Congressional Research Service Reports - 622 Matching Results
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- The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues
- This report provides a brief overview of selected legal issues including emergency measures, civil rights, liability issues, and employment issues.
- The 2013 Cybersecurity Executive Order: Overview and Considerations for Congress
- This report provides background information regarding the threats and consequences of cybersecurity. The federal legislative framework for cybersecurity is complex, with more than 50 statutes addressing various aspects of it either directly or indirectly.
- The 2015 National Security Strategy: Authorities, Changes, Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the National Security Strategy (NSS), a document released by the Obama Administration which states that its purpose is to "set out the principles and priorities to guide the use of American power and influence in the world."
- Abortion and Family Planning-Related Provisions in U.S. Foreign Assistance Legislation and Policy
- This report details legislation and policies that restrict or place requirements on U.S. funding of abortion or family planning activities abroad. The level and extent of federal funding for these activities is an ongoing and controversial issue in U.S. foreign assistance and will likely continue to be a point of contention during the 112th Congress.
- Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate
- This report discusses the current debate over "net neutrality." While there is no single accepted definition of "net neutrality," most agree that any such definition should include the general principles that owners of the networks that compose and provide access to the Internet should not control how consumers lawfully use that network, and they should not be able to discriminate against content provider access to that network.
- Adoption in the United States
- This report discusses adoption in the U.S. and includes statistics, information on adoption related legislation, and articles on challenges and current topics of discussion related to adoption.
- Advanced Pilot Training (T-X) Program
- This report discusses the Advanced Pilot Training (T-X) aircraft, which may shift training from Field Training Units, where expensive fifth-generation aircraft are used, to less expensive trainer aircraft.
- Advisory Bodies Created By the President and by Congress 1955 Through 1976
- This report is a listing of advisory groups created by the President or Congress from the Eighty-fourth Congress(1955-56) through the Ninety-fourth Congress (19756-76).
- The Affordable Care Act's (ACA) Employer Shared Responsibility Determination and the Potential ACA Employer Penalty
- This report describes the potential employer penalties related to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; P.L. 111-148, as amended) as well as regulations to implement the ACA employer provisions. The regulations address insurance coverage requirements, methodologies for determining whether a worker is considered full time, provisions relating to seasonal workers and corporate franchises, and other reporting requirements.
- Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance
- This report discusses the current political state of Afghanistan, as well as the Afghan government. This report also discusses Afghanistan's relationship with the United States, particularly U.S. efforts to urge President Hamid Karzai to address corruption within the Afghan government.
- Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2008 Appropriations
- This report considers the Agriculture and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The report compares and contrasts the Senate and House versions of the bill in terms of budgeting. Both bills provide 7.5 billion dollars less than FY2007.
- Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2009 Appropriations
- This report considers FY2009 appropriations in regards to agricultural agencies. Moreover, the report examines the budget for these agencies and different versions of appropriations bills on the matter.
- Agriculture in U.S. Free Trade Agreements: Trade with Current and Prospective Partners, Impact, and Issues
- This report discusses the trade in agricultural products, which is one of the difficult issues negotiators face in concluding free trade agreements (FTAs). The report also deals with food safety and animal/plant health matters.
- Air Force C-17 Aircraft Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information on the C-17 Aircraft program, including previous appropriations, related programs, and issues for Congress. The primary issue for Congress in FY2010 is whether to procure additional C-17s. An additional issue is whether to pass legislation relating to the airlift aircraft force structure. Congress's decisions on these issues could affect DOD capabilities and funding requirements and the U.S. military aircraft industrial base.
- Air Pollution: A Selected, Annotated Bibliography
- This report is an annotated bibliography of references on air pollution, mainly focusing on Congressional documents that were recent as of the report's publication. In the first section, the author organizes the entries alphabetically by author, or by title if there is no author. In the second section, the author arranges the entries by major subject headings, with sub-headings where necessary.
- Algae's Potential as a Transportation Biofuel
- This report discusses the status of algae-based biofuels (ABB) research and development, federal funding, and legislative concerns.
- Alternative Fuels and Advanced Technology Vehicles: Issues in Congress
- This report provides an overview of current issues surrounding alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles.
- Amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Set to Expire May 27, 2011
- This report discusses the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) which provides a statutory framework by which government agencies may, when gathering foreign intelligence investigation, obtain authorization to conduct electronic surveillance or physical searches, utilize pen registers and trap and trace devices, or access specified business records and other tangible things. Authorization for such activities is typically obtained via a court order from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), a specialized court created to act as a neutral judicial decision maker in the context of FISA.
- Animal Agriculture: 2008 Farm Bill Issues
- This report discusses a number of animal-related provisions related to the 2008 farm bill. It includes background and specific provisions from the bill for each of the issues and options analyzed in the report: market competition and packer concentration, livestock mandatory price reporting, meat and poultry safety, country-of-origin labeling, animal identification for health protection, animal welfare, feed prices, disaster assistance, and environmental issues. The report also provides a summary comparison of previous farm bills with the 2008 provisions for selected issues.
- Anti-Money Laundering: An Overview for Congress
- This report discusses anti-money laundering (AML), which refers to efforts to prevent criminal exploitation of financial systems to conceal the location, ownership, source, nature, or control of illicit proceeds.
- Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) Drought: Federal Water Management Issues
- This report provides an introductory analysis of federal water management issues in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF), particularly during drought. The report underscores that decision makers are faced with the tradeoff of the current harm that reduced flows may cause aquatic species against the benefits of maintaining water in storage for future multipurpose use later. The first section briefly introduces the basin's water resources and related federal issues. The second section summarizes current federal reservoir operations. The third section discusses how the municipal, industrial, and agricultural uses of ACF waters affect federal reservoir management. The fourth section covers how species protections affect Corps operations and how Corps operations may affect protected species. The fifth section briefly discusses legislation in the 110th Congress related to the ACF and water supply and management issues in the Southeast. The report concludes with comments about the ACF in the broader context of federal CRS-2 water policies and projects.
- Appropriations and Fund Transfers in the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
- This report summarizes all the mandatory appropriations and Medicare trust fund transfers in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and provides details on the status of obligation of these funds. The information is presented in two tables. The report also includes a brief discussion of the impact that sequestration is having on ACA mandatory spending.
- Appropriations for FY1999: Department of Transportation and Related Agencies
- This report is a guide to of the original (DOT and Related Agencies) appropriations bill for FY1999. The report summarizes the current legislative status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related legislative activity.
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Controversies for the 108th Congress
- This report discusses one major element of the energy debate in the 108th Congress, which has been whether to approve energy development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in northeastern Alaska, and if so, under what conditions, or whether to continue to prohibit development to protect the area's biological resources. The Refuge is an area rich in fauna, flora, and commercial oil potential. Current law forbids energy leasing in the Refuge.
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Controversies for the 109th Congress
- This report discusses the ongoing debate about whether or not to approve energy development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Current law forbids energy leasing in the Refuge. This report addresses several legislative options on the issue, as well as policymakers' arguments for and against development, especially in the wake of increasing terrorism since 2000-2001.
- The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: The Next Chapter
- This report discusses the ongoing debate about whether or not to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for energy development. The report discusses arguments for and against such development and focuses especially on related pieces of legislation that directly affects the future of the ANWR.
- Arms Sales: Congressional Review Process
- This report reviews the process and procedures that currently apply to congressional consideration of foreign arms sales proposed by the President. This includes consideration of proposals to sell major defense equipment, defense articles and services, or the re-transfer to third party nations of such military items.
- Army Corps of Engineers Annual and Supplemental Appropriations: Issues for Congress
- This report summarizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's (USACE's) annual discretionary appropriations for civil works activities and its supplemental appropriations, principally following major flood and hurricane disasters. The appropriations described are for those accounts and activities that typically are funded through Title I of annual Energy and Water Development appropriations acts.
- Army Corps of Engineers Water Resources Activities: Authorization and Appropriations
- This report provides an overview of the Corps civil works program. It covers the congressional authorization and appropriation process, the standard project development process, and other Corps activities and authorities.
- Army Corps of Engineers Water Resources Projects: Authorization and Appropriations
- This report explains how the congressional authorization and appropriations process overlays the Corps' project development process. Special attention is given to initiating a water resources study, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) process, civil works appropriations, and emergency response activities.
- The Army's Future Combat System (FCS): Background and Issues for Congress
- This report describes the Future Combat System (FCS) program, which was to be the Army's major research, development, and acquisition program consisting of 14 manned and unmanned systems linked by an extensive communications and information network. This report describes the proposed restructuring of the FCS program, which includes modernizing outdated equipment and re-evaluating vehicle design strategy. This report will be superseded by a report on the Army's BCT (Brigade Combat Team) Modernization Strategy when sufficient details are available.
- The Army's Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report looks at the history and current need for a Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) program. Potential issues for Congress include the role and need for the GCV in a downsized Army that will likely have fewer heavy brigade combat teams (HBCTs).
- Arsenic in Drinking Water: Regulatory Developments and Issues
- This report discusses the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996. These amendments directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update the standard for arsenic in drinking water.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Education
- This report discusses artificial intelligence in education, including current applications, benefits and drawbacks, and policy considerations.
- Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Congress
- Asian Pacific Americans have served in both houses of Congress representing California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Oregon, Virginia, American Samoa, and Guam. They have served in leadership positions, including committee and subcommittee chairmanships. This report presents information on Senators, Representatives, and Delegates, including party affiliations, length and dates of service, and committee assignments.
- Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
- This report discusses the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, also known as fire grants of the FIRE Act grant program, which provides federal grants directly to local fire departments and unaffiliated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations to help address a variety of equipment, training, and other firefighter-related and EMS needs. This report also discusses the possible reauthorization of AFG and the related Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters (SAFER) program.
- Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
- This report is categorized into seven categories: (I) Background, (II) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, (III) Fire station Construction Grants in the ARRA, (IV) SAFER Grants, (V) Program Evaluation, (VI) Distribution of Fire Grants and (VII) Issues in the 11th Congress.
- Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
- This report discusses the firefighting activities that are traditionally the responsibility of states and local communities. The report also talks about the funding for firefighters, which is provided mostly by state and local governments. However, during the 106th Congress, many in the fire community asserted that local fire departments require and deserve greater support from the federal government.
- Awards of Attorneys’ Fees by Federal Courts and Federal Agencies
- This report discusses the concept of prevailing party, the equal access to justice act, Awards of Attorneys' fees in Civil Right Cases and Awards of attorneys' fees in Tax cases.
- Background and Legal Issues Related to Stem Cell Research
- This report is about federal funds may be used to conduct research on human embryonic stem cells.
- Ballast Water Management to Combat Invasive Species
- The arrival of zebra mussels in the Great Lakes and their subsequent damage to city water supplies and electric utilities has focused significant attention on ballast water discharge by cargo ships as a high-risk mechanism for species invasion. New management efforts attempt to address this concern. Congress is considering legislative proposals to amend and reauthorize the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act, including specific provisions that would modify how ballast water is managed. This report provides background on various approaches to ballast water management and reviews current ballast water management laws and programs.
- Baselines and Scorekeeping in the Federal Budget Process
- Baselines and scorekeeping are an integral part of the federal budget process, providing lawmakers with a framework for making and enforcing budgetary decisions. The baseline serves as a benchmark for federal budget decisions. Scorekeeping is the process by which the budgetary impact of proposed and enacted budget policies is measured; it assists Congress in making and enforcing budgetary decisions. This report provides a brief explanation of baselines and scorekeeping and their uses in the federal budget process.
- Biochar: Examination of an Emerging Concept to Mitigate Climate Change
- This report briefly describes biochar, its potential advantages and disadvantages, legislative support, and research and development activities underway in the united states abroad.
- Biofuels Incentives: A Summary of Federal Programs
- This report outlines federal programs that provide direct or indirect incentives for biofuels. For each program described, the report provides details including the administering agency, authorizing statute(s), annual funding, and expiration date. The Appendix provides summary information in a table format.
- Bosnia: Current Issues and U.S. Policy
- This report presents an overview of the economic and political situation in Bosnia. It starts out by describing the current situation, the negotiations on forming a new central government, the international role in Bosnia, and the last part discusses the implications of U.S. policy.
- Brief Legislative Analysis of the Land and Water Conservation Fund
- This report is an analysis of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the primary economic source of funding for the creation of park and recreational programs in the United States.
- Brief Summaries of Federal Animal Protection Statutes
- This report contains brief summaries of federal animal protection statues, listed alphabetically. This report also includes statues that concern animals but that are not necessarily animal protection statutes.
- Broadband Loan and Grant Programs in the USDA's Rural Utilities Service
- This report discusses the broadband loan and grant program for rural areas administered through the USDA, its past authorizations, and upcoming legislation related to it as a part of the Farm Bill.
- The Budget Control Act: Frequently Asked Questions
- This report addresses fourteen frequently asked questions related to the Budget Control Act (BCA) and the annual budget.
- The Budget Control Act of 2011: The Effects on Spending and the Budget Deficit
- This report discusses the effects of the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA) on spending and the deficit, assuming that the automatic spending reductions proceed as scheduled from FY2013 to FY2021 and the discretionary spending caps remain in place.