The Effects of Terminating Payments for Cost-Sharing Reductions

"The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires insurers to offer plans with reduced deductibles, copayments, and other means of cost sharing to some of the people who purchase plans through the marketplaces established by that legislation. The size of those reductions depends on those people’s income. In turn, insurers receive federal payments arranged by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to cover the costs they incur because of that requirement.

At the request of the House Democratic Leader and the House Democratic Whip, the Congressional Budget Office and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) have estimated the effects of terminating those payments for cost-sharing reductions (CSRs). In particular, the agencies analyzed what would happen under this policy: By the end of this month, it is known that CSR payments will continue through December 2017 but not thereafter..."
Health Care Cost Sharing Reductions

Nuclear Blast

"A nuclear blast is an explosion with intense light and heat, a damaging pressure wave, and widespread radioactive material that can contaminate the air, water, and ground surfaces for miles around. A nuclear device can range from a weapon carried by an intercontinental missile, to a small portable nuclear device transported by an individual. All nuclear devices cause deadly effects when exploded.
Hazards of Nuclear Devices:
The danger of a massive strategic nuclear attack on the United States is predicted by experts to be less likely today. However, terrorism, by nature, is unpredictable.

In general , potential targets incluse: 

• Strategic missile sites and military bases.
• Centers of government such as Washington, DC, and state capitals.
• Important transportation and communication centers.
• Manufacturing, industrial, technology, and financial centers.
• Petroleum refineries, electrical power plants, and chemical plants
• Major ports and airfields.

The three factors for protecting oneself from radisontion and fallout are distance, shielding and time. 

•  Distance - the more distance between you and the fallout particles, the better. An underground area such as a home or office building basement offers more protection than the first floor of a building. Shielding - the heavier and denser the materials - thick walls, concrete, bricks, books and earth - between you and the fallout particles, the better.
• Time - fallout radiation loses its intensity fairly rapidly. In time, you will be able to leave the fallout shelter. Radioactive fallout poses the greatest threat to people during the first two weeks, by which time it has declined to about 1 percent of its initial radiation level..."
  Nuclear blast

Protected Area Database

"The Protected Areas Database of the United States is the official inventory of protected open space in United  States. With over 3 billions acreas in thousands of holdings, the spatial data in the PAD-US includes  publiclands, overlappings management designations, and Marine Protected Areas held in trust by national, state, and some local governments, and some nonprofit conservation organizations..." 
Protected land areas

National Climate Repott, June 2017

"The July average temperature for the contiguous U.S. was 75.7°F, 2.1°F above the 20th century average and was the 10th warmest July in 123 years of record-keeping. Much-above-average temperatures were observed across the West and parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. The year-to-date (January–July) average temperature for the contiguous U.S. was 54.5°F, 3.2°F above average and second warmest on record. This was slightly warmer than the same period in 2006 and 1.2°F cooler than the record set in 2012.

The July precipitation total was 2.74 inches, 0.04 inch below the 20th century average and was near the middle value of the 123-year period of record. Above-average precipitation in the Southwest, Midwest and Northeast offset below-average precipitation in the Northwest and Northern Plains. The year-to-date precipitation total was 20.68 inches, 2.59 inches above average. This was the seventh wettest year-to-date on record and wettest since 1998..."
National Climate Report

Coastal Change Analysis Program Regional Land Cover and Change

"Nationally standardized, raster-based inventories of land cover for the coastal areas of the U.S. Data are derived, through the Coastal Change Analysis Program, from the analysis of multiple dates of remotely sensed imagery. Two file types are available: individual dates that supply a wall-to-wall map, and change files that compare one date to another.

The use of standardized data and procedures assures consistency through time and across geographies. C-CAP data forms the coastal expression of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) and the A-16 land cover theme of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure. The data are updated every 5 years..."

Coastal areas and change

Restitution for Wartime Internment

"Approved August 10, 1988, H.R. 442, or "An Act to implement recommendations of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians" awarded restitution payments of $20,000 to Japanese-American survivors of World War II civilian internment camps..."
President Reagan’s Remarks on Signing H.R. 442...
Restitution for WW11 Japanese intirnment

U.S. State Department Alerts and Warnings

View the latest travel alerts and warnings from the U.S. Department of State.
Travel warnings

Condition of Education: 2017

"The Condition of Education is a congressionally mandated annual report summarizing important developments and trends in education using the latest available data. The 2017 Condition of Education report presents 50 indicators on topics ranging from prekindergarten through postsecondary education, as well as labor force outcomes and international comparisons. Also included in the report are 4 Spotlight indicators that provide more in-depth analyses on selected topics.

• Browse this document.
• Download, view and print the report as a pdf file.  (15.73KB)
• Download, view and print the At A Glance section as a pdf file.  (164KB)
• Download, view and print the Highlights section as a pdf file.  (533KB)..."
  Condition of Education

Disgest of Education Statistics: 2015

"The Introduction provides a brief overview of current trends in American education, highlighting key data that are presented in more detail later in this volume. Topics outlined include the participation of students, teachers, and faculty in U.S. educational institutions; the performance of U.S. elementary/secondary students overall and in comparison to students in other countries; the numbers of high school graduates and postsecondary degrees; and the amounts of expenditures on education at the elementary/secondary and postsecondary levels.

In fall 2015, about 75.8 million people were enrolled in American schools and colleges (table 105.10). About 4.6 million people were employed as elementary and secondary school teachers or as college faculty, in full-time equivalents (FTE). Other professional, administrative, and support staff at educational institutions totaled 5.3 million FTE employees. All data for 2015 in this Introduction are projected, except for data on educational attainment. Some data for other years are projected or estimated as noted. In discussions of historical trends, different time periods and specific years are cited, depending on the timing of important changes as well as the availability of relevant data..."

Education Statistics

What Should I Do If My Home Has Problem Drywall?

"CPSC has received about 4,051 reports from residents in 44 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico, who believe their health symptoms or the corrosion of certain metal components in their homes are related to problem drywall. State and local authorities have also received similar reports. Homeowners report corrosion or blackening of metal in or on electrical fixtures, appliances, plumbing and air conditioner coils. Consumers largely report that their homes were built in 2006 to 2007, when an unprecedented increase in new construction occurred in part due to the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005.

Where Has Problem Drywall Been Reported?

How Can I Tell If My Home Has Problem Drywall?

Other Frequently Asked Questions..."

Drywall

Protect Yourself from Wildfire Smoke

"Dry conditions in parts of the United States increase the potential for wildfires in or near wilderness areas. Stay alert for wildfire warnings and take action to protect yourself and your family from wildfire smoke.

When wildfires burn in your area, they produce smoke that may reach your community. Wildfire smoke is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. This smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases.

Who is at greatest risk from wildfire smoke?

• People who have heart or lung diseases, like heart disease, chest pain, lung disease, or asthma, are at higher risk from wildfire smoke.
• Older adults are more likely to be affected by smoke. This may be due to their increased risk of heart and lung diseases.
• Children are more likely to be affected by health threats from smoke. Children’s airways are still developing and they breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults. Also, children often spend more time outdoors engaged in activity and play..."

Wildfires

Pregnant? Get vaccinated

"Learn about the vaccines you need before and during your pregnancy to help protect yourself and your newest family member from serious diseases.

Vaccines are an important part of planning and having a healthy pregnancy. If you are planning to get pregnant, check with your doctor to make sure you are up-to-date on your vaccines. If you are pregnant now, CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Nurse midwives and many other professional medical groups recommend you get two vaccines during your pregnancy:

• Tdap to help protect against whooping cough (pertussis)
• A flu shot to help protect against influenza (flu)..."

Pregnancy and vaccination

Concussion Safety for Kids

"Start a conversation with your child about playing safe and smart!

We know keeping your children safe is a top priority. However, sometimes it can be hard to know how to talk to your child about concussion or other serious brain injury.

Whether you are a coach, school professional, healthcare provider, teacher, or parent, it’s important to have the right tools to prevent concussions and traumatic brain injury on and off the field.

CDC developed a mobile game app, called “HEADS UP Rocket Blades,” to help teach concussion safety in a kid-friendly way to children ages 6 to 8. This innovative app can help you start a conversation with your child about concussion safety. Through a futuristic world of galactic racing adventures, children can learn the benefits of playing it safe and smart!

The app can help you teach children:

• Hitting your head can cause a brain injury called a concussion,
• To tell a coach, parent, or another adult if they hit their head,
• The importance of seeing a doctor if your brain is hurt, and resting before returning to play, and that
• Helmets alone cannot prevent concussions...."

Concussion

DHS Delivers Northern Border Threat Analysis Report to Congress

"The U.S. Department of Homeland Security delivered to the Congress the Northern Border Threat Analysis Report describing the current threat landscape on the U.S.-Canada border and analyzing national security and other threats across the air, land, and maritime domains. The report was prepared in accordance with the reporting requirements of the Northern Border Security Review Act....

This report offers a preliminary description of the Department’s capabilities and gaps for our operations on the Northern border. DHS intends to build on the preliminary assessment offered in this report by updating its Northern border strategy and writing a corresponding implementation plan. The updated strategy will include measures that will allow DHS to evaluate progress toward addressing capability gaps on the Northern border. Upon completion, these documents will enable DHS to begin a formal capability assessment and generate requirements which will guide the Department’s approach to making investments that will make the U.S.-Canada border more secure..."
Northern border

Bail: An Overview of Federal Criminal Law

"This is an overview of the federal law of bail. Bail is the release of an individual following his arrest upon his promise—secured or unsecured; conditioned or unconditioned—to appear at subsequent judicial criminal proceedings. An accused may be denied bail if he is unable to satisfy the conditions set for his release. He may also be denied bail if the committing judge or magistrate concludes that no amount of security or any set of conditions will suffice to ensure public safety or the individual’s later appearance in court...:
Bail