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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding

Description: This report discusses the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, also known as fire grants of the FIRE Act grant program. The program provides federal grants directly to local fire departments and unaffiliated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations to help address a variety of equipment, training, and other firefighter-related and EMS needs. This report also discusses the possible reauthorization of AFG and the related Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefigh… more
Date: September 22, 2008
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Bush Administration Policy Regarding Congressionally Originated Earmarks: An Overview

Description: This report focuses on Bush Administration policy regarding earmarks originated by Congress and related issues. Specific definitions for the term earmark (and related terms, like congressional earmark, presidential earmark, and others) vary considerably and are controversial.
Date: September 4, 2008
Creator: Brass, Clinton T.; Hatch, Garrett L. & Petersen, R. E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Defense Base Act (DBA): The Federally Mandated Workers' Compensation System for Overseas Government Contractors

Description: This report provides an overview of the Defense Base Act (DBA) and the systems used to provide DBA insurance at the Department of State (DOS), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Also included are criticisms of the current DOD DBA policy raised by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and Army auditors as well as responses to those criticisms by DOD and USACE. The report concludes with a discu… more
Date: September 15, 2008
Creator: Grasso, Valerie Bailey; Szymendera, Scott & Webel, Baird
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense: FY2009 Authorization and 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: September 29, 2008
Creator: Towell, Pat; Daggett, Stephen & Belasco, Amy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Entitlements and Appropriated Entitlements in the Federal Budget Process

Description: Entitlements are programs that require payments to persons, state or local governments, or other entities if specific eligibility criteria established in the authorizing law are met. Entitlement payments are legal obligations of the federal government, and eligible beneficiaries may have legal recourse if full payment under the law is not provided. This report provides a brief explanation of spending for entitlements, including so-called appropriated entitlements, and discusses the congressiona… more
Date: September 2, 2008
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in Conservatorship

Description: On September 7, 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that play a critical play in the U.S. home mortgage market, in conservatorship. As conservator, the FHFA has full powers to control the assets and operation of the firms. Dividends to common and preferred shareholders are suspended, but the U.S. Treasury has put in place a set of financing agreements to ensure that the GSEs continue to meet their obligat… more
Date: September 15, 2008
Creator: Jickling, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Funding Gaps: A Brief Overview

Description: The interval during the fiscal year when agency appropriations are not enacted into law, either in the form of a regular appropriations act or a continuing resolution, is referred to as a funding gap. When a funding gap occurs, the federal government begins a shutdown of the affected agencies, entailing the prompt furlough of non-emergency personnel and curtailment of agency activities. This report discusses the funding gaps that occurred between FY1977-FY2008, as well as the events surrounding… more
Date: September 24, 2008
Creator: Keith, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Research and Development Funding at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Description: This report discusses funding for the historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). HBCUs comprise approximately 2.3% of all institutions of higher education, and enroll approximately 11.6% of all black students attending post-secondary institutions.
Date: September 26, 2008
Creator: Matthews, Christine M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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FY2009 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Policy Issues

Description: This report focuses exclusively on the annual defense authorization process. Military personnel issues typically generate significant interest from many Members of Congress and their staffs.
Date: September 30, 2008
Creator: Kapp, Lawrence; Burrelli, David F.; Henning, Charles A. & Best, Richard A., Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Homeland Security Department: FY2009 Appropriations

Description: This report is a guide to one of the regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It summarizes the status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related congressional activity, and is updated as events warrant.
Date: September 25, 2008
Creator: Lake, Jennifer E.; Nuñez-Neto, Blas; Lister, Sarah A.; Siskin, Alison & Haddal, Chad C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Long-Range Ballistic Missile Defense in Europe

Description: This report discusses how successive U.S. governments have urged the creation of an anti-missile system to protect against long-range ballistic missile threats from adversary states. The proposed U.S. system has encountered resistance in some European countries and beyond.
Date: September 3, 2008
Creator: Hildreth, Steven A. & Ek, Carl
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies: FY2009 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 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittees. It summarizes the status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related congressional activity, and is updated as events warrant.
Date: September 17, 2008
Creator: Else, Daniel H.; Scott, Christine & Panangala, Sidath Viranga
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Peacekeeping/Stabilization and Conflict Transitions: Background and Congressional Action on the Civilian Response/Reserve Corps and other Civilian Stabilization and Reconstruction Capabilities

Description: This report provides background information relating to the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS) in the Office of the Secretary of State. This office was created in mid-2004 as part of the Bush Administration's efforts to develop adequate civilian organizational structures, procedures, and personnel to respond effectively to post-conflict, "stabilization and reconstruction" situations, most especially in Afghanistan and Iran. This report also discusses proposal… more
Date: September 18, 2008
Creator: Serafino, Nina M. & Weiss, Martin A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Resolution Trust Corporation: Historical Analysis

Description: In a 1989 legislative response to financial troubles in the thrift industry, the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA, P.L. 101-73) was enacted. FIRREA's principal mission was to conduct a partially tax-payer funded program to address the troubles of the nation's many insolvent thrifts. To do so, it established a new entity, the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC), whose mission was to address troubled thrifts by arranging their sale to other institutions … more
Date: September 26, 2008
Creator: Shorter, Gary
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Submission of the President's Budget in Transition Years

Description: At the time of a presidential transition, one question commonly asked is whether the outgoing or incoming President submits the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Under past practices, outgoing Presidents in transition years submitted a budget to Congress just prior to leaving office and incoming Presidents usually revised them. President George W. Bush has indicated that he will not submit a budget for FY2010, which is subject to a deadline of Monday, February 2, 2009. The Office of Manageme… more
Date: September 15, 2008
Creator: Keith, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans Medical Care: FY2009 Appropriations

Description: This report provides a brief background on the veterans' health care system, followed by a discussion of the FY2009 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) budget request, and House and Senate Appropriations Committee action. The report concludes with a discussion of major VHA budget issues.
Date: September 22, 2008
Creator: Panangala, Sidath Viranga
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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