Congressional Research Service Reports - 44 Matching Results
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- Selected Small Business Statistics
- This report gathers selected statistics on the role of small businesses in the national economy that Congress has frequently asked the Congressional Research Service (CRS) to provide. Most of the statistics are calculated by CRS from Census data. The report uses the widely accepted research definition that a small business has fewer than 500 employees.
- Accounting and Management Problems at Freddie Mac
- 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.
- The United States as a Net Debtor Nation: Overview of the International Investment Position
- This report provides an overview of the international investment position and the United states as a net debtor nation.
- Immigration: The Effects on Low-Skilled and High-Skilled Native-Born Workers
- 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.
- Trade Promotion Authority (TPA): Issues, Options, and Prospects for Renewal
- 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.
- Trade Remedy Legislation: Applying Countervailing Action to Nonmarket Economy Countries
- This report provides an overview on applying countervailing action to non market economy countries.
- Estate Taxes and Family Businesses: Economic Issues
- The report discusses an uncapped exemption and an uncapped exemption targeted at liquidity issues.
- Biofuels in the 2007 Energy and Farm Bills: A Side-by-Side Comparison
- This report provides a side-by-side comparision of biofuels-related provisions of current law with comparable provisions in the House and 2007 Senate energy and farm bills.
- Income and Poverty Among Older Americans in 2006
- This report provides an overview of the income and poverty among older Americans in 2006.
- Is the U.S. Current Account Deficit Sustainable?
- No Description Available.
- Why Has the Economy Become Less Volatile?
- The 2001 recession was unusually mild and brief by historical standards. At 120 months, the expansion that preceded it had been the longest in U.S. history. Is this a coincidence? A body of research concludes that it is not. This report discusses several theories for what caused this phenomenon.
- Corporate Tax Reform: Issues for Congress
- This report provides an overview of corporate tax issues and discusses potential reforms in the context of these issues, with particular attention to some of the recent research concerning large behavioral responses and their implications for revenue and distribution.
- United States’ Trade Remedy Laws and Non-market Economies: A Legal Overview
- This report contains an overview of the United States' trade remedy laws and non-market economies.
- FCC Media Ownership Rules: Current Status and Issues for Congress
- This report analyzes each of the areas that has changed as a result of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) actions and Court decisions. The various positions in the debate also are summarized.
- Economic Growth and the Business Cycle: Characteristics, Causes, and Policy Implications
- No Description Available.
- The FDA’s Authority to Recall Products
- This report provides information about the The FDA’s Authority to Recall Products. The FDA had fielded increasing number of question regarding recalls of unsafe imports, including jalapeno peppers.
- Walter Reed Army Medical Center: Realignment Under BRAC 2005 and Options for Congress
- This report details the BRAC Commission recommendation to create the WRNMMC, and the concomitant realignment of the WRAMC. It describes the concerns raised by the community before the BRAC Commission regarding the closure of the WRAMC main post and explains each of the 13 parts of the overall recommendation.
- Flow of Business: Typical Day on the Senate Floor
- This report discusses the Procedures that usually occur every session day, and notes certain business items that occurs less frequently.
- Distributional Effects of Taxes on Corporate Profits, Investment Income, and Estates
- Recent tax reductions reduce the effective tax rate on capital income in several different ways. Taxes on capital arise from individual taxes on dividends, interest, capital gains, and income from non-corporate businesses. This report contains data on the distribution of income by type and class, shifting the incidence of taxes, the effect of the savings response, and related information.
- Legal Issues Related to Prescription Drug Sales on the Internet
- This report provides a legal analysis of issues related to prescription drug sales on the Internet, including issues involving online pharmacies and physicians who prescribe medications over the Internet. This report also provides an overview of the various federal and state laws that regulate this field, including laws and regulations covering prescription drugs, controlled substances, doctors, and pharmacies.
- Largest Mergers and Acquisitions by Corporations, 2006
- This report provides a listing of the largest M&A transactions worldwide (value equivalent to $2 billion or more) that were proposed during 2006. The report includes the dates on which transactions were completed and shows M&A deals that were still pending as of December 31, 2006, or that were no successful. These data have been drawn from publicly available sources and have not been otherwise verified by the Congressional Research Service.
- Courts Narrow McCarran-Ferguson Antitrust Exemption for ”Business of Insurance”; Viability of ”State Action” Doctrine as an Alternative
- This report discusses the United States v. South-Eastern underwriter Ass'n that held that the federal antitrust laws were applicable to an insurance association's interstate activities in restrain of trade.
- Application of Campaign Finance Law to Indian Tribes
- This report is about the applications of Campaign Finance Law to Indian Tribes.
- Andean Counterdrug Initiative (ACI) and Related Funding Programs: FY2007 Assistance
- This report is about the Andean Counterdrug Initiative (ACI) and related Funding Programs in the fiscal year 2007.
- Alaska Natural Gas Pipelines: Interaction of the Natural Gas and Steel Markets
- In 1976, Congress approved legislation to establish the regulatory framework for building a pipeline to bring natural gas from the Alaska North Slope to the lower 48 states. This report focuses on two major issues or uncertainties that may serve as economic constraints on a capital investment undertaking of this major scale.
- The Terrorism Risk Insurance Program: Current Issues and Background
- This report provides an overview of the current Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) program, how the program has changed over time, and general background on the issue.
- Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE, or “Mad Cow Disease”): Current and Proposed Safeguards
- This report discusses the then Current and Proposed Safeguards related to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE, or “Mad Cow Disease”) in the United States.
- California Wildfires: The Role of Disaster Insurance
- This report discusses the tragic consequences of the wildfires that struck Southern California in October 2007, which have given renewed attention to the partnership between private providers of disaster insurance and the federal government. It also discusses the role of disaster insurance in that incident.
- Turkmenistan: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests
- This report examines the political, economic, and foreign policies of Turkmenistan, where a leadership succession unfolded in late 2006. The report discusses U.S. policy and assistance and provides basic facts and biographical information.
- Seafood Marketing: Combating Fraud and Deception
- This report reviews recent incidents of fraud and deception relating to seafood and examines several policy issues. Congress may become involved in oversight of how federal agencies are addressing these issues, and legislation related to these concerns may be introduced.
- The Advanced Technology Program
- This report summarizes the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) and its creation. According to the report, the ATP was created to insure competitive technologies with broad applications throughout multiple industries. The report also covers information surrounding the budget of the program and its funding.
- Gasoline Prices: Legislation in the 110th Congress
- This report provides information related to the high prices of Gasoline and discusses Legislation in the 110th Congress.
- Foreign Direct Investment: Current Issues
- This report presents an overview of current issues related to foreign direct investment in the economy and the development of U.S policy toward inward and outward direct investment. It also assesses the role of foreign direct investment in the economy and the costs and benefits of direct investment.
- Federal Advertising Law: An Overview
- This report provides a brief overview of federal law with respect to six selected advertising issues: alcohol advertising, tobacco advertising, the federal trade commission act, advertising by mail, advertising by telephone, and commercial e-mail.
- Gasoline Prices: Issues for the 110th Congress
- This report discusses the high prices of Gasoline and issues for the 110th Congress.
- The Gas to Liquids Industry and Natural Gas Markets
- This report analyzes the development of an industry, GTL, which may grow into a formidable competitor to LNG for worldwide natural gas supplies.
- Aviation Congestion and Delay: System-Wide and New York-Area Issues
- This report addresses System-Wide and New York-Area Issues of Aviation Congestion and Delay.
- Health Insurance: A Primer
- This report provides information related to health insurance. The content includes what it is, why is it needed, health insurance regulation, and how are private health benefits delivered and financed.
- The Terrorism Risk Insurance Program: Current Issues, Legislation, and Background
- This report provides an overview of the current Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) of 2002, which creates a temporary three-year program to share future insured terrorism losses with the property-casualty insurance industry and commercials policyholders. The report also provides general background on the issue, and a summary of current legislation.
- The Davis-Bacon Act: Institutional Evolution and Public Policy
- This report examines policy issues the Davis-Bacon Act has sparked through the years and which remain a part of the Davis-Bacon debate of the 1990s. These include such questions as: wage rate determination procedures, reporting requirements under the Copeland Act, an appropriate threshold for activation of the statute, interagency relationships with respect to Davis-Bacon enforcement and compliance activity, administrative or judicial appeals procedures, the use of "helpers" and other low-skilled workers on covered projects, and the right of a President to suspend the statute as well as the conditions under which such a suspension may occur. That the fundamental premise of the Act remains in contention after 60 years may be, itself, part of the public policy debate.
- Railroad Retirement Board Annuities for Widows and Widowers
- This report explains the provisions of the Railroad Retirement and Survivors' Improvement Act of 2001 law that affect widow(er) annuities and provides an illustration of the annuities under both prior law and current law.
- Offshore Oil and Gas Development: Legal Framework
- This report explains the nature of U.S. authority over offshore areas pursuant to international and domestic law. It also describes the laws, at both the state and federal levels, governing the development of offshore oil and gas and the litigation that has flowed from development under the current legal regimes.
- Federal Home Loan Bank System: Policy Issues
- 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.
- Pandemic Flu and Medical Biodefense Countermeasure Liability Limitation
- This report analyzes Division C of the Department of Defense Emergency Supplemental Appropriations, P.L. 109-148, which was signed into law on December 30, 2005, and which limits liability with respect to pandemic flu and other public health countermeasures.