Congressional Research Service Reports - 108 Matching Results
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- Representatives and Senators: Trends in Member Characteristics Since 1945
- Questions about the characteristics of Members of Congress, including their age, education, previous occupations, and other descriptors, are of ongoing interest to Members, congressional staff, and constituents. Some of these questions may be asked in the context of representation, in efforts to evaluate the extent to which Members of Congress reflect their constituencies and the nation at large. In other instances, questions arise about how the characteristics of Members have changed over time, which may speak in part to the history of Congress. This report provides profiles of Senators and Representatives in selected Congresses since 1945. It includes data based on Representatives and Senators serving on the first day of the 79th, 82nd, 87th, 92nd, 97th, 102nd, and 107th–112th Congresses for several demographic characteristics, as well as the tenure of Member service in Congress. The characteristics discussed include age, including the oldest and youngest Members of the House and Senate; congressional service tenure; sex; previous occupation; race and ethnicity; education; religion; and military service.
- Women in the United States Congress: 1917-2012
- This report identifies the names, committee assignments, dates of service, and (for Representatives) congressional districts of the 276 women who have served in Congress.
- Membership of the 112th Congress: A Profile
- Report that presents a profile of the membership of the 112th Congress (2011-2012). Statistical information is included on selected characteristics of Members, including data on party affiliation, average age, occupation, education, length of congressional service, religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity, foreign births, and military service.
- Membership of the 112th Congress: A Profile
- This report presents a profile of the membership of the 112th Congress (2011-2012). Statistical information is included on selected characteristics of Members, including data on party affiliation, average age, occupation, education, length of congressional service, religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity, foreign births, and military service.
- Child Labor in America: History, Policy, and Legislative Issues
- The history of child labor in America is long and unsavory. It dates back to the founding of the United States. Traditionally, most children, except for the privileged few, has always worked - either for their parents or for an outside employer. Through the years, however, child labor practices have changed. This report details the history of child labor in American, the Child Labor Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the re-emergence of the child labor issue in the late 20th century, and child labor initiatives in the 108th-112th Congresses.
- African American Members of the United States Congress: 1870-2012
- A history and current status report of African Americans in Congress.
- Members of Congress Who Die in Office: Historic and Current Practices
- Since 1973, 84 Members of Congress-69 Representatives, and 15 Senators-have died in office. When a sitting Member dies, the House and Senate carry out a number of actions based on chamber rules, statutes, and longstanding practices. This report discusses these actions.
- Post-Employment, "Revolving Door," Laws for Federal Personnel
- This report provides a brief discussion of the post-employment restrictions, often called "revolving door" laws, that are applicable to members, officers, and employees of Congress after they leave congressional service or employment.
- Health Benefits for Members of Congress
- Report that covers health benefits made available to Members of Congress through federal government employment, including Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), dental and vision insurance, flexible spending accounts, long-term care insurance, services at the Office of the Attending Physician and military hospitals, and Medicare. It also offers a comparison of FEHBP to health benefits offered by the private sector and state and local governments and a discussion of the effect of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on Members' health benefits.
- Congressional Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Legislative Considerations
- This report provides an overview and analysis of congressional advisory commissions, information on the general statutory structure of a congressional commission, and a catalog of congressional commissions created since the 101st Congress.
- Retirement Benefits for Members of Congress
- Report that covers the logistics and background of the Congressional Pension program.
- Community Development Block Grants: Funding Issues in the 112th Congress and Recent Funding History
- The FY 2013 budget debate will take place within the context of growing concerns about the need to address federal budget deficits, the national debt, and a sluggish economic recovery following the longest and deepest recession since the Great Depression. This report contains information on FY 2013 appropriations, FY 2012 appropriations, FY 2011 appropriations, Congressional action, and related topics.
- African American Members of the United States Congress: 1870-2012
- This report provides statistics on the current numbers and roles of African American Members of Congress as well as historical data on African American Members of Congress.
- Congressional Participation in Article III Courts: Standing to Sue
- This report seeks to provide an overview of Congress's ability to participate in litigation before Article III courts.
- The Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the 112th Congress: Conflicting Values and Difficult Choices
- The Endangered Species Act has been one of the more contentious environmental laws. This may stem from its strict substantive provisions, which can affect the use of both federal and nonfederal lands and resources. This report discusses oversight issues and legislation introduced in the 112th Congress to address Endangered Species Act implementation and management of endangered and threatened species.
- Violence Against Members of Congress and Their Staff: Selected Examples and Congressional Responses
- This report describes legislation introduced in the 112th Congress related to violence against Members and congressional staff, provides examples of violence in which Members of Congress were the apparent target, and some actions Congress has taken based in part on those incidents.
- The First Day of a New Congress: A Guide to Proceedings on the Senate Floor
- Report that describes the well-established routine that occurs on the opening day of a new Congress.
- Army Drawdown and Restructuring: Background and Issues for Congress
- This is a report about Army Drwdown and Restructuring, specifically background and issues for congress.
- Congressional Budget Resolutions: Historical Information
- A look at the history and processes of budget resolution in Congress.
- Congressional Salaries and Allowances
- Report that provides basic information on congressional salaries and allowances.
- Administrative Appeals in the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service
- This report describes Congressional interest in the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) appeal process due to rumors that it affects the BLM's capacity to handle various resources. Moreover, the report defines what an administrative appeal is, and describes the process required to undertake one. The report also lists the various types of administrative appeals.
- United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS): CRS Experts
- No Description Available.
- Introduction to the Legislative Process in the U.S. Congress
- Report that introduces the main steps through which a bill (or other item of business) may travel in the legislative process, from introduction to committee and floor consideration to possible presidential consideration.
- Casework in a Congressional Office: Background, Rules, Laws, and Resources
- Report that discusses House and Senate rules and guidelines, laws, and regulations affecting congressional casework, as well as the role of caseworkers. It also provides sample outlines and document templates for implementing and managing congressional casework.
- Congressional Nominations to U.S. Service Academies: An Overview and Resources for Outreach and Management
- Report that describes statutory requirements for allocating congressional nominations to service academies. It also identifies the qualifications that must be met by potential nominees. Includes a sample document.
- Drought in the United States: Causes and Issues for Congress
- This report provides information about the Causes and Issues for Congress on Drought in the United States. Drought has extended across two-thirds of the United States and had adversely affected agricultural producers.
- Dispute Settlement in the World Trade Organization (WTO): An Overview
- This report provides an overview about the Dispute Settlement in the World Trade Organization (WTO).
- Congressional Oversight of Agency Public Communications: Implications of Agency New Media Use
- This report intends to assist Congress in its oversight of executive branch agencies' public communications. Here, "public communications" refers to agency communications that are directed to the public.
- Senate Committee Rules in the 112th Congress: A Comparison of Key Provisions
- This report reviews the requirements contained in Senate rules pertaining to committees; it then explores how each Senate committee addresses 11 specific issues: 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 the unique provisions some committees have included in their rules in the miscellaneous category.
- Congress's Contempt Power and the Enforcement of Congressional Subpoenas: A Sketch
- This report examines the source of Congress's contempt power, analyzes the procedures associated with inherent contempt, criminal contempt, and the civil enforcement of subpoenas, and discusses the obstacles that face Congress in enforcing a contempt action against an executive branch official.
- How Measures Are Brought to the House Floor: A Brief Introduction
- Report that presents a brief description of the five parliamentary methods used to bring proposed legislation to the House floor for consideration. These methods allow for consideration as a privileged matter, under the limited privilege of a special calendar or day, under suspension of the rules, under the terms of a special rule, or by unanimous consent.
- Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies
- Report that offer a list of 200 congressional liaison offices.
- House Committee Hearings: Preparation
- Report containing a checklist that identifies many of the tasks that need to be performed for committee hearings.
- Filibusters and Cloture in the Senate
- Report that discusses major aspects of Senate procedure related to filibusters and cloture.
- Recall of Legislators and the Removal of Members of Congress from Office
- This report discusses the manner in which a Member of Congress may be removed from office by “expulsion,” and then examines the issue of “recall” of legislators.
- Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity
- This report describes Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity. Industry Hemp is a variety of cannabis Sativa and is of the same plant marijuana. However, Hemp is genetically different and distinguished by its use and chemical makeup. Precise data are not available in the U.S market for Hemp based products.
- Health Benefits for Members of Congress
- This report covers health benefits made available to Members of Congress through federal government employment, including FEHBP, dental and vision insurance, flexible spending accounts, long-term care insurance, and Medicare.
- The 2010 Census: Count Question Resolution Program
- This report describes the ways Congress members may challenge the 2010 census results. The report also outlines the amount of funding that is dispersed based on census data, and thus the motivation for members of Congress to do this. Moreover, the report lists the requirements for filing a challenge to the amount of funding assigned.
- Federal Contracting and Subcontracting with Small Businesses: Issues in the 112th Congress
- Congress has generally broad authority to impose requirements upon the federal procurement process, or the process whereby agencies obtain goods and services from the private sector. One of the many ways in which Congress has exercised this authority is by enacting measures intended to promote contracting and subcontracting with "small businesses" by federal agencies. This report describes and analyzes measures that Members of the 112th Congress have enacted or proposed in response to particular issues pertaining to small business contracting and subcontracting.
- Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables
- This report contains information on the pay procedure and recent adjustments. It also contains historical information on the rate of pay for Members of Congress since 1789; the adjustments projected by the Ethics Reform Act as compared to actual adjustments in Member pay; details on past legislation enacted with language prohibiting the annual pay adjustment; and Member pay in constant and current dollars since 1992.
- Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 112th Congress
- This report discusses immigration-related issues that have received legislative action or are of significant congressional interest in the 112th Congress.
- Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables
- This report contains information on the pay procedure and recent adjustments. It also contains historical information on the rate of pay for Members of Congress since 1789; the adjustments projected by the Ethics Reform Act as compared to actual adjustments in Member pay; details on past legislation enacted with language prohibiting the annual pay adjustment; and Member pay in constant and current dollars since 1992.
- Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 112th Congress
- This report discusses immigration-related issues that have received legislative action or are of significant congressional interest in the 112th Congress.
- Department of Defense Energy Initiatives: Background and Issues for Congress
- Report that provides background information and identifies issues for Congress on Department of Defense (DOD) energy initiatives.
- Department of Defense Energy Initiatives: Background and Issues for Congress
- The Department of Defense (DOD) spends billions of dollars per year on fuel, and is pursuing numerous initiatives for reducing its fuel needs and changing the mix of energy sources that it uses. DOD's energy initiatives pose several potential oversight issues for Congress, and have been topics of discussion and debate at hearings on DOD's proposed FY2013 budget.
- Department of Defense Energy Initiatives: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report gives an overview of fuel use by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and its pursuit of numerous initiatives for reducing its fuel needs and changing the mix of energy sources that it uses. The report includes an extensive background on DOD fuel use including how the DOD uses and buys fuel, challenges and risks associated with the DOD's fuel use, DOD energy initiatives, and past legislation that addressed DOD energy use; it also presents issues for Congress and legislative action to be addressed during FY2013.
- Department of Defense Energy Initiatives: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and identifies issues for Congress on Department of Defense (DOD) energy initiatives. DOD spends billions of dollars per year on fuel, and is pursuing numerous initiatives for reducing its fuel needs and changing the mix of energy sources that it uses. DOD's energy initiatives pose several potential policy and oversight issues for Congress, and have been topics of discussion and debate at hearings on DOD's proposed FY2013 budget. Congress' decisions on DOD energy initiatives could substantially affect DOD capabilities, funding requirements, and U.S. energy industries.
- Congressional Oversight and Related Issues Concerning International Security Agreements Concluded by the United States
- This report looks at issues arising from disputes between Congress and the executive branch. It begins by providing a general background on the types of international agreements that are binding upon the United States, as well as considerations affecting whether they take the form of a treaty or an executive agreement. Next, the report discusses historical precedents as to the role that security agreements have taken, with specific attention paid to past agreements entered with Afghanistan, Germany, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Iraq. The report discusses the oversight role that Congress exercises with respect to entering and implementing international agreements involving the United States.
- Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension: Issues and Background
- This report considers the U.S. Department of Agriculture's program for Research, Education, and Economics (REE). Moreover, the report discusses the amount of funding for the REE and debates the direction of it.
- The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction
- Congress annually considers several appropriations measures, which provide funding for numerous activities, for example, national defense, education, and homeland security, as well as general government operations. Congress has developed certain rules and practices for the consideration of appropriations measures, referred to as the congressional appropriations process. This report looks at this process as well as the three types of appropriates measures: regular appropriations bills, continuing resolutions, and supplemental appropriations bills.