Congressional Research Service Reports - 138 Matching Results

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911 Call Center Legislation: S. 1250 and H.R. 2898

Description: This article discusses the 2003 Congress bipartisan E911 (Enhanced 911) legislation introduced in both chambers. Moreover, the article describes the difference in parallel provisions each bill contains that have significant implications for emergency communication policy. The article defines Enhanced 911 as the capability of identifying the phone number and location of a call to a PSAP (Public Safety Answering Points). This report characterizes the cost to PSAPs of upgrading systems and support… more
Date: January 16, 2004
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Abortion: Legislative Response

Description: The primary focus of this issue brief is legislative action with respect to abortion. However, discussion of those legislative proposals necessarily involves a brief discussion of the leading U.S. Supreme Court decisions concerning a woman’s right to choose whether to terminate her pregnancy. For a more detailed discussion of the relevant case law, see CRS Report 95-724, Abortion Law Development: A Brief Overview.
Date: January 13, 2004
Creator: Lewis, Karen J.; Shimabukuro, Jon O. & Ely, Dana
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Advanced Vehicle Technologies: Energy, Environment, and Development Issues

Description: This report discusses three major vehicle technologies — electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles — as well as advanced component technologies. Each technology is discussed in terms of cost, fueling and maintenance infrastructure, and performance. The report also discusses key legislation in the 108th Congress, as well as federal, state, and local activity relevant to these technologies. This report will be updated as events warrant.
Date: January 28, 2004
Creator: Yacobucci, Brent D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Affirmative Action Revisited: A Legal History and Prospectus

Description: Affirmative action remains a focal point of public debate as the result of legal and political developments at the federal, state, and local levels. This report discusses legislation related to affirmative action, as well as legal rulings on the topic and the federal government's role in first establishing and, later, attempting to curb affirmative action policies.
Date: January 30, 2004
Creator: Dale, Charles V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The African Cotton Initiative and WTO Agriculture Negotiations

Description: This report discusses the African cotton initiative, over which disagreement has blocked progress on an agreement on agriculture in the current round of multilateral trade negotiations known as the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). In World Trade Organization (WTO) Negotiations on agriculture, a group of African countries have proposed that all subsidies for cotton be eliminated by the end of four years. The proposal also advocates compensating African cotton producing countries for revenues estim… more
Date: January 16, 2004
Creator: Hanrahan, Charles E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Alternative Transportation Fuels and Vehicles: Energy, Environment, and Development Issues

Description: This report reviews several issues relating to alternative fuels and vehicles, mainly to combat dependence on petroleum imports and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The report discusses the advantages and drawbacks of various alternative fuels and vehicles, as well as related legislation.
Date: January 9, 2004
Creator: Yacobucci, Brent D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Appropriations for FY2004: District of Columbia

Description: This report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year.
Date: January 13, 2004
Creator: Boyd, Eugene
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Appropriations for FY2004: Energy and Water Development

Description: This report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year, related to energy and water development. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Energy and Water Development. It summarizes the status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related congressional activity, and is updated as events warrant.
Date: January 30, 2004
Creator: Behrens, Carl & Humphries, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Appropriations for FY2004: Legislative Branch

Description: This report is a guide to the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act (P.L. 108-83).
Date: January 16, 2004
Creator: Dwyer, Paul E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Arming Pilots Against Terrorism: Implementation Issues for the Federal Flight Deck Officer Program

Description: The report discusses the issues regarding the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135), which contains provisions to arm pilots of passenger aircraft and gives deputized pilots the authority to use force, including lethal force, to defend the flight deck against criminal and terrorist threats. The report includes the legislative Background, implementation issues, equipment, training, operational procedures and costs.
Date: January 9, 2004
Creator: Elias, Bartholomew
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Australia, the Southwest Pacific, and United States Interests

Description: This report discusses the details related to U.S interests in the South-west Pacific, U.S - Australian strategic relationships, Australia's role in the region, and China's growing regional influence
Date: January 7, 2004
Creator: Lum, Thomas & Vaughn, Bruce
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Bankruptcy Reform in the 108th Congress

Description: On March 19, 2003, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 975, the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2003. H.R. 975, as introduced, was substantially similar to the legislation (H.R. 333) approved by both the House and the Senate during the 107th Congress, but omitted the Schumer Amendment which would have prevented the discharge of liability for willful violation of protective orders and violent protests against providers of “lawful services,” including reproductive … more
Date: January 29, 2004
Creator: Welborn, Angie A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002: Summary and Comparison with Previous Law

Description: The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 was enacted on March 27, 2002 as P.L. 107-155. It passed the House on February 14, 2002, as H.R. 2356 (Shays- Meehan), by a 240-189 vote. Its companion measure, on which it was largely based, had initially been passed by the Senate in 2001 as S. 27 (McCain-Feingold). On March 20, 2002, however, the Senate approved the House-passed H.R. 2356 by a 60- 40 vote, thus avoiding a conference to reconcile differences between S. 27 and H.R. 2356. The two primar… more
Date: January 9, 2004
Creator: Cantor, Joseph E. & Whitaker, L. Paige
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Border Security and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Description: The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to improve border security is a technique that has garnered congressional attention. This report examines the strengths and limitations of deploying UAVs along the borders and related issues for Congress. This report is not intended to provide in-depth information regarding technical or military capabilities of UAVs, but to discuss their application at the border.
Date: January 2, 2004
Creator: Blazakis, Jason
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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“Boutique Fuels” and Reformulated Gasoline: Harmonization of Fuel Standards

Description: This report discusses how gasoline composition is regulated,explains various federal and state gasoline standards,presents some of the key issues with federal RFG program and some of the problems associated with the boutique fuels issue and the potential effects of harmonization.Finally discusses the bills in the 108th Congress related to boutique fuels,RFG and harmonization.
Date: January 9, 2004
Creator: Yacobucci, Brent D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Brief Facts About Congressional Pensions

Description: This report contains a table that lists the number of retired Members of Congress and the average amount of congressional pension they receive in retirement.
Date: January 13, 2004
Creator: Purcell, Patrick J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Broadband Internet Access: Background and Issues

Description: From a public policy perspective, the goals are to ensure that broadband deployment is timely, that industry competes fairly, and that service is provided to all sectors and geographical locations of American society. The federal government -- through Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) -- is seeking to ensure fair competition among the players so that broadband will be available and affordable in a timely manner to all Americans who want it. While the FCC's position is not… more
Date: January 21, 2004
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A. & Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Campaign Finance: Constitutional and Legal Issues of Soft Money

Description: Prior to enactment of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA), P.L. 107-155, the term “soft money” generally referred to unregulated funds, perceived as resulting from loopholes in the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), 2 U.S.C. §§ 431 et seq. Generally, the intent of BCRA, (effective Nov. 6, 2002), which amends FECA, is to restrict the raising and spending of soft money. This Issue Brief discusses constitutional and legal issues surrounding two major types of soft money that BCRA … more
Date: January 22, 2004
Creator: Whitaker, L. Paige
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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