Congressional Research Service Reports - 299 Matching Results
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- Court Security Improvement Act of 2007: A Legal Analysis of H.R. 660/S. 378
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- The “Farm Bill” in Brief
- Federal farm support, food assistance, agricultural trade, marketing, and rural development policies are governed by a variety of separate laws. Although many of these policies can be and sometimes are modified through freestanding authorizing legislation, or as part of other laws, the omnibus, multi-year farm bill provides an opportunity for policymakers to address agricultural and food issues more comprehensively.
- Government Access to Phone Calling Activity and Related Records: Legal Authorities
- Report summarizing statutory authorities regarding access by the government, for either foreign intelligence or law enforcement purposes, to information related to telephone calling patterns or practices.
- Vulnerable Youth: Background and Policies
- This report first provides an overview of the youth population and the increasing complexity of transitioning to adulthood for all adolescents. It also provides a separate discussion of the concept of "disconnectedness," as well as the protective factors youth can develop during childhood and adolescence that can mitigate poor outcomes. Further, the report describes the evolution of federal youth policy, focusing on three time periods, and provides a brief overview of current federal programs targeted at vulnerable youth. The report then discusses the challenges of coordinating federal programs for youth, as well as federal legislation and initiatives that promote coordination among federal agencies and support programs with a positive youth development focus.
- The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN)
- This report provides an overview of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN).
- An Abridged Sketch of Extradition To and From the United States
- Abridged synopsis of information about treaties and procedures followed by the United States related to extradition requests (originating in the U.S. or from a foreign country) to surrender a person for prosecution or punishment in another country.
- The Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape
- The report discusses the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)-Related Congressional Actions in the 112th Congress. The policymakers, including some in Congress, have long called for varying degrees and types of reform to the FCC. Most proposals fall into two categories: (1) procedural changes made within the FCC or through congressional action that would affect the agency's operations or (2) substantive policy changes requiring congressional action that would affect how the agency regulates different services and industry sectors.
- The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act
- President George W. Bush signed the Postal Enhancement and Accountability Act (P.L. 109-435) on December 20, 2006. This report briefly describes Congress’s pursuit of postal reform, summarizes the major provisions of the new postal reform law, and identifies possible P.L. 109-435 oversight issues for Congress.
- Authorization For Use Of Military Force in Response to the 9/11 Attacks (P.L. 107-40): Legislative History
- In response to the terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, the Congress passed legislation, S.J.Res. 23, on September 14, 2001, authorizing the President to "use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons..." The President signed this legislation into law on September 18, 2001. This report provides a legislative history of this statue, the "Authorization of Use of Military Force", which, as Congress stated in its text, constitutes the legislative authorization for the use of U.S. military force contemplated by the War Powers Resolution.
- Nonimmigrant Overstays: Brief Synthesis of the Issue
- This report discusses a fundamental problem of immigration control in which foreign nationals enter legally on a temporary basis and continue to stay after their visas expire.
- Forestry in the 2007 Farm Bill
- This report briefly describes the Agriculture Committees' jurisdiction over forestry, with examples of legislation addressed by the committees. It discusses forestry issues likely to be debated in the upcoming farm bill and presents information on the forestry provisions in the Administration's proposal for the 2007 farm bill, followed by the forestry provisions in the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (H.R. 2419).
- The United States as a Net Debtor Nation: Overview of the International Investment Position
- This report provides an overview of the international investment position on the United States as a net debtor nation.
- Water Resources Development Act (WRDA): Corps of Engineers Project Authorization Issues
- This report provides a background and analysis on the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). It also includes the corps of engineers project authorization issues.
- Telecommunications Act: Competition, Innovation, and Reform
- In 1996, Congress enacted comprehensive reform of the nation’s statutory and regulatory framework for telecommunications by passing the Telecommunications Act, which substantially amended the 1934 Communications Act. The general objective of the 1996 Act was to open up markets to competition by removing unnecessary regulatory barriers to entry. This report discusses the history of the law and examines current issues.
- BP Alaska North Slope Pipeline Shutdowns: Regulatory Policy Issues
- This report is categorized into four categories: (I) Introduction, (II) Federal Pipeline Safety Regulation, (III) Regulatory Policy Issues and (IV) Conclusion.
- Enforcing Immigration Law: The Role of State and Local Law Enforcement
- This report provides information about The Role of State and Local Law Enforcement on Enforcing Immigration Law.
- Affirmative Action in Employment: A Legal Overview
- This report covers the legal history of affirmative action legislation in regard to employment. Moreover, the report tracks this type of legislation to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's. Specifically, much of this legislation stems from desegregation of public schools and even more specifically in regards to employment to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
- Appropriations Subcommittee Structure: History of Changes from 1920-2007
- This report discusses both the house and senate appropriations committees merged their subcommittees on transportation and treasury and created a new subcommittee to consider appropriation for the newly created department of homeland security.
- “Independent” Legislative Commission or Office for Ethics and/or Lobbying
- This report provides an overview of the legislative commission or office for ethics and/or lobbying.
- Debate and Motions on the House Floor: Allocation of Time
- This report addresses time limitations associated with selected House floor procedures.
- Immigration: Policy Considerations Related to Guest Worker Programs
- This report provides the policy considerations related to guest worker programs on immigration.
- Immigration: Policy Considerations Related to Guest Worker Programs
- This report provides an overview of the policy considerations related to guest worker programs on immigration.
- Immigration Reform: Brief Synthesis of Issue
- This report synthesizes the major elements of immigration reform in the 110th Congress and provides references to other CRS reports that fully analyze these legislative elements.
- Immigration: Legislative Issues on Nonimmigrant Professional Specialty (H-1B) Workers
- Report detailing the upcoming deadline on increases to foreign temporary professional workers, with a description of the issues, economic effects, and more.
- Immigration: S Visas for Criminal and Terrorist Informants
- Report on the visa process for informants reporting on terrorist activities, including historical background, related conditions, legislative history, and more.
- Immigration-Related Detention: Current Legislative Issues
- Report on legislative issues related to detain noncitizens, including policy issues, previous acts, statistics, and more.
- Immigration Reform: Brief Synthesis of Issue
- Report summarizing the issues presented by immigration reform, including the disagreement whether incremental reform is preferably to a complete overhaul of the immigration systems, border security, smuggling, and more.
- Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 110th Congress
- Report detailing issues and legislative concerns regarding immigration during the 110th Congress, with a focus on comprehensive reform.
- Immigration Reform: Brief Synthesis of Issue
- This report synthesizes the major elements of immigration reform in the 110th Congress and provides references to other CRS reports that fully analyze these legislative elements.
- The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA): A Summary
- This report summarizes the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act and the major regulatory program that mandate reporting by industrial facilities of releases of hazardous chemicals to the environment, as well as local planning to respond in the event of significant, accidental releases.
- Burma and Transnational Crime
- This report discusses about Transnational Organized crime groups in Burma (Myanmar), that operates a multi billion dollar criminal industry that stretches across Southeast Asia.
- Fair Credit Reporting Act: Rights and Responsibilities
- This report discusses about the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) that establishes a consumer's right. It also consists of Permissible Uses of Consumer Credit Reports and Consumer Rights.
- Credit Union Regulatory Improvements Act of 2005 (CURIA)
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- Clinical Trials Reporting and Publication
- The central issue before Congress wit respect to clinical trial reporting and publication is how to balance the potential beneficial public health effects of requiring that clinical trial data be made public with the burdens that such requirements may place on companies and their own innovation.
- Wildfire Funding
- This report briefly describes the three categories of federal programs for wildfire protection. One is to protect the federal lands managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (FS), and by the U.S. Department of the Interior, whose wildfire programs are coordinated by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). A second category assists state and local governments and communities in protecting nonfederal lands; these programs are used to reduce wildland fuels, to otherwise prepare for fire control, to contain and control wildfires, and to respond after severe wildfires have burned. A third category of federal programs supports fire research, fire facilities, and improvements in forest health. The last section of this report discusses the impact of high and rising wildfire costs.
- Transportation Security: Issues for the 110th Congress
- The focus of this report is how best to construct and finance a system of deterrence, protection, and response that effectively reduces the possibility and consequences of another terrorist attack without unduly interfering with travel, commerce, and civil liberties.
- Automatic Enrollment in Section 401(k) Plans
- The reports is categorized into sic categories: (I) Types of Retirement Plans, (II) Enrollment Practices, (III) IRS Rulings, (IV) Policy Issues, (V) Plan Participation, and (VI) The Pension Protection Act.
- Generalized System of Preferences: Background and Renewal Debate
- This report presents, first, a brief history, economic rationale, and legal background leading to the establishment of the Generalized system of preferences.
- Exemptions from Environmental Law for the Department of Defense: Background and Issues for Congress
- Over time, Congress has included exemptions in several environmental statutes to ensure that requirements of those statutes would not restrict military training needs to the extent that national security would be compromised. This report discusses these exemptions and congressional disagreement over the need for broader exemptions in the absence of data on the overall impact of environmental requirements on training and readiness.
- Arsenic in Drinking Water: Regulatory Developments and Issues
- This report discusses the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments. These amendments directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update the standard for arsenic in drinking water.
- Budget Enforcement Procedures: Senate’s Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) Rule
- This report discusses the senate PAYGO rule. It also points out how it applies only to legislation considered by the senate.
- Exemptions from Environmental Law for the Department of Defense: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides Background and Issues for Congress on Exemptions from Environmental Law for the Department of Defense. several environmental statutes contain national security exemptions which is a department of defense can obtain on a case by case basis.
- Animal Agriculture: Selected Issues for Congress
- This report is a brief overview of some selected issues related to animal agriculture that are drawn from CRS reports.
- Counting the Homeless: Homeless Management Information Systems
- This report describes the development of HMIS, summarizes information released in the AHAR, describes previous attempts to count the homeless, and reports on the continuing progress of HMIS.
- Burma: Economic Sanctions
- This report provides background information on existing economic sanctions against Burma and possible options to expand sanctions.
- Veterans and Homelessness
- The first part of this report defines the term "homeless veteran". The second part summarizes the available research regarding the over representation of both male and female veterans, who are present in greater percentages in the homeless population than their percentages in the general population. The third section of this report discusses nine programs. Lastly, it discusses three emerging issues.
- Veto Override Procedure in the House and Senate
- This report provides an overview of the veto override procedure in the house and senate.
- Awards of Attorneys’ Fees by Federal Courts and Federal Agencies
- This report discusses the concept of prevailing party, the equal access to justice act, Awards of Attorneys' fees in Civil Right Cases and Awards of attorneys' fees in Tax cases.
- Walter Reed Army Medical Center: Realignment Under BRAC 2005 and Options for Congress
- This report details the BRAC Commission recommendation to create the WRNMMC, and the concomitant realignment of the WRAMC. It describes the concerns raised by the community before the BRAC Commission regarding the closure of the WRAMC main post and explains each of the 13 parts of the overall recommendation.
- Legal Issues Raised by Provision in House Energy Bill (H.R. 6) Creating Incentives for Certain OCS Leaseholders to Accept Price Thresholds
- This report looks at several of the legal issues arguably raised by one such proposal, which on January 18, 2007, passed the House of Representatives as section 204 of H.R.6, the House energy bill.