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U.S. Sugar Program Fundamentals

Description: This report discusses the U.S. sugar program, which is singular among major agricultural commodity programs in that it combines a floor price guarantee with a supply management structure that encompasses both domestic production for human use and sugar imports.
Date: April 6, 2016
Creator: McMinimy, Mark A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Trade Concepts, Performance, and Policy: Frequently Asked Questions

Description: This report provides information and context for trade topics. It is intended to assist Members and staff who may be new to trade issues. The report is divided into four sections in a question-and-answer format: trade concepts; U.S. trade performance; formulation of U.S. trade policy; and trade and investment issues.
Date: March 25, 2016
Creator: Morrison, Wayne M.; Jackson, James K.; Jones, Vivian C.; Villarreal, M. A.; Fefer, Rachel F. & Feng, Ashley
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Protection of Trade Secrets: Overview of Current Law and Legislation

Description: This report provides an overview of existing federal, state, and international laws governing trade secret protection, describes the limitations of these legal regimes, and reviews pending legislation, the Defend Trade Secrets Act (S. 1890), that is intended to address such deficiencies.
Date: April 22, 2016
Creator: Yeh, Brian T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Arms Sales: Congressional Review Process

Description: This report reviews the process and procedures that currently apply to congressional consideration of foreign arms sales proposed by the President. This includes consideration of proposals to sell major defense equipment, defense articles and services, or the re-transfer to third party states of such military items.
Date: April 19, 2016
Creator: Kerr, Paul K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Country-of-Origin Labeling for Foods

Description: This report discusses the 2002 farm bill (P.L. 107-171) as amended by the 2008 farm bill (P.L. 110-246), which states that many U.S. retailers must begin providing country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for fresh produce, red meats, peanuts, chicken, ginseng, pecans, and macadamia nuts.
Date: September 16, 2008
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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High Frequency Trading: Overview of Recent Developments

Description: This report provides background on various High-frequency trading (HFT) strategies and some associated policy issues, recent regulatory developments and selected enforcement actions by the SEC and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), on HFT, and congressional action such as proposed legislation and hearings related to HFT.
Date: April 4, 2016
Creator: Miller, Rena S. & Shorter, Gary
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

Description: This report discusses the kingdom of Saudi Arabia's relations with the United States; its stability, and its future trajectory are subjects of continuing congressional interest.
Date: February 5, 2016
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Brazil: Background and U.S. Relations

Description: This report discusses the current political and economic situation in Brazil and examines the U.S.'s commercial relationship with the country. The United States traditionally has enjoyed robust economic and political relations with Brazil on issues ranging from international development to climate change.
Date: February 11, 2016
Creator: Meyer, Peter J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Free Trade Agreements: Impact on U.S. Trade and Implications for U.S. Trade Policy

Description: This report provides background on Free Trade Areas (FTAs) including: definitions of Free Trade Areas, why countries form FTAs, FTAs in the context of U.S. trade policy, Bush Administration policies and recent developments, the economic impact of FTAs, whether FTAs create trade or divert it, FTAs the the WTO, debate points related to FTAs, relevant legislation, and final conclusions and implications for Congress.
Date: January 3, 2003
Creator: Cooper, William H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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India-U.S. Economic Relations

Description: This report examines the economic and trade relations of the United States and India. Since India is the world's most populous democracy, a U.S. ally in anti-terrorism efforts, and a potentially major export market, India's economic development and its trade relations with the United States are of concern to Congress.
Date: February 10, 2005
Creator: Morrison, Wayne & Kronstadt, Alan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Trans-Pacific Partnership: Strategic Implications

Description: This report discusses selected strategic arguments related to the proposed 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations. The potential impacts of the agreement may be an active area of debate during the second session of the 114th Congress.
Date: February 3, 2016
Creator: Williams, Brock R.; Dolven, Ben; Fergusson, Ian F.; Manyin, Mark E.; Martin, Michael F. & Morrison, Wayne M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Agricultural Export and Food Aid Programs

Description: This report discusses projected agricultural imports and exports for FY2006, as well as legislation that deals with federal programs in support of agricultural exports and federal aid dedicated to farms and agricultural reform.
Date: January 23, 2006
Creator: Hanrahan, Charles E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS)

Description: This report discusses the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) comprising nine members, two ex officio members, and other members as appointed by the President representing major departments and agencies within the federal executive branch. While the group generally has operated in relative obscurity, the proposed acquisition of commercial operations at six U.S. ports by Dubai Ports World in 2006 placed the group's operations under intense scrutiny by Members of Congress… more
Date: February 19, 2016
Creator: Jackson, James K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Diamonds and Conflict: Background, Policy, and Legislation

Description: This report discusses issues surrounding "conflict diamonds" -- i.e., diamonds that have been mined and sold to support armed conflict -- as well as resulting U.S. policy responses. Policy makers' attention has also increasingly focused on the possible role that diamonds may play in the financing of terrorist operations.
Date: July 16, 2003
Creator: Cook, Nicolas
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Space Launch Vehicles: Government Activities, Commercial Competition, and Satellite Exports

Description: This report various sides of the debate related to domestic launch services, such as satellite export issues, the development of new launch vehicles by the private sector, and whether tax incentives or loan guarantees should be created for companies attempting to develop lower-cost launch vehicles.
Date: March 20, 2006
Creator: Behrens, Carl E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Overview of Labor Enforcement Issues in Free Trade Agreements

Description: This report discusses free trade agreements (FTAs) that have enforceable labor provisions, grouped into four model types. It outlines the provisions for each and identifies two types of labor enforcement issues: (1) those that relate to the FTA provisions themselves, including their definitions and their enforceability, and (2) those that relate to executive branch responsibilities, such as resource availability and determining dispute settlement case priorities. This report does not address ot… more
Date: February 22, 2016
Creator: Bolle, Mary Jane
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) Negotiations: Overview and Issues for Congress

Description: The purpose of the ongoing Trade in Services (TiSA) negotiations is to build on those rules by further increasing liberalization among the 23 negotiating parties, including the United States and European Union (EU), to open markets to foreign service providers and enhance rules governing services trade. This report provides a brief overview of U.S. trade in services, background on services in U.S. trade agreements, and an in-depth discussion of the ongoing TiSA negotiations.
Date: January 28, 2016
Creator: Fefer, Rachel F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Potential Challenges to U.S. Farm Subsidies in the WTO: A Brief Overview

Description: This report examines U.S. commodity subsidy programs, which have changing criteria due to the expiration of the World Trade Organization's (WTO's) so-called "Peace Clause." This change appears to have made U.S. export and domestic support programs more vulnerable to legal challenge under WTO rules.
Date: October 25, 2006
Creator: Schnepf, Randy & Womach, Jasper
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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American Agriculture and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement

Description: This report identifies four considerations about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement that are particularly relevant for U.S. food and agriculture. It includes a partial snapshot of some of the higher-profile improvements in market access for agricultural products in the agreement, a summary of selected provisions beyond market access that are of interest to food and agriculture, a brief overview of industry reactions to the agreement, and a review of what would need to occur for the a… more
Date: January 8, 2016
Creator: McMinimy, Mark A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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