Congressional Research Service Reports - 895 Matching Results

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Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations for the Department of Justice: This report discusses proposed appropriations for the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the 2018 fiscal year divided into each department of the DOJ. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31) appropriated $28.962 billion for DOJ while President Trump's proposed 2018 budget requests $28.205 billion for DOJ which amounts to 2.6% less than the FY2017-enacted appropriation.
Fiscal Year 2017 Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations: In Brief: This report outlines the fiscal year 2017 appropriations for the Department of Agriculture which were enacted on May 5, 2017 as a part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The discretionary total of the enacted appropriation is $20.877 billion, which is $623 million less than enacted in FY2016 (-2.9%). The appropriation also carries mandatory spending--largely determined in separate authorizing laws--that totaled about $132.5 billion. The overall total therefore exceeded $153 billion (Table 1). The discretionary caps were set so as not to trigger sequestration under limits established by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-74).The White House released its FY2017 budget request on February 9, 2016, along with the detailed justification from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The new Administration released an outline for FY2018 appropriations on March 16, 2017.
The Removal of FBI Director James Comey: Presidential Authority and the Senate's Role in the Appointment of the FBI Director: This report discusses President Trump's removal of James Comey as FBI Director and the Presidents legal power to do such a removal.
Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs: FY2019 Budget and Appropriations: This report outlines the 2019 fiscal year budget request for the U.S. State Department, foreign operations, and related programs such as foreign aid. It discusses information about funding levels requested, major projects for the year, and Congressional actions.
Organizing Executive Branch Agencies: Who Makes the Call?: This report lays out the applicable legal considerations relevant to analyzing potential executive branch agency reorganizations that have been proposed by the Trump Administration.
Selected Interior and Related Agencies Budget Requests for I T 1995: This report reviews the FY 1995 budget request of the Department of the Interior with brief analyses of the budget requests of selected agencies within the department that principally are involved in natural resources programs or activities. This report also provides an overview of the mission of the Department of the Interior, its organization, and its major budget initiatives for FY 1995 .
The Administration’s FY2005 Request for $25 Billion for Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan: Precedents, Options, and Congressional Action: This report discusses the military's request for 25 billion dollars as a "contingent reserve emergency fund" for FY2005. The report covers previous decisions made by Congress to lend insight on whether the total amount will be distributed or not. Moreover, the report discusses a variety of options that may be undertaken to acquire the funding such as using the Department of Defense's ability to transfer funds (DOD).
Adjustment of Civil Monetary Penalties for Inflation: This report summarizes and discusses potential adjustments in civil monetary penalties. The report covers the history of both legislation and enforcement on this issue which is central to the deciding how to enforce civil monetary penalties. The report identifies three courses of action that include either maintaining the status quo, adjusting civil monetary penalty maximums through legislation, or implementing some of the recommendations in the General Accounting Office's (GAO) report.
Amending the Federal Constitution-Procedures of the General Services Administration and of the State Legislatures: This report discusses the role of the General Services Administration and state legislatures in the process of amending the Constitution.
Executive Reorganization for Environmental Affairs During the 91st Congress: This report discusses the executive reorganization of environmental affairs programs and agencies and provides a timeline of events and executive orders during the reorganization. .
Federal Government Corporations: An Overview: This report provides an overview of federal government corporations, a category currently consisting of some 17 corporate agencies performing functions assigned to them in law. A government corporation, as defined in this report, is a government agency that is established by Congress to provide a market-oriented public service and required to produce revenues that meet or approximate its expenditures.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology: An Appropriations Overview: This report is a look at the funding for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a laboratory of the Department of Commerce. NIST is mandated to provide technical services to facilitate the competitiveness of U.S. industry. In 2007, the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) was terminated and replaced by the Technology Innovation Program (TIP). However, no funding was appropriated for TIP in the FY2012 appropriations legislation and NIST is "...currently taking the necessary actions for an orderly shutdown." In April 2009, the current President stated his decision to double the budget of key science agencies, including NIST, over the next 10 years. While additional funding has been forthcoming, it remains to be seen how support for internal R&D at NIST will evolve and how this might affect financing of extramural efforts such as MEP. The dispensation of funding for NIST programs may influence the way by which the federal government supports technology development for commercial application.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology: An Appropriations Overview: This report examines the funding for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Congressional skepticism and pressures to balance the federal budget have effected NIST and its programs to such an extent that NIST is "currently taking the necessary actions for an orderly shutdown." Presidential promises call for an increase in funding, and the report questions how this funding will affect programs within NIST.
EPA Regulations: Too Much, Too Little, or On Track?: This report provides background information on recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory activity to help address concerns surrounding its power. It examines 45 major or controversial regulatory actions taken by, or under development at, the EPA since January 2009, providing details on the regulatory action itself, presenting an estimated timeline for completion of the rule, and, in general, providing EPA's estimates of costs and benefits, where available. The report also discusses factors that affect the timeframe in which regulations take effect, including statutory and judicial deadlines, public comment periods, judicial review, and permitting procedures, the net results of which are that existing facilities are likely to have several years before being required to comply with most of the regulatory actions under discussion.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology: An Overview: No Description Available.
Forest Service Timber Sale Practices and Procedures: Analysis of Alternative Systems: The Forest Service currently sells timber by (a) planning and preparing the sale, (b) offering the sale, usually at an oral auction, and (c) administering the timber harvest. Many of the concerns about the timber program have focused on harvest administration, because purchasers have incentives to minimize their costs and to remove only those logs whose value for products exceeds the price paid to the Forest Service. Some critics suggest that this, together with an alleged "timber bias" and other inappropriate incentives, has contributed to environmental damages (e.g., deteriorating forest health), poor fiscal performance (e.g., below-cost timber sales), and a lack of accountability (e.g., timber theft). Possible legislative changes to the timber sale system are being considered by various interest groups and Members of Congress.
U.S. Geological Survey: Its Mission and Its Future: Among a number of proposals advanced for discussion in the Republican-led 104th Congress was one to restructure the Department of the Interior. As part of this restructuring, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was tentatively targeted for elimination in a list of possible offsets to help fund proposed tax cuts and program changes in the House Republican "Contract With America."
Presidential Reorganization Authority: History, Recent Initiatives, and Options for Congress: This report summarizes the repeated renewal and evolution of presidential reorganization authority from 1932 to 1984, as well as subsequent unsuccessful efforts to renew it since then. The report then discusses President Obama's request in the context of this background. Finally, the report provides analysis of the possible options for congressional consideration relative to this legislation.
Homeland Security: The Presidential Coordination Office: This report discusses about a presidential charter, A model and principles for success, Implications for the homeland security office, Administrative Developments and legislation.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology: An Overview: No Description Available.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology: An Overview: No Description Available.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology: An Overview: No Description Available.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology: An Overview: No Description Available.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology: An Overview: No Description Available.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology: An Overview: No Description Available.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology: An Overview: No Description Available.
Border Security: Key Agencies and Their Missions: After the massive reorganization of federal agencies precipitated by the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), there are now four main federal agencies charged with securing the United States’ borders: the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which patrols the border and conducts immigrations, customs, and agricultural inspections at ports of entry; the Bureau of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which investigates immigrations and customs violations in the interior of the country; the United States Coast Guard, which provides maritime and port security; and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which is responsible for securing the nation’s land, rail, and air transportation networks. This report is meant to serve as a primer on the key federal agencies charged with border security; as such it will briefly describe each agency’s role in securing our nation’s borders.
The Peace Corps: Current Issues: As it prepares authorization and Foreign Operations appropriations legislation in 2006, Congress will consider the FY2007 level of funding for the Peace Corps and related issues.
A Sunset Commission for the Federal Government: Recent Developments: The sunset concept provides for programs and agencies to terminate automatically on a periodic basis unless explicitly renewed by law. In the last ten years, bills to create a federal sunset commission, modeled on the sunset review process in Texas, have been introduced in each Congress. President Bush called for creation of a federal sunset commission in his FY2006 budget submission. This report discusses this issue and relevant pieces of legislation.
Awards of Attorneys' Fees by Federal Courts and Federal Agencies: In the United States, the general rule, which derives from common law, is that each side in a legal proceeding pays for its own attorney. There are many exceptions, however, in which federal courts, and occasionally federal agencies, may order the losing party to pay the attorneys’ fees of the prevailing party. The major common law exception authorizes federal courts (not agencies) to order a losing party that acts in bad faith to pay the prevailing party’s fees. This report discusses the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), which makes the United States liable for attorneys’ fees of up to $125 per hour in many court cases and administrative proceedings that it loses (and some that it wins) and fails to prove that its position was substantially justified.
CFTC Reauthorization in 2005: This report provides brief summaries of the issues in the 2005 reauthorization legislation, including (1) the market in security futures, or futures contracts based on single stocks, which were authorized by the CFMA, but trade in much lower volumes than their proponents had hoped, (2) regulation of energy derivatives markets, where some see excessive price volatility and a lack of effective regulation, and (3) the legality of futures-like contracts based on foreign currency prices offered to retail investors.
CFTC Reauthorization in 2005: This report provides brief summaries of the issues in the 2005 reauthorization legislation, including (1) the market in security futures, or futures contracts based on single stocks, which were authorized by the CFMA, but trade in much lower volumes than their proponents had hoped, (2) regulation of energy derivatives markets, where some see excessive price volatility and a lack of effective regulation, and (3) the legality of futures-like contracts based on foreign currency prices offered to retail investors.
Homeland Security: The Department of Defense's Role: This report addresses the Department of Defense's role of Homeland Security.
The Peace Corps: Current Issues: No Description Available.
Congressionally Chartered Nonprofit Organizations ("Title 36 Corporations"): What They Are and How Congress Treats Them: This report discusses a category of congressionally chartered nonprofit organizations that have as their purpose the promotion of patriotic, charitable, educational, and other eleemosynary activities . Title 36 of the United States Code, where such corporate organizations are listed with their charters, was re-codified by law in 1998 (EL 105-225).
CFTC Reauthorization in the 109th Congress: This report provides brief summaries of the issues in the 2005 reauthorization legislation, including (1) the market in security futures, or futures contracts based on single stocks, which were authorized by the CFMA, but trade in much lower volumes than their proponents had hoped, (2) regulation of energy derivatives markets, where some see excessive price volatility and a lack of effective regulation, and (3) the legality of futures-like contracts based on foreign currency prices offered to retail investors.
A Sunset Commission for the Federal Government: Recent Developments: The sunset concept provides for programs and agencies to terminate automatically on a periodic basis unless explicitly renewed by law. In the last ten years bills to create a federal sunset commission, modeled on the sunset review process in Texas, have been introduced in each Congress, including H.R. 3282 on July 14, 2005. President Bush called for creation of a federal sunset commission in his FY2006 budget submission. Bills reflecting an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) draft proposal have been introduced (S. 1399, H.R. 3276, H.R. 3277). Hearings have been held in the House, and on July 20, 2006, the Committee on Government Reform voted to report H.R. 3282 favorably to the House. At the same time, the committee voted to report favorably a related program review bill, H.R. 5766, as amended. Both bills are scheduled for floor action on July 27, 2006. This report will be updated as events warrant.
Presidential Review of Independent Regulatory Commission Rulemaking: Legal Issues: Report that discusses the constitutionality and the legal effects of extending centralized review of rulemaking to independent regulatory commissions (IRC).
Telework for Executive Agency Employees: A Side-by-Side Comparison of Legislation Pending in the 111th Congress: This report discusses legislation (S. 707 and H.R. 1722) designed to foster the development of telework in executive agencies of the federal government.
Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions in Independent and Other Agencies During the 114th Congress: This report identifies all nominations during the 114th Congress that were submitted to the Senate for full-time positions in 40 organizations in the executive branch (27 independent agencies, 6 agencies in the Executive Office of the President [EOP], and 7 multilateral organizations) and 4 agencies in the legislative branch. The tables include full-time positions confirmed by the Senate, pay levels for these positions, and appointment action within each agency, with additional summary information across all agencies in an appendix.
Homeland Security Department: FY2012 Appropriations: This report describes the FY2012 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Total budget authority, including appropriations, fee revenues, and trust funds in the Administration's budget request for DHS for FY2012 amounts to $57,079 million as compared to $55,783 million enacted for FY2011.
Intelligence Reform at the Department of Energy: Policy Issues and Organizational Alternatives: Congress in 2006 agreed to temporarily consolidate separate counterintelligence (CI) offices at the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Security Administration (NNSA) into a single CI office under DOE control. This report analyzes both consolidations — the first authorized by Congress at Department of Energy (DOE) request; the second initiated by DOE — and examines the impact of each on the effectiveness of the Department's CI program.
Environmental Protection Agency: FY2006 Appropriations Highlights: This report discusses issues regarding the funding of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As enacted in August 2005, Title II of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY2006 (P.L. 109-54, H.R. 2361) provided $7.73 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), subject to an across-the-board rescission of 0.476%.
Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2009 Appropriations: This report considers FY2009 appropriations in regards to agricultural agencies. Moreover, the report examines the budget for these agencies and different versions of appropriations bills on the matter.
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations: Fiscal Year 2018: This report provides an overview and analysis of FY2018 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The primary focus of this report is on Congressional direction and funding provided to DHS through the appropriations process, though note is also made of funding made available to DHS outside this process (e.g., user fees and trust funds). It includes an Appendix with definitions of key budget terms used throughout the suite of Congressional Research Service reports on homeland security appropriations. It also directs the reader to other reports providing context for and additional details regarding specific component appropriations and issues engaged through the FY2018 appropriations process.
Comparing DHS Component Funding, Fiscal Year 2018: In Brief: This report illustrates the appropriations for various parts of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for fiscal year 2018 compared with funding levels for fiscal year 2017 in a series of charts and tables.
DHS Appropriations FY2017: Departmental Management and Operations: This report outlines the fiscal year 2017 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security, Departmental Management and Operations made by Congress.
NASA Appropriations and Authorizations: A Fact Sheet: This report provides data on past, current, and proposed appropriations for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. No bills have yet been introduced in the 115th Congress proposing future-year authorizations of NASA appropriations.
Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies: This report lists about 200 congressional liaison offices and is intended to help congressional offices in placing telephone calls and addressing correspondence to government agencies. The information was supplied by the appropriate agency and is current as of the date of publication. Entries are arranged alphabetically in four sections: legislative branch; judicial branch; executive branch; and agencies, boards, and commissions.
Telework for Executive Agency Employees: A Side-by-Side Comparison of Legislation Pending in the 111th Congress: The 111th Congress is considering legislation (S. 707 and H.R. 1722) to foster the development of telework in executive agencies of the federal government. Legislation to augment telework in executive agencies of the federal government is currently pending in the 111th Congress. S. 707, the Telework Enhancement Act of 2009, and H.R. 1722, the Telework Improvements Act of 2010, were introduced on March 25, 2009, by Senator Daniel Akaka and Representative John Sarbanes, respectively. This report presents a side-by-side comparison of the provisions of S. 707, as reported, and H.R. 1722, as ordered to be reported.

Congressional Research Service Reports - 895 Matching Results

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