PAD-US provides information for researchers in the federal government, including the the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS is a federal legislative branch agency under the Library of Congress, providing bipartisan support to U.S. representatives, senators, and committees through reports, briefings, testimonies, and other expertise.
Reports on important policy issues are aimed to provide “authoritative, objective, and nonpartisan” information on a wide range of topics relevant to Congress. Federal land management is one of these important topics. CRS uses PAD-US data to update their federal land maps and for federal lands research.
Good examples of CRS reports using PAD-US data include:
Timber Harvesting on Federal Lands (2019): This report provides detailed background information, trends and statistics, and information on other issues of interest to Congress related to timber harvesting on federal lands. CRS utilized PAD-US to create a map showing forest and woodland managed by the Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, or other entities.
Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data (2017): This report summarizes issues on federal land ownership. CRS utilized PAD-US to show Federal and Indian Lands near the Southwestern Border for an analysis on border security and its implications on federal lands.
