Energy-Saving Landscapes

Just in time for summer the Energy Department has published Energy Saver 101: Everything You Need to Know About Landscaping.  The web page covers how to shade, create windbreaks, conserve water, and landscape for different climates.

Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response

On April 7, 2017 the Congressional Research Service (CRS) published Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response  by Carla E. Humud, Coordinator Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs; Christopher M. Blanchard, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs; and Mary Beth D. Nikitin, Specialist in Nonproliferation, In addition to the overview, the 33 page report includes sections on issues for Congress; conflict synopsis; recent military, political, and humanitarian developments; U.S. policy and assistance; and an outlook.

U.S. Climate Change Regulation and Litigation: Selected Legal Issues,

Given President Trump's March 28, 2017 executive order modifying climate change policies, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) released a climate change report on April 3, 2017 discussing legal challenges to Obama Administration climate change regulations pending before courts. U.S. Climate Change Regulation and Litigation: Selected Legal Issues by Linda Tsang, Legislative Attorney, covers a brief history of U.S. climate change regulation; reviews the types of regulation and legal actions pursued in the national debate over GHG emissions; examines selected legal issues and next steps in related litigation; and addresses what these legal and regulatory developments mean for Congress.

The 2017 Long Term Budget Outlook

The Congressional Budget Office has made available online "The 2017 Long Term Budget Outlook." The report paints a bleak picture noting "If current laws remained generally unchanged, the United States would face steadily increasing federal budget deficits and debt over the next 30 years—reaching the highest level of debt relative to GDP ever experienced in this country." The report includes links to data, supplemental information and related publications and is divided into the following sections:

Why Are Projected Deficits Rising?

What Might the Consequences Be If Current Laws Remained Unchanged?

How Does CBO Make Its Long-Term Budget Projections?

How Uncertain Are Those Projections?

How Large Would Changes in Spending or Revenues Need to Be to Reach Certain Goals for Federal Debt?

How Have CBO’s Projections Changed Over the Past Year?