Congressional Research Service Reports - 200 Matching Results

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Federal Support for Academic Research

Description: Report that discusses how to address the issue of budget reductions while supporting research conducted at colleges and universities, due to the role of academic research on the economy.
Date: January 26, 2012
Creator: Matthews, Christine M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): Overview and Issues

Description: Report that describes the general nature of the biofuels RFS and its implementation, outlines some of the emerging issues related to the sustainability of the continued growth in U.S. biofuels production needed to fulfill the expanding RFS mandate, and the emergence of potential unintended consequences of this rapid expansion.
Date: January 23, 2012
Creator: Schnepf, Randy & Yacobucci, Brent D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Presidential Nominating Process: Current Issues

Description: This report discusses issues regarding the Presidential Nomination Process including information about the 2008 election, calendar changes from 1988 to 2008, changes to national party rules for 2012, an evaluation of the primary system, reform proposals, and legislative considerations.
Date: January 27, 2012
Creator: Coleman, Kevin J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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North Korea: U.S. Relations, Nuclear Diplomacy, and Internal Situation

Description: This report provides background information on the negotiations over North Korea's nuclear weapons program that began in the early 1990s under the Clinton Administration. As US policy toward Pyongyang evolved through the George W. Bush presidency and into the Obama Administration, the negotiations moved from mostly bilateral to the multilateral Six-Party Talks. Although the negotiations have reached some key agreements, major problems with the implementation have persisted. With talks suspended… more
Date: January 17, 2012
Creator: Chanlett-Avery, Emma
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Social Security: The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)

Description: This report discusses the windfall elimination provision (WEP) reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who also have pension benefits from employment not covered by Social Security. Its purpose is to remove an advantage or “windfall” these workers would otherwise receive as a result of the interaction between the Social Security benefit formula and the workers’ relatively short careers in Social Security-covered employment. Opponents contend that the provision is basically imprecise and… more
Date: January 30, 2012
Creator: Shelton, Alison M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The State of Campaign Finance Policy: Recent Developments and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses selected litigation to demonstrate how those events have changed the campaign finance landscape and affected the policy issues that may confront Congress, but it is not a constitutional or legal analysis. Campaign finance data appears throughout the report.
Date: January 4, 2012
Creator: Garrett, R. S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

President Obama’s January 4, 2012, Recess Appointments: Legal Issues

Description: This report analyzes the legal issues associated with the President's asserted exercise of his Recess Appointments Clause power on January 4, 2012. The report begins with a general legal overview of the Recess Appointment Clause. This is followed by an analysis of two legal principles, standing and the political question doctrine, which may impede a reviewing court from reaching the merits of a potential legal challenge to the appointments.
Date: January 23, 2012
Creator: Carpenter, David H.; Chu, Vivian S.; Dolan, Alissa M. & Garvey, Todd
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Major Decisions in the House and Senate on Social Security: 1935-2011

Description: This report is intended to respond to the many inquiries that CRS gets for Social Security vote information, which range from requests for general information about legislative action over the years to requests for information about specific floor amendments. Thus, it is intended to be a reference document on the major statutory decisions made by Congress on the Social Security program. A detailed table of contents and a summary table of the legislation discussed are provided to aid the reader.
Date: January 11, 2012
Creator: Sidor, Gary
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security Retirement Earnings Test: How Earnings Affect Benefits

Description: Social Security benefits received before a person attains full retirement age (FRA) are subject to an actuarial reduction for early retirement and also may be reduced by the Social Security Retirement Earnings Test (RET) if the beneficiary has earnings that exceed an annual threshold. This report explains how the RET is applied under current law and provides detailed benefit examples to show how the RET affects both the worker beneficiary and any family members (auxiliary beneficiaries) who rec… more
Date: January 4, 2012
Creator: Nuschler, Dawn & Shelton, Alison M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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TRICARE and VA Health Care: Impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)

Description: This report addresses key questions concerning the impact of enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on the TRICARE and VA health care programs. To provide some context to this discussion, the report begins with a brief overview of the two health systems and eligibility for care under each system.
Date: January 27, 2012
Creator: Panangala, Sidath V. & Jansen, Don J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Fact Sheet: The Social Security Retirement Age

Description: two important ages may affect a worker's plans to claim Social Security retired-worker benefits. Workers may claim full Social Security benefits at the full retirement age, which is rising gradually to age 67 for workers who were born in 1960 and later. Retired workers may claim benefits as early as age 62, which is known as the early eligibility age. Social Security benefits are reduced, however, for every month that retired worker benefits are claimed before the full retirement age.
Date: January 3, 2012
Creator: Shelton, Alison M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Salaries and Allowances

Description: This report provides basic information on congressional salaries and allowances. First, the report briefly summarizes the current salary of Members of Congress, limits on their outside earned income and honoraria, and applicable health insurance and retirement benefits.
Date: January 4, 2012
Creator: Brudnick, Ida A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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