FEMA Hazard Mitigation: A First Step Toward Climate Adaptation

"FEMA Hazard Mitigation: A First Step Toward Climate Adaptation

With the increasing severity and frequency of natural disasters, attributed at least in part to climate change, policymakers often view mitigation funding as a way to control disaster-related spending. The importance of federal mitigation funding is illustrated by a recent study that looked at the impacts of 23 years of federal mitigation grants and found that for every $1 invested by federal grant programs, society as a whole saved $6 due to reduced future losses.

FEMA has a lead role in guiding nationwide mitigation of extreme weather events, including those resulting from the impacts of climate change. In particular, FEMA administers the federal government’s most significant grant programs for pre-and post-disaster mitigation. FEMA has identified hazard mitigation as one of the main ways in which the agency will enhance resilience to the effects of climate change and lead federal climate change adaptation efforts.

FEMA funds mitigation measures through a number of programs:
 the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP);
 the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program (BRIC);
 the Flood Mitigation Assistance grant program (FMA);
 the STORM Act State Revolving Loan Program for Hazard Mitigation;
 Public Assistance (PA); and
 Individual Assistance (IA).

Three of these programs are available after a disaster (HMGP, PA, and IA), while the other three (BRIC, FMA, STORM Act) provide pre-disaster mitigation funding for use before an event occurs or in anticipation of an incident. Historically, post-disaster mitigation has received significantly more funding than pre-disaster mitigation. Between 1996 and 2019, approximately $1.86 billion was awarded for FMA grants, $1.92 billion was awarded for PDM grants (the predecessor to BRIC), and $22.4 billion was awarded in HMGP funding. Funding for pre-disaster mitigation has increased recently through the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-24) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58). Increased funding for pre-disaster mitigation is more essential in the context of climate change, as many projected climate impacts have yet to occur.

This report gives an overview of FEMA funding for mitigation, including issues related to equity, and suggests considerations for Congress that may enhance FEMA’s support for hazard mitigation and climate adaptation.."
FEMA and climate 

Fukushima Radiation Emergency

"March 11 is the anniversary of Japan’s Fukushima radiation emergency. Learn more about radiation and radiation emergencies to help you know what to do if another disaster occurs.

March 11 marks the anniversary of Japan’s 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor disaster. The Fukushima disaster highlighted two important themes for the future of preventing and preparing for nuclear power plant accidents:

• Natural disasters can test the limits of manmade protections of nuclear plants.
• Many effects of a radiation emergency on public health are not caused by radiation exposures or radioactive contamination.

The Combination of a Natural and Industrial Disaster

On that date in 2011, a 9-magnitude earthquake led to a 40-foot tsunami that overcame the 19-foot seawall built to protect the plant. The flooding led to widespread damage of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which released radiological contamination. As with most emergencies, the situation continued to evolve. During the days that followed the tsunami, the damage to the reactors increased, causing more radiation to be released in the air and water that surrounded the power plant. Evacuation orders for the people living in the area changed and expanded.

Public Health Effects Not from Radiation Exposure

Strikingly, no one died from radiation exposure following the incident. But the disaster had a tragic secondary impact on people living in the area. Nearby residents had to be immediately evacuated and many were permanently relocated, resulting in significant mental and physical harm to many of them. The World Health Organization and the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (Bulletin of the World Health Organization (who.int) pdf icon[PDF – 1.25 MB]external icon, The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) 2020/2021 Report to the General Assemblyexternal icon) described a sharp increase in deaths among elderly people who were put in temporary housing, as well as increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes. Lack of access to health care in the temporary location likely was a key contributor to these effects. The loss of social connections and family ties, and stigmatization of people from the Fukushima area, led to increased mental health issues and higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the people who were evacuated after the incident. Children showed more issues with hyperactivity, emotional symptoms, and conduct problems..."
Fukushima 

Children’s Dental Health

"February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. Cavities, also known as caries or tooth decay, are one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood, yet cavities are preventable. Children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than children who don’t. Learn how you can protect your child’s teeth from cavities with these resources.

Untreated cavities can cause pain, infections, and can lead to problems eating, speaking, and learning. More than 1 in 5 children aged 2 to 5 years has at least one cavity in their baby teeth. Children from low-income families are more than twice as likely to have untreated cavities, compared with children from higher-income households. However, cavities are preventable. You can protect and maintain your child’s teeth by following these wise simple steps below:

P-E-A-R-L-S of Wisdom

Protect tiny teethexternal icon by caring for your mouth when you’re pregnant. Your child’s future oral health starts with you.

Ensure to wipe your baby’s gums after each meal.

Avoid putting babies to bed with a bottle.

Remember to brush your child’s teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste. For children younger than 2 years, consult with your dentist or doctor about when to start using fluoride toothpaste.

Limit drinks and food with added sugars for children. Encourage your child to eat more fruits and vegetables and have fewer fruit drinks, cookies, and candies. This gives your child the best possible start to good oral health.

Schedule your child’s first dental visit by their first birthday or after their first tooth appears. Their tiny teeth matter!

Root of It All: Are You Watching What Your Child Eats and Drinks?

Your child’s diet is very important for developing and maintaining strong and healthy teeth. It is helpful to include good sources of calcium (yogurt, broccoli, and milk) to your child’s diet to help build strong teeth. Teaching your child about healthy eating habits is one of the best practices for a lifetime of good health. Here are some helpful tips:

• Eat fruits and vegetables for snacks rather than candies and cookies.
• Brush your child’s teeth twice daily.
• Serve water at mealtime rather than juice or soda..."
  Children's dental health 

New Data Shows FTC Received 2.8 Million Fraud Reports from Consumers in 2021

"Newly released Federal Trade Commission data shows that consumers reported losing more than $5.8 billion to fraud in 2021, an increase of more than 70 percent over the previous year.

The FTC received fraud reports from more than 2.8 million consumers last year, with the most commonly reported category once again being imposter scams, followed by online shopping scams.

Prizes, sweepstakes, and lotteries; internet services; and business and job opportunities rounded out the top five fraud categories.

Of the losses reported by consumers, more than $2.3 billion of losses reported last year were due to imposter scams—up from $1.2 billion in 2020, while online shopping accounted for about $392 million in reported losses from consumers—up from $246 million in 2020.

The FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network (Sentinel) is a database that receives reports directly from consumers, as well as from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the Better Business Bureau, industry members, and non-profit organizations. Twenty-five states now contribute to Sentinel. Reports from around the country about consumer protection issues are a key resource for FTC investigations that stop illegal activities and, when possible, provide refunds to consumers.

Sentinel received more than 5.7 million reports in 2021; these include the fraud reports detailed above, as well as identity theft reports and complaints related to other consumer issues, such as problems with credit bureaus and banks and lenders. In 2021, there were nearly 1.4 million reports of identity theft received by the FTC..."
FTC fraud reports 

Epilepsy: Get the Facts!

"5 Things You Should Know About Epilepsy

How much do you know about epilepsy? Get the facts!

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes repeated seizures. There are many different types of epilepsy and many different kinds of seizures. Epilepsy can get in the way of life, especially when seizures keep happening. To control their seizures, people with epilepsy may take medicine, have surgery, use devices, or follow a special diet.

Here’s what you need to know:

#1 Epilepsy is common.

In fact, you probably know a few people with epilepsy. In 2015, about 3 million adults (age 18 and older) and 470,000 children (age 17 years or younger) had active epilepsy in the United States.¹ That’s about 3.4 million people, which is about the same number of people living in Delaware, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island combined. ²

#2 Seizures may look different than you expect.

What comes to mind when you think of a seizure? In the movies and on TV, they often show a person falling to the ground, shaking, and becoming unaware of what’s going on around them. That’s one kind of seizure, but it’s not the most common. More often, a person having a seizure may seem confused, stare into space, wander, make unusual movements, or be unable to answer questions or talk. Sometimes it’s hard to tell when a person is having a seizure, so it’s important to learn how to recognize different types of seizures.

#3 Seizure first aid is easy to give.

About 1 in 10 people may have a seizure during their lifetime.³ Because seizures are
common, you may need to help someone one day. First aid for seizures involves keeping the person safe until the seizure stops on its own and knowing when to call 911 for emergency help.

Professionals such as school nurses and other school staff, law enforcement, first responders, and childcare workers should also understand epilepsy and how to offer first aid. CDC supports free training programs for these groups through a partnership with the Epilepsy Foundation..."
Epilepsy 

COVID-19 Pandemic Continues To Reshape Work in America

[Pew Research Center]
"Nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, roughly six-in-ten U.S. workers who say their jobs can mainly be done from home (59%) are working from home all or most of the time. The vast majority of these workers (83%) say they were working from home even before the omicron variant started to spread in the United States, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. This marks a decline from October 2020, when 71% of those with jobs that could be done from home were working from home all or most of the time, but it’s still much higher than the 23% who say they teleworked frequently before the coronavirus outbreak. 

The impetus for working from home has shifted considerably since 2020. Today, more workers say they are doing this by choice rather than necessity. Among those who have a workplace outside of their home, 61% now say they are choosing not to go into their workplace, while 38% say they’re working from home because their workplace is closed or unavailable to them. Earlier in the pandemic, just the opposite was true: 64% said they were working from home because their office was closed, and 36% said they were choosing to work from home..."
COVID-19 pandemic and work 

Poverty in the United States in 2020

"Calendar year 2020 saw the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and an accompanying rise in the poverty rate—the percentage of the population living in poverty (economic hardship characterized by low income). Under the Census Bureau’s official poverty measure, the nation as a whole was estimated to have 37.2 million people (11.4% of the population) living in poverty in 2020, compared with 34.0 million (10.5%) in 2019.

Comparing recent poverty rates with those from before 2019 is somewhat complicated because of changes in the way household income data were collected during the pandemic (in-person interviewing was stopped in favor of telephone-only interviewing in both 2020, which measured 2019 poverty, and 2021, which measured 2020 poverty). This change in survey procedures is largely believed to have biased the overall poverty rate in 2019 downward by a little over half a percentage point. That said, the recent poverty rates in 2019 (10.5%) and 2020 (11.4%) are closer to the previous historical low of 11.1% in 1973 than to the most recent peak of 15.1% in 2010, after the Great Recession.

Between 2019 and 2020, poverty rates rose among the following:

 married-couple families (from 4.0% in 2019 to 4.7% in 2020) and female-householder families (from 22.2% to 23.4%),
 children (from 14.4% to 16.1%) and working-age adults (from 9.4% to 10.4%),
 the Hispanic population (from 15.7% to 17.0%) and White non-Hispanic population (from 7.3% to 8.2%), and
 both workers (from 4.7% to 5.0%) and nonworkers (from 26.4% to 28.8%) aged 18 to 64.

Work reduces the estimated likelihood of being in poverty but does not eliminate it. For example, among 18-to 64-year-olds in poverty, 36.8% had jobs. Among jobless 18-to-64-year-olds in poverty, 19.6% had a family member who worked..."
Poverty in U.S. 

Traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs): A Primer

"In response to concerns over the adequacy of retirement savings, Congress has created incentives to encourage individuals to save for retirement through a variety of retirement plans. Some retirement plans are employer-sponsored, such as 401(k) plans, and others are established by individual employees, such as Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs).

This report describes the primary features of two common retirement savings accounts that are available to workers for independently saving a portion of their wages or to individuals rolling over savings from employer-sponsored plans—traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs. Individuals may roll over eligible distributions from other retirement accounts (such as an account balance from a 401(k) plan upon leaving an employer) into IRAs. Rollovers preserve retirement savings by allowing investment earnings on the funds in the retirement accounts to accrue on a tax-deferred basis, in the case of traditional IRAs, or a tax-free basis, in the case of Roth IRAs. Most inflows to Roth IRAs are from contributions; in contrast, most inflows to traditional IRAs are from rollovers.

Both traditional and Roth IRAs offer tax incentives to encourage individuals to save for retirement. Although the accounts have many features in common, they differ in some important aspects, such as deductibility, eligibility to contribute, and tax treatment. Contributions to traditional IRAs may be tax deductible for taxpayers who (1) are not covered by a retirement plan at their place of employment or (2) have income below specified limits. Contributions to Roth IRAs are not tax deductible and eligibility is limited to those with incomes under specified limits.

The tax treatment of distributions from traditional and Roth IRAs differs. Distributions from traditional IRAs are generally included in taxable income, whereas qualified distributions from Roth IRAs are not included in taxable income. Some distributions from both may be subject to an additional 10% tax penalty, unless the distribution (1) is for a reason specified in the Internal Revenue Code (e.g., distributions from IRAs after the individual is aged 59½ or older are not subject to the early withdrawal penalty) or (2) meets a temporary exception in response to certain disasters.

This report explains IRAs’ eligibility requirements, contribution limits, tax deductibility of contributions, and withdrawal rules, and it provides data on the accounts’ holdings. It also describes the Retirement Savings Contribution Credit (also known as the Saver’s Credit), which is a nonrefundable tax credit of up to $1,000 ($2,000 if married filing jointly) available to individuals with income under specified limits who make IRA (or other retirement plan) contributions. Lastly, it explains provisions enacted after certain federally declared disasters, starting with the Gulf of Mexico hurricanes in 2005, that exempt distributions to qualified individuals from the 10% early withdrawal penalty.."
IRA and Roth Accounts 

Drought in the United States: Science, Policy, and Selected Federal Authorities

"Drought―a deficiency of moisture that results in adverse impacts―occurs to some extent almost every year in areas of the United States. Drought has the potential to create economic and environmental impacts on local, regional, and national scales, as well as disruptions in water supplies for households and communities. For example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates the United States has experienced 29 billion-dollar drought events since 1980, at an estimated total cost of over $285.5 billion.1 Although droughts are a component of climate variability and may be seasonal, multiyear, or multi-decadal in duration, variable precipitation and rising temperatures are intensifying droughts in some regions. 2 Severe droughts in California from 2012 to 2016, as well as widespread drought in the western United States in 2021, have raised the profile of drought and led to increasing congressional and administrative proposals to prepare for and respond to its impacts.

Multiple federal agencies contribute to efforts to predict, plan for, and respond to drought. NOAA plays a key role in monitoring drought through the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and the U.S. Drought Monitor (through a partnership with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA]). USDA provides the primary federal financial aid to lessen drought’s impacts and compensate for agricultural production loss after its onset. Federal water resource agencies such as the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) face difficult tradeoffs in operating federal water projects during drought; both agencies also have authorities and conduct activities to mitigate drought impacts. Various other federal agencies and emergency authorities also play a role in drought response and mitigation, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

This report provides an overview of drought in the United States, including information on drought science, monitoring, and forecasts and on drought types and intensity classifications. It also discusses federal authorities related to drought planning and response, with a focus on selected water-related agricultural, environmental, and natural resource-related authorities with explicit ties to drought. It does not discuss broader disaster-related authorities and their potential nexus to drought, such as the programs and authorities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and interactions between drought and other hazards and concerns (e.g., wildfire, dust, and public health)..."
Drought 

Prevention through Design

"Prevention through Design, or PtD, is the process of designing out workplace hazards to either minimize or eliminate hazards or risks of serious injury or illness. PtD involves efforts to anticipate and design out hazards to workers in facilities, work methods and operations, processes, equipment, tools, products, new technologies, and the organization of work. PtD is one of the best ways to prevent and control occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. In addition to reducing the risk of serious injury and illness, significant cost savings are often associated with hazard elimination and the application of engineering controls to minimize workplace risks.

What is the PtD National Initiative?

Since 2007, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has led the Prevention through Design (PtD) National Initiative whose goal is to prevent or reduce occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities through the inclusion of prevention considerations in all designs that impact workers. The NIOSH PtD program works with partners in industry, labor, trade associations, professional organizations, and academia to advance PtD through:

• Research: To study the effectiveness of current PtD interventions, investigate additional solutions for existing design-related challenges, and identify future research needs.
• Education: Teach and motivate others to use PtD priorities and processes in collaborative design and redesign of facilities, work processes, equipment, and tools
• Practice: Increase use of PtD by sharing case-studies of real-life PtD solutions, encouraging stakeholders to apply them and share further.
• Policy: Encourage business, labor, government, academic, and consensus standards organizations to integrate PtD into guidance revisions.
• Small Business: Produce concise, practical PtD guides and checklists for small businesses, their insurers, and the publishers of code books used by their local municipalities..."
  Design prevention 

Motion Sickness

"Motion sickness happens when the movement you see is different from what your inner ear senses. This can cause dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. You can get motion sick in a car, or on a train, airplane, boat, or amusement park ride. Motion sickness can make traveling unpleasant, but there are strategies to prevent and treat it.

Preventing motion sickness without medicine

Avoiding situations that cause motion sickness is the best way to prevent it, but that is not always possible when you are traveling. The following strategies can help you avoid or lessen motion sickness.

• Sit in the front of a car or bus.
• Choose a window seat on flights and trains.
• If possible, try lying down, shutting your eyes, sleeping, or looking at the horizon.
• Stay hydrated by drinking water. Limit alcoholic and caffeinated beverages.
• Eat small amounts of food frequently.
• Avoid smoking. Even stopping for a short period of time helps.
• Try and distract yourself with activities, such as listening to music.
• Use flavored lozenges, such as ginger candy.

Using medicines for motion sickness

Medicines can be used to prevent or treat motion sickness, although many of them cause drowsiness. Talk to a healthcare professional to decide if you should take medicines for motion sickness. Commonly used medicines are diphenhydramine (Benadryl), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), and scopolamine.

Special Consideration for Children

Motion sickness is more common in children ages 2 to 12 years old.

Some medicines used to prevent or treat motion sickness are not recommended for children. Talk to your healthcare professional about medicines and correct dosing of medicines for motion sickness for children. Only give the recommended dosage.

Although motion sickness medicines can make people sleepy, it can have the opposite effect for some children, causing them to be very active. Ask your doctor if you should give your child a test dose before traveling..."
Motion sickness 

Central Bank Digital Currencies: Policy Issues

"The recent proliferation of private digital currencies or cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, has led to questions of whether the Federal Reserve (Fed) should create a central bank digital currency (CBDC)—a digital dollar that would share some of the features of these private digital currencies.

In addition, several countries are moving forward with plans to create CBDCs, and this has increased calls for the Fed to act. According to a survey from the Bank for International Settlements, more than 85% of central banks worldwide are researching, piloting, or in advanced stages of development of CBDCs. For example, China has completed several digital currency trials in major cities across the country, as well as cross-border trials with Hong Kong; the European Central Bank hopes to launch a digital euro by 2025; the Eastern Caribbean is piloting its digital currency (DCash) in four countries; and the Bank of Japan has announced a “phase one” of testing a digital yen. The proliferation of CBDCs around the world has raised questions about whether the United States is falling behind in the future of the financial system, and whether that could affect its “reserve currency” status.

Digital payments and account access are already widespread in the United States. A key question from an end user (e.g., consumer or merchant) perspective is: would a CBDC be faster and less expensive than the current system? A CBDC would presumably allow for real-time settlement of payments—a feature that is not currently ubiquitous in the U.S. payments system, but may become so after the Fed rolls out FedNow, its planned real-time settlement system. Creating a CBDC could take several years, whereas FedNow is expected to be operational in 2023. Whether payments using a CBDC would be less expensive than the status quo remains unknowable until detailed proposals have been made. (Cross-border payments have been identified as offering greater potential gains in cost and speed.)

From an end-user perspective, CBDC proposals range from a system similar to the current status quo to one that is fundamentally different. The Fed and private sector already operate bank-to-bank digital wholesale payments systems, some of which are settled in real time, so a CBDC only accessible to banks may differ slightly from the current system. In contrast, proposals for consumers to be able to hold CBDCs in accounts at the Fed would fundamentally change the role of the Fed and its relationship with consumers and banks. Thus, depending on its attributes, a domestic CBDC could potentially compete with private digital currencies, foreign CBDCs, private payment platforms, or banks. CBDC proponents differ as to which of these they would like a domestic CBDC to compete with. CBDCs are more likely to compete with private digital currencies as a payment means for legal commerce than to function in their other current uses (e.g., as speculative investments or as payment means for illicit activities).

Depending on its features and how much it differed from the status quo, a U.S. CBDC would have an ambiguous but potentially significant effect on financial inclusion, financial stability, cybersecurity, Federal Reserve independence, seigniorage, and the effectiveness of monetary policy. If the CBDC mainly crowded out cash and cryptocurrency use, it could make illicit activity more difficult, possibly at some expense of individual privacy. If used to deliver government payments, the CBDCs’ ability to improve their speed and efficiency would depend on the extent of its adoption by those not already receiving payments by direct deposit, which might be low unless mandatory.."
Central bank digital currencies 

For Black Women, Implicit Racial Bias in Medicine May Have Far-Reaching Effects

"This past December, Vice President Kamala Harris launched the first Maternal Health Day of Action and announced a White House call to action to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity rates in the United States. Vice President Harris described it as a crisis for Black mothers and stressed the urgency of “pursuing systemic policies that provide comprehensive, holistic maternal health care … free from bias and discrimination.”

Indeed, the U.S. has among the highest maternal mortality rates in the developed world, and much of these deaths – 60%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – are preventable. And even within this context, the likelihood of dying from a pregnancy-related cause is 2.5 times higher for a Black woman in this country than for a white woman. In 2019, the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was 44.0 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with 17.9 deaths among white women.

Why are Black maternal deaths occurring at such alarmingly high rates? One factor is implicit bias within the health system and among some health practitioners. From lack of access to quality care facilities to subpar treatment at the hands of providers, the legacy of racism in America continues to negatively affect Black health outcomes.

In a recent study, the National Institutes of Health found that healthcare providers were less likely to identify pain in the facial expressions of Black faces than on the countenances of non-Black ones. Because they couldn’t see it, they were less likely to believe a Black patient was experiencing severe discomfort or acute pain. This research is echoed in the voices of many Black mothers who recounted stories of being devalued and disrespected by medical providers during pregnancy and childbirth.

Sadly, despite these increasingly common narratives about maternal deaths, the U.S. health care system has been slow to recognize the role of implicit bias and systemic racism in poor health outcomes for Black women, and especially the role it plays in their higher rates of maternal death. It’s telling that this past December, an illustration of a Black baby in utero developed by a Nigerian medical student went viral because of the novelty of the image, with many respondents noting the rarity of darker skin tones in medical illustrations. Representation matters, and the absence of it, in textbooks and elsewhere, has disparate, and sometimes disastrous, consequences.

Medical and academic institutions are examining ways to tackle this crisis. Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine has revised its curriculum to incorporate training on the impact of implicit bias in medicine: “Medical students start learning about racism in health care during their first year, and as they go, they also learn how to communicate with patients from various cultures and backgrounds.” At the state level, Michigan and California have made implicit bias training a requirement for healthcare provider licensure. The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health has developed an action plan to assess their current policies and practices and determine the gaps that exist and the steps they can take to combat bias and discrimination in patient care..."
Black women and health care bias 

Exposure to electronic cigarettes in indoor workplaces

"Electronic cigarettes can negatively affect indoor air quality and pose a risk of secondhand exposure in workplaces. Learn more about what employers can do to eliminate exposures.

Electronic cigarettes are also called “e-cigarettes” or “e-cigs.” Some e-cigarettes look like regular traditional cigarettes but some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items. When a user breathes in on an e-cigarette, it heats a liquid to form a mixture of very small liquid droplets and gases in the air that are inhaled directly into their lungs. These droplets are approximately one to two micrometers in size (the diameter of a human hair is around 100 micrometers). Both the droplets and gases can contain harmful chemicals.¹ When the user breaths out, a portion of this mixture is released into their surroundings, which can negatively impact indoor air quality.

Using e-cigarettes is common in some U.S. workplaces. Employees in indoor workplaces that allow using e-cigarettes are at risk of involuntary secondhand exposure to these harmful chemicals. Further, many non-user employees perceive that using electronic cigarettes at work contributes to reduced productivity.² Examples of these workplaces include:

• Homes
• Vehicles
• Buildings
  • E-cigarette retailers
  • Bars
  • Nightclubs

Potential harmful effects

The very small size of particles given off by e-cigarettes means that they can deposit in the mouth, nose, and deep in the lungs of user and non-user employees.³ Additionally, NIOSH researchers report concerns for primary users such as:

• Cavities and gum diseases
• Upper and lower respiratory tract irritations as well as lung cancer
• Irritation and toxicity (short- and long- term) to the skin, urinary tract, and liver⁴

Prevent exposures in the workplace

Employers can:

• Establish a smoke-free indoor workplace, including free of e-cigarettes, to protect employees from involuntary, secondhand exposures.
• Promote smoking cessation programs as part of an overall tobacco-free workplace.

Employees can:

• Where possible, choose employment at a tobacco-free workplace.
• Encourage co-workers or personally seek resources for e-cigarette (and tobacco smoking) cessation, for example by calling the free smoking quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW..."
  E-Cigarettes 

Coronavirus Web Archive

"About this Collection

The Coronavirus Web Archive contains representative web-based content that documents the impact and response to the Covid-19 pandemic on communities across the United States and the world. This collection was curated by subject specialists from across the Library in order to present a multidisciplinary collection. Subjects and creators include: federal, state, local, and tribal government; science and technology; economics and labor; arts and culture; public and social policy; education; psychology; sports and recreation; and religion. African American, Asian American, Latino/a/x, and Native American communities are reflected in this collection as both web content creators and marginalized populations impacted by the pandemic. A sample of coronavirus content from Asia, South America, Africa, Europe, and Oceania is also featured in the collection.

Additional Library of Congress web archive collections with content related to the Coronavirus Web Archive include the collections Business in America Web Archive, State Government Websites of the United States Web Archive, General News on the Internet Web Archive, Professional Organizations for Performing Arts Web Archive, and Public Policy Topics Web Archive.

Collection Period: March 2020 to present (this is an ongoing archive).

Frequency of Collection: The majority of sites were targeted for capture monthly or weekly, with fewer sites targeted for capture quarterly or once.

Languages: Collection material in English, with Burmese, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Malay, Malayalam, Marathi, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Sinhala/Sinhalese, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Turkish.

Acquisition Information: Sites have been added incrementally since the project began and will continue to be added as they are identified. Additional items will be made available on a rolling monthly basis as they exit the one-year embargo period..."
COVID-19 website 

Legislative and Judicial Developments Affecting Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)

"Updated February 1, 2022

The Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system is the U.S. Court’s web-based service that gives registered users electronic access to documents filed in the U.S. Courts via the online Case Management/Electronic Case Files system, known as CM/ECF. The Administrative Office of the UnitedStates Courts (the “AO”), the federal judicial entity responsible for maintaining PACER, currently charges users ten cents per PACER search as well as 10 cents per page accessed using the system (with a ceiling of $3 per document). The judiciary waives fees on accounts incurring $30 or less in any given quarter. With most users not exceeding this $30 threshold, 25% of PACER users reportedly pay fees in a given quarter. Individuals or groups may prospectively petition for a fee exemption to conduct their PACER searches for specified research projects. This Legal Sidebar discusses recent legislative proposals and litigation that may affect the cost of public access to PACER.

Legislative Efforts to Increase Access to PACER

On December 9, 2021, the Senate Judiciary Committee favorably ordered reported the Open Courts Act of 2021, S. 2614. At the markup session, the committee ordered to be reported, by voice vote, the bill with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. It is one of two legislative proposals introduced this Congress to eliminate the U.S. Courts’ current user fee structure for searching and accessing federal court filings on PACER. While S. 2614, as amended in committee, would make PACER free for the general public, each federal agency would be charged an annual fee equal to the total PACER fees paid by the agency in 2021 (adjusted for inflation).

In addition to removing PACER user fees for the general public, both the Senate Judiciary Committee and House-introduced versions of the Open Courts Act of 2021 (S. 2614 and H.R. 5844) require the AO to modernize PACER’s technical functionality, including the additions of full-text search capabilities and “widely accepted common data elements.” Meanwhile, the AO has been independently weighing recommendations of 18F—the U.S. government technology and design consultant group—to improve functionalities of the public-facing PACER and underlying CM/ECF systems.

A number of legislative proposals similar to the Open Courts Act of 2021 have been introduced in previous congresses. At least four such bills were introduced in the 116th Congress—including the Open Courts Act of 2020 (H.R. 8235), the Twenty-First Century Courts Act (H.R. 6017), and the Electronic Court Records Reform Act of 2019 (H.R. 1164 and S. 2064). In the 116th Congress, the House passed H.R. 8235; the Senate did not act on the bill. The Judicial Conference expressed some opposition to that proposal due to financial and operational impact on the judiciary..."
Court Electronic Records 

USPTO launches new Patent Public Search tool and webpage

"The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced a new Patent Public Search tool that provides more convenient, remote, and robust full-text searching of all U.S. patents and published patent applications.

Based on the advanced Patents End-to-End (PE2E) search tool USPTO examiners use to identify prior art, this free, cloud-based platform combines the capabilities of four existing search tools scheduled to be retired in September 2022: Public-Examiner’s Automated Search Tool (PubEAST), Public-Web-based Examiner’s Search Tool (PubWEST), Patent Full-Text and Image Database (PatFT), and Patent Application Full-Text and Image Database (AppFT).

 “This new platform represents a significant step forward in our broader efforts to meet stakeholders where they are, especially in the pandemic,” said Drew Hirshfeld, Performing the Functions and Duties of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. “Knowing that our previous tools did not provide users with the convenience or similar functionality as those used by our examiners, it is incredibly gratifying to know that now more stakeholders can search for patents using the resources of four powerful search platforms in one expansive tool.”

In the past, users could only access legacy search tools PubEAST and PubWEST at a USPTO facility like the headquarters in Alexandria, a regional office, or a Patent and Trademark Resource Center. With the launch of the new tool, remote searching is now available to all users with internet access. Additional benefits include:

• Layouts: Multiple layouts with multiple tools to provide more data at once
• Highlighting: Multi-color highlighting that can be viewed across multiple gadgets and turned on or off
• Tagging: Ability to tag documents into multiple groups that can be renamed and color coordinated
• Notes: Ability to add notes to an image with options to include tags, relevant claims, and highlights
• Quality: Robust full-text searching of U.S. patents and published applications
• Familiar usability: Same searching syntax as PubEAST and PubWEST

 In conjunction with the launch of Patent Public Search tool, the USPTO unveiled a new Patent Public Search webpage that includes FAQs, training resources, and other information to help users transition to the new tool. Upcoming public training sessions will be posted on the webpage as soon as they are scheduled..."
Patents 

Supreme Court Appointment Process: President’s Selection of a Nominee

"The appointment of a Supreme Court Justice is an event of major significance in American politics. Each appointment is of consequence because of the enormous judicial power the Supreme Court exercises as the highest appellate court in the federal judiciary. Appointments are usually infrequent, as a vacancy on the nine-member Court may occur only once or twice, or never at all, during a particular President’s years in office. Under the Constitution, Justices on the Supreme Court receive what can amount to lifetime appointments which, by constitutional design, helps ensure the Court’s independence from the President and Congress.

The procedure for appointing a Justice is provided for by the Constitution in only a few words. The “Appointments Clause” (Article II, Section 2, clause 2) states that the President “shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint ... Judges of the supreme Court.” The process of appointing Justices has undergone changes over two centuries, but its most basic feature—the sharing of power between the President and Senate—has remained unchanged: To receive appointment to the Court, a candidate must first be nominated by the President and then confirmed by the Senate.

Political considerations typically play an important role in Supreme Court appointments. It is often assumed, for example, that Presidents will be inclined to select a nominee whose political or ideological views appear compatible with their own. The political nature of the appointment process becomes especially apparent when a President submits a nominee with controversial views, there are sharp partisan or ideological differences between the President and the Senate, or the outcome of important constitutional issues before the Court is seen to be at stake.

Additionally, over more than two centuries, a recurring theme in the Supreme Court appointment process has been the assumed need for professional excellence in a nominee. During recent presidencies, nominees have at the time of nomination, most often, served as U.S. appellate court judges. The integrity and impartiality of an individual have also been important criteria for a President when selecting a nominee for the Court.

The speed by which a President selects a nominee for a vacancy has varied during recent presidencies. A President might announce his intention to nominate a particular individual within several days of when a vacancy becomes publicly known, or a President might take multiple weeks or months to announce a nominee. The factors affecting the speed by which a President selects a nominee include whether a President had advance notice of a Justice’s plan to retire, as well as when during the calendar year a Justice announces his or her departure from the Court..."
Supreme Court Appointment