iPAD App Available for Congressional Record

The Library of Congress created an iPad app that provides access to the daily edition of the Congressional Record dating from January 4, 1995. The Congressional Record is the official compilation of the proceedings and debates of Congress.

The app allows users to:

* Browse editions of the Congressional Record by date.
* Perform keyword searches within individual documents or sections within documents.
* Identify the latest bills and resolutions considered daily on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
* Identify the latest bills, resolutions, treaties, and nominations considered daily on the floor of the U.S. Senate.
* Save documents to your preferred iPad PDF reader.
* Share documents via email.

On Wednesday, the Committee on House Administration, in collaboration with the Library of Congress and the Government Printing Office, introduced the application on iTunes. The application currently provides users with mobile access to the publication on iPad devices only, not on iPhones.

You can search in the App Store for “The Congressional Record” or use this link to download the app.

New Look for Census Website

The Census Bureau has launched a newly redesigned home page in the first of many enhancements to Census.gov over the coming year.

The new features improve navigation and ease of use, thereby making content more accessible, comprehensible and interesting to the broadest possible audience.

Some of the new features include:

• A top drop-down menu for quick navigation to key topics.
• An embeddable dashboard featuring economic indicators.
• A  “Census News” section in the middle of the page.
• A new interactive map showing in-depth business and demographic information for the nation, states and counties.
• A “Stat of the Day” highlighting statistics across all the data collected by the Census Bureau.
• A “mega footer” with links categorized under familiar topics and highly trafficked pages.
• A feature for users to provide feedback .

Those familiar with features and links such as QuickFacts and the 2010 Population Finder will still find them on the new home page. Users have not lost any features in the transition.

http://www.census.gov/

http://www.census.gov/

Librarian of Congress Announces 2011 National Film Registry Picks

The National Film Preservation Act, originally passed in 1988, directs the Librarian of Congress to add 25 films per year that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” to the National Film Registry. The films must be 10 years old and are chosen to showcase the range and diversity of American film heritage to increase awareness for its preservation.

This year’s entries include Bambi, Forrest Gump, Norma Rae and Silence of the Lambs.

Annual selections to the registry are finalized by the Librarian after reviewing hundreds of titles nominated by the public (this year 2,228 films were nominated) and conferring with Library film curators and the distinguished members of the National Film Preservation Board (NFPB).

A film is not required to be feature-length, nor is it required to have been theatrically released. The Registry contains newsreels, silent films, experimental films, short subjects, films out of copyright protection, film serials, home films, documentaries, independent films, television films, and music videos. As of the 2011 listing, there are 575 films preserved in the Registry.

Bill of Rights Day: Dec. 15th

The Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution, was ratified on Dec. 15, 1791. It protects states and individuals’ rights such as freedom of religion and speech.

 The first eight amendments of the Bill of Rights set forth specific guarantees and liberties. The Ninth Amendment acknowledges that the American people have rights that are not even specified in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights.

The Tenth Amendment emphasizes the national character of the United States constitutional system. It declares that the states or people retain those “powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution.”

Most people, however, believe that their most important rights are those guaranteed by the First Amendment. Commonly called “First Amendment freedoms,” these are the fundamental freedoms of religion, speech, and press, as well as the right of the people to assemble and to petition a government.

Today the Bill of Rights plays an important role in the federal judicial system by guaranteeing various freedoms, including citizens’ protection against unreasonable search and seizure and the right to assemble peacefully. 

On the 150th anniversary of this event in 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed December 15 as Bill of Rights Day. He wanted to make Americans aware of their rights and to remind them of their duties as citizens of the United States.

 

Cyber Monday…Can’t Trust That Day

That’s what the people will be singing at the commercial websites closed today by the Feds as a part of a raid called Operation In Our Sites.

Launched in June, 2010, Operation in our Sites is a cooperative effort of the U.S.Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations, the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the FBI to crackdown on counterfeiters. Today alone, over 150 websites were shut for selling or distributing counterfeit goods, such as pro sports jerseys, golf equipments, DVD sets, footwear, handbags, and sunglasses. The closed sites now display a notice that they have been closed for copyright infringement.

“For most, the holidays represent a season of good will and giving, but for these criminals, it’s the season to lure in unsuspecting holiday shoppers”,ICE Director John Morton said in a statement. “More and more Americans are doing their holiday shopping online, and they may not realize that purchasing counterfeit goods results in American jobs lost, American business profits stolen, and American consumers receiving substandard products.”

To avoid scams, consumers should be on the lookout for inaccurate grammar and frequent misspellings on sites and make sure that contact information is available.

Need Info on Your Senator? There’s an App for That!

The U.S.Government Printing Office (GPO) released its first mobile Web application (app), which is a tool that provides the public with quick, easy access to information on Members of Congress.

The Mobile Member Guide app is of the Guide to the House and Senate Members, which features a congressional pictorial directory as well as other information on every Member of the 112th Congress.

The public can take advantage of this free mobile Web app on major mobile device platforms including: iPhones, iPads, Blackberry devices, and Android devices. Users can browse for Members of Congress by last name, state, chamber, or party. Each Member’s profile includes their picture, party affiliation, hometown, home state, and information on their length of service. The creation of the Mobile Member Guide app builds upon GPO’s role as the digital information platform for the Federal Government.

Link to download instructions for mobile app.

Nixon’s Watergate Grand Jury Testimony Released

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has publicly released the transcripts of President Richard Nixon‘s Watergate grand jury testimony.

In May 1975, the Watergate Special Prosecution Force (WSPF) decided that it was necessary to question former President Richard M. Nixon in connection with various investigations being conducted by the WSPF. Mr. Nixon was questioned over the period of two days, June 23 and June 24, 1975, and the testimony was taken as part of various investigations being conducted by the January 7, 1974, Grand Jury for the District of Columbia (the third Watergate Grand Jury).

On July 29, 2011, Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the District Court for the District of Columbia ordered that the June 1975 transcript of Nixon’s testimony and the “Associated Materials” to that testimony be released to the public following the review of these documents for information that must be redacted as required by law. It is rare for any grand jury testimony to be made public.

“GPO has a 75 year relationship with NARA in providing the public with Government information and GPO is honored to work with NARA to host this historically important, never before seen collection on FDsys” said Public Printer Bill Boarman. “By providing access to these transcripts, GPO and NARA continue to increase transparency on the workings of the Federal Government.”

This is the first time the public will have access to this historic collection

Gangs on the Rise in US

Gangs are expanding, evolving, and posing an increasing threat to U.S. communities.

That’s the bottom line of the just-released 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment,prepared by the FBI’s National Gang Intelligence Center(NGIC).

This latest assessment builds on the gang-related trends and criminal threats identified in the 2009 assessment. The findings in the 2011 report are based on data from federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and corrections agencies as well as open source information.

The key findings from the 2011 assessment:

There are approximately 1.4 million active street, prison, and outlaw motorcycle gang members in more than 33,000 gangs operating in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. (Those numbers reflect an increase from 2009 figures, due primarily to more comprehensive reporting from law enforcement and enhanced gang recruiting efforts.)

Gangs are responsible for an average of 48 percent of violent crime in most jurisdictions and up to 90 percent in several others.

Gangs are increasingly engaging in non-traditional gang-related crimes like alien smuggling, human trafficking, and prostitution, as well as white-collar crimes like counterfeiting, identity theft, and mortgage fraud….primarily due to the high profitability and much lower visibility and risk of detection and punishment than drug and weapons trafficking.

Gang members are acquiring high-powered, military-style weapons and equipment, which poses a significant threat because of the potential to engage in lethal encounters with law enforcement and citizens alike.

Gangs are becoming increasingly adaptable and sophisticated, employing new and advanced technology—including social networking websites—to carry out criminal activity discreetly and connect with other gang members, criminal organizations, and potential recruits around the country and around the world.

Like to Make Videos? Enter Yours to Win $1000.00

From the General Services Administration:

Win $1,000 and have your video seen by millions on USA.gov, while helping people understand how to get the government benefits and services they need, from applying for a passport to signing up for Medicare benefits. USA.gov provides answers to the public’s most common questions, at Answers.USA.gov, but we need your help to create how-to videos to better explain some of the information.

You can create and enter separate videos in any of five categories, listed below. One winner will be selected from each category. A person is eligible to win multiple categories.

Your video will need to illustrate the how-to processes described in some of our most popular frequently asked questions about government benefits and services.

You can find the information to use in your video at the URLs listed below.

Here are the categories you can enter:

How do I check the status of my tax refund?
How can I apply for a government grant or loan?
How can I find a job?
How do I get a Social Security card?
How can I change my address with various government agencies (e.g., Postal Service, Internal Revenue Service, and the Social Security Administration) when I move?

How to enter

Sign in or create a new account in Challenge.gov.
Click on the post submission button to submit your video through Challenge.gov.
You may submit more than one video. But hurry. Videos must be submitted by October 28th.