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Director of National Intelligence Statutory Authorities: Status and Proposals

Description: This report discusses the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) position created by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-458). It includes an overview of the authorities granted to the DNI by legislation in 2004 and later as well as the varying opinions of Congress regarding new DNI authorities, as well as related legislation from FY2010 through FY2012.
Date: May 26, 2010
Creator: Best, Richard A., Jr. & Cumming, Alfred
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The 2010 Decennial Census: Background and Issues

Description: The U.S. Constitution--Article 1, Section 2, clause 3, as modified by Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment--requires a population census every 10 years, to serve as the basis for reapportioning seats in the House of Representatives. Decennial census data also are used for within-state redistricting and in certain formulas that determine the annual distribution of more than $400 billion dollars in federal and state funds. This report discusses the major innovations that were planned for the 201… more
Date: May 24, 2010
Creator: Williams, Jennifer D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): Background and Policy Options for the 113th Congress

Description: This report provides background on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), discusses the categories of records FOIA exempts from public release, and analyzes statistics on FOIA administration. The report also provides background on several legal and policy issues related to FOIA, including the release of controversial records, the growth in use of certain FOIA exemptions, and the adoption of new technologies to improve FOIA administration. The report concludes with an examination of potential FO… more
Date: March 8, 2013
Creator: Ginsberg, Wendy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Sensitive Covert Action Notifications: Oversight Options for Congress

Description: Legislation enacted in 1980 gave the executive branch authority to limit advance notification of especially-sensitive covert actions to eight Members of Congress (called the "Gang of Eight") when the President determines that it is essential to limit prior notice in order to meet extraordinary circumstances affecting U.S. vital interests. This report describes the statutory provision authorizing Gang of Eight notifications, reviews the legislative history of the provision, and examines the impa… more
Date: April 6, 2011
Creator: Cumming, Alfred
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The 2010 Decennial Census: Background and Issues

Description: This report summarizes the information and background of the 2010 census. The report outlines what the census is and why it is necessary. Moreover, it describes the new methods used and the issues encountered by using those methods.
Date: May 24, 2010
Creator: Williams, Jennifer D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The 2010 Census: Count Question Resolution Program

Description: 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.
Date: December 7, 2012
Creator: Williams, Jennifer D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): Background and Policy Options for the 112th Congress

Description: The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA; 5 U.S.C. §552) enables any person to access—without explanation or justification—certain existing, identifiable, unpublished, executive branch agency records. Pursuant to FOIA, the public has presumptive access to requested agency records unless the material falls within any of FOIA's nine categories of exemption from disclosure. This report discusses FOIA's history, examines its implementation, and provides potential policy approaches for Congress.
Date: July 26, 2011
Creator: Ginsberg, Wendy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Director of National Intelligence Statutory Authorities: Status and Proposals

Description: This report discusses the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) position created by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-458). It includes an overview of the authorities granted to the DNI by legislation in 2004 and later as well as the varying opinions of Congress regarding new DNI authorities, as well as related legislation from FY2010 through FY2012.
Date: January 12, 2011
Creator: Best, Richard A., Jr. & Cumming, Alfred
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Obama Administration's Open Government Initiative: Issues for Congress

Description: This report reviews and discusses President Obama's Open Government Initiative and the Open Government Directive. The report then analyzes both agency response to the OGI and the OGD, and examines whether the OGD's requirements can meet the stated goals of the Administration. The report discusses the three central tenets of the Administration's OGD--transparency, public participation, and collaboration--and analyzes each one individually to determine whether agencies are meeting these requireme… more
Date: August 17, 2010
Creator: Ginsberg, Wendy R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Researching Current Federal Legislation and Regulations: A Guide to Resources for Congressional Staff

Description: This report is designed to introduce congressional staff to selected governmental and nongovernmental sources that are useful in tracking and obtaining information on federal legislation and regulations. It includes governmental sources, such as Congress.gov, the Government Publishing Office's Federal Digital System (FDsys), and U.S. Senate and House websites. Nongovernmental or commercial sources include resources such as HeinOnline and the Congressional Quarterly (CQ) websites. The report als… more
Date: December 8, 2017
Creator: Mansfield, Jerry W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies

Description: 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.
Date: February 5, 2018
Creator: Crane-Hirsch, Audrey Celeste
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Protection of Classified Information by Congress: Practices and Proposals

Description: This report discusses safeguards in place to protect controlled information and proposals for change of some of the mechanisms in place. Congress uses classified national security and other controlled information to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities, particularly overseeing the executive, appropriating funds, and legislating public policy.
Date: January 27, 2010
Creator: Kaiser, Frederick M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Presidential Libraries Act and the Establishment of Presidential Libraries

Description: This report details the legislative history of the Presidential Libraries Act and examines information on existing library facilities and their locations, organizational characteristics, and outreach efforts. It also analyzes legislative options for the act, including increasing endowment requirements for the library foundations and clearly delineating the relationship between the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the libraries' supporting organizations.
Date: February 6, 2015
Creator: Ginsberg, Wendy R.; Lunder, Erika K. & Richardson, Daniel J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cybersecurity: FISMA Reform

Description: This report briefly discusses current requirements under the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) and two bills currently being considered by Congress that would revise the conditions and authority granted by FISMA.
Date: November 24, 2014
Creator: Fischer, Eric A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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“Gang of Four” Congressional Intelligence Notifications

Description: "Gang of Four" intelligence notifications are oral briefings on sensitive non-covert action intelligence activities (including intelligence collection programs) that the Intelligence Community typically limits to the chairmen and ranking members of the two congressional intelligence committees, and at times to their respective staff directors. This report reviews the history of Gang of Four notification process and compares this procedure with that of the "Gang of Eight" notification procedure.
Date: March 18, 2011
Creator: Cumming, Alfred
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protections: In Brief

Description: This report describes various sources of Intelligence Community (IC) whistleblower protections. Generally speaking, whistleblowers are those who expose misconduct (e.g., fraud, abuse, or illegal activity) within an organization. In the context of the IC, whistleblowers are generally employees or contractors of federal intelligence agencies who bring to light information on agency wrongdoings.
Date: October 18, 2018
Creator: DeVine, Michael E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Prevalence of Mental Illness in the United States: Data Sources and Information

Description: This report briefly describes the methodology and results of three large surveys that provide national prevalence estimates of diagnosable mental illness: the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R), the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), and the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). This report presents prevalence estimates of any mental illness and serious mental illness based on each survey and ends with a brief discussion of how these pr… more
Date: January 19, 2018
Creator: Bagalman, Erin & Cornell, Ada S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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