Public Management

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Establishing a Government Run Safe Injection Facility in the City of Philadelphia
(2022-05) Oliver, Travers J.
The City of Philadelphia is currently facing an opioid epidemic of unprecedented proportions, with 1,214 drug related overdoses in 2020 alone. The problem has been so detrimental that in 2019, the city had the highest rate of overdose deaths in the country among counties with a least one million residents. The city has made multiple efforts to combat the public health crisis including supporting a nonprofit organization’s attempt to establish the nation’s first safe injection facility within the city. The attempt would ultimately fail in the Third Circuit Court with a ruling that safe injection sites violate federal law. The following memorandum provides an alternative solution for the City of Philadelphia to implement a government-run safe injection facility under a provision in the Controlled Substances Act.
Drug Use and Possession in the United States: A Twenty-First Century Proposal for Federal Decriminalization Efforts
(2022-05) Larson, Jessica M.
For decades, the United States has waged a moral crusade against illicit drugs and people who use such drugs, responding with criminal penalties. This punitive response to illicit substance use has increasingly been refuted by medical experts, policy makers, and the public. The effects of a 50-year War on Drugs have pushed illicit substance users further into the shadows of society, destroying families and communities, while wasting over one trillion dollars of taxpayer funding. Despite harm reduction efforts taking form in the country, irreparable damage has already led to over 841,000 drug overdose deaths since 1999. Additionally, drug usage statistics have come full circle since 1979 and there are more self-reported illicit drug users in the U.S. than ever before. If drug prohibition has accomplished anything, it is proving that it does not work. This paper outlines four high-priority issues encompassing a broad spectrum of the criminal justice, public health, and personal freedoms conversations that the topic of drug prohibition elicits in everyday life. Drug prohibition has taught us that illicit substance usage can mean a variety of things. For instance, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I substance along with heroin and fentanyl, both of which are major contributors to the 162,630 drug overdose deaths in 2019 and 2020. Conversely, there are no reported deaths from marijuana ever. An extensive background/history is provided related to drug use in America, and an evidence-based policy proposal to reform existing drug law in the U.S. through comprehensive drug decriminalization is put forth. The proposal is then evaluated qualitatively, quantitatively, and politically, with a personal recommendation closing out the memorandum.
A Proposal to Establish a National High-Speed Rail Network in the United States
(2022-05) Hebert, John
High-speed rail is well positioned to offer a solution to shrinking transportation capacity and growing environmental threats in the United States. While many competing nations have taken steps to build their own robust high-speed rail networks over the past several decades, the United States has fallen behind and lacks any proven examples of true high-speed rail. Recent federal infrastructure investments, including those in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), have largely neglected high-speed rail, providing an opportunity for Congress and the Administration to back more targeted legislation to help incentivize investments in high-speed rail. This memorandum proposes that the U.S. Department of Transportation work with the White House and Congress to prioritize the passage of existing legislation, H.R.1845, which would provide $205 billion over five years to incentivize investments in high-speed rail corridors across the United States.
Addressing Occupational Staffing Shortages in the Veterans Health Administration
(2022-05) Sylvester, Cory
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the component agency of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) responsible for administering health care benefits to veterans and eligible beneficiaries, is facing chronic workforce shortages in clinical and nonclinical occupations at medical facilities across the nation. As a result, veterans and other beneficiaries who rely on the VA for their health care needs are experiencing diminished access to timely and quality health care services – putting their health and wellbeing at risk. This proposal details a legislative solution that offers increased educational and financial incentives to boost the recruitment and retention of those in sought-after occupations. An analysis of the proposal’s policy and political implications finds that its advantages outweigh its disadvantages and should therefore be made into law.
Closing the Last Loophole
(2022-05) Ogunlana, Olatunde
The proliferation of illegitimate capital being spent in the United States remains an economic and national security concern. The American economic system is becoming an innocuous haven for illegitimate capital as 70.6% of criminals convicted of money laundering in the U.S. were American citizens. Such individuals are assisting international criminals with laundering between $800 billion to $2 trillion USD globally. The harm caused by this activity around the world is very evident. When oppressive political leaders are able to amass large amounts of wealth illegally and undetected, citizens living under their dictatorship suffer as these leaders’ exorbitant powers go unchecked. More disturbing are the contracts secured from the U.S. Department of Defense by unnamed companies associated with the Taliban, a radical group which triggered the creation of the PATRIOT Act due to their affiliation with the September 11th attacks. Although banks have been required to have anti-money laundering (AML) provisions since 1970, those involved in money laundering continue to find new, sophisticated ways to mask their activities. A lack of transparency in large financial transactions/purchases, or transactions via virtual asset service providers (VASP), are loopholes many have taken advantage of. Developing a working group of voters, experts, and politicians to discuss the best next steps for strengthening America’s AML efforts is key, as the emphasis on the regulation of digital assets and VASPs is not meant to focus AML efforts entirely on emerging technologies. Instead, it is an example to reinforce the reason why Congress should emend the existing ENABLERS Act, ensuring the bill leaves no room for illicit funds transfers to circumvent federal investigation.
Policy Proposal to Reduce Water Pollution in China
(2022-05) Zhang, Zhenzhi
China's economy has grown rapidly over the past decade, but the country's extensive economic development model caused China to neglect environmental protection. China's water quality has been deteriorating in recent years and this poses a huge threat to the health of Chinese citizens. Many surveys show that the Chinese public is increasingly concerned about this issue. This paper presents a detailed description of the water pollution problem in China and concludes that water pollution has now become one of the most serious and urgent challenges China is facing. This paper also explores the history and background of the water pollution problem in China by using various data. Then it provides a comprehensive analysis of past policies that China used to combat water pollution and discusses the effectiveness and ineffectiveness of these policies. With the experiences from past policies and considering China's unique political environment, this memorandum proposes a policy that may help reduce water pollution and optimize water quality in China. The recommendation is to modify the 2017 version of the Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law. In detail, imposing a minimum fine of one million RMB to a maximum fine of twenty million RMB on enterprises that illegally discharge sewage and exempting the sales tax for machinery and equipment that reduces or prevents water pollution.
Freedom of Navigation in the Arctic: Options for Deterring Russia's Excessive Maritime Claims
(2022-05) Sims, Michael "Mac"
As climate change opens up new lanes of international commerce from melting sea ice in the Arctic, the region has growing importance to American strategy. The newly viable Northern Sea Route (NSR) through the Arctic Ocean around Russia will prove to be one of the 21st century’s most important commercial routes as the fastest way to move goods between the North Atlantic and the North Pacific. However, the Russian Federation has made excessive maritime claims, claiming that most of the NSR is an internal waterway, and enforcing a stringent regulatory regime on any vessel wishing to make the transit. This paper presents the option of conducting Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOP) in the Arctic to deter excessive Russian claims and to reassure the United States’ allies of a commitment to preserving a rules-based order in the Arctic. This study analyzes the history of Russian maritime claims and the efficacy of the larger FONOP program, using FONOPs in the South China Sea as a case study to generate a pro and con policy analysis framework. Based on these factors, this paper concludes that the US should begin FONOPs through the Arctic within the next five years, accomplishing the stated policy goal with the most limited military escalation possible. Furthermore, since the commercial activity in the Arctic will only increase over time, this study finds that waiting to tackle this problem only increases the costs associated with finding a solution in the long term.
A Proposal for the Revision of the Leahy Laws to Align Human Rights and Security Cooperation Policies with National Strategy
(2022-05) Barone, John
The United States has long paired human rights and security cooperation policies to meet national strategic objectives. The 2021 Interim National Security Strategy called for an increase in security partnerships with like-minded nations while also continuing support for human rights efforts abroad. The Leahy Laws and other policies constructed in and after the Cold War have prevented human rights abusers from receiving US military aid. However, once a US partner commits a human rights violation the entire unit is suspended from receiving US military aid and faces a daunting remediation process before it can resume security cooperation with the US. Suspending military aid indefinitely no longer supports national strategy but looking past human rights abuses also stands to ruin the moral leadership role the United States has in global politics. This proposal reviews standing policies that affect security cooperation and human rights and evaluates how they now obstruct US national strategy. The proposal recommends reforming Leahy Laws by adding human rights training to the remediation process of the Leahy Laws to expedite the stagnant remediation process and ensure partners are not lost to adversaries who are indifferent toward human rights.
A Proposal to Stabilize Puerto Rico's Debt Through Medicaid Equity
(2022-05) Bramlett, Magdalene
In January 2022, a federal judge ruled that a new debt restructuring framework for Puerto Rico would be in effect to partially relieve the island of its debt obligations to creditors. Despite the judge’s ruling, Puerto Rico remains in a vulnerable economic state and a dysfunctional political environment with a slight projection for growth. Without growth, debt sustainability is a challenge. This proposal to the Majority Leader Chuck Schumer offers adjustments to the excising PROMESA law, which focuses on debt restructuring and fiscal oversight. The recommendation creates a more equitable Medicaid system and expands Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico beyond the statutory limits, along with implementing a Medicaid-focused control mechanism to minimize fraud, waste, and abuse. By stabilizing Medicaid, one of the main cost drivers in Puerto Rico, debt sustainability is a strong possibility, and the territory will be able to meet financial obligations to creditors and its citizens. This paper further examines the current political climate within the Democratic-held Congress and the Executive branch.
Addressing Marijuana Commercialization Amid State-Level Legalization Efforts
(2022-05) Niforatos, Luke
Several states have acted to defy federal law and legalize the commercialization of marijuana. The resulting conflict between state and federal law represents a constitutional and public health crisis which this paper proposes should be addressed by the United States Government. Efforts to normalize marijuana use and promotion by the new industry have generated widespread use-related concerns, particularly among youth. This paper proposes, analyzes, and recommends a narrowly focused effort by the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services to begin to address the harms created by state-level commercial marijuana policies.
Implementing Overtime Regulations in a Nonprofit Setting
(2016-12) Dieperink, Julia
New overtime regulations go into effect in December 2016. Implementing these new regulations will take intention and effort. U.S. PIRG has expressed particular concern about this implementation process and the impact the overtime changes will have on nonprofits. This paper identifies a specific strategy for implementing the new overtime regulations and walks through the pros and cons of this process. U.S. PIRG has the opportunity to model a thorough employment audit and evaluation.
Addressing Federal Student Loan Debt for Students Who Do Not Complete - Implications of a Broad Approach to Discharge Federal Student Loans
(2021-12) Shetty, Samiksha
Student loan debt continues to be a problem in the United States, especially as more students are taking out loans to attend higher education institutions. One of the most vulnerable groups that suffer from student loan debt are the borrowers who attend college but do not complete it. This proposal offers a broad legislative solution that provides up to $50,000 in federal student loan cancellation for all qualifying borrowers who meet the income requirements, including federal student loan borrowers who did not earn their degree. An evaluation of the proposal’s strengths and weaknesses finds that the high financial costs, low political feasibility, and questionable efficiency outweigh any advantages and immediate financial relief it can provide. A broad-scale legislative approach at the rate of up to $50,000 is rejected and instead presents federal student loan forgiveness at a lower rate as an alternative to further assess.
Policy Proposal on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from U.S. Buildings
(2021-12) Petrashek, Casey Daniel
Climate change, caused by greenhouse gas emissions, is having profoundly negative impacts on the environment. A major source of U.S. climate-change-causing emissions are residential and commercial buildings. These structures produce greenhouse gas emissions directly by burning fossil fuels on site and additionally use a significant portion of energy created by power plants. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. buildings created 13% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. in 2015; when factoring in energy used from power plants, buildings accounted for 40% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. This memorandum explores the history and background of residential and commercial building policy as it relates to energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Then it proposes a bill to Congress named “The National Energy Efficiency Mobilization Act”, which uses four policies that would reduce this emissions source. These policies include: making the energy efficiency status of buildings over 25,000 square feet public, providing financial support to owners to make building improvements, allowing the Department of Energy (DOE) to set minimum building code standards, and authorizing the DOE to place a cap on emissions of large buildings if necessary. After careful policy and political analysis, I recommend to Brenda Mallory, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, that she help introduce and push this legislation in Congress, even though successful passage is unlikely, since the bill could ultimately help start an important conversation.
A Proposal to Reduce Air Pollution in China by Subsidizing the Energy Industry
(2021-12) Shao, Kangyi
With the rapid growth of China's economy, the extensive economic development model has caused massive pollution to China's air and environment. If we do not change the current economic development model and adjust the energy structure, the destruction of the natural environment will affect people's quality of life. And the economic operation will not be sustainable. China is at the end of industrialization and the middle of urbanization, and industrialization will inevitably be accompanied by greenhouse gas and pollution emissions. In recent years China has made efforts to improve energy productivity by improving energy efficiency and developing renewable energy sources, but due to its rapid economic growth, China is now highly dependent on fossil energy for its energy supply. China is the world's largest producer of renewable energy, but it is also the world's largest importer of fossil energy. If China maintains its current energy policy, it will have a serious impact on the country's air and environment. Therefore, this proposal will focus on how to solve the current air pollution problem in China by restructuring the energy mix and provide concrete solutions to support the development of renewable energy in China.
Public Policy Proposal to Reduce Air Pollution in China
(2021-12) Xu, Xiangyi
Chinese Air quality trails the Air Quality standards by WHO exposing over 81% of the Chinese population to related threats. In 2014, China was ranked the second-worst on air quality, globally, with a score of 18.81, and only 9 out of 100 cities in the country had attained the WHO standards. This has exposed the Chinese people to adverse health issues and increased economic costs. Premature deaths from exposure to O3 in China increased from 2013 to 2018 with 36% (short-term) and 59% (long-term). The costs of non-communicable diseases between 2015 and 2030 in China are projected to be $449 billion, where the largest costs are from air quality related diseases. The procedure to analyze the problem involved a study of the history of previously implemented policies such as the 14th five-year plan (2021-2025), various historical legislations and amendments, and key actors. Nevertheless, policy and political analyses informed the procedures to complete the policy proposal. The analysis has revealed that China could achieve its goals for improved air quality by increasing the production and use of renewable energy sources. The realization of the policy goal will require different actors and stakeholders to play part. Finally, the policy should not be implemented in isolation, but should supplement other already existing policies that the Chinese government has introduced to confront the threat of air pollution.
A Proposal to Cease Chinese Expansion in the South China Sea and Encroachment into the Sovereign Waters of Regional U.S. Allies
(2021-12) Scott, Chad Pritchard
Despite sanctions, international legal decisions, U.N. resolutions, and threats of direct action by various regional powers in the South China Sea, China continues its policy of encroaching on the sovereign waters of U.S. allies through a series of island-building and belligerent activities led by the Chinese Maritime Militia. The United States needs a far more assertive response to prevent further aggressive action against U.S. allies such as the Philippines by the Chinese. This proposal reviews the history of regional claims and activities in the South China Sea and actions the U.S. and its allies have taken thus far. It proposes two things to curtail further Chinese dominance in the South China Sea. The first of which is at a minimum recognize, through executive order, the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) while pushing Congress for full ratification. The second proposal is to develop the Scarborough Shoal with the Philippine government into a joint usage naval air capable of acting as both a launching point for allied aircraft and as a logistics hub for sustaining robust naval assets in the South China Sea. The U.S. has broad international and domestic support for such a policy, and shifting funding from the drawdown of CENTCOM operations such as Afghanistan means few additional funding needs. Adopting this policy will ensure the South China Sea remains free and open for global trade and limit the Chinese capability to advance their brand of authoritarianism around the globe.
Expanding Broadband Access and Adoption in Rural and Unserved Communities
(2021-12) Gallagher, Ethan
Access to high-speed broadband is a necessity, with research showing that a lack of access can negatively impact economic, educational, and health outcomes for the unserved. While federal subsidies for broadband infrastructure expansion and adoption have increased significantly since 2016, the broadband adoption rate remains at 70% with approximately 42 million Americans lacking access to affordable high-speed broadband. This memo proposes a two-part policy to establish a permanent Broadband Affordability Benefit (BAB) at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for low-income subscribers and instruct the FCC to conduct a one-time, large-sum capital auction to expand broadband infrastructure to unserved areas. While the BAB would boost broadband adoption and enjoys broad political support, the politics and technical challenges of FCC auctions would make passage difficult.
The Path Towards Redevelopment of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Site: An Analysis of Lease Extension
(2021-12) Skalski, Alaina B.
The Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Memorial Stadium, once home to many sports teams including the Washington Football Team, has sat empty since the D.C. United soccer team left the stadium in 2017 for their new home stadium at Audi Field. The District of Columbia owns the stadium and leases the surrounding land from the federal government. In 2019, Events DC, the organization that manages the stadium, made the decision to demolish it. This is part of a $490 million redevelopment project of this land. It is currently unclear what will replace the stadium as there are particular conditions of the lease, including what the land can be used for and that it ends in 2038, which are limiting factors. One of the options for an anchor facility is a new football stadium for the Washington Football Team. This has faced significant pushback in the past, although the dynamics have shifted in recent years. It is essential for the District to gain long term control of the land for any development to occur due to financing and other issues. This paper analyzes the policy proposal of passing legislation in Congress to extend the lease of the land by 50 years. This would secure long term management of the land by the District of Columbia. However it would maintain conditions that the District would only be allowed to use the land for recreational purposes and would have to seek approval from several federal agencies before development. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton has supported this policy proposal before, introducing it in the 115th Congress. She has also supported conveyance of the land, where the federal government would sell it to the District at fair market value. Ultimately, this paper concludes that it is not the right time to reintroduce lease extension legislation and that the Congresswoman should work behind the scenes to advocate for the District to gain long term control of the land.
A Proposal for Refinancing the Social Security Retirement Insurance Program to Ensure Longevity
(2021-12) Singh, Sai Samarchita
Per the SSA’s estimates, the population of the United States will shift gradually to have more senior citizens with higher mortality rates than working-age citizens. As a result, the current “pay-as-you-go” structure of the program will need to shift to accommodate the American population’s needs. Without funding in the Retirement Insurance Program, any American citizen who has paid U.S. Social Security taxes throughout their time of employment will not receive any benefits. The number of retirement-age Americans will increase from the 56 million people it supports today to over 78 million people by 2035. Until the projected “depletion” year of 2033, the program consists of funds paid forward by the generations that will never reap the benefits. Without the Retirement Insurance, around 180 million workers would not receive pension coverage. The procedures for analyzing this problem will be conducted through studying the history of the Social Security Act, key actors, and relevant historical Amendments to the bill. Additional methods include a policy and political analyses of the proposed Amendments in this dissertation. The results of these analyses demonstrated that this refinancing policy will be successful in restoring immediate funding for the Retirement Insurance program trust funds and amending the structure of the program to ensure longevity of the trust funds for the next 50 years. This analysis concluded that since this policy only seeks to establish changes to the trust funds of the Retirement Insurance program that has been done before, this policy is not any different in feasibility or application than those Amendments enacted historically.
Linking Maryland - An Analysis of a Broadband Grant Program
(2021-12) Butchko, Dominic J.
A decade before Covid 19, educators first wrote about the homework gap, a phenomenon where students have reduced school achievement due to a lack of reliable broadband access at home. The pandemic has only served to emphasize how broadband has become an absolute necessity in our children’s academic success. This paper examines Linking Maryland, a hypothetical grant program designed to encourage local actors to come up with innovative solutions to help expand reliable broadband into communities in need. Unlike similar programs, Linking Maryland does not place restrictions on the use of wireless technology. Upon examination, it was determined that Linking Maryland was not a viable policy solution. This recommendation was based on several factors including cost, political realities, overlap and competition, etc.

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