U.S.-EU Cooperation Against Terrorism

U.S.-EU Cooperation Against Terrorism. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. Kristin Archick. May 21, 2013.

U.S.-EU cooperation against terrorism has led to a new dynamic in U.S.-EU relations by fostering dialogue on law enforcement and homeland security issues previously reserved for bilateral discussions. Nevertheless, some challenges persist in fostering closer U.S.-EU cooperation in these fields. Among the most prominent are data privacy and data protection concerns. The EU considers the privacy of personal data a basic right and EU rules and regulations strive to keep personal data out of the hands of law enforcement as much as possible. The negotiation of several U.S.-EU information-sharing agreements, from those related to tracking terrorist financial data to sharing airline passenger information, has been complicated by ongoing EU concerns about whether the United States could guarantee a sufficient level of protection for European citizens’ personal data.

[PDF format, 27 pages, 319.14 KB].

Credential Recognition in the United States for Foreign Professionals

Credential Recognition in the United States for Foreign Professionals. Migration Policy Institute. Linda Rabben. May 2013.

Foreign-trained professionals in the United States often encounter significant obstacles on their path to professional practice, among them difficulties in demonstrating the value of their past work experience and qualifications. The report examines the decentralized U.S. credential recognition process, particularly with regards to recertification in the medical and engineering sectors and offers recommendations for improvement. [Note: contains copyrighted material].

[PDF format, 22 pages, 1.39 MB].

Strengthening U.S. Investments in Women’s Global Health

Strengthening U.S. Investments in Women’s Global Health. Center for Strategic & International Studies. Janet Felischman and Alisha Kramer. May 21, 2013.

U.S. policymakers and private-sector partners increasingly appreciate the importance of targeted U.S. investments in women’s health to achieve global health outcomes, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. With budgetary constraints worsening, progress in women’s health will require maximizing investments by engaging new partners, identifying program synergies, and aligning with countries’ national priorities to meet women’s needs. Such strategic coordination, involving maternal newborn and child health, voluntary family planning, and HIV and AIDS services, presents new opportunities to expand the impact of U.S. investments. [Note: contains copyrighted material].

[PDF format, 22 pages, 870.49 KB].

U.S. Development Policy in an Aging World

U.S. Development Policy in an Aging World. Center for Strategic & International Studies. Richard Jackson et al. May 20, 2013.

The demographic transformation sweeping the emerging world has profound implications for U.S. development policy. The challenge is no longer helping countries overcome the obstacles to development posed by high birthrates and rapid population growth, but leveraging the opportunities created by falling birthrates and slowing population growth. [Note: contains copyrighted material].

[PDF format, 34 pages, 1.42 MB].

Energy Subsidies and Energy Consumption–A Cross-Country Analysis

Energy Subsidies and Energy Consumption–A Cross-Country Analysis. International Monetary Fund. Josh Charap et al. May 16, 2013.

The economic and environmental implications of energy subsidies have received renewed attention from policymakers and economists in recent years. Nevertheless there remains significant uncertainty regarding the magnitude of the impact of energy subsidies on energy consumption. The paper analyzes a panel of cross-country data to explore the responsiveness of energy consumption to changes in energy prices and the implications of the findings for the debate on energy subsidy reform. [Note: contains copyrighted material].

[PDF format, 20 pages, 1.13 MB].

International Harvest: A Case Study of How Foreign Workers Help American Farms Grow Crops–and the Economy

International Harvest: A Case Study of How Foreign Workers Help American Farms Grow Crops–and the Economy. Center for Global Development. Michael Clemens. May 16, 2013.

Do immigrants create jobs or take jobs away? This report answers this question for one important sector of the American economy, agriculture, by looking at the case of North Carolina farms. Analyzing data from North Carolina farms, the report shows that foreign agriculture workers fill jobs that native workers will not, and that by filling these jobs, foreign workers benefit North Carolina’s economy and create jobs for Americans. [Note: contains copyrighted material].

[PDF format, 36 pages, 479.54 KB].

Sustainable Hydropower in the Dinaric Arc

Sustainable Hydropower in the Dinaric Arc. World Wildlife Fund. May 10, 2013.

The brief provides information on the latest developments of the Dinaric Arc Sustainable Hydropower Initiative (DASHI) as well as further news on freshwater and hydropower in the region. It also provides information on the latest developments of the Dinaric Arc Sustainable Hydropower Initiative (DASHI) as well as further news on freshwater and hydropower in the region. [Note: contains copyrighted material].

[PDF format, 5 pages, 341 KB].

Gender Identity and Relative Income within Households

Gender Identity and Relative Income within Households. National Bureau of Economic Research. Marianne Bertrand et al. May 15, 2013.

The authors analyze U.S. Census data for 1970-2010 and find that a couple is less likely to get married if the woman’s income exceeds the man’s. Once married, the wife is less likely be in the labor force, and if she is working tends to earn less than would be predicted based on education and other attributes if her potential income exceeds her husband’s. They also find that couples where the wife earns more than the husband are less satisfied with their marriages and are more likely to divorce. [Note: contains copyrighted material].

[PDF format, 49 pages, 500 KB].

Governing American Education: Why This Dry Subject May Hold the Key to Advances in American Education

Governing American Education: Why This Dry Subject May Hold the Key to Advances in American Education. Center for American Progress. Marc Tucker. May 14, 2013.

The report proposes sweeping changes to the way American education is governed, recommends stronger and more centralized government at the state level, and suggests the weakening of lay-citizen participation in governance in favor of control by politicians. [Note: contains copyrighted material].

[PDF format, 60 pages, 1.86 MB].

Migration and Environmental Change: Assessing the Developing European Approach

Migration and Environmental Change: Assessing the Developing European Approach. Migration Policy Institute. Andrew Geddes and Will Somerville. May 2013.

Migration resulting from environmental change has been a topic of preoccupation since the 1990s, but in practice there has been very little policy development within the European Union on this topic. The brief finds that while such migration is likely to be largely concentrated in areas outside of Europe, there are far-reaching implications for policy. [Note: contains copyrighted material].

[PDF format, 8 pages, 1.24 MB].