United States

Congressional Research Service

Lobbying the Executive Branch: Current Practices and Options for Change

Under the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) of 1995, as amended, individuals are required to register with the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate if they lobby either legislative or executive branch officials. In January 2009, Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner placed further restrictions on the ability of lobbyists to contact executive branch officials responsible for dispersing Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA, P.L. 110-243) funds. Subsequently, President Barack Obama and Peter Orszag, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), issued a series of memoranda between March and July 2009 that govern communication between federally registered lobbyists and executive branch employees administering American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5) funds.

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Federal Bureau of Investigation

FBI Electronic Recordkeeping Certification Manual

The mission of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is to uphold the law through the investigation of violations of federal criminal law; to protect the United States from foreign intelligence and terrorist activities; and to provide leadership and law enforcement assistance to federal, state, local and international agencies. Vital to the support of the FBI mission is the implementation of records management policies and procedures that ensure the proper creation, maintenance, use and disposition of records.

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Louisiana

Louisiana Hurricanes Gustav & Ike After Action Review

Gustav became a named storm the morning of August 25, 2008, approximately 260 miles southeast of Port-au-Prince, Haiti and became a hurricane early on August 26, 2008. The National Hurricane Center forecasted that Gustav would become a major hurricane impacting the State of Louisiana with up to 20 feet of water in our coastal communities. Due to the uncertainty of the track, all coastal at risk parishes in Louisiana including the City of New Orleans planned and executed evacuations totaling close to 2 million residents. This is the first time in the State’s history the entire coast of Louisiana has been threatened requiring local officials to call for mandatory evacuations. On August 27, 2008, Governor Bobby Jindal issued a state-wide Declaration of Emergency in preparation for Hurricane Gustav.

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Federal Bureau of Investigation

(U) Escalating Foreclosures Provide an Opportunity for Scammers

Recent statistics suggest that escalating foreclosures provide criminals the opportunity to exploit and defraud vulnerable homeowners seeking financial guidance. The perpetrators convince homeowners that they can save their homes from foreclosure through deed transfers and the payment of up-front fees. This “foreclosure rescue” often involves a manipulated deed process that results in the preparation of forged deeds. In extreme instances, perpetrators may sell the home or take out a second loan without the homeowners’ knowledge, stripping the property’s equity for personal enrichment.

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Department of Homeland Security

DHS Project Nemo Overview

*The growing number of SPSS vessels indicates that their stealthy characteristics and ability to carry many tons ofcocaine have helped them develop into what now seems to be a major component of the narcotics logistics chain•

* Colombian Navy believes that during the past two to three years, cocaine smuggling SPSS vessels have been arranged mostly by the drug trafficking factions of the FARC, probably in association with organized crime groups also involved in drug trafficking •

**Profit margin:–1 Kg of cocaine is sold in the US for ~$20 to $25,000 USD ($30 to $35,000 USD in Europe)

–7000 Kg of cocaine can be carried in a SPSS –Money earned: 7000 x 25,000 = $175 million USD

–Captain gets paid $20 to $25,000 USD per trip, other crew gets $5 to $6,000 USD per trip; Total crew cost ~$40,000 USD

–$1 to $2 million invested to build and run a SPSS is ~2 to 3% of the whole profit made

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Maryland

Reuse of N-95 Respirators Briefing Overview and Summary

1. Current stocks of disposable N-95 respirators will not be sufficient to meet demands within the health care community.

a. Increased number of sick individuals;

b. Decreased stores and available stock-on-hand;

c. Limited production with dependence on international production facilities;

d. Production and delivery may be impacted by staff and employee absenteeism;

e. The pandemic may result in the prolonged requirement for respiratory protection.

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Arkansas

Arkansas Multiyear Training and Exercise Plan

The purpose of the Multiyear Training and Exercise Plan (TEP) is to provide a follow-on companion document to the Arkansas Homeland Security Strategy. It is a living document that will be updated and refined annually. The Multiyear TEP provides a roadmap for Arkansas to follow in accomplishing the priorities described in the Homeland Security Strategy. Each priority is linked to a corresponding National Priority, and, if applicable, an Improvement Plan (IP) action. The priority is further linked to the associated target capabilities that would facilitate accomplishment of the priority and the training and exercises that will help the jurisdiction obtain those capabilities and achieve that priority. Included in the Multiyear TEP is the training and exercise schedule, which provides graphic illustration of the proposed activities, scheduled for the years 2007-2011.

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U.S. Army

U.S. Army RDECOM Environmental Acquisition and Logistics Sustainment Program

ESO Resource Management

* New Statement of Work for FY10 MIPRs
* FY10 funds are provided for program management, to include serving as the central point of contact to coordinate all environmental acquisition and logistics sustainment issues for [your command], participating on the EQT P2TT, coordinating bi-annual AERTA reviews, participating in technology project development and technology management plan reviews, providing direct support and coordination with supported PEOs/PMs, serving on environmental management teams and participating in programmatic and management review meetings as required by the Director, ESO and the Director, EALSP.
* FY10 funding levels similar to FY09
* CRA funding (~15%) has been distributed
* This is all we could get at RDECOM
* FY09 funding status

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U.S. Navy

Team Submarine Technology Insertion Hardware Full and Open Competition

• TI Hardware is a new competitive procurement
– It is notan extension of the legacy AN/UYQ-70 program
• TI Hardware will provide the latest generation of display, processor and network units to Team Submarine systems
– Host for the TI-12 and TI-14 Technology Insertions
• Anticipated components include
– Computer processing and memory
– Data storage and extraction
– Input/Output (I/O) interfaces to support the processing system designed around commercially available hardware and software
• Procurements may include
– Upgrade kits, enclosures and / or full up systems for Seawolf, SSGN, 688/688i, VIRGINIA Class, COLLINS Class and future submarine systems/platforms

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Department of Homeland Security

DHS Cyber Threat to the U.S.

Cyber Threat Branch Responsibilities

• Execute the responsibilities created by the Homeland Security Act of 2002:
– Access, receive, and analyze law enforcement, intelligence, and other information from federal, state, and local agencies and private sector entities to:
• Identify and assess the nature and scope of terrorist threats
• Detect and identify threats to the United States
• Understand threats in light of actual and potential vulnerabilities
– Carry out comprehensive assessments to determine the risk posed by terrorist attacks
• Outreach plays a critical role in the mission
– The CTB provides threat briefings and teleconferences to:
• Sector Coordinating Councils
• Government Coordinating Councils
• Key industry associations

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Government Accountability Office

Underfunded Pension Plans: $350 Million in Executive Compensation Shortly Before Termination

GAO found that 40 executives for 10 companies received approximately $350 million in pay and other compensation in the years leading up to the termination of their companies’ underfunded pension plans. GAO identified salaries, bonuses, and benefits provided to small groups of high-ranking executives at these companies during the 5 years leading up to the termination of their pension plans. For example, beyond the tens of millions in base salaries received, GAO found that executives also received millions of dollars in stock awards, income tax reimbursements, retention bonuses, severance packages, and supplemental executive-only retirement plans.

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Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program

SIGTARP October 2009 Quarterly Report to Congress

Systemically Significant Failing Institutions (“SSFI”) Program. Under the stated terms of the SSFI program, Treasury invests in systemically significant institutions to prevent their failure and the market disruption that would follow. As of September 30, 2009, Treasury, through SSFI, had made and is committed to make further investments in one institution — American International Group, Inc. (“AIG”). This support was provided through two transactions — $40 billion for the purchase of preferred stock from AIG to repay debt owed to the Federal Reserve and approximately $29.8 billion for an equity capital facility that AIG can draw on as needed. As of September 30, 2009, AIG had drawn down $3.2 billion in equity from the capital facility. See the “Systemically Significant Failing Institutions” portion of this section for a more detailed discussion of the AIG transactions.

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Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program

Maiden Lane III and Factors Affecting Efforts to Limit Payments to AIG Counterparties

In the fall of 2008, the Federal Reserve and Treasury faced several key decisions about the future of AIG. After attempts to find private-sector financing failed, they chose to provide assistance to AIG rather than allow the company to file for bankruptcy. FRBNY officials believed that an AIG failure would pose considerable risk to the entire financial system and would have significantly intensified an already severe financial crisis. FRBNY was concerned about the effect of an AIG bankruptcy on key sectors of the market, such as retirement accounts and the credit markets. FRBNY adopted in substantial part the economic terms of a draft term sheet under consideration by a consortium of private banks, the terms of which included a very high interest rate.

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U.S. Army

Army Team C4ISR BRAC Update

Guiding Principles

• The move will be transparent to the Soldiers engaged in combat operations and the civilians supporting them.
• We will do everything in our power, as limited by law, to mitigate the professional and personal turbulence of those members of the workforce that choose to move.
• We will do everything in our power, as limited by law, to assist the transition of the workforce that decides not to move.
• We will preserve and the culture, history and esprit de corps of the C4ISR Mission at Fort Monmouth.

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Multi-National Corps Iraq

Multi-National Corps Iraq Counter-IED Smart Book 2008

All personnel are to be moved away from the suspect item. Mark your location and note the direction and distance to the device. Move to a minimum distance of 300 meters from the suspect item. The Convoy Commander or Patrol Leader at the scene makes the decision on how large an area to clear based on METT-TC. Detonation may be imminent if the device was armed before being located. Personnel should make maximum use of hard cover, ensuring they are out of the direct Line of Site (LOS) from the suspect area to cleared positions. If cover cannot be obtained, maximize distance from the device.

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U.S. Pacific Command

USPACOM Energy Initiatives (U)

• Consistent with and supportive of:

– Nat’l Security Strategy
– Nat’l sea state change & new administration’s views on energy
– Nat’l Defense Strategy and other OSD policies/strategy
– PACOM mission, vision and priorities
– Service strategies
– Host nation and state policies/strategy
– Other COCOM energy strategies

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Department of Homeland Security

Secretary Napolitano Remarks on Immigration Reform at the Center for American Progress

So we all have to do our part to have a system that works. At the end of the day, when it comes to immigration, people need to be able to trust the system. Americans need to know that their government is committed to enforcing the law and securing the border—and that it takes this responsibility seriously. Law enforcement needs to have better legal tools and the necessary resources to deal with border-related and immigration-related crime. Businesses must be able find the workers they need here in America, rather than having to move overseas. Immigrants need to be able to plan their lives—they need to know that once we reform the laws, we’re going to have a system that works, and that the contours of our immigration laws will last. And they need to know that they will have as many responsibilities as they do rights.

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