Hot Enough For Ya?

July and August are the hottest months of the year, with September not far behind here in the South.  Extreme high heat can affect our outdoor activities, our electric bills, and our moods.  But what effect does heat have on the most vulnerable communities and what is their resilience to this external pressure on them.  According to the Census Bureau, “Community resilience is the capacity of individuals and households within a community to absorb the external stresses of a disaster.”

The United States Census provides data about the population in numerous topic areas.  Most recently (July 16, 2024), they released their report on the 2022 Community Resilience Estimates (CRE) for Heat.  The report includes Quick Guide which can be used to understand and use the data available.  The Bureau previously released data for 2019.

In general, the CRE reports the social vulnerability that inhibits community resilience.  The CRE for Heat (which is an experimental report) adds new components of social vulnerability and information concerning exposure.  For example, the report looks at which areas (by geography, state, county, and census tract) have more than two days in a row of temperatures over 90 degrees and what households in those areas do not have air conditioning. 

The CRE for Heat uses information from the American Community Survey and the Population Estimates Program.  The American Community Survey is conducted every month of every year and, unlike the decennial census, is sent to a sample of addresses.  The survey asks questions about topics not in the regular census such as education, employment, internet access, and transportation. 

The Population Estimates Program annually produces reports on the estimated changes in population and housing units for the nation, states, counties, cities and towns and includes births, deaths, and migrations. 

Arizona State University’s Knowledge Exchange for Resilience collaborates with the Census Bureau to produce the CRE for Heat reports.

The data from the CRE for Heat is included in My Community Explorer which is a Census Bureau tool to identify underserved communities and includes Census Bureau and Emergency Response datasets. 

Gun Violence Research

The U.S. Government Publishing House (GPO) is good about processing major, important, and impactful government documents soon after agencies release them. 

Yesterday evening (June 25, 2024) the PBS News Hour discussed with the University of Colorado's Dr. Emmy Betz, an emergency room physician and director of the Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative, the Surgeon General's report as a national health problem. 

• Access the report here: Firearm Violence: A Public Health Crisis in America. 
• ATF provides the most comprehensive government data collection on firearms. Data & Statistics | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 
• HHS quick facts: Fast Facts: Firearm Injury and Death | Firearm Injury and Death Prevention | CDC

To explore more government information and conduct research on more topics, check out https://libguides.rice.edu/gov , visit the Kelley Center, or schedule an appointment with Anna Xiong, your FDLP Representative at Fondren Library: govhelp@rice.edu.

Consumer Protection and Consumer Data

Before you take out a loan or mortgage from financial institution that is not a bank, you will want to check the registry being created by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

The financial crisis of 2008 revealed that although banks have a great deal of oversight of their lending practices by federal regulators, other financial institutions do not.  These financial institutions include debt collectors, payday lenders, and credit reporting companies.  Most importantly, they include nonbank mortgage lenders.  Many of these companies are not licensed or registered with any agency or registry. 

When financial companies break consumer laws, they are usually assessed a fine by a court or the CFPB.  However, many companies see these fines as the “cost of doing business” and proceed to continue their illegal practices.  With the creation of this new registry, the CFPB will be able to track lawbreaking companies, hold them accountable, and prevent corporate recidivism. 

This registry will be used by state attorneys general, state regulators, and other law enforcement agencies to ensure these companies are paying their fines and not continuing to participate in illegal activities such as scams, fraudulent schemes, and other illegal conduct that harms the public.  Most importantly the public, including investors, creditors, business partners, and average consumers will be able to vet the financial institutions they deal with. 

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is an official 21st century government agency that implements and enforces Federal consumer financial law and ensures that markets for consumer financial products are fair, transparent, and competitive.  It provides financial education for individual consumers on such topics as auto loans, credit cards, and frauds and scams.  It also provides data for researchers on their Public Data Inventory section and provides access to FOAI requests.  It also provides legal information on the rules and regulations governing consumers and financial institutions serving them. 

Consumers can submit complaints about financial products or services by visiting the CFPB’swebsite or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372).

Employees who believe their company has violated federal consumer financial protection laws are encouraged to send information about what they know to whistleblower@cfpb.gov.

Government Publishing Office (GPO) and Authentic Official Publications

 

The U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE (GPO)　is the official, digital and secure source for producing,　protecting, preserving and distributing the official　publications and information products of the Federal　Government.

GPO provides public access to the official publications　and information of the Government. GPO’s mission can　be traced to the requirement in Article I of the Constitution　that each House keep a journal of its proceedings and　from time to time publish the same.

When GPO signs and certifies a digital document, a blue ribbon icon appears right beneath the top navigation menu and also in the Signature Panel within Adobe Acrobat or Reader. When users print a document that has been signed and certified by GPO, the Seal of Authenticity will automatically print on the document, but the ribbon will not print.　

Try This:

Click here to open the document. Is it authenticated by GPO?
(Note: You need to open the document within Adobe Acrobat or Reader to check the Blue Ribbon Icon and the GPO's Seal of Authenticity.)

Image above: Blue Ribbon Icon

Image above: GPO's Seal of Authenticity

Follow Kelley Center Government Information blogs to learn more.
You are also invited to explore more authentic official government publications and use our services to enhance your research: check out our research guides at https://libguides.rice.edu/gov , visit the Kelley Center, or schedule an appointment with Anna Xiong, your FDLP Representative at Fondren Library: govhelp@rice.edu.

Featured New U.S. Federal Publication: Budget FY 2025 - Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2025

 

 

This government document contains analyses that are designed to highlight specified subject areas or provide other significant presentations of budget data that place the budget in perspective. This volume includes: economic and accounting analyses; information on Federal receipts and collections; analyses of Federal spending; information on Federal borrowing and debt; baseline or current services estimates; and other technical presentations.

Click here to access the free online full text of this publication.

Questions For You

The authentication matters.
Is this online document an authenticated official version and how do you know?
Who or which government agency has issued this document?
What is the name of the publisher of the document?

Find out the answer or explore more government information resources and conduct research on more topics, check out https://libguides.rice.edu/gov, visit the Kelley Center, or schedule an appointment with Anna Xiong, your FDLP Representative at Fondren Library: govhelp@rice.edu.

 

Find Your Family in Federal Records

The National Archives keeps track of our nation’s most important documents – from our foundational documents such as the Constitution to current materials essential to our national security.  But did you know that the NARA can help you with your own essential, foundational papers? 

Every year the National Archives hosts a series of educational webinars on genealogy research using national records. The sessions, hosted on the U.S. National Archives YouTube channel, are free and intended for all levels of expertise – from novices to experienced researchers. 

Lecture schedule, topic descriptions, videos, and handouts are available at the 2024 Genealogy Series web page. 

Sessions begin May 21^st and continue to the end of June.  They will all be broadcast Tuesdays at 1pm EST.  However, videos and handouts will remain after the event has ended. 

No registration is needed.  Just go to the series webpage and click on the appropriate link for the topic(s) you are interested in. 

 

From the National Archives press release:

Background: The National Archives holds the permanently valuable records of the federal government. These include records of interest to genealogists, such as pension files, ship passenger lists, census, and Freedmen’s Bureau materials. See “Resources for Genealogists” online.

 

Big News! Federal race & ethnicity collection standards have CHANGED

Federal Race and Ethnicity Collection Standards Have Changed

Check it out!

There are a lot to read about in the newly revised OMB Statistical Policy Directive No. 15: Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethinicity, published 3-29-2024. 

Federal Register citation is 89 FR 22182. There are several key revisions but one of the most important is the inclusion of Middle Eastern or North African (MENA) as a race.

How do you think about this change?

This revision has received over 1800 public comments. If you are interested in reading those comments and need assistance with finding and accessing the information, email govhelp@rice.edu or visit Kelley Center informaiton desk for help.

National Parks Week

 

Grand Tetons National Park/Photo by Nate Foong on Unsplash

429

That’s number of National Parks in the United States.  These include national seashores, historical sites, and recreation areas.  To celebrate them, the National Parks Service, part of the Department of the Interior, is devoting April 20^th through April 28^th as National Park Week.

To kick off the week of celebration, and to showcase the variety and grandeur of our National Park system, April 20^th is a day of no entrance fee into any of the parks.  (The NPS offers six days in the year with no entrance fees.)

Each day of National Parks Week has a different theme:

Saturday, April 20: Discovery. What will you discover? A new place, a new interesting fact, a new activity... To kick off National Park Week and encourage you make that new discovery, entrance fees are waived on April 20!

Sunday, April 21: Volunteers. Use your time and talents as a volunteer in your national parks. Find opportunities to volunteer for a single event or long term position.

Monday, April 22: Earth Day. Join the global celebration encouraging education and stewardship of the planet's natural resources. Many parks are hosting volunteer events. You can also find ways to practice conservation at home.

Tuesday, April 23: Innovation. History of our nation's innovation is preserved in national parks. Also learn about the innovative projects happening in parks or through our programs today.

Wednesday, April 24: Workforce Wednesday. Meet our incredible workforce of employees, interns, fellows, volunteers, contractors, partners, and more. Consider joining our team!

Thursday, April 25: Youth Engagement. Calling the rising generation of stewards! Learn about the opportunities for youth and young adults to get involved and see what your peers are up to.

Friday, April 26: Community Connections. Learn about the important work our programs and partners are doing in communities across the country both within and outside of our park boundaries.

Saturday, April 27: Junior Ranger Day. For kids (and kids at heart), become a Junior Ranger through in-person or online activities to learn about special places or topics. You may even earn a Junior Ranger badge!

Sunday, April 28: Arts in Parks. Home of many arts past and present, find your muse creating arts within parks. Also learn about preserving and practicing arts in your communities through the work of our programs and partners.

13 of these National Parks are in Texas.  They are Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument in Fritch, Amistad National Recreation Area in Del Rio, Big Bend National Park in the big bend of the Rio Grande near Alpine, Big Thicket National Preserve in Beaumont, Blackwell School National Historic Site at Fort Davis, Butterfield Overland Historic Trail that covers Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, Chamizal National Memorial in El Paso, El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail in Texas and Louisiana, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail in Texas and New Mexico, Fort Davis National Historic Site in Fort Davis, Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Salt Flat, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area in Fritch, Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park in Johnson City, Padre Island National Seashore in Corpus Christi, Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park in Brownsville, Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River in Southwest Texas, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park in San Antonio, and Waco Mammoth National Monument in Waco. 

 

 

Big Bend National Park/Photo by Caleb Fisher on Unsplash