Congressional Research Service Reports - 64 Matching Results

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Federal Grants to State and Local Governments: A Brief History: This report provides a brief history of the federal grants to state and local governments.
State and Local Preparedness for Terrorism: Policy Issues and Options: No Description Available.
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: Political Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests: This report consists of the independence of all the former Soviet republics by the end of 1991, including the South Caucasus state of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in the United States.
Forest Service Revenue-Sharing Payments: Legislative Issues: The Forest Service (FS) returns 25% of the revenues from each national forest to the states for use on roads and schools in counties where the forests are located; the Bureau of Land Management shares 50% of its revenues with counties containing the Oregon & California grant lands. This report discusses the legislative concerns that have arisen because declining timber sales have reduced revenues.
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act: History, Impact, and Issues: This report examines debates over what constitutes an unfunded federal mandate and the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act's (UMRA's) implementation. It also discusses particular mandates and procedures associated with UMRA, and assesses UMRA's impact on federal mandates and arguments concerning UMRA's future, focusing on UMRA's definitions, exclusions, and exceptions that currently exempt many federal actions with potentially significant financial impacts on nonfederal entities.
ACA: A Brief Overview of the Law, Implementation, and Legal Challenges: This report summarizes the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the legal challenges it has faced. The report contains information on various lawsuits due to the ACA and provides the reasoning behind them as Congress violating its enumerated powers in the constitution. Moreover, the report covers the challenges of implementing the law.
Compensating State and Local Governments for the Tax-Exempt Status of Federal Lands: What Is Fair and Consistent?: This report provides information about the Compensating State and Local Governments for the Tax-Exempt Status of Federal Lands .State and local governments provide a wide variety of services-education, social services etc.
Enforcing Immigration Law: The Role of State and Local Law Enforcement: This report examines some of the policy and legal issues that may accompany an increased role of state and local law officials in the enforcement of immigration law.
Welfare Reform: TANF Trends and Data: The shrinkage in U.S. family cash welfare rolls has slowed to a near halt, although national numbers still are 50% below those of August, 1996, when Congress created the time-limited and work-conditioned block grant program of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Under TANF, the nature of the caseload has changed. The share of recipients who combine welfare and work has risen sharply (from 11% to 26%).
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: Responses to Frequently Asked Questions: This report provides responses to frequently asked questions about the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. It is intended to serve as a quick reference to provide easy access to information and data.
Unfunded Mandate Reform Act: A Brief Summary: The Unfunded Mandate Reform Act of 1995 (S. 1; H.R. 5) responds to the concerns of many State and local officials with regard to costs placed upon them by "unfunded mandates." Generally, unfunded mandates are responsibilities or duties placed on one level of government by another without paying the costs of carrying out such responsibilities or duties.
Journalists' Privilege to Withhold Information in Judicial and Other Proceedings: State Shield Statutes: This report briefly provides an overview of general trends among the states individual statutes.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program: Eligibility, Enrollment, and Program Funding: No Description Available.
Department of Homeland Security Grants to State and Local Governments: FY2003 to FY2006: This report provides information about the Department of Homeland Security Grants to State and Local Governments in between FY2003 to FY2006. This report also analyzes federal grants to state and local governments that are administered by DHS.
Federalism and the Constitution: Limits on Congressional Power: This report will discuss state and federal legislative power generally and will focus on a number of these "fedralism" cases
Crime Control: The Federal Response: Under the federal system in the United States, the states and localities traditionally have held the major responsibility for prevention and control of crime and maintenance of order. For most of the Republic’s history, “police powers” in the broad sense were reserved to the states under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution. Many still hold that view, but others see a string of court decisions in recent decades as providing the basis for a far more active federal role. Several bills are discussed in this report that address issues related to crime, juvenile justice, and Congress’ evolving role in crime legislation.
Community Development Block Grants: Neighborhood Stabilization Program; Assistance to Communities Affected by Foreclosures: Report regarding the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, P.L. 110-289, which allocates federal financial aid to all state and local governments with high amounts of foreclosed homes, subprime mortgage loans, and delinquent home mortgages. The report focuses on the assistance that aids in aquiring, rehabilitating, and reselling foreclosed and abandoned homes.
Puerto Rican Statehood: Effects on House Apportionment: This report looks at House of Representative distribution between states if Puerto Rico were to gain statehood.
FY2006 Appropriations for State and Local Homeland Security: This report provides information about the FY2006 Appropriations for the Department of Transportation which is funded through the annual appropriation act. The committee recomo\monded ore funding than the house approved for highway programs and Amtrak.
State Corporate Income Taxes: A Description and Analysis: No Description Available.
Mandatory Vaccinations: Precedent and Current Laws: This report provides an overview of the legal precedent for mandatory vaccination laws, and of state laws that require certain individuals or populations, including school-aged children and health care workers, to be vaccinated against various communicable diseases. Also discussed are state laws providing for mandatory vaccinations during a public health emergency or outbreak of a communicable disease.
Enforcing Immigration Law: The Role of State and Local Law Enforcement: This report examines the role of state and local law enforcement in enforcing immigration law. The discussion is limited to the role of state and local law enforcement in the investigation, arrest, and detention of all immigration violators. The report does not discuss the prosecution, adjudication, or removal of aliens who violate the law. The report opens with a brief discussion of the types of immigration interior enforcement activities that the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) pursued and the current immigration activities that are now the focus of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). A discussion of the legal authority that permits state and local law enforcement to enforce immigration law under certain circumstances follows. Current administrative efforts to involve state and local law enforcement in enforcing immigration law as well as selected issues are discussed. The report concludes with a discussion of the pros and cons of such a policy and an analysis of policy options for Congress.
Internet Commerce and State Sales and Use Taxes: State governments rely on sales and use taxes for approximately one-third (33.6%) of their total tax revenue - or approximately $179 billion in FY2002 .' Local governments derived 12.4% of their tax revenue or $44 .1 billion from local sales and use taxes in FY20012 Both state and local sales taxes are collected by vendors at the time of transaction and are levied at a percentage of a product's retail price. Alternatively, use taxes are not collected by the vendor if the vendor does not have nexus (loosely defined as a physical presence) in the consumer's state . Consumers are required to remit use taxes to their taxing jurisdiction . However, compliance with this requirement is quite low. Because of the low compliance, many observers suggest that the expansion of the internet as a means of transacting business across state lines, both from business to consumer (B to C) and from business to business (B to B), threatens to diminish the ability of state and local governments to collect sales and use taxes . Congress has a role in this issue because commerce between parties in different states conducted over the Internet falls under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution.' Congress can either take an active or passive role in the "Internet tax" debate. This report intends to clarify important issues in the Internet tax debate .
State and Local Sales and Use Taxes and Internet Commerce: No Description Available.
First Responder Initiative: Policy Issues and Options: This report discusses a new block grant program proposed by the Bush Administration called the “First Responder Initiative” to help state and local first responders prepare for possible terrorist attacks
Drunk Driving: Should Each State Be Required to Enact a 0.08 Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Law?: At the 0.08 BAC level of alcohol, braking, steering, lane changing, and judgment are degraded and the driving performance of virtually all drivers is substantially impaired. During the debate on reauthorization of the federal surface transportation programs, an amendment that would require each state either to enact a 0.08 BAC law or face the loss of a portion of its Federal Highway Trust Fund monies passed the Senate and will likely be considered in the House. This proposal raises questions about the effectiveness and impacts of a 0.08 BAC law, the rights of states versus the federal government, and alternative ways to encourage the states to adopt stronger impaired driving countermeasures.
State and Local Sales and Use Taxes and Internet Commerce: In theory, state sales and use taxes are consumption taxes based on the destination principle. The destination principle prescribes that taxes should be paid where the consumption takes place. Sales taxes collected at the point of sale achieve this if consumption takes place near the point of transaction. Thus, to remain consistent with the destination principle, consumers pay a use tax on products purchased out-of-state and used in their home state where consumption likely takes place.
Medical Marijuana: Review and Analysis of Federal and State Policies: This report discusses the issue before Congress of whether to continue the federal prosecution of medical marijuana patients and their providers, in accordance with the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA), or whether to relax federal marijuana prohibition enough to permit the medicinal use of botanical cannabis products when recommended by a physician, especially where permitted under state law.
State and Local Sales and Use Taxes and Internet Commerce: In theory, state sales and use taxes are based on the destination principle, which prescribes that taxes should be paid where the consumption takes place. States are concerned because they anticipate gradually losing more tax revenue as the growth of Internet commerce allows more residents to buy products from vendors located out-of-state and evade use taxes. The size of the revenue loss from Internet commerce and subsequent tax evasion is uncertain. Congress is involved in this issue because commerce conducted by parties in different states over the Internet falls under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. The degree of congressional involvement is an open question.
State Medicaid Program Administration: A Brief Overview: Medicaid is jointly financed by the federal and state governments, but each state designs and administers its own program within broad federal guidelines. This report provides a brief overview of the Medicaid program administration at the state level and includes information on organization, responsibilities, and expenditures. It also describes policy issues and proposals related to state Medicaid program administration that has attracted recent attention. It will be updated as legislative or other activity warrants.
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.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program: Guidance on Frequently Asked Questions: No Description Available.
Optional Federal Chartering for Insurers: Major Interest Groups: No Description Available.
TANF Reauthorization: Side-by-Side Comparison of Current Law and Two Versions of H.R. 4 (108th Congress): No Description Available.
Missouri Emergency Management and Homeland Security Authorities Summarized: No Description Available.
Alaska Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized: This report is one of a series that profiles the emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and three territories (American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. This report focuses on the state of Alaska.
Arizona Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized: This report is one of a series that profiles the emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and three territories (American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. This report focuses on the state of Arizona.
Arkansas Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized: This report is one of a series that profiles the emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and three territories (American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. This report focuses on the state of Arkansas.
California Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized: This report is one of a series that profiles the emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and three territories (American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. This report focuses on the state of California.
Illinois Emergency Management and Homeland Security Authorities Summarized: The Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act outlines the state and local governments’ roles and responsibilities in emergency management. The statute authorizes disaster victims to receive special assistance from the state. The Governor’s Succession Act and the Emergency Interim Executive Successors Act outline provisions for the continuity of Illinois government operations. Other acts require emergency evacuation plans for people with disabilities and authorizations for certified local employees to take leave to provide assistance. When funds are not sufficient in the state’s disaster relief fund, the governor is authorized to transfer or borrow funds if the General Assembly is not in session, or to request legislative action if the assembly is in session. The statute authorizes municipalities to impose taxes, within limits, to fund disaster services.
Mississippi Emergency Management and Homeland Security Authorities Summarized: No Description Available.
Kentucky Emergency Management and Homeland Security Authorities Summarized: No Description Available.
Montana Emergency Management and Homeland Security Authorities Summarized: No Description Available.
Nevada Emergency Management and Homeland Security Authorities Summarized: No Description Available.
Massachusetts Emergency Management and Homeland Security Authorities Summarized: No Description Available.
Michigan Emergency Management and Homeland Security Authorities Summarized: No Description Available.
Minnesota Emergency Management and Homeland Security Authorities Summarized: No Description Available.
Oregon Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized: This report is one of a series that profiles the emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and three territories (American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. This report focuses on the state of Oregon.
Oklahoma Emergency Management and Homeland Security Authorities Summarized: No Description Available.
Pennsylvania Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized: This report is one of a series that profiles the emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and three territories (American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. This report focuses on the state of Pennsylvania.

Congressional Research Service Reports - 64 Matching Results

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