Congressional Research Service Reports - 1,008 Matching Results
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- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency: Overview and Issues for Congress
- This report provides an overview of The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), including the agency's organizational structure, characteristics (i.e., the "DARPA model"), and strategic priorities. The report also describes funding trends at DARPA and the Administration's FY2018 budget request. Finally, the report discusses select issues for possible congressional consideration, including the appropriate level of funding for the agency, technology transfer, and the potential role of DARPA in maintaining the technological superiority of the U.S. military.
- Science and Technology Issues in the 115th Congress
- This report briefly outlines an array of science and technology (S&T) policy issues that may come before the 115th Congress. Given the rapid pace of S&T advancement and its importance in many diverse public policy issues, S&T-related issues not discussed in this report may come before the 115th Congress. The selected issues are grouped into 9 categories: Overarching S&T Policy Issues, Agriculture, Biomedical Research and Development, Defense, Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Homeland Security, Information Technology, Physical and Material Sciences, and Space. Each of these categories includes concise analysis of multiple policy issues. The material presented in this report should be viewed as illustrative rather than comprehensive. Each section identifies CRS reports, when available, and the appropriate CRS experts to contact for further information and analysis.
- Telehealth Services Proposed for Medicare Part B Reimbursements, 2018: Fact Sheet
- This report discusses telehealth services covered under Medicare and describes the five conditions that a telehealth service must meet to be covered and paid for under Medicare Part B, provides an overview of how the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) adds telehealth services to Medicare's reimbursable list, and includes a table listing the proposed telehealth services to be added to the CY2018 list for Medicare reimbursement.
- Inspector General Community Launches Oversight.gov to Increase Accessibility to Reports
- This report discusses the launch of oversight.gov by the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) and which agencies are currently participating in the beta test. The site allows Office of the Inspector General (OIG) reports related to participating agencies to be accessed in one place with keyword searchability.
- The Net Neutrality Debate: Access to Broadband Networks
- This report discusses net neutrality and the concept of open internet access. A decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2015 to classify broadband internet service as a telecommunication subjected the industry to further regulation and provoked a debate over what level of regulation should be used for the internet. The FCC in May 2017 announced their intention to modify rules from the 2015 regulations opening the debate once again. Past and current Congressional legislation related to internet policy is included in the final section.
- Friended but not Friends: Federal Ethics Authorities Address Role of Social Media in Politics
- This report discusses rules governing acceptance of gifts by government employees and how social media and the concept of being "friends" on a social media network effect the personal friendship clause of the gift ethics rules.
- Law Enforcement Using and Disclosing Technology Vulnerabilities
- This report provides background on law enforcement's use of technology vulnerabilities in criminal investigations. It also provides information on the government's system by which agencies collectively determine whether to maintain or disclose newly discovered vulnerabilities. The report also outlines a range of policy issues that may arise regarding the use and disclosure of vulnerabilities in technology.
- The Net Neutrality Debate: Access to Broadband Networks
- This report introduces the basics of the net neutrality debate over open access to the internet and discusses current court cases and legislation related to the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) 2015 Open Internet Order and its latest proposed revisions.
- Broadband Data Privacy and Security: What's Net Neutrality Got To Do With It?
- This report is the third in a series discussing the potential impact of the Federal Communication Commission's proposal to reclassify broadband internet access services (BIAS). This report focuses on the regulations of BIAS provider's privacy practices.
- Congressional Organization for Science and Technology, 91st Congress, 2nd Session: A Listing of Congressional Committees and Subcommittees Having Jurisdiction over Scientific and Technological Activities
- This report provides a listing of congressional committees and subcommittees related to science and technology.
- Computer Technology and Congressional Operations: Selected References
- This report serves as a series of citations indicating an increased interest in automatic data processing (ADP) within the United States Congress.
- Do-It-Yourself Ecology
- This report deals with how to develop a good environment.
- The Potential of Systems, Tools, and Techniques for Social and Community Problems: Selected References
- This report provides a bibliography of resources related to the use of systems technology to solve social and community problems such as housing, pollution, transportation, and health services. Twenty areas of use are included in the bibliography.
- Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP): History and Overview
- This report is about the history, role, and function of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) that exists to advise the President on matters related to science, engineering, and technology. It includes charts outlining both historical and current funding for the OSTP and past and present OSTP advisers organized by President.
- Update: The Microsoft Ireland Decision: U.S. Appeals Court Rules that ECPA does not Require Internet Service Providers to Produce Electronic Communications Stored Overseas
- This report discusses the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in the case of "Microsoft Corporation v. United States" where the court ruled that the U.S. could not enforce a subpoena asking Microsoft to retrieve emails stored on a server in Ireland. On June 28, 2017 the United States filed for reversal of the decision through a writ of certiorari in the Supreme Court.
- Cybersecurity Issues and Challenges: In Brief
- This report discusses the federal role in cyber-security, which involves both securing federal systems and assisting in protecting non-federal systems.
- Technology Forecasting: Background, Selected Methods, and Bibliography
- This report discusses the concept of technology forecasting and various methods to perform the forecasts as well as a bibliography of related resources.
- Residential applications of solar heating and cooling technologies
- This report is about residential applications of solar heating and cooling technologies
- U.S energy policy : The minimum import price for oil
- This report provides new strategies to develop new energy supplies and minimum import prices for oil.
- The Computer Industry: Growth and Evolution with Special Emphasis on Government Regulation and Antitrust, Selected References, 1974
- This report provides bibliography of resources related to the growth of the computer industry that were published in 1974.
- Basic Research needs in Energy Technologies
- This report is about the basic research needs in energy technologies
- Internships--A Guide to Information Sources
- This report discusses the Internships, A Guide to Information Sources.
- Law Enforcement and Modern Technology: Selected References, 1971
- This report provides a bibliography of recent resources related to the use of modern technology in law enforcement.
- Public Participation and Technology Assessment: A Survey of the Legislative History of the Office of Technology Assessment
- This report provides an overview of the history and functions of the Office of Technology Assessment and discusses the concept of public participation in technology assessment.
- The hydrogen economy
- This report provides information about the Congressional research service on Hydrogen economy
- Gun control: The constitutionality of federal prohibitions on the mere possession of firearms as an exercise of the commerce power
- This report proposes federal gun control legislation that has taken a variety of forms and each alternative has posed its own constitutional questions.
- Extra Terrestrial Intelligenct and Unidentified Flying Objects : A Selected Annotated Bibliography
- No Description Available.
- The Electronic Funds Transfer System
- This report discusses the development, use, and future outlook of electronic payment systems as well as addressing various electronic banking issues and policy.
- Improving Judicial Administration: The Role of Systems Technology
- This report provides a bibliography of resources related to the current role and potential of systems technology to improve judicial administration.
- Digital Trade and U.S. Trade Policy
- This report discusses the role of digital trade in the U.S. economy, barriers to digital trade, digital trade agreement provisions, and other selected policy issues.
- Water Pollution Control: Disposal of Dredge and Fill, Issue Brief Number IB77026
- This report addresses Disposal of Dredge and Fill regarding Water Pollution Control.
- The Alcohol Fuels: A Study of Technical and Supply Factors
- This report is a study of Technical and Supply Factors of the Alcohol Fuels.
- Dark Web
- This report illuminates information on the various layers of the Internet, with a particular focus on the Dark Web. It discusses both legitimate and illicit uses of the Dark Web, including how the government may rely upon it. Throughout, the report raises issues that policy makers may consider as they explore means to curb malicious activity online.
- The Internet Tax Freedom Act: In Brief
- This report discusses the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA; P.L. 105-277) enacted in 1998, which implemented a three-year moratorium preventing state and local governments from taxing Internet access, or imposing multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce.
- Science and Technology Issues in the 115th Congress
- This report briefly outlines an array of science and technology (S&T) policy issues that may come before the 115th Congress. It breaks down selected issues into nine categories: overarching issues, agriculture, biomedical research and development, defense, energy, environment and natural resources, homeland security, information technology, physical and material sciences, and space.
- Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
- This report provides an overview of the "digital divide," which is a term used to describe a perceived gap between those Americans who use or have access to telecommunications and information technologies and those who do not.
- Cybersecurity: Legislation, Hearings, and Executive Branch Documents
- This report provides links to cybersecurity-related committee hearings in the 112th, 113th, and 114th Congresses. It also provides a list of executive orders and presidential directives pertaining to information and computer security.
- Digital Searches and Seizures: Overview of Proposed Amendments to Rule 41 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure
- This report provides a brief overview of the proposed amendment to Rule 41, which would amend the federal search and seizure rules to permit the government to remotely access electronic devices although the location of the device may be unknown. First, the report provides a background on the origin of, and rationale underlying, the proposed amendment and a description of the rule as currently written. Second, it reviews the potential changes made by the proposed amendment and will survey various concerns commenters have raised with the proposal. Lastly, this report addresses efforts being made in Congress to alter, delay, or stop this rule change.
- Digital Searches and Seizures: Overview of Proposed Amendments to Rule 41 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure
- This report provides a brief overview of the proposed amendment to Rule 41. First, it provides a background on the origin of, and rationale underlying, the proposed amendment and a description of the rule as currently written. Second, it reviews the potential changes made by the proposed amendment and will survey various concerns commenters have raised with the proposal. Lastly, this report addresses efforts being made in Congress to alter, delay, or stop this rule change.
- Nanotechnology: A Policy Primer
- This report provides a brief overview of three major topics related to nanotechnology: federal research and development (R&D) investments under the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI); U.S. international competitiveness in nanotechnology; and environmental, health, and safety (EHS) concerns. It also discusses nanomanufacturing and public attitudes toward, and understanding of, nanotechnology.
- The Future of Internet Governance: Should the United States Relinquish Its Authority over ICANN?
- This report discusses legislation relevant to the future of Internet governance that has been introduced in the 113th and 114th Congresses which would prevent, delay, or impose conditions or additional scrutiny on the transition of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA's) stewardship role and procedural authority over key Internet domain name functions to the global Internet multi-stakeholder community.
- Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP): History and Overview
- This report provides an overview of the history of science and technology (S&T) advice to the President and discusses selected recurrent issues for Congress regarding Office of Science and Technology Policy's (OSTP) Director, OSTP management and operations, the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC).
- Delivery Drones: Coming to the Sky Near You?
- This legal sidebar briefly examines the prospect of highly-automated fleets of drones being used routinely to deliver packages, which raises a number of legal questions.
- U.S. Semiconductor Manufacturing: Industry Trends, Global Competition, Federal Policy
- This report provides background information on the Zika virus, discusses challenges faced by governments and implementing partners in the Latin America and Caribbean region that are attempting to control the ongoing outbreak, and analyzes these above issues in the context of the U.S. Zika response.
- Overview of FY2017 Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)
- This report tracks and describes actions taken by the Administration and Congress to provide FY2017 appropriations for the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) accounts. It also provides an overview of FY2016 appropriations for agencies and bureaus funded as part of annual CJS appropriations.
- Treasury Issues White Paper on Fintech and Marketplace Lending
- This report briefly discusses the context and contents of a white paper issued on May 10, 2016 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The paper analyzes regulatory issues for the marketplace lending industry and offers several recommendations for industry and government responses.
- Digital Searches and Seizures: Overview of Proposed Amendments to Rule 41 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure
- This report provides a brief overview of the proposed amendment to Rule 41, which would amend the federal search and seizure rules to permit the government to remotely access electronic devices although the location of the device may be unknown. First, the report provides a background on the origin of, and rationale underlying, the proposed amendment and a description of the rule as currently written. Second, it reviews the potential changes made by the proposed amendment and will survey various concerns commenters have raised with the proposal. Lastly, this report addresses efforts being made in Congress to alter, delay, or stop this rule change.
- The FDA Medical Device User Fee Program: MDUFA IV Reauthorization
- This report describes current law regarding medical device user fees, the impact of Medical Device User Fee and Modernization Act (MDUFMA) on Federal Drug Administration (FDA) review time of various medical device applications, and the agency's medical device program budget.
- U.S.-EU Data Privacy: From Safe Harbor to Privacy Shield
- This report provides background on U.S. and European Union (EU) data protection policies and the Safe Harbor Agreement, discusses the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruling, and reviews the key elements of the newly-proposed Privacy Shield. It also explores various issues for Congress, including implications for U.S. firms of Safe Harbor's invalidation and the role of the Judicial Redress Act in helping to ameliorate U.S.-EU tensions on data privacy and protection issues.
- Encryption: Selected Legal Issues
- This report first provides background to the ongoing encryption debate, including a primer on encryption basics and an overview of Apple, Google, and Facebook's new encryption policies. Next, it provides an overview of the Fifth Amendment right to be free from self-incrimination.