Supporting Caregivers

"An Emerging Public Health Issue

Millions of older adults and people with disabilities could not maintain their independence without the help of unpaid caregivers. This care would cost nearly $470 billion a year if purchased. That’s one of the reasons that caregiving is an essential public health service and should be prioritized as an emerging public health issuepdf icon.¹

Caregivers are family members or friends who typically provide unpaid, long-term, community-based care and assistance to older adults and people with chronic health conditions or disabilities.  Caregivers help with a variety of routine tasks such as shopping, paying bills, bathing, dressing, and managing medicines.  They are often a source of emotional support and companionship for care recipients.

Caregivers: A Snapshot

• 58% of caregivers are women.
• Almost one-third of caregivers provide care at least 20 hours a week.
• Caregivers typically learn as they go and aren’t formally trained.
• 79% of caregivers care for adults aged 50 or older, and 76% of care recipients are aged 65 years and older.² 
• One in 6 non-caregivers expects to become a caregiver within two years.

Increasing Demand for Caregivers

The need for caregivers is growing along with the aging of the US population. The number of caregivers increased from 43.5 million in 2015 to about 53 million in 2020, or more than 1 in 5 Americans.³ By 2030, an estimated 73 million people in the United States will be 65 years or older.⁴ Many will require daily assistance from at least one caregiver to maintain quality of life, independence, and physical and social well-being. More than two-thirds of the US population will likely need help with tasks at some point in their lifetime.⁵

Benefits of Caregiving for Recipients and Caregivers

Caregiving allows recipients to:

• Retain their quality of life and independence.
• Avoid living in a group setting (institutionalization).
• Have less depression.
• Self-manage their chronic conditions better.

Caregiving can also benefit caregivers by helping them:

• Increase their self-confidence and fulfillment from helping others.
• Start or add to social networks of friendships associated with caregiving.
• Feel needed and useful.
• Learn and develop new skills..."
  Caregivers 

Leftovers: Let’s Keep the Best Part of Thanksgiving Safe

"The year’s biggest meal will be over soon, but delicious Thanksgiving leftovers will sustain you from Black Friday to Cyber Monday. Keep your favorite leftovers safe by following these food safety steps:

• Remember the Two-Hour Rule: Refrigerate perishable items within two hours of coming out of the oven or refrigerator. After two hours, perishable food enters the "Danger Zone" (between 40 F and 140 F), where bacteria can multiply quickly and cause food to become unsafe. Perishable food should be discarded if left out for longer than two hours, so refrigerate or freeze items to prevent food waste.
• Use Shallow Containers: After you break down your Thanksgiving meal into smaller portions, store leftover food in shallow containers in the refrigerator until the Monday after Thanksgiving, or in the freezer for later use.
• Freeze or Consume Within Four Days: Use the Monday after Thanksgiving as a reminder that it is the last day you can safely eat leftovers. If you want to keep leftovers longer, freeze them within that four-day period. Frozen food stays safe indefinitely, though the quality may decrease over time (best quality if eaten within six months).
• Reheat to 165 F: Make sure your reheated leftovers reach 165 F as measured with a food thermometer. Reheat sauces, soups and gravies safely by bringing them to a rolling boil.
• Microwave Food Safely: When reheating in the microwave, cover and rotate the food for even heating. Arrange food items evenly in a covered microwave safe glass or ceramic dish and add some liquid, if needed. Because microwaves have cold spots, check the internal temperature of the food in several places with a food thermometer after allowing a resting time.

For more questions about food safety, contact the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or email MPHotline@usda.gov to reach a food safety expert or chat live at ask.usda.gov from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time on Thanksgiving Day..."
Leftovers/Thanksgiving 

REVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE’S ROLE, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ACTIONS TO PREPARE FOR AND RESPOND TO THE PROTEST AND ITS AFTERMATH AT THE U.S. CAPITOL CAMPUS ON JANUARY 6, 2021

"This report presents the results of the DoD Office of Inspector General (OIG) review of the DoD’s role, responsibilities, and actions to prepare for and respond to the protest and its aftermath at the U.S. Capitol Campus on January 6, 2021

The DoD Acting Inspector General initiated this review on January 15, 2021. Our review evaluated requests for DoD support before January 6, 2021, how the DoD responded to such requests, the requests for support the DoD received as the events unfolded on January 6, 2021, and how the DoD responded to the protests and rioting at the U.S. Capitol Campus. We evaluated whether the DoD’s actions were appropriate and supported by requirements. We also examined whether the DoD complied with applicable laws, regulations, and other guidance in its response to requests for assistance.

To conduct the review, we assembled a multidisciplinary team of DoD OIG administrative and criminal investigators, evaluators, auditors, and attorneys. We examined approximately 24.6 gigabytes of e-mails and documents, including letters, memorandums, agreements, plans, orders, reports, briefings, calendars, statements witnesses made in congressional hearings, and comments witnesses made to journalists as reported in media articles and network news broadcasts. We examined records from the offices of the Secretary of Defense (SecDef); the DoD General Counsel; the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS); the Secretary of the Army (SecArmy); the Chief, National Guard Bureau (NGB); and the District of Columbia National Guard (DCNG). We also reviewed records provided to us by the Office of the Mayor, Washington, D.C.; the Office of the District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (DCHSEMA); the Department of the Interior (DoI); the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) OIG; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Finally, we reviewed official e-mails, telephone records, call logs, and records from other means of communication, such as text messages, that DoD officials used before and on January 6, 2021..."
Department of Defense and January 6, 2021 

EPA Releases Bold National Strategy to Transform Recycling in America

" Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the 2021 National Recycling Strategy to tackle major recycling challenges facing the nation and to create a stronger, more resilient, and cost-effective municipal solid waste recycling system. The 2021 strategy is also the first time EPA’s recycling strategy will address the climate impacts of producing, using, and disposing of materials and focus on the human health and environmental impacts of waste and waste-related facilities in overburdened communities, reflecting the Agency’s commitment to delivering environmental justice.

“Our nation’s recycling system is in need of critical improvements to better serve the American people. EPA’s National Recycling Strategy provides a roadmap to address system challenges and pave the way for the future of recycling,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “As we move forward with this strategy, EPA is committed to ensuring that historically underserved and overburdened communities share in the benefits that our work will deliver. Together with the historic investments in recycling from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, the strategy will help transform recycling and solid waste management across the country while creating jobs and strengthening our economy.”

“The full impact of waste materials is connected to a broad range of issues, and having a strategy that promotes better materials management can help lead us to solutions for these larger issues,” said Dr. Sacoby Wilson, EPA National Environmental Justice Advisory Council Member and University of Maryland Associate Professor/Director, Community Engagement, Environmental Justice and Health Initiative, Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. “We have to work with industries that are significant sources of single use products. And, when we address recycling, we must address where these waste products come from, where they go, and how they’re impacting the health, sustainability, and quality of life in communities of color.” 

The U.S. recycling system faces many challenges, including reduced markets for recycled materials, recycling infrastructure that has not kept pace with today’s diverse and changing waste stream, confusion about what materials can be recycled, and varying methodologies to measure recycling system performance. The 2021 National Recycling Strategy identifies actions to address these challenges that build on the collaborative efforts by stakeholders from across the recycling system that began under the 2019 National Framework for Advancing the U.S. Recycling System.

The National Recycling Strategy includes five strategic objectives with specific actions to strengthen the U.S. recycling system:

1. Improve markets for recycled commodities through market development, analysis, manufacturing, and research.
2. Increase collection of recyclable materials and improve recycling infrastructure through analysis, funding, product design, and processing efficiencies.
3. Reduce contamination in the recycled materials stream through outreach and education to the public on the value of proper recycling.
4. Enhance policies and programs to support recyclability and recycling through strengthened federal and international coordination, analysis, research on product pricing, and sharing of best practices.
5. Standardize measurement and increase data collection through coordinated recycling definitions, measures, targets, and performance indicators..."
   Recycling 

Trends in Tuberculosis, 2020

"Tuberculosis (TB) is preventable and treatable, but too many people still suffer from TB.  

Ending TB will require a dual approach of maintaining and strengthening current TB control priorities, while increasing efforts to identify and treat latent TB infection, especially in populations at increased risk of TB disease. Healthcare providers, TB programs, and communities play an important role in ending TB in the United States.  

Progress toward TB elimination has slowed in recent years and the COVID-19 pandemic has strained public health services, including TB prevention and control services.

During 2020, the United States reported the lowest number of TB cases (7,174) and lowest incidence rate (2.2 cases per 100,000 persons) on record (TB Incidence and Mortality (Vital Statistics): 1953–2020).

Except for 2015, the U.S. TB case count and incidence rate have declined every year since 1992, but the drop in 2020 was much steeper than previous years.

The 2020 data reveal a substantial decline in the number of reported cases of TB disease in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic has probably affected reported TB incidence in the United States in several ways, including a combination of  TB underdiagnosis and a true reduction in incidence. CDC is conducting additional analyses to better understand how the 2020 TB disease data compare with previous years.

Despite the decline in TB cases and incidence rates in the United States, our current strategies are not enough to achieve TB disease elimination in this century..."
Tuberculosis trends 

IRS provides tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2022

"The Internal Revenue Service today announced the tax year 2022 annual inflation adjustments for more than 60 tax provisions, including the tax rate schedules and other tax changes. Revenue Procedure 2021-45 PDF provides details about these annual adjustments.

Highlights of changes in Revenue Procedure 2021-45:

The tax year 2022 adjustments described below generally apply to tax returns filed in 2023.

The tax items for tax year 2022 of greatest interest to most taxpayers include the following dollar amounts:

• The standard deduction for married couples filing jointly for tax year 2022 rises to $25,900 up $800 from the prior year. For single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately, the standard deduction rises to $12,950 for 2022, up $400, and for heads of households, the standard deduction will be $19,400 for tax year 2022, up $600.
   
• The personal exemption for tax year 2022 remains at 0, as it was for 2021, this elimination of the personal exemption was a provision in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. 
   
• Marginal Rates: For tax year 2022, the top tax rate remains 37% for individual single taxpayers with incomes greater than $539,900 ($647,850 for married couples filing jointly).

  The other rates are:
  35%, for incomes over $215,950 ($431,900 for married couples filing jointly);
  32% for incomes over $170,050 ($340,100 for married couples filing jointly);
  24% for incomes over $89,075 ($178,150 for married couples filing jointly);
  22% for incomes over $41,775 ($83,550 for married couples filing jointly);
  12% for incomes over $10,275 ($20,550 for married couples filing jointly).
  The lowest rate is 10% for incomes of single individuals with incomes of $10,275 or less ($20,550 for married couples filing jointly).
   

• For 2022, as in 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018, there is no limitation on itemized deductions, as that limitation was eliminated by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
   
• The Alternative Minimum Tax exemption amount for tax year 2022 is $75,900 and begins to phase out at $539,900 ($118,100 for married couples filing jointly for whom the exemption begins to phase out at $1,079,800). The 2021 exemption amount was $73,600 and began to phase out at $523,600 ($114,600 for married couples filing jointly for whom the exemption began to phase out at $1,047,200).
   
• The tax year 2022 maximum Earned Income Tax Credit amount is $6,935 for qualifying taxpayers who have three or more qualifying children, up from $6,728 for tax year 2021. The revenue procedure contains a table providing maximum EITC amount for other categories, income thresholds and phase-outs.
   
• For tax year 2022, the monthly limitation for the qualified transportation fringe benefit and the monthly limitation for qualified parking increases to $280.
   
• For the taxable years beginning in 2022, the dollar limitation for employee salary reductions for contributions to health flexible spending arrangements increases to $2,850. For cafeteria plans that permit the carryover of unused amounts, the maximum carryover amount is $570, an increase of $20 from taxable years beginning in 2021.
   
• For tax year 2022, participants who have self-only coverage in a Medical Savings Account, the plan must have an annual deductible that is not less than $2,450, up $50 from tax year 2021; but not more than $3,700, an increase of $100 from tax year 2021. For self-only coverage, the maximum out-of-pocket expense amount is $4,950, up $150 from 2021. For tax year 2022, for family coverage, the annual deductible is not less than $4,950, up from $4,800 in 2021; however, the deductible cannot be more than $7,400, up $250 from the limit for tax year 2021. For family coverage, the out-of-pocket expense limit is $9,050 for tax year 2022, an increase of $300 from tax year 2021.
   
• The modified adjusted gross income amount used by joint filers to determine the reduction in the Lifetime Learning Credit provided in § 25A(d)(2) is not adjusted for inflation for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020. The Lifetime Learning Credit is phased out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income in excess of $80,000 ($160,000 for joint returns).
   
• For tax year 2022, the foreign earned income exclusion is $112,000 up from $108,700 for tax year 2021.
   
• Estates of decedents who die during 2022 have a basic exclusion amount of $12,060,000, up from a total of $11,700,000 for estates of decedents who died in 2021.
   
• The annual exclusion for gifts increases to $16,000 for calendar year 2022, up from $15,000 for calendar year 2021.
   
• The maximum credit allowed for adoptions for tax year 2022 is the amount of qualified adoption expenses up to $14,890, up from $14,440 for 2021.."
  Tax inflation adjustments 

DHS Issues National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin

"Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas issued a National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin regarding the current heightened threat environment across the United States.  This NTAS Bulletin replaces the current Bulletin, which was set to expire tomorrow at 2:00 pm. 

As of November 10, 2021, DHS is not aware of an imminent and credible threat to a specific location in the United States.  The United States continues to face a diverse and challenging threat environment as we approach several religious holidays and associated mass gatherings that in the past have served as potential targets for acts of violence.  Through the remainder of 2021 and into 2022, domestic violent extremists (DVEs), including racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists and anti-government/anti-authority violent extremists, will continue to pose a significant threat to our homeland.  Of note, DVEs and those inspired or motivated by foreign terrorists and other malign foreign influences will continue to exploit online forums to influence and spread violent extremist narratives and promote violent activity.  The ongoing global pandemic continues to exacerbate these threats.  Further, foreign terrorist organizations and DVEs continue to attempt to inspire potential followers to conduct attacks in the United States, including by exploiting recent events in Afghanistan.  

“DHS has renewed its commitment to work with our partners across every level of government, the private sector, and local communities to combat all forms of terrorism and targeted violence. We have also renewed our commitment to communicate with the American public often about the evolving threat landscape,” said Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas.  “Today, we are issuing the fourth NTAS Bulletin since January 2021.  The threat stream has not changed significantly; however this is an important product that keeps the public updated about threats facing the United States and underscores the importance of the public to staying vigilant and reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement.”.."
National terrorism 

Antibiotic Resistance, Food, and Food Animals

"The American food supply is among the safest in the world, but people can still get food poisoning by eating contaminated foods. Some food poisoning is caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Symptoms of infection with antibiotic-resistant bacteria are like other food poisoning symptoms, which can be mild to life-threatening and include diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

Antibiotics are medicines that kill or stop the growth of bacteria. Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria develop the ability to survive or grow despite being exposed to antibiotics designed to kill them.

Antibiotics save lives, but any time antibiotics are used, they can contribute to the development and spread of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance spreads to bacteria through people, animals, and the environment. Improving antibiotic use, including reducing unnecessary use, can help stop resistance from spreading.

Learn what CDC is doing to help stop antibiotic-resistant infections from food and animals, and how you can protect yourself and your family.

Antibiotic Resistance and Food Poisoning

If bacteria that cause food poisoning are antibiotic resistant, some antibiotics might not effectively treat the illness, which can lead to more costly treatments and higher risks for side effects.

People with symptoms of mild food poisoning usually do not need antibiotics to get better. However, people with severe infection may need to see a doctor, take antibiotics, or be hospitalized.

Mild symptoms may include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Severe symptoms include:

• Bloody diarrhea
• High fever (temperature over 102°F, measured by mouth)
• Frequent vomiting that prevents keeping liquids down (which can lead to dehydration)
• Signs of dehydration, including little or no urination, a very dry mouth and throat, or feeling dizzy when standing up
• Diarrhea that lasts more than 3 days

Who Is at Higher Risk for Food Poisoning

Those at higher risk include adults aged 65 and older, children younger than 5 years, people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness, and pregnant women. These groups are at risk for severe symptoms or complications from food poisoning, including illnesses caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria..."
Antibiotic resistance 

Veterans in the Labor Force: 6 Stats

"November is National Veterans and Military Families Month, when we honor and recognize the service of U.S. veterans. Here are six stats about veterans in the labor force you may not know.

 

1. Four major occupational groups have higher concentrations of veterans than nonveterans.

Percent of veterans and nonveterans employed in selected occupational groups (plain text)

Following the Current Population Survey (CPS) occupational classification, out of the 10 major occupation groups, four have statistically higher concentrations of veterans than nonveterans (see Employment Situation of Veterans – 2020, Table 4).

For example, 11% of all veterans work in the transportation and material moving occupations group compared with 7% of nonveterans. 

 

2. Two occupational groups have a higher concentration of women veterans than men.

Percent of male and female veterans employed in major occupational groups (plain text)

Women veterans have a statistically higher concentration than men veterans in professional and related occupations as well as office and administrative support occupations (see Employment Situation of Veterans – 2020, Table 4).."
Veterans labor force 

New Updates to the US Cancer Statistics Data Visualizations Tool

"The US Cancer Statistics Data Visualizations tool provides quick access to data for researchers, clinicians, policy makers, and public health professionals. New data have been added, and the tool’s layout has been redesigned to improve navigation, data-sharing options, and visual displays.

The changes are described below.

Data are grouped under six new headings across the top of the website. These new headings are:

• At a Glance:
  • An overview of new cancer case counts and rates.
  • Death counts and rates.
  • Leading cancer sites statistics.
  • Statistics for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, specifically non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native people living in Indian Health Service Purchase/Referred Care Delivery Area (PRCDA) counties.
  • Childhood cancer statistics.
• Geography: Cancer data by state, county, and congressional district and for Puerto Rico.
• Trends: Cancer trends in dynamic maps for the overall United States and by state.
• Stage/Survival/Prevalence:– Cancer stage data, 5-year relative survival, and limited duration prevalence by specific type of cancer, race, ethnicity, and age group.
• Screening and Risk factors: Cancer screening and risk factor data from CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
• Special Analysis: Data for brain cancer that uses the standard histology groupings of the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States and for other cancers grouped by associated risk factors, such as alcohol use, obesity, and tobacco use..."
  Cancer statistics 

US Department of Labor issues emergency temporary standard to protect workers from coronavirus

"The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced a new emergency temporary standard to protect more than 84 million workers from the spread of the coronavirus on the job. The nation's unvaccinated workers face grave danger from workplace exposure to coronavirus, and immediate action is necessary to protect them.

Under this standard, covered employers must develop, implement and enforce a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, unless they adopt a policy requiring employees to choose to either be vaccinated or undergo regular COVID-19 testing and wear a face covering at work.

Since 2020, the coronavirus has led to the deaths of 750,000 people in the U.S., and the infection of millions more, making it the deadliest pandemic in the nation's history. Many of the people killed and infected by this virus were workers whose primary exposures occurred at their jobs. OSHA estimates that this rule will save thousands of lives and prevent more than 250,000 hospitalizations due to workplace exposure to COVID-19 over the course of the ETS.

“COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on workers, and we continue to see dangerous levels of cases,” said U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. “We must take action to implement this emergency temporary standard to contain the virus and protect people in the workplace against the grave danger of COVID-19. Many businesses understand the benefits of having their workers vaccinated against COVID-19, and we expect many will be pleased to see this OSHA rule go into effect.”

The emergency temporary standard covers employers with 100 or more employees – firm or company-wide – and provides options for compliance. The ETS also requires employers to provide paid time to workers to get vaccinated and to allow for paid leave to recover from any side effects.

The ETS also requires employers to do the following:

• Determine the vaccination status of each employee, obtain acceptable proof of vaccination status from vaccinated employees and maintain records and a roster of each employee's vaccination status.
• Require employees to provide prompt notice when they test positive for COVID-19 or receive a COVID-19 diagnosis. Employers must then remove the employee from the workplace, regardless of vaccination status; employers must not allow them to return to work until they meet required criteria.

• Ensure each worker who is not fully vaccinated is tested for COVID-19 at least weekly (if the worker is in the workplace at least once a week) or within 7 days before returning to work (if the worker is away from the workplace for a week or longer).
• Ensure that, in most circumstances, each employee who has not been fully vaccinated wears a face covering when indoors or when occupying a vehicle with another person for work purposes.

The emergency temporary standard does not require employers to pay for testing. Employers may be required to pay for testing to comply with other laws, regulations, collective bargaining agreements, or other collectively negotiated agreements. Employers are also not required to pay for face coverings..."
Emergency temporary standard 

EWG's Tap Water Database 2021 Update

[Environmental Working Group]

"EWG's Tap Water Database. 2021 Update.

Since 2013, water utilities' testing has found pollutants in Americans' tap water, according to an EWG drinking water quality analysis of more than 31 million state water records.

 find your stateadvanced searchTap water data.."

Federal Firearms Law: Selected Developments in the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches

"Firearm regulation in the United States is an area of shared authority between the federal, state, and local governments. At the federal level, firearm commerce, possession, and transfers are governed largely by two statutory regimes: the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA) and the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA). The NFA imposes stringent taxation and registration requirements for a specific set of statutorily defined “firearms” deemed to be especially dangerous, such as machine guns and short-barreled rifles. The GCA, which is more broadly applicable to most kinds of commonly available firearms, regulates the manufacture, transfer, and possession of firearms in multiple ways. Among other things, the GCA prohibits certain categories of persons from possessing or receiving firearms and requires individuals or entities “engaged in the business” of manufacturing or selling firearms to be federally licensed (referred to as FFLs). The GCA also obligates FFLs that manufacture firearms to identify each one by means of a serial number and requires FFLs that transfer firearms to conduct background checks on each prospective transferee. Current federal law does not require unlicensed persons who wish to make or assemble a firearm for personal use to stamp it with an identifying serial number, nor must such persons who wish to transfer a firearm from a personal collection or as a hobby conduct a background check on the person to whom the firearm is to be transferred.

Recent developments in all three branches of government could affect how these and other provisions of the NFA and GCA are interpreted and applied. In the executive branch, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), has issued a proposed rule that would clarify when some larger pistols equipped with stabilizing or arm braces are considered short-barreled rifles subject to NFA requirements. Additionally, in an effort to mitigate the availability of so-called “ghost guns”—i.e., firearms that are not identifiable by means of a serial number or other information stamped on the firearm and that are thus more difficult to trace when used in crime—a second ATF proposed rule would, in part, amend regulatory definitions of the term “frame or receiver” (the principal firearm component to which a serial number is affixed) to require serial numbers for certain firearm component kits and incomplete frames and receivers. Beyond these two proposed rules, DOJ also recently published a model “red flag” law—essentially, a provision permitting a court to issue a temporary order barring a person at risk of gun violence from possessing a firearm— that states seeking to establish such laws may use as guidance.

In the legislative branch, three bills in the 117th Congress have passed the House of Representatives that would alter aspects of the current federal background check process and the categories of persons prohibited from possessing or receiving firearms. H.R. 8 would extend federal background check requirements to most private firearm transfers between unlicensed persons. H.R. 1446 would expand from three business days to a maximum of twenty business days the length of time an FFL must wait before transferring a firearm when a background check does not return a definitive answer regarding the legality of the transaction. Lastly, H.R. 1620 would, among other things, amend the categories of persons prohibited from possessing firearms based on conviction of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence or entry of a protective order for the benefit of an “intimate partner,” among other things, to encompass crimes and orders related to persons in more casual dating relationships and to include a new category for misdemeanor stalking convictions.."
Firearms law