Constitution: government and the state Books

Book SynopsisAfrica is home to many of the world''s fastest-growing economies. This powerful book traces new continental institutions for development and their capacity to affect economic growth, regional integration, and international cooperation in Africa. It also assesses Africa''s ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union''s Agenda 2063. As the continent''s most ambitious development initiative since independence, the African Union Development Agency (or AUDA, previously known as the New Partnership for Africa''s Development or NEPAD) provides an excellent case study for examining how an African-based, continent-wide development institution emerged. Inspired by the ideas of Pan-Africanism and the African renaissance, NEPAD was created to bring Africa into the globalizing world, to close the gap between developing and developed countries, to enhance economic growth, and to eradicate poverty. Almost two decades after NEPAD''s creation and given its transformation Trade Review'… a book for policymakers that would also be helpful to students and scholars with a working knowledge of the African Union.' Ben Jones, African Studies ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction: the African Union Development Agency and Africa's transformation in the twenty-first century: innovation or continuity?; 1. An analytical framework to explain the origin, development, and effects of AUDA; 2. The foundations and first generations of structural adjustment programs; 3. Partial reorientation of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank discourse and the creation of AUDA; 4. AUDA and international financial institutions: change or continuity?; 5. AUDA in the twenty-first century: evolution, implementation of key programs, institutional development, and inter-state coperation; 6. Financing Africa's development in the twenty-first century: assessment and perspectives of AUDA's resource mobilization strategy; 7. The way forward to transforming Africa by 2030/2063: resource mobilization, financing, and capacity-building strategies for effective delivery of the sustainable development goals and the African Union Agenda 2063; Conclusion: continental development fifteen years after the creation of AUDA: theoretical and practical implications.

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Book SynopsisDrawing upon unique and unprecedented survey data, this book shows how and why Brexit has changed British politics. Recommended reading for anyone wanting to better understand the political reality of Britain in the age of Brexit.Table of ContentsPart I. The Short Term: 1. Welcome to Brexit Britain; 2. Getting Brexit done; 3. Political paralysis – The 2017 general election; 4. The collapsing party system – The 2019 European elections; 5. The Johnson break through – The 2019 general election; Part II. The Long Term: 6. Time and the fragmenting party system; 7. Space and the fragmenting party system; 8. Who is responsible? The dynamics of accountability; Part III. The Future: 9. A disaster or a damp squib? The economic effects of Brexit; 10. Brexit Britain, Covid Britain – The political fallout.

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Book SynopsisExploring the story of Africa''s contemporary history and politics through the lens of peacekeeping, this concise and accessible book, based on over a decade of research across ten countries, focuses not on peacekeeping in Africa but, rather, peacekeeping by Africans. Going beyond the question of why post-conflict states contribute troops to peacekeeping efforts, Jonathan Fisher and Nina Wilén demonstrate how peacekeeping is and has been weaved into Africa''s national, regional and international politics more broadly, as well as what implications this has for how we should understand the continent, its history and its politics. In doing so, and drawing on fieldwork undertaken in every region of the continent, Fisher and Wilén explain how profoundly this involvement in peacekeeping has shaped contemporary Africa.Trade Review'This perceptive and innovative account provides vital insights into an important and under-researched aspect of peacekeeping: why and how African states became hosts of peacekeeping missions and at the same time providers of peacekeepers. In short, what has peacekeeping meant for the continent broadly speaking? With their deep understanding of peacekeeping, African politics and history, Fisher and Wilén are perfectly positioned to answer this question. They have crafted a book that is essential reading for anyone who is interested in contemporary peacekeeping, especially those who want to go to a deeper level than narrowly understand the impact of missions as they deploy.' Peter Albrecht, Danish Institute for International Studies'African Peacekeeping is a well-researched and innovatively written book providing critical analysis on peacekeeping by Africans. Wilén and Fisher delve into pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial African histories to provide a fascinating perspective on how peacekeeping is weaved into national, regional and international politics. What readers get from African Peacekeeping goes beyond the obvious, to the subject of the African state, dovetailing critically into the continent and its politics. Compelling reading from start to finish!' Emma Birikorang, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre'This is a comprehensive and historically rich account of African peacekeeping that will make a lasting contribution to scholarship. What sets this book apart from others on the market is the careful comparative analysis of the key roles that contributions to African-led peace operations play in the foreign policymaking of African states. This deepens our understanding of how, over time, African actors' importance to peacekeeping has also translated into strengthened international relationships and more leverage in global policymaking. Read this compelling and lucid overview, and you will have gained a very good grasp of the global and evolving practice of peacekeeping.' Linnéa Gélot, Folke Bernadotte AcademyTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. The (pre-) history and evolution of African peacekeeping; 2. New means of staying in power: regime maintenance through peacekeeping; 3. From the local to the global: the connection between the domestic and the international; 4. Constructing a new identity as a peacekeeper; 5. From peacekept to peacekeeper: post-conflict peacekeeping; 6. What is 'African' about African peacekeeping?; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisSince its independence from Britain in 1960, Nigeria has emerged as Africa''s second largest economy and one of the biggest producers of oil in the world. Despite its economic success, however, there are deep divisions among its two hundred and fifty ethnic groups. Centered around three of the dominant themes of Nigeria''s post-colonial narrative - ethnicity, democracy and governance, this is an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the history and events that have shaped these three areas. World-renowned expert in Nigerian history, Toyin Falola shows us how the British laid the foundations of modern Nigeria, with colonialism breading competition for resources and power and the widening cleavages between the Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo ethnic groups that had been forced together under British rule, the choice of federalism as a political system, and the religious and political pluralism that have shaped its institutions and practices. Using an examination of the outcomes of tTrade Review'Another great book from one of Nigeria's finest scholars. Falola has brought together under one cover answers to all the questions anyone may want to ask about Nigeria but have never been able to frame up in a question. This book will put us in Falola's debt for quite a long time.' Abiodun Alao, Professor of African Studies, King's College London'This book provides one of the most comprehensive and insightful analysis of the complexities of democracy, development, and state-building in Nigeria. Going beyond narratives of post-colonial dysfunction, this book highlights the contradictions, ambiguities, and positive potentials of Africa's most populous country. The depth of analysis and policy prescriptions make the book essential reading for anyone who seeks to understand modern Nigeria.' Bonny Ibhawoh, Senator William McMaster Chair in Global Human Rights, McMaster University'In this magisterial volume, Africa's foremost historian and theoretician weaves a mesmerizing meta-narrative and meta-theory of Africa's largest democracy and economy, Nigeria. Comprehensively capturing yet transcending the dominant scholarship, Falola's triadic framework explains Nigeria's dialectic progress and retrogression. This is the definitive text for a new generation of scholars.' Olajumoke Yacob-Haliso, Dean, Veronica Adeleke School of Social Sciences, Babcock University, NigeriaTable of ContentsPart I. Introduction: 1. Narrating Postcolonial Nigeria; 2. In Search of Modernity; Part II. Context and History: 3. Colonial Modernity; 4. Political Pluralism; 5. Religious Identities; 6. Federalism and Its Fault-Lines; Part III. Democracy and Governance: 7. Ethnicities and Political Identities; 8. Religion and Geopolitics; 9. Democracy and Its Limits; 10. Governance, Citizenship and the State: Part IV. Development Crises: 11. Corruption; 12. The Political Economy of Oil; 13. Environment and Sustainable Development; 14. Food, Society, and Human Capabilities; 15. Women's Marginalization; 16. Human and Minority Rights; 17. Political Violence; 18. Challenges of Western Education; Part V: Reforms and Revolutions: 19. Change Agents: Youths and Politics; 20. Hashtags and Social Protests: Reformation and Revolution in the Age of Social Media; 21. Reformist Option: Grassroots and Political Activism; 22. Revolutionary Option: Social Movements and Power to the Citizens; 23. Nationalist Ethos, Collective Reformation, and Citizenry Power; 24. Popular Culture and Politics; Part VI. Conclusion: Pathways to the Future.

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Book SynopsisThe evolution of the battle for true equality in America seen through the men, ideas, and politics behind the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments passed at the end of the Civil War. On July 4, 1852, Frederick Douglass stood in front of a crowd in Rochester, New York, and asked, What to the slave is the Fourth of July? The audience had invited him to speak on the day celebrating freedom, and had expected him to offer a hopeful message about America; instead, he'd offered back to them their own hypocrisy. How could the Constitution defend both freedom and slavery? How could it celebrate liberty with one hand while withdrawing it with another? Theirs was a country which promoted and even celebrated inequality. From the very beginning, American history can be seen as a battle to reconcile the large gap between America's stated ideals and the reality of its republic. Its struggle is not one of steady progress toward greater freedom and equality, but rather for every s

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Book SynopsisThe EU''s emergence as an international security provider, under the first Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) operations in the Balkans in 2003, is a critical development in European integration. In this book, which relies on extensive interviews with CSDP officials, Michael E. Smith investigates how the challenge of launching new CSDP operations causes the EU to adapt itself in order to improve its performance in this realm, through the mechanism of experiential institutional learning. However, although this learning has helped to expand the overall range and complexity of the CSDP, the effectiveness of this policy tool still varies widely depending on the nature of individual operations. The analysis also calls in to question whether the CSDP, and the EU''s broader structures under the 2009 Treaty of Lisbon, are fit for purpose in light of the EU''s growing strategic ambitions and the various security challenges facing Europe in recent years.Trade Review'This is a first-rate study of CSDP, which stands out from much of the competition due to its clarity and its focus upon the important interlinkages (or occasional lack thereof) between security cooperation, policy and task expansion, and institutional change. Smith is also to be commended on providing the reader with his analysis of the Global Strategy and the ramifications of 'Brexit' for the future of CSDP.' Simon Duke, European Institute of Public Administration'This is a must-read for anybody interested in EU security and defense policy. Professor Michael E. Smith provides the most detailed overview of the evolution of European crisis management operations thus far. His argument that much of the evolution can be explained by 'learning' is interesting and persuasive.' Marina E. Henke, Northwestern University'One of the best things I have read on this important topic.' Anand Menon, King's College London'Indispensable reading for anyone interested in processes of international and European security cooperation.' Sophie Vanhoonacker, Maastricht University'An excellent job of highlighting the weaknesses and strengths, limits, and potential of security and defense cooperation in the EU.' Stanley Sloan, Scowcroft Centre/Atlantic Council of the United States and Middlebury CollegeTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Experiential institutional learning and the CSDP; 2. The first CSDP actions: taking over from the UN and NATO in the Balkans; 3. Independent military peacekeeping operations; 4. Civilian police and monitoring missions; 5. Rule of law and security sector reform missions; 6. The EU as a maritime actor: EUNAVFOR Somalia; 7. The CSDP and the comprehensive approach under the Lisbon Treaty; 8. Conclusion: security, strategy, and the EU's global role.

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Book SynopsisIn 2015 the Supreme Court made history by ruling that the constitution protects the right of same-sex couples to get married. The third edition of perhaps the most influential book on the subject explains the Court''s reasoning and what the consequences of the decision have been. The book also explains why the Supreme Court declined to rule that a ban on same-sex marriage was irrational or hateful or that the ban was an indirect form of gender discrimination. Instead, the Court ruled that there is a fundamental constitutional right to marry that covers same-sex couples. The book discusses the dissent''s claims that the decision will lead to constitutional protection for polygamy. It also covers the controversy over whether there should be special laws that allow religious business owners not to serve same-sex couples who are married. This book is free of jargon and is accessible to anyone interested in same-sex equality, the Supreme Court or constitutional law generally.Trade Review'Evan Gerstmann's constitutional claim for marriage equality, visionary when it was first published in 2002, proved prophetic - and now, in this new edition, proffers a roadmap for advocates of fundamental-rights jurisprudence in the twenty-first century. Learned, impassioned, and rigorously argued, Same-Sex Marriage and the Constitution stands as touchstone scholarship on gay marriage - or, as we call it today, 'marriage.' Jonathan Rauch, Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution, and author of Gay Marriage: Why It Is Good for Gays, Good for Straights, and Good for America'Evan Gerstmann presents a carefully crafted, highly nuanced, and up-to-date argument about same-sex marriage. At the same time, he carefully considers the implications of the issue for crucial and timely issues of constitutional interpretation.' Harry Hirsch, Oberlin College, Ohio'Professor Evan Gerstmann saw same-sex marriage coming and he sees same-sex marriage staying. His work is the rare combination of sophisticated doctrinal, normative, and political analysis.' Mark Graber, University System of Maryland Regents Professor, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of LawTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Reason and prejudice: is a heterosexual monopoly on marriage rational?; 3. Looking for stricter scrutiny: sexism, heterosexism, and class-based equal protection; 4. The fundamental right to marry; 5. Same-sex marriage and the fundamental right to marry; 6. Should courts create new rights?; 7. Identifying fundamental rights; 8. Democracy, neutrality, and consistency of principle; 9. Principles and practicalities: the road to same-sex marriage.

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Book SynopsisSeventy-five percent of Americans claim religious affiliation, which can impact their taxpaying responsibilities. In this illuminating book, Samuel D. Brunson describes the many problems and breakdowns that can occur when tax meets religion in the United States, and shows how the US government has too often responded to these issues in an unprincipled, ad hoc manner. God and the IRS offers a better framework to understand tax and religion. It should be read by scholars of religion and the law, policymakers, and individuals interested in understanding the implications of taxation on their religious practices.Trade Review'God and the IRS proceeds from the assumption that tax law is inherently interesting and that its attempts to accommodate religious practices are profoundly important. To see what a free society truly values, we must understand how it navigates the numerous tensions between private belief and public obligation. Whether he is talking about Muslim mortgages, Mormon missionaries, or Methodist parsonages, Samuel D. Brunson writes with patience, humor, and clarity. One need not be an attorney or a tax expert to profit from this book, just an engaged and intellectually curious citizen.' Michael Austin, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of Evansville, Indiana'When and how should the tax system accommodate religious practice? Samuel D. Brunson does a great job tackling this important but difficult topic, addressing some of the most common ways in which conflicts arise and offering a framework for deciding future cases. This book should appeal to anyone interested in tax law, religion, or both.' Adam Chodorow, Arizona State University'Samuel D. Brunson's comprehensive and informative new book pulls together a large quantity of historical, legal, and other resources that illustrate how United States tax law accommodates religious practice. Brunson develops a much-needed framework for evaluating tax accommodation of religious practice. This book is an invaluable resource for scholars working at the intersection of tax law and religion.' Shuyi Oei, Boston College Law School'Drawing on a superb mastery of tax law and the historical nuances of many religious traditions, Samuel D. Brunson compellingly argues for a re-examination of American policies at the points where religion and taxation collide. His nuanced and learned proposal for reform should be studied by policy makers, political scientists, sociologists, legal scholars, historians of religion, and anyone concerned about the relationship between money, government, and religious practice in the American context.' Stephen C. Taysom, Cleveland State UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Religion and the state; 2. On making the tax law; 3. Accommodation in the intersection of religious practice and the tax law; 4. Taxing citizens of the Kingdom of God; 5. Housing clergy; 6. Neither a borrower nor a lender be; 7. Deductible contribution or purchase of religious benefit; 8. A right to tithe?; 9. Without purse, scrip, or taxes; 10. Religious communitarians; 11. A framework for religious tax accommodation.

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Book SynopsisBetween 2002 and 2013, bilateral donors spent over $64 billion on AIDS intervention in low- and middle-income countries. During the same period, nearly 25 million died of AIDS and more than 32 million were newly infected with HIV. In this book for students of political economy and public policy in Africa, as well as global health, Kim Yi Dionne tries to understand why AIDS interventions in Africa often fail. The fight against AIDS requires the coordination of multiple actors across borders and levels of governance in highly affected countries, and these actors can be the primary sources of the problem. Dionne observes misaligned priorities along the global chain of actors, and argues this misalignment can create multiple opportunities for failure. Analyzing foreign aid flows and public opinion polls, Dionne shows that while the international community highly prioritizes AIDS, ordinary Africans view AIDS as but one of the many problems they face daily.Trade Review'In this sophisticated and insightful book, Kim Yi Dionne illuminates the challenges to global intervention against AIDS in Africa. With multi-method research and rich data, Dionne convincingly shows the disconnect between the priorities of international donors and the intended beneficiaries of aid and she argues that global intervention is undermined when donor priorities are privileged over citizens' priorities.' Dominika Koter, Colgate University, New York'Dionne uses fascinating cases across a number of sub-Saharan African countries to demonstrate how the mismatch between donor and citizen priorities limits the effectiveness of HIV programming, as does the sheer number of actors involved at multiple levels of governance. One of the book's key contributions is its attention to AIDS interventions at the subnational level, particularly the role of village headmen, which Dionne situates with rich detail in what she aptly calls the global supply chain of AIDS interventions.' Rachel Sullivan Robinson, American University, Washington, DC'Drawing on extensive fieldwork in Malawi, Dionne offers a provocative warning to the international AIDS community about the dangers of pushing policies without sufficient consultation and buy-in from local people who may have other priorities. This book will be of great interest to AIDS experts and development practitioners alike.' Joshua Busby, LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas, Austin and author of AIDS Drugs for All: Social Movements and Market Transformations (with Ethan Kapstein)'Despite the massive investment of international donors to support HIV/AIDS programs in Africa, there has been far too little investigation of the politics of the allocation of these resources. Building off more than a decade of research, Kim Yi Dionne fill this gap by demonstrating how the priorities of global health donors are oftentimes misaligned with those who benefit from these programs (citizens) and those who are often engaged implement these programs (communities). She demonstrates how misalignments of priorities have contributed to poor program outcomes and likely poor health outcomes. Notably, her book shines an important light on the little understood role of village headmen in Malawi in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The implications of her work are clear and apply to all global health programs, donors need to invest more to better understand the needs of citizens to make better use of stagnating global health aid.' Karen A. Grépin, Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario'This book will interest scholars in political science, public policy, public administration, development studies, public health, sociology, and anthropology. Its chapters provide an excellent and provocative introduction to the challenges and shortfalls of the AIDS response that would be suitable for undergraduate or graduate classes.' Lauren M. MacLean, Africa TodayTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. AIDS in Africa: a significant challenge and a disconnected response; 3. Principal-agent problems and AIDS interventions in Africa; 4. AIDS in Malawi; 5. Policy priorities in the time of AIDS; 6. Seeing like a village: headmen as agents of the global AIDS intervention; 7. Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisHow far did the European Union (EU) referendum result of 23 June 2016 really justify and necessitate the policies executed in response to it? What are the implications of that vote and its prolonged aftermath for the United Kingdom (UK) constitution? What other challenges does our political system face? This book seeks to answer these questions. It considers from a constitutional perspective the way in which the decision to leave the EU was taken and then implemented, discussing in particular the role of Parliament. It includes a close analysis of the referendum legislation, and relevant Commons debates. Adapting methods from applied history, the author considers the wider implications of Brexit by assessing a series of proposals for constitutional reform produced in the UK since 1900. He addresses features of the UK system including referendums, representative democracy, Parliament, devolution, and the executive, from both an historic and contemporary point of view. The book assesses other issues that do not arise directly from Brexit but that have constitutional implications and a global aspect to them. They include political applications of the Internet and climate change. Finally, the author makes a series of proposals for reforms that will help the democratic system of the UK to adapt to its changing environment.Trade ReviewStretching the Constitution by Andrew Blick, a constitutional scholar, is refreshing in that it employs a unique approach by seeking to place Brexit within the wider context of constitutional reform debates going back over the course of the past century... The historical context provided to contemporary debates is insightful, but also very instructive in introducing the modern reader to materials of which they would in many instances have been ignorant or unaware. Anyone who purports to be a scholar of constitutional affairs should read Stretching the Constitution. -- Dr Gary Wilson, Senior Lecturer in Law at Liverpool John Moores University * LSE Review of Books *Stretching the Constitution is insightful and thought-provoking. The book is recommended to scholars of constitutional affairs as well as to “political junkies” curious about the historical parallels and precedents behind the Brexit process. -- Donata Krakowski-White * Canadian Law Library Review *This book brutally dissects the democratic calamity our constitutional system brought upon itself through the European Union referendum of June 2016. But it also gives cause for optimism. By looking to the past, the author uncovers possible solutions to many of the dilemmas we face today. They range from the tension between direct and representative government to the abuse of online campaigning. All those concerned about the future of the United Kingdom constitution must read Blick’s latest work. -- Graham Allen, Visiting Professor, King’s College London. Chair of the House of Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, 2010–2015.Table of ContentsIntroduction Part 1: Brexit and the constitution Chapter 1 The constitutional connotations Chapter 2 The basis for the 2016 referendum: law, politics and the constitution Part 2: The Past and the Future Chapter 3 Multi-state organisations Chapter 4 Advocating the referendum Chapter 5 Representative democracy: reform and challenge Chapter 6 Programmes for Parliament Chapter 7 The territorial constitution Chapter 8 The executive: organisation, power and constraint Chapter 9 The digital constitution Conclusions

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Book SynopsisThe Administrative Procedure Act (APA) applies to all executive branch agencies, including so-called independent regulatory agencies. The APA prescribes procedures for agency actions such as rulemaking, as well as standards for judicial review of agency actions. Rulemaking is the agency process for formulating, amending, or repealing a rule, where a rule is defined as an agency statement of general or particular applicability and future effect designed to implement, interpret, or prescribe law or policy or describing the organisation, procedure, or practice requirements of an agency. This book provides an overview of federal rulemaking.

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Book SynopsisChapter 1 is intended for Congressional members and staff assisting grant seekers in districts and states and covers writing proposals for both government and private foundation grants. In preparation for writing a proposal, the chapter first discusses preliminary information gathering and preparation, developing ideas for the proposal, gathering community support, identifying funding resources, and seeking preliminary review of the proposal and support of relevant administrative officials. Members of Congress receive frequent requests from grant seekers needing funds for projects in districts and states. As reported in chapter 2, the congressional office should first determine its priorities regarding the appropriate assistance to give constituents, from providing information on grants programs to active advocacy of projects. Chapter 3 describes key sources of information on government and private funding, and outlines eligibility for federal grants. The subcommittee on intergovernmental affairs held a hearing to examine the management of Federal grant awards. Chapter 4 reports on the findings. Chapter 5 provides a brief overview of the federal government's authority to impose conditions on federal grant funding. It explains the constitutional basis of the federal government's power to condition funds, as well as the limits on this power that have been recognized in a long line of U.S. Supreme Court cases Chapter 6 provides information on current federal grants and loans that fund emergency communications, information on the application process, eligible communications activities, and other resources they can provide to constituents seeking federal grant and loan funding to support emergency communications projects. Chapter7 provides a historical synopsis of the evolving nature of the federal grants-in-aid system, focusing on the role Congress has played in defining the system's scope and nature. It begins with an overview of the contemporary federal grants-in-aid system and then examines its evolution over time, focusing on the internal and external factors that have influenced congressional decisions concerning the system's development. Chapter 8 discusses several questions that might be raised regarding the implementation of the executive order by federal grant-making agencies (also known as "federal awarding agencies) and the impact on federal grant funding for designated sanctuary jurisdictions. Each year, Congress and the Administration provide funding for a variety of grant programs through the Department of Justice (DOJ). Chapter 9 provides an overview of congressional actions to fund DOJ's grant programs through these accounts for FY2018.Table of ContentsFor more information, please visit our website at:https://novapublishers.com/shop/federal-grants-background-issues-and-management/

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Book SynopsisChapter 1 examines how the United States Secret Service can more effectively achieve its mission of protecting the Nation's leaders and financial systems. This hearing will address agency staffing, recruitment, and morale improvement efforts as well as agency challenges, such as resource constraints and misconduct. The U.S. Secret Service (Secret Service) vets individuals differently depending on the person's expected proximity to the President when he travels, including during his visits to Mar-a-Lago. Chapter 2 provides information on, among other things: the vetting of individuals expected to be near the President; efforts to establish secure areas for handling classified information; and regulations and processes for agency expenditures on employees who travel with the President. It is estimated that federal agencies incurred costs of about $13.6 million for the President's four trips to Mar-a-Lago from February 3 through March 5, 2017. Chapter 3 examines (1) the costs incurred by federal agencies associated with the President's travel on selected trips to Mar-a-Lago, (2) the costs incurred by federal agencies associated with certain overseas trips taken by Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump, and (3) the extent to which the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and DOD have reported their costs pursuant to the Presidential Protection Assistance Act of 1976. Chapter 4 is an amendment to the Overtime Pay for Protective Services Act of 2016. It extends the Secret Service overtime pay exception through 2019. Chapter 5 is a copy of the Secret Service Recruitment and Retention Act of 2018 Chapter 6 reviews the Secret Service's oversight of its IT portfolio and workforce. This chapter discusses the extent to which the (1) CIO implemented selected IT oversight responsibilities, (2) Secret Service implemented leading IT workforce planning and management practices, and (3) Secret Service and DHS implemented selected performance monitoring practices for IITT.Table of ContentsFor more information, please visit our website at:https://novapublishers.com/shop/issues-facing-the-united-states-secret-service/

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of December, grouped according to the topics Information Security and Technology.Table of ContentsFor more information, please visit our website at:https://novapublishers.com/shop/information-security-and-technology-reports-for-december-2018/

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of December, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Government Operations; National Defense.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of January, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Auditing and Financial Management; Employment.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of January, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Government Operations; Homeland Security; International Affairs; National Defense.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of February on national defense.Table of ContentsFor more information, please visit our website at:https://novapublishers.com/shop/nationaldefensereportsforfebruary2019/

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of February, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Agriculture and Food; Budget and Spending; Economic Development; Education; Equal Opportunity.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of February, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Energy; Government Operations; Health Care; Justice and Law Enforcement; Retirement System; Telecommunications.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of February, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Homeland Security; International Affairs; Unaccompanied Children; Veteran''s Health; Worker and Family Assistance.

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Book SynopsisPublic fire departments in the U.S. responded to almost 1.3 million fires in the United States in 2014. To help support local firefighting efforts, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), allocated almost $5.8 billion from 2009 to 2016 to award grants to fire departments and other organisations for equipment, staffing, research, and other needs. The FEMA's Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) revised fire grant policies for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG), Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER), and Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grant programs in response to the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2012 (FGRA).

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the Congressional Research Service on U.S. International Relations during the month of February.Table of ContentsFor more information, please visit our website at:https://novapublishers.com/shop/key-congressional-reports-on-international-affairs-volume-1/

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of March, grouped according to the topics: Homeland Security.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the Congressional Research Service on Energy and Environment during the month of March.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the Congressional Research Service during the month of March, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Government; Middle East.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the Congressional Research Service during the month of March, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Business; Education; Finance.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of March, grouped according to the topic: Government Operations.

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Book SynopsisFederal grants finance essential government programs, like infrastructure, by transferring Federal dollars to State and local governments, nonprofits, and individuals. Since the earliest days of the republic, the Federal government has used grants to advance public policy. From veterans'' assistance in the aftermath of the War of 1812 to land grants for railroads after the Civil War, federal grants have been part of our Nation''s history for a long time. Today the Federal government awards over $700 billion in grants annually. This book looks at some of the current grant programs available from the federal government.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of April, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Energy''; Science and Technology

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of April, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Finance; Government Operations; Veterans.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of April, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Agriculture and Food; Business; Education; Natural Resources and Environment.

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Book SynopsisChapter 1 assesses (1) the status of the Army''s near- and long-term modernisation efforts; and (2) the extent to which the Army has applied. Chapter 2 addresses the Army''s progress in: (1) establishing Army Futures Command, and (2) developing its near-term and long-term modernisation strategies. Chapter 3 reports on Army readiness, skills shortages, equipment maintenance and modernisation, acquisition, training, force structure. Chapter 4 assesses the extent to which the Air Force (1) had aircraft maintainer staffing gaps, (2) experienced attrition of maintainers and took steps to help retain maintainers, and (3) met its annual technical school completion rate goals for maintainers. Chapter 5 describes (1) how DOD currently facilitates public access to proceedings; (2) challenges the public faces in gaining access to or obtaining information on proceedings; and (3) what is known about potential options to address public access challenges, including any related trade-offs.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the Congressional Research Service on National Defense during the month of April.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of May, grouped according to the topic: Government Operations.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of May, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Health Care Retirement Security Tax Policy and Administration

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Book SynopsisWhistleblowing is "the act of reporting waste, fraud, abuse and corruption in a lawful manner to those who can correct the wrongdoing." Safeguarding confidentiality to the maximum extent possible is essential for encouraging whistleblowers to report wrongdoing without fear of reprisal. This book discusses the practices and programs that protect whistleblowers.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of May, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Agriculture Energy Science and Technology Space

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Book SynopsisThe Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has made limited progress toward addressing information technology (IT) system modernization challenges. Chapter 1 begins by examining IT because it is so important to everything VA does. From delivering timely care to veterans, to ensuring that medical records follow the patient, to making benefit decisions accurately, modern IT systems are essential. Chapter 2 summarizes key results and recommendations for the VA IT systems modernization efforts, FITARA implementation, and cybersecurity efforts. VA provides health care services to almost 9 million veterans and their families and relies on its health information system-VistA-to do so. Chapter 3 summarizes preliminary observations regarding costs incurred for the system and related activities during the last 3 fiscal years; key components that comprise VistA and are to be replaced; and actions VA has taken to prepare for its transition to the Cerner system. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 included provisions that VA and DOD jointly develop and implement electronic health record systems or capabilities and accelerate the exchange of health care information. The act also required that these systems be compliant with applicable interoperability standards as reported in chapter 4. Chapter 5 determined VA''s efforts to modernize VistA, including key contractors, contract costs, and expected contractor activities and VA''s current plans for modernizing VistA and the progress that has been achieved to date. Chapter 6 summarizes VA''s history of efforts to modernize VistA, including past use of contractors, and the department''s recent effort to acquire a commercial electronic health record system to replace VistA. In September 2014, GAO reported on the Department of Veterans Affairs'' (VA) Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (Family Caregiver Program) and found that the program office had limitations with its information technology (IT) system-the Caregiver Application Tracker (CAT). Chapter 7 examines how VHA is implementing the Family Caregiver Program.

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Book SynopsisThere are 14 U.S. territories, or possessions, five of which are inhabited: Puerto Rico (PR), Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), American Samoa (AS), and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). These inhabited territories, like U.S. states in some cases, borrow through financial markets. For each U.S. territory, Chapter 1 updates trends in public debt, its composition, and drivers; trends in revenue and its composition, and overall financial condition; and what is known about the ability to repay public debt. Each of these inhabited territories has a local tax system with features that help determine each territory's local public finances. Chapter 2 summarizes U.S. tax policy related to the territories, including a general discussion of how federal taxes apply to territorial residents and how federal law affects the different territorial tax systems in similar or different ways. When the ICA was enacted in 1940, Congress determined that it would be problematically costly for the SEC to travel to and inspect investment companies located beyond the continental United States in U.S. territories, such as, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. As a result, mutual funds organized in those locales were exempted from the ICA and were not required to register with the SEC. As reported in Chapter 3, several legislative proposals would change this territorial exemption from the ICA. Participation in Medicaid is voluntary, though all states, the District of Columbia (DC), and the territories (i.e., American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands [CNMI], Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) choose to participate. The territories operate Medicaid programs under rules that differ from those applicable to the 50 states and DC. These rules are discussed in chapter 4. Chapter 5 describes the factors that contributed to Puerto Rico's financial condition and levels of debt and federal actions that could address these factors. Small businesses play an important role in the U.S. and Puerto Rican economies. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 99 percent (about 44,000) of the businesses in Puerto Rico are small. Chapter 6 examined trends in small business contracting and the use of SBA programs in Puerto Rico that provide contracting preferences to small businesses and stakeholder views on any challenges that small businesses in Puerto Rico face in obtaining federal contracting opportunities. The United States took control of the Northern Mariana Islands from Japan during the latter part of World War II. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands' (CNMI) inflation-adjusted gross domestic product (GDP) has grown each year since 2012, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Chapter 7 discusses recent trends in the CNMI economy and preliminary observations about the number of approved CW-1 permits and characteristics of permit holders, drawn from GAO's ongoing work. The 1976 covenant defining the political relationship between the CNMI and the United States exempted the CNMI-a U.S. territory north of Guam-from certain federal immigration laws. Chapter 8 discusses DHS's implementation of selected CNRA provisions regarding foreign workers, among others, in the CNMI and its discretionary parole authority under the INA as applied in the CNMI. GAO In September 2017, two major hurricanes-Irma and Maria-struck the USVI, causing billions of dollars in damage to its infrastructure, housing, and economy. Chapter 9 describes the status of FEMA's Public Assistance program funding provided to the USVI in response to the 2017 hurricanes as of October 1, 2018, and the USVI's transition to implementing the Public Assistance alternative procedures in the territory. Chapter 10 provides an overview of economic and fiscal conditions in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI).Table of ContentsPrefaceU.S. Territories: Public Debt Outlook -- 2019 UpdateTax Policy and U.S. Territories: Overview and Issues for CongressLegislation to Lift the Investment Company Act Exemption for Funds Based in U.S. TerritoriesMedicaid Funding for the TerritoriesPuerto Rico: Factors Contributing to the Debt Crisis and Potential Federal Actions to Address ThemPuerto Rico: Information on Trends and Challenges to Small Business Federal ContractingCommonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Recent Economic Trends and Preliminary Observations on Workforce Data (Statement of David Gootnick)Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: DHS Implementation of U.S. Immigration Laws (Statement of David Gootnick)U.S. Virgin Islands Recovery: Status of FEMA Public Assistance Funding and ImplementationEconomic and Fiscal Conditions in the U.S. Virgin IslandsIndex.

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Book SynopsisThis book reviews VA benefits and services. The information included pertains to all members of the armed forces, including members of the National Guard and Reserve Components. Chapter 1 contains information on eligibility, how to apply for benefits, key links and resources, and all the details about VA benefits. Chapter 2 describes employment assistance programs offered by several federal agencies to assist veterans in their transition from the military to the civilian labor force and examines, in greater detail, the SBA''s veteran business development programs, the SBA''s efforts to assist veterans'' access to capital and the SBA''s veteran contracting programs. Chapter 3 discusses three types of housing assistance - the loan guaranty program, direct loan programs, and Specially Adapted Housing program - their origins, how they operate, and how they are funded. Chapter 4 reports on the revisions to the loan guaranty program. As reported in chapter 5, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment for veterans (VR&E) is an entitlement program that provides job training and other employment-related services to veterans with service-connected disabilities. Chapter 7 surveys the legal issues surrounding the treatment of veterans'' benefits in bankruptcy.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of June, grouped according to the topic: Homeland Security.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of June, grouped according to the topic: National Defense.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of May, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Agriculture Environment

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of May, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Education Space

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of May, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Government Operations International Affairs

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of July, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Agriculture and Food Business Regulation and Consumer Protection Transportation

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of July, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Health Care Government Operations Telecommunications

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