Congressional Research Service Reports - 210 Matching Results
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- Federal Government Termination of supervision over the American Indian
- This report contains references related to American Indian.
- Summary of Major Military Reserve Laws Historical Backgrounds: 1948-1968
- This report outlines certain laws that require military action within the United States. It also recalls on back wars to investigate how those actions effected the present time.
- Powers of the President
- This report is about the powers of the President.
- The Library of Congress Legislative Reference Service
- This report is on Legislative Background of Federal Food Aid Programs
- General Sales Tax Rates, Food Exemptions and Sales Tax Credits, with a Pro and Con Analysis and Selected References
- This report is about General Sales Tax Rates, Food Exemptions and Sales Tax Credits, with a Pro and Con Analysis and Selected References.
- A Statutory and Organizational Review of the American Revolution Bicentennal Celebration: 1966-1973
- This report is a Statutory and Organizational Review of the American Revolution Bicentennial Celebration from 1966 through 1973.
- Physicians Income, Fees, and Costs.
- This report is about physicians fees for hospital bases physicians, in teaching, research, and other positions
- Executive Recognization: A Historic Review
- No Description Available.
- Federal Assistance Programs: How to get Information about them and apply for Assistance (including a guide on how to use the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance)
- This report is a journey of the federal assistance program which talks about how to get information about them and apply for assistance.
- Food Testing and Inspection program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration
- No Description Available.
- Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAS): Proposals to Expand Tax Incentives for Retirement Savings
- This report contains information about workers covered by employer-sponsored retirement plans.
- National Security Controls and Scientific Information
- This report is about National Security and Scientific Information
- Fish and Wildlife Service: Compensation to Local Governments
- The Refuge Revenue Sharing Fund (RRSF) was enacted in response to the concern of local governments regarding losses to their tax base due to the presence of federally owned land under the jurisdiction of the Fish and Wildlife Service. This report outlines recent history of RRSF payment levels. It examines the RRSF and describes how the fund differs in its treatment of reserved and acquired lands under the jurisdiction of FWS. The report also examines the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program in detail.
- German Unification
- This is a report on German Unification and the poliitical transformations in Germany.
- Habitat Modification and the Endangered Species Act: The Sweet Home Decision
- This report discusses the Endangered Species Act, the regulation of the Fish and Wildlife Service defining "harm" for purposes of the "take" prohibitions of the Endangered Species Act.
- Government Performance and Results Act: Implementation During 1997 and Issues of Possible Concern, 105th Congress, Second Session
- Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, P.L. 103-62, also called the “Results Act,” and GPRA. A government-wide performance plan was submitted with the President’s FY1999 budget. Congressional hearings have been held on implementation of GPRA, and the General Accounting Office and congressional groups have assessed initial activities. Most strategic plans have been criticized for not conveying required analyses of the linkage between strategic goals and annual goals and measures, of resources needed to achieve goals, of data systems capabilities, and of interagency coordination on similar programs.
- Government Performance and Results Act: Implementation During 1997 and Issues of Possible Concern, 105th Congress, Second Session
- Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, P.L. 103-62, also called the “Results Act,” and GPRA. A government-wide performance plan was submitted with the President’s FY1999 budget. Congressional hearings have been held on implementation of GPRA, and the General Accounting Office and congressional groups have assessed initial activities. Most strategic plans have been criticized for not conveying required analyses of the linkage between strategic goals and annual goals and measures, of resources needed to achieve goals, of data systems capabilities, and of interagency coordination on similar programs.
- ISTEA Reauthorization: Highway and Transit Legislative Proposals in the 105th Congress, 2nd Session
- This report discusses the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), programs which are continuing to operate on the basis of limited interim financing enacted in the closing moments of the 1st Session.
- Charter Schools: State Developments and Federal Policy Options
- Charter schools are public elementary or secondary schools which are released from a variety of state, local, and possibly federal regulations in return for new forms of accountability in terms of outcomes for pupils. Approximately one-half of the states authorize the establishment of charter schools, and a federal Public Charter Schools (PCS) program provides start-up funds for such schools. The House has passed (H.R. 2616), and the Senate is considering (S. 1380) legislation to modify and expand the PCS program. This report provides background information on charter schools and their characteristics, plus discussion and analysis of current legislation regarding the PCS program. Issues have also arisen regarding the participation of charter schools in other federal aid programs.
- Restructuring the Internal Revenue Service: A Comparison of Two Major Bills in the 105th Congress
- No Description Available.
- Immigration-Related Welfare Provisions in 105th Congress Legislation
- Report on immigration-related welfare issues, including statistics, restrictions, past acts, and more.
- The International Criminal Court Treaty: Description, Policy Issues, and Congressional Concerns
- This report discusses the events leading to the creation of a permanent international criminal tribunal and U.S. perspectives on the Court including: problematic provisions in the ICC Treaty, congressional considerations, and potential implications for U.S. foreign policy.
- Overview of NEPA Requirements
- The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) establishes national environmental policies that apply to the federal government and also prescribes certain procedural requirements for federal agency actions. Except as otherwise provided by Congress, NEPA applies to all federal agency actions, although its requirements may vary depending on the nature of the action involved. This report provides an overview of NEPA's requirements. It is not anticipated that this report will be updated.
- Foreign Aid: An Introductory Overview of U.S. Programs and Policy
- Foreign assistance is a fundamental component of the international affairs budget and is viewed by many as an essential instrument of U.S foreign policy. This report provides an overview of the U.S. foreign aid program, by addressing a number of the more frequently asked questions regarding the subject.
- ESEA Reauthorization Proposals: Comparison of Major Features of the House and Senate Versions of H.R. 1
- The authorizations of appropriations for most programs of federal aid to elementary and secondary (grades K-12) education, under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), expired at the end of FY2000. While the 106th Congress extensively considered several bills which would have reauthorized and amended most of these programs, only legislation extending the Impact Aid (ESEA Title VIII) and Even Start Family Literacy (ESEA Title I, Part B) programs was enacted. Selected other programs, such as the Class Size Reduction program, have been initiated and continued solely through annual appropriations legislation.
- The Role of Risk Analysis and Risk Management in Environmental Protection
- The recent change in the leadership in the Senate affects the prospects in the 107th Congress for comprehensive legislation that would mandate increased use of risk analysis by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Although the key Senate proposal for such risk legislation in the 106th Congress had bipartisan sponsorship, it was opposed by many Democrats, including party leadership. No comprehensive risk legislation has been proposed in the 107th Congress, although "unbiased" risk analysis would be required by H.R. 324, a bill to amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (i.e., Superfund).
- Drug Certification Requirements and Proposed Congressional Modifications in 2001
- This report provides a brief summary of the existing drug certification requirements for drug producing and drug-transit countries, background on the experience, criticisms, and reform efforts under these provisions; a summary of early congressional options and proposals advanced in 2001, with possible advantages and disadvantages; a summary of later initiatives with legislative activity; and (5) a tracking of legislative action on the major initiatives.
- “Junk E-mail”: An Overview of Issues and Legislation Concerning Unsolicited Commercial Electronic Mail (“Spam”)
- This report discusses unsolicited commercial e-mail (UCE), also called “spam” or “junk e-mail.” Not only can it be a nuisance, but its cost may be passed on to consumers through higher charges from Internet service providers who must upgrade their systems to handle the traffic.
- Child Support Enforcement: New Reforms and Potential Issues
- P.L. 104-193 (the 1996 welfare reform legislation) made major changes to the Child Support Enforcement (CSE) program. Some of the changes include requiring states to increase the percentage of fathers identified, establishing an integrated, automated network linking all states to information about the location and assets of parents, and requiring states to implement more enforcement techniques to obtain collections from debtor parents. Additional legislative changes were made in 1997, 1998, and 1999, but not in 2000. This report describes several aspects of the revised CSE program and discusses three issues that probably will be reexamined by the 107th Congress — CSE financing, parental access by noncustodial parents, and distribution of support payments.
- Child Support Enforcement: New Reforms and Potential Issues
- This report describes several aspects of the revised CSE program and discusses three issues that probably will be reexamined by the 107th Congress — CSE financing, parental access by noncustodial parents, and distribution of support payments.
- Status of Trade Legislation in the 107th Congress
- No Description Available.
- The Origination Clause of the U.S. Constitution: Interpretation and Enforcement
- No Description Available.
- Iraq: Compliance, Sanctions, and U.S. Policy
- No Description Available.
- Caribbean Basin Interim Trade Program: CBI/NAFTA Parity
- The entry into force, on January 1, 1994, of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has eliminated the advantage that the beneficiaries of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) and related provisions of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) had enjoyed in trade with the United States relative to Mexico, and gave Mexico an increasingly significant competitive edge over the CBERA countries. The scheduled further implementation of the NAFTA would have resulted in a substantial advantage to Mexico over the CBERA countries and vitiate in part the purpose of the CBERA.
- Environmental Streamlining Provisions in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century: Status of Implementation
- At the state and local level, many observers have expressed long-standing concerns over delays, duplication of effort, and additional costs frequently associated with the environmental review process for highway projects that must be completed under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA, P.L. 91-190). To address these concerns, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA21, P.L. 105-178), enacted in 1998, requires the Federal Highway Administration(FHWA) to streamline the environmental review process for highway projects.
- Iraq: Compliance, Sanctions, and U.S. Policy
- No Description Available.
- Mining on Federal Lands
- No Description Available.
- Abortion: Legislative Response
- The primary focus of this issue brief is legislative action in the 107th Congress with respect to abortion. However, discussion of those legislative proposals necessarily involves a brief discussion of the leading U.S. Supreme Court decisions concerning a woman’s right to choose whether to terminate her pregnancy. For a more detailed discussion of the relevant case law, see CRS Report 95-724, Abortion Law Development: A Brief Overview.
- Caribbean Basin Interim Trade Program: CBI/NAFTA Parity
- The entry into force, on January 1, 1994, of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has eliminated the advantage that the beneficiaries of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) and related provisions of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) had enjoyed in trade with the United States relative to Mexico, and gave Mexico an increasingly significant competitive edge over the CBERA countries. The scheduled further implementation of the NAFTA would have resulted in a substantial advantage to Mexico over the CBERA countries and vitiate in part the purpose of the CBERA.
- Environmental Streamlining Provisions in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century: Status of Implementation
- This report describes the environmental documents required for highway projects, discusses the average amount of time to complete this documentation, summarizes the environmental streamlining provisions under TEA-21, and examines administrative and legislative actions taken to implement these requirements.
- War on Drugs: Legislation in the 108th Congress and Related Developments
- No Description Available.
- The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program: An Overview
- This report provides an overview of the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, administered by the Department of Justice (DOJ), which provides financial assistance to eligible police departments to help improve community policing efforts. It includes a brief discussion of the establishment of the program, guidelines and requirements for grantees, and a summary of various Department of Justice initiatives under the COPS program.
- Drug Control: International Policy and Approaches
- This report discusses various U.S. international narcotics policy approaches meant to achieve two main goals: to reduce the supply of illicit narcotics flowing into the United States, and to reduce the amount of illicit narcotics cultivated, processed, and consumed worldwide.
- Drug Control: International Policy and Approaches
- 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.
- ERISA Regulation of Health Plans: Fact Sheet
- The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA, P.L. 93-406) places the regulation of employee benefit plans (including health plans) primarily under federal jurisdiction for about 124 million people. ERISA’s treatment of health plans is both complicated and confusing. ERISA has been interpreted as dividing health plans into two groups regulated differently under the law: about 54 million people are covered by self-insured plans for which the employer, rather than an insurer, assumes the risk for paying for covered services and about 70 million people are covered by purchased insurance (according to 2000 information from the Census Bureau and the Department of Labor).
- Georgia’s Pankisi Gorge: Russian Concerns and U.S. Interests
- This report delves into the complex and tumultuous relationship between Georgia and Russia. It provides background of the two countries interactions, analysis of recent developments, speculation regarding U.S. interest in the perceived conflict.
- Judicial Salary-Setting Policy
- No Description Available.
- Caribbean Basin Interim Trade Program: CBI/NAFTA Parity
- The entry into force, on January 1, 1994, of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has eliminated the advantage that the beneficiaries of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) and related provisions of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) had enjoyed in trade with the United States relative to Mexico, and gave Mexico an increasingly significant competitive edge over the CBERA countries. The scheduled further implementation of the NAFTA would have resulted in a substantial advantage to Mexico over the CBERA countries and vitiate in part the purpose of the CBERA.
- Child Welfare Issues in the 108th Congress
- The purpose of this report is to present a number of generally less broad legislative proposals related to child welfare financing have been introduced in the 108th Congress. Additional child welfare-related proposals designed to improve services, promote timely placement of children across state lines, and for other purposes, are described in this report.
- Flag Protection: A Brief History and Summary of Recent Supreme Court Decisions and Proposed Constitutional Amendment
- This report is divided into two parts. The first gives a brief history of the flag protection issue, from the enactment of the Flag Protection Act in 1968 through current consideration of a constitutional amendment. The second part briefly summarizes the two decisions of the United States Supreme Court, Texas v. Johnson and United States v. Eichman, that struck down the state and federal flag protection statutes as applied in the context punishing expressive conduct.