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United Mexican States
Area: 1,972,500 sq. km. (761,600 sq. mi.); about three times the size of Texas.
Cities: Capital--Mexico City (13 million, 2000 census metro area). Other major cities--Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puebla, Ciudad Juarez, Tijuana, Acapulco, Merida, Leon, Veracruz.
Terrain: Coastal lowlands, central high plateaus, and mountains up to 5,400 m. (18,000 ft.).
Climate: Tropical to desert.
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Mexican(s).
Population (2004 estimate): 105 million.
Annual growth rate (2004 net): 1.2%.
Ethnic groups: Indian-Spanish (mestizo) 60%, Indian 30%, Caucasian 9%, other 1%.
Religions: Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%.
Language: Spanish.
Education: Years compulsory--12 (note: preschool education was made mandatory in Dec. 2001). Literacy--89.4%.
Health (2004 est.): Infant mortality rate--21.69/1000. Life expectancy--male 72.18 years; female 77.83 years.
Work force (2000, 39.81 million): Agriculture, forestry, hunting, fishing--21.0%; services--32.2%; commerce--16.9%; manufacturing--18.7%; construction--5.6%; transportation and communication--4.5%; mining and quarrying--1.0%.
Type: Federal republic.
Independence: First proclaimed September 16, 1810; republic established 1824.
Constitution: February 5, 1917.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state and head of government). Legislative--bicameral. Judicial--Supreme Court, local and federal systems.
Administrative subdivisions: 31 states and a federal district.
Political parties: Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), National Action Party (PAN), Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), Green Ecological Party (PVEM), Labor Party (PT), and several small parties.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Nominal GDP (2004): $677 billion (rank in world: 12).
GDP (PPP method, 2004): $1.01 trillion (rank in world: 12).
Per capita GDP (2004): $6,517 (rank in world: 51).
Per capita GDP (PPP method, 2004): $9,774 (rank in world: 54).
Annual real GDP growth: (2005 est.) 3.0%; (2004) 4.4%; (2003) 1.3%; (2002) 0.9%; (2001) -0.3%; (2000) 6.6%; (1999) 3.7%.
Avg. real GDP growth (1999-2003): 2.1%.
Inflation rate: (2005 est.) 3.2%; (2004) 5.2%; (2003) 4.0%; (2002) 5.0%; (2001) 6.4%; (2000) 9.5%; (1999) 16.6%.
Natural resources: Petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber.
Agriculture (4% of GDP): Products--corn, beans, oilseeds, feed grains, fruit, cotton, coffee, sugarcane, winter vegetables.
Industry (24.0% of GDP): Types--manufacturing, energy, construction.
Services (72% of GDP): Types--commerce and tourism (20%), financial services (12%), and transportation and communications (10%).
Trade (Goods): Exports (2004)--$189 billion. Imports (2004)--$197 billion. Exports to U.S. (2004)--$165 billion (87% of total). Imports from U.S. (2004)--$110 billion (55% of total). Major markets--U.S., EU, Japan, Canada, China.
Mexico is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world and the second most-populous country in Latin America after Portuguese-speaking Brazil. About 70% of the people live in urban areas. Many Mexicans emigrate from rural areas that lack job opportunities--such as the underdeveloped southern states and the crowded central plateau--to the industrialized urban centers and the developing areas along the U.S.-Mexico border. According to some estimates, the population of the area around Mexico City is about 18 million, which would make it the largest concentration of population in the Western Hemisphere. Cities bordering on the United States--such as Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez--and cities in the interior--such as Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Puebla--have undergone sharp rises in population in recent years.
Education is one of the Government of Mexico's highest priorities. The education budget has increased significantly in recent years; funding in real terms for education has increased by almost 25% over the last decade. Education in Mexico also is being decentralized from federal to state authority in order to improve accountability. Although educational levels in Mexico have improved substantially in recent decades, the country still faces daunting problems.
Education is mandatory from ages 6 through 18. In addition, the Mexican Congress voted in December of 2001 to make one year of preschool mandatory, which went into effect in 2004. The increase in school enrollments during the past two decades has been dramatic. By 1999, 94% of the population between the ages of 6 and 14 were enrolled in school. Primary, including preschool, enrollment totaled 17.2 million in 2000. Enrollment at the secondary public school level rose from 1.4 million in 1972 to 5.4 million in 2000. A rapid rise also occurred in higher education. Between 1959-2000 college enrollments rose from 62,000 to more than 2.0 million.
Highly developed cultures, including those of the Olmecs, Mayas, Toltecs, and Aztecs existed long before the Spanish conquest. Hernando Cortes conquered Mexico during the period 1519-21 and founded a Spanish colony that lasted nearly 300 years.
Independence from Spain was proclaimed by Father Miguel Hidalgo on September 16, 1810. Father Hidalgo's declaration of national independence, known in Mexico as the "Grito de Dolores", launched a decade long struggle for independence from Spain. Prominent figures in Mexico's war for independence were Father Jose Maria Morelos; Gen. Augustin de Iturbide, who defeated the Spaniards and ruled as Mexican emperor from 1822-23; and Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana, who went on to control Mexican politics from 1833 to 1855. An 1821 treaty recognized Mexican independence from Spain and called for a constitutional monarchy. The planned monarchy failed; a republic was proclaimed in December 1822 and established in 1824.
Throughout the rest of the 19th century, Mexico's government and economy were shaped by contentious debates among liberals and conservatives, republicans and monarchists, federalists and those who favored centralized government. During the two presidential terms of Benito Juarez (1858-71), Mexico experimented with modern democratic and economic reforms. President Juarez' terms, and Mexico's early experience with democracy were interrupted by the Habsburg monarchy's rule of Mexico (1864-67), and by the authoritarian government of Gen. Porfirio Diaz, who was president during most of the period between 1877 and 1911.
Mexico's severe social and economic problems erupted in a revolution that lasted from 1910-20 and gave rise to the 1917 constitution. Prominent leaders in this period--some of whom were rivals for power--were Francisco I. Madero, Venustiano Carranza, Pancho Villa, Alvaro Obregon, Victoriano Huerta, and Emiliano Zapata. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), formed in 1929 under a different name, emerged as a coalition of interests after the chaos of the revolution as a vehicle for keeping political competition in peaceful channels. For 71 years, Mexico's national government was controlled by the PRI, which won every presidential race and most gubernatorial races until the July 2000 presidential election of Vicente Fox Quesada of the National Action Party (PAN).
The 1917 constitution provides for a federal republic with powers separated into independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Historically, the executive is the dominant branch, with power vested in the president, who promulgates and executes the laws of the Congress. The Congress has played an increasingly important role since 1997 when opposition parties first made major gains. The president also legislates by executive decree in certain economic and financial fields, using powers delegated from the Congress. The president is elected by universal adult suffrage for a 6-year term and may not hold office a second time. There is no vice president; in the event of the removal or death of the president, a provisional president is elected by the Congress.
The Congress is composed of a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies. Consecutive re-election is prohibited. Senators are elected to 6-year terms, and deputies serve 3-year terms. The Senate's 128 seats are filled by a mixture of direct-election and proportional representation. In the lower chamber, 300 deputies are directly elected to represent single-member districts, and 200 are selected by a modified form of proportional representation from five electoral regions. The 200 proportional representation seats were created to help smaller parties gain access to the Chamber.
The judiciary is divided into federal and state court systems, with federal courts having jurisdiction over most civil cases and those involving major felonies. Under the constitution, trial and sentencing must be completed within 12 months of arrest for crimes that would carry at least a 2-year sentence. In practice, the judicial system often does not meet this requirement. Trial is by judge, not jury, in most criminal cases. Defendants have a right to counsel, and public defenders are available. Other rights include defense against self-incrimination, the right to confront one's accusers, and the right to a public trial. Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president and approved by the Senate.
Principal Government Officials
President--Vicente FOX Quesada
Foreign Secretary--Luis Ernesto DERBEZ Bautista
Ambassador to the U.S.--Carlos DE ICAZA
Ambassador to the United Nations--Enrique BERRUGA Filloy
Ambassador to the OAS--Jorge CHEN Charpentier
Mexico maintains an embassy in the United States at 1911 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20006 (tel. 202-728-1600). Consular offices are located at 2827 - 16th St. NW, 20009 (tel. 202-736-1012), and the trade office is co-located at the embassy (tel. 202-728-1686).
Besides its embassy, Mexico maintains 48 diplomatic offices in the U.S. Consulates general are located in Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Antonio, San Diego, and San Francisco; consulates are (partial listing) in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, Seattle, St. Louis, and Tucson.
On July 2, 2000, Vicente Fox Quesada of the opposition "Alliance for Change" coalition, headed by the National Action Party (PAN), was elected president, in what are considered to have been the freest and fairest elections in Mexico's history. Fox began his 6-year term on December 1, 2000. His victory ended the Institutional Revolutionary Party's (PRI) 71-year hold on the presidency.
The introduction of proportional representation has made the bicameral Mexican Congress a more pluralized institution. Currently, no party holds an absolute majority in either house. As competition among Mexico's three major parties in Congress increases, the legislative branch is playing an increasingly important role in Mexico's democratic transformation.
Recent Elections
The 2000 elections marked the first time since the 1910-20 Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in government. Vicente Fox won the election with 43% of the vote, followed by PRI candidate Francisco Labastida with 36%, and Cuauhtemoc Cardenas of the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) with 17%. Despite some isolated incidents of irregularities and problems, there was no evidence of systematic attempts to manipulate the elections or their results, and critics concluded that the irregularities that occurred did not alter the outcome of the presidential vote. Civic organizations fielded more than 80,000 trained electoral observers; foreigners--many from the United States--were invited to witness the process, and numerous independent "quick count" operations and exit polls validated the official vote tabulation.
Numerous electoral reforms implemented since 1989 aided in the opening of the Mexican political system, and opposition parties have made historic gains in elections at all levels. Many of the current electoral concerns have shifted from outright fraud to campaign fairness issues. During 1995-96 the political parties negotiated constitutional amendments to address these issues. Implementing legislation included major points of consensus that had been worked out with the opposition parties. The thrust of the new laws has public financing predominate over private contributions to political parties, tightens procedures for auditing the political parties, and strengthens the authority and independence of electoral institutions. Alongside these more general, legal reforms, political parties are experimenting with more open procedures for selecting candidates at all levels of government. The court system also was given greatly expanded authority to hear civil rights cases on electoral matters brought by individuals or groups. In short, the extensive reform efforts have "leveled the playing field" for the parties and opened new opportunities for citizen participation in politics.
Even before the new electoral law was passed, opposition parties had obtained an increasing voice in Mexico's political system. A substantial number of candidates from opposition parties had won election to the Chamber of Deputies and Senate. As a result of the 2000 and 2003 elections, the Congress is more diverse than ever. In the Chamber, 223 seats belong to the PRI, 154 to the PAN, 96 to the PRD, 17 to the Green Party, and the remaining seats are split among smaller parties. In the 128-seat Senate, the upper house of Congress, the PRI still holds the most seats at 60, but the PAN holds 46, the PRD 16, the Greens 5, and one senator is an independent. Senators serve 6 years in office and Deputies 3 years; neither can be elected to consecutive terms.
Although the PRI no longer controls the Presidency, it remains a significant force in Mexican politics, holding 17 statehouses. In state congressional and mayoral contests since July 2000, the PRI has fared better than the PAN.
Congressional and presidential elections are scheduled to take place in July 2006. Candidates have been selected by all three major parties. Signaling the strength of the opposition parties going into the 2006 presidential elections, both the PRD and PRI won important gubernatorial elections in late 2004 and early 2005. The Mexican Congress has approved absentee voting by mail-in ballot for citizens residing outside the nation's borders.
Other Reforms
Constitutional and legal changes have been adopted in recent years to improve the performance and accountability of the Supreme Court and the Office of the Attorney General and the administration of federal courts. The Supreme Court, relieved of administrative duties for lower courts, was given responsibilities for judicial review of certain categories of law and legislation. Additional judicial reforms presented by President Fox remain pending before Congress.
An unresolved sociopolitical conflict exists in the southernmost state of Chiapas. In January 1994, insurgents in the state of Chiapas briefly took arms against the government, protesting alleged oppression, neglect of the concerns of Mexico's indigenous peoples, and governmental indifference to poverty. After 12 days of fighting, a cease-fire was negotiated that remains in effect. Since 1994 sporadic clashes have continued to occur between armed civilian groups, usually over disputed land claims.
As a presidential candidate, Fox promised to renew dialogue with the Ej�rcito Zapatista de Liberaci�n Nacional (EZLN) and address unresolved problems in the state. Following his inauguration, he ordered many troops out of Chiapas, dismantled roadblocks, closed military bases, and submitted revised peace accords to Congress. In August 2001, the peace accords became law, after having been passed by Congress and ratified by more than half of the state legislatures. However, the EZLN contended that amendments made to legislated provisions of the accord diminished their impact, and broke off talks with the Government.
Mexico is highly dependent on exports to the U.S., which account for almost a quarter of the country's GDP. The result is that the Mexican economy is strongly linked to the U.S. business cycle. As the U.S. economy has emerged from its downturn in 2001, so has the Mexican economy, growing at a 4.4% rate in 2004, and estimated to grow 3.0% in 2005.
Mexican trade policy is among the most open in the world, with Free Trade Agreements with the U.S., Canada, the EU, and many other countries. Since the 1994 devaluation of the peso Mexican governments have improved the country's macroeconomic fundamentals. Inflation and public sector deficits are both under control. As of September 2004, Moody's, Standard & Poors, and Fitch Ratings had all issued investment-grade ratings for Mexico's sovereign debt.
Mexico is one of the world's most trade dependent countries, and it is particularly dependent on trade with the U.S, which buys approximately 88% of its exports. Top U.S. exports to Mexico include electronic equipment, motor vehicle parts, and chemicals. Top Mexican exports to the U.S. include petroleum, cars, and electronic equipment. There is considerable intra-company trade.
Mexico is an active and constructive participant in World Trade Organization (WTO) matters, including in the launching of the Doha trade round. Mexico hosted the WTO Ministerial Meeting in Cancun September 2003. The Mexican Government and many businesses support a Free Trade Area of the Americas.
Trade disputes between the U.S. and Mexico are generally settled in WTO or North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) panels or through negotiations between the two countries. The most significant areas of friction involve agricultural products including sugar, high fructose corn syrup, apples, and rice.
Mexico's agrarian reform program began in 1917, when the government began distribution of land to farmers. Extended further in the 1930s, delivery of land to peasants continued into the 1960s and 1970s at varying rates. This cooperative agrarian reform, which guaranteed small farmers a means of subsistence livelihood, also caused land fragmentation and lack of capital investment, since commonly held land could not be used as collateral. Additionally, only 12% of Mexico's land area is arable, of which less than 3% is irrigated, which coupled with a general lack of economic opportunity in rural areas, have made it difficult to raise the productivity and living standards of Mexico's subsistence farmers.
Agriculture accounted for 4% of GDP in 2005, yet agricultural employment accounted for over 16% of total employment. However, there are signs that Mexican farmers have already begun to transition away from agriculture to off-farm employment.
Poor availability of credit continues to plague agriculture. Agricultural loans were hard hit by the 1994 peso crisis and many private banks view agricultural lending, particularly to smaller producers, as too risky. Several government entities provide public credit to the rural sector, including a development bank--Financiera Rural--dedicated to the sector.
In an effort to raise rural productivity and living standards, Article 27 of the Mexican Constitution was amended in 1992 to allow for the transfer of communal land to the farmers cultivating it. They then could rent or sell the land, opening the way for larger farms and economies of scale. Actual sales of communal land have been few and limited primarily to suburban areas where land values are high. One reason for the lack of sales may be insufficient community support, as some in the community have a vested interest in maintaining the communal land system.
Mexico subsidizes agricultural production through the PROCAMPO program. Since the early 1990s, the availability of program payments has shifted from primarily grains and legumes to all commodities, provided a farmer was producing during a certain base period. Total program funding is $1.3 billion, and 2004 payments were $85 per hectare for producers with more than five hectares and $100 per hectare for producers with 1-5 hectares.
Manufacturing and Foreign Investment
Manufacturing accounts for about 16% of GDP, and manufacturing growth has slowed dramatically in recent years, actually shrinking from 2000 to 2005 in real terms. Construction grew by 6% in real terms in 2004, fueled by a boom in housing finance.
According to Mexico's Ministry of Economy, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico for 2003 was $10.38 billion, down 29% from the year before. The U.S. was once again the largest foreign investor in Mexico, with $5.75 billion in investments, or 55% of total FDI. The most recent numbers released by Mexico show FDI for January thru June 2004 at $9.57 billion. Although the amount was nearly equal to all of 2003, the total was inflated by an investment of over $4.0 billion by the Spanish bank BBVA.
Oil and Gas
In 2003 Mexico was the world's fifth-largest oil producer, its ninth-largest oil exporter, and the third-largest supplier of oil to the United States. Oil and gas revenues provide about one-third of all Mexican Government revenues.
Mexico's state-owned oil company, Pemex, holds a constitutionally established monopoly for the exploration, production, transportation, and marketing of the nation's oil. Since 1995, private investment in natural gas transportation, distribution, and storage has been permitted, but Pemex remains in sole control of natural gas exploration and production. Despite substantial reserves, Mexico is a net natural gas importer.
Transportation and Communications
Mexico's land transportation network is one of the most extensive in Latin America with 117,000 kilometers (km.) of paved roads, including more than 10,000 kilometers of four-lane paved roads. The 26,622 kilometers (16,268 mi.) of government-owned railroads in Mexico have been privatized through the sale of 50-year operating concessions.
Mexico's ports have experienced a boom in investment and traffic following a 1993 law that privatized the port system. Mexico's ports moved nearly 1.7 million containers in 2003. A number of international airlines serve Mexico, with direct or connecting flights from most major cities in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, and Latin America. Most Mexican regional capitals and resorts have direct air services to Mexico City or the United States. In 2005, the Government of Mexico agreed to sell Mexicana, one of the two main national airlines, to a private investor. Airports are semi-privatized with the government still the majority shareholder, but with each regional airport group maintaining operational autonomy.
The telecommunications sector is dominated by Telmex, the former state-owned monopoly. Several international companies compete in the sector with limited success. Mexico's telecommunications regulator has failed to enforce dominant carrier regulations, with regulation largely provided through a series of private agreements among the three largest carriers. This has negative implications for U.S. investors in the sector, although there are no reported barriers to exports of U.S. telecommunications goods and services. The teledensity rate in Mexico (around 16%) is among the lowest in Latin America. Cellular penetration is much higher with over 33 million cellular customers in 2004. However, 31 million of these customers use pre-paid cards, and many use their phones to receive calls only. Mexico's satellite service sector was opened to competition, including limited foreign direct investment, in 2001.
Mexico's armed forces number about 225,000. The army makes up about three-fourths of that total. The navy is a completely autonomous cabinet agency and as such there is no joint chief of staff position. Principal military roles include national defense, narcotics control, and civic action assignments such as search and rescue and disaster relief. Mexican military and naval forces provided disaster assistance to the U.S. in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which struck Louisiana and Mississippi in August 2005.
Traditionally, the Government of Mexico has sought to maintain its interests abroad and project its influence largely through moral persuasion. In particular, Mexico champions the principles of nonintervention and self-determination. In its efforts to revitalize its economy and open up to international competition, Mexico has sought closer relations with the U.S., western Europe, and the Pacific Basin. While the United States and Mexico are often in agreement on foreign policy issues, some differences remain--in particular, relations with Cuba. The U.S. and Mexico agree on the ultimate goal of establishing a democratic, free-market regime in Cuba but disagree on tactics to reach that goal. President Fox has more actively promoted international human rights and democracy and sought to increase Mexico's participation in international affairs.
Mexico actively participates in several international organizations; it was elected to a seat on the UN Security Council for the period 2002-03. It is a supporter of the United Nations and Organization of American States systems and also pursues its interests through a number of ad hoc international bodies. Mexico has been selective in its membership in other international organizations. It declined, for example, to become a member of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Nevertheless, Mexico does seek to diversify its diplomatic and economic relations, as demonstrated by its accession to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1986; its joining the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) in 1993; becoming, in April 1994, the first Latin American member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); and a founding member of the World Trade Organization in 1996. Mexico attended the 1994 Summit of the Americas, held in Miami; managed coordination of the agenda item on education for the 1998 Summit of the Americas in Santiago, Chile; and hosted a Special Summit of the Americas in early 2004. Mexico hosted a WTO Ministerial in September 2003 and a Hemispheric Security Conference in October of the same year. It was elected to the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors in 2003. In 2003 it hosted APEC in Cabo San Lucas.
U.S. relations with Mexico are as important and complex as with any country in the world. A stable, democratic, and economically prosperous Mexico is fundamental to U.S. interests. U.S. relations with Mexico have a direct impact on the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans--whether the issue is trade and economic reform, homeland security, drug control, migration, or the promotion of democracy. The U.S. and Mexico are partners in NAFTA, and enjoy a rapidly developing trade relationship. In March 2005 Mexico formed the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) with the U.S. and Canada. The SPP contemplates trilateral and bilateral initiatives to develop new avenues of cooperation that will enhance security, competition, and economic resilience.
The scope of U.S.-Mexican relations goes far beyond diplomatic and official contacts; it entails extensive commercial, cultural, and educational ties, as demonstrated by the annual figure of nearly a million legal border crossings a day. In addition, more than a half-million American citizens live in Mexico. More than 2,600 U.S. companies have operations there, and the U.S. accounts for 55% of all foreign direct investment in Mexico. Along the 2,000-mile shared border, state and local governments interact closely.
There is frequent contact at the highest levels. The Presidents' meetings have included the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Bangkok in October 2003; President Bush's visits to Monterrey in January 2004 (Summit of the Americas) and March 2002; his April 2001 visit to Guanajuato; President Fox's state visit to the U.S. in September 2001, and his meeting with the President at Crawford, Texas in March 2004. The two Presidents met again in Crawford in March 2005, along with Canadian Prime Minister Martin, to launch the Security and Prosperity Partnership for North America, a trilateral initiative to encourage even greater commercial activity while enhancing security for the region.
Since 1981, the management of the broad array of U.S.-Mexico issues has been formalized in the U.S.-Mexico Binational Commission, composed of numerous U.S. cabinet members and their Mexican counterparts. The commission holds annual plenary meetings, and many subgroups meet during the course of the year to discuss border security and counter terrorism, trade and investment opportunities, financial cooperation, consular issues and migration, legal affairs and anti-narcotics cooperation, education, energy, border affairs, environment and natural resources, labor, agriculture, health, housing and urban development, transportation, and science and technology.
A strong partnership with Mexico is critical to combating terrorism and controlling the flow of illicit drugs into the United States. In recent years, cooperation on counter-narcotics and Mexico's own initiatives in fighting drug trafficking have been unprecedented. The U.S. will continue working with Mexico to help ensure that Mexico's cooperation and anti-drug efforts grow even stronger. The U.S. and Mexico continue to cooperate on narcotics interdiction, demand reduction, and eradication.
Border and Environmental Affairs
Cooperation between the United States and Mexico along the 2,000-mile common border includes state and local problem-solving mechanisms; transportation planning; and institutions to address resource, environment, and health issues. In 1993, the Border Liaison Mechanism (BLM) was established. Chaired by U.S. and Mexican consuls, the BLMs operate in "sister city" pairs and have proven to be effective means of dealing with a variety of local issues ranging from accidental violation of sovereignty by law enforcement officials and charges of mistreatment of foreign nationals to coordination of port security and cooperation in public health matters such as tuberculosis.
As the number of people and the volume of cargo crossing the U.S.-Mexico border grow, so, too, does the need for coordinated infrastructure development. The multi-agency U.S.-Mexico Binational Group on Bridges and Border Crossings meets twice yearly to improve the efficiency of existing crossings and coordinate planning for new ones. The 10 U.S. and Mexican border states have become active participants in these meetings.
The United States and Mexico have a history of cooperation on environmental and natural resource issues, particularly in the border area, where there are serious environmental problems caused by rapid population growth, urbanization, and industrialization. Cooperative activities between the U.S. and Mexico take place under a number of agreements such as:
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--Antonio O. Garza, Jr.
Deputy Chief of Mission--Stephen R. Kelly
Minister Counselor for Political Affairs--Leslie Bassett
Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs--James Heg
Minister Counselor for Public Diplomacy--James Dickmeyer
Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs--David Donahue
Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs--Karen Zens
Minister Counselor for Management Affairs--James E. Robertson
Minister Counselor for Agricultural Affairs--Suzanne Heinen
Consul General--Ronald Kramer
Counselor for Labor Affairs--vacant
Counselor for Scientific and Technological Affairs--David Wagner
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico is located at Paseo de la Reforma 305, 06500 Mexico, DF. U.S. mailing address: Box 3087, Laredo, Texas 78044-3087; tel. (from the U.S.): (011) (52) 555-080-2000; Internet: http://mexico.usembassy.gov/
The embassy and the 22 U.S. Consulates General, Consulates, and consular agents provide a range of services to American students, tourists, business people, and residents throughout Mexico.
U.S. Consulates General, Consulates, and Officials
Consulate General, Ciudad Juarez--Donna Blair
Address: Avenida Lopez Mateos 924-N, 32000 Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua
U.S. Postal Address: Box 10545, El Paso, Texas 79995-0545
Tel. (from the U.S.): (011)(52) 656-611-3000
Consulate General, Guadalajara--Sandra Salmon
Address: Progreso 175, 44100, Guadalajara, Jalisco
U.S. Postal Address: Box 9001, Brownsville, Texas 78520-0901
Tel.: (011)(52) 333-268-2100
Consulate General, Monterrey--Luis Moreno
Address: Avenida Constitution 411 Poniente, 64000 Monterrey, Nuevo Leon
U.S. Postal Address: Box 9002, Brownsville, Texas 78520-0902
Tel.: (011)(52) 818-345-2120
Consulate General, Tijuana--David Stewart
Address: Tapachula 96, 22420 Tijuana, Baja California Norte
U.S. Postal Address: P.O. Box 439039, San Diego, California 92143-9039
Tel.: (011)(52) 664-681-7400
Consulate, Hermosillo--Robert Clarke
Address: Calle Monterrey 141 Pte., 83260, Hermosillo, Sonora
U.S. Postal Address: Box 1689, Nogales, Arizona 85628
Tel.: (011)(52) 662-2893500
Consulate, Matamoros--John Naland
Address: Ave. Primera 2002, 87330, Matamoros, Tamaulipas
U.S. Postal Address: Box 633, Brownsville, Texas 78522-0633
Tel.: (011)(52) 868-812-4402
Consulate, Merida--Lisa Vickers
Address: Paseo Montejo 453, 97000, Merida, Yucatan
U.S. Postal Address: Box 9003, Brownsville, Texas 78520-0903
Tel.: (011)(52) 999-925-5011
Consulate, Nogales--Cynthia Sharpe
Address: Calle San Jose s/n, 84065, Nogales, Sonora
U.S. Postal Address: P.O. Box 1729, Nogales, AZ 85628-1729
Tel.: (011)(52) 631-313-4820
Consulate, Nuevo Laredo--Michael Yoder
Address: Calle Allende 3330, Col. Jardin, 88260 Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas
U.S. Postal Address: Box 3089, Laredo, Texas 78044-3089
Tel.: (011)(52) 867-714-0512
Consular Agents
Acapulco--Alexander Richards
Address: Hotel Acapulco Continental, Costera M. Aleman 121-Local 14,
39670 Acapulco, Guerrero
Tel. (from the U.S.): (011)(52) 744-469-0556
Cabo San Lucas--Michael John Houston
Address: Blvd. Marina, Local C-4, Plaza Nautica, Zona Centro,
23410 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
Tel.: (011)(52) 624-143-3566
Cancun--Lynette Belt
Address: Plaza Caracol 2, #320-323, Blvd. Kukulkan, Km. 8.5 Zona Hotelera,
77500 Cancun, Quintana Roo
Tel.: (011)(52) 998-883-0272
Ciudad Acuna--vacant
Morelos y Ocampo #305, Col. Centro
26200 Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila
Tel. (011)(52) 877-772-8661
Cozumel--Anne Harris
Address: Plaza Villa Mar en El Centro, Plaza Principal, Parque Juarez
(entre Melgar y 5a Av.), Piso 2, 77622 Cozumel, Quintana Roo
Tel.: (011)(52) 987-872-4574
Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo--Elizabeth Williams
Address: Hotel Fontan, Blvd. Ixtapa, Ixtapa, Zihuantanejo, Gro. 40880, Mexico
Courier Address: Paseo de los Hujes 236, Col. El Hujal,
40880 Zihuatanejo, Guerrero
Tel.: (011)(52) 755-553-1108
Mazatlan--Patti Fletcher
Address: Hotel Playa Mazatlan, Rodolfo T. Loaiza 202, Zona Dorada,
82110 Mazatlan, Sinaloa
Tel.: (011)(52) 669-916-5889
Oaxaca--Mark A. Leyes
Address: Macedonia Alcala 407, Int. 20,
68000 Oaxaca, Oaxaca
Tel.: (011)(52) 951-514-3054
Piedras Negras--Dina O'Brien
Address: Prol. General Cepeda No. 1900, Franccionamiento Privada Blanca,
Piedras Negras, Coahiula, C.P. 26700
Tel. (011)(52)795-1986
Puerto Vallarta--Kelly Trainor
Address: Zaragoza 160, Edificio Vallarta Plaza, Piso 2, Int. 18,
48300 Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco
Tel.: (011)(52) 322-222-0069
Reynosa--Vera Vera
Calle Monterrey #390 esq. Sinaloa, Col. Rodriguez
88630 Reynosa, Tamaulipas
Tel. (011)(52)899-893-9331
San Luis Potosi--Carolyn Lazaro
Address: Edificio "Las Terrazas," Av. Venustiano Carranza 2076-41, Col. Polanco,
78220 San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi
Tel.: (011)(52) 444-811-7802
San Miguel de Allende--Philip Maher
Address: Dr. Hernandez Macias 72
37700 San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
Tel.: (011)(52) 415-152-2357
Other Contact Information
American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico
A.C. Lucerna 78-4 06600 Mexico
D.F. Mexico
Tel: (011)(52) 555-724-3800
Fax: 555-703-3908
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
(Branch offices also in Guadalajara and Monterrey)
U.S. Department of Commerce
International Trade Administration
Office of Latin America and the Caribbean
14th and Constitution, NW
Washington, DC 20230
Tel: 202-482-0305; 202-USA-TRADE
Fax: 202-482-0464
Internet: http://www.ita.doc.gov


text:
31 U.S. Code § 9305 - Authority and revocation of authority of surety corporations
prev | next
(a) Before becoming a surety under section 9304 of this title, a surety corporation must file with the Secretary of the Treasury—
(b) The Secretary may authorize in writing a surety corporation to provide surety bonds under section 9304 of this title if the Secretary decides that—
(1) the articles of incorporation of the corporation authorize the corporation to do business described in section 9304 (a)(2) of this title;
(c) A surety corporation authorized under subsection (b) of this section to provide surety bonds shall file with the Secretary each January, April, July, and October a statement of the assets and liabilities of the corporation signed and sworn to by the president and secretary of the corporation.
(d) The Secretary—
(1) shall revoke the authority of a surety corporation to do new business if the Secretary decides the corporation is insolvent or is in violation of this section or section 9304 or 9306 of this title;
(e) A surety corporation providing a surety bond under section 9304 of this title may not provide any additional bond under that section if—
Source(Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1047.)
|Revised Section
|Source (U.S. Code)
|Source (Statutes at Large)
|9305(a), (b)
|9305(c), (d)
In subsection (a), before clause (1), the words "Before becoming a surety under section 9304 of this title, a surety corporation must file" are substituted for "Every company, before transacting any business under sections 6 to 13 of this title, shall deposit" for consistency and as being more precise. In clause (1), the words "charter or" are omitted as being included in "articles of incorporation".
Subsection (b) is substituted for 6:8(2d sentence) for clarity and consistency and because of the restatement.
In subsection (c), the words "A surety corporation authorized under subsection (b) of this section to provide surety bonds" are substituted for "Every such company" for clarity. The words "as is required by section 8 of this title" are omitted as unnecessary because of the restatement.
In subsection (d)(1), the word "shall" is substituted for "shall have the power, and it shall be his duty, to" to eliminate unnecessary words. The words "under sections 6 to 13 of this title" are omitted as unnecessary because of the restatement. The words "conducting its business" are omitted as surplus. In clause (3), the words "that . . . be given at any time" are omitted as surplus. The words "from the person required to provide a surety bond" are substituted for "by any principal" for clarity.
Subsection (e) is substituted for 6:11 to eliminate unnecessary words, for clarity and consistency, and because of the restatement.
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
33 U.S. Code § 2801 - Purposes
prev | next
The purposes of this chapter are to—
(1) establish a comprehensive national program for consistent monitoring of the Nation's coastal ecosystems;
(2) establish long-term water quality assessment and monitoring programs for high priority coastal waters that will enhance the ability of Federal, State, and local authorities to develop and implement effective remedial programs for those waters;
(3) establish a system for reviewing and evaluating the scientific, analytical, and technological means that are available for monitoring the environmental quality of coastal ecosystems;
(5) provide for periodic, comprehensive reports to Congress concerning the quality of the Nation's coastal ecosystems;
(6) establish a coastal environment information program to distribute coastal monitoring information;
(7) provide state [1] programs authorized under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.) with information necessary to design land use plans and coastal zone regulations that will contribute to the protection of coastal ecosystems; and
(8) provide certain water pollution control programs authorized under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) with information necessary to design and implement effective coastal water pollution controls.
[1] So in original. Probably should be capitalized.
Source(Pub. L. 92–532, title V, § 501, as added Pub. L. 102–567, title V, § 501,Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4293.)
References in Text
The Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, referred to in par. (7), is title III of Pub. L. 89–454as added by Pub. L. 92–583, Oct. 27, 1972, 86 Stat. 1280, as amended, which is classified generally to chapter 33 (§ 1451 et seq.) of Title 16, Conservation. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1451 of Title 16 and Tables.
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, referred to in par. (8), is act June 30, 1948, ch. 758, as amended generally by Pub. L. 92–500, § 2,Oct. 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 816, which is classified generally to chapter 26 (§ 1251 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1251 of this title and Tables.
Short Title
Title V of Pub. L. 92–532, which comprises this chapter, is popularly known as the "National Coastal Monitoring Act".
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


text:
May 6, 2016
A substitute teacher and bus driver has been fired after being accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a Parent Teacher Organization fund at her school.
Beaulaville police today charged Donna Godbold with embezzlement, financial card fraud, and obtaining property under false pretense.
Police Chief Joey Carter says Godbold is accused of using the credit card from the Beulaville Elementary School's P.T.O. to purchase items for herself. He says the woman stole just under $7,000 between April of last year and this April.
Godbold was freed after posting a $25,000 bond.
Godbold, who has worked for the school system since September 2009, was fired today from her job.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or email@example.com.


text:
News & Stories
Submitted on March 05, 2010 at 2:21 PM
The Volunteer State Community College Foundation honored donors recently during a recognition dinner in Livingston. The Millard Oakley Public Library provided the location for the event. It brought 50 people together to celebrate the accomplishments of Vol State at Livingston.
Johnny Fred Coleman was recognized with the 2010 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Philanthropy. Coleman has donated tens of thousands of dollars to the College Foundation over the years, and played a critical role in helping to raise more than $2 million in support of the Livingston campus building program. Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Dr. Charles Manning presented the award. Coleman is a Gold Level member of the Hal. R Ramer Society, which recognizes donors.
Student Sky Hasting of Rickman thanked guests for their support and reminded them of the importance of scholarships. Hastings received the Budd and Julia Bishop Scholarship and the Oakley Scholarship. The funds will help her pursue a dream of becoming an x-ray technician.
The College honored Livingston Regional Hospital and Lifepoint Hospitals for generous donations, which have moved them into the Gold Level of the Hal R. Ramer Society. College Foundation Chair Bill Nichols thanked CEO Michael Meadows for the strong support.
Johnny Fred Coleman is honored for his commitment to higher education in Tennessee. Pictured left to right: Vol State President Dr. Warren Nichols, Johnny Fred Coleman, Carol Coleman, TBR Chancellor Dr. Charles Manning.
A service provided by the Office of Public Relations.


text:
We designed and developed our Williams-Sonoma Smart Tools collection to make it easy for you to watch cooking videos, search for recipes, listen to music and even video chat while you cook and entertain. Sized to fit securely under our Williams-Sonoma Smart Tools Kitchen Stand (sold separately), this speaker features Bluetooth®technology that wirelessly delivers exceptional sound quality from any Bluetooth®-enabled device, a line-in port for connecting iPods and other portable music players, and two USB ports for charging devices. It can also be used as a speakerphone for your Bluetooth®-enabled phone.
We recommend that all current iOS users upgrade to the 6.1 release to experience the best performance from their Williams-Sonoma Bluetooth Speaker.


text:
Join General Zod's forces this Halloween by putting on our Faora Costume for Girls. The cape, jumpsuit, boot tops, and belt are the items you'll find inside this set. When worn, these pieces will make you look like you have the same indestructible armor as Faora has. We've taken great care to replicate the small grooves and textured look that this suit has in the movie. Place the cape around your shoulders to have the same commanding presence as this villain. General Zod is determined to ruin Kal-El, the person we know as Superman, and Faora is right by his side, ready to help. This officially licensed girls' Faora costume is exactly what you need to look like this character and relive the action from the film with friends.
Our Price: $39.99
Our Price: $3.97
Our Price: $0.97
Our Price: $3.99


text:
Office Phone:
Search for homes and properties
Quick Search
Chicagoland Real Estate
Real Estate Specialists in Chicago and
the Western Suburbs for over 30 years!
As a leader of real estate sales in our
community, the mission of Brush Hill
is to provide its clients with the most
responsive personalized service attainable
– nothing less will do. Our customers are
buying a way of life in addition to buying
a house, and our agents provide the utmost
in care and professional service.


text:
Boys Clothes and Baby Boy Clothes
Of course we can't forget about all those handsome little fellas! Sophias Style offers a great selection of boys clothes, including boys formal wear, outfits for boys, shirts, pants, shorts and much more. Shop our unique and cool boys clothes for your preemie, newborn baby, infant, toddler or little boy. He is sure to love wearing our durable and comfortable boys clothing (and it's all at affordable prices!).
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text:
Coming Soon........ The RAILBRICKS Container Swap........ Have you ever wanted to show your involvement in the LEGO Train community........ but didn........t know how........ Do want to share your LUG http://railbricks.com/blog/railbricks-container-swap-announcement/
LEGO® is a registered trademark of the LEGO Company, which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this site. All other trademarks, service marks, and copyrights are property of their respective owners.
RAILBRICKS thanks the LDraw community for the software it makes available, which is used for making instructions and renderings found in the magazine. For more information on LDraw, please visit http://www.ldraw.org.
RAILBRICKS is a nonprofit hobby organization that relies on support from its fan community. If you are interested in supporting RAILBRICKS, please click here.
Copyright © 2016 RAILBRICKS. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Shogun 2 Total War
DarthMod: Shogun II (v1.95)
The DarthMod series improves the gameplay and AI of the fantastic game Total War: Shogun 2
Show All
Show All
1. The speed, accelerations and physics of the units are taken to realistic levels so not only the battles feel more realistic but now you must plan your tactics more carefully because the units do not rush like "Fast Forward Benny Hill" to cover your mistakes. 2. Various changes to morale and battle mechanics create more lasting battles which are not only an enjoyable experience, due to the fantastic combat animations but also they are very challenging, because the AI benefits from carefully made modding techniques. 3. Projectiles are not homing to the targets but more realistically spread and can miss. Their lethality and accuracy are not as high as in vanilla in a few words. 4. Increased unit sizes for epic battles, if the user wants them. Later the sizes will be changed by default without multiplier scripts, when the relevant file is unlocked for modding. 5. Removed all the insane cheats for the CAI, which provided a "fake" challenge and kept a moderate handicap system that reflects better the actual difficulty level. 6. Diplomacy and campaign AI have been improved significantly to cover the gap of the reduced handicaps. For example the AI invades with large armies consisted of more samurai than archers (vanilla problem), uses ships better, allies are more trustworthy, realm divide effect is reduced so that the clans do not berserk against you, and so on. 7. Autocalculation of battles works better. 8. Fortifications have more garrison troops, so now the major AI clans can survive and become very powerful opponents, like the Oda clan. 9. The economy system is slightly improved to encourage the recruitment of larger armies for both the AI and human player. 10. Upgrade points for characters are increased from 2 to 3 for a better and quicker character creation. 11. Several annoying things, for the majority of players, are removed like the projectile trails (laser trails) and the Horo (Balloon). The removal of laser trails in combination with the reduced speeds brings a significant FPS increase. 12. Increased army and navy control radius in the campaign map for a more strategic positioning system. An army cannot so easily pass by another army and has to fight it, or several small armies can trap other armies. 13. Better naval battles because now ships turn and accelerate not like motorships but like wooden vessels full of soldiers and also there are many other factors affecting the naval battles including the more realistic projectiles. 14. Ships have much more movement points that makes AI to launch powerful naval invasions. 15. Clans have more diversity for their special units, so the AI makes the right choice and builds characteristic armies, for example the Takeda raise powerful cavalry, the Date a lot of No-Dachi, Shimazu their deadly Katana, etc.
- File Name:
- DarthMod_Shogun_II_v195.exe
- File Size:
- Date Added:
- 04-26-2011
- Download Last 2 Week:
- 3
- Downloads All Time:
- 1099
- Popularity:
- 0.35%


text:
You might want to vote for your own idea (poke) I'm game.
Yes: I have three handles on my shower... hot, cold and chunky.
No: Keep your grubby brushes off my nice, clean, slightly effeminate map!
We all take great pains to make maps that are beautiful and charming and clean. Sometimes, that's the way to go, but life isn't clean. Life is dirty. No, life is downright filthy.
How about a challenge theme that requires the contestants to take something clean and dirty it up? Crud piled up to here and "my grunge brushes kick your grunge brushes' butts" kind of trash talking.
You might want to vote for your own idea (poke) I'm game.
If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
-J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atom bomb) alluding to The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 32)
My Maps ~ My Brushes ~ My Tutorials ~ My Challenge Maps
How is effeminate bad?
"Trash" talking Gidde, it gives me license.
Good thing I'm retired, bein' a vector man and all - using brushes for maps! Now that's effeminate! Hah!
Last edited by Gamerprinter; 10-26-2009 at 11:12 PM.
Gamer Printshop - We print RPG Maps for Game Masters!
Kaidan setting of Japanese Horror (PFRPG) Google+ community
Something like this? It's all made from crumpled up greasy paper that I scanned and colorized. Turned it into everything from seabed to marble frame and mountains. Muahaha!
My debut novel, The Final Warden is available on Amazon.com in paperback and on Kindle.
Please visit my blog for more information about my writing and my art
Please visit my sketchbook on Conceptart.org
Vectors are symptomatic of the problem. Tron people have a selective sense of reality .
Tom, actually your example is living proof that if you think you understand the whole of what folks will do with an idea, you've misunderestimated folks again.


text:
Most people are too scared to even get near a spider to kill it, but they'll wan to get very close to you when you're wearing the Sexy Arachnid Babe Women's Costume. This dark costume will have you spinning a web full of guys at the party who'll want to get with you. The costume is included with a skin tight jumpsuit that is black and features a white spider symbol on the torso. The jumpsuit has a zipper front that will let you choose how much cleavage you show. Also on the suit is a hood that has two eyes on it that complete the look. This superhero themed costume is sure to make you feel like a super woman. Men will fall into this web just like flies this Halloween.
Our Price: $33.97
Our Price: $49.99
Our Price: $14.99
Our Price: $24.99


text:
CF ranks as nation's 8th most affordable 4-year college
Published: Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 3:44 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 3:44 p.m.
The U.S. Department of Education ranked the College of Central Florida as the eighth most affordable four-year public college in the country for 2011-12.
Most affordable
The U.S. Department of Education ranked the most affordable four-year public colleges in the country for 2011-12.
Rank, college, state, annual cost
1. Haskell Indian Nations University, Kansas, $182
2. Dine College, Ariz., $805
3. Colorado Mountain College, Colo., $1,770
4. Brazosport College, Texas, $1,977
5. Navajo Technical College, N.M., $2,120
6. West Virginia University at Parkersburg, W. Va., $2,268
7. Palm Beach State College, Fla., $2,324
8. College of Central Florida, $2,365
9. Colegio University de San Juan, Puerto Rico, $2,370
10. Ogala Lakota College, S.D., $2,396
CF's annual tuition for a full-time student in 2011-12 was $2,365, 66.9 percent below the national average of $7,135, U.S. education officials report.
"At CF, we know the incredible value we are providing students in our community," CF President Jim Henningsen said.
The honor comes about a year after CF won its second consecutive Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence — one of only 120 colleges in the country to win the award when it is given every other year.
On alternating years, the Aspen College Excellence Program unveils the country's top colleges. The Aspen Prize goes to 10 percent of the nation's best overall colleges in terms of quality of education. CF won it in 2010 and 2012.
One could argue the two awards — for affordability and quality — combined means students in Marion, Citrus and Levy counties get a big bang for their buck.
"This ranking shows just what a value we are," Henningsen said. "In addition to being cost effective, we have talented faculty, relevant programs, resources such as free tutoring and a full student life experience. At CF, our vision is to be the first choice for quality higher education in our community."
The ranking used 24 credit hours — 12 per semester — to calculate the annual cost. A student who takes 12 hours per semester is considered a full-time student.
CF did implement a 3 percent tuition hike for 2012-13, to $85.92 per credit hour for postsecondary adult vocational, $105.10 per credit hour for associate degree programs and $120.89 per credit hour for bachelor degree programs.
CF's annual cost to get an associate's degree is now $2,522. To get a bachelor's degree, it costs about $2,901 annually.
On Tuesday, the CF board of trustees decided to follow Gov. Rick Scott's directive not to raise tuition in the 2013-14 year, which begins Monday.
Each year, the U.S. Department of Education releases the College Affordability and Transparency list. According to its website, the lists are designed to "help students make informed decisions about their choice for higher education." Data for the rankings comes from the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Systems, CF spokeswoman Lois Brauckmuller wrote in a press release. Tuition reports include tuition and required fees.
Beginning this fall, CF will offer its bachelor of applied science in business and organizational management for $10,000 — $2,500 annually.
Scott challenged all of the state colleges to offer a bachelor's degree for $10,000. Students pay the first $10,000 and CF will cover the balance.
In addition to the general business degree, students can earn specializations in agribusiness management, management information systems, health care management and public safety administration.
The only other school in the Florida College System institution to rank higher than CF in affordability was Palm Beach State College, which ranked seventh. It was only $41 cheaper than CF. Nine of the state colleges made the most affordable top 25 and half were in the top 100.
Colorado Mountain College ranked third on the list. Coincidentally, that's where retired CF President Charles "Chick" Dassance is now serving as interim president.
Contact Joe Callahan at 867-4113 or email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


text:
National Alliance on Mental Illness
page printed from http://www2.nami.org/
(800) 950-NAMI; email@example.com
Statement by Laurie M. Flynn, Executive Director
Contact: Melissa Saunders Katz (703) 516-7963
Mary G. Rappaport (703) 312-7886
April 16, 1997
The Delaware legislature has the unique opportunity to rectify a great wrong. For too long, people with severe mental illnesses have been denied adequate health insurance coverage. The state of Delaware has the ability to validate in legislation what researchers have proven in science: mental illnesses are brain disorders and treatment works.
We applaud Representatives Jane Maroney (R – 10th) and Pam Maier (R – 21st) and Senator Patricia Blevins (D – 7th) for introducing a parity amendment today that will ensure coverage for mental illness equal to that provided for physical disorders. We whole-heartedly support the letter and spirit of the proposed legislation:
It is a vital state government function to protect persons with mental health conditions and disorders from discriminatory insurance practices by providing a mechanism that assures the same terms and conditions of insurance coverage for both mental health conditions and physical illnesses and diseases [HB156 "An Act to Amend Title 18 of the Delaware Code Relating to Health Insurance"].
Ending discrimination against people with severe mental illnesses is not only the right thing to do, but evidence is mounting that it is affordable. A study of New Hampshire insurance companies by the Lewin Group found that the state's parity law did not cause an increase in premiums after it was implemented.
Currently, eight states have laws that end insurance discrimination against people with severe mental illnesses (Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Texas, and most recently Colorado). It is time to give all people equal access to insurance coverage.
NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons with severe mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), major depression, and anxiety disorders. NAMI has more than 140,000 individual members and 1,140 state and local affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Canada. NAMI's efforts focus on support to persons with serious brain disorders and to their families; advocacy for nondiscriminatory and equitable federal and state policies; research into the causes, symptoms, and treatments for brain disorders; and education to eliminate the pervasive stigma toward severe mental illnesses.


text:
Masking is a breeze with Masquepen! It's as easy to use and as precise as a pen for the ultimate in user control, which means less waste and more value for your money.
Draw thick, thin, straight lines, or curves. The pale blue water-based latex solution is easy to see, apply, and peels away from paper like a charm.
This product contains latex.
Supernib Masquepen — Use this Masquepen for ultra-fine work. The Supernib has a 0.5 mm tip for precision. It includes the Supernib needle attachment.
Small Set — This set includes one Masquepen and one ultra-fine 0.5 mm Supernib Masquepen for precision work. It comes with a cleaning system with a solid needle for pushing out excess masque.
Large Set — This set includes everything in the Small Set, with the addition of a Masquepen refill.
® Masquepen is a registered trademark.


text: Expand your grilling options with the first electric grill to replicate the power and performance of a professional gas grill—both indoors or out. Its state-of-the-art heating element enlists a patented technology that allows the stainless-steel grilling surface to reach temperatures up to 700°F. Internal controls automatically respond to changes in temperature to ensure perfectly uniform cooking.


text:
The Power of Independent Thinking
Alex Tabarrok on Economic Growth and Innovation
Recorded: Thursday, December 16, 2010
Originally aired on 12/16/10 on Reckoning America. Alex Tabarrok talks about the global economy and how the story of economic growth is rapidly changing.
Experts: Alexander T. TabarrokType: TelevisionIssues: Economic History and Development (International), Economic History and Development (U.S.), Trade
Ivan Eland on Russia, Wikileaks, and the START Treaty
Recorded: Thursday, December 2, 2010
Ivan Eland on Al Jazeeras Inside Story discusses what the Wikileaks documents may mean for the future of U.S.-Russia relations and the START Treaty.
Experts: Ivan ElandType: TelevisionIssues: Defense and Foreign Policy, Government Secrecy
Ivan Eland on TSA Screening Procedures
Recorded: Sunday, November 21, 2010
Ivan Eland on CTV News explains why the controversial pat-downs and body scanners at airport security are not solutions to the more likely threats of cargo bombs.
Experts: Ivan ElandType: Television
Stephen Halbrook on DC vs. Heller II
Recorded: Monday, November 15, 2010
Stephen P. Halbrook on nra.org discusses his optimism that the U.S. Court of Appeals in the D.C. Circuit will rule that Mayor Fenty's anti-gun laws in D.C. are unconstitutional.
Experts: Stephen P. HalbrookType: TelevisionIssues: Constitutional Law, Gun Control
Ivan Eland on Secretive Oil Deal in Kyrgyzstan
Recorded: Thursday, November 4, 2010
Ivan Eland on Russia Today comments on the recent secretive U.S. oil deal in Kyrgyzstan and its efforts to maintain its air base in the country.
Experts: Ivan ElandType: TelevisionIssues: Diplomacy and Foreign Aid, Trade
Ivan Eland on START Treaty Ratification
Recorded: Thursday, November 4, 2010
Ivan Eland on Russia Today comments on the issues surrounding the ratification of the START treaty.
Experts: Ivan ElandType: TelevisionIssues: Defense and Foreign Policy, Diplomacy and Foreign Aid
John C. Goodman: Obamacares Effect on Jobs
Recorded: Saturday, October 30, 2010
Research Fellow John C. Goodman, author of Priceless: Curing the Healthcare Crisis discusses with Mike Huckabee the potential job losses as a result of Obamacare.
Experts: John C. GoodmanType: TelevisionIssues: Health Care, Labor and Employment
Ivan Eland on U.S. Embargo on Cuba
Recorded: Thursday, October 21, 2010
Ivan Eland on Russia Today discusses the counterproductive effects of the current U.S. embargo on Cuba.


text:
Cadet UC072W
White 18" Wide 2560 BTU 208/240 Volt 750 Watt Fan-Forced Under Cabinet Electric Heater from the Perfectoe Series
Item # BCI1820347 | Model # UC072W | Perfectoe Collection
SAVE 5% on all Cadet heating product with coupon code: CADET5
Questions about Cadet UC072W?
Contact us for advice or more details. Our product specialists are here to help.
This product has additional required/recommended options. To configure, add to your cart.
Thermostat Required
Perfectoe Collection 750 Watt Fan-Forced Under-Cabinet Electric 240 Volt Heater
The 750 watt Perfectoe heater is the ideal solution for areas with limited wall space. With only 3½" of height clearance required, this heater can be placed in under-cabinet applications such as kitchens or bathrooms. Stairwells and hearths are also ideal areas for The Perfectoe. Cadet recommends a wall-mounted thermostat for optimum performance, or you may prefer the convenience of an optional built-in thermostat.
- 750 watt fan-forced Toekick heater at 240 Volts provides heat with a durable, steel-finned element
- Can Heat up to 100 sq. ft. perfect for kitchen, bathroom or stairwell
- Squirrel cage blower provides increased airflow, allowing for quiet operation
- Unit comes complete and only requires a Thermostat for New Installation
- Can be installed with a wall mount thermostat or built-in thermostat (sold separately)
- High temperature manual reset turns off heater if normal operating temperatures are exceeded
- Clean, low-profile appearance ideal for areas with limited wall space
- Includes:
- Black or White grill
About CadetThe comfort of your home begins at our home in the Pacific Northwest, where Cadet has been inviting warmth since 1957. Every one of our baseboard and electric wall heaters is designed and built at our facilities in Vancouver, Washington, USA. As a family-run business, Cadet keeps it simple: build the heaters that we'd want to keep our own families warm, comfortable, and safe. We don't believe in heating a room you're not in, so Cadet delivers warmth one room at a time. That's the simple, sensible efficiency of single room heating. Choose Cadet for a smart, sustainable choice you'll rely on for years to come.
Additional Cadet Links
This Cadet item can also be referenced by the following color/finish specific model #:
- Cadet UC072B
- Cadet UC072W
*Discontinued model or finish
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Discover the best online deals for the Cadet UC072 and everything else for your home from the leading online home improvement store.
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Manufacturer Resources
Product Videos
Cadet Perfectoe Kickspace HeaterWatch the Cadet Perfectoe kickspace heater and see why it is the perfect solution for your under cabinet heating in your kitchen.


text:
fargone wrote:Would a better suggestion be to further reward a player for losing, but playing through anyway?
+1 vote for this approach.
Penalizing someone for quitting a match isn't a good solution, particularly when it appears that attracting and retaining players is a major concern around here. The more you beat up on players, the more you'll discourage them from playing at all.
I like the idea of some sort of "sliding scale" reward system, where the more "damage" you do to your opponent, the more XP and/or FM you qualify for. Forms of damage include:
-Number of opponent cards in the cemetery / removed from game
-Percentage of LP opponent lost
-Number of turns played (ie. you made it harder for your opponent to finish you off)
Actually winning the game would then award you a "bonus" on top of what you earned during the course of the duel (as per the above).
I think this works a numbers of ways:
1) It gives better rewards to those who go down fighting;
2) Could potentially limit the rewards given to players whose uber-powerful files stomp all over players that have just set foot out of Crest.
This would work best if the match-ups in Folrart paired up opponents that were as close as possible in RP (so hopefully the number of times players were thoroughly outmatched would be minimized). Not sure if this already happens though (and there just aren't that many players to go around).
On the same topic, why penalize the Iczer on the other side of the field when their opponent quits? I believe most of us play in good faith, so why disqualify us from reward (ie. Underdog wins, the 5 of 7 events, etc.) when our opponent takes a course of action that's beyond our control?


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Transform into one of history's most powerful women rulers when you slip into a Cleopatra Costume for Halloween. Our selections include beautiful Egyptian styled gowns for girls and women. Our girl costumes are designed with kids in mind, while our teen styles are a little more mature but still age appropriate. Our adult options include several sexy outfits that can mesmerize any Roman, including a slinky long dress, a mini-skirt length dress and a two piece halter-top and skirt. We also have plus size women's styles and even Marc Antony costumes for men.
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When she was 18, Cleopatra became queen and pharaoh of Egypt at the death of her father who had declared his daughter and son Ptolemy XII joint rulers. The queen wished to rule on her own but her brother and his supporters did not stand for this and she was forced to flee. When Julius Caesar arrived in Alexandria, Cleopatra knew he could be a valuable ally. She had servants smuggle her in a carpet to Caesar. She tumbled out of the carpet and asked the Roman leader for aid. He became entranced with her; they became lovers, he helped her regain her rule and she bore him a son.
After Caesar's death, she became allied with another Roman, Marc Antony. They married and had three children. Their great love was doomed, however, and after Cleopatra heard of Marc Antony's death, she killed herself.


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...North-Country Golf at its Finest
The Ross Family welcomes the public and our lodge guests to play a relaxed, beautiful game in the heart of the Chequamegon National Forest. Our course challenges the best of golfers, with an intellectually stimulating layout that rewards the thinking player. Voted by Golf Digest (in March 2007) as one of "America's Top 50 Toughest" (when playing the back tee). Yet with five tees on each hole, Teal Wing provides a unique opportunity for all skill and age levels. We invite you for a challenging yet relaxing round of golf in our beautiful forest. We welcome your family too, who would enjoy riding along to see the beauty of this unique course, even if not playing (no charge for riders).
Teal Wing Golf Club has been developed under strict environmental guidelines based on the long conservation history of the Ross family and in cooperation with Audubon International as a member of their Signature Course program. It has been crafted with environmental sustainability in mind, with programs to maintain the natural habitat as well as decrease the chemical and energy use, and reduce solid waste. There are substantial wild areas between the fairways, and the course is centered on an intact stand of virgin hemlock. It is truly a walk in the woods, with Teal River on one side and ancient forest on the other. Teal Wing is a joyful mix of natural northwoods beauty and good golf.
Hole #9


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|By Marketwired .
Article Rating:
|February 23, 2011 08:30 AM EST
SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 02/23/11 -- Meraki, the Cloud Networking company, today introduced three new products that provide greater capacity, increased security and broader reach for enterprise wireless LANs. These products extend Meraki's diverse portfolio of wireless and wired networking capabilities and deliver a complete networking solution for providing secure, reliable network access.
Meraki's three new products include:
- Meraki MR24, the industry's first cloud-managed triple-stream access point: An ultra-high performance access point (AP) with near-gigabit multi-radio capacity of 900Mb/sec.
- Meraki NAC, integrated, built in Network Access Control: one-click network security to block network access from devices with insufficient virus protection.
- Meraki Teleworker VPN, the easiest to deploy VPN solution for remote workers: Enables access to corporate resources, such as PBX phone systems and file servers, without complex configuration.
Meraki MR24: The industry's first cloud-managed triple-stream access point
The MR24, Meraki's new flagship enterprise access point, is the highest performance enterprise-class AP on the market. The MR24 is the first generally available enterprise AP to offer triple-stream, 3x3 MIMO -- a technology that concurrently uses three antennas per radio, for a total throughput of 900 Mb/s.
Independent testing by the Tolly Group measured the MR24's performance against Cisco's top of the line 3500-series access point. The Tolly Group tested both APs in over a dozen real-world configurations, and found that the MR24 consistently provided faster throughput and increased range:
- Improved speed at all ranges, up to 37 percent improved throughput
- Improved coverage and range compared to Cisco
- Higher throughput with both laptop and iPad clients
- 60 percent superior price-performance ratio
Complete results of the Tolly Group's tests are available at meraki.com.
The MR24 is available for immediate order at a list price of $1199. The MR24 is also available via Meraki's innovative Networking as a Service pricing, which eliminates up front capital costs and long-term commitments, starting at $38/month.
Meraki NAC: The Industry's First NAC Built in to a Wireless LAN
Network Access Control (NAC) solutions have existed for years as standalone systems, yet cost and complexity of integrating dedicated hardware and software has prevented widespread adoption. Meraki's NAC solution is the first NAC to be built directly into a wireless LAN, bolstering network security without adding cost or complexity:
- Blocks network access from devices with insufficient virus protection
- Deploys across the entire network with just one click
- No hardware appliance or client software
- Included with Meraki Enterprise Cloud Controller at no additional cost
Meraki NAC is available immediately to all Meraki enterprise customers.
Meraki Teleworker VPN: The Easiest to Deploy VPN Solution for Remote Workers
Meraki's new Teleworker VPN solution allows users to securely access their corporate network, including file servers, PBX phone systems, and internal applications, from any Internet-connected Meraki AP. With a virtual concentrator and cloud-based centralized management, Meraki's VPN is the easiest teleworker solution to deploy and manage. Key features include:
- Zero-touch provisioning, self-configures from the cloud
- NAC, content filtering, and policy firewall enforced at the edge
- Virtual concentrator eliminates hardware in headquarters network
- Split tunnel diverts Internet traffic from corporate network
- Compatible with any Meraki AP, with no additional licenses or fees.
Meraki's VPN solution is ideal for teleworkers, small branches, executives and mobile employees. This solution complements the Meraki MX cloud-managed router, which provides site-to-site VPN for medium-large branch offices. Meraki Teleworker VPN is available immediately on all Meraki enterprise APs at no additional cost.
About Meraki
Meraki is the leader in cloud networking with over 17,000 networks deployed worldwide. Meraki's cloud networking solutions combine rich enterprise features with intuitive web-based management that eliminates specialized training and certifications. Meraki is located in San Francisco, California and is funded in part by Sequoia Capital and Google. For more information, visit http://meraki.com/
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Kiren Sekar
Director of Marketing
Meraki, Inc
Email Contact
(415) 632-5800
Julie Tangen
Kulesa Faul for Meraki, Inc
Email Contact
(831) 425-1083
The IoTs will challenge the status quo of how IT and development organizations operate. Or will it? Certainly the fog layer of IoT requires special insights about data ontology, security and transactional integrity. But the developmental challenges are the same: People, Process and Platform. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Craig Sproule, CEO of Metavine, will demonstrate how to move beyond today's coding paradigm and share the must-have mindsets for removing complexity from the development proc...
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Increasing IoT connectivity is forcing enterprises to find elegant solutions to organize and visualize all incoming data from these connected devices with re-configurable dashboard widgets to effectively allow rapid decision-making for everything from immediate actions in tactical situations to strategic analysis and reporting. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Shikhir Singh, Senior Developer Relations Manager at Sencha, will discuss how to create HTML5 dashboards that interact with IoT devic...
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Internap Corporation has expanded its OpenStack-based bare-metal Infrastructure-as-a-Service offering, AgileSERVER 2.0, to its data centers in Amsterdam, Dallas and Santa Clara, Calif. Launched in 2015 out of Internap's New York Metro data center in Secaucus, N.J., AgileSERVER 2.0 is now available in four locations globally, enabling enterprises and devops teams running mission-critical applications and big data workloads to build scale-out infrastructure environments that are higher performing ...
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You think you know what's in your data. But do you? Most organizations are now aware of the business intelligence represented by their data. Data science stands to take this to a level you never thought of – literally. The techniques of data science, when used with the capabilities of Big Data technologies, can make connections you had not yet imagined, helping you discover new insights and ask new questions of your data. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Sarbjit Sarkaria, data science team lead ...
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Much of the value of DevOps comes from a (renewed) focus on measurement, sharing, and continuous feedback loops. In increasingly complex DevOps workflows and environments, and especially in larger, regulated, or more crystallized organizations, these core concepts become even more critical. In his session at @DevOpsSummit at 18th Cloud Expo, Andi Mann, Chief Technology Advocate at Splunk, will show how, by focusing on 'metrics that matter,' you can provide objective, transparent, and meaningfu...
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38 U.S. Code § 318 - Center for Women Veterans
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(a) There is in the Department a Center for Women Veterans. There is at the head of the Center a Director.
(b) The Director shall be a career or noncareer appointee in the Senior Executive Service. The Director shall be appointed for a term of six years.
(c) The Director reports directly to the Secretary or the Deputy Secretary concerning the activities of the Center.
(d) The Director shall perform the following functions with respect to veterans who are women:
(1) Serve as principal adviser to the Secretary on the adoption and implementation of policies and programs affecting veterans who are women.
(2) Make recommendations to the Secretary, the Under Secretary for Health, the Under Secretary for Benefits, and other Department officials for the establishment or improvement of programs in the Department for which veterans who are women are eligible.
(3) Promote the use of benefits authorized by this title by veterans who are women and the conduct of outreach activities to veterans who are women, in conjunction with outreach activities carried out under chapter 77 of this title.
(4) Disseminate information and serve as a resource center for the exchange of information regarding innovative and successful programs which improve the services available to veterans who are women.
(5) Conduct and sponsor appropriate social and demographic research on the needs of veterans who are women and the extent to which programs authorized under this title meet the needs of those veterans, without regard to any law concerning the collection of information from the public.
(6) Analyze and evaluate complaints made by or on behalf of veterans who are women about the adequacy and timeliness of services provided by the Department and advise the appropriate official of the Department of the results of such analysis or evaluation.
(7) Consult with, and provide assistance and information to, officials responsible for administering Federal, State, local, and private programs that assist veterans, to encourage those officials to adopt policies which promote the use of those programs by veterans who are women.
(8) Advise the Secretary when laws or policies have the effect of discouraging the use of benefits by veterans who are women.
(9) Publicize the results of medical research which are of particular significance to veterans who are women.
(10) Advise the Secretary and other appropriate officials on the effectiveness of the Department's efforts to accomplish the goals of section 492B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 289a–2) with respect to the inclusion of women in clinical research and on particular health conditions affecting women's health which should be studied as part of the Department's medical research program and promote cooperation between the Department and other sponsors of medical research of potential benefit to veterans who are women.
(11) Provide support and administrative services to the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans established under section 542 of this title.
(e) The Secretary shall ensure that the Director is furnished sufficient resources to enable the Director to carry out the functions of the Center in a timely manner.
(f) The Secretary shall include in documents submitted to Congress by the Secretary in support of the President's budget for each fiscal year—
(2) the Secretary's opinion as to whether the resources (including the number of employees) proposed in the budget for that fiscal year are adequate to enable the Center to comply with its statutory and regulatory duties; and
Source(Added Pub. L. 103–446, title V, § 509(a),Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4666; amended Pub. L. 104–275, title V, § 501(a), (d),Oct. 9, 1996, 110 Stat. 3340, 3341.)
Prior Provisions
Prior sections 321, 322, and 331 to 335 were renumbered sections 1121, 1122, and 1131 to 1135 of this title, respectively.
Prior section 336,Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1123, set forth the conditions under which wartime rates were payable to any veteran otherwise entitled to compensation under subchapter IV of chapter 11 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 92–328, title I, § 108(c), title III, § 301(b),June 30, 1972, 86 Stat. 396, 398, effective July 1, 1973.
Prior sections 337, 341, and 342 were renumbered sections 1137, 1141, and 1142 of this title, respectively.
Prior section 343,Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1124, prescribed conditions under which wartime rates of compensation were payable, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 93–295, title II, § 206(b), title IV, § 401,May 31, 1974, 88 Stat. 183, 184, effective May 1, 1974.
Prior section 356,Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1125, provided for a minimum rating for veterans with arrested tuberculosis, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 90–493, § 4,Aug. 19, 1968, 82 Stat. 809, but repeal not applicable in case of veteran who on Aug. 19, 1968, was receiving or entitled to receive compensation for tuberculosis which in the judgment of the Administrator had reached a condition of complete arrest.
Prior section 403,Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1127; Pub. L. 91–96, § 2,Oct. 27, 1969, 83 Stat. 144, defined Reserve Officer Training Corps annual training duty and authorized travel to and from such duty as active military service for the purposes of chapter 11 of this title and former section 722 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 97–306, title I, § 113(b)(1), (d),Oct. 14, 1982, 96 Stat. 1432, 1433, effective Oct. 1, 1982, with respect to deaths and disabilities resulting from diseases or injuries incurred or aggravated after Sept. 30, 1982, and Oct. 1, 1983, with respect to deaths and disabilities incurred or aggravated before Oct. 1, 1982.
Prior sections 404, 410 to 418, and 421 to 423 were renumbered sections 1304, 1310 to 1318, and 1321 to 1323 of this title, respectively.
1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–275, § 501(a), inserted "career or" before "noncareer".
Subsec. (d)(10). Pub. L. 104–275, § 501(d), substituted "(42 U.S.C. 289a–2) with respect to the inclusion of women in clinical research and on" for "(relating to the inclusion of women and minorities in clinical research) and of".
Assessment of Use by Women Veterans of Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services
Pub. L. 104–262, title III, § 323,Oct. 9, 1996, 110 Stat. 3196, provided that:
"(a) Reports to Under Secretary for Health.—The Center for Women Veterans of the Department of Veterans Affairs (established under section 509 ofPublic Law 103–446 [enacting this section and section 317 of this title and repealing former section 317 of this title]), in consultation with the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans, shall assess the use by women veterans of health services through the Department of Veterans Affairs, including counseling for sexual trauma and mental health services. The Center shall submit to the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs a report not later than April 1, 1997, and April 1 of each of the two following years, on—
"(1) the extent to which women veterans described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1710 (a) of title 38, United States Code, fail to seek, or face barriers in seeking, health services through the Department, and the reasons therefor; and
"(2) recommendations, if indicated, for encouraging greater use of such services, including (if appropriate) public service announcements and other outreach efforts.
"(b) Reports to Congressional Committees.—Not later than July 1, 1997, and July 1 of each of the two following years, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing—
"(1) the most recent report of the Center for Women Veterans under subsection (a);
"(2) the views of the Under Secretary for Health on such report's findings and recommendations; and
"(3) a description of the steps being taken by the Secretary to remedy any problems described in the report."
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