Constitution: government and the state Books

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: Government Operations Health Care 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 July, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Homeland Security Information Security 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 July, grouped according to topics. This book is focused on the following topics: Financial Markets and Institutions; Government Operations; National Defense.Table of ContentsFinancial Markets and Institutions; Financial Technology: Agencies Should Provide Clarification on Lenders' Use of Alternative Data Government Operations; Federal Construction: Army Corps of Engineers and GSA Need to Improve Data on Contract Changes; Federal Rulemaking: Selected Agencies Should Clearly Communicate Practices Associated with Identity Information in the Public Comment Process National Defense; Defense Logistics Agency: Small Businesses Participate in Reverse Engineering of Spare Parts; Depot Maintenance: DOD Should Adopt a Metric That Provides Quality Information on Funded Unfinished Work.

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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: Education; Employment; Transportation.Table of ContentsEDUCATION -- Federal Student Loans: Education Needs to Verify Borrowers Information for Income-Driven Repayment Plans; K-12 Education: Certain Groups of Students Attend Alternative Schools in Greater Proportions Than They Do Other Schools. EMPLOYMENT -- Human Capital: Improving Federal Recruiting and Hiring Efforts. TRANSPORTATION -- Positive Train Control: As Implementation Progresses, Focus Turns to the Complexities of Achieving System Interoperability; Rail Transit: Federal Transit Administration Could Improve Information on Estimating Project Costs.

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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: Equal Opportunity; Natural Resources and Environment.Table of ContentsEQUAL OPPORTUNITY -- Equal Employment Opportunity: DHS Could Better Address Challenges to Ensuring EEO in Its Workforce. NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT -- Chemical Innovation: Technologies for Making Products and Processes More Sustainable; EPA Advisory Committees: Improvements Needed for the Member Appointment Process; Water Resources Projects: Army Corps of Engineers Can Further Enhance Acceleration of Feasibility Studies.

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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: Homeland Security; International Affairs; Government Operations.Table of ContentsHOMELAND SECURITY -- Emergency Management: FEMAs Disaster Recovery Efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; Disaster Assistance: FEMA Has Taken Steps toward Better Supporting Individuals Who Are Older or Have Disabilities. INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS -- Foreign Assistance: Federal Monitoring and Evaluation Guidelines Incorporate Most but Not All Leading Practices; Nuclear Security: The International Atomic Energy Agency Could Improve Priority Setting, Performance Measures, and Funding Stabilization. GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS -- Compacts of Free Association: Trust Funds for Micronesia and the Marshall Islands Are Unlikely to Fully Replace Expiring U.S. Annual Grant Assistance.

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Book SynopsisCongress's contempt power is the means by which Congress responds to certain acts that in its view obstruct the legislative process. Chapter 1 examines the source of the contempt power, reviews the historical development of the early case law, outlines the statutory and common law basis for Congress's contempt power, and analyzes the procedures associated with inherent contempt, criminal contempt, and the civil enforcement of subpoenas. It also includes a detailed discussion of two recent information access disputes that led to the approval of contempt citations in the House against then-White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers, as well as Attorney General Eric Holder. Congress gathers much of the information necessary to oversee the implementation of existing laws or to evaluate whether new laws are necessary from the executive branch. While executive branch officials comply with most congressional requests for information, there are times when the executive branch chooses to resist disclosure. When Congress finds an inquiry blocked by the withholding of information by the executive branch, or where the traditional process of negotiation and accommodation is inappropriate or unavailing, a subpoena-either for testimony or documents-may be used to compel compliance with congressional demands as reported in chapter2. As reported in chapter 3, the Committee on the Judiciary (''the Committee'') is currently engaged in an investigation into alleged obstruction of justice, public corruption, and other abuses of power by President Donald Trump, his associates, and members of his Administration. Few provisions in the U.S. Constitution grant the President an authority as free from legislative constraint as the Pardon Clause. While the pardon power has been wielded in numerous instances throughout American history, there is limited case law interpreting it. This lack of judicial guidance has beget various unsettled legal questions concerning the pardon power's scope and breadth. For instance, whether the President may issue a self-pardon has been the subject of conflicting views and debate as discussed in chapter 4. Chapter 5 examines the broad constitutional authority of Congress to establish and shape the federal bureaucracy. Congress may use its Article I lawmaking powers to create federal agencies and individual offices within those agencies, design agencies' basic structures and operations, and prescribe, subject to certain constitutional limitations, how those holding agency offices are appointed and removed. Congress also may enumerate the powers, duties, and functions to be exercised by agencies, as well as directly counteract, through later legislation, certain agency actions implementing delegated authority. The Trump Administration has recently questioned the legal validity of numerous investigative demands made by House committees. These objections have been based on various grounds, but two specific arguments will be addressed in chapter 6. First, the President and other Administration officials have contended that certain committee demands lack a valid "legislative purpose" and therefore do not fall within Congress's investigative authority. Second, the President has made a more generalized claim that his advisers cannot be made to testify before Congress, even in the face of a committee subpoena. House Democrats have introduced a resolution that, if approved by the House, would formally "censure and condemn" President Trump for disparaging comments on immigration issues he allegedly made during a meeting with Members of Congress. Chapter 7 will discuss examples of congressional censure of the President before addressing its constitutional validity. Under the U.S. Constitution, the House of Representatives has the power to formally charge a federal officer with wrongdoing, a process known as impeachment. The House impeachment process generally proceeds in three phases: (1) initiation of the impeachment process; (2) Judiciary Committee investigation, hearings, and markup of articles of impeachment; and (3) full House consideration of the articles of impeachment. Chapter 8 provides an overview of the procedures and should not be treated or cited as an authority on congressional proceedings.Table of ContentsPrefaceCongresss Contempt Power and the Enforcement of Congressional Subpoenas: Law, History, Practice, and ProcedureCongressional Subpoenas: Enforcing Executive Branch ComplianceResolution Recommending That The House Of Representatives Find William P. Barr, Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, In Contempt Of Congress For Refusal To Comply With A Subpoena Duly Issued By The Committee On The JudiciaryCan the President Pardon Contempt of Court? Probably Yes.Congresss Authority to Influence and Control Executive Branch AgenciesLegislative Purpose and Adviser Immunity in Congressional InvestigationsThe Constitutionality of Censuring the PresidentThe Impeachment Process in the House of RepresentativesIndex.

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Book SynopsisAn independent establishment of the executive branch, U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is required to provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services to the public. While USPS is to be self-sustaining, it lost about $78 billion from fiscal years 2007 through 2019 due primarily to declining mail volume, increased employee compensation and benefit costs, and increased unfunded liabilities and debt. To address these challenges, USPS has taken a variety of actions such as providing increased self-service options and reducing facility hours. This book looks at the current actions needed for sustainability, nonpostal offerings and same day delivery.

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Book SynopsisChapter 1 examines the Trump administration's care for unaccompanied children in government custody and the impact of administration policies on the health and wellbeing of children. Chapter 2 describes failures in HHS's processes to ensure the safety of children in the care of the federal government and safeguard $32,125,779 in taxpayer funds. The Office of Refugee Resettlement's (ORR) grant announcements solicit care providers for unaccompanied children. Chapter 3 examines (1) how ORR considers state licensing issues and past performance in its review of grant applications; (2) state licensing agencies' oversight of ORR grantees, and how ORR and states share information; and (3) how ORR addresses grantee noncompliance. Legislation on unauthorized childhood arrivals dates to 2001. Most measures on unauthorized childhood arrivals that have seen legislative action have proposed mechanisms for eligible individuals to become lawful permanent residents (LPRs), typically through a two-stage process. Chapter 4 considers House and Senate measures on unauthorized childhood arrivals that have seen legislative action, focusing in particular on legislation considered in the 115th and 116th Congresses. It also discusses the related Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative and DACA-related data.Table of ContentsPreface; Protecting Unaccompanied Children: The Ongoing Impacts of the Trump Administrations Cruel Policies; Oversight of HHS Shelter Grants for Unaccompanied Alien Children; Unaccompanied Children: Actions Needed to Improve Grant Application Reviews and Oversight of Care Facilities; Unauthorized Childhood Arrivals, DACA, and Related Legislation; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe new millennium has been ushered in by an astonishing sequence of events in the US: the Florida election with a new president who actually lost the popular vote. A Senate divided exactly 50/50 and a House in turmoil as well. The importance of Congress in such a period of turbulence cannot be overstated. This outstanding new book brings clarity to the organisation and functioning of the Congress of the US.

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Book SynopsisThe Senate''s procedures are determined not only by its standing rules, but also by its standing orders, published precedents, committee rules, and informal practices. Constitutional mandates and rule-making statutes also impose procedural requirements on the Senate, and rules of Senate party conferences can sometimes affect committee and floor action. Parliamentary reference sources set forth the text of these authorities or provide information about how and when they govern different parliamentary situations. This book discusses the coverage, format, and availability of three types of Senate parliamentary reference sources: official sources such as the Senate Manual and Riddick''s Senate Procedure; publications of committees and offices of the Senate; and rules of party conferences. The book also reviews some key principles of Senate parliamentary procedure that bear on appropriate use of these sources. Summaries and appendices provide citations to print and electronic versions, and list related Congressional Research Service (CRS) products. The Senate sets forth its chief procedural authorities in the Senate Manual, a new edition of which appears periodically as a Senate Document and is distributed to Senators'' and committee offices. Among these authorities, the Senate also publishes its Standing Rules as a separate document, and the Constitution is available in an annotated edition prepared by CRS. The Manual also contains more specialised authorities, such as permanent standing orders, rules for impeachment trials, and a manual of procedures related to House-Senate conferences. Other Senate procedural authorities include Riddick''s Senate Procedure, last published in 1992 but with online updates, which offers a topically ordered digest of precedents interpreting Senate procedures and standard forms for procedural action. The Senate also often regulates itself through orders entered by unanimous consent, either as standing orders or for the consideration of individual measures; these can often most readily be found in the Congressional Record. Some statutes contain "rule-making" provisions that act as procedural authorities, though no Senate source compiles all of them. Each committee adopts its own written rules, which are published in the Record and compiled, in each Congress, in Authority and Rules of Senate Committees, a print of the Committee on Rules and Administration. Other Senate committee prints, which provide supporting information on elements of Senate procedure, include Budget Process Law Annotated, the Senate Cloture Rule, and Treaties and Other International Agreements. The parliamentarians in both chambers have prepared concise summary documents on procedure in the legislative process. In the Senate, currently only the Republican Conference appears to have adopted written rules.

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Book SynopsisThis year marks the 10th anniversary of the Congressional Review Act (CRA). Congressional oversight of rulemaking using the CRA can be an important and useful tool for monitoring the regulatory process and balancing and accommodating the concerns of American citizens and businesses with the effects of federal agencies'' rules. This statement provides an overview of the purpose and provisions of CRA; GAO''s role and activities in fulfilling its responsibilities under the Act; and trends on CRA within the broader context of developments in presidential and congressional oversight of federal agencies'' rulemaking.

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Book SynopsisThe ''''state secrets privilege'''' is a common law rule of evidence that the Federal Government can invoke to prevent materials from being publicly disclosed in civil court proceedings, if the Government establishes that such disclosure would harm the Nation. In the early 1970s, Congress considered including a state secrets provision in the Federal Rules of Evidence, but it ultimately decided not to include any privileges. Although numerous laws govern the handling of classified documents and other information that may implicate state secrets in specific contexts, the state secrets privilege has never been codified in statute

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Book SynopsisThis book explores today''s wireless technologies which are essential in supporting Federal agency missions crucial to the nation and enabling commercial and non-Federal public safety operations that support economic growth and safeguard lives and property. As changing government missions increase demands for mobility and agility, and private sector uses continue to expand, the spectrum''s role as a critical asset intensifies. To ensure that United States'' spectrum policy for the 21st Century continues to harness fully the power of the airwaves to meet Federal mission requirements and to enhance prosperity, President George W. Bush established the Spectrum Policy Initiative (Presidential Initiative) in 2003. As this book discusses, the goal is a U.S. spectrum policy for the 21st Century that will foster economic growth, ensure our national and homeland security, maintain U.S. global leadership in communications technology and services and satisfy other vital U.S. needs in areas such as public safety, scientific research, Federal transportation infrastructure, and law enforcement.

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Book SynopsisThis book explores the history of the Senate''s role in choosing members of the cabinet in a new presidential administration. While some drafters of the Constitution believed the Senate''s role would be minimal, others said the Senate would play a large role. The role the Senate has played in the nomination process has depended, in part, upon the relationship between the President and the Senate. Nonetheless, while there have been many controversies over nominations, the vast majority of nominees eventually make it through the process and are confirmed. The Senate has also developed or adapted practices to deal with the confirmation process, none of which are explicitly contain in the Senate rules, but all of which have been adhered to and recognised by the chamber at one time or another. This book consists of public domain documents which have been located, gathered, combined, reformatted, and enhanced with a subject index, selectively edited and bound to provide easy access.

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Book SynopsisThe State of the Union address is a communication between the President and Congress in which the chief executive reports on the current conditions of the United States and provides policy proposals for the upcoming legislative year. Formerly known as the "Annual Message", the State of the Union address originates in the Constitution. As part of the system of checks and balances, Article II, Section 3, clause 1 mandates that the President "shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient." In recent decades, the President has expanded his State of the Union audience, addressing the speech to both the nation and Members of Congress. This book discusses the tradition, function, and policy implications of the State of the Union address. It also discusses special order speeches and other forms of non-legislative debate in the house; one-minute speeches; morning hour debates; and the constitutional background and recent developments of the speech or debate clause.

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Book SynopsisThe federal government is the largest buyer of goods and services in the world, and executive branch agencies, particularly the Department of Defense, make most of these purchases. Many (although not all) acquisitions by executive branch agencies are subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), which can make FAR a topic of interest to members and committees of Congress and their staff. In particular, members, committees, and staff may find themselves (1) considering or drafting legislation that would amend FAR to save money, promote transparency, or further other public policies; (2) conducting oversight of executive agencies'' performance in procuring goods and services; and (3) responding to questions from constituents regarding executive branch procurement activities. This book provides background and analyses of FAR and the standards and policies for federal acquisition workforce training.

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Book SynopsisSmart disclosure involves providing consumers access to data in user friendly electronic formats, in order to fuel the creation of products and tools that benefit consumers, including tools that will help them make important marketplace decisions. While the Federal Government has promoted access to data for consumers for some time, the growth of the Internet as both a centre of commerce and a source of information has made more effective and interactive data access possible. Smart disclosure has received increasing attention in recent years as a distinct policy approach that draws on digital technology, and the approach has begun to gain significant momentum. Agencies across the Federal Government have begun to use smart disclosure in a variety of areas, including health, education, energy, finance, public safety, and more. Smart disclosure empowers consumers to make better-informed decisions when facing complex marketplace choices. Whether consumers are searching for colleges, health insurance, credit cards, airline flights, or energy providers, it can be difficult for consumers to identify the product or service that best suits a particular need. In some cases, the effort required to sift through all of the available information is so large that consumers default to decision making based on inadequate information. As a result, they may overpay, miss out on a product better suited to their needs, or be surprised by fees. This book summarises the Federal Government''s efforts in the smart disclosure domain. It also provides recommendations for expanding the use of smart disclosure and promoting effective smart disclosure policies across the Federal Government.

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Book SynopsisFederal agencies (excluding the U.S. Postal Service) spend about $3 billion annually to acquire, operate, and maintain about 450,000 civilian and non-tactical military vehicles. Agencies may lease or buy vehicles from GSA, which also issues requirements and guidance on fleet management. In recent years, Congress and the President have raised concerns about the size and cost of federal agencies'' fleets. In 2011, the President directed agencies to determine their optimal fleet inventories and set targets for achieving these inventories by 2015 with the goal of a more cost-effective fleet. This book discusses the notion of adopting leading practices and how they could improve management of federal vehicle fleets; overall increase in number of vehicle masts that some agencies decreased their fleets; and strategies needed to address aging delivery fleet.

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the most recent developments, analysis and research concerning taxation in the United States. Topics discussed in this compilation include the potential federal tax implications of United States v. Windsor; effects of a carbon tax on the economy and the environment; the distribution of major tax expenditures in the individual income tax system; corporate income tax; and appraised values on tax returns.

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Book SynopsisThe Constitution empowers, and the Copyright Act conveys, a system of exclusive rights for authors, for the benefit of their livelihoods, the livelihoods of other actors in the chain of commerce, and the overall public good. To protect and promote these rights, the law has always included a corresponding set of enforcement provisions allowing copyright owners to redress the unauthorised use of their works. While infringement is nothing new when it comes to the world of creative works, there is no question that it has proliferated with the ascendance of digital culture and the unprecedented desire for content. Today it is not only easy to make unauthorized copies, but to do so at virtually no cost, much to the detriment of authors and the market for their works. This book discusses the remedies for small copyright claims provided by the Graphic Artists Guild, the Association of American Publishers, and American photographic artists.

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Book SynopsisFederal law bars aliens residing without authorisation in the United States from most federal benefits; however, there is a widely held perception that many unauthorised aliens obtain such benefits. The degree to which unauthorised resident aliens should be accorded certain rights and privileges as a result of their residence in the United States, along with the duties owed by such aliens given their presence, remains the subject of debate in Congress. This book focuses on the policy and legislative debate surrounding unauthorised aliens'' access to federal benefits.

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Book SynopsisCongress regularly authorizes and requires administrative agencies to implement and enforce regulatory programs. As such, agencies routinely make decisions about when to promulgate regulations and when to enforce statutory requirements against parties who violate the law. During the 113th Congress, the Obama Administration announced that certain federal agencies would not enforce specific aspects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for a period of time in order to allow the public to further prepare for proper compliance with the law in the future. This has led to numerous questions regarding how courts treat administrative delays of regulatory programs. When can a suit be brought to force the agency to apply the law? It is important to distinguish between two distinct types of agency delays: (1) delays resulting from when an agency fails to meet a statutory deadline for promulgating rules or completing particular adjudications, and (2) affirmative decisions to withhold enforcement of a provision of law on the public at large. This book discusses the general legal principles applied in determining whether administrative delays are reviewable in court in these two different contexts and then address whether the procedures outlined in the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) are applicable to these delays.

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Book SynopsisChild welfare services are intended to prevent the abuse or neglect of children; ensure that children have safe, permanent homes; and promote the well-being of children and their families. As the U.S. Constitution has been interpreted, states bear the primary responsibility for ensuring the welfare of children and their families. At the state level, the child welfare "system" consists of public child protection and child welfare workers, private child welfare and social service workers, state and local judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement personnel. These representatives of various state and local entities assume interrelated roles while carrying out child welfare activities, including investigating allegations of child abuse and neglect; providing services to families to ensure children''s safety in the home; removing children from their homes when that is necessary for their safety; supervising and administering payments for children placed in foster care; ensuring regular case review and permanency planning for children in foster care; helping children leave foster care to permanent families via reunification with parents or, when that is not possible, via adoption or legal guardianship; offering post-permanency services and supports; and helping older children in foster care, and youth who leave care without placement in a permanent family, to transition successfully to adulthood. This book begins with a review of federal appropriations activity in FY2015 as it relates to child welfare programs, including the effect of the automatic spending cuts, known as sequestration. The book provides a short description of each federal child welfare program, including its purpose and recent funding levels. In addition, funds appropriated for the PSSF program support grants to state or tribal highest courts under the Court Improvement Program; grants to regional partnerships to improve the outcomes of children affected by their Child Welfare: Funding for Services Under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act Congressional Research Service 3 parents'' substance abuse; grants to states and territories for monthly caseworker visits of children in foster care; and program-related research, evaluation, training, or technical assistance are also discussed in this book.

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Book SynopsisThe U.S. Treasury market is the deepest and most liquid government securities market in the world. It plays a critical and unique role in the global economy, serving as the primary means of financing the U.S. federal government and acting as a significant investment instrument and hedging vehicle for global investors, among other uses. On October 15, 2014, the market for U.S. Treasury securities, futures, and other closely related financial instruments experienced unusually large price swings, including a very rapid roundtrip during a 12-minute interval. This volatility occurred despite the absence of any particular financial or economic developments that might explain such large moves. Such significant and unexplained volatility in the important U.S. Treasury market called for more substantive analysis. The staff of the Treasury Department, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission worked together to analyse data from the three main trading venues for the Treasury market in the creation of this report. This book provides an overview of the U.S. Treasury market, liquidity, and applicable regulations. It explores the events of October 15, including the two defining traits of the daythe unusually high volatility and round-trip in prices despite the lack of an obvious driver, and the strains in liquidity conditions especially during the event window; discusses the key findings from the analysis of participant-level transaction data, with a particular focus on the period leading up to and including the most volatile period of the day, the 9:33 to 9:45 a.m. ET event window; reviews broad changes to the structure of the Treasury market over the past two decades; and explains the events of October 15 underscore the importance of efforts by the official and private sectors to understand more fully the implications of the 6 evolving Treasury market structure for liquidity, trading and risk management practices, data access, and monitoring and surveillance.

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Book SynopsisThe gross federal debt, which represents the federal government''s total outstanding debt, consists of debt held by the public and debt held in government accounts, also known as intragovernmental debt. Federal government borrowing increases for two primary reasons: (1) budget deficits and (2) investments of any federal government account surpluses in Treasury securities, as required by law. Nearly all of this debt is subject to the statutory limit. Treasury has yet to face a situation in which it was unable to pay its obligations as a result of reaching the debt limit. In the past, the debt limit has always been raised before the debt reached the limit. This book examines the possibility of the federal government reaching its statutory debt limit and not raising it, with a particular focus on government operations. First, the book explains the nature of the federal government''s debt, the processes associated with federal borrowing, and historical events that may influence prospective actions. It also includes an analysis of what could happen if the federal government may no longer issue debt, has exhausted alternative sources of cash, and, therefore, depends on incoming receipts or other sources of funds to provide any cash needed to liquidate federal obligations. A discussion of the effects that prior debt limit impasses have had on the economy is also included. Finally, this book lays out considerations for increasing the debt limit under current policy and what impact fiscal policy could have on the debt limit going forward.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a retrospective and prospective analysis of the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) on its 20th anniversary. It begins with a historical summary of citizens right to petition, the connection between the right to petition and lobbying, and the regulation of contact between citizens and government in the United States. The book then examines contemporary issues that might affect lobbying and citizens right to petition government; and provides analysis of potential options for congressional action should Congress consider amending provisions of the LDA. Moreover, the book provides a brief history and description of the provisions of federal law restricting employment opportunities and activities of federal employees after they leave the service of the executive or legislative branches of the federal government.

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Book SynopsisCongresss role and operation in national politics is fundamentally shaped by the design and structure of the governing institution in the Constitution. One of the key principles of the Constitution is separation of powers. The doctrine is rooted in a political philosophy that aims to keep power from consolidating in any single person or entity, and a key goal of the framers of the Constitution was to establish a governing system that diffused and divided power. These objectives were achieved institutionally through the design of the Constitution. The legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the government were assigned distinct and limited roles under the Constitution, and required to be comprised of different political actors. The constitutional structure does not, however, insulate the branches from each other. While the design of the Constitution aims, through separation, to prevent the centralization of power, it also seeks the same objective through diffusion. Thus, most powers granted under the Constitution are not unilateral for any one branch; instead they overlap. This book provides an overview of separation of powers. It reviews the philosophical and political origins of the doctrine; surveys the structure of separation of power in the Constitution; discusses the consequences of the system, for both the institutions and for individual political actors; and provides a discussion of separation of powers in the context of contemporary politics.

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Book SynopsisThe appointment of a Supreme Court Justice is an event of major significance in American politics. Each appointment is of consequence because of the enormous judicial power the Supreme Court exercises as the highest appellate court in the federal judiciary. Appointments are usually infrequent, as a vacancy on the nine-member Court may occur only once or twice, or never at all, during a particular Presidents years in office. Under the Constitution, Justices on the Supreme Court receive what can amount to lifetime appointments which, by constitutional design, helps ensure the Courts independence from the President and Congress. This book reviews the appointment process of Supreme Court nominees.

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Book SynopsisFederal inspectors general (IGs) are authorized to combat waste, fraud, and abuse within their affiliated federal entities. To execute their missions, offices of inspector general (OIGs) conduct and publish audits and investigations -- among other duties. Two major enactments -- the Inspector General Act of 1978 and its amendments of 1988 -- established federal IGs as permanent, nonpartisan, and independent offices in more than 70 federal agencies. OIGs serve to assist Congress in overseeing executive branch -- and a few legislative branch -- agencies. They provide recommendations and findings to their affiliated agency head and to Congress that may save the government millions of dollars per year. As a result, Congress may have an interest in ensuring that federal OIGs have the appropriate authorities and access to information they need to perform their investigations, audits, and evaluations. Concurrently, Congress has a responsibility to protect some records and information, such as national security information or information about an ongoing criminal investigation, from improper release. This book provides background on the statutory creation of federal OIGs and provides historical context for contemporary debates about the strengths and limitations of the offices. Furthermore, this book provides context on the role of the Integrity Committee (IC) in investigating allegations of wrongdoing made against employees of the IG community. The book provides analysis of congressional proposals seeking to amend and improve the ICs operations, and includes additional potential policy options for improvement of oversight of the IG community.

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Book SynopsisFederal advisory committeeswhich may also be labeled as commissions, councils, or task forcesare established to assist the executive branch in deliberating and, in some cases, helping to solve complex or divisive issues. Congress, the President, or an agency head may establish a federal advisory committee to render independent advice or provide policy recommendations. In 1972, Congress enacted the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA; 5 U.S.C. Appendix Federal Advisory Committee Act; 86 Stat. 770, as amended), prompted by the perception that some advisory committees were duplicative, inefficient, and lacked adequate oversight. FACA mandates certain structural and operational requirements, including formal reporting and oversight procedures. Additionally, FACA requires committee meetings be open to the public, unless they meet certain requirements. Also, FACA committee records are to be accessible to the public. Pursuant to statute, the General Services Administration (GSA) maintains and administers management guidelines for federal advisory committees. This book offers a history of FACA, examines its current requirements, and provides data on federal advisory committees operations and costs.

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Book SynopsisThe academic literature on political economy includes many models and theories. The contributions to this volume illustrate four basic principles that many exhibit. First, many different types of political economies exist. There are large differences between not just developed and developing countries but between early and late developers; and substantial differences are easy to discern even among superficially similar ones, such as the East Asian developmental states. Second, most political economies are marked by a myriad of interdependencies among market, state, and civil society. Third, change, both incremental and fundamental, occurs regularly in many. Fourth and as a result of the first three, the analysis of political economies is often quite complex. Chapter 1 focuses on change by analysing the ongoing Great Reset in the U.S. political economy in the early 21st century. Chapters 2-4 discuss how China differs from western models: in particular, models for international relationships, Confucianism and the Belt and Road Initiative, and China's cooperation with the Central and East European Countries respectively. Chapter 5 also covers variety and complexity with an in-depth theoretical treatment of Marx's theory of value. Chapter 6 raises issues of interdependence by highlighting the social bases of political economies. Chapters 7 and 8 touch upon interdependence and complexity by demonstrating how the U.S. political economy marginalizes minorities in the areas of education and health care respectively. Chapter 9 focuses upon interdependence by linking fiscal policy to subsequent election outcomes. Finally, Chapter 10 relates workforce development policy to changes in the 21st century American economy.Table of ContentsIntroduction; The Great Reset and the Back to the Future Vision of President Donald Trump; Adaptive Confucian Relationships: Models for Contemporary International Relations; When Geopolitics Meets Development on the Belt and Road: A Confucian Journey; New Directions in Theoretical Discussions, Empirical Research and Practical Cooperation for China-CEEC Cooperation in a Global Framework; Marxs Theory of Value: A Sympathetic Yet Critical Perspective; Social Bases and the Political Economy of Development; The Color-Line and the Classroom: Racialized Space and the Making of Neoliberal Schools; Race and Influenza Deaths in the United States; A Derivative-Based Model of U.S. Presidential Elections: 1880-2020; Workforce Development in the Age of COVID-19: Implications for Policymakers; Index.

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Book Synopsis"Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a mayor? Well after serving three terms as a mayor and being a local and regional government official for over thirty-five years I think I know. So I wrote this book to pull the curtain back just enough to let you peak in and know as well. After you read this book you will know how political capital is used to make government work. You will also learn that you can tell a lot about how a person will govern by the kind of campaign they run to win an election. You will also see how circumstances can affect leadership and how public engagement can be a full contact sport. What is it like working with unions and dealing with the press or managing a fragmented government? I have been fortunate in that my career has spanned over some very interesting times and events. I was the first modern day Mayor for the City of Methuen after a charter change was approved to create a city form of government. The way the city was governed changed dramatically and the way government officials interacted and made decisions had to adjust as well. What happens and how does a city respond when one of your largest employers in your city, Malden Mills, is destroyed by fire? How do you protect the jobs and the economy of your city? What happens when your community has term limits and you need to leave before the job is done? It is a fascinating life with funny memories and memorable events that leads to a rewarding life. I hope you enjoy the story."

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Book SynopsisIn the wake of the most unprecedented election result in recent memory, the question on everyone's lips is: what just happened to the UK's political landscape - and why? And who are the 182 new faces on the House of Commons benches?In The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2015, public affairs consultant Tim Carr teams up with editors of the bestselling Politicos Guide to the 2015 General Election Iain Dale and Robert Waller to present an all-inclusive and essential post-election document for academics, journalists, students and political enthusiasts alike in the wake of the poll-defying 2015 general election.Wide-ranging and accessible, this essential guide provides, amongst much else:* Biographies of the class of 2015, alongside details of their majorities and constituencies;* Demographic analysis by age, gender, ethnic origin, education and background;* Lists of new marginal constituencies, possible targets seats, defeated MPs, and more;* Expert commentary from political journalists and pollsters, exploring the role of the media, the historic result in Scotland and the future impact of fixed-term parliaments.Ranging from the disastrous pre-election polls to the failure of UKIP to make a breakthrough - and the massacre of Scottish Labour - The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2015 is a must-read for anyone eager to know the details of the election result that has so dramatically re-shaped the country's political landscape.

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Book SynopsisThis volume represents a historical comparison of the American and the EU European constitutional experiences and lessons to be derived therefrom for the present time. It is designed to deepen the understanding of the historical and political dimensions of constitutional designs and practises on two continents. Hopefully, such historical depth charts will expand the horizon of debates among experts and decision-makers. The first part concentrates on the historical dimension. It deals with the experiences and perceptions of basic American political principles, developments of international and humanitarian law, and the historical dimension of constitutional debates. The second part of the book aims at culling potential lessons from the American constitutional experience and the remarkable longevity of the U.S. constitution. Additional chapters concentrate on specific aspects and elements of the European constitutional debate (courts of law, human rights, minority protections, as well as gender equality). Still other contributions focus on the historical context of the recent European Constitutional Convention. Chapters on writing a European ''bill of rights'', the EU reform debates of the 1990s, and finally an analysis of the Brussels Constitutional Summit of June 2004 are also included. The spillover effects of the economic and monetary union on the constitutional debates are covered here, as well as Asian perceptions of European integration. Practitioners and scholars address in this volume historical, political and diplomatic dimensions and achievements in the process of European constitution making and its chances of success in the future. Finally, the current tensions in the Atlantic world are analysed and what they may portend for the future of European Union security options.

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Book SynopsisThis book illustrates why and how informality in governance is not necessarily transitory or temporary, but a constant in most systems of the world. The difference between various administrative structures is not whether informality is present or not, but where, in which areas, it is located. The essays gathered in this volume demonstrate that, in some cases, informal mechanisms are self-protective, while, in others, they are perceived as normal responses and a set of tactics for individuals, classes, and communities to respond to unusual demands. Where expectations of the state, a company, or some commission are too far from citizens' existing models of normative behaviour, informal behaviour continues to thrive. Indeed, new tactics are adopted in order to cope with disjunctions between theory and reality as well as to serve as contrasts to values imposed by a centre of power, such as a central state, a city administration, or the management board of a large company. The focus of the papers contained in this book is two-fold and rests on an analysis of phenomena manifesting themselves "beyond" and "in spite of" the state. The first part deals with areas where the state is not always, or only marginally, active whilst the second analyses activities performed in conflict with state regulations (ie: behaviour often studied from a criminal and legal standpoint).

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Book SynopsisTextbook providing detailed information on the Indian Constitution, including amendments, important cases, legislative procedures, and comparisons with other countries. Designed for students at various levels and beneficial for law and political science students as well as Civil and Judicial Services Examination candidates.

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Book SynopsisIn 1975, Emergency in India led to state excesses and human rights violations. Arvind Narrain's book, Undeclared Emergency, warns of a potential shift towards a totalitarian state under the Modi government, emphasizing the importance of dissent and resistance in shaping the future.

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Book SynopsisThis volume includes primary and secondary sources from documents obtained by the Center from the National Archives in India which is the largest archival repository in Southeast Asia and is complementary to the documentary collections kept in the British Archives in London. Through a multitude of public records and private papers covering the period of time from 1748, as well as a number of manuscripts and decrees issued by the sultans of the states of the Islamic East, and in addition to maps, pictures and other historical vessels, this book constitutes an important source for researchers and scholars in the history of Qatar, the Gulf, the Arabian Peninsula, the countries of the Middle East. It is an essential volume with great scientific and historical benefit to researchers, scholars, historians, and those interested in the history of Qatar and the region.

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