Science

Overview

• Sharing Science: Global Partnerships
  This edition of eJournal USA focuses on science as an inherently international undertaking in which researchers share the results of their work with a scientific community that spans the planet, through a growing array of collaborative efforts, technical journals, conferences, the Internet, and dedicated high-bandwidth data networks for research and education. The eJournal has many examples of U.S. participation and leadership in these international undertakings.

• A Republic Of Science
  An essay on inquiry and innovation in science and medicine from Portrait of the USA, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Information Programs.

• U.S. Federal R&D Budget Facts
  Provides information regarding the federal research and development (R&D) budget.

Biotechnology

• Monitoring Stem Cell Research
  A report by The President's Council on Bioethics which implemented the administration's policy for stem cell research.

• Stem Cell Research
  A report by the Congressional Research Service on the issues surrounding federal funding for stem cell research.

• Cloning: A Select Chronology
  A report by the Congressional Research Service on the events surrounding and following the cloning of a sheep from a single adult sheep cell by Scottish scientists.

• Human Cloning
  A report by the Congressional Research Service on the issues surrounding human cloning.

• Agricultural Biotechnology
  This journal from the U.S. Department of State addresses the controversies and provides scientific reasoning for the use of agricultural biotechnology.

Energy

• Energy Supply & Disposition by Type of Fuel: 1949 to 2002
  This table presents historical statistics on U.S. energy supply and disposition by type of fuel.

• Energy & Utilities
  This report presents statistics on fuel resources, energy production and consumption, electric energy, hydroelectric power, nuclear power, solar energy, wood energy, and the electric and gas utility industries.

• National Energy Policy
  This report from the National Energy Policy Development Group submitted recommendations to develop a national energy policy designed to bring together business, government, local communities and citizens to promote dependable, affordable and environmentally sound energy policy.

• Energy Policy:  Setting the Stage for the Current Debate
  This report by the Congressional Research Service provides background and analysis as well as a historical perspective on U.S. energy policy.

• Energy Outlook with Projections
  This report presents a forecast and analysis of U.S. energy supply, demand, and prices through 2030. The projections are based on results from the Energy Information Administration's National Energy Modeling System.
  
  
• Fueling the Future: Better Ways to Use America's Fuel Options
  This report written by the Consumer Energy Council of America makes recommendations to Federal and State policymakers, energy leaders, energy consumers, the public and the media for energy policies to ensure that the Nation’s energy needs can be met.
  

Environment

• Complex Environmental Systems: Synthesis for Earth, Life, and Society in the 21st Century
  A report that presents a ten-year outlook for environmental research and education and argues that we need to develop environmental synthesis to frame integrated interdisciplinary research questions and activities to merge data, approaches, and ideas across spatial, temporal, and societal scales.

• Innovating for Better Environmental Results: A Strategy to Guide the Next Generation of Innovation at EPA
  This report, prepared by the Innovation Action Council of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), focuses on solving a set of priority environmental problems, developing new tools to enhance environmental problem-solving, strengthening partnerships with states and tribes, and fostering innovation in EPA’s culture and organizational systems.

• The United States Experience with Economic Incentives for Pollution Control
  This report written by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency imparts to federal, state and local governments how to use market-based economic incentives as a tool to help manage environmental quality.

• 2006-2011 EPA Strategic Plan
  This plan presents EPA’s five-year goals. It discusses important new challenges and opportunities that are likely to arise in the coming years and identifies the environmental and human health outcomes of these plans.
  

• The Natural Resources and Environment Function in the Federal Budget: An Overview of Programs and Funding
  This Congressional Research Service report outlines the funding for natural resources into five subfunctions: water resources, conservation and land management, recreational resources, pollution control and abatement, and other activities like research and technical support.

• President's Environmental Spending Proposals
  This Fact Sheet written by the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicates increased spending for "high-priority environment and natural resource programs" in the 2005 budget proposal.
  

• The U.S. Climate Change Science Program: Vision and Highlights
  The Climate Change Science Program report provides an overview of the long-term strategic plan to enhance scientific understanding of global climate change.
  

• Global Climate Change
  This report from the Congressional Research Service briefly reviews the status of climate science, international negotiations, and congressional activity focused specifically on climate change.

• Climate Change Fact Sheet
  The Fact Sheet describes President Bush’s commitment to a comprehensive strategy to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of the American economy by 18 percent by 2012.

• Global Climate Change Policy Book
  The Executive Summary of the President’s new approaches to the challenge of global climate change.

• Safe Drinking Water Act: Implementation and Issues
  This Congressional Research Service report provides an overview of pending legislation dealing with drinking water safety and the federal role in providing financial assistance for water projects.
  

• Achieving Sustainable Development
  Articles in this electronic journal from the U.S. Department of State examines strategies for achieving sustainable development worldwide.

• Green Cities: Urban Environmental Solutions
  Articles and commentaries in this electronic journal offer new strategies for protecting the environment, redefining the concepts of regulation, the roles of government, and the responsibility of the private sector.

• Shared Oceans, Shared Future
  Featured articles in this electronic journal describe the importance of oceans and how we can work together to preserve this resource.

Information Technology

• Computer and Internet Use
  Charts and explanation of Internet access use and locations.

• Internet Access & Usage and Online Service Usage from 1997 to 2005 and by Characteristic
  This table contains statistical information regarding Internet access and usage as well as online service usage from 1997 to 2005.

• Information and Communications
  This report presents statistics on the various information and communications media: publishing, including newspapers, periodicals, books, and software; motion pictures, sound recordings, broadcasting, and telecommunications; and information services, such as libraries.

• Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
  This Congressional Research Service report discusses legislation seeking to close the gap in broadband disparities.

• Broadband Internet Regulation and Access: Background and Issues
  This Congressional Research Service report discusses the regulatory debate over federal broadband financial assistance programs.

• The Evolving Internet
  These articles from an electronic journal show how information and communication technology (ICT) is reshaping the lives of people around the world.   

• "Spam": An Overview of Issues Concerning Commercial Electronic Mail
  This Congressional Research Report discusses the pros and cons of the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN_SPAM) Act which went into effect January 1, 2004.

• Broadcasters Getting Online, Staying On Air
  Information on how broadcasters have changed their operations based on rapid technological advancements.

• Net Neutrality: Background and Issues
  This Congressional Research Service report that debates the importance of unfettered access to the Internet.
  

Space Exploration

• U.S. Space Programs:  Civilian, Military, and Commercial
  This Congressional Research Service report provides background and analysis as well as legislation regarding U.S. civilian, military, and commercial space programs.

• President Bush Announces New Vision for Space Exploration
  Full transcription of the President's announcement of a new vision for the U.S. space exploration program.

• The Vision for Space Exploration
  This report presents the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) strategic plan.

• Mars Exploration Rovers
  Prepared by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), this fact sheet provides information on the Mars Exploration Rover program.

• NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia:  Quick Facts and Issues for Congress
  On February 1, 2003, NASA’s Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart while returning to Earth from a 16-day science mission in orbit. All seven astronauts—six Americans and one Israeli—were killed. This Congressional Research Service report provides quick facts about Columbia, her crew, the STS-107 mission, and a brief discussion of issues for Congress.

• Space Launch Vehicles:  Government Activities, Commercial Competition, and Satellite Exports
  This Congressional Research Service report offers background and analysis on U.S. launch vehicle policies, programs and issues, and legislation.

• Space Shuttle:  Further Improvements Needed in NASA's Modernization Efforts
  This U.S. Government Accountability Office report is an assessment of the extent to which NASA has identified the architecture and costs necessary to implement its strategic plan; whether NASA’s exploration architecture cost estimates fit within the agency’s projected available budgets; and the risks associated with NASA’s acquisition strategy for the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) project.

• Nations In Space
  This article discusses the past, present and future of international space cooperation.