Your Guide to America’s Finances

"Your Guide to America's Fiances is an overview of  U.S.Government finances where you'll find information on money coming in(revenue), and  money going out(spending), the deficit, and debt. Your guide presents a series of pages exploring each topics through educational content and interactive visualizations, providing a
comprehensive overview of the trillions of dollars collected and spent by the federal government each year.."
Federal Government Finances 

Barriers to Birth Control: An Analysis of Contraceptive Coverage and Costs for Patients with Private Insurance

"The Affordable Care Act (ACA), signed into law by President Obama in 2010, protects Americans’ access to affordable birth control. The ACA requires private health plans and issuers of health insurance to cover the full range of birth control methods approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), without patient cost-sharing.

In May 2022, following reports that patients were facing barriers to accessing birthcontrol without cost-sharing, Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney opened an investigation into contraceptive coverage for individuals enrolled in private health plans. The Committee sought information from five of the nation’s largest health insurers and four of the largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to assess how companies are providing patients with access to FDA-approved birth control—without cost-sharing—as required by the ACA. 1

As part of this investigation, the Committee reviewed cost-sharing requirements and coverage exclusions for 120 contraceptive products across approximately 68 health plans and formularies and analyzed each company’s process for approving or denying exceptions to costsharing requirements and coverage exclusions.

The Committee’s investigation identified more than 30 birth control products for which most health insurers and PBMs reviewed impose cost-sharing requirements or coverage exclusions. The investigation found that the processes established for patients seeking exceptions to cost-sharing and coverage restrictions can be burdensome for patients and providers, and that companies deny exception requests on average four or more times out of ten. These practices raise barriers to accessing zero-cost birth control, contrary to Congress’s goal in the ACA.

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning the constitutional right to abortion, access to contraception has become even more important for the 64 million women of reproductive age in the United States. 2 The Biden Administration has recently taken steps to further clarify health insurers’ obligations to provide access to contraception without cost-sharing. It is critical that the federal government build on this progress to ensure Americans have meaningful, equitable access to the full range of FDA-approved contraceptive methods—without facing financial or procedural barriers.."
Contraceptive Coverage and Costs 

NAEP Report Card: 2022 NAEP Reading Assessment

"Scores decline in NAEP reading at grades 4 and 8 compared to 2019

In 2022, the average reading score at both fourth and eighth grade decreased by 3 points compared to 2019. At fourth grade, the average reading score was lower than all previous assessment years going back to 2005 and was not significantly different in comparison to 1992. At eighth grade, the average reading score was lower compared to all previous assessment years going back to 1998 and was not significantly different compared to 1992. In 2022, fourth- and eighth-grade reading scores declined for most states/jurisdictions compared to 2019. Average scores are reported on NAEP reading scales at grades 4 and 8 that range from 0 to 500.."

2022 Reading Assessment  

Explore Results for the 2022 NAEP Mathematics Assessment

"In 2022, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics assessment was administered to representative samples of fourth- and eighth-grade students in the nation, states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Department of Defense schools, and 26 participating large urban districts. The mathematics assessment at grade 12 was last administered nationally in 2019. The assessments measured students' knowledge and skills in mathematics and their ability to solve problems in mathematical and real-world contexts. Students also answered survey questions asking about their opportunities to learn about and engage in mathematics inside and outside of school.

In 2022, average mathematics scores for the nation were lower by 5 points at fourth grade and lower by 8 points at eighth grade compared to scores in 2019. Average scores at grades 4 and 8 were higher compared to the first assessment in 1990..."
NAEP Mathematics Assessment 

Democracy's Library

"Democracy's Library brings together more than 700 collections from over 50 government organizations, archived by the Internet Archive since 2006. With more than half a million documents (and counting) from local, regional, and national governments, we're just getting started!.."

Democray"s Library

Medical Tourism: Travel to Another Country for Medical Care

"Medical tourism is when a person travels to another country for medical care. Each year, millions of US residents participate in medical tourism. Medical tourists from the United States commonly travel to Mexico and Canada, as well as countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

People may travel to another country to get health care for many reasons, including:

• Cost: To get treatment or a procedure that may be cheaper in another country.
• Culture: To receive care from a healthcare provider who shares the traveler’s culture and language.
• Unavailable or Unapproved procedure: To get a procedure or therapy that is not available or approved in the United States.

The most common procedures that people undergo on medical tourism trips include dental care, surgery, cosmetic surgery, fertility treatments, organ and tissue transplantation, and cancer treatment.

Medical Tourism Can Be Risky

Your risk of complications depends on the destination, the facility where the procedure is being performed, and whether you are in the good physical and psychological condition for the procedure(s). Other issues that can increase you risk of complications include:

Infectious Disease. All medical procedures have some risk of complications, those associated with procedure done in other countries include wound infections, bloodstream infections, donor-derived infections, and diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV.

Antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is definitely a concern and a global problem; however, you are more likely to get an antibiotic-resistant infection in some countries. Highly drug-resistant bacteria have caused infectious disease outbreaks among medical tourists.

Quality of Care. Some countries’ requirements for maintaining licensure, credentialing, and accreditation may also be less than what would be required in the United States. In some countries, counterfeit medicines and lower quality medical devices may be used.

Communication challenges. Communicating with staff at the destination and healthcare facility may be challenging. Receiving care at a facility where you do not speak the language fluently could lead to misunderstandings about your care.

Air Travel. Flying after surgery can increase the risk for blood clots, including deep vein thrombosis. If you get chest or abdominal surgery do not travel by air for at least 10 days to avoid risks associated with changes in atmospheric pressure. People who get cosmetic procedures of the face, eyelids, or nose, or who have had laser treatments should wait 7–10 days before flying.

Continuity of Care. You may need to get health care in the United States if you have complications after returning..."
Medical Tourism 

Key Facts About Influenza (Flu)

"What is Influenza (Flu)?

Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year.

Flu Symptoms

Influenza (flu) can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Flu symptoms usually come on suddenly. People who have flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

• fever* or feeling feverish/chills
• cough
• sore throat
• runny or stuffy nose
• muscle or body aches
• headaches
• fatigue (tiredness)
• some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

*It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever..."
Influenza 

Diabetes Stigma: Learn About It, Recognize It, Reduce It

"Chances are you know someone with diabetes. They could be a friend, coworker, neighbor, a family member, or even you. And unfortunately, chances are the person you know with diabetes has experienced stigma, or negative attitudes, about having diabetes. Much of the stigma comes from people not knowing enough about diabetes. Reducing diabetes stigma starts with education and raising awareness. Keep reading to learn more.

Diabetes is a serious health condition that millions of Americans live with today. Some people think that people with diabetes make poor decisions or have bad habits, and that’s why they have diabetes. The truth is that diabetes is caused by either the body not being able to make insulin (type 1 diabetes) or because the body doesn’t use insulin well (type 2 diabetes).

Experiencing diabetes stigma is a challenge that many people with diabetes face. In fact, did you know that more than half of people with diabetes report that they have experienced diabetes stigma? Diabetes stigma can exist anywhere: in the family, school, workplace, and even in health care settings. You may not realize it, but stigma can prevent people from getting the care they need, make diabetes management more difficult, and affect one’s mental health. Learning about diabetes stigma can help you recognize it and reduce it.

What is Diabetes Stigma?

Diabetes stigma is defined as negative attitudes, judgment, discrimination, or prejudice against someone because of their diabetes. It comes from the false idea that people with diabetes made unhealthy food and lifestyle choices, which resulted in their diagnosis. Diabetes stigma can particularly affect people who have diabetes and are overweight. These false beliefs do not consider key factors that can cause diabetes, such as genetics (traits you inherit from your parents) and social determinants of health..."
Diabetes 

U. S. Greehouse Gas Emissions and Sinks, 1990--2020

"An emissions inventory that identifies and quantifies a country's anthropogenic1 sources and sinks of greenhouse gases is essential for addressing climate change. This Inventory adheres to both (1) a comprehensive and detailed set of methodologies for estimating national sources and sinks of anthropogenic greenhouse gases, and (2) a common and consistent format that enables Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to compare the relative contribution of different emission sources and greenhouse gases to climate change.

In 1992, the United States signed and ratified the UNFCCC. As stated in Article 2 of the UNFCCC, “The ultimate objective of this Convention and any related legal instruments that the Conference of the Parties may adopt is to achieve, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Convention, stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Such a level should be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.”2

As a signatory to the UNFCCC, consistent with Article 43 and decisions at the First, Second, Fifth, and Nineteenth Conference of Parties,4 the United States is committed to submitting a national inventory of anthropogenic sources and sinks of greenhouse gases to the UNFCCC by April 15 of each year. The United States views this report, in conjunction with Common Reporting Format (CRF) reporting tables that accompany this report, as an opportunity to fulfill this annual commitment under the UNFCCC.

This executive summary provides the latest information on U.S. anthropogenic greenhouse gas emission trends from 1990 through 2020..."
Greenhouses Gases  

Apply for Federal Student Loan Debt Relief

"Eligibility for Debt Relief

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What Is Federal Student Loan Debt Relief?

It’s a program that provides eligible borrowers with full or partial discharge of loans up to $20,000 to Federal Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 to non-Pell Grant recipients.

Who Qualifies?

• Individuals who made less than $125,000 in 2021 or 2020
• Families that made less than $250,000 in 2021 or 2020

If you filed federal taxes, your income requirements are based on your adjusted gross income (AGI), which tends to be lower than your total income. Your AGI can be found on line 11 of the IRS Form 1040.

How It Works

Apply today (but no later than Dec. 31, 2023). We’ll determine your eligibility and will contact you if we need more information. Your loan servicer will notify you when your relief has been processed.

Learn More About Student Loan Debt Relief.."
Student Loan Debt Relief 

Data Protection and Privacy Law: An Introduction

"Recent controversy surrounding how third parties protect the privacy of individuals in the digital age has raised national concerns over legal protections of Americans’ electronic data. The current legislative paradigms governing cybersecurity and data privacy are complex and technical and lack uniformity at the federal level. This In Focus provides an introduction to data protection laws and an overview of considerations for Congress. (For a more detailed analysis, see CRS Report R45631, Data Protection Law: An Overview, by Stephen P. Mulligan, Wilson C. Freeman, and Chris D. Linebaugh.)

Defining Data Protection

As a legislative concept, data protection melds the fields of data privacy (i.e., how to control the collection, use, and dissemination of personal information) and data security (i.e., how to protect personal information from unauthorized access or use and respond to such unauthorized access or use). Historically, many laws addressed these issues separately, but more recent data protection initiatives indicate a trend toward combining data privacy and security into unified legislative schemes.

Federal Data Protection Laws

While the Supreme Court has interpreted the Constitution to provide individuals with a right to privacy, this right generally guards only against government intrusions. Given the limitations in constitutional law, Congress has enacted a number of federal laws designed to provide statutory protections of individuals’ personal information. However, these statutory protections are not comprehensive in nature and primarily regulate certain industries and subcategories of data. ."
Data protection and privacy 

This Fall, Leave the Leaves!

"It’s the time of year to do your fall garden cleanup. Rather than the tedious task of raking and bagging leaves and taking them to the landfill, the best way to reduce greenhouse gases and benefit your garden is to leave the leaves!

Leaves create a natural mulch that helps to suppress weeds while fertilizing the soil as it breaks down. The leaves also serve as a habitat for wildlife including lizards, birds, turtles, frogs, and insects that overwinter in the fallen leaves. These living creatures help keep pests down and increase pollination in your garden, so having a habitat for them in the fallen leaves can help to keep them around when you need them the most.

Micro-organisms are the life of soil, and they need food and nutrients all the time. The more leaves left on your garden, the more feed for these micro-organisms that make soil healthier and plants grow stronger. As the leaves decay, they add organic matter back into the soil, which lessens the need for fertilizer.

You can also include leaves in a compost mix to use on your crops. Mulching is a simple and beneficial practice you can use to create a healthy garden, and if you have trees, you have free mulch at your fingertips each fall. Mulching can protect the soil surface and help stop erosion from rainfall. Mulch also helps to moderate temperature extremes by keeping roots warmer during the winter and cooler in the summer, and helps to keep moisture in the ground, which is especially helpful during times of drought.."
Leaves 

2020 Census Redistricting Data (P.L. 94-171) Summary Files

"The 2020 Census Redistricting Data (P.L. 94-171) Summary Files in the Legacy Format were posted for FTP download, by state, on August 12, 2021 and released on data.census.gov with the full redistricting toolkit on September 16, 2021. Both releases contained the same data, only the format was different. 

The summary file tables include: 

• P1. – Race 
• P2. – Hispanic or Latino, and not Hispanic or Latino by Race 
• P3. – Race for the Population 18 Years and Over 
• P4. – Hispanic or Latino, and not Hispanic or Latino by Race for the Population 18 Years and Over 
• P5. – Group Quarters Population by Major Group Quarters Type 
• H1. – Occupancy Status (Housing) 

The 2020 Census Redistricting Data (P.L. 94-171) Summary File data are available for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico through data.census.gov and FTP download (in the Legacy Format). 

The 2020 Census State Redistricting Data (P.L. 94-171) Summary File Technical Documentation is available in English, and in Spanish specifically for Puerto Rico. The 2020 Census National Redistricting Data (P.L. 94-171) Summary File Technical Documentation is available in English only. Links to the Technical Documentation are provided below..."
2020 Census Redistricting Data 

National Hispanic Heritage Month

"Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.

The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period.

Executive and Legislative Documents

Legal Resources Guide prepared by the Law Library of Congress.

About this Site

This Web portal is a collaborative project of the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.

Other Dedicated Web Sites

• National Archives and Records Administration
• National Endowment for the Humanities
• National Park Service
• Smithsonian Education – Hispanic Heritage Month.."
  Hispanic Heritage
  

Protect Against Flu: Caregivers of Infants and Young Children

"Children younger than 5 years old– especially those younger than 2– are at higher risk of developing serious flu-related complications. CDC estimates that from 2010 to 2020, flu-related hospitalizations among children younger than 5 years ranged from between 6,000 to 27,000 per year in the United States. Many more have to go to a doctor, an urgent care center, or the emergency room because of flu.

Complications from flu among children can include:

• pneumonia (an illness where the lungs get infected and inflamed),
• dehydration (when a child’s body loses too much water and salts, often because fluid losses are greater than fluid intake),
• worsening of long-term medical problems like heart disease or asthma,
• brain dysfunction,
• sinus problems, and ear infections.

In rare cases, flu complications can lead to death.

Children Younger Than 6 Months Old at Highest Risk

Children younger than 6 months old have the highest risk for being hospitalized from flu compared to children of other ages but are too young to get a flu vaccine. Because flu vaccines are not approved for use in children younger than 6 months old, protecting them from flu is especially important..."
Children and Flu