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Juneteenth: Fact Sheet

Description: This report describes Juneteenth (also known as Emancipation Day, Juneteenth Independence Day, and Black Independence Day), which celebrates the end of slavery in the United States.
Date: June 9, 2017
Creator: Higgins, Molly
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Charlottesville Car Crash Attack: Possibility of Federal Criminal Prosecution

Description: This report discusses the announcement that the Charlottesville, Virginia car crash attack is being investigated as a federal civil rights case. It also outlines the sections of the federal law under which the attack could be classified.
Date: August 15, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Fair Housing Act: HUD Oversight, Programs, and Activities

Description: This report discusses the Fair Housing Act from the perspective of the activities undertaken and programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and its Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO). After a brief summary of the Fair Housing Act, this report discusses each of these Fair Housing activities, as well as two other initiatives administered by FHEO, Limited English Proficiency and Section 3, the latter of which provides economic opportunities for … more
Date: May 5, 2017
Creator: Perl, Libby
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Supreme Court October Term 2017: A Preview of Select Cases

Description: This report highlights four of the notable cases of the new term that could impact the work of Congress: (1) Carpenter v. United States, which examines the limits the Fourth Amendment imposes on the warrantless collection of the historical cell phone location records of a criminal suspect; (2) Christie v. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), a case exploring whether Congress, by prohibiting a state from partially repealing a state law, impermissibly commandeers the powers of the st… more
Date: September 19, 2017
Creator: Nolan, Andrew; Brannon, Valerie C.; Garcia, Michael John; Harrington, Ben; Sykes, Jay B. & Whitaker, L. Paige
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Majority, Concurring, and Dissenting Opinions by Judge Neil M. Gorsuch

Description: This report provides a tabular listing of cases in which Judge Gorsuch authored a majority, concurring, or dissenting opinion. The opinions are categorized into three tables: Table 1 identifies opinions authored by Judge Gorsuch on behalf of a unanimous panel; Table 2 contains controlling opinions authored by Judge Gorsuch in which one or more panelists wrote a separate opinion; and Table 3 lists cases where Judge Gorsuch wrote a concurring or dissenting opinion.
Date: March 1, 2017
Creator: Garcia, Michael John; Herman, Sarah S.; Mulligan, Stephen P.; Tsang, Linda & Wyatt, Alexandra M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Grants to State and Local Governments: A Historical Perspective on Contemporary Issues

Description: This report provides a historical synopsis of the evolving nature of the federal grants-in-aid system, focusing on the role Congress has played in defining the system's scope and nature. It begins with an overview of the contemporary federal grants-in-aid system and then examines its evolution over time, focusing on the internal and external factors that have influenced congressional decisions concerning the system's development. It concludes with an assessment of the scope and nature of the co… more
Date: June 22, 2017
Creator: Dilger, Robert Jay
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Gold Medals, 1776-2016

Description: This report discusses the Congressional Gold Medal which is a sponsor proposals recognizing historic events and outstanding achievements by individuals or institutions.
Date: February 13, 2017
Creator: Glassman, Matthew Eric
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Supreme Court October Term 2016: A Review of Select Major Rulings

Description: This report highlights four particularly notable cases the Court heard and ruled on during the October 2016 term: Matal v. Tam, which examines the interplay between the First Amendment and trademark law; Sessions v. Morales-Santana, a case exploring the relationship between immigration law and the Court's Equal Protection jurisprudence; Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Comer, the latest chapter in the Court's Free Exercise jurisprudence; and Ziglar v. Abbasi, a case limiting the ty… more
Date: September 15, 2017
Creator: Nolan, Andrew; Brown, Cynthia; Garcia, Michael John; Lewis, Caitlin Devereaux & Peck, Sarah Herman
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Surface Transportation Devolution

Description: This report discusses proposals regarding the devolution of surface transportation building and maintenance to states and the economic and safety related impacts such an act might have. Arguments for and against the idea and recent revisions to surface transportation legislation which already reduce federal regulation are also discussed.
Date: April 12, 2017
Creator: Kirk, Robert S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunity in the Armed Services: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report starts by giving an overview of recent research on diversity and organizational management to demonstrate why organizations value diversity and what the findings on diversity mean in a military context. The next sections outline DOD's military personnel policies, processes and organizational structure for managing diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity. Following that, the report examines how the concept of diversity and inclusion has evolved over the history of the Armed Force… more
Date: October 4, 2017
Creator: Kamarck, Kristy N.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunity in the Armed Services: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report starts by giving an overview of recent research on diversity and organizational management to demonstrate why organizations value diversity and what the findings on diversity mean in a military context. The next sections outline DOD's military personnel policies, processes and organizational structure for managing diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity. Following that, the report examines how the concept of diversity and inclusion has evolved over the history of the Armed Force… more
Date: October 24, 2017
Creator: Kamarck, Kristy N.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress

Description: This report discusses the process of naming Navy ships, which have traditionally been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the Navy. Rules for giving certain types of names to certain types of Navy ships have evolved over time.
Date: August 15, 2017
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Judge Neil M. Gorsuch: His Jurisprudence and Potential Impact on the Supreme Court

Description: This report provides an overview of Judge Gorsuch's jurisprudence and discusses how the Supreme Court might be affected if he were to succeed Justice Scalia. It begins by discussing the nominee's views on two cross-cutting issues -- the role of the judiciary and statutory interpretation -- then addresses fourteen separate areas of law, arranged in alphabetical order, from "administrative law" to "takings." The report includes a table that notes the cases where the Supreme Court has reviewed maj… more
Date: March 8, 2017
Creator: Nolan, Andrew; Lewis, Caitlain Devereaux; Manuel, Kate M.; Cole, Jared P.; Elsea, Jennifer K. & Murrill, Brandon J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress

Description: This report discusses the Navy's ship naming practices and the process of choosing new ship names. Methods of Congress expressing support for a name and recent legislation recommending the name "Los Alamos" for the Navy's next nuclear submarine are also included.
Date: October 27, 2017
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies

Description: This report consists of a list of about 200 congressional liaison offices intended to help congressional offices in placing telephone calls and addressing correspondence to government agencies. Entries are arranged alphabetically in four sections: legislative branch; judicial branch; executive branch; and agencies, boards, and commissions.
Date: August 10, 2017
Creator: Crane-Hirsch, Audrey Celeste
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations for the Department of Justice

Description: This report provides a an overview of the 2017 fiscal year appropriations for the Department of Justice (DOJ) divided by department. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31) appropriates $28.962 billion for DOJ, an amount that is 0.4% less than the FY2016 appropriation and 2.9% less than what the Obama Administration requested.
Date: May 30, 2017
Creator: James, Nathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Domestic Terrorism: An Overview

Description: This report provides background regarding domestic terrorists--detailing what constitutes the domestic terrorism threat as suggested by publicly available U.S. government sources. It also illustrates some of the key factors involved in assessing this threat.
Date: August 21, 2017
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations for the Department of Justice

Description: This report discusses proposed appropriations for the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the 2018 fiscal year divided into each department of the DOJ. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31) appropriated $28.962 billion for DOJ while President Trump's proposed 2018 budget requests $28.205 billion for DOJ which amounts to 2.6% less than the FY2017-enacted appropriation.
Date: October 12, 2017
Creator: James, Nathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Commemorative Coins: Background, Legislative Process, and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the commemorative coin program that allows coins to be created for special events such as centennials and sold at or above face value to raise money for the sponsoring organization. Topics discussed are the history of the program, Congressional procedures for approval of a coin, design processes, and policy issues and implications for Congress to consider.
Date: August 15, 2017
Creator: Straus, Jacob R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Abortion: Judicial History and Legislative Response

Description: This report discusses legislative action related to abortion since the 1973 "Roe v. Wade" decision. Topics covered include Major Supreme Court cases related to abortion, restrictions on federal funding being used for abortions, and previous and current legislative actions related to abortion restriction.
Date: September 29, 2017
Creator: Shimabukuro, Jon O.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Senate Select Committee on Ethics: A Brief History of Its Evolution and Jurisdiction

Description: This report briefly outlines the background of ethics enforcement in the Senate, including the creation of the Select Committee on Standards and Conduct and the subsequent renaming of the committee as the Select Committee on Ethics. This report examines the history and evolution of the Committee, including its jurisdiction and investigative procedure, and also provides a brief overview of the Senate Code of Conduct.
Date: January 31, 2017
Creator: Straus, Jacob R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Navy John Lewis (TAO-205) Class Oiler Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the John Lewis (TAO205) class oiler shipbuilding program, a program to build a new class of 20 fleet oilers for the Navy. The TAO-205 program was previously known as the TAO(X) program. The first ship in the program was funded in FY2016 at a cost of $674.2 million. The Navy's proposed FY2018 budget requests $466.0 million in procurement funding for the second ship, which the Navy wants to procure in FY2018, and $75.1 million… more
Date: August 14, 2017
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Unfunded Mandates Reform Act: History, Impact, and Issues

Description: This report examines debates over what constitutes an unfunded federal mandate and the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act's (UMRA's) implementation. It focuses on UMRA's requirement that CBO issue written cost estimate statements for federal mandates in legislation, its procedures for raising points of order in the House and Senate concerning unfunded federal mandates in legislation, and its requirement that federal agencies prepare written cost estimate statements for federal mandates in rules. It a… more
Date: October 13, 2017
Creator: Dilger, Robert Jay
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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