Congressional Research Service Reports - 58 Matching Results
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- Abortion Procedures
- This report discusses the Partial-Birth Abortion Act of 1997 (H.R. 1122). The report summarizes the legislation and why President Clinton vetoed it. Moreover, the report includes President Clinton's recommendation to amend the bill for him to pass. The report also suggests that little data has been created on the issue, but that it utilizes what data has been created.
- The Budget Enforcement Act of 1997
- President Clinton signed two reconciliation acts into law in August 1997 as part of a plan to balance the budget by FY2002. To ensure compliance with this goal, enforcement procedures were included in one of the acts in a title referred to separately as the Budget Enforcement Act (BEA) of 1997. The BEA of 1997 extends procedures under the Budget Enforcement Act (BEA) of 1990 through FY2002
- Abortion Procedures
- The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 1997, H.R. 1122 was vetoed by President Clinton on October 10, 1997. This legislation would have made it a federal crime, punishable by fine and/or incarceration, for a physician to perform a partial birth abortion unless it was necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury. The partial-birth abortion legislation has stimulated a great deal of controversy. This report provides a brief overview of the abortion methods currently in use for which data have been published and some positions on the partial birth abortion legislation.
- Central American Asylum Seekers: Impact of 1996 Immigration Law
- This report discuses issues related to the significant portion of the Central Americans affected by the IIRIRA revisions still have asylum cases pending and may obtain legal permanent residence by that avenue if they demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution. The Attorney General also has the discretionary authority to grant blanket relief from deportation, but the discretionary forms of relief do not entail legal permanent residence. There is considerable interest in this issue in the 105th Congress, and the Senate passed by a vote of 99 to 1 an amendment to provide relief for certain Central Americans to the D.C. appropriations bill (S.1156).
- The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997: An Overview
- No Description Available.
- Federal Indian Law: Background and Current Issues
- This report briefly describes some of the fundamentals of federal Indian law, including the concept of tribal sovereignty and the allocation of authority among state, federal, and tribal governments with reference to criminal and civil laws and taxation.
- Runaway and Homeless Youth: Legislative Issues
- No Description Available.
- Campaign Financing: Highlights and Chronology of Current Federal Law
- Current law governing financial activity of campaigns for federal office is based on two principal statutes: the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) of 1971, as amended in 1974, 1976, and 1979, and the Revenue Act of 1971. These laws were enacted to remedy widely perceived shortcomings of existing law, the Corrupt Practices Act of 1925, and in response to reports of campaign finance abuses over the years, culminating in the 1972-1974 Watergate scandal. This report provides a summary of major provisions of federal law and a chronology of key legislative and judicial actions.
- Adoption Promotion Legislation in the 105th Congress
- This report discusses the type of adoption legislation in the 105th Congress. Specifically, the report tackles the idea that children are kept in foster care too long and that this may cause lower adoption rates. The report also discusses the enormous support for this legislation in the Senate and the House.
- Central American Asylum Seekers: Impact of 1996 Immigration Law
- This report has five sections which include an overview of the asylum and cancellation of removal procedures, three sections describing the situations of the Nicaraguans, Salvadorans and Guatemalans, and finally a section discussing legislative issues.
- Environmental Protection Legislation in the 105th Congress
- The 105th Congress enacted tax provisions relating to Superfund brownfields sites, transportation- and defense-related environmental provisions, a border smog bill, EPA funding as well as reinstating the tax that supports the Leaking Underground Storage Trust Fund. There were various actions on regulatory reform, the budget resolution, appropriations, highway- and defense-related environmental provisions, Superfund reform bills and underground storage tanks. It is too early to tell if these will be issues for the 106th Congress.
- ISTEA Reauthorization: Highway Related Legislative Proposals in the 105th Congress
- Authorizing legislation for federal surface transportation programs highway, highway safety, and transit expired at the end of FY1997. The federal framework for these programs was created by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (P.L. 102-240), better known as ISTEA. ISTEA was the first major highway act of the post interstate highway construction era. As such, it is regarded as landmark legislation.
- Immigration: New Consequences of Illegal Presence
- This report provides an overview of the new consequences of illegal presence on immigration.
- Industrial Energy Intensiveness and Energy Costs in the Context of Climate Change Policy
- This report presents and briefly analyzes data on the amount, cost, and distribution by source of energy used by a number of U.S. energy-intensive sectors and "industries." While the report does not analyze how measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions would affect particular industries, it indirectly provides guidance.
- Adoption Promotion Legislation in the 105th Congress
- President Clinton signed the Adoption and Safe Families Act into law on November 19, 1997, after the House and Senate approved final versions of the legislation on November 13. The new law (P.L. 105-89) is intended to promote adoption or other permanent arrangements for foster children who are unable to return home, and to make general improvements in the nation’s child welfare system. The House initially passed legislation (H.R. 867) on April 30 by a vote of 416-5, and the Senate passed an amended version on November 8. A compromise version was passed on November 13, by a vote of 406-7 in the House and by unanimous consent in the Senate. This report discusses the final version of the legislation, as enacted into law.
- Immigration: Reasons for Growth, 1981-1995
- Report detailing the sharp growth in U.S. legal immigration from 1981 to 1995, including statistics, charts, priorities, and more.
- Environmental Protection: How Much it Costs and Who Pays
- This report discusses a recurring issue in environmental policy: the cost of pollution control imposed on individuals, businesses, and governments.
- Appropriations for FY1998: Defense
- The report discusses national defense foreign affairs. It also points out defense budget trends, key budget and policy issues and legislation.
- Appropriations for FY1998: Department of Transportation and Related Agencies
- This report is the synopsis of selected DOT Programs and the House and Senate funding recommended for those programs.
- APEC and the 1997 Summit in Vancouver
- This report is categorized into seven categories: (I) The Issue, (II) Background, (III) The APEC Process and Activities, (IV) The Osaka Action Agenda, (V) The Manila Action Plan for APEC (MAPA), (VI) The 1997 Vancouver Meetings and (VII) Conclusion.
- Issues in Physician Extender Reimbursement: A Review of the Literature
- This reports contains how the Federal policy maker should look over several issues in the deployment of physician extender under Medicare.
- Transportation Fuel Taxes Early in the 105th Congress
- The 105th Congress has reinstated for about half a year the federal excise taxes on fuel used by noncommercial aviation. This follows a similar move by the 104th Congress on aviation fuel taxes, and actions pertaining to the tax on diesel fuel used in recreational motorboats, and to the fuel tax credits given to first purchasers of diesel-powered cars and light trucks. The 104th Congress also debated repeal of the increase of 4.3 cents per gallon in transportation fuel taxes imposed by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (OBRA93) (P.L. 103-66), but no new law resulted.
- Federal Land Management: Appeals and Litigation
- The Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Land Management in the Department of the Interior each currently have a system of administrative appeals for moat agency land management decisions. Critics assert that administrative and judicial appeals are stopping or unacceptably slowing the decision-making processes and the use of federal lands and resources; that many appeals are "frivolous" and brought for the purpose of frustrating rather than improving land management actions, and that appeals greatly increase the costs of management
- NATO: Congress Addresses Expansion of the Alliance
- No Description Available.
- Environment in Fast Track Trade Authority: Summary of the Clinton Administration Proposal
- President Clinton has asked Congress for "fast track" authority for implementing future trade agreements; this authority would limit congressional debate and prevent amendments to implementing legislation. Delays in completing this proposal were attributed to difficulties in reconciling conflicting pressures over environment and labor concerns. The President's proposal contains references to environmental concerns, but various interests are likely to seek clarification on these points.
- Gasoline Excise Tax - Historical Revenues: Fact Sheet
- This report provides a fact sheet about the Gasoline Excise Tax - Historical Revenues. The gas tax was regarded as a user tax where the federal government has imposed a gasoline excise tax with the passage of the revenue act in 1932.
- Older Americans Act: 105th Congress Issues
- No Description Available.
- The Appropriations Process and the Congressional Budget Act
- This report is a guide on the Appropriations Process and the Congressional Budget Act.
- Generalized System of Preferences
- This report provides information about the Generalized System of Preferences which provides duty free treatment for products that are imported from some designated countries. The main purpose is to promote economic growth.
- Drug Control: International Policy and Options
- Over the past decade, worldwide production of illicit drugs has risen dramatically: opium and marijuana production has roughly doubled and coca production tripled. Street prices of cocaine and heroin have fallen significantly in the past 20 years, reflecting increased availability. Despite apparent national political resolve to deal with the drug problem, inherent contradictions regularly appear between U.S. anti-drug policy and other national policy goals and concerns. The mix of competing domestic and international pressures and priorities has produced an ongoing series of disputes within and between the legislative and executive branches concerning U.S. international drug policy. One contentious issue has been the Congressionally-mandated certification process, an instrument designed to induce specified drug-exporting countries to prioritize or pay more attention to the fight against narcotics businesses.
- Generalized System of Preferences
- This report provides information about the Generalized System of Preferences which provides duty-free treatment for products that are imported from some designated countries. The main purpose is to promote economic growth.
- Social Security Financing Reform: Lessons from the 1983 Amendments
- No Description Available.
- Amtrak Reauthorization: S. 738
- The report discusses the bill that was introduced on May 14,1997, by the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on surface Transportation and Merchant Marine, and the bill was referred to that committee.
- Attorneys' Fees in the State Tobacco Litigation Cases
- Some states have hired private attorneys to file complaints against the tobacco companies in court to recover Medicaid costs towards treating citizens for tobacco related illnesses. This report mentions the fee agreements between the states and private counsel.
- Fast-Track Trade Authority Proposals: Which Environmental Issues are Included in the Principal Negotiating Objectives?
- This report discusses fast-track negotiating authority, which provides that Congress will consider trade agreements within mandatory deadlines, with limited debate, and without amendment. Environmental provisions are eligible for the fast-track procedure only if they meet at least one of the principal trade negotiating objectives.
- Fast-Track Trade Authority: Which Environmental Issues are "Directly Related to Trade"?
- This report discusses fast-track negotiating authority, which provides that Congress will consider trade agreements within mandatory deadlines, with limited debate, and without amendment. Trade negotiating objectives have generally been included in fast-track legislation to establish priorities for trade negotiators.
- Tax Benefits for Education in the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997
- No Description Available.
- Clean Water Issues in the 105th Congress
- For the 105th Congress, reauthorization of the Clean Water Act may be a priority in the second session. The Act was last amended in 1987 and authorizations expired on Sept. 30, 1990. Clean water was a priority for the last two Congresses, but no legislation was enacted. In the 104th Congress, the House passed a comprehensive reauthorization bill, but during House debate and subsequently, controversies arose over whether and how the Act should be made more flexible and less burdensome on regulated entities. Issues likely to be of interest again in the 105th Congress include funding, overall flexibility and regulatory reform of water quality programs, and measures to address polluted runoff from farms and city streets.
- Economic Sanctions to Achieve U.S. Foreign Policy Goals: Discussion and Guide to Current Law
- This report provides background on the range of actions that might be termed foreign policy sanctions and the events that might necessitate their use. Criteria are offered that legislators might consider to judge when sanctions might be appropriate, approaches that might be effective, aspects of the use of sanctions that are sometimes overlooked or not considered fully. The report provides an uncomplicated "map" of where sanctions policies and options currently lay in U. S. law.
- Privatizing the United States Enrichment Corporation
- Legislative proposals to privatize the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) were introduced in the House (H.R. 1216) and Senate (S. 755) in the 104th Congress. The bills, as amended, were included in the budget reconciliation bill (H.R. 2491). It was cleared by the House and the Senate on November 17, but vetoed by the President on December 6, 1995. A substitute bill for S. 755 was introduced on January 26, 1996, by Senator Murkowski. The Murkowski substitute was included in H.R. 3019, the Balanced Budget Downpayment Act II. The conference report for H.R. 3019 was passed by the House and Senate on April 25, 1996, and was signed by President Clinton (P.L. 104-134) on April 26, 1996.
- Managed Health Care: Federal and State Regulation
- No Description Available.
- Federal Restrictions on State or Local Government Officer or Employee Political Activities
- This report examines federal restrictions on state or local government officer or employee political activities which are regulated by the Hatch Act. In 1940, the law was amended to cover certain state (including territories or possessions) or local government officers or employees. All but three of the prohibitions on political activity by these individuals were removed in 1974. Enforcement provisions were added in 1978. Legislation is pending in the House of Representatives in the 105th Congress to repeal the provision prohibiting state or local government officers or employees from seeking elective office.
- Safe Drinking Water Act: State Revolving Fund Program
- No Description Available.
- Attorneys' Fees in the State Tobacco Litigation Cases
- In the past few years, many states have filed complaints against the tobacco industry in state court to recover Medicaid costs paid by the states to treat their citizens for tobacco related illnesses. The states are also attempting to recover other damages, such as punitive damages, against the tobacco industry. For various reasons, the states have hired private attorneys to assist the state Attorneys General in prosecuting these cases. In most cases, the retention of private counsel has included a fee agreement specifying the amount of compensation that these attorneys will receive for their services. These agreements are not uniform among the states, but most tend to provide some form of contingency fee arrangement. Some of these states have developed a sliding scale contingency fee schedule which varies with the amount of time spent on the litigation and whether a trial has begun. This report briefly summarizes the different fee agreements that the states have with private counsel.
- English as the Official Language of the United States: An Overview
- This report provides background on contemporary efforts to declare English the official language, a review of selected issues raised by official English proposals in Congress, and a summary of arguments that have been advanced in favor of and in opposition to such proposals.
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Reauthorization Legislation: An Overview
- CRS Report for Congress entailing information about The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) reauthorization legislation. Topics include, legislation within the 105th Congress, local relief, educational improvements, allocation formulas, etc..
- DOE Laboratory Restructuring Legislation in the 104th Congress
- Interest in restructuring (including eliminating) the Department of Energy (DOE) and its laboratories has increased since the end of the Cold War, and especially since the beginning of the 104th Congress. A number of non-legislative proposals and activities to this end are reviewed, including DOE's own proposals for "alignment and downsizing" of the Department and its laboratories.
- Alien Eligibility for Public Assistance
- This report details the changes in public assistance policy that the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. It established new restrictions on the eligibility of legal immigrants for designated means-tested public assistance, and also broadened restrictions on public benefits for temporary workers and people on work or school visas.
- Forecasting and Futures Research in Congress: Background and Prospects
- This report explores different roles and use of foresight into Congressional process.
- Highway Fund Sanctions for Clean Air Act Violations
- This report provides information concerning the authority to impose sanctions, lists the 14 areas that have been subject to sanctions since 1990, describes their status as of October 1997, and discusses the role of sanctions and alternatives under the Act.