Congressional Research Service Reports - 57 Matching Results

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Access to Paper Currency by Visually Impaired Individuals: The American Council of the Blind v. Paulson

Description: In May 2008, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued a decision in The American Council of the Blind v. Paulson. The court held that under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Treasury Department of the U.S. government discriminates against blind and visually impaired individuals through the issuance of currency in denominations which are not readily distinguishable by touch. The Treasury Department did not file an appeal of the decision, and the cas… more
Date: October 15, 2008
Creator: Toland, Carol
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy

Description: This report discusses Afghanistan's political transition, which was completed with the convening of a parliament in December 2005. Since then, insurgent threats to Afghanistan's government have escalated to the point that some experts are questioning the future of U.S. stabilization efforts.
Date: October 15, 2008
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Amendment Process in the Committee of the Whole

Description: This report discusses the amendments, which are usually considered not in the House, but in the Committee of the Whole, a parliamentary device designed to expedite the amendment process.
Date: April 15, 2008
Creator: Schneider, Judy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Brief Summaries of Federal Animal Protection Statutes

Description: This report contains brief summaries of federal animal protection statutes, listed alphabetically. It includes statutes that allow the disabled to use service animals, statutes aimed at acts of animal rights advocates (the Animal Enterprise Protection Act of 1992, and the Recreational Hunting Safety and Preservation Act of 1994), as well as other statutes concerning animal protection and conservation.
Date: August 15, 2008
Creator: Cohen, Henry
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Capturing CO2 from Coal-Fired Power Plants: Challenges for a Comprehensive Strategy

Description: This report examines the current effort to develop technology that would capture CO2. First, the paper outlines the current status of carbon capture technology. Second, the paper examines the role of government in developing that technology, both in terms of creating a market for carbon capture technology and encouraging development of the technology. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of implications of capture technology for climate change legislation.
Date: August 15, 2008
Creator: Parker, Larry; Folger, Peter & Stine, Deborah D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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China-U.S. Trade Issues

Description: This report provides an overview of U.S.-China economic relations, surveys major trade disputes, and lists major legislation in the 110th that seeks to address these issues.
Date: July 15, 2008
Creator: Morrison, Wayne M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Climate Change: Costs and Benefits of S. 2191/S. 3036

Description: This report examines six studies that project the costs of S. 2191 (S. 3036) to 2030 or 2050. It considers [1] the response of the economy to the technological challenges; [2] the ability to create a considerable amount of low-carbon generating capacity; [3] offsetts as a possible tool to reduce costs and buy time for the development of more efficient technologies; [4] the role of the Carbon Market Efficiency Board; [5] the effect of the Low Carbon Feul Standard; and [6] how the climate-related… more
Date: May 15, 2008
Creator: Parker, Larry & Yacobucci, Brent D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Comparing Global Influence: China's and U.S. Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, Trade, and Investment in the Developing World

Description: This report compares the People's Republic of China's (PRC) and U.S. projections of global influence, with an emphasis on non-coercive means or "soft power," and suggests ways to think about U.S. foreign policy options in light of China's emergence.
Date: August 15, 2008
Creator: Lum, Thomas; Blanchard, Christopher M.; Cook, Nicolas & Coipuram, Thomas, Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Nominations to U.S. Service Academies: An Overview and Resources for Outreach and Management

Description: This report describes statutory requirements for allocating congressional nominations to service academies and identifies the qualifications that must be met by potential nominees, as established by statute and each academy. Sample documents that could be used by congressional offices at various stages of the nomination selection process are included.
Date: January 15, 2008
Creator: Petersen, R. E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congress’s Contempt Power: A Sketch

Description: This report outlines the source of the contempt power, reviews major developments on the case law, and analyzes the procedures associated with each of the three different types of contempt proceedings. The report also discusses the recent investigation by the House Judiciary committee that has resulted in votes for criminal contempt of Congress and the filing of a civil lawsuit to enforce congressional subpoenas.
Date: April 15, 2008
Creator: Tatelman, Todd B.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Defense Base Act (DBA): The Federally Mandated Workers' Compensation System for Overseas Government Contractors

Description: This report provides an overview of the Defense Base Act (DBA) and the systems used to provide DBA insurance at the Department of State (DOS), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Also included are criticisms of the current DOD DBA policy raised by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and Army auditors as well as responses to those criticisms by DOD and USACE. The report concludes with a discu… more
Date: September 15, 2008
Creator: Grasso, Valerie Bailey; Szymendera, Scott & Webel, Baird
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Contracting in Iraq: Issues and Options for Congress

Description: This report examines logistical support contracts for troop support services in Iraq primarily administered through the U.S. Army's Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP).
Date: August 15, 2008
Creator: Bailey Grasso, Valerie
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Legislation in the 110th Congress

Description: This report reviews the status of energy efficiency and renewable energy legislation introduced during the 110th Congress. Most action in the second session is focused on the FY2009 budget request, the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419), and three bills (H.R. 6049, H.R. 5984/H.R. 3221 [S. 2821], and S. 2886) that would extend or modify selected renewable energy and energy efficiency tax incentives.
Date: May 15, 2008
Creator: Sissine, Fred; Cunningham, Lynn J. & Gurevitz, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Environmental Exemptions for the Navy's Mid-Frequency Active Sonar Training Program

Description: This report discusses laws related to the protection of marine mammals when using mid-frequency active sonar including the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA). The report discusses each of the laws generally, and then reviews the litigation surrounding the Navy's compliance with these laws in the context of using the sonar for training purposes off California's coast.
Date: April 15, 2008
Creator: Alexander, Kristina
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Executive Schedule IV Pay Cap on General Schedule Compensation

Description: This report provides information on the effect of the Executive Schedule (EX-IV) pay cap on pay for General Schedule (GS) employees; and discusses the potential implications of the pay cap on salaries, pensions, and the ability of agencies to recruit and retain staff. The report also provides some background information on the GS and Executive Schedule pay systems and the annual pay adjustment processes in those systems.
Date: February 15, 2008
Creator: Copeland, Curtis W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program: Funding Issues and Activities

Description: This report discusses the federal government's role in the country's information technology (IT) research and development (R&D) activities. The government's support of IT R&D began because it had an important interest in creating computers and software that would be capable of addressing the problems and issues the government needed to solve and study.
Date: May 15, 2008
Creator: Figliola, Patricia Moloney
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Research and Development Funding: FY2009

Description: This report gives an overview of the U.S. research and development (R&D) enterprise and support for federal R&D activities, broken down by departments.
Date: August 15, 2008
Creator: Sargent, John F., Jr.; Smith, Pamela W. & Morrissey, Wayne A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Stafford Act Disaster Assistance: Presidential Declarations, Eligible Activities, and Funding

Description: This report discusses the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act) that authorizes the President to issue major disaster, emergency, and fire management declarations, which in turn enable federal agencies to provide assistance to state and local governments overwhelmed by catastrophes.
Date: August 15, 2008
Creator: Bea, Keith
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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