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Issue: To address longstanding gaps in coverage, the Affordable Care Act requires individual and small-group health insurance to cover an essential health benefits (EHB) package. States define the exact scope of these benefits within federal parameters by designating a "benchmark" plan. Federal rules effective in 2020 and 2026 give states additional flexibility to update EHB benchmark plans. Goal: To understand the goals and experiences of states that have updated their EHB benchmark plan since 2020. Methods: We analyzed benchmark plan documents from the 11 states that, along with the District of Columbia, have received federal approval for benchmark updates since 2020. We interviewed officials in eight of these states. Key Findings: States have added benefits to address consumers' needs or advance state health policy goals. States generally relied on federal funding, benefited from federal technical support, and viewed recent federal rule changes as helpful. States face ongoing challenges to ensure required benefits keep pace with advances in science and medical evidence. Conclusion: While some states have updated their EHB benchmark plans to increase consumers' access to essential services, it is ultimately the federal government's responsibility to identify and close gaps in essential health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Supreme Court's 1950 decision in Feres v. United States generally bars individuals from pursuing tort lawsuits against the U.S. for injuries arising from active-duty military service. It mentions U.S. Congress enacted the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), which allows private parties to pursue tort lawsuits against the U.S. under certain conditions. It also mentions FTCA waives the federal government's immunity from a variety of tort lawsuits.

MBL Infrastructure has informed that it enclosed Press Release relating to Completion of Defect Liability Period of Public Interest Project.The above information is a part of company's filings submitted to BSE. [Extracted from the article]

The article reports on the government's response to the closure of the British Youth Council, which had been administering the United Kingdom (UK) Youth Parliament. Topics discussed include the appointment of the National Youth Agency to continue the program, the formal review of the UKYP, and future support for youth voice activities.

The article offers information on the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) a tort lawsuit to recover money from that defendant. Topics discussed include functions of the tort system such as deterring people from injuring others and compensating those who are injured; sovereign immunity, a legal doctrine that ordinarily prohibits private citizens from haling a sovereign state into court without its consent; and the preclusion of individual employee tort liability under the FTCA.

The article discusess the U.S. Supreme Court case Allen v. Cooper addressing whether the Congress validly abrogated state sovereign immunity through the Copyright Remedy Clarification Act in providing remedies for authors of original expression whose federal copyrights are infringed by states. In this case Petitioner Allen claims that the State of North Carolina infringed his copyrights in images and video of the salvage of Blackbeard's famed pirate ship.

The article discusess the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit court case Sanders v. United States addressing can mass shooting victims sue the U.S. In this case plaintiffs, invoking the Federal Tort Claims Act's waiver of sovereign immunity, sued the United States under South Carolina tort law for allegedly failing to prevent Roof from purchasing the firearm he used in the shooting.

The article discusess the U.S. Supreme Court case Feres v. United States addressing grant of certiorari in the Federal Tort Claims Act. In this case the court held that the U.S. is not liable under the Federal Tort Claims Act for injuries to members of the armed forces sustained while on active duty and not on furlough and resulting from the negligence of others in the armed forces.

The article offers information on the legal overview on the Federal Tort Claims Act which permits private parties to sue the U.S. government in a federal court for most torts committed by persons acting on behalf of the U.S. government. It discusses the act efforts to mitigate potential negative effects of abrogating the government’s immunity from liability and litigation. It mentions the act grants plaintiff to hold the U.S. liable for torts committed by government employees.

The article presents a poll of the poor and non-poor on the issue of poverty in the U.S. between 1985 and 2016. Topics discussed include the same values of the poor and non-poor in terms of government responsibility and work, the difficulty of the poor in finding jobs due to the Great Recession and its aftermath, and the development of welfare to help people recover from poverty.

The article reports on the aspects of the deal between pharmaceutical company Allergan and Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and the issue of tribal sovereign immunity which raises concerns over patent and drug law. Topics include the patent assignment agreement signed by the Allergan and the Tribe, the proceeding which challenge the validity of the patent, and the patent infringement suit filed by Allergan against Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.

The cabinet is pushing forward a reform of public finances that targets a fiscal deficit of 4% of GDP by 2006. This will be made more difficult by the recent acknowledgement of substantial hidden liabilities for the government, mostly in the form of state loan guarantees. In the meantime the EU has allowed the bailout of the Czech banking sector, which has now been privatised, to stand, despite concern that it violated EU subsidy regulations. The government is making progress in some reforms, notably pensions, but privatisation efforts have stalled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses U.S. Supreme Court case Jam v. International Finance Corp. addressing international development project gone awry in India. The case addressed whether the International Organizations Immunities Act which affords international organizations the same immunity from suit that foreign governments, confers the same immunity on such organizations as foreign governments have under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.

The article discusses the efforts of the administration of former U.S. President George W. Bush in restructuring the government and assignment of responsibilities, including the critical infrastructure protection for the U.S. Topics covered include the major streamlining of the National Security Council (NSC), the Executive Orders released after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and the highlights of the report "National Strategy for Homeland Security" released on July 2002.

The article discusses the liability of the U.S. government in the event of termination for convenience. Topics covered include how a termination settlement is arrived at, what a termination settlement could include, how much can a termination settlement cost, and whether the government could face liability for breach by terminating for convenience.

The article offers information related to the constitutional functions of the government of Nicaragua including legislative function, judiciary function, and maintainace of political freedom for people.

The article analyzes the reliability of the economic policy in Mexico in dealing with the impact of recession. The government establishes regulations and initiatives that are expected to ensure security of the social welfare. However, analysis shows indications of continued economic problems indicated by the decline in revenue and weak gross domestic product (GDP).

The article focuses on the respond of the government to the most significant issues affecting the public welfare in Mexico in 2009. President Felipe Calderón is considering the proposals to restructure the whole approach to central planning to fully transform the whole nation from a place struggling from economic downturn into a strong nation. The primary approach focuses on the empowerment of public health, education and the central economy.

The article forecasts the political risk and stability of South Africa in 2008. It is revealed that the nation's political risk profile has decreased but threats to political stability and policy will remain evident in the next years. Increase in cases of violence will continue as the poorer social classes feel frustration towards the current state of politics. It is assumed that political crisis will eventually lead to difficult living conditions and violence.

The article discusses the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Arizona v. U.S. which ruled that some aspects of an Arizona statute designed to deter unlawfully presents aliens from staying in the state were preempted by federal law and held that Arizona police were not facially preempted from running immigration status checks on persons stopped for state or local offenses. The Court clarified that opportunities for independent state action in immigration enforcement are limited.

Payment and other protections for subcontractors on certain federal contracts under the Miller Act, the Prompt Payment Act, and the Small Business Act have recently become a topic of congressional and public interest because of the effects of the recession upon small businesses. Many subcontractors on federal prime contracts are small businesses, and small businesses generally receive special consideration under federal law and policy. The Miller Act of 1935 authorizes subcontractors who furnished labor or materials used in carrying out federal construction projects valued in excess of $150,000 to bring a civil action against prime contractors' payment bonds to obtain payments due. Congress enacted the Miller Act to compensate for the difficulties that subcontractors would otherwise have in obtaining payment from federal construction contractors, given that they cannot place a mechanic's lien on the work because the government has sovereign immunity. The doctrine of sovereign immunity protects the government from being sued without its consent, and the Contract Disputes Act waives the government's sovereign immunity only as to suits involving contracts to which it is a party, not subcontracts under these contracts. Relatedly, there is no privity of contract, or direct contractual relationship, between the government and the subcontractor, which means that the subcontractor cannot sue to enforce the payment or other terms of the subcontract against the government. The 1988 amendments to the Prompt Payment Act provide an additional form of payment protection for subcontractors on federal construction contracts by requiring federal agencies to include in their contracts a clause obligating the prime contractor to pay the subcontractor for "satisfactory" performance within seven days of receiving payment from the government. Absent such a clause in the prime contract, the prime contractor would generally be free to agree to whatever payment terms it wishes with the subcontractor and would not necessarily pay the subcontractor as quickly. The Small Business Act provides a different sort of protection for some prospective subcontractors by requiring that prime contractors agree to plans for subcontracting some percentage of the work to be performed under certain federal contracts with various types of small businesses (e.g., women-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses). Without such subcontracting plans, or similar contract terms, prime contractors would be free to subcontract with whomever they wish for the completion of work under the contract and would not be required to deal with these categories of small businesses. Members of the 111th Congress have introduced legislation that would augment these protections by (1) requiring contractors with subcontracting plans to notify the Small Business Administration (SBA) whenever they pay a reduced price to a subcontractor (S. 2989); (2) requiring that contractors work with the subcontractors whom they identified in any subcontracting plans submitted with their bids or offers (H.R. 4134); (3) requiring withholding of contract payments from contractors who do not achieve their goals for subcontracting with small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (H.R. 4929); (4) requiring SBA to promulgate regulations to govern its review of subcontracting plans, including standards for determining contractors' "good faith compliance" with such plans (H.R. 5109); and (5) requiring that the Department of Defense periodically assess the performance of the defense acquisition system, including contractors' performance in subcontracting (H.R. 5136). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On June 1, 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court decided unanimously in Samantar v. Yousef that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), which governs the immunity of foreign states in U.S. courts, does not apply in suits against foreign officials. The ruling clarifies that officials of foreign governments, whether present or former, are not entitled to invoke the FSIA as a shield, unless the foreign state is the real party in interest in the case. Samantar's particular facts involve the Alien Tort Statute (ATS) and the Tort Victims Protection Act (TVPA), but the ruling applies to all causes of action against foreign officials. The ruling leaves open the possibility that foreign officials have recourse to other sources of immunity or other defenses to jurisdiction or the merits of a lawsuit, such as foreign sovereign immunity under the common law, perhaps aided by State Department suggestions of immunity. The Court also left open the possibility that Congress could enact new provisions to address the immunity of foreign officials. Prior to the Samantar decision, most federal judicial circuits interpreted the FSIA to cover foreign officials as "agencies or instrumentalities" of the foreign state based on their interpretation that Congress had intended to fully codify the common law of foreign sovereign immunity. To the extent the FSIA exceptions codify sovereign immunity of states under the common law, as in the case of lawsuits based on commercial activity under the restrictive theory, the recognition of a separate theory of immunity for foreign officials may not yield results significantly different from those cases in which courts applied the FSIA. The same common law considerations some courts previously applied to determine whether a foreign official is an "agency or instrumentality" under the FSIA would likely lead to similar results where the common law is applied directly. However, where Congress enacts exceptions to the FSIA that depart from the common law, outcomes may vary from cases decided under the pre-Samantar approach. This report provides an overview of the FSIA, followed by a consideration of the remaining options for foreign officials who seek immunity from lawsuits, as well as some of the questions that may emerge from each option. The report also addresses legislation that would affect the immunity of foreign officials, including S. 2930. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that American aerospace company Lockheed Martin has filed a protest with Government Accountability Office (GAO) concerning the award decision in the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program in the U.S. It states that the U.S. Army has issued a stop-work order on the JLTV contract. It also mentions that the U.S. Court of Federal has denied the stop-work request of Lockheed Martin.

The report further noted that public debt accounted for 91.60 per cent of total outstanding liabilities at end-December 2021 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 1996 amendment to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) enables American victims of international terrorist acts supported by certain States designated by the State Department as supporters of terrorism -- Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and until recently, Iraq -- to bring suit in federal court to seek monetary damages. Holders of judgments against these States, however, have encountered difficulties in their efforts to collect, despite congressional efforts to make blocked (or "frozen") assets of such States available for attachment by judgment creditors. A recent court decision invalidating plaintiffs' cause of action under the 1996 law raises uncertainties about the future of lawsuits against terrorist States. This report provides an overview of these issues, including a summary of a lawsuit against Iran by former hostages, Roeder v. Islamic Republic of Iran, and a lawsuit against Iraq by former prisoners of war (POWs), Acree v. Republic of Iraq, as well as a brief synopsis of relevant legislative proposals (S. 1257, H.R. 1321, H.R. 865, H.Con.Res. 93). These issues are covered in greater depth in CRS Report RL31258, Suits Against Terrorist States By Victims of Terrorism. The report will be updated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report considers the constitutionality of federal tort reform legislation, such as the products liability and medical malpractice reform proposals that have been introduced for the last several Congresses. Tort law at present is almost exclusively state law rather than federal law, although, as noted in the appendix to this report, Congress has enacted a number of tort reform statutes. Part I of this report concludes that Congress has the authority to enact tort reform legislation generally, under its power to regulate interstate commerce, and to make such legislation applicable to intrastate torts, because tort suits generally affect interstate commerce. However, it may be unconstitutional for tort reform legislation to be applied to particular intrastate torts that do not substantially affect interstate commerce. In concluding that Congress has the authority to enact tort reform "generally," we refer to reforms that have been widely implemented at the state level, such as caps on damages and limitations on joint and several liability and on the collateral source rule. More specialized types of reforms are not necessarily immune from constitutional challenge. For example, some state courts have struck down statutes that provide that a portion of punitive damages awards must be paid to state funds (although other state courts have upheld such statutes). Part I also concludes that there would appear to be no due process or federalism (or any other constitutional) impediments to Congress's limiting a state common law right of recovery. The only exception concerns requiring alternative dispute resolution that limits the right to a jury trial. Part II considers alternative dispute resolution alternatives, some of which could have constitutional problems. The Seventh Amendment would preclude Congress from eliminating the right to a jury trial in common law tort actions brought in federal court. Congress may, however, eliminate the right to bring common law tort actions in federal court, or eliminate common law tort actions themselves. Congress apparently may create Article I tribunals, such as arbitration panels, to hear tort claims, if it alters tort claims so that they are no longer traditional common law actions (but rather are like no-fault workers' compensation claims), or if it allows de novo review by an Article III court, with the right to a jury trial, of traditional common law tort actions (rather than allow merely traditional appellate review). It apparently may also opt for a middle ground by altering the common law cause of action somewhat but not wholly, and by pro-viding for something less than de novo review by an Article III court, provided that the Article III court is not required to be too deferential to the findings of the Article I tribunal. Finally, a strong argument may be made that Congress has the power to eliminate jury trials in tort actions brought in state court, but this is uncertain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total liabilities of the government were Rs 120.91 lakh crore in Q1FY22 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Parivartan Report showcases the initiatives undertaken by the bank as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility in the state [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Parivartan Report showcases the initiatives undertaken by the bank as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility in the state [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Parivartan Report showcases the initiatives undertaken by the bank as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility in the state [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Parivartan Report showcases the initiatives undertaken by the bank as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility in the state [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Parivartan Report showcases the initiatives undertaken by the bank as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility in the state [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Parivartan Report showcases the initiatives undertaken by the bank as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility in the state [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Parivartan Report showcases the initiatives undertaken by the bank as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility in the state [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Parivartan Report showcases the initiatives undertaken by the bank as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility in the state [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Parivartan Report showcases the initiatives undertaken by the bank as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility in the state [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Parivartan Report showcases the initiatives undertaken by the bank as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility in the state [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The government has the responsibility of making things easier for start-ups, hand holding them with easier compliance and exit processes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Parivartan Report showcases the initiatives undertaken by the bank as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility in the state [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information regarding the functions of several government officials in Peru including its president, prime ministers, and legislators.

The article provides information on the political structure in Bosnia and Hercegovina. The state exists between the boundaries of the former Yugoslav republic of the same name. It includes the Federation of Bosnia and Hercegovina and Republika Srpska. Its central state-level government was granted limited responsibilities under the 1995 Dayton peace agreement. It has a bicameral parliament comprising the House of Representatives and the House of Peoples.

The article focuses on the mission of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to support the constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance and the accountability of the federal government in the U.S. It highlights the debate between the Federal Reserve (Fed) and the Congress over the utility of GAO audits. It stresses the importance of auditing Fed activities such as foreign financial transactions, monetary policy issues and the disclosure of confidential information.

The article reports on the possibility of over-legislation to impact the integrity of the energy sector in Great Britain. The market might be damaged due to the released green manifesto from the Labour Party. It notes the lowness of retail margins as expected in the business. It mentions the need of the new government to accept the legislative responsibility to assure the possible course to plan and build new power generation and transmission.

The article reports on the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) approval of the $7.5 million Development Policy Loan (DPL) by the government of Namibia. The fund aims to support the government's Education and Training Sector Improvement Program (ETSIP) which is designed to improve the skills of the students. ETSIP is part of the educational reform essential in diversifying the skills of the people to solve unemployment and skill shortage.

The article announces the decision of the government to increase the budget of the Ministry of Agriculture to support food production in Mozambique. The government hopes that the financial increase for agricultural projects and programs will solve the rising food prices and shortages. The development of domestic food production may reduce the country's vulnerability to elevated global prices of crops such as wheat and rice.

The article reports on the agreement between the government officials of Idaho and the Department of Energy's (DoE) Naval Nuclear Propulsion Office and the U.S. Navy to extend naval fuel operations at DoE's Idaho National Lab (INL) in Idaho. The officials assure the Congress that the agreement maintains limits on the amount of nuclear material the Navy can bring to their place. However, there is an issue over the commitment of INL in complying with responsible nuclear waste disposal laws.

The article discusses overall risk in Pakistan including security risk, political stability risk, government effectiveness risk, and legal & regulatory risk. It is stated that overall risk in Pakistan is high. Security risk represents a major threat to foreign operations and is especially high in Baluchistan, and the North West Frontier Province. Considering government effectiveness risk, it is stated that things did improved after military came to power but, the process has now slowed.

This article focuses on the political structure of Lebanon. It is a parliamentary republic state. The legal system is based on the 1926 constitution and the Civil Procedure Code, the Criminal Procedure Code and the Penal Code. The prime minister is chosen by the president after consultation with parliamentary deputies; the government is then chosen by the designated prime minister and the president. Ministers need not be members of the National Assembly, but are responsible to it.

Provides an overview of the political and the economic developments in Hong Kong, as of July 2002. Introduction of reforms aimed at making the government more accountable by President Tung Chee-hwa; Plan of the government to cut public expenditure and broaden the tax base.

The article explores the considerations in the process of assigning teachers in rural schools in New York. Part of the government responsibility is the assurance that highly qualified teachers are assigned efficiently to ensure that all students have equitable access to high quality education. However, it is also notable that the nation's educational program is facing diverse challenges including limited health, cultural and retail services.