Congressional Research Service Reports - 25 Matching Results

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Industrial Competitiveness and Technological Advancement: Debate Over Government Policy

Description: This report discusses congressional interest in the pace of U.S. technological advancement due to its influence on U.S. economic growth, productivity, and international competitiveness. The proper role of the federal government in technology development and the competitiveness of U.S. industry continues to be a topic of congressional debate.
Date: December 8, 2010
Creator: Schacht, Wendy H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Technology Innovation Program

Description: This report discusses the Technology Innovation Program (TIP) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) that was established in 2007 to replace the Advanced Technology Program (ATP). This effort is designed "to support, promote, and accelerate innovation in the United States through high-risk, high-reward research in areas of critical national need," according to the authorizing legislation. Grants are provided to small and medium-sized firms for individual projects or joint … more
Date: December 3, 2010
Creator: Schacht, Wendy H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Illegal Internet Streaming of Copyrighted Content: Legislation in the 112th Congress

Description: This report describes streaming technology, explains the disparity in criminal penalties for different forms of infringement committed by electronic means, analyzes legislation in the 112th Congress that would harmonize penalties for illegal streaming with those available for other forms of online copyright infringement, and summarizes arguments for and against such a legislative change.
Date: December 1, 2011
Creator: Yeh, Brian T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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An Analysis of STEM Education Funding at the NSF: Trends and Policy Discussion

Description: This report analyzes National Science Foundation funding trends and selected closely-related STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education policy issues to provide fiscal and policy context. It concludes with an analysis of potential policy options.
Date: December 12, 2012
Creator: Gonzalez, Heather B.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nanotechnology: A Policy Primer

Description: This report provides an overview of these topics: nanomanufacturing and public understanding of and attitudes toward nanotechnology.
Date: December 16, 2013
Creator: Sargent, John F., Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Internet Domain Names: Background and Policy Issues

Description: The Domain Name System (DNS) is the distributed set of databases residing in computers around the world that contain address numbers mapped to corresponding domain names, making it possible to send and receive messages and to access information from computers anywhere on the Internet. Many of the technical, operational, and management decisions regarding the DNS can have significant impacts on Internet-related policy issues such as intellectual property, privacy, ecommerce, and cybersecurity. T… more
Date: December 14, 2010
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Science and Technology Issues in the 113th Congress

Description: This report briefly outlines an array of science and technology policy issues that may come before the 113th Congress.
Date: December 27, 2013
Creator: Gottron, Frank
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (H.R. 5116) and the America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69): Selected Policy Issues

Description: This report provides background information on P.L. 110-69 and H.R. 5116, includes information about related legislative activity in the 111th Congress, and analyzes four policy issues addressed by these measures: (1) STEM Education, (2) Federal Research Programs and Activities, (3) Broadening Participation, and (4) Funding. It also discusses selected policy concerns identified in the debate about U.S. competitiveness and describes how the House-passed version of H.R. 5116 responds to those con… more
Date: December 21, 2010
Creator: Gonzalez, Heather B.; Sargent, John F., Jr. & Moloney Figliola, Patricia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Radio Broadcasting Chips for Smartphones: A Status Report

Description: This report provides information on consumer and industry trends in radio and wireless network communications to give perspective on the proposal for widespread deployment of FM radio chips in smartphones as an emergency preparedness measure. It also provides a brief overview of the role of technology in disseminating emergency alerts and information.
Date: December 15, 2014
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Internet Governance and the Domain Name System: Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides a definition regarding Internet governance and describes how the Internet is currently governed. The report discusses the role of United States government and future model of Internet governance.
Date: December 30, 2014
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs

Description: This report provides an overview of the "digital divide," which is a term used to describe a perceived gap between those Americans who use or have access to telecommunications and information technologies and those who do not.
Date: December 28, 2016
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G. & Gilroy, Angele A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Governmental Tracking of Cell Phones and Vehicles: The Confluence of Privacy, Technology, and Law

Description: This report will briefly survey Fourth Amendment law as it pertains to the government's tracking programs. It will then summarize federal electronic surveillance statutes and the case law surrounding cell phone location tracking. Next, the report will describe the GPS-vehicle tracking cases and review the pending Supreme Court GPS tracking case, United States v. Jones. Finally, the report will summarize the geolocation and electronic surveillance legislation introduced in the 112th Congress.
Date: December 1, 2011
Creator: Thompson, Richard M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cybersecurity Issues and Challenges: In Brief

Description: The information and communications technology (ICT) industry has evolved greatly over the last half century. The technology is ubiquitous and increasingly integral to almost every facet of modern society. ICT devices and components are generally interdependent, and disruption of one may affect many others. Over the past several years, experts and policy makers have expressed increasing concerns about protecting ICT systems from cyberattacks, which many experts expect to increase in frequency an… more
Date: December 16, 2014
Creator: Fischer, Eric A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Legislation to Facilitate Cybersecurity Information Sharing: Economic Analysis

Description: This report analyzes the incentives for companies to share information about cybersecurity breaches with other companies and the federal government. Data breaches, such as those at Target, Home Depot, Neiman Marcus, and JPMorgan Chase, affecting financial records of tens of millions of households seem to occur regularly. Companies typically respond by trying to increase their cybersecurity by hiring consultants and purchasing new hardware and software. Policy analysts have suggested that sharin… more
Date: December 11, 2014
Creator: Weiss, N. Eric
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The 2013 Cybersecurity Executive Order: Overview and Considerations for Congress

Description: The federal role in cybersecurity has been a topic of discussion and debate for over a decade. Despite significant legislative efforts in the 112th Congress on bills designed to improve the cybersecurity of U.S. critical infrastructure (CI), no legislation on that issue was enacted in that Congress. This report discusses the ramifications of Executive Order 13636, which issued in February 2013 was an attempt to enhance security and resiliency of CI through voluntary, collaborative efforts invo… more
Date: December 15, 2014
Creator: Fischer, Eric A.; Liu, Edward C.; Rollins, John W. & Theohary, Catherine A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Data Security and Breach Notification Legislation: Selected Legal Issues

Description: This report describes the common elements of several data security and breach notification bills that have been introduced in the 114th Congress, which broadly would impose security and notification requirements on businesses regardless of industry sector. It also discusses state laws that may apply in the event of a data breach and addresses two legal issues that may arise in consideration of new legislation about data security and breach notification.
Date: December 28, 2015
Creator: Dolan, Alissa M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cybercrime: An Overview of the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Statute and Related Federal Criminal Laws

Description: The federal computer fraud and abuse statute, 18 U.S.C. 1030, outlaws conduct that victimizes computer systems. It is a cyber security law. It protects federal computers, bank computers, and computers connected to the Internet. It shields them from trespassing, threats, damage, espionage, and from being corruptly used as instruments of fraud. It is not a comprehensive provision, but instead it fills cracks and gaps in the protection afforded by other federal criminal laws. This is a brief sketc… more
Date: December 27, 2010
Creator: Doyle, Charles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cybersecurity: Authoritative Reports and Resources, by Topic

Description: Cybersecurity vulnerabilities challenge governments, businesses, and individuals worldwide. Attacks have been initiated by individuals, as well as countries. Targets have included government networks, military defenses, companies, or political organizations, depending upon whether the attacker was seeking military intelligence, conducting diplomatic or industrial espionage, or intimidating political activists. This report provides links to selected authoritative resources related to cybersecuri… more
Date: December 4, 2013
Creator: Tehan, Rita
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Organized Crime: An Evolving Challenge for U.S. Law Enforcement

Description: This report provides an analysis of how organized crime has capitalized on globalization by using borders as opportunities, relying on fast-paced technological change, and adapting its organizational structures. It illustrates how these transformations can impact U.S. persons, businesses, and interests. The report includes a discussion of how U.S. law enforcement conceptualizes organized crime in the 21st century and concludes by examining potential issues for Congress, including the extent to … more
Date: December 23, 2010
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P. & Finklea, Kristin M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA): Policies, Programs, and Funding

Description: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), an agency of the Department of Commerce, is the executive branch's principal advisory office on domestic and international telecommunications and information policies. Its mandate is to provide greater access for all Americans to telecommunications services, support U.S. attempts to open foreign markets, advise on international telecommunications negotiations, and fund research for new technologies and their applications. NT… more
Date: December 14, 2011
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Clean Air Issues in the 111th Congress

Description: This report provides an overview of clean air legislative and regulatory issues. The contents include EPA'S greenhouse gas regulations, legislation on climate change, emissions from power plant information, and Air quality standards.
Date: December 7, 2010
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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