, the Bureau released the entire file in 1984. It was on paper, of course. 

For over two decades, if you wanted to view the whole thing, you had to pay the FBI FOIA office over $1,600 (10 cents/page) to get a paper copy, which is a highly inconvenient format for a huge file, never mind the exorbitant expense. Or you had to go to a library that had it on microform, or you could view it in the reading room at FBI HQ in Washington, DC. 

Here in the digital age, the FBI has chosen to post a tiny fraction of MLK's file, without mentioning that it's only a tiny fraction. Go to the Martin Luther King Jr. page at the FBI's Vault. You'll find 1 part of the file (confusingly divided into two PDFs), totaling 226 pages. The file actually has 121 parts, totaling 16,659 pages..."
FBI and MLK

Friday, January 12, 2018

Portable Generators: 3 Critical Precautions to Take So You Don’t Die from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

"Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning deaths, caused by portable generators reportedly being used inside homes and/or garages, have been reported in Florida in recent days. In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, there are widespread power outages. CPSC is warning consumers to take three critical precautions to prevent loss of life from poisonous carbon monoxide when using a portable generator:
1. NEVER use a portable generator inside your home. One portable generator can emit the same amount of deadly carbon monoxide gas as hundreds of mid-size cars. Just as you would not leave a car running in a closed garage, do not run a generator inside a garage, home, shed or near open windows or vents.
2. Portable generators need air and distance. Place generators OUTDOORS ONLY, at least 20 feet away from your home.
3. Carbon monoxide is called the “invisible killer.” This deadly gas is colorless and odorless and can quickly incapacitate and kill you and your family in minutes. A working CO alarm can detect high levels of the gas in your home. If it goes off, do not ignore it. Get out! Then call 911..."

Portable generators

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Technical Packages for Violence Prevention

"CDC’s Technical Packages for Violence Prevention: Helping States and Communities Prioritize Activities
CDC has developed technical packages to help states and communities prevent violence based on the best available evidence.
The suite of technical packages developed by the Division of Violence Prevention includes:

Violence prevention

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Feinstein: American People Deserve Opportunity to Read Glenn Simpson, Fusion GPS Transcript

"Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today released the transcript of Glenn Simpson’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee with the support of committee Democrats. Simpson is the co-founder of Fusion GPS.
“After speaking with majority and minority committee staff for 10 hours, Glenn Simpson requested the transcript of his interview be released publicly. The American people deserve the opportunity to see what he said and judge for themselves,” said Senator Feinstein. “The innuendo and misinformation circulating about the transcript are part of a deeply troubling effort to undermine the investigation into potential collusion and obstruction of justice. The only way to set the record straight is to make the transcript public.”
The transcript is available here and corrections made after the transcript was finalized are available here. .."
Glenn Simpson, Fusion GPS Transcript


Smart Toys and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998

"A growing number of devices in American households, including televisions, appliances, security systems, and heating and cooling devices, rely on Internet connectivity to perform a range of functions. And the “Internet of Things” includes a growing number of products primarily used by children, including “smart toys.” In the 1980’s, the popular Teddy Ruxpin bear “talked” to children by way of a tape player hidden inside. Today, children may have real-time two-way “conversations” with their smart toys. Sensors, mics, cameras, storage devices, speech recognition technology, Internet-connectivity, and GPS are used to tailor the toy’s behaviors based on the child’s interactions. Some more sophisticated smart toys may record a child’s voice on an audio file, convert the audio to text, query a searchable database, and return an appropriate voice response back to the child. But smart toys’ use of Internet-connectivity potentially to collect children’s personal information may require the toys’ makers to take certain steps to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA) and its implementing rules and requirements..."
Children's Online Pfivacy Protection

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Assessing the U.S. Climate in 2017

"Based on preliminary analysis, the average annual temperature for the contiguous U.S. was 54.6°F, 2.6°F above the 20th century average. This was the third warmest year since record keeping began in 1895, behind 2012 (55.3°F) and 2016 (54.9°F), and the 21st consecutive warmer-than-average year for the U.S. (1997 through 2017). The five warmest years on record for the contiguous U.S. have all occurred since 2006.

During the year, the U.S. experienced 16 weather and climate disasters with losses exceeding $1 billion, with total costs of approximately $306 billion – a new U.S. annual record. The previous costliest year for the U.S. was 2005 with losses of $215 billion driven in large part by Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma and Rita. The number of events (16) ties 2011 for most billion-dollar disasters in a single year. Some of the more noteworthy events included the western wildfire season, with total costs of $18 billion, tripling the previous U.S. annual wildfire cost record. Hurricane Harvey had total costs of $125 billion, second only to Hurricane Katrina in the 38-year period of record for billion-dollar disasters. Hurricanes Maria and Irma had total costs of $90 billion and $50 billion, respectively. Hurricane Maria now ranks as the third costliest weather and climate disaster on record for the nation and Irma ranks as the fifth costliest..."

Monday, January 8, 2018

Exercise to Ease Arthritis Pain

"Health care providers can talk to arthritis patients about physical activity and exercise as an option to ease arthritis pain.
Physical activity and exercise ease arthritis pain and improve the quality of life of adults living with arthritis. More than 54 million US adults have arthritis.
CDC recommends that health care providers counsel their arthritis patients to be physically active. Adults with arthritis can decrease pain and improve function by about 40% by being physically active.

Counseling Arthritis Patients

Health care providers should talk to their patients about physical activity and exercise as an option to ease arthritis pain.
A recent study1 found that arthritis patients receiving health care providers’ counseling for exercise increased from approximately 50% in 2002 to 60% in 2014. Yet, 2 in 5 patients with arthritis are not receiving health care provider counseling for exercise..."
Arthritis and exercise

Protect Yourself and Your Family from Radon

"Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking. If you smoke and live in a home with high radon levels, you increase your risk of developing lung cancer. Having your home tested is the only effective way to determine whether you and your family are at risk of high radon exposure.
Radon is a radioactive gas that forms naturally when uranium, thorium, or radium, which are radioactive metals break down in rocks, soil and groundwater. People can be exposed to radon primarily from breathing radon in air that comes through cracks and gaps in buildings and homes. Because radon comes naturally from the earth, people are always exposed to it.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon General’s office estimate radon is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S. When you breathe in radon, radioactive particles from radon gas can get trapped in your lungs. Over time, these radioactive particles increase the risk of lung cancer. It may take years before health problems appear.."

Radon

Folic Acid Helps Prevent Some Birth Defects

"Learn how to get healthy before and during pregnancy to increase your chances of having a healthy baby. You can plan ahead by getting enough folic acid each day.
Folic acid is a B vitamin. It is an important part of planning for a healthy pregnancy. If a woman consumes the recommended amount of folic acid before and during early pregnancy, it can help prevent some major birth defects of the baby’s brain (known as anencephaly) and spine (known as spina bifida). Anencephaly is a serious birth defect in which parts of a baby’s brain and skull do not form correctly. Babies born with anencephaly cannot survive. Spina bifida is a serious birth defect in which a baby’s spine does not develop correctly, and can result in some severe physical disabilities. All women, but especially those who want to become pregnant, need 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day.."

Folic acid

Flu-Free, Healthy Travel this Winter

"Whether traveling to warmer weather or a snow-filled adventure, make sure flu is not your travel companion.
It’s not too late to get a flu vaccine if you haven’t already done so. It takes about 2 weeks for the vaccine to provide protection, so get vaccinated well before your trip to reduce your risk of catching and spreading flu.
Wherever you may be going this winter, protecting yourself and others from flu is important. Here are some useful tips for staying healthy during the winter months.

Before Your Trip

Get vaccinated.

Flu vaccines are the most important tool we have for preventing flu. If you have not gotten your vaccine already, it’s important to get it before you travel. Flu vaccines are available in many places, including doctors’ offices, health departments and pharmacies. You can also use the HealthMap Vaccine Finder if you need help finding places that offer flu vaccine in your area. Getting vaccinated now is the best way to protect yourself against flu..."
Flu and winter travel

Military Service Records, Awards, and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources

"This guide provides information on locating military unit histories and individual service records of discharged, retired, and deceased military personnel. It also provides information on locating and replacing military awards and medals. Included is contact information for military history centers, websites for additional sources of research, and a bibliography of other publications, including related CRS reports. This report will be updated as needed..."
Military Service Records

Public Health Response to a Nuclear Detonation

"While a nuclear detonation is unlikely, it would have devastating results and there would be limited time to take critical protection steps. Despite the fear surrounding such an event, planning and preparation can lessen deaths and illness.  For instance, most people don’t realize that sheltering in place for at least 24 hours is crucial to saving lives and reducing exposure to radiation. While federal, state, and local agencies will lead the immediate response efforts, public health will play a key role in responding.
Join us for this session of Grand Rounds to learn what public health programs have done on a federal, state, and local level to prepare for a nuclear detonation. Learn how planning and preparation efforts for a nuclear detonation are similar and different from other emergency response planning efforts.
CDC’s Public Health Grand Rounds Presents:
“Public Health Response to a Nuclear Detonation”Tuesday, January 16, 2018
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (ET)
Global Communications Center (Building 19)
Alexander D. Langmuir Auditorium
Roybal Campus..."
Nuclear detonation

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Congressional Record(bound ed.)(Vol. 1-155;1873-2009)

"The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published daily when Congress is in session. The Congressional Record began publication in 1873 and is still published today.
At the end of each session of Congress, all of the daily editions are collected, re-paginated, and re-indexed into a permanent, bound edition. This permanent edition, referred to as the Congressional Record (Bound Edition), is made up of one volume per session of Congress, with each volume published in multiple parts, each part containing approximately 10 to 20 days of Congressional proceedings. The primary ways in which the bound edition differs from the daily edition are continuous pagination; somewhat edited, revised, and rearranged text; and the dropping of the prefixes H, S, and E before page numbers.
When searching over the Congressional Record (Bound Edition) on govinfo, you will be searching over the official business for each day's proceedings of Congress. This includes the House, Senate, and Extensions of remarks sections.
Searches in govinfo over Congressional Record (Bound Edition) from 1999 forward will not search over other sections which are part of the official printed edition. These include the History of Bills, the compilation of Daily Digests, the resume of all business transacted during the entire Congress, and the subject index to the Bound Edition.
Volumes 144 (1998) and prior are made available as digitized versions of the Congressional Record (Bound Edition) created as a result of a partnership between GPO and the Library of Congress. These volumes include all parts of the official printed edition.."
Congressional Record

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Prevent Birth Defects

"Learn how you can prevent infections before and during pregnancy to help protect you and your developing baby from birth defects.
Some infections before and during pregnancy can hurt you and your developing baby. They can cause serious illness, birth defects, and lifelong disabilities, such as hearing loss. Women can lower their risk of having a baby born with a birth defect by following some basic health guidelines.  This is important because many birth defects happen very early during pregnancy, sometimes before a woman even knows she is pregnant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages all women and their loved ones to “Prevent to Protect: Prevent infections for baby’s protection.”
How Many Babies Are Born With a Birth Defect?
Birth defects are structural changes present at birth that can affect almost any part or parts of the body such as the heart, brain, or foot. Birth defects are common, costly, and critical conditions that affect 1 in 33 babies born in the United States..."
Birth defects

Stalking: Know it. Name it. Stop it.

"January is National Stalking Awareness Month. Teaching adolescents healthy relationship skills is one strategy CDC promotes to help you prevent stalking in your community.
Stalking involves a pattern of harassing or threatening tactics that are both unwanted and causes fear or safety concerns in the victim. These behaviors can come in the form of threatening phone calls, text messages, spying, or showing up at the victim’s home or workplace, and leaving unwanted gifts or cards. Stalking victims are often very fearful or believe that they or someone close to them could be harmed or killed as a result of the perpetrator’s behavior.

One in six women and 1 in 19 men have experienced stalking in their lifetimes.1 Most often, stalking occurs by someone they know or with whom they had an intimate relationship. For both men and women, victims who previously experienced stalking or sexual violence by any perpetrator, or physical violence by an intimate partner were significantly more likely to report adverse health conditions such as asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, and high blood pressure compared to those with no history of these forms of violence..."
Stalking

Monday, January 1, 2018

Emancipation Proclamation

"President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, announcing, "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious areas "are, and henceforward shall be free." .."
Emancipation Proclamation