Congressional Research Service Reports - 111 Matching Results

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Supreme Court: Church-State Cases, 2001-2002 Term

Description: 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.
Date: November 26, 2002
Creator: Ackerman, David M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Law of Church and State: Public Aid to Sectarian Schools

Description: One of the most difficult issues of constitutional law concerns the extent to which the establishment of religion clause of the First Amendment imposes constraints on the provision of public aid to private sectarian schools. This report gives a brief overview of the evolution of the Court’s interpretation of the establishment clause in this area and itemizes the categories of aid that have been addressed by the Court and held to be constitutionally permissible or impermissible, both at the elem… more
Date: August 1, 2000
Creator: Ackerman, David M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Russia's Religion Law: Assessments and Implications

Description: This short report provides an overview and assessment of Russian religion law. On September 26, 1997, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed the religion bill into law, and implementing regulations were promulgated in early 1998. The Administration and Congress have raised concerns that the law may restrict religion and have urged Russia to uphold its international commitments to religious freedom. The FY1998 Foreign Aid Appropriations Act (P.L. 105-118) prohibits the Freedom Support Act aid to… more
Date: May 29, 1998
Creator: Nichol, Jim
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Campaign Activity by Churches: Legal Analysis of Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act, H.R. 235 (108th Congress)

Description: Churches and other Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations can lose their tax-exempt status if they participate in a political campaign. The Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act, H.R. 235 (108th Congress) would permit churches to engage in limited types of political campaign activity, in unlimited amounts, without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status. This report provides an overview of current tax and campaign finance law relevant to this legislation, a … more
Date: June 16, 2003
Creator: Morris, Marie B. & Whitaker, L. Paige
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Islamic Religious Schools,

Description: Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the Islamic religious schools known as madrasas (or madrassahs) in the Middle East, Central, and Southeast Asia have been of increasing interest to U.S. foreign policy makers. This report provides an overview of madrasas, of their role in the Muslim world and issues related to their alleged financing by Saudi Arabia and other external donors.
Date: October 29, 2003
Creator: Armanios, Febe
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Islamic Religious Schools,

Description: This report provides an overview of madrasas, their role in the Muslim world, and issues related to their alleged financing by Saudi Arabia and other donors. The report also addresses the findings of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the “9/11 Commission”) and issues relevant to the 109th Congress.
Date: February 10, 2005
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Islamic Traditions of Wahhabism and Salafiyya

Description: The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and subsequent investigations of these attacks have called attention to Islamic puritanical movements known as Wahhabism and Salafiyya. This report provides a background on Wahhabi Islam and its association to militant fundamentalist groups; it will also summarize recent charges against Wahhabism and responses.
Date: December 22, 2003
Creator: Armanios, Febe
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Islamic Traditions of Wahhabism and Salafiyya

Description: This report provides a background on Wahhabi Islam and its association to militant fundamentalist groups; it also summarizes recent charges against Wahhabism and responses, including the findings of the final report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (“The 9/11 Commission”) and bills relevant to this issue in the 109th Congress.
Date: February 10, 2005
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Islam: Sunnis and Shiites

Description: The majority of the world’s Muslim population follows the Sunni branch of Islam, and approximately 10-15% of all Muslims follow the Shiite (Shi‘ite, Shi‘a, Shia) branch. This report includes a historical background of the Sunni-Shiite split and the differences in religious beliefs and practices between and within each Islamic sect as well as their similarities.
Date: February 23, 2004
Creator: Armanios, Febe
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Constitutionality of Including the Phrase "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance

Description: On October 14, 2003, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in the appeal regarding the California statute, and on June 14, 2004, the Court reversed the Ninth Circuit’s decision finding that Newdow lacked standing to challenge the school district’s policy in federal court. This report summarizes the facts of the case, the opinions that have been rendered, congressional action, and the appeal to the Supreme Court. It will be updated as circumstances warrant.
Date: June 18, 2004
Creator: Welborn, Angie A.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House and Senate Chaplains

Description: The official clergy of Congress are the two chaplains — one in the House, the other in the Senate. They are among the elected officers of their respective houses. At the beginning of each Congress, the House chaplain is elected for a two-year term. The Senate chaplain does not have to be reelected at the beginning of a new Congress. This fact sheet is one of a series on the legislative process. For more information on the legislative process.
Date: May 20, 2005
Creator: Amer, Mildred L.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Islam: A Primer

Description: This report provides descriptions of the historical background, the tenets of Islam, jihad, the status of women in Islam, as well as other aspects concerning the religion.
Date: February 19, 2003
Creator: Mark, Clyde R.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Law of Church and State: Selected Opinions of Justice O'Connor

Description: This report offers an examination of Justice O’Connor’s opinions interpreting the Establishment Clause reveals that she employed different tests depending on the type of government activity at issue. The decisions show that O’Connor believed that these cases should all be examined carefully with particular attention given to the facts of each, and that the Court should refrain from tying itself to a single test for evaluating Establishment Clause cases.
Date: July 20, 2005
Creator: Welborn, Angie A.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Islamist Extremism in Europe

Description: Although the vast majority of Muslims in Europe are not involved in radical activities, Islamist extremists and vocal fringe communities that advocate terrorism exist and reportedly have provided cover for terrorist cells. This report provides an overview of Islamist extremism in Europe, possible terrorist links, European responses, and implications for the United States.
Date: July 29, 2005
Creator: Archick, Kristin; Rollins, John & Woehrel, Steven
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Afghanistan: Connections to Islamic Movements In Central and South Asia and Southern Russia

Description: After several years of relative peace in Central Asia and southern Russia, Islamic extremist movements have become more active in Russia and in Central and South Asia, threatening stability in the region. Although numerous factors might account for the upsurge in activity, several of these movements appear to have connections to the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban regime in Afghanistan. These linkages raise questions about whether the United States, as part of a broader effort to promote peace a… more
Date: December 7, 1999
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Muslims in Europe: Integration Policies in Selected Countries

Description: This report examines the integration of Muslims into the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Spain. It also analyzes policies at the European Union (EU) level that affect Muslim populations. However, key policies relating to integrating Muslims into society — including citizenship laws, education, treatment of religious institutions, and anti-discrimination measures — largely lie with individual governments.
Date: November 18, 2005
Creator: Gallis, Paul E.; Archick, Kristin; Miko, Francis T. & Woehrel, Steven
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Prayer and Religion in the Public Schools: What Is, and Is Not, Permitted

Description: 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 praye… more
Date: September 4, 1980
Creator: Ackerman, David M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Constitutionality of the Withdrawal of All Federal Court Jurisdiction Over Questions Involving State-Sponsored Prayer in Public Schools and Public Buildings

Description: 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.
Date: April 27, 1979
Creator: Ackerman, David M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Charitable Choice: Legal and Constitutional Issues

Description: This report provides analysis of a number of factual, civil rights, and constitutional questions that have been raised regarding charitable choice in general. The analysis is generally focused on those provisions enacted as part of the 1996 welfare reform law. More recent charitable choice rules may give rise to the same or similar concerns. Primarily, this report focuses on civil rights concerns that have arisen in the context of charitable choice and First Amendment issues, as well as recent … more
Date: January 27, 2006
Creator: Welborn, Angie A.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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School Prayer

Description: Congressional Research Service (CRS) report entailing information about school prayer. Topics include, proposed amendments, news articles, coverage of the issue of school prayer from 1962 to 1982, etc..
Date: June 1, 1982
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Campaign Activity by Churches: Legal Analysis of Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act

Description: Under current law, churches and other IRC § 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations are prohibited from engaging in such activity and risk losing their tax-exempt status if they do. While this outcome is rare, it is possible. This report provides an overview of the current tax and campaign finance law relevant to this legislation, a discussion of how each bill would amend current law, and a chart that compares the bills.
Date: June 14, 2005
Creator: Lunder, Erika & Whitaker, L. Paige
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Legal Analysis of President Reagan's Proposed Constitutional Amendment on School Prayer

Description: Congressional Research Service (CRS) report for Congress entailing a legal analysis of President Reagan's proposed constitutional amendment on school prayers. Topics include, interpretation of the first amendment, prayer activities in schools, supreme court decisions etc..
Date: June 2, 1982
Creator: Ackerman, David M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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