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Instructing House Conferees

Description: This report describes the process of reaching the final agreement between house and senate over the final version of a bill that the two houses have passes in different forms.
Date: January 27, 1999
Creator: Bach, Stanley
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Rules Affecting Committees

Description: House Rules, especially Rules X-XIII, govern the authority and operations of its committees and subcommittees. This report identifies and summarizes these and other rules and directives affecting committee powers, authority, activities, and operations.
Date: February 22, 1999
Creator: Bach, Stanley & Hardy-Vincent, Carol
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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China: Pending Legislation in the 105th Congress

Description: The 105 Congress has been active on issues involving China. This report, which will be updated as developments occur, tracks pending human rights legislation, including bills concerning: prison conditions and prison labor exports; coercive abortion practices; China’s policies toward religion; and more general human rights issues.
Date: June 19, 1998
Creator: Dumbaugh, Kerry
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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China: Pending Legislation in the 105th Congress

Description: This report tracks pending human rights legislation, including bills concerning: prison conditions and prison labor exports (H.R. 2195, H.R. 2358); coercive abortion practices (H.R. 2570); China’s policies toward religion (H.R. 967, H.R. 2431); and more general human rights issues (H.R. 2095). Other bills concern Taiwan — in particular, Taiwan’s entry into the World Trade Organization (H.Res. 190) and the U.S. role in helping Taiwan with a theater missile defense system (H.R. 2386). Also, legis… more
Date: June 19, 1998
Creator: Dumbaugh, Kerry
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Overview of the Authorization-Appropriation Process

Description: A PRIMARY AVENUE FOR EXERCISING CONGRESS'S POWER OF THE purse is the authorization and appropriation of federal spending to carry out government activities. While the power over appropriations is granted to Congress by the U.S. Constitution, the authorization-appropriation process is derived from House and Senate rules. The formal process consists of two sequential steps:
Date: October 22, 1999
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Disaster Mitigation Bills in the 106th Congress: H.R. 707, S. 1691 Compared

Description: The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act authorizes the President to declare that an emergency or major disaster exists that overwhelms state and local resources. Legislation before the 106th Congress (H.R. 707 and S. 1691) would, among other matters, amend the Act to: (1) fund hazard mitigation projects designed to reduce future disaster losses; (2) add conditions to assistance; and (3) consolidate provisions governing the distribution of aid to disaster victims. Thi… more
Date: October 25, 1999
Creator: Bea, Keith
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Committee Markup: Preparation

Description: Markups provide Members on a committee an opportunity to change parts of a bill prior to its consideration by the full House. A number of administrative, procedural, and substantive steps must be undertaken in preparation for a markup, and other steps could or should be undertaken. Generally, the markup should be strategically planned to minimize controversy, provide Members with political dividends, and position the committee for future action. This report is intended as a guide for various ta… more
Date: January 11, 1999
Creator: Schneider, Judy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Committee Markup: Reporting

Description: At the end of the amendment process, the chair normally entertains a motion to report a measure favorably to the House. This report addresses the procedural options committees have regarding the form of reporting, such as what happens to amendments adopted in markup, as well as other considerations at the time of reporting.
Date: January 11, 1999
Creator: Schneider, Judy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Committee Markup: Amendment Procedure

Description: This report briefly discusses committee markups in the House of Representatives. The essential purpose of a committee markup is to determine whether a measure pending before a committee should be altered, or amended, in any substantive way. Of course, committees do not actually amend measures; instead a committee votes on which amendments it wishes to recommend to the House.
Date: January 11, 1999
Creator: Schneider, Judy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Casework in a Congressional Office

Description: This report and its appendices present a general overview of congressional office procedures associated with handling casework and the assistance provided by a Member of Congress to help constituents in their dealings with federal agencies. It discusses options for assisting Members’ constituents and the role of Members and staff in providing casework services.
Date: November 19, 1996
Creator: Pontius, John S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Overrides of Presidential Vetoes

Description: The President’s veto is effective not only in preventing the passage of legislation undesirable to the President, but also as a threat, sometimes forcing Congress to modify legislation before it is presented to the President. However, as a veto threat is carried out, Congress is faced with choices: letting the veto stand, the difficult task of overriding the veto, meeting the President’s objections and sending a new bill forward, or resubmitting the same provisions under a new bill number.
Date: July 27, 1998
Creator: Galemore, Gary L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Election of the President and Vice President by Congress: Contingent Election

Description: The 12th Amendment to the Constitution requires that candidates for President and Vice President receive a majority of electoral votes (currently 270 or more of a total of 538) to be elected. If no candidate receives a majority, the President is elected by the House of Representatives, and the Vice President is elected by the Senate. This process is referred to as contingent election and is the topic of discussion in this report.
Date: August 16, 1999
Creator: Neale, Thomas H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Committee Numbers, Sizes, Assignments, and Staff: Selected Historical Data

Description: The development of today's committee system is a product of internal congressional reforms, but national forces also have played a role. This report contains data on the numbers and sizes of committees and subcommittees and on Members' assignments since 1945. This report also contains data on committee staff sizes from 1979 through 1995.
Date: February 1, 1996
Creator: Vincent, Carol Hardy & Rybicki, Elizabeth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Agriculture and Fast Track Trade Legislation

Description: This report considers the issue of new "fast track" in Congress. The report discusses that the new legislation could be used to negotiate new trade deals with countries in Latin America and Asia. Moreover, the report summarizes the agricultural debates on the issue.
Date: December 3, 1997
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S. & Hanrahan, Charles E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Trade Agreements: Renewing the Negotiating and Fast-Track Implementing Authority

Description: Legislation authorizing the negotiation and, where required, fast-track implementation of trade agreements expired in early 1994. Action in the 104th Congress to renew the authority, prompted in part by the near-term prospect of the negotiation of a free-trade agreement with Chile, which might later be followed by other agreements, reached an impasse in late 1995 because of a disagreement between Congress and the Administration as to the inclusion of labor and environmental issues in agreements… more
Date: June 30, 1998
Creator: Pregelj, Vladimir N.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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