The prospect of future growth in demand for agricultural products makes China’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) an important issue for the U.S. agricultural sector. Most agricultural interest groups strongly support China’s entry into the WTO, because they think it will increase U.S. agricultural exports and enhance farm income. In the 107th Congress, attention is focused on China’s final WTO accession negotiations where differences over agriculture have become an issue.

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The major network carriers dominate traffic at most of their large hubs and extensive evidence exists that fares in markets where competition is absent are consistently above competitive levels. GAO believes that the oversight scheme contemplated when the industry was deregulated--with antitrust enforcement by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and oversight of unfair trade practices by the Department of Transportation (DOT)--has not been entirely successful in preserving and ensuring competition. Although the current legislative scheme grants explicit authority for DOT to regulate unfair competitive practices, the legislation does give DOT substantial leeway on the scope of its action. Thus, with the range of competitive challenges confronting the industry and directly affecting consumers, especially in the face of unprecedented industry consolidation, GAO believes there is merit in the overall intent of the proposed Aviation Competition Restoration Act to direct DOT to actively monitor the state of competition in the industry and to institute remedial actions as appropriate."

The methods and codes employed in the U.S. Heavy Ion Fusion program to simulate the beams in an Integrated Research Experiments (IRE) facility and a fusion driver are presented in overview. A new family of models incorporating accelerating module impedance, multi-beam, and self-magnetic effects is described, and initial WARP3d particle simulations of beams using these models are presented. Finally, plans for streamlining the machine-design simulation sequence, and for simulating beam dynamics from the source to the target in a consistent and comprehensive manner, are described.

None

None

None

This report discusses farm income and commodity price support proposals that might succeed the programs due to expire in 2002. A key question being asked of virtually every new proposal is how it will affect U.S. commitments under the 1994 Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture (URAA), which commitsthe United States to spend no more than $19.1 billion annually on domestic farm supports most likely to distort trade. The URAA spells out the rules for countries to determine whether their policies are potentially trade distorting, and to calculate the costs.

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "More than one in six nonelderly Americans are uninsured today. The lack of insurance coverage does not affect all Americans equally, varying widely among demographic groups as well as geographically. An estimated 42.1 million Americans were uninsured in 1999, which is down from 43.9 million in 1998. Although the decline in the number of uninsured is welcome news, it is too early to know whether this reflects a reversal in the trend. Recent expansions of public programs, such as the implementation of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and the tight labor market likely contributed to the improved coverage. Even with these positive factors, the number of uninsured remains high, and any significant downturn in economic conditions could lead to a resumption in the growth of their numbers. The uninsured population is a diverse group, including individuals working in different industries and firms of all sizes as well as of different income levels, ages, races and ethnicities, and geographic locations. The heterogeneous nature of the 42 million uninsured Americans suggests that consideration of a combination of strategies must be appropriate in any efforts to expand health insurance coverage."

The INCCA (Integrated Climate and Carbon) initiative will develop and apply the ability to simulate the fate and climate impact of fossil fuel-derived carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) and aerosols on a global scale. Coupled climate and carbon cycle modeling like that proposed for INCCA is required to understand and predict the future environmental impacts of fossil fuel burning. At present, atmospheric CO{sub 2} concentrations are prescribed, not simulated, in large climate models. Credible simulations of the entire climate system, however, need to predict time-evolving atmospheric greenhouse forcing using anthropogenic emissions as the fundamental input. Predicting atmospheric COS concentrations represents a substantial scientific advance because there are large natural sources and sinks of carbon that are likely to change as a result of climate change. Both terrestrial (e.g., vegetation on land) and oceanic components of the carbon cycle are known to be sensitive to climate change. Estimates of the amount of man-made CO{sub 2} that will accumulate in the atmosphere depend on understanding the carbon cycle. For this reason, models that use CO{sub 2} emissions, not prescribed atmospheric concentrations, as fundamental inputs are required to directly address greenhouse-related questions of interest to policymakers. INCCA is uniquely positioned to make rapid progress …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses findings from two GAO reports that relate to Maryland's pending legislation on pesticide reporting. To determine how the nation's information on pesticide illnesses could be improved, GAO has worked with two federal agencies--the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Center for Environmental Health. These agencies told GAO that establishing state pesticide illness reporting systems are key to improving the national information on acute pesticide illnesses. For example, according to NIOSH, state-based reporting systems are the best available data source for identifying epidemics, clusters of diseases, emerging pesticide problems, and populations at risk. Currently, about half of the states have some requirement that pesticide incidents be reported. However, only six states have a formal pesticide illness reporting and investigation system, and another three states have more limited systems. If Maryland decides to develop a formal pesticide illness reporting system, they may wish to consider these two important recommendations made by experts at federal agencies: (1) laws that require health care officials to report pesticide-related illness and injury. and (2) improving the training of health care professionals in pesticide incident handling."

This report summarizes the design of the ATR MOX Test Fuel Pin Measuring Device. This device makes use of four Magnescale probes and a precision sliding table to make three-dimensional measurements of a short fuel pin (approximately 8 inches) with an accuracy of better than 0.0003 inches. Mathematical fitting is then used to determine the diameter and bowing of the fuel pin as a function of length. This device is currently being applied to fuel pins irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) as part of the Light Water Mixed Oxide Fuel Irradiation Test sponsored by the Department of Energy.

The threat to American interests from terrorists is not limited to attacks against humans. Terrorists might seek to inflict damage to the U.S. economy by attacking our agricultural sector. Infection of commodity crops by bacterial or fungal crop pathogens could adversely impact U.S. agriculture, either directly from damage to crops or indirectly from damage to our ability to export crops suspected of contamination. Recognizing a terrorist attack against U.S. agriculture, to be able to prosecute the terrorists, is among the responsibilities of the members of Hazardous Material Response Unit (HMRU) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Nucleic acid analysis of plant pathogen strains by the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification techniques is a powerful method for determining the exact identity of pathogens, as well as their possible region of origin. This type of analysis, however, requires that PCR assays be developed specific to each particular pathogen strain, and analysis protocols developed that are specific to the particular instrument used for detection. The objectives of the work described here were threefold: 1) to assess the potential terrorist threat to U.S. agricultural crops, 2) to determine whether suitable assays exist to monitor that threat, and 3) where assays are …

The threat to American interests from terrorists is not limited to attacks against humans. Terrorists might seek to inflict damage to the U.S. economy by attacking our agricultural sector. Infection of commodity crops by bacterial or fungal crop pathogens could adversely impact U.S. agriculture, either directly from damage to crops or indirectly from damage to our ability to export crops suspected of contamination. Recognizing a terrorist attack against U.S. agriculture, to be able to prosecute the terrorists, is among the responsibilities of the members of Hazardous Material Response Unit (HMRU) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Nucleic acid analysis of plant pathogen strains by the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification techniques is a powerful method for determining the exact identity of pathogens, as well as their possible region of origin. This type of analysis, however, requires that PCR assays be developed specific to each particular pathogen strain, an d analysis protocols developed that are specific to the particular instrument used for detection. The objectives of the work described here were threefold: (1) to assess the potential terrorist threat to U.S. agricultural crops, (2) to determine whether suitable assays exist to monitor that threat, and (3) where assays …

A characterization study of the Fernald Silo 3 waste was performed at the request of Rocky Mountain Remedial Services, LLC (RMRS) to support treatment of the waste with the Envirobond reagents and Envirobrick process. The Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) performed the characterization under a Work for Others Agreement WOF-00-007. Physical property testing was subcontracted to the Clemson Environmental Technologies Laboratory (CETL). This report is intended to transmit the results of the physical property testing conducted at the CETL. Results of the physical property testing are summarized in a final report from Steve Hoeffner, CETL.

Single-crystal neutron diffraction measures the elastic Bragg reflection intensities from crystals of a material, the structure of which is the subject of investigation. A single crystal is placed in a beam of neutrons produced at a nuclear reactor or at a proton accelerator-based spallation source. Single-crystal diffraction measurements are commonly made at thermal neutron beam energies, which correspond to neutron wavelengths in the neighborhood of 1 Angstrom. For high-resolution studies requiring shorter wavelengths (ca. 0.3-0.8 Angstroms), a pulsed spallation source or a high-temperature moderator (a ''hot source'') at a reactor may be used. When complex structures with large unit-cell repeats are under investigation, as is the case in structural biology, a cryogenic-temperature moderator (a ''cold source'') may be employed to obtain longer neutron wavelengths (ca. 4-10 Angstroms). A single-crystal neutron diffraction analysis will determine the crystal structure of the material, typically including its unit cell and space group, the positions of the atomic nuclei and their mean-square displacements, and relevant site occupancies. Because the neutron possesses a magnetic moment, the magnetic structure of the material can be determined as well, from the magnetic contribution to the Bragg intensities. This latter aspect falls beyond the scope of the present unit; for …

Single-crystal neutron diffraction measures the elastic Bragg reflection intensities from crystals of a material, the structure of which is the subject of investigation. A single crystal is placed in a beam of neutrons produced at a nuclear reactor or at a proton accelerator-based spallation source. Single-crystal diffraction measurements are commonly made at thermal neutron beam energies, which correspond to neutron wavelengths in the neighborhood of 1 Angstrom. For high-resolution studies requiring shorter wavelengths (ca. 0.3-0.8 Angstroms), a pulsed spallation source or a high-temperature moderator (a ''hot source'') at a reactor may be used. When complex structures with large unit-cell repeats are under investigation, as is the case in structural biology, a cryogenic-temperature moderator (a ''cold source'') may be employed to obtain longer neutron wavelengths (ca. 4-10 Angstroms). A single-crystal neutron diffraction analysis will determine the crystal structure of the material, typically including its unit cell and space group, the positions of the atomic nuclei and their mean-square displacements, and relevant site occupancies. Because the neutron possesses a magnetic moment, the magnetic structure of the material can be determined as well, from the magnetic contribution to the Bragg intensities. This latter aspect falls beyond the scope of the present unit; for …

The purpose of this testing was to determine if a vadose zone source for the contamination remains and to begin collecting data to assist with determining the location of any significant source.

None

Cash welfare caseloads have declined 57% since peaking in 1994 at 5.1 million cases, with the largest declines occurring since the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). PRWORA ended the entitlement program of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), and replaced it with a block grant program to the states, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Unlike AFDC, under TANF most adults are required to work as a condition of receiving benefits, and assistance from federal funds is time-limited.

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In 1997, 4,369 corporations earned a total of $135 million in Work Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC). The employers who earned most of the credit were large companies with gross receipts exceeding $1 billion and engaged in nonfinancial services and retail trade. GAO's analysis of state agency data for California and Texas from 1997 through 1999 showed that three percent of participating employers accounted for 82 percent of all hires of WOTC-certified workers. Many employers who participated in the tax credit program in those two states in 1999 say that, besides the opportunity to obtain the credit, their participation in the program was also greatly influenced by such factors as the need to address a labor shortage and the opportunity to be a good corporate citizen. The results of GAO's two state analysis indicate a low probability of replacing employees who were not eligible for the tax credit."