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The article informs that the Joint and Special Operations Program (JSOP) has requested for technical whitepapers addressing various capability requirements. It has been informed that capability requirements were derived from a recent 2011 United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Roadmap Summit. It is evident that the JSOP program is looking for true innovative, out of the box thinking, conceptual approaches to address various capability requirements.

The article presents several announcements from the Society of Cable Television Engineers (SCTE). The SCTE Slates Business Services Symposium will be held from October 18 to 19, 2007, in Atlanta, Georgia. The Society has announced the 2008 Call for Papers for the SCTE Conference on Emerging Technologies and deadline for proposals are on August 10, 2007. The SCTE Live Learning event will be held on August 15, 2007.

Information about several papers discussed during the International Business Machines Corp.'s (IBM) Transformation in the Banking Industry analyst day in the U.S. is presented. During the event, experts shared their candid views on the current and future state of the banking sector, wherein IBM is impacted by some degree to the global economic downturn.

The article discusses the impact of U.S. trade agreements on its economy as of February 2009. The topics discussed include expiration of U.S. Trade Promotion Authority in 2007, trade barriers in manufacturing and agriculture, and the World Trade Organization meeting in Doha, Qatar, in November 2001. Also discussed is U.S. president Barack Obama's Enterprise for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) initiative.

The article provides information on the activities of the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE). Registration is under way for SCTE Business Services Symposium slated for October 17-18, 2006 in Chicago, Illinois. Narrated by SCTE Director of Certification and Program Development Joel E. Welch, SCTE Certifications: Stand Out From the Crowd describes the SCTE Certification Programs as well as exam preparation, costs and procedures.

The article highlights issues and topics discussed at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Some of cable's top chief technical officers discussed some industry matters such as the switched digital video (SDV) or switched digital broadcast. Panelists discussed the primary benefits of SDV.

The 1992 U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change requires that signa-tories, including the United States, establish policies for constraining future emission levels of suspected greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2). Both the Bush and Clinton Administrations drafted action plans in response to requirements of the convention. These plans have raised significant controversy and debate. This debate has intensified since the 1997 Kyoto Agreement which, if ratified, would commit the United States to reduce greenhouse gases by 7% over the 5-year period 2008-2012 from specified baseline years. Such controversy is inherent, in part, because of the great uncertainties about the likelihood and magnitude of possible future climate change; the consequences for human well being; and the costs and benefits of minimizing or adapting to possible future climate change. Controversy is also driven by differences in the way competing policy communities view the basic assumptions underlying approaches to this complex issue. This paper examines three reasonably distinct starting points from which a U.S. response to the convention is being framed. These starting points, or policy ''lenses,'' lead to divergent perceptions of the issue with respect to uncertainty, cost and benefit accounting, and urgency. They also imply differing but overlapping processes and actions for possible implementation, thus shaping recommendations of policy advo-cates for the federal government's appropriate role in reducing greenhouse gases. A technological lens views environmental problems as the result of inappropriate or misused technologies. The solutions to the problems lie in improving or correcting technology. The implied governmental role would be to provide leadership and incentives for technological development. An economic lens views environmental problems as the result of inappropriate or misleading market signals (prices). The solutions to the problems lie in ensuring that the prices of goods and services reflect their total costs, including environmental damages. The implied governmental role would be to improve the functions of the market to include environmental costs, so the private sector can respond efficiently. An ecological lens views environmental problems as the result of indifference to or disregard for the planet's ecosystem on which all life depends. The solutions to the problems lie in developing an understanding of and a respect for that ecosystem, and providing people with mechanisms to express that understanding in their daily choices. The implied governmental role would be to support ecologically based education and values, as well as to promote ''green'' products and processes, for example through procurement policies and labeling requirements. Some global climate change initiatives are underway; all the perspectives are relevant in evaluating them and possible further policies. Administration initiatives such as the Climate Change Technology Initiative have been questioned as premature by some in Congress. The purpose here is not to suggest that one lens is ''better'' than another, but rather to articulate the implications of the differing perspectives in order to clarify terms of debate among diverse policy communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the blue ribbon panel workshop of senior Army and Defense Department leaders in the U.S.

Information about several papers discussed at a symposium sponsored by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to raise public awareness of the continuing technological advances in supersonic aircraft technology is presented. The session includes presentations on current research programs and airworthiness directives for several aircraft makers including Boeing Co., Hawker Beechcraft Corp. and Nacelles/Pylons.

Information about several papers discussed at the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) aviation fatigue symposium in June 2008 in the U.S. is presented. FAA claimed that fatigue has an adverse effect on aviation operations. The first day of the event focused on factors contributing to fatigue in flight operations and air traffic control. Attendees have accorded that fatigue mitigation must be based on scientific principles developed through enhanced data collection.

Information about several papers discussed at the Cato Institute's 28th Annual Monetary Conference held in the U.S. in November 2010 is presented. Topics include the role of monetary policy in preventing financial instability, the function of asset prices in guiding policy, and primary problem facing U.S. policymakers. Speakers of the conference include Jerry L. Jordan, Carmen M. Reinhart, and Lawrence H. White.

The article discusses the highlights of the 10th Annual Constitution Day Conference hosted by the Cato Institute in the U.S. in 2011. Legal experts examined key cases in the last Supreme Court term at the event. Among the attendees were law professors David Post and John Eastman. U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Alex Kozinski also presented a paper at the conference.

The article offers information on the comparison of the U.S. postal service with Greece. It reports that Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe presented his views on the postal services of Greece at the PostalVision 2020 Conference held in the year 2012. Donahoe informs about the postal reforms bills launched by a political party of the U.S. such as the Postal Reform Act of 2011 which is accused of paving the way for privatization.

The article discusses the highlights of a Nuclear Security Summit hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C. on April 12-13, 2010. Attended by leaders of 47 countries, the summit concluded with a joint statement stressing the necessity for an international cooperative action to prevent an act of nuclear terrorism. The summit also led to a pledge to improve nuclear security standards and bring international agreements into force.

The article focuses on the impact of the U.S. policy under the Obama Administration in Afghanistan in the region. It makes reference to the 2009 announcement that U.S. will begin the transition to Afghan leadership in July 2011. It explores the role of the Bonn Conference on Afghanistan to be held in December 2011 for regional countries to recommit to a non-interference pledge in Afghanistan, including other regional summits concerning regional cooperation with the country.

The article discusses the constitutional amendment approach for a balanced budget in 2005. Proponents reportedly focus on the impact of current deficits on the future, the economic growth when deficits are reduced and the enhanced public perception of institutions. On the other hand, it is shown that opponents cite the difficulties in enforcement and the potential for judicial involvement in their arguments, and that the uncertainty in projecting expenditure and revenue has to be addressed.

The article reports on the background and congressional options of a balanced budget constitutional amendment in 2011. The accumulation of large deficits in recent years has reportedly led to the necessity of requiring a balance between revenues and expenditures. It is stated that debates on the issue are interrelated, and that proponents have focused on the economy and the harm of large deficits, while opponents have concentrated on the difficulty of implementing any amendment.

The article focuses on the immigration -related legislation and issues discussed at the 111th Congress in the U.S. It explores various immigration bill, proposals, and legal actions on immigration issues that were discussed during the Congress including for unauthorized student immigrants, birthright citizenship, and victims of violence and trafficking. It also discusses targeted immigration provisions that were enacted.

The article focuses on the report "Government Collection of Private Information: Background and Issues Related to the USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization" by the U.S. Congressional Research Service as of March 2, 2010. Topics discussed include the approval of the USA PATRIOT Act by the U.S. Congress for prevention of terrorism, the role of the Terrorist Surveillance Program to address issues of national security and the history of constitutional process for criminal investigation.

Presidential claims of a right to preserve the confidentiality of information and documents in the face of legislative demands have figured prominently, though intermittently, in executive-congressional relations since at least 1792. Few such interbranch disputes over access to information have reached the courts for substantive resolution, the vast majority achieving resolution through political negotiation and accommodation. In fact, it was not until the Watergate-related lawsuits in the 1970's seeking access to President Nixon's tapes that the existence of a presidential confidentiality privilege was judicially established as a necessary derivative of the President's status in our constitutional scheme of separated powers. Of the eight court decisions involving interbranch or private information access disputes, three have involved Congress and the Executive but only one of these resulted in a decision on the merits. The Nixon and post-Watergate cases established the broad contours of the presidential communications privilege. Under those precedents, the privilege, which is constitutionally rooted, could be invoked by the President when asked to produce documents or other materials or information that reflect presidential decisionmaking and deliberations that he believes should remain confidential. If the President does so, the materials become presumptively privileged. The privilege, however, is qualified, not absolute, and can be overcome by an adequate showing of need. Finally, while reviewing courts have expressed reluctance to balance executive privilege claims against a congressional demand for information, they have acknowledged they will do so if the political branches have tried in good faith but failed to reach an accommodation. However, until the District of Columbia Circuit's 1997 ruling in In re Sealed Case(Espy), and 2004 decision in Judicial Watch v. Department of Justice, these judicial decisions had left important gaps in the law of presidential privilege. Among the more significant issues left open included whether the President has to have actually seen or been familiar with the disputed matter; whether the presidential privilege encompasses documents and information developed by, or in the possession of, officers and employees in the departments and agencies of the Executive Branch; whether the privilege encompasses all communications with respect to which the President may be interested or is it confined to presidential decisionmaking and, if so, is it limited to any particular type of presidential decisionmaking; and precisely what kind of demonstration of need must be shown to justify release of materials that qualify for the privilege. The unanimous panel in Espy, and the subsequent reaffirmation of the principles articulated in Espy by Judicial Watch, authoritatively addressed each of these issues in a manner that may have drastically altered the future legal playing field in resolving such disputes.< [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U.S. Congress and successive U.S. administrations have supported the European Union (EU) and the process of European integration as ways to foster a stable Europe, democratic states, and strong trading partners. In recent years, a number of trade and foreign policy conflicts have strained the U.S.-EU relationship. Since the divisive dispute over Iraq in 2003, however, both the United States and the EU have sought to improve cooperation and demonstrate a renewed commitment to partnership in tackling global challenges. This report evaluates the results of the annual U.S.-EU summit on April 30, 2007, in Washington, DC. It will not be updated again. Also see CRS Report RS21372, The European Union: Questions and Answers, by Kristin Archick, and CRS Report RL30732, Trade Conflict and U.S.-European Union Economic Relationship, by Raymond Ahearn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Article I of the Constitution, in Sections 2 and 3, authorizes the House of Representatives and Senate to choose their own officers. The number of such congressional support personnel, as well as their specific responsibilities, is left to the discretion of the chambers. Over time, both chambers have authorized a number of offices that assist them, collectively or individually, in their work. These offices perform legislative, administrative, financial, and ceremonial functions. They also ensure the protection of Congress and preserve its institutional memory. The roles of House support offices have been established by House Rules, statute, and custom. They are also shaped by the congressional authorities with directional, oversight, and funding responsibility for the offices. These include the House Appropriations Committee, the House Administration Committee, and the Office of the Speaker. This report is an overview of the different roles performed and the organizational authorities that govern the "daily operations" offices in the House of Representatives. Certain entities shared with the Senate, like the legislative support agencies, are included in this report, although the focus here is on their services to the House. Offices with responsibilities in more than one area are addressed in successive sections. More detailed information on select offices is also available in additional CRS products identified throughout. This report will be updated as circumstances warrant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 107th Congress considered a variety of trade issues with implications for the U.S. agricultural sector. Trade in agricultural commodities and food products affects farm income and rural employment, and it also generates economic activity beyond the farm gate. With agricultural export sales the equivalent of about 25% of gross farm income, some policymakers view U.S. efforts to develop market opportunities overseas as vital to the sector's financial health. Decisions by the Bush Administration, and actions taken by Congress, thus could affect the outlook for agricultural trade. U.S. agricultural exports are forecast to improve through FY2003. Agricultural groups and their supporters in Congress believe that the pace of improvements depends partly on U.S. trade policies that: (1) aggressively reduce foreign-imposed barriers to U.S. farm products, (2) hold other countries accountable for commitments they have already made in existing trade agreements, (3) resolve festering disputes with major trading partners, and (4) fully use U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) export and food aid programs. On the other hand, some continue to press for restrictions on various agricultural imports , to protect U.S. producers from what they view as unfair foreign competition. On August 6, 2002, the President signed into law fast track, or trade promotion authority (TPA) (P.L. 107-210), to negotiate future trade agreements, capping a lengthy and often contentious debate in the 107th Congress. Many, but not all, commodity and food industry groups favor TPA, arguing it gives U.S. trade negotiators greater credibility and facilitates the passage of legislation to implement future trade agreements. Congress closely monitored the Administration's involvement in various trade negotiations that could further liberalize trade in agriculture and other economic sectors. These include the multilateral Doha Round under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO); the hemispheric Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA); and bilateral agreements with Chile, Singapore, Morocco, and Central America, among others. Following agreement on the terms of China's accession to the WTO, Congress focused on ensuring that China adheres to its commitments to open markets to U.S. agricultural products. Despite such commitments, U.S. agricultural exporters continue to encounter major obstacles to Chinese markets. Lawmakers introduced bills to ease the tight rules on permitted food sales to Cuba. Farm bill conferees rejected a Senate plan to permit private financing of such sales, but the issue surfaced in other legislation. On May 13, 2002, the President signed into law an omnibus farm bill (P.L. 107-171) with a trade title amending and extending export and food aid programs through FY2007, and containing more stringent country of origin labeling requirements for food imports. USDA's FY2003 appropriation, not finalized by the end of the 107th Congress, will determine annual funding for USDA trade and food aid programs. Separate measures address concerns about the treatment of genetically engineered crops and food products in international trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the statement of U.S. Southern Command Adm. James Stavridis regarding the importance of launching new ideas. During the the Joint Warfighting Conference 2008, co-sponsored by the Armed Forces Communications Electronic International and the Naval Institute, Stavridis stated that everyone needs to be in the business of thinking, reading, writing, and publishing. Moreover, concern has been expressed during the war on terror that is losing the effort to counter the ideology.

The article offers information on the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) runway safety forum. The speakers in the forum talked about the solutions for runway incursions and concluded that low-technology solutions offer more immediate results. They included Dave Lotterer of Regional Airline Association and Earl Weener of Flight Safety Foundation. Ways to increase runway safety were also discussed during the event.

The article discusses the highlights of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) runway safety forum held in March 2007. The forum emphasized the relevance of low-tech solutions to the airline industry. Dave Lotterer, vice president of Technical Service at Regional Airline Association (RAA), said that NOTAM reform is needed. He added that NOTAM is difficult to convert to an electronic format for Electronic Flight Bags. The event also revealed the increase in the runway incursions since 2003.

An introduction to the journal is presented which discusses the report on the immigration-related issues and legislation discussed at the 111th Congress.