Congressional Research Service Reports - 136 Matching Results
Search Results
- The Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) and the Army's Future Combat System (FCS): Issues for Congress
- No Description Available.
- Messages, Petitions, Communications, and Memorials to Congress
- No Description Available.
- FCC Media Ownership Rules: Current Status and Issues for Congress
- This report provides information about Current Status and Issues for Congress on FCC Media Ownership Rules. FCC modified five of its media ownership rules easing restrictions on the ownership of multiple Television stations.
- Data Security: Protecting the Privacy of Phone Records
- This report provides a brief discussion of efforts to protect the privacy of customer telephone records
- An Emergency Communications Safety Net: Integrating 911 and Other Services
- No Description Available.
- An Emergency Communications Safety Net: Integrating 911 and Other Services
- No Description Available.
- Reauthorizing the Satellite Home Viewing Provisions in the Communications Act and the Copyright Act: Issues for Congress
- This report discusses issues in the current and public policy debate regarding the communications act and the copyright act.
- Wireless Privacy and Spam: Issues for Congress
- This report provides an overview of the issues for congress on wireless privacy and spam.
- Obscenity and Indecency: Constitutional Principles and Federal Statutes
- This report examines federal law regarding obscenity and indecency. The First Amendment provides: “Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” In general, the First Amendment protects pornography, with this term being used to mean any erotic material. The Supreme Court, however, has held that the First Amendment does not protect two types of pornography: obscenity and child pornography. Consequently, they may be banned on the basis of their content, and federal law prohibits the mailing of obscenity, as well as its transport or receipt in interstate or foreign commerce.
- Legal Challenge to the FCC’s Media Ownership Rules: An Overview of Prometheus Radio v. FCC
- This report provides an overview of the Commission's 2002 Biennial Review from which the 2003 rules originated and the Prometheus case.
- Legal Challenge to the FCC’s Media Ownership Rules: An Overview of Prometheus Radio v. FCC
- This report provides an overview of the Commission's 2002 Biennial Review from which the 2003 rules originated and the Prometheus case, and addresses the status of the Commission's regulations.
- Speechwriting in Perspective: A Brief Guide to Effective and Persuasive Communication
- This report seeks to provide some guidance for congressional staff on the principles and practice of speechwriting. The suggestions offered herein, when combined with practice, attention to audience and occasion, and, most importantly, the Member’s attitudes, convictions, and style, can help create a speech that can be a “seamless garment” when delivered by the Member.
- Public Printing Reform: Issues and Actions
- The Government Printing Office (GPO) is designated the principal agent for almost all federal government printing. This report reviews recent legal, management, policy, and technological challenges to the GPO printing system and public printing reform efforts of the 105th, 106th, and current Congresses, and tracks current efforts to address existing problems in this area.
- Obscenity and Indecency: Constitutional Principles and Federal Statutes
- his report examines federal law regarding obscenity and indecency. The First Amendment provides: “Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” In general, the First Amendment protects pornography, with this term being used to mean any erotic material. The Supreme Court, however, has held that the First Amendment does not protect two types of pornography: obscenity and child pornography. Consequently, they may be banned on the basis of their content, and federal law prohibits the mailing of obscenity, as well as its transport or receipt in interstate or foreign commerce.
- Emergency Communications: The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and All-Hazard Warnings
- This report summarizes the technology and administration of EAS and the NOAA/NWS all-hazard network, new programs in DHS, and some of the key proposals for change.
- The Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape
- This report provides an overview of the current structure of the federal communications commission and its role in the changing telecommunications landscape.
- Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
- This report provides information about the Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide through Federal Assistance Programs. Digital Divide has been used to characterize the gap between "information have and have-nots".
- Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
- This report provides information about the Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide through Federal Assistance Programs. Digital Divide has been used to characterize the gap between "information have and have-nots".
- Advertising Industry in the Digital Age
- This report discusses regulatory challenges faced by policymakers as the advertising industry enters a period of far-reaching change brought about by the economic downturn and structural shifts as consumers move to the Internet and other digital platforms for news, entertainment, and socializing.
- Post Office and Retail Postal Facility Closures: Overview and Issues for Congress
- The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced in May 2009 that it was considering the closure of 3,105 of its 4,851 post office branches and stations. Since the original announcement, the USPS has indicated that the number of possible closures may be more than 3,200. This report provides (1) information on this recent announcement; (2) historical data on the number of post offices and other retail postal facilities; (3) an explanation of the legal authorities relevant to retail postal facility closures; (4) a review of the retail postal facility closure processes, including data on public appeals of closures, and H.R. 658's proposed alterations to the processes; and (5) a concluding discussion that suggests observations and possible issues for Congress.
- Open Access Publishing and Citation Archives: Background and Controversy
- This report begins with an inventory of basic information: definitions and guides to histories of the growth of open access publishing and citation archives and descriptions of selected major open access activities. It moves on to summarize major points of difference between proponents and opponents of nongovernmental open access publishing and databases, and then highlights federal, including National Institutes of Health (NIH), open access activities and contentious issues surrounding these developments. The report also briefly describes open access developments in the United Kingdom (where a number of governmental and nongovernmental initiatives have occurred) and in the international arena. Finally, controversial issues which could receive attention in the 109th Congress are summarized.
- Emergency Communications: The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and All- Hazard Warnings
- This report summarizes the technology and administration of EAS and some current proposals for an all-hazard network.
- Emergency Communications: The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and All-Hazard Warnings
- This report summarizes the technology and administration of EAS and the NOAA/NWS all-hazard network, and some of the key proposals for change.
- Emergency Communications: The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and All- Hazard Warnings
- This report summarizes the technology and administration of EAS and some current proposals for an all-hazard network.
- Post Office and Retail Postal Facility Closures: Overview and Issues for Congress
- This report provides information on the announcement that the United States Postal Service was considering the closure of 3,105 branches; historical data on the number of post offices and other retail postal facilities; an explanation of the legal authorities relevant to retail postal facility closures; a review of the retail postal facility closure processes, including data on public appeals of closures, and H.R. 658's proposed alterations to the processes; and a concluding discussion that suggests observations and possible issues for Congress.
- Journalists' Privilege: Overview of the Law and Legislation in the 110th and 111th Congresses
- This report gives an overview of the law regarding journalistic privilege. Included are the responses of the 110th and 111th Congresses regarding the law.
- Changing Postal ZIP Code Boundaries
- This report discusses the changing of ZIP Code system and the implications of such an action. The process places responsibility on district managers, rather than local postmasters, to review requests for boundary adjustment, to evaluate costs and benefits of alternative solutions to identified problems, and to provide a decision within 60 days.
- The U.S. Postal Service and Six-Day Delivery: Issues for Congress
- This report will examine the history of six-day mail delivery and analyze potential effects of reducing USPS delivery from six to five days. It will then examine legislative options for the 111th Congress.
- Emergency Communications: Policy Options at a Crossroads
- No Description Available.
- The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act
- President George W. Bush signed the Postal Enhancement and Accountability Act (P.L. 109-435) on December 20, 2006. This report briefly describes Congress’s pursuit of postal reform, summarizes the major provisions of the new postal reform law, and identifies possible P.L. 109-435 oversight issues for Congress.
- Facsimile Advertising Rules Under the Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005
- No Description Available.
- Summary of the Proposed Rule for the Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information
- This report provides a summary of the proposed rule issued November 3, 1999 to protect the privacy of individually identifiable health information.
- Facsimile Advertising Rules Under the Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005
- No Description Available.
- The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act: Overview and Issues for Congress
- This report describes Congress's pursuit of postal reform, and summarizes the major provisions of the new postal reform law. The report also suggests PAEA-related oversight issues for Congress. President George W. Bush signed the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA; P.L. 109-435; 120 Stat. 3198) on December 20, 2006. The PAEA was the first broad revision of the 1970 statute that replaced the U.S. Post Office with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), a self-supporting, independent agency of the executive branch.
- Going to Conference in the Senate
- This report discusses the steps that the Senate must take, and one more step that it may take, as it arranges to send a bill to conference committee.
- Naming Post Offices Through Legislation
- This report describes how the practice of naming post offices through public law originated and how it is commonly done today. House and Senate practices for approving such legislation, and procedures followed by the U.S. Postal Service in organizing a dedication ceremony, are also described.
- Going to Conference in the Senate
- This report discusses the steps that the Senate must take, and one more step that it may take, as it arranges to send a bill to conference committee.
- The U.S. Newspaper Industry in Transition
- This report analyzes the current crises that the U.S. newspaper industry is facing in light of the recent economic downturn and the increasing number of readers who turn to the Internet for their news instead of to traditional media. Congress has begun debating whether the financial problems in the newspaper industry pose a public policy issue that warrants federal action.
- 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.
- The FCC's Political Broadcasting Regulations
- This report provides an overview of the Federal Communication Commission's political broadcasting regulations, including general public interest obligations; the equal opportunity (equal time) regulations; and the various interpretations of the Fairness Doctrine, which is no longer enforced by the Commission. A brief section of frequently asked questions regarding political broadcasting is also provided.
- 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.
- The Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and Its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape
- This report provides information about The Current Structure and Its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape on the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC is an independent agency with its five members appointed by the president.
- The FCC’s Broadcast Media Ownership Rules
- This report provides information about The FCC’s Broadcast Media Ownership Rules which is intended to foster the three long-standing goals of U.S media policy-competition, localism, and diversity of voices.
- Digital Surveillance: The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act
- This report provides information about The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act on Digital Surveillance. CALEA is intended to preserve the ability of law enforcement officials to conduct electronic surveillance effectively and efficiently.
- FCC Media Ownership Rules: Current Status and Issues for Congress
- This report provides information about Current Status and Issues for Congress on FCC Media Ownership Rules. FCC modified five of its media ownership rules easing restrictions on the ownership of multiple Television stations.
- FCC Media Ownership Rules: Issues for Congress
- This report provides information about the Issues for Congress on FCC Media Ownership Rules. The media ownership rules strongly influences both the structure of the media sector and the relative negotiating power of individual companies and entire sector.
- FCC Media Ownership Rules: 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.
- The Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape
- This report provides information about The Current Structure and Its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape on the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC is an independent agency directly responsible for congress.
- The Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape
- This report provides information about The Current Structure and Its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape on the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC is an independent agency with its five members appointed by the president.
- FCC Media Ownership Rules: Current Status and Issues for Congress
- This report provides information about the Issues for Congress on FCC Media Ownership Rules. The media ownership rules strongly influences both the structure of the media sector and the relative negotiating power of individual companies and entire sector.