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Hedge Funds: Should They Be Regulated?

Description: In view of the growing impact of hedge funds on a variety of financial markets, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in October 2004 adopted a regulation that requires hedge funds to register as investment advisers, disclose basic information about their operations, and open their books for inspection. The regulation took effect in February 2006, but on June 23, 2006, a court challenge was upheld and the rule was vacated. S. 1402 and H.R. 2586 would reinstate the SEC's authority. H.R. 2… more
Date: July 2, 2007
Creator: Jickling, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Home Loan Bank System: Policy Issues

Description: This report provides a short history and basic description of the Federal Home Loan Bank System, its responsibilities, and its ties to the government. It also discusses issues affecting the Banks and highlights the differences between the FHLB and the other two housing-related GSEs.
Date: November 8, 2007
Creator: Murphy, Edward Vincent
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The 2006 Increase in U.S. Motor Vehicle Imports from Japan

Description: This report examines the increased imports of Japanese vehicles in context of a policy by the Japanese government to reduce the exchange rate of the yen. The report also examines other reasons for the increase in Japanese vehicle imports such as U.S. manufacturers not building the type of car primarily bought by consumers.
Date: March 13, 2007
Creator: Cooney, Stephen
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Airport Improvement Program: Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the Airport Improvement Program and its complement, the passenger facility charge (PFC), within the broader context of airport capital development finance. After a brief history of federal support for airport construction and improvement, the report describes AIP funding, its source of revenues, funding distribution, and the types of projects the program funds
Date: February 26, 2007
Creator: Kirk, Robert S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Housing Issues in the 110th Congress

Description: This report examines housing-related issues that have become prominent in the 110th Congress. Possibly the most visible issue is the prevalence of subprime loans and growing mortgage default and foreclosure rates. Congress has responded with numerous hearings and legislative proposals both to change the way in which the lending and home-buying industry is regulated and to assist borrowers who are facing default and foreclosure.
Date: November 1, 2007
Creator: Perl, Libby; McCarty, Maggie; Foote, Bruce E.; Boyd, Eugene; Getter, Darryl E.; Jackson, Pamela J. et al.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Understanding Mortgage Foreclosure: Recent Events, the Process, and Costs

Description: This report provides a general analysis and overview of current foreclosure issues addressed in the bills cited above. It begins with a description of the behavior of aggregate foreclosure rates. The behaviors of foreclosure rates are placed in the context of activity in the housing and mortgage market to illustrate any relationships. The foreclosure process is then explained, first from the point of view of a traditional financial lending institution, and then from the viewpoint of securitizat… more
Date: November 5, 2007
Creator: Getter, Darryl E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Accounting and Management Problems at Freddie Mac

Description: This report summarizes the extent of accounting and management problems at Freddie Mac. The report highlights the issues of selecting policies to report constant earnings, and undertaking certain transactions for the sake of creating a facade of reported earnings. Finally, the report discusses the consequences of these problems by stating that many of the Freddie Mac's executives have been replaced, fines were issued, and a lawsuit occurred.
Date: November 7, 2007
Creator: Jickling, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Agricultural Credit: Institutions and Issues

Description: The federal government has a long history of providing credit assistance to farmers by issuing direct loans and guarantees, and creating rural lending institutions. These institutions include the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which makes or guarantees loans to farmers who cannot qualify at other lenders, and the Farm Credit System (FCS), which is a network of borrower-owned lending institutions operating as a government-sponsored enterprise. This report… more
Date: March 8, 2007
Creator: Monke, Jim
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Immigration: The Effects on Low-Skilled and High-Skilled Native-Born Workers

Description: This report opens with a discussion of how to analyze the impact of immigrants on the pay and job opportunities of native-born workers. It then uses this framework to examine and interpret the empirical literature on the subject. The report concludes with a discussion of policy implications.
Date: January 16, 2007
Creator: Levine, Linda
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Trade Promotion Authority (TPA): Issues, Options, and Prospects for Renewal

Description: This report presents background on the development of TPA, a summary of the major provisions under the recently expired authority, and a discussion of the issues that have arisen in the debate over TPA renewal. It also explores the policy options available to Congress and will be updated as the congressional debate unfolds.
Date: July 12, 2007
Creator: Hornbeck, J. F. & Cooper, William H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Risk Management and Critical Infrastructure Protection: Assessing, Integrating, and Managing Threats, Vulnerabilities and Consequences

Description: This report is meant to support congressional oversight by discussing, in more detail, what this task entails and issues that need to be addressed. In particular, the report defines terms (e.g., threat, vulnerability, and risk), discusses how they fit together in a systematic analysis, describes processes and techniques that have been used to assess them, and discusses how the results of that analysis can inform resource allocation and policy.
Date: July 17, 2007
Creator: Moteff, John
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financial Services and General Government (FSGG): FY2008 Appropriations

Description: This report is a guide to a new appropriations bill that Congress is considering for the first time this year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Financial Services and General Government. It summarizes the status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related congressional activity.
Date: July 20, 2007
Creator: Hatch, Garrett L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financial Services and General Government (FSGG): FY2008 Appropriations

Description: This report is a guide to one of the regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Defense. For both defense authorization and appropriations, this report summarizes the status of the bills, their scope, major issues, funding levels, and related congressional activity.
Date: December 20, 2007
Creator: Hatch, Garrett L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Subprime Mortgages: Primer on Current Lending and Foreclosure Issues

Description: This report discusses the issue of subprime mortgages, which are loans extended to borrowers with weak credit profiles. Subprime mortgages entail higher risk of delinquency and default. Recent increases in subprime borrower foreclosures and lender bankruptcies have prompted concerns that some lenders’ underwriting guidelines are too loose and that some borrowers may not have fully understood the risks of the mortgage products they chose. Regulatory agencies are revisiting the guidance they prov… more
Date: March 19, 2007
Creator: Murphy, Edward Vincent
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Pension Funds Investing in Hedge Funds

Description: The proportion of U.S. corporate-defined benefit pension funds investing in hedge funds has increased to 24% in 2006, up from 19% in 2004 and 12% in 2000. Although statistics vary, total corporate pension fund assets allocated to hedge funds in 2006 was 2.1%. Because of hedge funds’ risky nature, rapid growth, lack of oversight, and recent losses, some wonder if they are appropriate investments for workers’ retirement funds. This report discusses concerns regarding hedge funds and examines poss… more
Date: June 15, 2007
Creator: Klunk, William
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The African Development Bank Group

Description: This report discusses the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, which is a regional development bank (RDB) "dedicated to combating poverty and improving the lives of people of the continent." It comprises three lending facilities: the market rate facility, the AfDB; a concessional lending facility, the African Development Fund; and a trust fund established by Nigeria to lend to low-income African countries. The Bank has 53 African members, as well as 24 non-regional members, including the Unit… more
Date: July 6, 2007
Creator: Weiss, Martin A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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