Chief Information Officers (CIOs): Agency Roles and Responsibilities
In the course of fulfilling their missions, federal agencies constantly consume, create, use, and store information from a variety of sources, media formats, and technology platforms. In response to c...
Biodiversity and Conservation in Tanzania
Tanzania is rich in biodiversity and is home to several iconic species, including elephants, lions, black rhinoceros, and giraffes. Tanzania hosts 6 of 25 globally designated biodiversity hotspots and...
The Creation of Presidential Records
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The Creation of
Presidential Records
Information as of July 30, 2024. Prepared by Meghan M. Stuessy, Analyst in Government Organization and Management, and
Jamie Bush, Visual Information Specialist....
Space Resource Extraction: Overview and Issues for Congress
Many in Congress have expressed interest in opportunities to extract resources (e.g., oxygen, water, precious metals) from the Moon, Mars, and asteroids—an activity often referred to as space resource...
Australia: Background and U.S. Relations
Overview
Australia’s relationship with the United States, forged as allies in all major U.S. wars, remains close. The two countries enjoy close trade, political, cultural, intelligence, and defense re...
Smithsonian Institution: Background, Entities, and Leadership
Congress created the Smithsonian Institution in 1846, 10 years after it agreed to accept the bequest of James Smithson, an English scientist who died in 1829. Smithson left the bulk of his estate to t...
The Army Clause, Part 1: Overview and Historical Background
This Legal Sidebar is the first in a five-part series that discusses the U.S. Constitution’s Army Clause, found in Article I, Section 8, clause 12, which authorizes the federal government to raise and...
Israel and Houthis in Yemen: Attacks Highlight Regional Conflict Risks
On July 19, 2024, the Ansar Allah/Houthi movement, an Iran-backed force that controls parts of Yemen, attacked Tel Aviv, Israel (see Figure 1) using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The Israeli gove...
The Army Clause, Part 3: Appropriations, Conscription, and War Materials
This Legal Sidebar is the third in a five-part series that discusses the Constitution’s Army Clause, which allows for the federal government to raise and support armies while also allowing for congres...
The Eighth Amendment and Homelessness: Supreme Court Upholds Camping Ordinances in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson
On June 28, 2024, the Supreme Court released its opinion in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, holding that laws that regulate camping on public property do not violate the Eighth Amendment. The Eighth ...
Harrington v. Purdue Pharma: Supreme Court Holds That a Chapter 11 Reorganization Plan Cannot Include a Nonconsensual Release of Claims Against Non-Debtors
On June 27, 2024, the Supreme Court held in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma that the U.S. Bankruptcy Code does not permit a Chapter 11 reorganization plan to include a release of legal claims against non-...