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Pay-As-You-Go Procedures for Budget Enforcement

Description: “Pay-as-you-go” (PAYGO) procedures play an important role in enforcing budget policies with respect to the consideration of revenue and direct spending legislation. Generally, the purpose of PAYGO procedures is to discourage or prevent the enactment of legislation that would cause, or increase, a deficit or reduce a surplus.
Date: December 31, 2007
Creator: Keith, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Climate Change Legislation in the 110th Congress

Description: This report provides information about the Climate Change Legislation in the 109th Congress.climate change and greenhouses were issues in the 109th congress as they have been in the past congress.
Date: November 1, 2007
Creator: Yacobucci, Brent D. & Ramseur, Jonathan L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Legislative Procedures for Adjusting the Public Debt Limit: A Brief Overview

Description: This report discusses the procedure for adjusting the public debt limit. Nearly all of the outstanding debt of the federal government is subject to a statutory limit, which is set forth as a dollar limitation in 31 U.S.C. 3101(b). From time to time, Congress considers and passes legislation to adjust or suspend this limit.
Date: May 6, 2016
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Role in the World: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report presents background information and issues for Congress on the overarching U.S. foreign policy issue of the U.S. role in the world. Certain statements and actions from the Trump Administration have led to uncertainty about the Administration's intentions regarding the future U.S. role, and have intensified an ongoing debate among foreign policy specialists, strategists, policymakers, and the public about what that role should be. This report includes (particularly in its appendixes)… more
Date: August 17, 2017
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald & Moodie, Michael
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Selected Homeland Security Issues in the 115th Congress

Description: This report outlines an array of homeland security issues that may come before the 115th Congress. After a brief discussion of the definitions of homeland security, the homeland security budget, and the role of homeland security actors in the intelligence community, the report divides the specific issues into five broad categories: Counterterrorism and Security Management; Border Security and Trade; Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery; Cybersecurity; and DHS Management Issues. Each of… more
Date: May 11, 2017
Creator: Painter, William L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Procedures for Congressional Action in Relation to a Nuclear Agreement with Iran: In Brief

Description: This report provides, in brief, analysis of the congressional procedural provisions laid out in the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-17). The act establishes a period for Congress to review any comprehensive agreement, during which certain presidential actions to provide relief from sanctions on Iran are barred.
Date: September 11, 2015
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie & Beth, Richard S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Statutory Qualifications for Executive Branch Positions

Description: This report provides background on the framework for constitutional appointments, discusses Congress's constitutional authority to set qualifications for appointees, discusses congressional practices in this area, and provides related analysis and options. It also includes two tables with examples of existing positions with qualification requirements.
Date: September 9, 2015
Creator: Hogue, Henry B.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Senate Committee Rules in the 115th Congress: Key Provisions

Description: This report first provides a brief overview of Senate rules as they pertain to committee actions. The report then provides tables that summarize selected, key features of each committee's rules in regard to meeting day, hearing and meeting notice requirements, scheduling of witnesses, hearing quorum, business quorum, amendment filing requirements, proxy voting, polling, nominations, investigations, and subpoenas. In addition, the report looks at selected unique provisions some committees have i… more
Date: December 6, 2017
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Considering Legislation on the House Floor: Common Practices in Brief

Description: This report provides a brief overview that describes the most common ways legislation is considered on the House floor, the types of questions most likely to be voted on, and the opportunities for legislative debate that are most frequently used by Members.
Date: March 14, 2014
Creator: Rybicki, Elizabeth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Committee on Ethics: A Brief History of Its Evolution and Jurisdiction

Description: This report briefly outlines the background of ethics enforcement in the House of Representatives, including the creation of both the Select Committee on Ethics and the Committee on Ethics. The report also focuses on various jurisdictional and procedural changes that the committee has experienced since 1967 and discusses the committee's current jurisdiction and procedures.
Date: February 18, 2015
Creator: Straus, Jacob R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Military Commissions Act of 2009: Overview and Legal Issues

Description: This report provides a background and analysis comparing military commissions as envisioned under the revised Military Commissions Act (MCA) to those established in 2006. After reviewing the history of the implementation of military commissions in the "global war on terrorism," the report provides an overview of the procedural safeguards provided in the MCA. Finally, the report provides two tables comparing the MCA as amended by the MCA 2009 to the original MCA enacted in 2006 and to general co… more
Date: April 6, 2010
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Standing Committee Chairs and Ranking Minority Members: Rules Governing Selection Procedures

Description: House rules, Republican Conference rules, and Democratic Caucus rules each detail aspects of the procedures followed in selecting standing committee chairs and ranking minority members. This report summarizes those procedures and lists membership on each party's steering committee.
Date: March 20, 2015
Creator: Schneider, Judy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Budget Enforcement Procedures: Senate Pay- As-You-Go (PAYGO) Rule

Description: This report discusses the Senate pay-as-you-go, or PAYGO, rule which generally requires that any legislation projected to increase direct spending or reduce revenues must also include equivalent amounts of direct spending cuts, revenue increases, or a combination of the two, so that the legislation does not increase the on-budget deficit over a six-year period and an 11-year period.
Date: January 12, 2010
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Military Commissions Act of 2009 (MCA 2009): Overview and Legal Issues

Description: This report provides a background and analysis comparing military commissions as envisioned under the revised Military Commissions Act (MCA) to those established by the MCA 2006. After reviewing the history of the implementation of military commissions in the armed conflict against Al Qaeda and associated forces, the report provides an overview of the procedural safeguards provided in the MCA. Finally, the report provides two charts comparing the MCA as amended by the MCA 2009 to the original M… more
Date: May 13, 2013
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Insourcing Functions Performed by Federal Contractors: Legal Issues

Description: "This report provides a brief overview of key legal issues related to recent insourcing initiatives. While agencies are prohibited by federal law and policy from contracting out functions that are "inherently governmental," other functions could potentially be contracted out. There has long been debate over both general government policies promoting the use of the private sector to perform "commercial functions," and whether specific functions should be performed by government personnel or cont… more
Date: February 22, 2013
Creator: Manuel, Kate M. & Maskell, Jack
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Standing Committee Chairs and Ranking Minority Members: Rules Governing Selection Procedures

Description: This report discusses house rules, Republican Conference rules, and Democratic Caucus rules each detail aspects of the procedures followed in selecting standing committee chairs and ranking minority members. This report summarizes those procedures and lists membership on each party's steering committee.
Date: October 7, 2014
Creator: Schneider, Judy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Review Act: Disapproval of Rules in a Subsequent Session of Congress

Description: This report addresses some of the implications of the CRA with regard to agency rulemaking in the final months of a presidential administration. It first notes the practice of increased rulemaking activity during this period, and describes how this practice has been addressed by two White House memoranda issued during the current Bush Administration. The report then briefly identifies key elements of the complex set of time periods established by the CRA — elements that define points during the… more
Date: September 3, 2008
Creator: Copeland, Curtis W. & Beth, Richard S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Ebola: 2014 Outbreak in West Africa

Description: This report gives a overview of the West African Ebola outbreak that began in March, 2014. The report discusses the nature of the disease as well as local and international responses to it. The report also briefly examines U.S policy and congressional actions in the wake of the outbreak.
Date: August 8, 2014
Creator: Cook, Nicolas & Salaam-Blyther, Tiaji
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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An Overview of the Presidential Pardoning Power

Description: This report provides an overview of the scope of the President's pardoning power, the legal effects of a pardon, and the procedures that have traditionally been adhered to in the consideration of requests for pardons.
Date: January 7, 2009
Creator: Burrows, Vanessa K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Redistricting and the Voting Rights Act: A Legal Overview

Description: This report provides a legal overview of two key provisions of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) affecting congressional redistricting — Sections 2 and 5 — and selected accompanying Supreme Court case law. It examines a pending Supreme Court case, Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder, challenging the constitutionality of Section 5. It also provides a summary of selected legislation in the 112th and 113th Congresses that would establish additional requirements and standards for congressional redistricting. more
Date: April 2, 2013
Creator: Whitaker, L. Paige
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Medical Loss Ratio Requirements Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA): Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides a detailed description of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA, P.L. 111-148) requirements for Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) reporting and rebates as specified in regulations, including components of the MLR formula, state flexibility and waivers, and the nature of rebates to policyholders. The report also addresses issues that have been raised about the MLR provisions since the ACA was enacted, namely the treatment of insurance commissions paid to brokers and age… more
Date: August 26, 2014
Creator: Kirchhoff, Suzanne M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Committee on Ethics: A Brief History of Its Evolution and Jurisdiction

Description: This report briefly outlines the background of ethics enforcement in the House of Representatives, including the creation of both the Select Committee on Ethics and the Committee on Ethics. The report also focuses on various jurisdictional and procedural changes that the House Committee on Ethics has experienced since 1967, and discusses the committee's current jurisdiction and procedures.
Date: March 7, 2013
Creator: Straus, Jacob R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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