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open access

Social Media Adoption by Members of Congress: Trends and Congressional Considerations

Description: This report examines Member adoption of social media platforms outside of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, such as Instagram, Flickr, and Google+, which have each been adopted by at least 2.5% of Representatives and Senators. It discusses the possible implications of the adoption of social media, including managing multiple platforms, the type of content and posting location, the allocation of office resources to social media communications, and archiving social media content.
Date: October 9, 2018
Creator: Straus, Jacob R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Obscenity and Indecency: Constitutional Principles and Federal Statutes

Description: 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 fede… more
Date: May 2, 2003
Creator: Cohen, Henry
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Fairness Doctrine: History and Constitutional Issues

Description: This report will discuss the history of the Fairness Doctrine, enforcement of the doctrine by the FCC, abolition of it by the FCC, efforts to effect and to prevent its reinstatement, and potential constitutional issues with reinstating the doctrine as applied to broadcasters and as applied to satellite and cable television providers.
Date: July 13, 2011
Creator: Ruane, Kathleen Ann
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Cloud Computing: Constitutional and Statutory Privacy Protections

Description: This report first describes cloud computing and how it differs from traditional computing. It then describes how the Fourth Amendment and federal electronic privacy statutes apply to communications in the physical world, to Internet communications generally, and specifically to the cloud. Finally, this report surveys recent legislation and other various proposals designed to update the existing statutory framework.
Date: March 22, 2013
Creator: Thompson, Richard M., II
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Speechwriting in Perspective: A Brief Guide to Effective and Persuasive Communication

Description: 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.
Date: April 12, 2007
Creator: Neale, Thomas H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Public Printing Reform: Issues and Actions

Description: 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.
Date: May 10, 2002
Creator: Relyea, Harold C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Obscenity and Indecency: Constitutional Principles and Federal Statutes

Description: 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 fede… more
Date: January 21, 2009
Creator: Cohen, Henry
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Speechwriting in Perspective: A Brief Guide to Effective and Persuasive Communication

Description: “Rhetoric,” wrote Aristotle, “is the power of determining in a particular case what are the available means of persuasion.” This report reviews some effective means for the rhetoric of persuasive communication in speeches written by congressional staff for Senators and Representatives.
Date: February 25, 1998
Creator: Neale, Thomas H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Advertising Industry in the Digital Age

Description: 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.
Date: November 9, 2009
Creator: Kirchhoff, Suzanne M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Speechwriting in Perspective: A Brief Guide to Effective and Persuasive Communication

Description: “Rhetoric,” wrote Aristotle, “is the power of determining in a particular case what are the available means of persuasion.” This report reviews some effective means for the rhetoric of persuasive communication in speeches written by congressional staff for Senators and Representatives.
Date: February 25, 1998
Creator: Neale, Thomas H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Post Office and Retail Postal Facility Closures: Overview and Issues for Congress

Description: 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 facil… more
Date: July 23, 2009
Creator: Kosar, Kevin R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Open Access Publishing and Citation Archives: Background and Controversy

Description: 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 d… more
Date: May 5, 2006
Creator: Knezo, Genevieve J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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