Hi, all. Today's report features Quasi-Official Agencies.
From USA.gov:
Quasi-official agencies are not officially executive agencies but are required by statute to publish certain information on their programs and activities in the Federal Register.
• Legal Services Corporation: LSC is the single largest provider of civil legal assistance for the poor in the nation. Funded by Congress, LSC promotes equal access to justice.
• Smithsonian Institution: The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum complex and research organization, composed of 19 museums, 9 research centers, and the National Zoo.
• State Justice Institute: SJI was established by Federal law to award grants to improve the quality of justice in State courts and foster solutions to common issues faced by all courts.
• United States Institute of Peace: USIP is an independent, nonpartisan institution established and funded by Congress to help prevent and resolve violent international conflicts.
And a link to Blackwaterdog.
• Legal Services Corporation •
LSC is the single largest provider of civil legal assistance for the poor in the nation. Funded by Congress, LSC operates as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that promotes equal access to justice and provides grants for high-quality civil legal assistance to low-income Americans.
Oklahoma State University News, Oct. 28, 2010:
Gloria Valencia-Weber
OSU graduate Gloria Valencia-Weber recently was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Legal Services Corporation by President Obama.
TurtleTalk, Oct. 28, 2010:
Gloria Valencia-Weber Confirmed to Legal Services Corp. Board
The U.S. Senate has confirmed the appointment of University of New Mexico Law Professor Gloria Valencia-Weber to the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation (LCS). President Barack Obama nominated Valencia-Weber to the national policy-setting board, along with three others.
Valencia-Weber is the first board member in recent memory to contribute an expertise in Indian law. Prior to her 1992 appointment to the law faculty at UNM, where she created the Indian law certificate program, she served on the board of Oklahoma Indian Legal Services.
"Gloria Valencia-Weber has had an extremely distinguished career at the UNM School of Law. She brings an expertise to the Legal Services Board that will benefit the entire country," said U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman. "I send my congratulations to her on this important appointment."
The LSC was signed into law in 1974 and is the nation’s single largest provider of civil legal aid for the poor. With a budget of $342 million, the nonprofit corporation distributes funds to 137 grantees, which operate 918 legal services offices across the country. From the beginning, the budget included a commitment specifically to Native Americans, and with her deep knowledge of Indian law and tribal customs, Valencia-Weber already has provided valuable insight to her fellow board members.
As a member of the bipartisan 11-member board, Valencia-Weber regularly visits legal services offices across the country, to hear about their needs and see different models being used for providing legal services. During these field visits, board members also meet with other legal services organizations to gain a greater understanding of the overall accessibility of legal representation for poor people.
"I feel highly honored to be on the board," said Valencia-Weber. "I look forward to learning new things to further the goals of the LSC."
"Gloria Valencia-Weber is a distinguished legal scholar and teacher of law whose own research and expertise will be extremely helpful to the work of the Board of the Legal Services Corporation," said John G. Levi, chairman of the LSC Board of Directors. "We are so fortunate to be gaining her wise counsel, particularly in these difficult economic times when so many millions of low-income Americans are seeking civil legal assistance to deal with the myriad problems they are facing with their most basic human needs. We are delighted to welcome Gloria to the corporation’s board of directors as it works to ensure equal access to justice for all Americans."
With a mandate from President Obama to strengthen the LSC and its commitment to providing legal services, the board already has been charged with ensuring that military veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan receive civil legal representation for issues that arise after they return home.
"Professor Valencia-Weber has long been a leader in the Indian law field, and her appointment highlights the UNM School of Law’s longstanding commitment to public service," said Dean Kevin Washburn.
LSC, Sept. 20, 2010:
Senate Confirms Four Nominees to LSC's Board of Directors
.... Harry Korrell is a partner in the Seattle office of Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP. His practice focuses on employment law and he has extensive experience in large-scale and high-profile cases, including class actions and commercial, civil rights and election litigation. Mr. Korrell is a member of the Employment Rights and Responsibilities Subcommittee of the American Bar Association and the National Executive Board of the Labor and Employment Law Practice Group of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy. He is a recipient of the Federalist Society's Justice Theodore Stiles Award.
Fr. Pius Pietrzyk, O.P., is a priest in the parish of St. Thomas Aquinas in Zanesville. Fr. Pius was ordained to the priesthood on May 23, 2008, after having entered the novitiate for the Dominican Province of St. Joseph in 2002 and studied for his License in Sacred Theology. Prior to that, he worked for three years in the Corporate and Securities practice of Sidley Austin, a large international law firm based in Chicago.
Julie Reiskin is the executive director of the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, a statewide disability-rights organization run by and for the disabled. During her tenure, Reiskin has worked to help create a sustainable and client-friendly Medicaid program, advocated on behalf of individuals and trained others in health advocacy and policy. In 2008, the City and County of Denver named her one of the area's unsung heroes for her leadership role on publicly funded long-term health care. She previously served as the coalition's policy analyst and was a partner in a Connecticut consulting firm specializing in diversity issues throughout southern New England.
Gloria Valencia-Weber is a professor at the University of New Mexico School of Law, where she specializes in Native American law. She came to the school in 1992 to establish the Indian Law Certificate program, which prepares students to work with tribes, Indian clients and the federal government. She started a similar program at the University of Tulsa College of Law in 1990. She served on the Board of Directors of the LSC-funded Oklahoma Indian Legal Services from 1991-1992.
LSC, Nov. 19, 2010:
LSC Launches Initiatives to Help Veterans and Military Families
Washington, DC -- The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Nov. 19] announced the launch of [StatesideLegal.org, the first national website focused on common legal problems of veterans and military families, and the start of an awareness campaign involving community-based Vet Centers and local legal aid offices.
"Our veterans have defended and protected our most basic freedoms and now it is imperative that we stand up for them. That is why this special effort is so important," LSC Board Chairman John G. Levi said. "We are delighted to be working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to help make local Vet Centers aware of our services and to train those centers about the legal services that are available through our programs."
Chairman Levi's remarks were delivered at a White House event, led by Vice President Biden, announcing initiatives to help middle class and low-income families secure their legal rights. The event was co-hosted by the Department of Justice's Access to Justice Initiative.
White House, Nov. 19, 2010:
Legal Rights for Middle-Class and Low-Income Families
Vice President Joe Biden hosts a Middle Class Task Force event where he, Attorney General Eric Holder and others discuss new initiatives to help middle-class and low-income families secure their legal rights. November 19, 2010.
Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that nearly 30 million households include a veteran or a member of the military currently serving the nation. Studies suggest that almost half of these households will encounter at least one legal problem each year, and that the percentage of legal problems is much higher for low-income families.
In 2009, LSC awarded Technology Initiative Grants to Pine Tree Legal Assistance in Maine and the Arkansas Legal Services Partnership to develop a website focused on the most common legal needs of low-income veterans and military families. With Pine Tree as the lead organization, material was developed to explain legal and military terms in a straightforward and easy to understand way. Videos and interactive forms also were created to help veterans advocate for themselves. Information on the website covers such topics as disability benefits, employment and legal protections for service members confronted with foreclosure proceedings.
The first phase of the new awareness campaign is underway. LSC and LSC-funded programs have reached out to 51 readjustment counseling centers operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in the mid-Atlantic region, Maine, and Arkansas to share information about legal services and to create appropriate referral systems to minimize veterans' frustration in obtaining advice and representation on civil legal problems.
The Readjustment Counseling Service, known as the Vet Center Program, offers services to veterans who served in combat zones and their spouses and children. Many of these veterans also confront legal problems, such as child custody, employment and homelessness, that are handled by LSC-funded programs....
New HUD Rule Aims to Protect Domestic Violence Victims
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developmentannounced on Oct. 27 a new rule aimed at protecting victims of domestic violence from eviction and eventual homelessness.
The rule includes requirements that housing authorities or management agents must work to protect victims -- by transferring them to a new home, barring the abuser from the property, increasing police presence on the property -- before evicting them.
"This rule recognizes the need to protect victims of domestic abuse from being evicted just because they were victimized. No one should be afraid of losing their home if they report abuse," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan in the announcement.
The announcement notes that domestic violence has been identified as a major cause of homelessness among families....
HUD.gov, Oct. 27, 2010:
HUD Strengthens Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence
New rule marks conclusion of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan announced [10/27] new, stronger affordable housing regulations that protect victims of domestic abuse as the nation concludes National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
To read the final regulatory requirements under the Violence against Women Act (VAWA), visit HUD's website.
"This rule recognizes the need to protect victims of domestic abuse from being evicted just because they were victimized. No one should be afraid of losing their home if they report abuse" said Donovan. "The Obama Administration has strengthened the existing interim regulation to further protect victims and ensures that current or former victims of domestic violence will not be turned down from HUD programs."
"The 2009 U.S. Conference of Mayors annual report on Hunger and Homelessness identified domestic violence as the third leading cause of homelessness among families," said HUD Assistant Secretary Sandra Henriquez. "This regulation protects victims housing so they are not forced to choose between staying with their abuser and becoming homeless."
VAWA, which was enacted in 2005, provided legal protections for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. These protections apply to families receiving rental assistance under HUD's public housing program, Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, and multi-family project-based Section 8 program. HUD published the VAWA Interim Rule in November 2008 and allowed for public comments until January 2009.
The rule announced today addresses many concerns advocates raised with the 2008 interim rule by clarifying and aligning HUD's statutory language with VAWA; providing more detailed guidance to housing authorities and Section 8 property owners on how to implement VAWA and making a commitment to provide further guidance in the future.
For example, guidance in the new rule requires that housing authorities or management agents exhaust protective measures before eviction. Evictions can only take place after the housing or subsidy providers have taken actions that will reduce or eliminate the threat to the victim, including, transferring the abuse victim to a different home; barring the abuser from the property; contacting law enforcement to increase police presence or develop other plans to keep the property safe; or seeking other legal remedies to prevent the abuser from acting on a threat.
The new rule also broadens the definitions of "actual and imminent threat," to help housing or subsidy providers understand that to use "imminent threat" of harm to other residents as a reason for eviction of the victim, the evidence must be real and objective - not hypothetical, presumed or speculative.
HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.... More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.
From Legal Aid Foundation, March 1, 2010:
2009 Access to Justice Video/Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
Each year, the Legal Aid Foundation Los Angeles produces a video for its Access to Justice Fundraiser, highlighting clients who have been helped by its attorneys. This video shows a domestic violence client and how the Foundation's immigration and family attorneys helped her to escape and start a new life for her and the children.
• SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION •
The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum complex and research organization, composed of 19 museums, 9 research centers, and the National Zoo. The Smithsonian shares artifacts, programs, and expertise with 160 museums and educational organizations. Find Smithsonian exhibitions and events in your community.
The President wrote the following essay for the 40th anniversary of Smithsonian magazine, August 2010:
President Barack Obama: Why I’m Optimistic
Looking ahead to the next 40 years, President Obama writes about our nature as Americans to dream big and solve problems
.... Much of the innovation reshaping our world comes from the private sector. Rightly so. Our businesses have always been a force for dynamism. But there is also a role for government in helping us adapt to—and shape—the future. From the Erie Canal to space exploration to what became the Internet, we’ve always come together to spur transformation. That is a commitment my administration has upheld. Over the past year, we’ve made the largest investment in basic research funding in history; it’s an investment with the potential to spark new technologies, new treatments and new breakthroughs we can’t foresee.
Beyond our investments in basic research, I believe a greater focus in two areas—education and energy—can help fortify America to meet the tests and seize the opportunities of the century that lies ahead. In the 19th century, we built land-grant institutions to prepare an agricultural nation for an industrializing world. In the 20th century, we sent a generation of veterans to college on the G.I. Bill, laying the groundwork for our great middle class and decades of prosperity. Today, a similar commitment is required, not only to prepare our kids to outcompete workers around the world, but to prepare America to outcompete nations around the world. That is why we’ve taken steps to increase Pell Grants and ensure they keep pace with inflation, making college—and advanced training—more affordable for countless students. That’s why we ended a status quo that handed out billions of dollars to banks to act as unnecessary middlemen in administering student loans, and made the repayment of loans more manageable for students so they don’t graduate with crushing debts. And that’s why we’re undertaking a Race to the Top in America’s schools, challenging states to compete for tax dollars to help them deliver better results in the classroom.
Just as we are rising to meet our education challenge, we must rise to meet our energy challenge. From Franklin’s experiments with lightning to the research labs of today, we’ve always sought out new forms of energy. As I write this, the tragic oil spill along the Gulf Coast is threatening livelihoods and America’s precious natural bounty, making the need for clean energy all the more urgent. Meanwhile, other nations—from China to Germany—are racing to build a clean energy future, recognizing that it holds the key to new jobs and new industries in this young century.
If we hope to continue leading the global economy, America must place first in that race. That’s why we’re making the most significant investment in clean energy in history, offering grants to companies that produce wind turbines and solar panels, helping us double renewable energy production in the coming years. That’s why we’ve helped forge one historic agreement—and are on track to produce a second—to dramatically increase the fuel efficiency of cars and trucks. And that’s why I’ll keep fighting for comprehensive energy and climate legislation—to unleash the potential of clean energy for our economy, our security and our environment.
When I was sworn into office, I had a chance to request objects from some of America’s finest museums to put on display in the White House. One of my requests was for patent models from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History: Samuel Morse’s 1849 design for a telegraph register; Henry Williams’ 1877 design for a steamboat wheel; and John A. Peer’s 1874 design for a gear-cutting machine.
They rest on the bookshelves in the Oval Office, and I see them every day. For me, they are a reminder of what has always defined America’s people: our spirit; a restless searching for the right solution to any problem; an inclination to dream big dreams, and an insistence on making those dreams come true; an enduring faith, even in the darkest hours, that brighter days lie ahead. That is the genius of America. And that’s why, even though I can’t predict what will happen over the next 40 years, I am—and always will be—full of hope about what the future holds.
Voice of America, Nov. 8, 2010:
Exhibit Explores Modern Native American Art
A current exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, offers a modern take on traditional native cultures.
The museum is devoted to the history and culture of native peoples of the Western Hemisphere. Since opening in 2004, the museum has put a strong emphasis on contemporary Native American life. Its latest exhibit, "Vantage Point" is a perfect example.
Brightly colored abstract paintings, a bronze sculpture and a digital video are among the 31 works of art that make up the new exhibit.
Vantage Point: The Contemporary Native Art Collection
September 25, 2010 – August 7, 2011
Vantage Point highlights the National Museum of the American Indian's young but vital collection of contemporary art, with significant works by 25 artists in media ranging from paintings, drawings, and photography to video projection and mixed-media installation. These complex and richly layered works speak to the concerns and experiences of Native people today, addressing memory, history, the significance of place for Native communities, and the continuing relevance of cultural traditions. The artists featured include Marie Watt (Seneca), James Lavadour (Walla Walla), Alan Michelson (Mohawk), and Truman Lowe (Ho-Chunk).
Smithsonian Videos, Nov. 23, 2010:
Beyond Black History: The Apollo Theater and American Cultural History
A discussion of the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the significance of the Apollo Theater in American Culture.
PBSNewsHour: Aug. 27, 2010:
'Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing' Exhibit Puts Apollo Theater in Spotlight
Good short video (2:37sec) that won’t embed:
Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing
How the Apollo Theater Shaped American Entertainment
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Harlem's Apollo Theater, NMAAHC is presenting a multi-media exhibition called Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing: How the Apollo Theater Shaped American Entertainment. Drawing on wide-ranging materials including historic photographs, costumes, musical scores, instruments and playbills, the exhibition traces the evolution of the Apollo – from its birth in 1914 as a whites-only burlesque theater to its years as a premier entertainment venue and a magnet for audiences from around the world.
The exhibition was initially on view until August 29, 2010 in the NMAAHC gallery at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. It is now on a national tour and open at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit through January 2, 2011. It will then move to the Museum of the City of New York where it will be on view from January 20, 2011 through May 1, 2011.
Exhibition curators have assembled items from public and privately held collections from across the country. A companion book (Smithsonian Books) with a foreword by Smokey Robinson, Motown singer, songwriter and producer, and an introduction by NMAAHC director Lonnie Bunch, features historic photographs and essays by 23 historians, musicologists and critics including music historian Kandia Crazy Horse, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Levering Lewis and Robert O'Meally, founder of the Center for Jazz Studies at Columbia University.
The exhibition curators are Dr. Tuliza Fleming of NMAAHC and Dr. Guthrie Ramsey, Jr., the Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Term Professor of Music at the University of Pennsylvania.
Nearly all forms of entertainment – comedy, dance, swing, jazz, rock 'n' roll, soul, hip hop and more – found a place on the Apollo stage. Serving as a place where African American performers could start and advance their careers, the Apollo hosted some of the best-known names in entertainment – dancers Charles "Cholly" Atkins, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson; band leaders Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington; comedians Redd Foxx and Jackie "Moms" Mabley; and musicians ranging from Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton and James Brown to Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, Aretha Franklin and LL Cool J....
The exhibition’s national tour is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES).
National Air and Space Museum, Oct. 20, 2010:
Ask an Expert -- The Corona Spy Satellite
Dr. James David, curator in the Space History Division at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, discusses the Corona Spy Satellite. This informal gallery talk was recorded on August 18, 2010 as part of the National Air and Space Museum's "Ask an Expert" lecture series.
"Ask an Expert" lectures are presented weekly at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC and biweekly at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. For more information & schedule, see .
BellaGaia.com, Sept. 27, 2010:
Air and Space Museum Bella Gaia; President Obama’s Cairo Initiative
Outlined in President Obama’s Cairo speech, a unique exchange program for teachers from around the world (began) their US tour in Washington DC, with a special performance of BELLA GAIA at the National Air & Space Museum....
"Human progress cannot be denied. There need not be contradictions between development and tradition. ... In ancient times and in our times, Muslim communities have been at the forefront of innovation and education. And this is important because no development strategy can be based only upon what comes out of the ground, nor can it be sustained while young people are out of work. ... All of us must recognize that education and innovation will be the currency of the 21st century." - President Barack Obama, June 2009, Cairo
This special International Visitor Leadership Program will bring 26 science teachers from around the world to engage in a professional, cultural and educational examination of the building blocks of STEM education at the primary and secondary levels. In launching this program, the Department of State is addressing the important themes articulated by President Obama in his New Beginning speech to Muslim communities.
The Program Includes:
•ART AND SCIENCE: Through a partnership with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, program participants and local American students will experience the connection between art and science. American artist Kenji Williams will perform "Bella Gaia," a multi-media, musical presentation that combines images of planet earth and space travel.
•GLOBAL VIRTUAL SCIENCE FAIR: The teachers will visit several schools throughout the U.S. to share best practices in STEM education. After the teachers return home, their students and those of their American counterparts will be invited to take part in a global "virtual" science fair.
White House, Oct. 14, 2009:
President Obama Speaks to the Muslim World from Cairo, Egypt
On June 4, 2009 in Cairo, Egypt, President Obama proposed a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, based upon mutual interest and mutual respect. Specifically, the President said that the U.S. would seek a more comprehensive engagement with Muslim-majority countries, countries with significant Muslim populations, and their people by expanding partnerships in areas like education, economic development, science and technology, and health, among others, while continuing to work together to address issues of common concern.....
Office of the Press Secretary, June 4, 2009:
Remarks by the President On a New Beginning
.... I'm a Christian, but my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims....
As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam. It was Islam -- at places like Al-Azhar -- that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities -- (applause) -- it was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality. (Applause.)....
Smithsonian Videos, July 28, 2009:
First Lady Michelle Obama Celebrates National Design Awards
The First Lady hosts a ceremony at the White House for the winners and finalists of the 2009 National Design Awards, part of the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. She praises the recipients for their innovative ideas, and for serving as inspiration for future generations of designers. July 24, 2009. See all of the Winners' presentations here.
Office of the First Lady, July 24, 2009:
Remarks by the First Lady at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards
.... But that future and our ability to solve the great challenges of our time will depend on how we educate and engage the current generation.
That's why the President has made such a strong commitment to ensuring access to high-quality education for all children, particularly in math and science.
And today the President and Secretary Duncan are announcing the Race to the Top, which is a competitive grant to spur education reform across the country and encourage educators and leaders to embrace innovative approaches to teaching and to learning.
As part of the Recovery Act, Congress has allotted more than $4 billion for this competition –- funding that'll be used for competitive grants to states, school districts, and non-profit partners that are most successful at raising standards, improving student learning, and turning around struggling schools. That is very exciting.
But when it comes to innovation, you all know full well that an educational foundation is only part of the equation, right; that in order for creativity to flourish and imagination to take hold we also need to expose our children to the arts from a very young age....
And I want to thank you all today for helping carry that mission out by going out today into the community and making sure that kids know that they belong on the cutting edge of design just the same; that they belong in the world of discovery and science, reminding them that they belong in the presence of great art and beauty; that it is theirs just as much as anyone's in this nation.
And earlier today you shared your visions, your ideas, your experiences and expertise by leading workshops at Smithsonian locations across Washington D.C. And I am grateful to all of you for taking the time to make that happen. From type fonts to technology, from silks and satins to sustainability –- you brought science to life at these seminars. And I've heard glowing reviews about them, and I hope you found them fun, as well.
And I want to thank you for inspiring the next generation of artists and scientists, architects and engineers, innovators and educators and for your contributions to the advancement of design. Thank you so very, very much....
• State Justice Institute •
The State Justice Institute (SJI) was established by Federal law in 1984 to award grants to improve the quality of justice in State courts, facilitate better coordination between State and Federal courts, and foster innovative, efficient solutions to common issues faced by all courts.
SJI is unique both in its mission and how it seeks to fulfill it. Only SJI has the authority to assist all State courts - criminal, civil, juvenile, family, and appellate - and the mandate to share the success of one State’s innovations with every State court system as well as the Federal courts....
SJI is a non-profit corporation governed by an 11-member Board of Directors appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. By law, the President must appoint six State court judges, one State court administrator, and four members of the public (no more than two of whom may be of the same political party)....
New Presidential Nominee For The SJI Board
On September 29, 2010, the President nominated Isabel Framer to serve as a public member on the SJI Board. She is currently pending consideration by the Senate Judiciary Committee and full Senate confirmation.
Ms. Framer is the founder and principal partner of Language Access Consultants, LLC. Since 1998, Ms. Framer has worked as a consultant to defense attorneys, prosecutors, law enforcement, state and federal government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, and advocacy firms on language access for Limited English Proficient communities in the court system. She is a state court-certified judiciary interpreter and has been qualified as an expert witness in court proceedings regarding language access and interpreter standards. Ms. Framer is also a lead consultant for the Asian and Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence, helping to train attorneys and advocates on interpretation for domestic violence victims. She has served on several boards and advisory committees, including the Supreme Court of Ohio's Advisory Committee on Interpreter Services, the Ohio Judicial Appointments Recommendation Panel, the Ohio Commission on Latino Affairs, and the Racial Fairness Project in Cleveland. Ms. Framer was also a board member of the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators from 2003 to 2009, serving as chair from 2007 to 2009....
• United States Institute of Peace •
USIP provides the analysis, training and tools that prevent and end conflicts, promotes stability and professionalizes the field of peacebuilding.
Peacebuilding: A Global Imperative
It is essential that the United States, working with the international community, play an active part in preventing, managing, and resolving conflicts. Fragile states, ethnic and religious strife, extremism, competition for scarce resources and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction all pose significant challenges to peace. The resulting suffering and destabilization of societies make effective forms of managing conflict imperative. The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is dedicated to meeting this imperative in new and innovative ways.
USIP's Mission and Goals
The United States Institute of Peace is an independent, nonpartisan, national institution established and funded by Congress. Its goals are to help:
•Prevent and resolve violent international conflicts
•Promote post-conflict stability and development
•Increase conflict management capacity, tools, and intellectual capital worldwide....
By law, the United States Institute of Peace is governed by a bipartisan Board of Directors. The board is composed of twelve members from outside federal service appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate, and four ex-officio members: the secretary of state (who may designate another Senate-confirmed State Department official), the secretary of defense (who may designate another Senate-confirmed Defense Department official), the president of the National Defense University (who may designate the vice president of the National Defense University), and the president of the Institute (nonvoting). The board is prohibited by law from having more than eight voting members of the same political party.
USIP, June 9, 2008:
USIP: Learn about us -- Who we are and What we do
The United States Institute of Peace is an independent, nonpartisan institution established and funded by Congress. Its goals are to help prevent and resolve violent international conflicts, promote post-conflict stability and development, and increase conflict management capacity, tools, and intellectual capital worldwide.
The Institute does this by empowering others with knowledge, skills, and resources, as well as by directly engaging in peacebuilding efforts around the globe.
USIP, April 8, 2010:
On the Issues: the New START
by Jayantha Dhanapala
Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala (former United Nations Under-Secretary General for Disarmament Affairs, and member of the Board of Sponsors
of The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists) explains the significance of the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), as signed by U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on April 8, 2010.
.... What is the significance of the breakthrough between Russia and the United States regarding nuclear arsenals? What does this mean more broadly for nonproliferation efforts?
The long awaited and successful conclusion of the nuclear arms control treaty negotiations between the U.S. and the Russian Federation - which together have 95 percent of the nuclear weapons in the world - must surely be welcomed.
It is a return to traditional arms control (replacing the 1991 treaty signed by President George H.W. Bush and President Mikhail Gorbachev) with a seriously negotiated three-tiered treaty and not by a perfunctory "handshake" as preferred by the previous U.S. administration.
It envisages actual reductions over a seven-year period estimated at 30 percent of deployed warheads; it represents a breakthrough by counting warheads and not missile launchers; it contains confidence-building measures by sharing telemetry or information technology data and it is verifiable and irreversible -- provided the U.S. Senate and the Russian Duma ratify it.
To get a sense of the significance of this treaty, let us consider the current status of nuclear warheads.
There are a total of 23,300 nuclear warheads in the world today, according to the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Of this, the U.S. currently has 2,702 deployed warheads (2,202 of them strategic and 500 nonstrategic) while the Russian Federation has 4,834 warheads (2,787 strategic and 2047 nonstrategic).
The earlier Strategic Offensive Reduction Treaty (SORT) of 2002 envisaged limits of 1,700-2,200 deployed warheads by 2012.
The signature of this new treaty, scheduled for April 8 in Prague, and its possible ratification, lends great credibility to the vision of a nuclear weapon-free world, as articulated in President Obama’s speech in Prague last year and supported by many others in the U.S. and around the world.
It also strengthens both the nonproliferation and disarmament norms embodied in the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
It is a new and more durable "Prague Spring" - a harbinger of more nuclear disarmament treaties both bilateral and multilateral....
Pakistan's Economy: On the Precipice
Webcast: This event will be webcast live beginning at 2:30pm EST on December 2, 2010 at www.usip.org/webcast.
Pakistan most often makes the headlines for its role in the Global War on Terror, but the country's citizens persistently rate Pakistan's economic problems as their biggest concern, ahead of the war and domestic terror attacks. Despite macroeconomic gains from 2004-2007 under the Shaukat Aziz government, Pakistan's economy over the past two years registered growth rates of a mere two percent alongside record levels of inflation. The global financial recession, and more recently Pakistan's devastating floods dealt severe blows to the already weak economy. To add to its woes, the country is facing a severe energy crisis which has further dampened economic activity.
Realizing the importance of Pakistan's stability for global security, the international community has pledged long-term economic support. The U.S. approved a $7.5 billion five-year economic assistance package and Pakistan is also receiving assistance from the International Monetary Fund under an unprecedented $11.3 billion package in addition to other bilateral aid.
But is this support enough to ensure economic recovery in Pakistan? USIP invites you to a panel discussion on the Pakistani economy which will address the role of this aid, the potential political repercussions if Pakistan's government fails to manage a recovery, and the implications of Pakistani economic performance for U.S. interests.
Footnote to mentions of "Race to the Top" in today’s report:
Department of Education:
FY 2011 Budget Request
President Obama announced his plans to continue the Race to the Top challenge, requesting $1.35 billion for the program in his FY 2011 budget.
ED Recovery Act Jobs Report
For the quarter ending September 30th 2010, grant recipients reported that approximately 275,000 education jobs, such as teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors, were saved or created with Recovery Act funding. This number is about 100,000 lower than the average number of education jobs reported quarterly during the 2009-10 school year, reflecting that many states are depleting the emergency funding provided via the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund. In total for the quarter, Department of Education grant recipients reported that approximately 335,000 positions were funded, including corrections officers, public health personnel, and construction workers.
As of September 30, 2010, the Department of Education's entire $97.4 billion in Recovery Act appropriation has been awarded.