The public is on a different page with regard to the federal budget than either the House of Representatives or the Obama Administration, bringing a different set of priorities and a greater willingness to increase some domestic spending and taxes, concludes a new analysis by the University of Maryland’s Program for Public Consultation (PPC).
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today reintroduced legislation to ensure that heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are more widely recognized and effectively treated in women.
Tracy Mitrano, Cornell University’s director of IT Policy and director of Cornell’s Computer Policy and Law Programs, calls on the public to raise its voice in light of the scheduled vote Wednesday by a House subcommittee to rescind the FCC’s December 2010 “Net Neutrality” regulations.
A visionary plan for a “Desert Development Corridor” in Egypt, researched and created by Boston University geologist Dr. Farouk El-Baz, has been adopted by the country’s interim government as its flagship program. According to El-Baz, the plan – which includes the construction, along 1,200 kilometers, of a new eight-lane superhighway, a railway, a water pipeline, and a power line – would open new land for urban development, commerce, agriculture, tourism and related jobs.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s move to strip or significantly narrow his state’s public-sector workers’ collective bargaining rights has significant implications for all unionized workers, both in the public and private sector, says Marion Crain, JD, the Wiley B. Rutledge Professor of Law and director of the Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Work & Social Capital.
With many Americans concerned about rising gas prices, state budgets and inflation — and with battle lines drawn in several states between governments and unions — the U.S. can expect more social media “wars’ in the near future.
The Supreme Court should affirm the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, says law professor Greg Magarian, JD, because the act fits comfortably within a proper understanding of the federal-state balance of power. Magarian, a constitutional law expert, weighs in on the challenge to the health care bill.
A new policy research brief released today by the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services examines the characteristics of patients whose access to health center services is at risk because of a potential $1.3 billion in direct spending cuts for community health centers. The cuts were approved by the United States House of Representatives on February 20, 2011, as part of legislation to trim $61 billion in discretionary spending for the remainder of fiscal year 2011.
A study from Indiana University finds the link between veteran status and volunteering is stronger for some subgroups than for others, raising questions about military-civilian relationships.
Unemployed and those diagnosed with psychotic disorder more likely to be determined incompetent.
Federal government initiatives are the driving force behind current healthcare information technology (IT) spending, suggest results of the 22nd Annual HIMSS Leadership Survey, sponsored by Citrix Systems.
The President's budget increases funding for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) from $262 to $325 million.
The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) strongly opposes the proposed $1.6 billion reduction to the NIH budget included in the continuing resolution (fiscal year 2011) being debated in the House of Representatives. The nation’s longstanding commitment to better health has established the United States as a world leader in medical research and innovation. This leading position will be endangered should the 5.2 percent decrease in the NIH budget be implemented.
The ASA and more than 20 other academic organizations issued a joint statement condemning radio and television personality Glenn Beck for his attacks on Frances Fox Piven and calling on public officials, political commentators, and others in the media “to help discourage the rhetoric of hate and violence that has escalated in recent months.”
Jens David Ohlin, an expert on domestic terror and assistant professor of Law at Cornell University, comments on First Amendment issues raised by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s assertion that homegrown terror is a rising threat in the U.S.
Anyone who cares about the rule of law has to acknowledge that illegal immigration has serious social costs that cannot be casually dismissed, says immigration law expert Stephen Legomsky, JD, DPhil, the John S. Lehmann University Professor at Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. “When millions of individuals violate any law — whether it’s immigration, taxes or exceeding the posted speed limit — the rule of law takes a hit. But sometimes, mass violations reveal flaws in the law itself. At any rate, the rule of law also means that the penalties should not be disproportionate to the wrongdoing.”
The FDA, through the new Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, is considering banning outdoor tobacco product advertising at various distances from schools and playgrounds. The tobacco industry is challenging these rules on First Amendment grounds, arguing that they would lead to a near complete ban on tobacco advertising in dense urban areas. A new study by the Center for Tobacco Policy Research (CTPR) at Washington University in St. Louis found that a 1000-foot buffer would still allow for tobacco ads. Smaller buffer zones of 350 feet may result in almost no reduction of outdoor tobacco advertising.
When average Americans are presented the federal budget in some detail, most can cut the deficit dramatically and solve the Social Security shortfall. "Given information and a chance to sort through their options, most Americans do better than most politicians," says UMD Senior Research Scholar Steven Kull. Try the exercise yourself online.
Expert addresses the battle over school prayer in public schools and the landmark US Supreme Court case, Engel vs. Vitale.
Larry Van Horn, associate professor of health care management and executive director of health affairs at Owen, co-teaches a course with U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., on health care policy. His current research interests include nonprofit conduct, governance and objectives in health care markets, and the measurement of health care outcomes and productivity.
American Thoracic Society President Dean E. Schraufnagel, MD, today expressed “grave concerns” with legislation released by House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman Jim Inhofe (R-OK) to make changes to the Clean Air Act.
Even the most horrible criminals feel guilt, and according to new research from the University of Montreal, playing on that sentiment might be a good way to extract a confession.
Sara Rosenbaum, Chair of the Department of Health Policy at The George Washington University, is available to comment on the Florida federal judge ruling health care reform law unconstitutional.
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) today praised President Obama’s call for a renewed focus on education and innovation issues, as he stated in yesterday’s State of the Union address.
The Crimes Against Humanity Initiative at the Whitney R. Harris World Law Institute of Washington University in St. Louis School of Law recently released the text of a proposed multilateral treaty on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity. Leila Nadya Sadat, JD, director of the initiative, says that this is the first time that such a convention has been drafted. “It represents a real opportunity for the international community to complete the Rome Statute system by imposing a clear obligation on states to prevent and punish crimes against humanity,” says Sadat, also the Henry H. Oberschelp Professor of Law and Harris Institute director. “Moreover, it offers mechanisms designed to help states cooperate with each other in the investigation and prosecution of such crimes,” she says.
This month's referendum on South Sudan's independence brings renewed attention to the importance of self-determination in ensuring global peace, according to Timothy Waters at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.
Jonathan Adler, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Business Law and Regulation at Case Western Reserve School of Law, testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial, and Administrative Law regarding proposed legislation to assert greater legislative control over regulatory policy.
A just-published paper explores gambling history in Hawaii and Utah and points out that while those states may not currently have any form of legalized gambling, that wasn't always the case.
When the Senate convenes Tuesday, Jan. 25, it is expected to weigh a resolution to reform the filibuster rule and eliminate secret holds — protocols that many have blamed for encouraging congressional gridlock. Although the proposal is put forth by members of the Senate’s Democratic majority, it contains a series of relatively modest changes that should hold some appeal to the Senate’s Republican minority, suggests congressional expert Steven S. Smith of Washington University in St. Louis.
Criminologist Alex Piquero has won the 2011 Academy Fellow Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS), and it’s no wonder. Piquero ranks No. 1 in the nation for scholarly contributions to his field, and so does The Florida State University College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, where he and other top-ranked faculty are bringing research to life.
Women in Congress deliver more federal projects to their home districts than men do, even when controlling for such factors as party affiliation and ideology. Congresswomen also sponsor and co–sponsor more legislation than their male counterparts, the authors found. The study has recently been accepted for publication at the American Journal of Political Science.
The new Maryland legislature significantly under-represents women compared to the general population, though African American membership is less out of balance, finds a new University of Maryland study. “Minority candidates are quite effective at winning elections, but there aren’t enough seeking office,” said UMD researcher Paul Herrnson.
The following health policy experts at the GW Medical Center are available to comment on the State of the Union address.
States might be better off combating teen sexting with new laws that directly address the issue rather than adapting existing obscenity or pornography laws, a University of Iowa law student and researcher suggests.
This commentary by renowned social scientist Dennis Embry emphasizes the severity of mental health issues facing our nation's youth. Dr. Embry advocates for the use of "behavioral vaccines" to improve mental health and reduce the problems it causes.
Given the conflicted politics of the death penalty, it was probably inevitable that the Illinois legislature would vote to abolish the practice, says Indiana University legal expert Joseph L. Hoffmann.
International outsourcing has come to the legal profession. In what may be the most comprehensive article written thus far on the increasingly hot-button topic of offshore legal process outsourcing (LPO), Associate Law Professor Cassandra Burke Robertson concludes that the LPO trend is revolutionizing the way in which law is practiced in the West.
Health care reform as presented will be good for Americans, according to Dr. Joel Rudin, a professor in the Management and Entrepreneurship Department in the Rohrer College of Business at Rowan University, Glassboro, N.J.
Maryland’s smart growth program made barely discernible progress in the past decade concludes a new report from the University of Maryland's National Center for Smart Growth. "The state made a significant effort to encourage development in designated areas, but the smart growth tools in place are apparently inadequate,” says researcher Gerrit Knaap.
NSF International, an independent public health organization that tests and certifies a wide range of plumbing and drinking water treatment products, strongly supports the passage of the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act on January 4th, which significantly reduces the amount of lead allowed in plumbing products that contact drinking water.
How far should individuals or churches be able to push free exercise of religion -- especially when it comes to accommodating prisoners with unconventional beliefs and congregations whose ministries and missions may not jibe with restrictions on land use? A Baylor University professor explores those questions in a new book.
Steven Johnson, industrial engineering professor at the University of Arkansas, is available to comment on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recent proposal to enact federally mandated rules that would require trucks to activate speed limits. Johnson has studied speed limits and car-vs.-large-truck speed differentials on rural, interstate highways and found that different speed limits for cars and large trucks compromise safety by causing greater speed variation and a higher number of vehicles passing each other. He is currently involved in research funded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regarding the implementation of speed-limiting devices on commercial vehicles.
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) commends Congress for passage of landmark food safety legislation, which represents the largest changes in the country’s food safety laws in more than 70 years. These changes will be discussed at a special food safety forum on January 7th, 2011.
One expert on electoral politics is throwing a little cold water on pundit predictions that Republicans are the big winners from the 2010 census, which will see “red” states picking up House seats and “blue” states losing representation as a result of the once-a-decade reapportionment.
Prof. Katherine Hayes is available to comment on the recent court ruling by Virginia Judge Henry E. Hudson on health reform.
The South could pay less for its electricity in 20 years than is currently projected if strong public policies are enacted to spur renewable energy production and use, according to a report released today by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Duke University.
Physicians' fears of being sued for malpractice are out of proportion to their actual risk of being sued, according to a recent study by a University of Iowa researcher and colleagues.
The ruling by Judge Henry E. Hudson of the Federal District Court in Richmond, Va., finding the individual mandate provision of the new health-care law unconstitutional is an important ruling, but it does not settle the question, says Timothy D. McBride, PhD, health economist and associate dean for public health at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. McBride says that the individual mandate, while just a small piece of the health-reform structure, is very important to making all of the parts of health reform work. “It is more or less like pulling on the thread of a garment, and having the whole garment come apart if this disappears,” he says.
Do black leather pants qualify as a tax deduction for rock stars? Fans, musicians, journalists, researchers and anyone else interested in music can see how the courts dealt with this question and nearly any other legal issue involving the music industry at The Discography: Legal Encyclopedia of Popular Music accessible through thediscography.org. The site was created by Loren Wells, JD, musician and recent graduate of the Washington University in St. Louis School of Law and is supported by the Center for Empirical Research in the Law (CERL) at the School of Law. The site’s database — the most elaborate of its kind — covers 2,400 court opinions spanning nearly 200 years of the music industry.
John D. Graham, a dean at Indiana University and an official in the Bush administration, says the Obama-GOP tax-cut deal is "remarkably creative and practical," especially given the polarized state of the two-party politics.
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