Suggested Searches

Accountable Care Organizations

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) define an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) as an organization of health care providers that agrees to be accountable for the quality, cost, and overall care of Medicare beneficiaries assigned to it. The ACO payment and delivery reform model is an alternative to traditional fee-for-service programs. Section 3022 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) creates the Medicare Shared Savings program, allowing ACOs to contract with Medicare by January 2012. According to the ACA, the Medicare Shared Savings program, promotes accountability for a patient population and coordinates items and services under part A and B, and encourages investment in infrastructure and redesigned care processes for high quality and efficient service delivery.

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Agricultural Grades and Standards

In U.S. agricultural policy, grades and standards refers to the segregation, or classification, of agricultural commodities into groupings that share common characteristics. Grades provide a common trading language, or common reference, so that buyers and sellers can more easily determine the quality and value of those commodities. Two USDA agencies, the Agricultural Marketing Service and Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration, serve as objective sources for this information. These agencies develop common grades and standards and conduct inspection and grading services for most food and farm products, and industry pays for most of the cost through user fees. Adoption and application of official U.S. Grain Standards is authorized by the U.S. Grain Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 71 et seq).

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Air Travel

The Department of Transportation and the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) within the Department of Homeland Security have primary responsibility for regulating air travel in the U.S. This search focuses on the flying experience for consumers, such as on-time arrival issues related to delay and cancellation policies, overbooking and bumping issues, baggage policies, and TSA screening and boarding procedures, air cargo inspection, and related safety measures.

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Airspace Classifications

The world's navigable airspace is divided into three-dimensional segments, each of which is assigned to a specific class. The U.S. and most nations adhere to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) classifications. Individual nations also designate Special Use Airspace, which establishes additional air navigation rules for national security or safety. The U.S. airspace classification scheme is designed to provide maximum pilot flexibility with acceptable levels of risk appropriate to the type of operation and traffic density within that class of airspace - in particular to provide separation and active control in areas of dense or high-speed flight operations.

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Airworthiness Directives

The Federal Aviation Administration of the Department of Transportation issues final rule Airworthiness Directives (AD) to notify owners and operators of certified aircraft that a known safety deficiency exists in a particular model of aircraft, engine, avionics, or other system, and that mandatory action must be taken to correct the problem. If an aircraft is not brought into compliance within the time specified, the aircraft cannot be operated lawfully. The FAA may first issue an AD as a proposed rule to receive public comment on the evidence of an unsafe condition and get reaction on proposed remedial actions.

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Americans with Disabilities Act

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990 and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009. The ADA is a wide-ranging civil rights law that prohibits, under certain circumstances, discrimination based on disability. Disability is defined by the ADA as "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity." The determination of whether any particular condition is considered a disability is made on a case by case basis. Several major departments and agencies of the Federal government issue regulations to implement and enforce the ADA.

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Animal Drugs

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authority under the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321 et seq.) to assure the safety and effectiveness of animal drugs and their use in all animals, including farm animals. Before FDA formally approves an animal drug, the sponsor or manufacturer of the drug must document in scientific testing that the drug has been found "safe and effective." The testing data also must demonstrate that a methodology is available to detect and measure any residue left in edible animal products. Farmers and veterinarians using drugs on farm animals must adhere to guidelines about how much time must elapse before a treated animal can be slaughtered, and any other use constraints or warnings stated on the drug label. Animal biologics (e.g., vaccines and tests) are regulated by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

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Arms Sales Notifications

The Arms Export Control Act of 1976 gives the President of the United States the authority to control the import and export of defense articles and defense services. It requires governments that receive weapons from the U.S. to use them for legitimate self-defense. Under the direction of the President, the Department of Defense publishes the unclassified text of arms sales certifications in the Federal Register. The certifications notify the Congress and the public that proposed arms sales would not contribute to an arms race, aid in the development of weapons of mass destruction, support international terrorism, increase the possibility of outbreak or escalation of conflict, or prejudice the development of bilateral or multilateral arms control or nonproliferation agreements or other arrangements.

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Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)

The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) is a commercial trade processing system designed to automate border processing, enhance border security, and foster U.S. economic security through lawful international trade and travel. ACE is part of a multi-year U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) modernization effort. ACE will eventually replace the Automated Commercial System (ACS). ACE will: allow trade participants access to and management of their trade information via reports; expedite legitimate trade by providing CBP with tools to efficiently process imports/exports and move goods quickly across the border; improve communication, collaboration and compliance efforts between CBP and the trade community; facilitate efficient collection, processing and analysis of commercial import and export data; and provide an information-sharing platform for trade data throughout government agencies.

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Automobile Safety & Fuel Economy

Automobile safety is the study and practice of vehicle design, construction, and equipment to minimize the occurrence and consequences of automobile accidents. Fuel efficiency is the relationship between the distance traveled by an automobile and the amount of fuel consumed. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) within the Department of Transportation (DOT) is the primary automobile safety agency. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates emissions while NHTSA issues Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. The Federal Trade Commission also oversees the marketing aspects of fuel economy information. This search may include documents issued by other DOT agencies such as the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

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Bank Secrecy & Financial Crime

Bank secrecy and financial crime rules and related documents are issued under the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, otherwise known as the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act. The regulations require financial institutions to assist U.S. government agencies to detect and prevent money laundering. Regulations require financial institutions to keep records and file reports of cash purchases, and to report suspicious activity that might signify money laundering, tax evasion, terrorist activity, and other criminal acts. This category also includes items that implement title III of the USA PATRIOT Act.

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Broadband Policy

U.S. regulatory agencies are engaged in efforts to expand access to broadband technology in homes, schools, businesses, and rural areas. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) drafted a National Broadband Plan, which includes a detailed strategy to advance consumer welfare, civic participation, public safety and homeland security, community development, health care delivery, energy independence and efficiency, education, employee training, private sector investment, entrepreneurial activity, and job creation and economic growth. In addition to the FCC, agencies such as Department of Energy, National Telecommunications and Information Agency, Rural Utilities Service, Department of Education, and Economic Development Administration have a role in expanding access to broadband services, and are included in this search.

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Clean Air Act -- State Implementation Plans

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the states and territories of the United States share responsibility for developing and enforcing regulations under the Clean Air Act (CAA). CAA regulations protect the public from airborne contaminants that are known to be hazardous to human health. EPA may permit individual states to enforce compliance with CAA requirements within their own borders. Participating states must write and submit a state implementation plan (SIP) to the EPA for approval. A SIP is a collection of the regulations a state will use to clean up polluted areas. The states are obligated to notify the public of these plans, through hearings that offer opportunities to comment on the development of each state implementation plan.

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Climate Change

Climate change caused by human activity, as opposed to changes that may have resulted as part of Earth's natural processes, is subject to regulation in the U.S. In the context of environmental policy, the term climate change is synonymous with anthropogenic global warming. This search includes climate change studies, notifications, and regulatory actions of the scientific agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of State, Department of Agriculture, and others.

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Clinical Laboratory Improvement Program

The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) of 1988 authorized Federal regulatory standards for all clinical laboratory testing performed on humans in the U.S., except clinical trials and basic research.The CLIA program sets standards and issues certificates for clinical laboratory testing. CLIA defines a clinical laboratory as any facility which performs laboratory testing on specimens derived from humans to provide information for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of disease or impairment, and for the assessment of health. An objective of the CLIA is to ensure the accuracy, reliability and timeliness of test results regardless of where the test was performed. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has the primary responsibility for the operation of the CLIA program. Other Health and Human Services agencies' articles may also appear in these search results.

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Commodity Promotion & Agricultural Marketing

Commodity promotion and agricultural marketing covers the services involved in moving an agricultural product from the farm to the consumer. In the U.S., the Agricultural Marketing Service of the Department of Agriculture has commodity promotion programs for cotton, dairy, fruit and vegetable, livestock and seed, poultry, and tobacco products. These programs provide testing, standardization, grading and market news services, oversee marketing agreements and orders, administer research and promotion programs, and purchase commodities for federal food programs.

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Community Right-to-Know

Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act regulations and related actions help U.S. communities deal safely and effectively with hazardous substances used in our society. This search includes articles on emergency plans to protect the public from chemical accidents; procedures to warn and, if necessary, evacuate the public in case of an emergency; notifications that provide citizens and local governments with information about hazardous chemicals and accidental releases of chemicals in their communities; and public reports on annual releases of toxic chemicals into the air, water, and soil.

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Continuation of Health Benefits (COBRA)

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (or COBRA) mandates an insurance program giving some employees the ability to continue health insurance coverage after leaving employment.COBRA Title X places an excise tax on employers (generally those with 20 or more full time equivalent employees) whose group health plans fail to include certain continuing coverage requirements. Specific "qualifying events" must occur for continuing coverage to apply. COBRA allows for coverage for up to 18 months in most cases. If a person is deemed disabled by the Social Security Administration, coverage may continue for up to 29 months. In divorce cases, a former spouse's coverage may continue for up to 36 months. In the case of death of the former employee, a widow's coverage may continue for up to 36 months.

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Controlled Exports (CCL & USML)

Export control regulations protect the national security and foreign policy interests of the U.S. The Department of Commerce (DOC) and the Department of State (DOS) have primary responsibility for maintaining export controls. The DOC’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is responsible for administering Export Administration Regulations (EAR) that control the export of “dual use” (commercial and military) items and purely commercial items. BIS controlled exports appear in the “Commerce Control List" (CCL). DOS controls the export of defense-related articles and services, which are listed in the United States Munitions List (USML) in accordance with the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

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Controlled Substances

A controlled substance is generally a drug or chemical that a government regulates to set limitations on manufacturing, possession, or use. This may include illegal drugs and prescription medications. In the U.S., the Drug Enforcement Administration is responsible for suppressing illegal drug use and distribution by enforcing the Controlled Substances Act. Substances are classified according to schedules and consist primarily of potentially psychoactive substances. Controlled substances do not include many prescription items such as antibiotics. Other agencies, such as the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Homeland Security may issue regulations and notices related to controlled substances.

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