The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has two missions-criminal investigations and protection. Criminal investigation activities encompass financial crimes, identity theft, counterfeiting, computer fraud, and computer-based attacks on the nation's financial, banking, and telecommunications infrastructure. The protection mission is the more publicly visible of the two, covering the President, Vice President, their families, former Presidents, and major candidates for those offices, along with the White House and the Vice President's residence (through the Service's Uniformed Division). Protective duties of the Service also extend to foreign missions (such as embassies, consulates, and foreign dignitary residences) in the District of Columbia and to designated individuals, such as the Homeland Security Secretary and visiting foreign dignitaries. Separate from these specific mandated assignments, USSS is responsible for certain security activities such as National Special Security Events (NSSEs), which include presidential inaugurations, the major party quadrennial national conventions, as well as international conferences and events held in the United States.The most recent congressional action (not including appropriations) on the Service is the Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011, enacted during the 112th Congress, which amended 18 U.S.C. 1752 and made it a crime for unauthorized individuals to enter a building that is secured by USSS. Congress, arguably, has begun to focus its attention on legislation related to the Service's financial and computer crime investigation mission activities. Legislation in the 113th Congress includes a House committee-referred bill on cyber privacy security; a House committee-referred bill on information technology security; a Senate committee-referred bill on data security and breaches; and a Senate committee-referred bill on personal data privacy and security. This report discusses potential policy questions concerning the Service's mission and organization through an examination of the USSS history and its statutory authorities, mission, and present activities within DHS. The policy questions presented in this report are only considerations, since the Service is widely perceived to be operating and performing its missions effectively for the past 11 years as part of DHS. Additionally, Appendix A provides a list of the direct assaults on and threats to Presidents, Presidents-Elect, and candidates. Appendix B provides a list of statutes addressing USSS activities.
President Trump's budget request for FY2020 included approximately $134.1 billion for research and development (R&D). Several FY2019 appropriations bills had not been enacted at the time the President's FY2020 budget was prepared; therefore, the President's budget included the FY2018 actual funding levels, 2019 annualized continuing resolution (CR) levels, and the FY2020 request levels. On February 15, 2019, Congress enacted the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 116-6). This act included each of the remaining appropriations acts, completing the FY2019 appropriations process. The act also rendered the CR levels identified in the budget no longer relevant, though for some agencies the exact amount of R&D funding in the act remained uncertain. The analysis of government-wide R&D funding in this report compares the President's request for FY2020 to the FY2018 level.
This list of about 200 congressional liaison offices is intended to help congressional offices in placing telephone calls and addressing correspondence to government agencies. In each case, the information was supplied by the agency itself and is current as of the date of publication. Entries are arranged alphabetically in four sections: legislative branch; judicial branch; executive branch; and agencies, boards, and commissions.Specific telephone numbers for correspondence, publications, and fax transmissions have been provided for each applicable agency. When using fax, it is important to include the entire mailing address on a cover sheet, as many of the listed fax machines are not directly located in the liaison offices.A number of agency listings include an email address. When emailing agencies please remember to include your name, affiliation, phone number, and return address, to ensure a speedy response. Users should be aware that email is not a confidential means of transmission.
In the past, the oil and gas industry considered gas locked in tight, impermeable shale uneconomical to produce. However, advances in directional well drilling and reservoir stimulation have dramatically increased gas production from unconventional shales. The United States Geological Survey estimates that 200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas may be technically recoverable from these shales. Recent high natural gas prices have also stimulated interest in developing gas shales. Although natural gas prices fell dramatically in 2009, there is an expectation that the demand for natural gas will increase. Developing these shales comes with some controversy, though. The hydraulic fracturing treatments used to stimulate gas production from shale have stirred environmental concerns over excessive water consumption, drinking water well contamination, and surface water contamination from both drilling activities and fracturing fluid disposal.
The economic rise of China and the growing network of trade and investmentrelations in northeast Asia are causing major changes in human, economic, political, and military interaction among countries in the region. This is affecting U.S. relationswith China, China's relations with its neighbors, the calculus for war across theTaiwan Straits, and the basic interests and policies of China, Japan, Taiwan, andSouth Korea. These, in turn, affect U.S. strategy in Asia. China, for example, hasembarked on a "smile strategy" in which it is attempting to coopt the interests ofneighboring countries through trade and investment while putting forth a lessthreatening military face (to everyone but Taiwan). Under the rubric of the Six-PartyTalks, the United States, China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea are cooperating toresolve the North Korean nuclear crisis. Taiwanese businesses have invested anestimated $70 to $100 billion in factories in coastal China. China relies on foreigninvested enterprises for about half its imports and exports. For Taiwan, Japan, andSouth Korea, China has displaced the United States as their major trading partner
It is urgent that parents of teenagers become fully informed on the risks associated with synthetic drugs, also known as "designer drugs." The United States - especially parents and their teenage children -- face an array of drugs of abuse. Many, such as cocaine, heroin, and marijuana have confronted us for decades. The federal government has developed programs and initiatives to combat these drugs-to prevent use, treat the addicted, and disrupt production and the marketplace for drugs. But the significant threat to the nation posed by synthetic drugs, especially methamphetamine and MDMA, or "Ecstasy," is a more recent phenomenon. A related threat is the growth in nonmedical use of pharmaceutical controlled substances. Diversion of these legitimate drugs is fueled in part by easy access over the Internet. The most recent NSDUH and other data indicate that we continue to confront increased use of such drugs, notably pain relievers and tranquilizers. This document recommends some new approaches to address this challenge.The United States and its parents face an array of drugs of abuse by teenagers and students. Many, such as cocaine, heroin, and marijuana have confronted us for decades. We have developed programs and initiatives to combat these drugs-to prevent use, treat the addicted, and disrupt production and the marketplace for drugs. The significant threat to the nation posed by synthetic drugs, especially methamphetamine and MDMA, or "Ecstasy," is a more recent phenomenon. Initial efforts to confront synthetic drugs are already showing results. As demonstrated by the findings of the most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health (formerly known as the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse) and the 2003 Monitoring the Future study, when we collectively push back, the synthetic drugs threat also will decline.A related threat is the growth in nonmedical use of pharmaceutical controlled substances. Diversion of these legitimate drugs is fueled in part by easy access over the Internet. The most recent NSDUH and other data indicate that we continue to confront increased use of such drugs, notably pain relievers and tranquilizers. This document recommends some new approaches to address this challenge.This document is a product of the hard work of the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, in cooperation with the Drug Enforcement Administration and several other agencies, and in consultation with various components of the Department of Health and Human Services. We are grateful for their efforts. The Action Plan represents an important step forward in our nation's effort to control dangerous synthetic drugs and pharmaceutical products and, moreover, in the continued achievement of the objectives set forth in the President's National Drug Control Strategy.
As its economy has grown to be the seventh largest in the world, Brazil has utilized its newfoundeconomic power to consolidate its influence in South America and play a larger role ininternational affairs. The Obama Administration's National Security Strategy recognizes Brazil asan emerging center of influence, and welcomes the country's leadership on bilateral, hemispheric, and global issues. U.S.-Brazil relations generally have been positive in recent years, thoughBrazil has prioritized strengthening relations with neighboring countries and expanding ties withnontraditional partners in the "developing South." While some foreign policy disagreements haveemerged, the United States and Brazil continue to engage on issues such as security, energy, trade, human rights, and the environment.
