Records, Papers, Decisions: Kavanaugh Records and the Presidential Records Act

"Since Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court was received on July 10, papers detailing his activities in the George W. Bush Administration and the Office of Independent Counsel Kenneth W. Starr have been the subject of ongoing congressional interest. Specifically, many Members of Congress have discussed the public release of Judge Kavanaugh's records and whether the scope and volume of records released is similar to the records of previous Supreme Court nominees.

The release and maintenance of records pertaining to Judge Kavanaugh's tenure in these offices is governed by the interaction of the Federal Records Act, the Presidential Records Act (PRA), and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). While the Federal Records Act applies to all federal records, such as Judge Kavanaugh's attorney work filesfrom his tenure with the Office of Independent Counsel, the PRA applies only to records created on behalf of a president, such as records created during the George W. Bush Administration.

After a President leaves office, the legal custody of presidential records transfers from the President to the Archivist of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), who oversees the custody, control, preservation, and access to presidential records.

PRA Restrictions

Presidential records are defined as "documentary materials, or any reasonably segregable portion thereof, created or received by the President, the President's immediate staff, or a unit or individual of the Executive Office of the President whose function is to advise or assist the President." Presidential records meeting certain criteria may be subject to a withholding period of up to 12 years after the conclusion of the President's Administration.

The PRA allows the outgoing President to restrict access to six categories of presidential records for specified durations of time, not to exceed 12 years. The records categories for which a President can restrict access include the following:

• Records described in an executive order as in the interest of national defense or foreign policy or that are otherwise classified documents, 
• Records relating to appointments to federal office,
• Records specifically exempted from disclosure by statute, 
• Records that contain trade secrets and commercial or financial information, 
• Records of confidential communications requesting or submitting advice between the President and the President's advisers or between such advisers, and 
• Records of personnel and medical files whose disclosure would constitute an invasion of personal privacy...."
  Judge Brett Kavanaugh records

Judicial Fact-Finding and Criminal Sentencing: Current Practice and Potential Change

"Central to the calculation of a federal criminal defendant’s sentence under the United States SentencingGuidelines (Guidelines) is the defendant’s “relevant conduct.” That term, while encompassing conduct found by a jury or admitted by the defendant, can also include conduct that was not charged, as well as the conduct underlying charges of which the defendant was acquitted. The lower federal courts have almost uniformly approved of the use of acquitted or uncharged conduct at sentencing, so long as a judge finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the conduct occurred. The Supreme Court has also held that the use of acquitted conduct pursuant to the Guidelines presents no double jeopardy issue under the Constitution. Judicial fact-finding at sentencing has not been without its critics, however; legal commentators and multiple Justices have expressed misgivings about the continued judicial reliance on such conduct to increase sentencing ranges under the Guidelines, largely focusing on the constitutional right to a jury trial. In fact, both of President Trump’s nominees to the Supreme Court—Justice Gorsuch and, most recently, Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit— have suggested during their tenures as Circuit judges that they may view judicial fact-finding at sentencing to be constitutionally problematic. Two bills have also recently been introduced in the House of Representatives that would alter the practice legislatively. Given the possibility of judicial or legislative changes in this area of criminal sentencing law, this Sidebar provides an overview of the issue by briefly describing the use of relevant conduct under the Guidelines and tracing the Supreme Court case law that has informed the practice, before addressing judicial commentary and recently proposed legislation regarding the use of acquitted or uncharged conduct at sentencing..."
Judicial fact-finding

Calling Balls and Strikes: Ethics and Supreme Court Justices

"At his confirmation hearing in 2005, Chief Justice Roberts famously described his view of judges as umpires, pledging that, if confirmed, he would “call balls and strikes” when applying the law. Chief Justice Roberts emphasized the constitutional structure that underpins the Supreme Court and the rest of the federal judiciary, which is based on independence from political influence. The Court’s independence and its insulation from political influence is a perennial issue, which has received heightened attention with Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s pending nomination. What mechanisms ensure the integrity of Justices as federal officials? Are Justices subject to any rules of ethical conduct? How might such ethics rules be enforced? This Sidebar examines these questions and Congress’s potential role in regulating the ethics of the Supreme Court Justices.

Ethics Rules that Govern Judicial Conduct Generally

State codes of conduct and the Judicial Conference of the United States’ (Judicial Conference) federal Code of Conduct for United States Judges (Code of Conduct) set forth judicial ethics and standards of professional conduct. The Code of Conduct is largely aspirational and does not delineate specific prohibited behaviors. Rather, it identifies five canons of conduct, instructing that judges:  Should uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary;  Should avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all activities;  Should perform the duties of the office fairly, impartially and diligently;  May engage in extrajudicial activities that are consistent with the obligations of a judicial office; and  Should refrain from political activity..".
Ethics and Supreme court judges

Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh: His Jurisprudence and Potential Impact on the Supreme Court

"On July 9, 2018, President Donald J. Trump announced the nomination of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit) to fill retiring Justice Anthony M. Kennedy’s seat on the Supreme Court of the United States. Nominated to the D.C. Circuit by President George W. Bush, Judge Kavanaugh has served on that court for more than twelve years. In his role as a Circuit Judge, the nominee has authored roughly three hundred opinions (including majority opinions, concurrences, and dissents) and adjudicated numerous high-profile cases concerning, among other things, the status of wartime detainees held by the United States at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; the constitutionality of the current structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; the validity of rules issued by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Air Act; and the legality of the Federal Communications Commission’s net neutrality rule. Since joining the D.C. Circuit, Judge Kavanaugh has also taught courses on the separation of powers, national security law, and constitutional interpretation at Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, and the Georgetown University Law Center.

Prior to his appointment to the federal bench in 2006, Judge Kavanaugh served in the George W. Bush White House, first as associate and then senior associate counsel, before becoming assistant and staff secretary to the President. Before his service in the Bush Administration, the nominee worked in private practice at the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis, LLP for three years and served in the Office of the Independent Counsel and the Office of the Solicitor General. Judge Kavanaugh began his legal career with three federal clerkships—two for judges on the federal courts of appeals and one for the jurist he is nominated to succeed, Justice Kennedy. Judge Kavanaugh is a graduate of Yale College and Yale Law School.

Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination to the High Court is particularly significant as he would be replacing Justice Kennedy, who was widely recognized as the Roberts Court’s median vote. Justice Kennedy was often at the center of legal debates on the Supreme Court, casting decisive votes on issues ranging from the powers of the federal government vis-à-vis the states, to separation-of-powers disputes, to key civil liberties issues. Accordingly, a critical question now before the Senate as it considers providing its advice and consent to the President’s nomination to the High Court is how Judge Kavanaugh may view the many legal issues in which Justice Kennedy’s vote was often determinative.."
Judge Brett Kavanaugh

What are the Reasons to Vaccinate My Baby?

"Protecting your child’s health is very important to you. Giving your baby all the recommended vaccines by age two is the best way to protect her from 14 serious childhood diseases. Choose immunization; it’s the powerful defense that’s safe, proven, and effective.

Raising a child means you’d do anything to help them grow up healthy and safe. You watch them as they explore new places and baby proof your home against potential hazards. But, what about the hazards you can’t see that can cause serious illness, disability, or even death in young children? Immunization gives you the power to protect your baby from 14 serious childhood diseases. No matter what parenting challenges come your way, there are many reasons to vaccinate.

Serious Diseases Are Still Out There

Vaccines are one of the top public health achievements because they have reduced or even eliminated many diseases. Thanks to vaccines, most young parents have never seen the devastating effects diseases like polio, measles, or whooping cough (pertussis) can have on a child, family, or community. It’s easy to think these are diseases of the past, but they still exist. Children in the United States can—and do—still get some of these diseases. In fact, when vaccination rates are low in a community, it’s not uncommon to have an outbreak.

Diseases Don’t Stop at the Border, and Many Can Spread Easily

You may have never seen a case of polio or diphtheria, but these diseases still occur in other countries. For example, measles is rare in the United States because of vaccination, but it is still common around the world. Unvaccinated travelers who are infected while abroad can easily bring the diseases to the United States.

After reaching the U.S., measles can spread quickly among unvaccinated people. In 2014, the United States had a record number of measles cases (667) and many were associated with cases brought from the Philippines, which experienced a large measles outbreak. Most of these people were not vaccinated, or didn’t know if they were vaccinated, and nearly all the cases were associated with international travel. From January 1 to July 14, 2018, 107 people from 21 states were reported to have measles. The majority of people who got measles were unvaccinated.."
Vaccinate babies

Justice Department Announces Release of New Fentanyl Safety Video for First Responders

"Today, the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) released the Fentanyl Safety Recommendations for First Responders’ companion training video Fentanyl: The Real Deal. The video was produced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to help first responders protect themselves when the presence of fentanyl is suspected or encountered on the job. The video is available here(link is external). 

Fentanyl: The Real Deal provides recommendations to law enforcement on how to navigate safely around the increased prevalence of fentanyl in the illicit drug market. The video provides first responders with unified, scientific, and evidence-based recommendations for protective actions first responders should take when the presence of fentanyl is suspected, when exposure occurs, and when individuals exhibit signs of opioid intoxication.

"Exposure to synthetic opioids like fentanyl is one of the most dangerous threats facing law enforcement officers," Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein said. "The Department of Justice worked with the White House, other Cabinet agencies, and many law enforcement organizations to produce a new safety video and training recommendations for first responders. I urge law enforcement officers to review the advice and take precautions to stay safe."

“We have a duty to protect those who keep our communities safe,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “As we continue to fight this opioid epidemic, it is critical that we provide every tool necessary to educate the public, law enforcement, and first responders about the dangers of fentanyl. This video is a positive step in that direction.”

The new training video released today, as well as the Fentanyl Safety Recommendations for First Responders released in November 2017, is the result of a Federal Interagency Working Group coordinated by the White House National Security Council. Agencies represented on the working group include the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Homeland Security; the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; the Office of National Drug Control Policy; the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, in collaboration with 24 stakeholder organizations..."
Fentanyl

Prevent Food Poisoning

"Anybody can get food poisoning, but some people are more likely to get seriously ill.

Every year, an estimated 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases. However, certain groups of people are more likely to get a foodborne illness (also called food poisoning) or get seriously ill. Learn why certain groups have a higher chance for food poisoning and what steps they can take to protect themselves.

People more likely to get a foodborne illness are:

• Children younger than 5 years of age
• Adults aged 65 and older
• People with weakened immune systems from medical conditions or their treatment, such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, or diabetes
• Pregnant women

Some People are at Higher Risk

Some people are more likely to get food poisoning because their ability to fight germs and sickness is not as effective as other people’s for a variety of reasons.

Young children have immune systems that are still developing, so their ability to fight germs and sickness isn’t as strong. Food poisoning can be particularly dangerous for them because illness can lead to diarrhea and dehydration. Children younger than 5 are three times more likely to be hospitalized if they get a Salmonella infection. And kidney failure strikes 1 out of 7 children under age 5 who are diagnosed with E. coli O157 infection.

Older adults have a higher risk because as people age, their immune systems and organs don’t recognize and get rid of harmful germs as well as they once did. Nearly half of people aged 65 and older who have a lab-confirmed foodborne illness from Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria or E. coli are hospitalized.

People with weakened immune systems can’t fight germs and sickness as effectively. People on dialysis are 50 times more likely to get a Listeria infection.

Pregnant women are more likely than other people to get sick from certain germs. For example, pregnant women are 10 times more likely to get a Listeriainfection.."
Food poisoning

Election Security: Issues in the 2018 Midterm Elections

"In the wake of assessments about foreign interference in the 2016 presidential election, concerns have been mounting about the security of the 2018 midterm elections. Security efforts are complicated by the complex, multidimensional election life cycle, with each dimension involving a broad array of components. The main dimensions can be thought of as election administration, campaign activities, and media coverage.

Traditionally, concerns about election security have focused largely on election administration. In the wake of the 2016 election, the Department of Homeland Security designated election-administration infrastructure as a critical infrastructure (CI) subsector. That made the state and local offices and privatesector entities involved in running elections eligible for enhanced federal technical assistance and information sharing on both physical- and cyber-security.

The CI designation expressly applies only to the election-administration dimension. However, malicious actors are unlikely to respect such limitations. The increasing use of internet connectivity in all three dimensions is creating a convergence of security risks not only within the dimensions but across them

 Attacks on election infrastructure might involve registration databases, voting systems, reporting of results, or other components or processes. The goal might be to exfiltrate (surreptitiously obtain) information such as voter files, to disrupt the election process, or even to change vote counts and results. Congressional Research Service 7-.... www.crs.gov IN10955 Congressional Research Service 2

 Attacks on political parties and campaigns might involve exfiltration of candidate information or communications, disruption of events, or other goals. For example, data from the information networks of a political party could offer a foreign adversary insights into the prospective operations, priorities, and vulnerabilities of an incoming government, should the party prevail at the polls.

 Exploits involving media coverage, especially social media, might include, for example, spreading false or misleading information to voters with the aim of affecting their votes or eroding confidence in the election outcome. Voter information obtained through attacks on political party or government entities, or by other means, could be used to target voters considered susceptible to such misinformation. For example, Cambridge Analytica reportedly acquired and used data on more than 50 million Facebook users to influence voters in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and Brexit referendum. Although Facebook maintains that the case did not constitute a data breach, the legality of how such information was and is obtained, as well as its potential impacts, remains controversial. Both House and Senate committees have held hearings on the topic.."
Election security

USDA organic Standards

"Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods. The organic standards describe the specific requirements that must be verified by a USDA-accredited certifying agent before products can be labeled USDA organic.

Overall, organic operations must demonstrate that they are protecting natural resources, conserving biodiversity, and using only approved substances.

The organic standards are captured in the Organic Food Production Act, USDA organic regulations, and the National Organic Program Handbook.

• View the Final Rule – Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices
• Access the full set of resources that make up the USDA organic standards
• Access Fact Sheets that explain essential facts about the organic standards and the National Organic Program including:
  • Can GMOs be Used in Organic Products?
  • Organic Livestock Requirements
  • Organic Production + Handling Standards
  • Labeling Organic Products
  • Allowed + Prohibited Substances in Organic Production + Handling
  • Introduction to Organic Practices.."
    Organic standards

Disability and Access to Health Care

"For some people with disabilities, access to health care can be challenging. See what health care providers and public health professionals can do to address the barriers that keep adults with disabilities from obtaining the health care services and programs they need to stay healthy.

People with disabilities need health care and public health programs for the same reasons anyone else does—to stay well, active, and a part of the community. However, for some people with disabilities, access to health care can be challenging. According to a recent MMWR report 1 , adults 65 years of age and older with any disability more often reported having health insurance coverage, a usual healthcare provider, and receiving a routine checkup than did younger adults with a disability. In addition, disability-specific disparities in health care access were common, particularly among young (18–44) and middle-aged (45–64) adults. Generally, adults with vision disability reported the least access to health care (i.e. health insurance coverage, usual health care provider, unmet health care need because of cost, and routine check-up within past 12 months) and adults with self-care disability reported the most access to care...:
Disability and healthcare

Back to School

"Parents, schools, and communities are key sources of support in helping youth establish healthy behaviors now and as they transition into adulthood.

The high school years are a critical time of development as adolescents are becoming increasingly independent, trying out new behaviors and activities, and navigating influences from a variety of sources.

As students head back to school, parents, schools, and communities all have a role to play in helping adolescents establish healthy behaviors now and as they transition into adulthood..."
Back to school

All About Your A1C

"What has your blood sugar been up to lately? Get an A1C test to find out your average levels—important to know if you’re at risk for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, or if you’re managing diabetes.

The A1C test—also known as the hemoglobin A1C or HbA1c test—is a simple blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. It’s one of the commonly used tests to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes, and is also the main test to help you and your health care team manage your diabetes. Higher A1C levels are linked to diabetes complications, so reaching and maintaining your individual A1C goal is really important if you have diabetes.

What Does the A1C Test Measure?

When sugar enters your bloodstream, it attaches to hemoglobin, a protein in your red blood cells. Everybody has some sugar attached to their hemoglobin, but people with higher blood sugar levels have more. The A1C test measures the percentage of your red blood cells that have sugar-coated hemoglobin.

Who Should Get an A1C Test, and When?

Testing for diabetes or prediabetes:
Get a baseline A1C test if you’re an adult over age 45—or if you’re under 45, are overweight, and have one or more risk factors for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes:

• If your result is normal but you’re over 45, have risk factors, or have ever had gestational diabetes, repeat the A1C test every 3 years.
• If your result shows you have prediabetes, talk to your doctor about taking steps now to improve your health and lower your risk for type 2 diabetes. Repeat the A1C test as often as your doctor recommends, usually every 1 to 2 years.
• If you don’t have symptoms but your result shows you have prediabetes or diabetes, get a second test on a different day to confirm the result.
• If your test shows you have diabetes, ask your doctor to refer you to diabetes self-management education and support services so you can have the best start in managing your diabetes.

Managing diabetes:
If you have diabetes, get an A1C test at least twice a year, more often if your medicine changes or if you have other health conditions. Talk to your doctor about how often is right for you.."
Diabetes

Travel to Remote Places

"Going off the grid? From the frigid pole of Antarctica to the uninhabited islands of Oceania—be prepared to go where most do not—with CDC Travelers’ Health.

Nothing says getting away from it all like skipping the tourist traps and opting for harder-to-reach locales. Some of the best travel experiences can take place in the middle of nowhere. However, traveling to a far-flung destination can require a bit more prep work than a typical vacation.

Be prepared for off-the-grid places with limited electricity or fresh water and without the comforts of home..."
Remote places travel

"Battery Gun" By Richard Jordan Gatling, 1865

"Offically adopted by the U.S. Army on August 21, 1866, the Gatling gun was the first successful rapid-fire repeating gun. Invented by Dr. Richard Jordan Gatling, a physician, the first model of his "Battery Gun" was patented on May 9, 1865, and had six barrels revolving around a central axis. It proved superior to other rapid-fire guns of the time and, for more than 40 years, the Gatling gun was used by almost every world power.."
Battery Gun

Precision Medicine: What Does it Mean for Your Health?

"Precision medicine, sometimes called personalized medicine, is an approach for protecting health and treating disease that takes into account a person’s genes, behaviors, and environment. Interventions are tailored to individuals or groups, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach in which everyone receives the same care. But what does this mean and how can precision medicine protect your health?

You might have heard the term “precision medicine” and wondered how it relates to you. Precision medicine is about finding your unique disease risks and treatments that will work best for you. Here are some ways that a precision medicine approach can protect your health:

• Using Family Health History: If you have a family health history of certain diseases, you are more likely to get that disease than someone without that family history. Knowing about your family health history can help you and your doctor take steps to prevent disease or find it early. In some cases, your doctor might recommend genetic counseling to help you decide whether to have genetic testing for a disease that runs in your family.
• Screening for Diseases Before You Get Sick: Currently, all newborns in the United States are screened for certain medical conditions at birth as part of newborn screening. Screening helps doctors find and treat these babies early, often before they get sick. Babies with certain newborn screening conditions need specific treatments, which can include following a special diet or taking medications.
• Tailoring Prevention: Most common diseases like cancer and heart disease are due to a combination of lifestyle and genetic factors. However, some people have inherited conditions that make them more likely to get a disease, and these people could benefit from targeted interventions. Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation are more likely to get breast or ovarian cancer, and men with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation have an increased risk for some cancers as well. People with Lynch syndrome are more likely to get colorectal (colon) cancer. People with familial hypercholesterolemia are more likely to develop heart disease at a younger age and to die from the disease. However, if you have one of these conditions which makes you more likely to get a disease, knowing about it can allow you to take steps to prevent the disease or find it early. These steps can include screening earlier or more often, taking medications, or surgery.."

Precision medicine

Keep Kids E-Cigarette Free

"Know the risks of e-cigarettes for kids.

Have you seen your kid’s USB flash drive lately? It could actually be an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) containing nicotine. E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. middle and high school students, and USB-shaped e-cigarettes are increasing in popularity. As parents prepare to send their kids back to school, take time to learn more about the dangers of e-cigarettes for young people.

What are e-cigarettes?

E-cigarettes are electronic devices that produce an aerosol by heating a liquid. E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold a liquid. Some e-cigarettes are made to look like regular cigarettes, while some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items. Larger e-cigarettes such as tank systems, or “mods,” do not resemble other tobacco products. E-cigarettes are known by many different names. They are sometimes called “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems.” Using an e-cigarette is sometimes called “vaping” or “JUULing.”

Flavored e-cigarettes are very popular, especially among young people. More than 8 of every 10 youth aged 12-17 years who use e-cigarettes said they use flavored e-cigarettes. More than 9 of every 10 young adult e-cigarette users said they use e-cigarettes flavored to taste like menthol, alcohol, candy, fruit, chocolate, or other sweets

How do e-cigarettes work?

E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol. Users inhale this aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales it into the air. E-cigarette devices can also be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs...."
E-Cigarettes

Diabetes & Mental Health

"Is mental health pretty low on your list of priorities for managing diabetes? This may change your mind.
Mental health affects so many aspects of daily life—how you think and feel, handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. You can see how having a mental health problem could make it harder to stick to your diabetes care plan.

The Mind-Body Connection

Thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and attitudes can affect how healthy your body is. Untreated mental health issues can make diabetes worse, and problems with diabetes can make mental health issues worse. But fortunately if one gets better, the other tends to get better, too.

Depression: More Than Just a Bad Mood

Depression is a medical illness that causes feelings of sadness and often a loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy. It can get in the way of how well you function at work and home, including taking care of your diabetes. When you aren’t able to manage your diabetes well, your risk goes up for diabetes complications like heart disease and nerve damage.

People with diabetes are 2 to 3 times more likely to have depression than people without diabetes. Only 25% to 50% of people with diabetes who have depression get diagnosed and treated. But treatment—therapy, medicine, or both—is usually very effective. And without treatment, depression often gets worse, not better.

Symptoms of depression can be mild to severe, and include:

• Feeling sad or empty
• Losing interest in favorite activities
• Overeating or not wanting to eat at all
• Not being able to sleep or sleeping too much
• Having trouble concentrating or making decisions
• Feeling very tired
• Feeling hopeless, irritable, anxious, or guilty
• Having aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems
• Having thoughts of suicide or death.."
  Diabetes & mental health

CDC’s Tracking Network in Action: Extreme Heat

"Extremely hot weather can make you sick. Stay cool and hydrated to protect yourself. The Tracking Network provides data and tools that you can use to see how extreme heat may affect your health.

CDC’s Environmental Public Health Tracking Network (Tracking Network) is a dynamic surveillance system that provides information and data about environmental hazards and the health problems that may be related to them. It presents what we know about where environmental hazards exist, where exposures happen, and how targeted action can protect health, reduce illness, and save lives. The Tracking Network is a unique resource that brings together environmental and health information that cannot be found, or is hard to find, anywhere else.

Extreme Heat and Your Health

Extreme heat events, or heat waves, are one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths in the United States. When temperatures rise in the summer, extremely hot weather can cause sickness or even death. Heat stress is heat-related illness caused by your body’s inability to cool down properly. The body normally cools itself by sweating. But under some conditions, sweating just isn’t enough. In such cases, a person’s body temperature rises rapidly. Very high body temperatures may damage the brain or other vital organs.

Extremely hot weather can make you sick. Stay cool and hydrated to protect yourself..."
Extreme heat

Disaster Planning: Infant and Child Feeding

"Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, and tornados, can make it hard for parents and caregivers to feed their infants and young children safely. Follow these tips to feed your child safely when disaster strikes.

For Parents and Caregivers

In the event of a natural disaster, be prepared for challenges, which may include power outages, unhealthy living spaces, and unsafe water. Always check with local authorities on the status of the drinking water and follow boil water advisories. The following tips provide specific information for how to feed your young child safely during an emergency.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding remains the best infant feeding option in a natural disaster situation. Breast milk helps protect babies from diseases such as diarrhea and respiratory infections and provides the calories and nutrients babies need. This protection is especially important during natural disasters when contaminated water and unsanitary environments can increase the risk of disease. Before a disaster happens, breastfeeding mothers can make a plan[1.3 MB] and be prepared.

• Wash your hands before feeding your infant. If soap and safe water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Learn how to express breast milk by hand. If there is a power outage, you may not be able to use your electric breast pump.
• Continue breastfeeding in emergencies.
• During and after a disaster, stay with your child. Staying together makes it much easier to continue breastfeeding..."
  Infant feeding and disaster

First round of Kavanaugh's White House documents released

[via The Hill]
"The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday publicly released its first tranche of documents from Brett Kavanaugh's work in the George W. Bush White House.

The batch being released, totaling more than 5,700 pages, is part of more than 125,000 pages given to the committee last week by the George W. Bush Presidential Library. The office of Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said they expect more of the documents to be cleared for public release over the next "several days.".."
Kavanaugh's White House documents

Resolution for Wartime Internment Resittution

"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....."
Wartime Internment

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Education

"Educational tools enabled by AI have recently attracted attention for their potential to improve education quality and enhance traditional teaching and learning methods. Although there is no single consensus definition, AI generally allows computers to perform tasks that are conventionally thought to require human intelligence. Congress may consider the benefits and risks of AI in classrooms, including the impact of AI on issues such as student data privacy, teacher preparation, and technology development and procurement.

Current Applications of AI in Classrooms Today, both startups and established companies seek to integrate AI into marketable products. In some cases, AI performs functions independently of teachers, while in others it augments teaching capabilities. Applications of AIbased education technology include the following:

 Tutoring. AI programs commonly referred to as Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) or adaptive tutors engage students in dialogue, answer questions, and provide feedback.
 Personalizing Learning. ITS and adaptive tutors tailor learning material, pace, sequence, and difficulty to each student’s needs. AI can also provide support for special needs students, for instance by teaching autistic children to identify facial expressions.
 Testing. Computer adaptive assessments adjust the difficulty of successive questions based on the accuracy of the student’s answers, enabling more precise identification of a student’s mastery level.
 Automating Tasks. AI can perform routine tasks such as taking attendance, grading assignments, and generating test questions.

As well, at least one public school district has partnered with a university to provide a K-12 AI program aimed at teaching students AI concepts and technologies..."
Artifical intelligence and education

Operation Safe Gate: Put An End To Automatic Security Gate Tragedies

"CPSC’s Operation Safe Gate wants to put an end to preventable tragedies caused by automatic security gates.

While the good news is that deaths and injuries have gone down dramatically since the tougher Underwriters Laboratories 325 (UL 325) took effect in 2000, incidents and deaths still happen.

CPSC estimates that there are about 300 emergency room injuries each year due to automatic gates. Many of the injuries have been serious and resulted in cuts, broken bones, hematomas and amputations.  In addition, CPSC has received four tragic reports of fatalities in recent years, including an 8 year old, an 11 year old and a 12 year old.

The largest number of serious problems reported to CPSC generally occurs with public access gates around communities, condominiums and apartment buildings, which sometimes have older installations that do not meet current safety standards. You can also find these sliding and swinging gates at the entrances of private homes as well as commercial establishments. So what can you do?

Operation Safe Gate Safety Tips

If you live in a community where an automatic security gate is present, warn children of the dangers:

• NEVER play on or around automatic gates
• NEVER stick hands, legs or head through openings on gates. These are called entrapment zones or pinch points.
• Pedestrians should NEVER walk through an automated gate system that is intended for vehicle traffic only.
• A separate entrance for pedestrian traffic is a must.
• Make sure your gate bears the mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory such as “UL” or “ETL.."
  Automatic security gates