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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

09/22/11 Introducing Town Residents To Ideas Not Yet Imagined, Issues Not Yet Confronted, Viewpoints Not Yet Expressed And To Articles Not Yet Written

Greenwich Roundup's daily aggregation of press releases, reports, and other news items from the web pages of 2,300 federal agencies, Capitol Hill offices, and interest groups (including thinktanks and watchdog organizations) of every imaginable purpose and persuasion.

Items that implicate a public policy issue are selected for the report without consideration of the viewpoints they express. No litmus test—partisan, ideological, theological or otherwise—is applied to the selection of news items.

Greenwich Roundup's daily reports consistently introduce town residents to ideas not yet imagined, issues not yet confronted, viewpoints not yet expressed and—most importantly—to articles not yet written.

Editor's Selections:

When you talk through a storm. The Federal Communications Commissionand the Federal Emergency Management Agency co-wrote a how-to guide for finding and communicating with family members during and after a natural disaster. Among other things, the agencies say it is much better to use Facebook and Twitter than to clog up the 911 emergency system. The list includes tips that are often overlooked when preparing for a disaster.

Palestine backgrounders. The Congressional Research Service released a pair of reports at the end of last month that provides Congress with background information about U.S. relations with Palestine, and the foreign aid that the U.S. has provided to Palestine. Note: CRS reports are not distributed to the public or the news media.


White House


President
Remarks with President Sarkozy of France

Remarks with U.K. Prime Minister Cameron

Remarks with U.N. Secy. General Ban Ki-moon

Remarks with President Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative

Remarks with Prime Minister Noda of Japan

Remarks with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu

Remarks to the U.N. General Assembly

Statement on the release of Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal from Iran

Presidential Memorandum
Message to Congress regarding the continuation of the national emergency with respect to persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism

Presidential Proclamation
National Hispanic-serving Institutions Week

Press Secretary
Fact sheet: The U.S. commitment to breaking down barriers to women's economic and political participation

U.S. Trade Representative
Fifth meeting of the U.S. - Pakistan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Council

Federal Courts


2nd Circuit Court of Appeals
US v. al Kassar (Upholds conviction of three who were arrested in sting operation trying to sell anti-aircraft missiles to a terrorist organization)

4th Circuit Court of Appeals
al Shirami v. CACI International (Orders dismissal of case brought by four Iraqi citizens who claim they were tortured by civilian contractors at Abu Ghraib prison)

Taylor v. Kellogg Brown & Root Services Inc.(Revives lawsuit brought by Marine who was electrocuted when a civilian contractor threw open a switch)

al-Quraishi v. L-3 Services Inc. (Orders dismissal of complaint brought by 72 Iraqis who claim they were tortured by civilian contractors at Abu Ghraib and 20 other prisons)

9th Circuit Court of Appeals
Father M v. Various Tort Claimants (Confidential bankruptcy documents revealing priest's sexual abuse of children were properly disclosed)

11th Circuit Court of Appeals
Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc. v. The Unidentified Shipwrecked Vessel (Vessel sunk in 1804 in international waters is a Spanish war vessel that must be returned to Spain under federal laws and foreign treaties)

Executive Departments


Commerce

Bureau of Economic Analysis
Spending on travel and tourism increased at an annual rate of 2.5% in the second quarter

Defense
Contract announcements for September 21

Air Force
Air Forces Africa commander shares challenges and concerns

Defense Casualties
Army Spc. Ryan J. Cook,29, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

Army Staff Sgt. Estevan Altamirano, 30, of Edcouch, Texas

Defense Security Cooperation Agency
Notified Congress of a possible sale of a pilot training program to Taipei

Notified Congress of a possible sale of retrofitting for F-16A/B aircraft to Taipei

Notified Congress of a possible sales order II (FMSO II) to Taipei

Notified Congress of a possible sale of howitzers, radars and ammunition to Saudi Arabia

Education
Federal partners pledge to continue work at second annual bullying prevention summit

Energy
Announces $17 million to bolster university-led nuclear energy research and development

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Announces a new energy efficiency milestone

Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Preparing for America's next flu challenge

National Cancer Institute
Stanford discovery of gene fusion in ovarian cancer could lead to earlier diagnoses

Study finds blood pressure drugs may lengthen lives of melanoma patients

Beth Israel study shows candid discussion regarding sexuality can improve the quality of life for prostate cancer survivors

National Center for Health Statistics
Early release of estimates on health insurance coverage from the National Health Interview Survey, January - March 2011

Early release of selected estimates based on data from the National Health Interview Survey, January - March 2011

National Institute on Aging
Landmark studies reveal genetic mutation is linked to inherited forms of ALS and dementia

Homeland Security

Federal Emergency Management Agency
Reconciling the Endangered Species Act and the National Flood Insurance Program in Puget Sound

Unveils with the FCC a new tip sheet for consumers on how to communicate during disasters

Housing and Urban Development
Awards $8.8 million to improve housing and services for AIDs families

Interior
Announces release of Klamath Dam removal studies

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement
Awards $500,000 for technical study on Arctic Sea ice

Fish and Wildlife Service
Proposes to repeal exemption of generic tigers from registration under the captive-bred wildlife program

Justice
Atty. General Holder speaks to the Institute of International and European Affairs

Testimony before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism

Texas correctional officer pleads guilty to using excessive force

Civil Division
Alabama defense contractor to pay $200,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations

NASA contractor to pay $800,000 to resolve False Claims Act liability in service-disabled veteran-owned small business fraud

Civil Rights Division
Sends to Congress legislative proposals to strengthen existing laws protecting service members

Criminal Division
Ten Miami residents plead guilty in $25 million home health Medicare fraud scheme

Rhode Island Mafia member is sentenced in murder-for-hire case

U.S. Attorney - Maryland
Police officer pleads guilty to extortion scheme involving the distribution of untaxed cigarettes

U.S. Attorney - New York Southern
Man is sentenced to prison for insider trading

Labor

Occupational Safety & Health Administration
Sues Massachusetts dentist for firing employee who raised concerns about contaminated needle disposal

Issues updated whistleblower investigations manual

State
Secy. Clinton statement on the release of Shane Bauer and Joshua Fattal from Iran

Interest Groups


Agriculture
Public Interest Research Group
Farm subsidies pay for 19 Twinkies per taxpayer but only a quarter of an apple apiece

Climate

Earth Justice
Bills exempt cement plants, industrial boilers, and waste-burning plants from pollution safeguards
Union of Concerned Scientists
TRAIN Act is a colossal waste of money and an attempt to delay regulations

Crime

RAND Corporation
Crime rises when medical marijuana dispensaries close

Economy

National Association of Realtors
Existing-home sales increased in August

World Economic Forum
Confidence is severely lacking in the state of the global economy

Education

Council for Exceptional Children
Ignoring top-performing students impacts America’s prosperity

Fordham Institute
Report: Do high flyers maintain their altitude? Performance trends of top students

Energy

Natural Resources Defense Council
Modest improvements can extend life of Alaska pipeline by decades

Lives are at stake in House GOP’s campaign to strip basic environmental protections

Ethics

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Seeks dismissal of Sen. John Edwards' indictment; being loathsome isn't illegal

First Amendment

Public Citizen
Law school has not justified unmasking identity of critic

Radio Television Digital News Association
Milwaukee police needs to drop charges against photojournalist

Rutherford Institute
Challenges biometric photo requirement for Oklahoma drivers’ licenses

Freedom of Information Act

Brennan Center for Justice
New York City Police Department needs to hand over records on the department’s domestic intelligence gathering operations

Health & medicine

Generic Pharmaceutical Association
Savings from generic prescriptions reached $158 billion in 2010

Homeland security

American Civil Liberties Union
Federal appeals court allows ACLU challenge to warrantless wiretapping law to proceed

Housing

National Low Income Housing Coalition
Senate should act on voucher reform legislation

Middle East

Statements regarding President Obama's call for resumption of direct Israeli-Palestinian peace talks during address to the United Nations General Assembly:

American Jewish Committee

Americans for Peace Now

Anti-Defamation League

B'nai B'rith International

Human Rights First

National Security Network

Military

Pew Charitable Trusts
Department of Defense is accelerating clean energy innovation to save lives and money

Report: From barracks to the battlefield: Clean energy innovation and America’s armed forces

Public lands

Center for American Progress
Report: The jobs case for conservation: Creating opportunity through stewardship of America’s public lands

Regulations

Business Roundtable
Reforming the federal regulatory process will expand business and create jobs

Report: Achieving smarter regulation

National Federation of Independent Business
New Dept. of Labor rule threatens small business access to legal counsel

Sexuality

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Attacks on Defense of Marriage Act threaten marriage and church-state relations

Independent Agencies

Broadcasting Board of Governors
Alhurra TV nearly doubles its audience in Egypt

Federal Communications Commission
Tip sheet: Tips for communicating before, during and after disasters

Federal Reserve Board
Announces plan to purchase $400 billion of Treasury securities to contain inflationary pressures and put downward pressure on long-term interest rates

National Science Foundation
Awards $21 million in grants for studies of coupled natural and human systems

Securities and Exchange Commission
Charges Goldman Sachs employee and father with insider trading

Tennessee Valley Authority
Seeks public comment on environmental review of Kansas wind site

U.S. International Trade Commission
Institutes patent infringement investigation on certain digital photo frame and image display devices and components

Congressional Agencies

Congressional Research Service
The Palestinians: Background and U.S. relations (August 30)

U.S. foreign aid to the Palestinians (August 29)

Oman: Reform, security, and U.S. policy (August 26)

Government Accountability Office
Inspectors General: Reporting on independence, effectiveness and expertise


Federal departments (continued)

Transportation

Federal Highway Administration
New freight traffic data point to more congestion on key highways

Federal Railroad Administration
Announces $31 million to improve rail service in Washington State

Treasury
Announces public offerings of warrants to purchase common stock of SunTrust Banks, Inc.

Announces sale of four SBA 7(a) securities

Testimony before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade

Internal Revenue Service
Issues guidance to further implement tax return preparer oversight

Announces new worker classification settlement program for employers

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