Congressional Research Service Reports - 72 Matching Results

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The U.S. Financial Crisis: Lessons from Sweden

Description: In the early 1990s, Sweden faced a large banking and exchange rate crisis which it eventually resolved. Four lessons that emerged from Sweden's experience are: 1) the resolution process must be transparent; 2) the resolution agency must be politically and financially independent; 3) market discipline must be maintained; and 4) there must be a plan to jump-start credit flows in the financial system. This report provides an overview of the Swedish banking crisis and an explanation of the measures… more
Date: September 29, 2008
Creator: Jackson, James K.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Reserve Interest Rate Changes: 2001-2008

Description: The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decided at its scheduled meeting held on October 29 to lower the target rate for federal funds to 1% from 1½% set at its unscheduled meeting of October 8, 2008. In making its decision to reduce the target, the FOMC stressed the following factors: (1) the pace of economic growth appears to have slowed markedly owing importantly to a softening of consumer spending; (2) business equipment spending and industrial production have weakened; (3) economic slowdo… more
Date: October 29, 2008
Creator: Labonte, Marc & Makinen, Gail E.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Inflation: Core vs. Headline

Description: Inflation measures the rate of change in all prices. Maintaining low and stable inflation is one of the primary goals of macroeconomic policy. But how should inflation be measured? Policymakers, particularly at the Federal Reserve, often refer to core inflation in their policy decisions. Core inflation is commonly defined as a measure of inflation that omits changes in food and energy prices. However, several studies have failed to find core inflation to be a good forecaster of future inflatio… more
Date: May 1, 2008
Creator: Labonte, Marc
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Income and Poverty Among Older Americans in 2007

Description: This report describes the income and poverty status of the 36.8 million Americans age 65 and older who were living in households in 2007. The report also describes how the proportion of total income received from each source differs between high-income individuals and households and low-income individuals and households.
Date: October 3, 2008
Creator: Purcell, Patrick
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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H.R. 6076: Home Retention and Economic Stabilization Act of 2008

Description: The Home Retention and Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 would defer foreclosure for eligible mortgage borrowers for up to 270 days. If passed, the bill would give extra time to some borrowers and lenders to consider alternatives to foreclosure, including traditional loss mitigation and participation in the new Federal Housing Administration (FHA) program for refinancing troubled loans. Some policymakers believe that a moratorium on foreclosures could help stabilize housing markets and allevia… more
Date: August 29, 2008
Creator: Murphy, Edward Vincent
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Who Are the "Middle Class"?

Description: There is no consensus definition of "middle class," neither is there an official government definition. What constitutes the middle class is relative, subjective, and not easily defined. The mid-point in the distribution is the median, and in 2007 the median household income was $50,233. How far above and below that amount the middle stretches remains an open question. This report explores the various definitions of the middle class and what salary ranges those definitions encompass, as well as… more
Date: October 22, 2008
Creator: Cashell, Brian W.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act and Current Financial Turmoil: Issues and Analysis

Description: This report briefly introduces aspects of the current financial instability. Following this, it outlines the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA) legislation and the steps that Treasury has taken to implement EESA. Finally, the report concludes with a more in-depth analysis of the current financial instability, including potential causes of financial instability in general, some sources of the current instability, and how financial instability may spill over into the broader econ… more
Date: October 31, 2008
Creator: Webel, Baird & Murphy, Edward V.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. International Trade: Trends and Forecasts

Description: This report provides an overview of the current status, trends, and forecasts for U.S. international trade. The purpose of this report is to provide current data and brief explanations for the various types of trade flows, particularly U.S. exports, along with a short discussion of particular trends and points of contention related to trade policy.
Date: October 16, 2008
Creator: Nanto, Dick K.; Ilias, Shayerah & Donnelly, J. Michael
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The U.S. Financial Crisis: The Global Dimension with Implications for U.S. Policy

Description: This report examines the global ramifications of the financial crisis, which exposed fundamental weaknesses in financial systems worldwide, and despite coordinated easing of monetary policy by governments and trillions of dollars in intervention by governments and the International Monetary Fund, the crisis continues.
Date: November 18, 2008
Creator: Nanto, Dick K.; Weiss, Martin A.; Jackson, James K.; Dolven, Ben; Morrison, Wayne M.; Cooper, William H. et al.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Reporting Requirements in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008

Description: This report describes the various reporting requirements in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA) and is organized according to the entities required to prepare and submit the reports. The report also provides some concluding observations regarding those requirements.
Date: November 13, 2008
Creator: Copeland, Curtis W.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Size and Role of Government: Economic Issues

Description: This report discusses some of the arguments surrounding the proper size of government that are economic in nature, including the questions of what role the state plays in economic activity and how the economy is affected by government intervention.
Date: March 5, 2008
Creator: Labonte, Marc
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Debt Limit: History and Recent Increases

Description: This report discusses how the total debt of the federal government can increase, a historical overview of debt limits, and how the current economic slowdown has led to higher deficits and thereby a series of debt limit increases, as well as legislation related to these increases.
Date: May 30, 2008
Creator: Austin, D. Andrew
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Broadband Internet Regulation and Access: Background and Issues

Description: This is one part in the series of reports that provide a background and analysis, and most recent developments regarding broadband or high-speed Internet access. The report starts out by answering questions; what is broadband and why is it important? This report also discusses broadband technologies, the status of broadband deployment and the related policy issues, as well as the legislation in congress.
Date: May 27, 2008
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A. & Kruger, Lennard G.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Proposal to Allow Treasury to Buy Mortgage-Related Assets to Address Financial Instability

Description: Financial markets underwent severe stress during the week of September 15 - 22, 2008. After Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy and AIG received a bridge loan from the Federal Reserve, policymakers reassessed their case-by-case approach to resolving financial problems. Secretary of the Treasury Paulson announced a plan to allow Treasury to purchase mortgage-related assets from U.S. financial institutions. The announced intent of the plan is to unclog financial markets, increase the health of th… more
Date: September 22, 2008
Creator: Murphy, Edward V. & Webel, Baird
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Economic Slowdown: Issues and Policies

Description: This report first discusses the current state of the economy, including measures that have already been taken by the monetary authorities, and assesses the need for and potential consequences of fiscal stimulus. The second part of the report reviews the proposals discussed during debate on the recently enacted fiscal stimulus, both those adopted and those considered but not adopted. The various stimulus packages differed somewhat, and the report briefly describes those differences. This section… more
Date: May 2, 2008
Creator: Gravelle, Jane G.; Hungerford, Thomas L.; Labonte, Marc; Weiss, N. Eric & Whittaker, Julie M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. International Trade: Trends and Forecasts

Description: This report provides an overview of the current status, trends, and forecasts for U.S. international trade. The purpose of this report is to provide current data and brief explanations for the various types of trade flows, particularly U.S. exports, along with a short discussion of particular trends and points of contention related to trade policy.
Date: September 5, 2008
Creator: Nanto, Dick K.; Ilias, Shayerah & Donnelly, J. Michael
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Economic Slowdown: Issues and Policies

Description: This report first discusses the current state of the economy, including measures that have already been taken by the monetary authorities, and assesses the need for and potential consequences of fiscal stimulus. The second part of the report reviews the proposals discussed during debate on the recently enacted fiscal stimulus, both those adopted and those considered but not adopted.
Date: September 5, 2008
Creator: Gravelle, Jane G.; Hungerford, Thomas L.; Labonte, Marc; Weiss, N. E. & Whittaker, Julie M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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ERISA’s Impact on Medical Malpractice and Negligence Claims Against Managed Care Plans

Description: This report examines the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), which provides a comprehensive federal scheme for the regulation of employee pension and welfare benefit plans offered by employers. While ERISA does not require an employer to offer pension and welfare benefits, it does mandate compliance with its provisions if such benefits are offered. Congress enacted ERISA to eliminate the conflicting and inconsistent regulation of pension and employee welfare benefit plans b… more
Date: February 21, 2008
Creator: Shimabukuro, Jon O.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Economic Slowdown: Issues and Policies

Description: This report first discusses the current state of the economy, including measures that have already been taken by the monetary authorities, and assesses the need for and potential consequences of fiscal stimulus. The second part of the report reviews the proposals discussed during debate on the recently enacted fiscal stimulus, both those adopted and those considered but not adopted. The various stimulus packages differed somewhat, and the report briefly describes those differences. This section… more
Date: November 26, 2008
Creator: Gravelle, Jane G.; Hungerford, Thomas L.; Labonte, Marc; Murphy, Edward V.; Weiss, N. Eric & Whittaker, Julie M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Pattern of Interest Rates: Does it Signal an Impending Recession?

Description: The cyclical behavior of the economy is of great interest to Congress, yet the onset of an economic downturn is seldom recognized promptly. Policymakers frequently search for reliable recession predictors. The behavior of interest rates may provide advanced warning of an impending downturn. The easing of monetary policy in evidence since September 2007 is consistent with efforts to forestall or minimize an economic downturn. Economic growth has been low since the last quarter of 2007, and some … more
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Labonte, Marc & Makinen, Gail
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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China's Economic Conditions

Description: This report provides background on China's economic rise and current economic structure and the challenges China faces to keep its economy growing strong, and describes Chinese economic policies that are of concern to U.S. policymakers.
Date: May 13, 2008
Creator: Morrison, Wayne M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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