Congressional Research Service Reports - 49 Matching Results
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- 501(c)(4)s and the Gift Tax: Legal Analysis
- This report discusses whether substantial donations to tax-exempt 501(c)(4) organizations are subject to the federal gift tax.
- Accelerated Vehicle Retirement for Fuel Economy: "Cash for Clunkers"
- This report outlines the key provisions of the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) program, discusses the initial impact of the program and some of the concerns raised by Senators. It also summarizes similar programs in other countries.
- The Advanced Technology Program
- The Advanced Technology Program (ATP) was created by P.L. 100-418, the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, to encourage public-private cooperation in the development of pre-competitive technologies with broad application across industries. This activity has been targeted for elimination as a means to cut federal spending. This report discusses the ATP and related issues of federal appropriations (or the lack thereof).
- Banking and Finance: Legislative Initiatives in the 105th Congress, Second Session
- This report reviews major banking and finance issues that are receiving congressional attention in the 2nd session of the 105th Congress.
- Banking and Finance: Legislative Initiatives in the 105th Congress, Second Session
- This report reviews major banking and finance issues that are receiving congressional attention in the 2nd session of the 105th Congress. It will be updated periodically to reflect legislative developments. Relevant CRS products are referenced.
- Biennial Budgeting: Issues and Options
- This report is categorized into five categories: (I) Introduction, (II) Arguments Favoring and Opposing Biennial Budgeting, (III) Legislative History of Biennial Budgeting, (IV) Types of Biennial Budgeting and (V) Biennial Budgeting in the states.
- Can the President Pardon Contempt of Court? Probably Yes.
- This report provides a brief background of contempt of court, explores the various arguments regarding whether a pardon can relieve an individual of criminal liability for contempt, and discusses potential congressional responses to the perceived abuse of the pardon power.
- Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies
- This report consists of a list of about 200 congressional liaison offices intended to help congressional offices in placing telephone calls and addressing correspondence to government agencies. Entries are arranged alphabetically in four sections: legislative branch; judicial branch; executive branch; and agencies, boards, and commissions.
- Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances
- The first half of this report looks at the background of U.S. travel restrictions to Cuba over the last 40 years. The second half of this report looks at several initiatives from the 111th Congress that would ease U.S. travel restrictions to Cuba.
- Davis v. United States: Retroactivity and the Good-Faith Exception to the Exclusionary Rule
- This report contains the exclusionary rule and its good-faith exception, including the opinion of the court and implications for congressional action on Davis v. United States.
- Defense: FY2008 Authorization and Appropriations
- No Description Available.
- Department of Defense Energy Initiatives: Background and Issues for Congress
- Report that provides background information and identifies issues for Congress on Department of Defense (DOD) energy initiatives.
- Department of Homeland Security Appropriations: Fiscal Year 2017
- This report discusses the FY2017 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The report makes note of many budgetary resources provided to DHS, but its primary focus is on funding approved by Congress through the appropriations process. It includes an Appendix with definitions of key budget terms used throughout the suite of Congressional Research Service reports on homeland security appropriations. It also directs the reader to other reports providing context for and additional details regarding specific component appropriations and issues engaged through the FY2016 appropriations process.
- Employment Discrimination and Retaliation Claims: A Legal Analysis of the Supreme Court Ruling in Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Co. v. White
- No Description Available.
- Energy Development: Selected, Annotated References, July 1969-1970
- This report provides an annotated bibliography of resources related to energy development which were published between July 1969 and 1970.
- Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Legislation in the 110th Congress
- No Description Available.
- Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s Financial Problems
- This report presents, in analytical question and answer form, the issues surrounding the financial conditions of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which are stockholder-owned government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs). Their federal charters give the GSEs special public policy goals aimed at providing liquidity in the mortgage market and to provide access to homeownership for underserved groups and locations. In return, their charters give the GSEs a special relationship with the government.
- Faster Productivity Growth: Who Benefits?
- This report discusses about productivity, the link between Productivity and Wages, Measuring Labor Income and Labor's Share of National Income.
- Federal Railroad Safety Programs: Selected Issues in Proposed Reauthorization Legislation
- This report describes the major issues in the debate over reauthorization of FRA in the 110th Congress.
- Federal Services for Constituents Available in Spanish: Selected Sources
- No Description Available.
- Forestry Assistance Programs
- This report describes the current forestry assistance programs funded through the State and Private Forestry (S&PF) branch of the Forest Service. Following a brief overview, the report presents basic information on the programs to assist forestry practices, forest protection, and rural economies — purposes of the programs, types of activities funded, eligibility requirements, and authorized program duration and funding level, with recent program appropriations.
- FY2004 Consolidated Appropriations Act: Reference Guide
- No Description Available.
- FY2013 Appropriations: District of Columbia
- No Description Available.
- The G-20 and International Economic Cooperation: Background and Implications for Congress
- This report discusses the background of the G-20 (an international forum for discussing and coordinating economic policies) and some of the issues that it has addressed. It includes historic background on the work of the G-20, information about how the group operates, overviews of G-20 summits, major issues that the group is likely to address and the likely effectiveness of the G-20 in the near future. The members of the G-20 include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.
- Glider Kit, Engine, and Vehicle Regulations
- This report examines EPA's and selected other federal agencies' requirements on glider kits and glider vehicles and outlines the congressional response.
- The Global Financial Crisis: Increasing IMF Resources and the Role of Congress
- No Description Available.
- Gray Wolves Under the Endangered Species Act: Distinct Population Segments and Experimental Populations
- This report analyzes the DPS designation process as it is applied to the gray wolf. It also examines experimental populations of wolves under the ESA and their protections. As part of its oversight responsibilities, Congress has conducted hearings on the Fish and Wildlife Service’s application of science to endangered species.
- Health Care Fraud and Abuse Laws Affecting Medicare and Medicaid: An Overview
- This report provides an overview of some of the more commonly used statutes used to fight health care fraud and abuse and discusses some of the changes made to these statutes by PPACA.
- Highway Bridges: Conditions and the Federal/State Role
- This report examines the federal and state roles in the maintenance, inspection, reconstruction, and replacement of the nation's highway bridge infrastructure, as well as the emergency response and reconstruction role of the Department of Transportation (DOT).
- House Committee Hearings: Witness Testimony
- This report briefly discusses the witness testimony process in House of Representatives committee hearings. Witnesses before House committees must generally file advance copies of their written testimony with the committee and then limit their oral testimony to brief summaries (Rule XI, clause 2(g)(5)). A question-and-answer period usually follows a witness's opening statement. Following hearings, committees usually publish the transcripts of witness testimony and questioning.
- House of Representatives and Senate Staff Levels in Member, Committee, Leadership, and Other Offices, 1977-2010
- This report provides staffing levels in House and Senate Member, committee, leadership, and other offices since 1977. Data presented here are based on staff listed by chamber entity (offices of Members, committees, leaders, officers, officials, and other entities) in telephone directories published by the House and Senate.
- The House of Representatives Apportionment Formula: An Analysis of Proposals for Change and Their Impact on States
- This report examines the methods and formulas used to reapportion seats in the House of Representatives following a Census. Although modern Congresses have rarely considered the issue of the formula used in the calculations, this report describes apportionment options from which Congress could choose and the criteria that each method satisfies.
- International Violence Against Women: U.S. Response and Policy Issues
- This report addresses causes, prevalence, and consequences of violence against women. It provides examples of completed and ongoing U.S. activities that address VAW directly or include anti-VAW components. It outlines possible policy considerations for the 111th Congress, including the scope and effectiveness of U.S. programs; further integrating anti-VAW programs into U.S. assistance and foreign policy mechanisms; and strengthening U.S. government coordination of anti-VAW activities.
- Local and Regional Procurement for U.S. International Emergency Food Aid
- This report discusses local and regional procurement (LRP) of food aid, which refers to the purchase of commodities for emergency food aid by donors in countries with food needs or in another country within the region. LRP is used extensively by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and has been proposed as a cost-effective, time-saving tool that the United States could use to meet emergency food needs.
- Major Fiscal Issues Before Congress in FY2013
- This report provides a brief overview of the major tax and spending policy changes set to take effect under current law at the end of 2012 or early in 2013. Collectively, these policies have been referred to by some as the "fiscal cliff". Extending current revenue policies and changing current spending policies would increase the projected budget deficit relative to current law.
- Medicare Financial Status: In Brief
- This report provides an overview on Medicare, discussing its various components and sources of funding. The report also examines projections for spending within the program.
- Military Child Development Program: Background and Issues
- This report traces the development of DOD-sponsored childcare services and discusses these issues in greater depth in order to support Members of Congress in their oversight role. The next section gives an overview of DOD's justification for the CDP program and demand for services. Next is a discussion of current CDP components, policies, and funding. This is followed by the legislative history of DOD-sponsored childcare in the military. The final section discusses issues and options for Congress related to oversight and funding of military childcare programs.
- Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and presents potential issues for Congress concerning the Navy's ship force-structure goals and shipbuilding plans. The planned size of the Navy, the rate of Navy ship procurement, and the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans have been matters of concern for the congressional defense committees for the past several years.
- Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- Report that provides background information and potential issues for Congress on the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and concerns Congress has for complications within the LCS program.
- Nonstrategic Nuclear Weapons
- This report provides basic information about U.S. and Russian nonstrategic nuclear weapons. It begins with a brief discussion of the differences between strategic and nonstrategic nuclear weapons. It then provides some historical background. It concludes with a review of policy options, or "solutions" for the preceding problems, that might be explored by Congress, the United States, Russia, and other nations.
- The Open Skies Treaty: Issues in the Current Debate
- This report discuses the Open Skies Treaty that was signed in 1992 and began operation in 2002 between 34 countries in Europe and North America including the U.S. It allows member countries to fly unarmed observation flights with cameras and video capabilities within certain parameters in other member countries territory without air-space restrictions over military installations and activities to increase transparency and help prevent accidental war. Recent noncompliance by Russia in certain areas is also discussed.
- Packaging: The Pro and Con of Restrictive Legislation
- This report discusses the pros and cons of legislative proposals regarding package manufacturing standards aimed at reducing waste and littering and increasing recycling.
- Rising Costs and Delays Doom New Nuclear Reactors in South Carolina
- This report discusses the cancellation of building two new nuclear reactors at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Jenkinsonville, South Carolina due to budget shortfalls, the bankruptcy of the construction company Westinghouse, delays, and rising costs.
- Small Business Administration HUBZone Program
- This report discusses the Historically Underutilized Business Zone Empowerment Contracting (HUBZone), program and examines arguments both for and against targeting assistance to geographic areas with specified characteristics as opposed to providing assistance to people or businesses with specified characteristics. It then assesses the arguments both for and against the continuation of the HUBZone program. The report also discusses the HUBZone program's structure and operation, focusing on the definition of HUBZone areas and HUBZone small businesses and the program's performance relative to federal contracting goals. It includes an analysis of the SBA's administration of the program and the SBA's performance measures.
- Social Services Block Grant: Background and Funding
- The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) is a flexible source of funds that states may use to support a wide variety of social services activities. States have broad discretion over the use of these funds. This short report provides background information on the SSBG and tracks relevant legislation and appropriations measures.
- Stewardship Contracting for the National Forests
- This report discusses the advantages and limitations of proposed approaches to stewardship contracting to reduce threats to national forests exacerbated by unnaturally high amounts of biomass.
- Tax-Advantaged Accounts for Health Care Expenses: Side-by-Side Comparison
- This report provides brief summaries and background information about four accounts related to medical expenses: Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Archer Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), and Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs). It also compares them with respect to characteristics such as eligibility, contribution limits, and use of funds.
- Types of Committee Hearings
- This report describes the four types of congressional committee hearings: legislative, oversight, investigative, and confirmation. Hearings may be held on Capitol Hill or elsewhere (e.g., a committee member's district or state, or a site related to the subject of the hearing). These latter hearings are often referred to as field hearings.
- Unfunded Mandates Reform Act: History, Impact, and Issues
- This report examines debates over what constitutes an unfunded federal mandate and UMRA's implementation. It focuses on UMRA's requirement that CBO issue written cost estimate statements for federal mandates in legislation, its procedures for raising points of order in the House and Senate concerning unfunded federal mandates in legislation, and its requirement that federal agencies prepare written cost estimate statements for federal mandates in rules.