Congressional Research Service Reports - 66 Matching Results

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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding

Description: This report discusses the firefighting activities that are traditionally the responsibility of states and local communities. The report also talks about the funding for firefighters, which is provided mostly by state and local governments. However, during the 106th Congress, many in the fire community asserted that local fire departments require and deserve greater support from the federal government.
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Discretionary Budget Authority by Subfunction: An Overview

Description: President Obama's FY2013 budget submission was released on February 13, 2012. This report provides a graphical overview of historical trends in discretionary budget authority (BA) from FY1976 through FY2011, enacted levels for FY2012 spending, and the levels consistent with the President's proposals for FY2013 through FY2017. Spending caps and budget enforcement mechanisms established in the Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011 will probably strongly affect the FY2013 budget cycle. This report may … more
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Austin, D. Andrew
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Extending the Temporary Payroll Tax Reduction: A Brief Description and Economic Analysis

Description: This report briefly discusses economic stimulus considerations related to temporary payroll tax reductions. In addition, as the Social Security trust fund is made whole through a transfer from the general fund, select options to offset this increase in the deficit will be examined to illustrate how the choice offsets can affect the net amount of economic stimulus provided.
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Marples, Donald J. & Sherlock, Molly F.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Employees' Retirement System: Benefits and Financing

Description: Most civilian federal employees who were hired before 1984 are covered by the Civil Service Retirement System, and contribute 7.0% of their pay to a retirement fund. Federal employees hired in 1984 or later are covered by the Federal Employees' Retirement System and contribute 0.8% of their pay to a retirement fund. Both require participants to contribute toward the cost of their pensions through a payroll tax. The taxable wage base is $110,100 in 2012. This report discusses both retirement fun… more
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Isaacs, Katelin P.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Latin America and the Caribbean: U.S. Policy and Key Issues for Congress in 2012

Description: This report provides an overview of U.S. policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean, including the Obama Administration's priorities for U.S. policy and a brief comparison of policies under the Obama and Bush Administrations. It then examines congressional interest in Latin America, first providing an overview, and then looking at selected countries and regional issues and identifying key policy issues facing Congress in 2012. The final section of the report analyzes several upcoming events … more
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P.; Beittel, June S.; Leland, Anne; Meyer, Peter J.; Ribando Seelke, Clare & Taft-Morales, Maureen
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Latin America and the Caribbean: U.S. Policy and Key Issues for Congress in 2012

Description: This report provides an overview of U.S. policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean, including the Obama Administration's priorities for U.S. policy and a brief comparison of policies under the Obama and Bush Administrations. It then examines congressional interest in Latin America, first providing an overview, and then looking at selected countries and regional issues and identifying key policy issues facing Congress in 2012. The final section of the report analyzes several upcoming events … more
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P.; Beittel, June S.; Leland, Anne; Seelke, Clare Ribando & Taft-Morales, Maureen
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The New START Treaty: Central Limits and Key Provisions

Description: The United States and Russia signed a new strategic arms reduction treaty - known as New START - on April 8, 2010. This treaty is designed to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty (START), which expired, after 15 years of implementation, on December 5, 2009. This report provides an overview of New START, including a comparison to the original START Treaty, the belief of the Obama Administration and outside analysts that New START will enhance U.S. national security, and the criticis… more
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The New START Treaty: Central Limits and Key Provisions

Description: The United States and Russia signed a new strategic arms reduction treaty - known as New START - on April 8, 2010. This treaty is designed to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty (START), which expired, after 15 years of implementation, on December 5, 2009. This report provides an overview of New START, including a comparison to the original START Treaty, the belief of the Obama Administration and outside analysts that New START will enhance U.S. national security, and the criticis… more
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nonstrategic Nuclear Weapons

Description: During the Senate debate on the new U.S.-Russian Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) in 2010, many Senators raised questions about Russian nonstrategic nuclear weapons and noted their absence from the treaty limits. The United States and Russia have not included limits on these weapons in past arms control agreements. Nevertheless, Congress may press the Administration to seek solutions to the potential risks presented by these weapons in the future. This report looks at issues for Cong… more
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program

Description: In response to concerns over the adequacy of firefighter staffing, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Act—popularly called the “SAFER Act”—was enacted by the 108th Congress as Section 1057 of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 108-136). The SAFER Act authorizes grants to career, volunteer, and combination local fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry-minimum standards and attain 24-hour staff… more
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program

Description: In response to concerns over the adequacy of firefighter staffing, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Act—popularly called the “SAFER Act”—was enacted by the 108th Congress as Section 1057 of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 108-136). The SAFER Act authorizes grants to career, volunteer, and combination local fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry-minimum standards and attain 24-hour staff… more
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S.-Japan Economic Relations: Significance, Prospects, and Policy Options

Description: Japan and the United States are the two largest economic powers. Together they account for over 30% of world domestic product, for a significant portion of international trade in goods and services, and for a major portion of international investment. This economic clout makes the United States and Japan potentially powerful actors in the world economy. Economic conditions in the United States and Japan have a significant impact on the rest of the world. Furthermore, the U.S.-Japan bilateral ec… more
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Cooper, William H.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Oversight of Intelligence: Current Structure and Alternatives

Description: This report, to be updated as events dictate, describes the current select committees on intelligence; characteristics and a model for a possible joint committee; recent actions by Congress; and obstacles affecting legislative oversight in the field.
Date: March 14, 2012
Creator: Halchin, L. Elaine & Kaiser, Frederick M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cybersecurity: Selected Legal Issues

Description: This report discusses selected legal issues that frequently arise in the context of recent legislation to address vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure to cyber threats, efforts to protect government networks from cyber threats, and proposals to facilitate and encourage sharing of cyber threat information amongst private sector and government entities. This report also discusses the degree to which federal law may preempt state law.
Date: March 14, 2012
Creator: Liu, Edward C.; Stevens, Gina; Ruane, Kathleen Ann; Dolan, Alissa M. & Thompson, Richard M., II
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military Justice: Courts-Martial, An Overview

Description: Recent high profile military-related cases involving U.S. armed forces in Afghanistan, including the deadly attack on Afghan civilians allegedly by a service member, the accidental burning of the Quran, and service members allegedly urinating on Afghan corpses, have resulted in increased public and congressional interest in military discipline and the military justice system. The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) authorizes three types of courts-martial: (1) summary court-martial; (2) spe… more
Date: March 14, 2012
Creator: Mason, R. Chuck
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Russia's March 2012 Presidential Election: Outcome and Implications

Description: Challenges to Russia's democratic development have long been of concern to Congress as it has considered the course of U.S.-Russia cooperation. Some in Congress have criticized the conduct of the election, but have endorsed continued engagement, while others have called for stepping back and reevaluating the Obama Administration's engagement policy which assists in solving mutual strategic concerns. Congress may consider the implications of another Putin presidency, lagging democratization, and… more
Date: March 14, 2012
Creator: Nichol, Jim
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Trade Remedy Laws and Nonmarket Economies: A Legal Overview

Description: Two major U.S. trade remedies are antidumping (AD) law, which combats the sale of imported products at less than their fair market value, and countervailing duty (CVD) law, which aims to offset foreign government subsidization of imported goods. This report discusses these two law's impact on U.S. foreign relations.
Date: March 14, 2012
Creator: Grimmett, Jeanne J.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy

Description: The uprising that began in Bahrain on February 14, 2011, following the revolt that overthrew Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak three days earlier, began a political crisis that defies resolution. The ongoing unrest demonstrates that the grievances of the Shiite majority over the distribution of power and economic opportunities were not satisfied by prior efforts. The bulk of the Shiite majority in Bahrain says it demands a constitutional monarchy in which an elected parliament produces the govern… more
Date: May 14, 2012
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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