Congressional Research Service Reports - 146 Matching Results

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The 1995 Japan-U.S. Auto and Parts Trade Dispute: Terms of the Settlement and Implications: On June 28, 1995, the United States and Japan reached a settlement in a long-running dispute over access to Japan's market for automobiles and parts. 100-percent tariffs by the United States on imports of luxury cars from Japan had been threatened under a Section 301 unfair trade practices case dealing with the aftermarket for autoparts in Japan. This report describes the dispute, the settlement, and questions and issues that still remain.
Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate: Marine Mammal Issues: After global warming became a concern in the mid-1950s, researchers proposed measuring deep ocean temperatures to reveal any significant trends in core ocean warming. Acoustic thermometry can detect changes in ocean temperature by receiving low-frequency sounds transmitted across an ocean basin because the speed of sound is proportional to water temperature. Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate, or ATOC, is an international program involving 11 institutions in seven nations. It is designed as a 30-month "proof-of-concept" project to provide data on possible global climate change, with funding provided by the U.S. Department of Defense. A debate has arisen over ATOC's impact on marine mammals versus the benefits of better global warming information derived from ATOC. This report dicusses the ATOC program and related concerns.
African-American Participation At The United Nations: This report discusses the variety of roles African Americans have played at the United Nations, and their impact. Moreover, the report details several distinct cases in which African Americans played key roles in peace talks.
Antarctica: Environmental Protection, Research, and Conservation of Resources: This report discusses protocols and treaties designed and implemented to protect Antarctica as a haven for environmental research, preservation, and conservation, as well as related legislation and Congressional efforts.
APEC and Free Trade in the Asia Pacific: This report discusses the summit held by President Bill Clinton and other leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) on November 19, 1995. The report discusses the primary reason for the summit, an Action Agenda intended to lead to free and open trade and investment among its members. The report also discusses how APEC countries were divided on certain issues going into this summit.
Appropriations for FY1996 : Agriculture: No Description Available.
Appropriations for FY1996 : Military Construction One of a series of CRS Reports on FY1996 appropriations: This report addresses the Military Construction(MilCon) Appropriations for FY1996.
The Assault Weapons Ban: Review of Federal Laws Controlling Possessions of Certain Firearms: This report reviews the 1994 assault weapons ban, which is effective for ten years on 19 types of semiautomatic assault weapons. The Act builds upon a 60-year history of federal regulation of firearms. The report also summarizes the pre-1994 federal gun control laws, analyzes the major cases relating to constitutional and statutory challenges to these laws, and reviews judicial and legislative developments since enactment of the ban.
Biological Diversity: Issues Related to the Convention on Biodiversity: This report discusses treaty on biodiversity, issues, history and current status.
Biological Diversity Treaty: Fact Sheet: As human activity continues to change and modify natural areas, widespread extinctions of plants, animals, and other types of species result. In 1992, negotiations conducted under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) were completed on a comprehensive global treaty to protect biological diversity (biodiversity). In June 1993, President Clinton signed the treaty and sent it to the Senate for advice and consent. It is not pending in the Senate. The treaty entered into force on December 29, 1993. As of May 15, 1995, 118 nations had ratified the treaty.
Border Environment Cooperation Commission and North American Development Bank : Background and Issues: This report presents Background and Issues of Border Environment Cooperation Commission and North American Development Bank.
The Brady Handgun Control Act: Constitutional Issues: The Brady Handgun Control Act established a five-day waiting period for handgun purchases, during which local law enforcement can make reasonable efforts to conduct background checks in available records and block and sales to convicted felons and other disqualified persons. This report reviews the background of federal gun control legislation, analyzes the conflict in the courts over the constitutionality under the Tenth Amendment of the duties placed on local law enforcement, and considers the implications of the decisions for Brady Act enforcement.
Brownfields Program: Cleaning Up Urban Industrial Sites: The Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is a pilot project to return idle or underused industrial and commercial facilities back to productive use, in situations where redevelopment is complicated by potential environmental contamination. The program is flexible, allowing cities to use a variety of approaches in utilizing grants of up to $200,000 to develop abandoned and underused sites, neighborhoods, and small regional areas. States and Indian tribes are eligible as well as local governments.
Budget for FY1996: Congressional Budget Resolutions: This report provides Congressional Budget Resolutions related to Budget for FY1996.
California Air Quality FIP - A Fact Sheet: On April 10, 1995, President Clinton signed P.L. 104-6, which contained a provision that rescinds the Federal air quality implementation plan (FIP) for the South Coast, Ventura, and Sacramento areas of California.(1) As a result, the FIP issued by EPA has no further force and effect, and California will continue pursuing approval of its own State implementation plan (SIP) in lieu of the FIP. Promulgation of the FIP was perceived by some within the State as having a detrimental effect on California's industries and economy resulting from costly and burdensome air pollution control measures contained in the plan.
Chemical Agent Attacks in Japan: The release of the nerve agent Sarin in Tokyo's subway system on March 20, marks the first clearly non-state terrorist use of chemical weapons. The agent was highly diluted andmfatalities were relatively few (10), though the number of injured was substantial (5,000+, with 600 hospitalized). This incident clearly indicates the potential political effectiveness of chemical weapons against an unprotected civilian population. Once a population has been sensitized by an incident like this, even the threat of CW can become significantly disruptive. Some have credited fear of another attack with contributing to the cautiousness of the Japanese police investigation
Child Support: Changes Enacted or Proposed in the 103rd Congress: No Description Available.
China After Deng Xiaoping - Implications for the United States: Deng Xiaoping's death will create a vacuum at the center of political power in China. Successor leaders will decide whether to continue the recent collective leadership decision-making processes and policy emphasis on political stability and economic reform; or to press for political power in a search for personal or policy advantage. A struggle for political power in Beijing would complicate an already difficult set of problems of governance caused by rapid economic growth, social change, realignment of central and local power arrangements and other factors. Nevertheless, there are important reasons why China may effectively work its way through the leadership transition.
China Policy: Crisis Over Taiwan, 1995 -- A Post-Mortem: The October 24, 1995 meeting between President Bill Clinton and China's President Jiang Zemin helped to ease the crisis in U.S.-PRC-Taiwan relations that ensued from Beijing's harsh response to Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui's June 1995 visit to Cornell University.
China Policy: Managing U.S.-PRC-Taiwan Relations After President Lee's Visit to the U.S.: fallout of Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui's June 1995 visit to the United States has included a carefully calibrated PRC effort to cut off or suspend contacts and communications with the United States and Taiwan over a range of important policy questions. Prospects for a resumption of these contacts are unclear, especially since domestic politics in Beijing,
China-U.S. Relations: This report discusses the background information and most recent development in U.S.-China relations since mid-1996. The relations also have been marred by continuing allegations of Chinese espionage, ongoing controversy over human rights, charges that China continues to violate its non-proliferation commitments, controversy over the accidental NATO bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, and renewed tensions over Taiwan. The report describes current issues in U.S.-China relations such as; Human Rights Issues, Issues in U.S.-China Security Relations, Economic Issues, and Sovereignty Issues: Taiwan, Tibet, Hong Kong.
China-U.S. Relations: This report discusses the background information and most recent development in U.S.-China relations since mid-1996. The relations also have been marred by continuing allegations of Chinese espionage, ongoing controversy over human rights, charges that China continues to violate its non-proliferation commitments, controversy over the accidental NATO bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, and renewed tensions over Taiwan. The report describes current issues in U.S.-China relations such as; Human Rights Issues, Issues in U.S.-China Security Relations, Economic Issues, and Sovereignty Issues: Taiwan, Tibet, Hong Kong.
The China-U.S. Trade Agreement on Intellectual Property Rights: Implications for China-U.S. Trade Relations: The United States has pressed China over the past several years to improve its enforcement of U.S. intellectual property rights (IPR) in China and to provide greater market access to intellectual property-related products, such as computer software, CDs, and audio-visual products. Trade tensions over these issues nearly led the United States to impose trade sanctions against China in 1992 and 1995. In March 1995, the United States and China signed a new and detailed IPR trade agreement, which pledges China to substantially reform its IPR enforcement regime and improve market access. This report examines the U.S.-Chinese IPR dispute and analyzes the implications of the new IPR agreement on future U.S.-Chinese trade relations
China-U.S. Trade Issues: U.S.-China economic ties have expanded substantially over the past several years. China is now the third largest U.S. trading partner, its second largest source of imports, and its fourth largest export market. However, U.S.-China commercial ties have been strained by a number of issues, including a surging U.S. trade deficit with China, China's refusal to float its currency, and failure to fully comply with its World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments, especially its failure to provide protection for U.S. intellectual property rights (IPR). This report explores these issues in detail, especially concerning the lack of protection for U.S. IPR.
China-U.S. Trade Issues: U.S.-China economic ties have expanded substantially over the past several years. China is now the third largest U.S. trading partner, its second largest source of imports, and its fourth largest export market. However, U.S.-China commercial ties have been strained by a number of issues, including a surging U.S. trade deficit with China, China's refusal to float its currency, and failure to fully comply with its World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments, especially its failure to provide protection for U.S. intellectual property rights (IPR). This report explores these issues in detail, especially concerning the lack of protection for U.S. IPR.
China's Changing Conditions: This report discusses congressional interest in the leadership change and economic transformation underway in China, which has grown substantially over the past two years. Leading congressional concerns focus on how economic conditions in China pose opportunities for U.S. enterprise and how the evolution of conditions in China foster U.S. security, economic, and political interests. Congressional concern with China grew in 1995 as a result of reports of the serious decline in the health of senior Chinese leader Deng Xiao-ping.
China's Changing Conditions: This report discusses congressional interest in the leadership change and economic transformation underway in China, which has grown substantially over the past two years. Leading congressional concerns focus on how economic conditions in China pose opportunities for U.S. enterprise and how the evolution of conditions in China foster U.S. security, economic, and political interests. Congressional concern with China grew in 1995 as a result of reports of the serious decline in the health of senior Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.
China's Changing Conditions: This report discusses congressional interest in the leadership change and economic transformation underway in China, which has grown substantially over the past two years. Leading congressional concerns focus on how economic conditions in China pose opportunities for U.S. enterprise and how the evolution of conditions in China foster U.S. security, economic, and political interests. Congressional concern with China grew in 1995 as a result of reports of the serious decline in the health of senior Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.
China's Sinister View of U.S. Policy: Origins, Implications and Options: Chinese officials and opinion leaders claim that recent U.S. actions contrary to the interests of the People's Republic of China (PRC) have convinced the Beijing regime that the U.S. Government is determined to do what it can to weaken and hold back China's growing power. Dismissing evidence of often fractious debate over China policy in the United States, Beijing leaders are said to see a consensus among policymakers in the The United States that is directed at working against China's emerging strength and influence in world affairs. The U.S. specialists are unsure if Chinese leaders are misguided but sincere in their views, or if Chinese leaders are using anti-U.S. themes for tactical advantage in boosting their political standing at home, in seeking concessions from the United States, or as a defensive strategy to deflect criticism of Chinese actions seen by many international experts as bordering on irresponsible. Regardless of Chinese motives, some Americans urge that the United States make concessions and take steps to reassure Beijing of U.S. intentions and restore the wide range of U.S.-China contacts cut off as a result of U.S.-Chinese friction in recent weeks. Other Americans judge that U.S. interests would be better served by a cautious approach that avoids unilateral gestures toward Beijing.
Chinese Missile and Nuclear Proliferation: Issues for Congress: The President has identified proliferation as a primary danger to U.S. security interests. China has contributed to the danger by providing nuclear weapons technology to Pakistan, and other nuclear technology to Iran and Algeria. China has also supplied CSS-2 intermediate-range ballistic missiles to Saudi Arabia, Silkworm anti-ship missiles to Iran and Iraq, and ballistic missile technology to Pakistan and perhaps Iran, North Korea, and others. China developed the mobile, solid-fuel M-9 and M-11 short-range ballistic missiles reportedly with Pakistan, Syria, and Iran as interested buyers.
Chinese Missile and Nuclear Proliferation: Issues for Congress: The President has identified proliferation as a primary danger to U.S. security interests. China has contributed to the danger by providing nuclear weapons technology to Pakistan, and other nuclear technology to Iran and Algeria. China has also supplied CSS-2 intermediate range ballistic missiles to Saudi Arabia, Silkworm anti-ship missiles to Iran and Iraq, and ballistic missile technology to Pakistan and perhaps Iran, North Korea and others. China developed the mobile, solid-fuel M-9 and M-11 short range ballistic missiles reportedly with Pakistan, Syria, and Iran as interested buyers.
Chinese Missile and Nuclear Proliferation: Issues for Congress: Congressional Research Service: Chinese Missile and Nuclear Proliferation: Issues for Congress
Clean Water: Summary of H.R. 961, As Passed: The Clean Water Act, which was last amended in 1987, consists of two major parts: regulatory provisions that impose progressively more stringent requirements on industries and cities to abate pollution and meet the statutory goal of zero discharge of pollutants, and provisions that authorize Federal financial assistance for municipal wastewater treatment construction.
The Committee System in the U.S. Congress: Due to the high volume and complexity of its work, Congress divides its tasks among approximately 44 committees with 154 subcommittees. The House and Senate each has its own committee systems, which are similar. Within chamber guidelines, however, each committee adopts its own rules; thus, there is considerable variation among panels.
Committee System: Rules Changes in the House, 104th Congress: This fact sheet details changes in the committee system contained in H. Res. 6, Rules of the House for the 104th Congress.
Commuter and Large Air Carriers: Is It Time For One Level of Safety?: No Description Available.
Comparison of 501(c )(3) and 501(c )(4) Organizations: This paper briefly compares the differences between tax-exempt organizations described in Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) and those described in section 501(c)(4). Although some organizations can qualify as either a 501(c)(3) or a 501(c)(4) organization, there are two outstanding differences between the two categories which may make one type of exemption more desirable than the other: deductibility of contributions and ability to lobby without significant limits.
Comparison of Securities Litigation Reform Bills Passed by the House and the Senate: No Description Available.
Conventional Arms Transfers: President Clinton's Policy Directive: President Clinton released details of his Conventional Arms Transfer Policy on February 17, 1995, which are embodied in Presidential Decision Directive 34 (PDD-34). The President's action followed several months of internal debate and discussion by the Clinton Administration, the first detailed examination of conventional arms transfer policy since the Cold War's end.
Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 1987-1994: No Description Available.
Cost-Benefit Analysis: Issues in Its Use in Regulation: This report sketches issues underlying broader use of cost-benefit analysis. It focuses on cost-benefit as one of several related frameworks for assessing regulatory actions or policies. Cost-benefit is the broadest of these frameworks, which also include impact assessment, risk assessment, and cost-effectiveness. Which analytical framework is appropriate depends on the regulatory context.
Courts Rulings During 1994 on Constitutional Taking Claims Against the United States: In 1994, the second session of the 103rd Congress saw the political pressure exerted by property rights bills ascend new heights. Members supporting property rights legislation sought to add such provisions to nearly every major environmental bill. Opponents, including several committee chairmen, therefore declined to move the bills, and gridlock resulted.
Crime Control Assistance Through the Byrne Programs: No Description Available.
The Daiwa Bank Problems: Background and Policy Issues: On November 2, 1995, U.S. banking authorities ordered the Daiwa Bank to close its banking operations in the United States, and a 24-count criminal indictment was issued against it. These actions stem from the bank's admission that Toshihide Iguchi, a rogue trader at its New York branch office, had incurred $1.1 billion in losses over eleven years from trading U.S. Treasury securities and that Daiwa managers had "directed that those losses be concealed" from U.S. regulators.
Deep Seabed Mining: U.S. Interests and the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea: On July 29, 1994, the United States signed the Agreement Relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982. This agreement substantially reforms the seabed mining provisions of the 1982 Convention, which the United States found objectionable. In signing the Agreement, President Clinton accepted provisional application of it which enables the United States to participate in the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and its organs and bodies. On November 16, 1994, the U.N. Law of the Sea Convention entered into force without accession by the United States.The treaty document was referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations late in the 103d Congress and awaits committee action in the 104th Congress.
Defense Budget: Alternative Measures of Costs of Military Commitments Abroad: This report contains he measures of costs of military commitments abroad and an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each overseas costs.
Department of Energy Abolition? Implications for the Nuclear Weapons Program: This report considers how abolition might affect the U.S. nuclear weapons program. It provides background on the weapons program and the debate on what organization should control it; summarizes the debate over managing the program, including criticisms of DOE’s management and issues in deciding where to place the program, and presents four options for the weapons program. It considers pros and cons for each option. This report should be of value for understanding consequences of alternative organizational “homes” for the weapons program for those considering legislation to abolish DOE.
A Department of Science and Technology: A Recurring Theme: Consolidation of many Federal research and development (R&D) activities into a Department of Science and Technology (S&T) has been proposed repeatedly since World War D, including in the last Congress. The trend, however, has been toward the creation of mission agencies with supporting R&D capabilities. Analyses of arguments for and against consolidation indicate that valid reasons exist on both sides of the issue. Specific consolidation proposals may be considered again during the 104th Congress.
Deregulation as Market Opening in Japan: Deregulation of Japan's economy is of interest to the United States because regulations may work as nontariff barriers to U.S. exports and contribute to the $60 billion U.S. bilateral merchandise trade deficit. Excessive regulations also may hamper the ability of the Japanese economy to recover from recession and to augment world wide economic growth. The United States has submitted a request of about 200 items that it would like Japan to deregulate. Negotiations are continuing under the Framework Talks, and some of the items will likely be included in the Japanese government's five-year plan to deregulate and liberalize its economy.
Ecosystem Management Tools and Techniques: Proceedings of a CRS Workshop: The House Subcommittee on Technology, Environment, and Aviation of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology (103rd Congress) requested that Congressional Research Service (CRS) hold a workshop on the tools and techniques of ecosystem management. The purposes of this workshop were to demonstrate tools and techniques used in scientific research on ecosystems and to address technological aspects of developing and administering a national policy for ecosystem management.

Congressional Research Service Reports - 146 Matching Results

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