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Country Applicability of the U.S. Normal Trade Relations (Most-Favored-Nation) Status

Description: This report provides information about the Country Applicability of the U.S. Normal Trade Relations (Most-Favored-Nation) Status. The united states extends unlimited and permanent nondiscriminatory treatment to all of its trading partners.
Date: March 24, 2005
Creator: Pregelj, Vladimir N.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Continuity of Operations (COOP): An Overview of Concepts and Challenges

Description: This report discusses the circumstances surrounding COOP planning, including provisions for alternative meeting sites and methods for conducting House and Senate meetings and floor sessions when Capitol facilities are not available.
Date: March 25, 2005
Creator: Petersen, R. Eric & Seifert, Jeffrey W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Evolution of the Senate's Role in the Nomination and Confirmation Process: A Brief History

Description: Over time, the Senate has developed a series of procedures to deal with the concerns of its Members on nominations. First is the custom of senatorial courtesy, whereby Senators from the same party as the President might influence a nomination or kill it by objecting to it. This tradition has not always been absolute, but it has allowed Senators to play a fairly large role, particularly in the selection of nominees within a Senatorā€™s home state, such as for district court judgeships.
Date: March 29, 2005
Creator: Palmer, Betsy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Energy Policy: Legislative Proposals in the 109th Congress

Description: While introduction of energy legislation in the 109th Congress is pending, it remains unclear what its course may be. Some believe that the results of the fall 2004 election have heightened prospects for opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and gas development, and the Republican leadership has indicated that ANWR is to be included in the budget resolution that will come before Congress. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Pete Domenici has indicated tā€¦ more
Date: April 1, 2005
Creator: Bamberger, Robert L. & Behrens, Carl E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Consumer Bankruptcy Reform in the 109th Congress: Background and Issues

Description: This report reviews the historical context which forms the background for renewed consideration of consumer reform legislation, including a review of the current law and a survey of selected issues that have been the focus of legislative debate in the part, such as the scope of the homeland exemption, nondischargeability for liability current by violent activity, and the protection of child support payments.
Date: April 4, 2005
Creator: Jeweler, Robin
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Budget Reconciliation Process: The Senate's "Byrd" Rule

Description: Reconciliation is a procedure under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 by which Congress implements budget resolution policies affecting mainly permanent spending and revenue programs. The principal focus in the reconciliation process has been deficit reduction, but in recent years reconciliation has encompassed revenue reduction generally and spending increases in selected program areas. The Byrd rule provides six definitions of what constitutes extraneous matter for purposes of the rule (anā€¦ more
Date: April 7, 2005
Creator: Keith, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Legislative Action

Description: Reconciliation is a procedure under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 by which Congress implements budget resolution policies affecting mainly permanent spending and revenue programs. The principal focus in the reconciliation process has been deficit reduction, but in recent years reconciliation has encompassed revenue reduction generally and spending increases in selected program areas.
Date: April 7, 2005
Creator: Keith, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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HIV/AIDS International Programs: Appropriations, FY2003-FY2006

Description: On February 7th, 2005, the Bush Administration requested $3.16 billion for international HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria program in FY2006, a 9% increase over the estimated amount to be provided in FY2005. The request included $2.564 billion to be appropriated through the Foreign Operations appropriations and $596 million through appropriations for the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services.
Date: April 8, 2005
Creator: Copson, Raymond W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Homeland Security Department: FY2006 Appropriations

Description: The annual consideration of appropriations bills by Congress is a part of a complex set of budget processes that also encompasses the consideration of budget resolutions, revenue and debt-limit legislation, other spending measures, and reconciliation bills. This report is a guide to one of the regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Homeland Security.
Date: April 14, 2005
Creator: Lake, Jennifer E. & NuƱez-Neto, Blas
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Clean Water Act Issues in the 109th Congress

Description: Congress has recently focused legislative attention on narrow bills to extend or modify selected Clean Water Act (CWA) programs, rather than taking up comprehensive proposals. In the 109th Congress, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has approved S. 1400, a bill authorizing $20 billion in federal grants to capitalize state clean water infrastructure loan programs. Also, a House committee has approved bills to reauthorize several Clean Water Act programs: H.R. 624 would provide $1ā€¦ more
Date: April 20, 2005
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Clean Air Act Issues in the 109th Congress

Description: Major amendments to the Clean Air Act were among the first items on the agenda of the 109th Congress, with S. 131 (the Clear Skies Act) scheduled for markup by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee March 9. The most prominent air quality issues discussed in this report are; Clear Skies / Multi-Pollutant Legislation, Mercury from Power Plants, New Source Review (NSR), MTBE and Ethanol, Ozone Nonattainment Area Deadlines, and Conformity of Transportation Plans and SIPs.
Date: April 22, 2005
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cloture Attempts on Nominations

Description: Cloture is the only means by which the Senate can vote to limit debate on a matter, and thereby overcome a possible filibuster. It would be erroneous, however, to assume that cases in which cloture is sought are the same as those in which a filibuster occurs. Cloture may be sought when no filibuster is taking place, and filibusters may occur without cloture being sought.
Date: April 22, 2005
Creator: Beth, Richard S. & Palmer, Betsy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Energy Policy: Comprehensive Energy Legislation (H.R. 6) in the 109th Congress

Description: The House passed H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, on April 21, 2005 (249-183). The legislation includes a ā€œsafe harborā€ provision to protect methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) refiners from product liability suits, which was retained after a close vote on an amendment to drop the language (213-219). In the 108th Congress, there was opposition to this provision in the Senate. It is unclear how its inclusion may affect Senate passage of an energy bill in the 109th Congress. House Republicanā€¦ more
Date: April 22, 2005
Creator: Bamberger, Robert L. & Behrens, Carl E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Peace Corps: Current Issues

Description: This report discusses The Peace Corps, as Congress considers authorization and Foreign Operations appropriations legislation in 2005. Congress will debate the FY2006 level of funding for the Peace Corps and may continue the 2004 discussion of Peace Corps expansion and policies regarding the safety and security of volunteers.
Date: April 26, 2005
Creator: Tarnoff, Curt
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Environmental Protection Issues in the 109th Congress

Description: Environmental protection concerns span a wide variety of issues, including clean air, water quality, chemical security, and environmental aspects of other major issue areas such as transportation and defense. This issue brief provides an overview of key environmental issues that are receiving or may receive attention in the 109th Congress. The sections on specific issues contain references to more detailed and extensive CRS reports on the subjects covered.
Date: April 27, 2005
Creator: Fletcher, Susan R. & Isler, Margaret M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Omnibus Appropriations Act: Overview of Recent Practices

Description: Omnibus appropriations acts have become a significant feature of the legislative process in recent years as Congress and the President have used them more frequently to bring action on the regular appropriations cycle to a close. Following a discussion of pertinent background information, this report reviews the recent enactment of such measures and briefly addresses several issues raised by their use.
Date: April 27, 2005
Creator: Keith, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Committee Funding Requests and Authorizations, 104th-109th Congresses

Description: Under House Rule X, clause 6, each standing and select committee of the House (except the Appropriations Committee) is required to submit an operating budget request for its necessary expenses over the two years of a Congress. Each committee chair normally introduces a House resolution to provide his or her committee with the requisite funds for the two years of the Congress.
Date: May 3, 2005
Creator: Petersen, R. Eric
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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PAYGO Rules for Budget Enforcement in the House and Senate

Description: One of the most contentious issues in budget procedure in recent years has involved proposed changes in the Senateā€™s ā€œpay-as-you-goā€ (PAYGO) rule and efforts to establish a similar rule in the House. This controversy led to an impasse between the House and Senate over the FY2005 budget resolution and surfaced again during consideration of the FY2006 budget resolution. The issue focuses principally on whether tax-cut legislation, even though it may worsen the deficit, should be exempted from a dā€¦ more
Date: May 3, 2005
Creator: Keith, Robert & Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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