Congressional Research Service Reports - 6,055 Matching Results
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- Federal Environmental activities
- This report presents the Environmental activities of all units of the federal government except the supreme court and the committees of congress.
- Summary of the Department of Energy Organization Act
- This report briefly summarizes the major provisions of the law.
- Electric Utility Provisions in House-Passed H.R. 6, 109th Congress
- This report describes Title XII of the House-passed H.R. 6 in the 109th Congress and other sections that deal with electric power issues. In part, Title XII would create an electric reliability organization (ERO) that would enforce mandatory reliability standards for the bulk-power system. All ERO standards would be approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Under this title, the ERO could impose penalties on a user, owner, or operator of the bulk-power system that violates any FERC-approved reliability standard.
- Electricity Restructuring Background: The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 and the Energy Policy Act of 1992
- The Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT) increased competition in the electric generating sector by creating new entities that can generate and sell electricity at wholesale without being regulated as utilities under PUHCA. PURPA began to shift more regulatory responsibilities to the federal government, and EPACT continued that shift away from the states by creating new options for utilities and regulators to meet electricity demand.
- State-by-State Comparison of Selected Electricity Restructuring Provisions
- Since 1996, twenty-one states have restructured their electricity markets. While the extent of this restructuring varies by state, four issues have generally been considered by all state legislatures: stranded costs, aggregation, universal service, and public benefits. This report compares the treatment of these issues in the restructuring legislation of the twenty-one states. Using information collected directly from the relevant state laws and the rules promulgated by state public utility commissions, this report provides a state-by-state comparison of the restructuring provisions relating to the four issues.
- The Alabama School Prayer Case: Chandler v. Siegelman
- This report considers the events of Chandler v. James in 1997. The case was a federal district court ruling in Alabama holding up a statute to violate the establishment of religion of the First amendment. The Governor attempted to appeal the court's position to both the Supreme Court and the circuit court but was denied.
- The Constitutional Boundaries of Public Aid ro Parochial Schools: An Analysis of Meek V. Pittenger
- This report is an analysis of Meek V. Pittenger about the Constitutional Boundaries of Public Aid to Parochial Schools.
- The Constitutional Boundaries of Public Aid to Sectarian Elementary and Secondary Schools: An Analysis of Wolman v. Walter
- This report contains information regarding the Supreme Court case of Wolman v. Waltman, where it addresses the boundaries of constitutional aid for public schools.
- The Constitutionality of the Withdrawal of All Federal Court Jurisdiction Over Questions Involving State-Sponsored Prayer in Public Schools and Public Buildings
- This report discusses several court decisions regarding the constitutionality of the withdrawal of all Federal Court Jurisdiction over questions involving state-sponsored prayer in Public Schools and Public Buildings.
- Education Vouchers: Constitutional Issues and Cases
- This report details the constitutional standards that currently apply to indirect aid programs and summarizes all of the pertinent state and federal court decisions, including the Ohio case that will be heard by the Supreme Court. On September 25, 2001, the Supreme Court agreed to review a case raising the controversial issue of the constitutionality of education vouchers. In Zelman v. Simmons-Harris the Sixth Circuit held Ohio’s Pilot Scholarship Program, which provided up to $2500 to help low-income students in Cleveland’s public schools attend private schools in the city, to violate the establishment of religion clause of the First Amendment.
- Education Vouchers: Constitutional Issues and Cases
- This report details the constitutional standards that currently apply to indirect aid programs and summarizes all of the pertinent state and federal court decisions, including the Ohio case that will be heard by the Supreme Court. On September 25, 2001, the Supreme Court agreed to review a case raising the controversial issue of the constitutionality of education vouchers. In Zelman v. Simmons-Harris the Sixth Circuit held Ohio’s Pilot Scholarship Program, which provided up to $2500 to help low-income students in Cleveland’s public schools attend private schools in the city, to violate the establishment of religion clause of the First Amendment.
- Education Vouchers: Constitutional Issues and Cases
- This report details the constitutional standards that currently apply to indirect aid programs and summarizes all of the pertinent state and federal court decisions, including the Ohio case that will be heard by the Supreme Court. On September 25, 2001, the Supreme Court agreed to review a case raising the controversial issue of the constitutionality of education vouchers. In Zelman v. Simmons-Harris the Sixth Circuit held Ohio’s Pilot Scholarship Program, which provided up to $2500 to help low-income students in Cleveland’s public schools attend private schools in the city, to violate the establishment of religion clause of the First Amendment.
- Education Vouchers: Constitutional Issues and Cases
- This report details the constitutional standards that currently apply to indirect aid programs and summarizes all of the pertinent state and federal court decisions, including the Ohio case that will be heard by the Supreme Court. On September 25, 2001, the Supreme Court agreed to review a case raising the controversial issue of the constitutionality of education vouchers. In Zelman v. Simmons-Harris the Sixth Circuit held Ohio’s Pilot Scholarship Program, which provided up to $2500 to help low-income students in Cleveland’s public schools attend private schools in the city, to violate the establishment of religion clause of the First Amendment.
- Education Vouchers: Constitutional Issues and Cases
- This report details the constitutional standards that currently apply to indirect aid programs and summarizes all of the pertinent state and federal court decisions, including the Ohio case that will be heard by the Supreme Court. On September 25, 2001, the Supreme Court agreed to review a case raising the controversial issue of the constitutionality of education vouchers. In Zelman v. Simmons-Harris the Sixth Circuit held Ohio’s Pilot Scholarship Program, which provided up to $2500 to help low-income students in Cleveland’s public schools attend private schools in the city, to violate the establishment of religion clause of the First Amendment.
- Education Vouchers: Constitutional Issues and Cases
- This report details the constitutional standards that currently apply to indirect school aid programs and summarizes all of the pertinent Supreme Court decisions, with particular attention to Zelman. It also summarizes the pending case of Davey v. Locke and other recent and ongoing state and lower federal court cases concerning vouchers.
- Education Vouchers: The Constitutional Standards
- The Court’s decisions permit a limited degree of public aid to be provided directly and a broader range of assistance indirectly. This report sketches the constitutional standards that apply to public aid to sectarian schools and especially to programs of indirect assistance such as education vouchers. It also summarizes recent significant state court decisions involving vouchers.
- International Law and the Preemptive Use of Force Against Iraq
- No Description Available.
- International Law and the Preemptive Use of Force Against Iraq
- No Description Available.
- International Law and the Preemptive Use of Force Against Iraq. March 2003
- This report examines that issue as developed in customary international law and under the United Nations Charter.
- Kosovo and NATO: Selected Issues of International Law
- No Description Available.
- The Law of Church and State: The Proposed Religious Freedom Amendment, H.J. Res. 78
- This report summarizes legislative developments on the proposal and briefly analyzes its likely legal effect if added to the Constitution.
- Legislative Prayer and School Prayer: The Constitutional Difference
- Congressional Research Service (CRS) report entailing the Constitutional difference between legislative prayer and school prayer. Topics include, descriptions of both types of prayer, their distinctions, and a conclusion on the matter.
- Legislative Prayer and School Prayer: The Constitutional Difference
- The Supreme Court's decisions holding government-sponsored prayer in the public schools to violate the First Amendment's establishment clause but prayer in legislative assemblies to be constitutional are sometimes lifted up as contradictory. This report summarizes the relevant decisions and identifies the distinctions the Court has drawn between the two situations.
- Prayer and Religion in the Public Schools: What Is, and Is Not, Permitted
- This report summarizes each of the Supreme Courts decisions in regard to instances of prayer and religion in public schools. The report gives a detailed overview of what has been held to be constitutionally permissible and constitutionally forbidden, and describes two issues as yet unsettled.
- Prayer and Religion in the Public Schools: What Is, and Is Not, Permitted
- Few areas of constitutional law have proven to be as controversial and as subject to misinterpretation as that concerning the constitutionality of government-sponsored religious activities in public schools. In the last three decades the Supreme Court in five decisions and the State arid lower Federal courts in dozens of related decisions have attempted to articulate the 1 / meaning of the religion clauses of the First ~mendment- for a variety of such activities, including State-sponsored prayer, Bible reading, and religious teaching. Notwithstanding continuing political controversy over many of these decisions, they provide a fairly consistent interpretation and application of the First Amendment.
- The Religious Freedom Restoration Act: Its Rise, Fall, and Current Status
- This report briefly summarizes Employment Division, Oregon Department of Human Resources v. Smith, the legislative history of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), the Supreme Court's decision in City of Boerne, Texas v. Flores, and RFRA's current legal status, and notes the introduction of the Religious Liberty Protection Act (RLPA).
- Response to Terrorism: Legal Aspects of the Use of Military Force
- No Description Available.
- Suits Against Terrorist States
- No Description Available.
- Supreme Court: Church-State Cases, 2001-2002 Term
- This issue brief discusses a number of Supreme Court cases that heavily concern church and state from the 2001-2002 Term. It provides detailed summaries on two decided cases, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York, Inc v. Stratton, Ohio and Zelman v. Selmon-Harris. Updated November 26, 2002.
- Supreme Court: Church-State Cases, 2001-2002 Term
- This issue brief discusses a number of Supreme Court cases that heavily concern church and state from the 2001-2002 Term. It provides detailed summaries on two decided cases, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York, Inc v. Stratton, Ohio and Zelman v. Selmon-Harris.
- Supreme Court: Church-State Cases, October 1983 Term
- This report provides an assessment of Supreme Court cases from the 1983-85 Term that involve issues involving the free exercise of religion. It provides a detailed review of the case Lynch v. Donnelly, and brief descriptions of twelve other cases that have not been reviewed.
- The Religious Freedom Amendment: H.J. Res. 78, As Reported by the House Judiciary Committee
- This report details the legislative, political, and legal contexts of H.J.Res 78 (Religious Freedom Amendment) and analyzes its legal effect.
- Lebanon: Background and U.S. Relations. December 2008
- This report provides an overview of Lebanese politics, recent events in Lebanon, and current issues in U.S. - Lebanon relations.
- Lebanon: Background and U.S. Relations. February 2011
- This report provides an overview of Lebanese politics, recent events in Lebanon, and current issues in U.S. - Lebanon relation
- Neighborhood Conservation through Housing Presentation
- This report describes the Neighborhood Conservation through Housing Presentation.
- Caribbean Basin Enhancement Legislation
- Legislation provides Caribbean countries similar tariff benefits as Mexico under the Caribbean and Central American Relief and Economic Stabilization Act. A senate bill provides relief to the hurricane affected countries of Central America. The senate bill is more restrictive than the House bill in the scope of tariff benefits offered.
- Free Trade Versus Protectionism: An Analysis of the Issue
- This report discusses the gain international trade, qualifications to the free trade doctrine and arguments for protectionism.
- A Survey of Foreign Indebtedness to the United States
- This report is about a Survey of Foreign Indebtedness to the United States
- Trade Legislation in the 106th Congress: An Overview
- No Description Available.
- The German Economy and U.S.-German Economic Relations
- This report first examines Germany's economic performance in historical perspective and assesses some of the domestic factors that may be contributing to Germany's suboptimal performance; the second discusses the reform challenges facing Germany's political leaders; and the third section evaluates a few salient U.S.-German economic policy differences and strains that seem to be influenced by Germany's weakened economic situation.
- Trade Legislation in the 106th Congress: An Overview
- The 106th Congress completed action on a number of major trade initiatives. The impact on American firms and workers was a paramount concern in the passage of this legislation. Most notably, bills were passed to establish "normal trade relations" with China, deepen economic ties with the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, enhance trade benefits for 24 Caribbean Basin countries, and to ease trade sanctions on Cuba and other countries. Congress also voted to maintain U.S. participation in the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as worked with the Clinton Administration to pass replacement legislation for the Foreign Sales Corporation (FSC) tax benefit for U.S. exports. The latter action averted, at least until mid-2001, the imposition of punitive tariffs by the European Union on an estimated $4 billion in U.S. exports.
- U.S.-European Union Relations and the 2007 Summit
- This report evaluates the results of the annual U.S.-EU summit on April 30, 2007, in Washington, DC.
- Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) Negotiations
- This report provides: (1) context for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations; (2) analysis of possible trade and investment issues in the negotiations; and (3) discussion of issues for Congress. The U.S.-EU negotiations on TTIP are not public, however, the information and analysis in this report on issues in the negotiations are based on publicly-available information.
- 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..
- 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.
- The 2010 Oil Spill: Natural Resource Damage Assessment Under the Oil Pollution Act
- The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill leaked an estimated 4.1 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, damaging the waters, shores, and marshes, and the fish and wildlife that live there. When resources in the public trust are harmed by contamination, federal, state, foreign, and tribal governments may seek compensation for damage to natural resources under certain laws. This is done in two steps: first, by assessing the harm; then, by determining how and what restoration will take place. Compensation for natural resource damage is intended to restore the natural resources to their condition before the damage and to compensate the public for the lost use of those resources. This report discusses legislation that provides a framework for assessing and mitigating the damage caused by such spills.
- The 2010 Oil Spill: The Minerals Management Service (MMS) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
- This report will review environmental procedures after an exploratory oil well in the Gulf of Mexico exploded, killing 11 people and causing an oil spill.
- Biological Opinions for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: A Case Law Summary
- This report is a Case Law Summary about Biological Opinions for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
- Biological Opinions for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: A Case Law Summary
- For decades biologists, water users, and lawmakers (both federal and state) have attempted to craft a system that meets the needs of California water users while ensuring sufficient usable water for fish. Under California's hybrid system of appropriate water rights, users are issued permits for water diverted from rivers and streams regardless of the users' proximity to the source of water. This report details the proceedings related to the long-term central valley project and state water project operations criteria and biological opinions regarding that plan.
- Injurious Species Listings Under the Lacey Act: A Legal Briefing
- This report examines the Lacey Act provision that directs injurious species bans and is codified in the criminal code, Title 18. The injurious species provision addresses prohibited acts, exceptions, and penalties.