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Military Base Closures: Socioeconomic Impacts

Description: This report provides background on military base closures and an analysis of community economic impacts, planning for economic redevelopment, and environmental cleanup following closures. The most recent Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission rejected 13 of the initial Department of Defense recommendations, significantly modified the recommendations for 13 other installations, and approved 22 major closures.
Date: January 13, 2009
Creator: Cowan, Tadlock & Gonzales, Oscar R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Closing the Guantanamo Detention Center: Legal Issues

Description: This report provides an overview of major legal issues likely to arise as a result of executive and legislative action to close the Guantanamo detention facility. It discusses legal issues related to the transfer of Guantanamo detainees, the continued detention of such persons in the United States, and the possible removal of persons brought into the country. It also discusses selected constitutional issues that may arise in the criminal prosecution of detainees, emphasizing the procedural and … more
Date: January 15, 2009
Creator: Garcia, Michael John; Bazan, Elizabeth B.; Mason, R. Chuck; Liu, Edward C. & Henning, Anna C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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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.
Date: January 15, 2009
Creator: Best, Richard A., Jr. & Cumming, Alfred
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Israel and Hamas: Conflict in Gaza

Description: This report closely examines the conflict in Gaza (2008-2009), assessing the impact of the conflict on civilians, possible consequences and unresolved issues, the regional and international implications and possible modes of action for the 111th Congress to consider in response.
Date: January 15, 2009
Creator: Zanotti, Jim; Migdalovitz, Carol; Sharp, Jeremy M.; Addis, Casey L.; Blanchard, Christopher M. & Margesson, Rhoda
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The UNESCO World Heritage Convention: Congressional Issues

Description: This report provides background information on the World Heritage Convention, outlines U.S. participation and funding, and highlights criteria for adding and removing sites from the World Heritage Lists. It discusses possible issues for the 111th Congress, including the Convention's possible impact on U.S. sovereignty, the role of the legislative branch in designating sites, and the potential implications for a site's inclusion on the Lists.
Date: January 17, 2009
Creator: Blanchfield, Luisa
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The U.N. Convention Against Torture: Overview of U.S. Implementation Policy Concerning the Removal of Aliens

Description: This report discusses the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), which requires signatory parties to take measures to end torture within their territorial jurisdictions.
Date: January 21, 2009
Creator: Garcia, Michael J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Closing the Guantanamo Detention Center: Legal Issues

Description: This report provides an overview of major legal issues likely to arise as a result of executive and legislative action to close the Guantanamo detention facility. It discusses legal issues related to the transfer of Guantanamo detainees, the continued detention of such persons in the United States, and the possible removal of persons brought into the country. It also discusses selected constitutional issues that may arise in the criminal prosecution of detainees, emphasizing the procedural and … more
Date: January 22, 2009
Creator: Garcia, Michael John; Bazan, Elizabeth B.; Mason, R. Chuck; Liu, Edward C. & Henning, Anna C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The War Crimes Act: Current Issues

Description: This report discusses current issues related to the War Crimes Act of 1996 and Common Article 3 of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, which sets out minimum standards for the treatment of detainees in armed conflicts "not of an international character (e.g., civil wars, rebellions, and other conflicts between State and non-State actors).
Date: January 22, 2009
Creator: Garcia, Michael J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.N. Convention Against Torture (CAT): Overview and Application to Interrogation Techniques

Description: This report discusses the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) requires signatory parties to take measures to end torture within their territorial jurisdiction and to criminalize all acts of torture.
Date: January 26, 2009
Creator: Garcia, Michael J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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NATO Common Funds Burdensharing: Background and Current Issues

Description: Member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) contribute to the activities of the alliance in several ways, the chief of which is through the deployment of their own armed forces, funded by their national budgets. Certain commonly conducted activities, however, are paid for out of three NATO-run budgets. These three accounts--the civil budget, the military budget, and the security investment program--are funded by individual contributions from the member states. This report dis… more
Date: January 27, 2009
Creator: Ek, Carl
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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United Nations Reform: U.S. Policy and International Perspectives

Description: This report focuses on U.N. reform efforts and priorities from the perspective of several key actors, including the U.S. government, the U.N. Secretary-General, selected groups of member states, and a cross-section of groups tasked with addressing U.N. reform. It also examines congressional actions related to U.N. reform, as well as future policy considerations.
Date: January 27, 2009
Creator: Blanchfield, Luisa
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses

Description: This report discusses the reasons that Iran is considered a threat to U.S. security, including Iran's nuclear program, involvement with terrorist organizations, and involvement with neighboring countries' local governments. The report also discusses ways which the U.S. hopes to modify Iran's behavior with sanctions, and the effectiveness of these sanctions.
Date: January 28, 2009
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Iran Sanctions Act (ISA)

Description: This report discusses the increasing international pressure on Iran to curb its nuclear program and how that pressure discourages foreign firms from investing in Iran's energy sector, hindering Iran's efforts to expand oil production. It also discusses the history and progress of the formal U.S. effort to curb energy investment in Iran, which began with the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) in 1996
Date: February 2, 2009
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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North Korea: Terrorism List Removal?

Description: This report discusses the issue of North Korea's inclusion on the U.S. list of terrorism-supporting countries, which has been a major issue in U.S.-North Korean diplomacy since 2000, particularly in connection with negotiations over North Korea's nuclear program.
Date: February 2, 2009
Creator: Niksch, Larry A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Ocean Piracy and Its Impact on Insurance

Description: This report examines the issue of piracy off the coast of East Africa in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. The report looks into the impact of such piracy on the insurance industry and explains the available options for Congress to mitigate piracy's negative effects on the industry.
Date: February 6, 2009
Creator: King, Rawle O.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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International Drug Control Policy

Description: This report provides an overview of U.S. international drug control policy. It describes major international counternarcotics initiatives and evaluates the broad array of U.S. drug control policy tools currently in use. The report also considers alternative counterdrug policy approaches to current initiatives and raises several counterdrug policy issues and considerations for policy makers.
Date: February 9, 2009
Creator: Wyler, Liana Sun
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Foreign Aid: An Introduction to U.S. Programs and Policy

Description: This report addresses a number of the more frequently asked queries regarding the U.S. foreign aid program, its objectives, costs, organization, the role of Congress, and how it compares to those of other aid donors. In particular, the discussion attempts not only to present a current snapshot of American foreign assistance, but also to illustrate the extent to which this instrument of U.S. foreign policy has changed from past practices, especially since the end of the Cold War and the launchin… more
Date: February 10, 2009
Creator: Tarnoff, Curt & Lawson, Marian L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Israel and Hamas: Conflict in Gaza

Description: This report closely examines the conflict in Gaza (2008-2009), assessing the impact of the conflict on civilians, possible consequences and unresolved issues, the regional and international implications and possible modes of action for the 111th Congress to consider in response.
Date: February 19, 2009
Creator: Zanotti, Jim; Migdalovitz, Carol; Sharp, Jeremy M.; Addis, Casey L.; Blanchard, Christopher M. & Margesson, Rhoda
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nigeria

Description: This report discusses the current political climate of Nigeria and the resulting issues for Congress. Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, with an estimated 146 million people, is one of the United States government's key strategic partners on the continent.
Date: February 20, 2009
Creator: Ploch, Lauren
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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China's Foreign Aid Activities in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia

Description: This report examines China's economic impact in three regions -- Africa, Latin America (Western Hemisphere), and Southeast Asia -- with an emphasis on bilateral foreign assistance. In the past several years, the People's Republic of China (PRC) has bolstered its diplomatic presence and garnered international goodwill through its financing of infrastructure and natural resource development projects, assistance in the carrying out of such projects, and large economic investments in many develop… more
Date: February 25, 2009
Creator: Lum, Thomas; Fischer, Hannah; Gomez-Granger, Julissa & Leland, Anne
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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