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China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities—Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report covers potential oversight issues for Congress in regard to China's military modernization effort. The following topics are discussed: whether the U.S. Navy in coming years will be large enough to adequately counter improved Chinese maritime anti-access forces while also adequately performing other missions of interest to U.S. policymakers around the world; the Navy's ability to counter Chinese ASBMs and submarines; and whether the Navy, in response to China's maritime anti-access c… more
Date: July 31, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report looks at the cost to fund the Coast Guard's program of record's (POR) call for procuring eight National Security Cutters (NSCs), 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), and 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRCs) as replacements for 90 aging Coast Guard cutters and patrol craft. It also addresses issues for maintenance, future acquisition, and definitions of the types of cutters.
Date: July 31, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Animal Waste and Water Quality: EPA’s Response to the Waterkeeper Alliance Court Decision on Regulation of CAFOs

Description: In October 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a regulation to revise a 2003 Clean Water Act rule governing waste discharges from large confined animal feeding operations. This report details the original 2003 rule, the Waterkeeper Alliance Decision and the EPA's 2008 revised rule.
Date: July 30, 2012
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Medicaid Financing and Expenditures

Description: This report provides an overview of Medicaid’s financing structure, including both federal and state financing issues. The Medicaid expenditures section of the report discusses economic factors affecting Medicaid, state variability in spending, and projected program spending. Other issues that are examined include congressional proposals to turn Medicaid into a block grant program, federal deficit reduction proposals affecting Medicaid, and state fiscal conditions affecting Medicaid financing a… more
Date: July 30, 2012
Creator: Mitchell, Alison
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Positive Train Control (PTC): Overview and Policy Issues

Description: This report gives and overview of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and discusses policy issues related to it. Congress passed the Act following several high-profile train accidents; it mandates positive train control (PTC) on many passenger and freight railroads by December 31, 2015.
Date: July 30, 2012
Creator: Peters, Jeffrey C. & Frittelli, John
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Executive Budget Process: An Overview

Description: This report outlines many of the budgetary procedures that are performed by the President, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and agencies. This report provides an overview of the development, submission, and justification of the President’s budget proposal. This report also describes how the President, OMB, and agencies execute the federal budget following the enactment of appropriations and other budgetary legislation by Congress.
Date: July 27, 2012
Creator: Christensen, Michelle D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federalism Issues in Surface Transportation Policy: Past and Present

Description: This report provides an historical perspective on contemporary federalism issues in surface transportation policy and examines some of the key provisions in MAP-21, focusing on those provisions that are most likely to affect federalism relationships in surface transportation policy.
Date: July 27, 2012
Creator: Dilger, Robert Jay
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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“Amazon” Laws and Taxation of Internet Sales: Constitutional Analysis

Description: This report covers ways in which states are attempting to capture taxes on Internet sales. Two basic approaches include imposing tax collection responsibilities on the retailer, and requiring remote sellers to provide tax information to the state and/or it's customers. This report covers the legality of both options.
Date: July 26, 2012
Creator: Lunder, Erika K. & Luckey, John R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Jackson-Vanik Amendment and Candidate Countries for WTO Accession: Issues for Congress

Description: This report gives an analysis of the unconditional most-favored-nation (MFN) status, or in U.S. statutory parlance, normal trade relations (NTR) status, which is a fundamental principle of the World Trade Organization (WTO). This conflicts with the U.S. laws under Title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 that limits trade status with several nations undergoing accession into the WTO. On June 12, 2012, Sen. Max Baucus introduced a bill with bipartisan co-sponsorship to authorize PNTR for Russia. The re… more
Date: July 26, 2012
Creator: Cooper, William H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military Service Records and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources

Description: This guide provides information on locating military unit histories and individual service records of discharged, retired, and deceased military personnel. It includes contact information for military history centers, websites for additional sources of research, and a bibliography of other publications.
Date: July 26, 2012
Creator: Gomez-Granger, Julissa & Leland, Anne
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and presents potential issues for Congress concerning the Navy’s ship force-structure goals and shipbuilding plans. The planned size of the Navy, the rate of Navy ship procurement, and the prospective affordability of the Navy’s shipbuilding plans have been matters of concern for the congressional defense committees for the past several years. Decisions that Congress makes on Navy shipbuilding programs can substantially affect Navy capabilities and fu… more
Date: July 26, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cuba: Issues for the 112th Congress

Description: Cuba remains a one-party communist state with a poor record on human rights. The country's political succession in 2006 from the long-ruling Fidel Castro to his brother Raul was characterized by a remarkable degree of stability. This report contains information on U.S. policy as related to Cuba, legislative action, and more related information.
Date: July 25, 2012
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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