Culture and Arts

Jo Freeman writes: Bill Browder has written a political thriller. Covering roughly the decade ending in 2018, he traces his efforts to sanction corrupt Russian officials who had murdered his friend and Moscow lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. Law enforcement is a continuous theme. But whose laws and whose enforcement? Of course, Browder and his family had to be constantly on guard against being attacked and even kidnapped by those working for Russia, or even police who thought they were acting on a legitimate arrest order. These “adventures” are what make this book exciting. more »

"The Secretary of Labor should develop and execute a transformation plan that meets GAO's high risk criteria for transformation; the plan should outline coordinated and sustained actions to address issues related to providing effective service and mitigating financial risk, including ways to demonstrate improvements. Planned actions may include addressing audit recommendations, and determining whether legislative changes are needed, as appropriate. Planned actions may also include achieving quantifiable results in reducing improper payment rates, including those related to fraud; improving efficiency in claims processing and restoring pre-pandemic payment timeliness levels; better reaching current worker populations; and enhancing equity in benefit distribution." (Recommendation 1, Publicly Released: Jun 07, 2022.)  more »

"A bill to authorize assistance to train and retain obstetrician-gynecologists and sub-specialists in urogynecology and to help improve the quality of care to meet the health care needs of women in the least developed countries; A bill to provide for the expedited and duty-free importation of infant formula that may be lawfully marketed in the European Union, Canada, Japan, or the United Kingdom; A bill to authorize assistance to aid in the prevention and treatment of obstetric fistula in foreign countries, and a bill to authorize assistance to train and retain obstetrician-gynecologists and sub-specialists in urogynecology; A bill to require group health plans and group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage for over-the-counter contraceptives. Family Support - On Wednesday, the House Agriculture Committee will hold a hearing, “A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Stakeholder Perspectives on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).” more »

"Keeping Canadians safe is the Government of Canada’s top priority. We know that one Canadian killed by gun violence is one too many, which is why, two years ago, we banned over 1,500 types of military-style assault firearms. We also strengthened our gun control laws to expand background checks and keep firearms out of the wrong hands. These measures are helping to keep our children and communities safe." The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau ... announced the introduction of new legislation to further strengthen gun control in Canada and keep Canadians safe from gun violence. more »