Congressional Research Service Reports - 92 Matching Results
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- Agriculture and Fast Track Trade Legislation
- The 107th Congress is expected to consider new "fast track" (or, Presidential trade promotion) authority, which could enable the Administration to submit trade agreements negotiated with foreign countries to Congress for consideration under expedited procedures. Many agricultural and food industry interests are among the export-oriented enterprises that support fast track authority, arguing that foreign trading partners will not seriously negotiate with an Administration that lacks it. However, some agricultural groups argue that fast track ultimately will lead to new agreements that deliver more benefits to foreign than to U.S. producers, at least in some commodity sectors.
- House Rules Governing Committee Markup Procedures
- This report provides general guidance to committees for conducting meetings to mark up legislation.
- Instructing House Conferees
- This report describes the process of reaching the final agreement between house and senate over the final version of a bill that the two houses have passes in different forms.
- Bills and Resolutions: Examples of How Each Kind is Used
- This report provides background information regarding the bill and joint resolution, which must be passed by both houses in identical form, then presented to the President for his approval or disapproval.
- Parliamentary Reference Sources: House of Representatives
- This report provides an overview of the three types of parliamentary reference materials and their availability. The types are as follows: official sources such as "House Rules and Manual", publications from offices of the House and of the committees, and documents from leadership organizations and the House party. The report also provides an overview of parliamentary procedures.
- Parliamentary Reference Sources: Senate
- This report discusses the types of Senates parliamentary reference materials and provides information on the Senate's parliamentary procedures. The three types of Senate parliamentary reference materials are official sources such as the "Senate Manual", publications from offices of the Senate and of the committees, and the rules of the party conference.
- Appropriations for FY2003: Legislative Branch
- Appropriations are one part of a complex federal budget process that includes budget resolutions, appropriations (regular, supplemental, and continuing) bills, rescissions, and budget reconciliation bills. This report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It summarizes the current legislative status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related legislative activity.
- Appropriations for FY2003: Legislative Branch
- Appropriations are one part of a complex federal budget process that includes budget resolutions, appropriations (regular, supplemental, and continuing) bills, rescissions, and budget reconciliation bills. This report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Legislative Branch Appropriations.
- Appropriations for FY2004: Legislative Branch
- Appropriations are one part of a complex federal budget process that includes budget resolutions, appropriations (regular, supplemental, and continuing) bills, rescissions, and budget reconciliation bills. This Report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress passes each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Legislative Branch Appropriations.
- Committee Funding for the House and Senate, 108th Congress
- The Senate adopted ad hoc procedures in approving committee operating budgets. With the Senate divided 51-48-1 at the beginning of the 108th Congress, Senate Democrats argued for a proportional allocation of committee staff between the parties. On January 15, after a week-long delay in the appointment of Senate committees, a unanimous consent agreement was reached providing for the proportional allocation of staff and office space between the parties on each committee, with a separate provision for each committee chair to control up to 10% of the committee budget to employ administrative staff serving both parties.
- Committee of the Whole: An Introduction
- The House of Representatives uses this parliamentary device to take procedural advantage of a somewhat different set of rules governing proceedings in the Committee than those governing proceedings in the House. The purpose is to expedite legislative consideration. This report briefly reviews the history of the Committee of the Whole, describes the current procedure associated with it, and identifies its procedural advantages.
- The First Day of a New Congress: A Guide to Proceedings on the Senate Floor
- This report provides a guide to proceedings on the senate floor related to the first day of a new congress.
- Iraq: A Compilation of Legislation Enacted and Resolutions Adopted by Congress, 1990-2003
- No Description Available.
- Legislative Procedure in Congress: Basic Sources for Congressional Staff
- No Description Available.
- USA PATRIOT Act Sunset: A Sketch
- No Description Available.
- Peacekeeping: Issues of U.S. Military Involvement
- No Description Available.
- Narcotics Certification of Drug Producing Trafficking Nations: Questions and Answers
- No Description Available.
- Congressional Authority to Standardize National Election Procedures
- Recent events surrounding the Presidential election have led to increased scrutiny of voting procedures in the United States. This report focuses on the constitutional authority and limitations that might be relevant to attempts by Congress to standardize these and other procedures.
- Clean Water Act Issues in the 108th Congress
- In this report several other Clean Water Act issues are likely to receive congressional attention, through oversight hearings and possibly in legislative proposals. Among the topics of interest is whether and how the Administration will revise the current program for restoration of pollution-impaired waters (the Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL program), in view of controversy over regulatory changes made during the Clinton Administration and continuing disagreement among states, cities, industry, and environmental advocates about program effectiveness and efficiency.
- Clean Water Act Issues in the 108th Congress
- In this report several other Clean Water Act issues are likely to receive congressional attention, through oversight hearings and possibly in legislative proposals. Among the topics of interest is whether and how the Administration will revise the current program for restoration of pollution-impaired waters (the Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL program), in view of controversy over regulatory changes made during the Clinton Administration and continuing disagreement among states, cities, industry, and environmental advocates about program effectiveness and efficiency.
- Clean Water Act Issues in the 108th Congress
- The Clean Water Act Issues has again received attention in the 108th Congress. At issue is how the federal government will assist states and cities in meeting needs to rebuild, repair, and upgrade wastewater treatment plants, especially in light of capital costs which are projected to be as much as $390 billion over the next two decades. In October 2004, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee reported legislation to authorize $20 billion in funding for clean water infrastructure (S. 2550), while in July 2003, a House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee also approved a water infrastructure financing bill (H.R. 1560). Still, prospects for further action during the 108th Congress are uncertain.
- Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Policy: Key Issues in the 107th Congress
- Among the 107th Congress' first orders of business will be dealing with the initiatives-both domestic and foreign policy-proposed by President Bush throughout his presidential campaign. This report contains information on those orders of business including U.S. foreign and security policy, global issues, defense policy, and more.
- HIV/AIDS International Programs: Appropriations, FY2003-FY2005
- The Administration's FY2005 request for international HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria programs totals about $2.8 billion, as compared with $2.4 billion appropriated for FY2004. The FY2005 request includes a large increase for the bilateral Global AIDS Initiative, headquartered at the Department of State, while the request for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria is $200 million, compared with $546.7 million appropriated in FY2004.
- Pakistan's Domestic Political Developments: Issues for Congress
- No Description Available.
- Congressional Overrides of Presidential Vetoes
- The President’s veto is effective not only in preventing the passage of legislation undesirable to the President, but also as a threat, sometimes forcing Congress to modify legislation before it is presented to the President. However, as a veto threat is carried out, Congress is faced with choices: letting the veto stand, the difficult task of overriding the veto, meeting the President’s objections and sending a new bill forward, or resubmitting the same provisions under a new bill number.
- Tactical Aircraft Modernization: Issues for Congress
- No Description Available.
- Medal of Honor Recipients: 1979-2005
- No Description Available.
- HIV/AIDS International Programs: Appropriations, FY2003-FY2006
- On June 24th, 2005, the House Appropriations Committee reported the FY2006 Foreign Operations spending measure. The bill includes $2.695 billion for international AIDS programs, compared with the $2.564 billion requested by the Administration in that bill. The bill provides $400 million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, doubling the amount requested by the Administration under Foreign Operations.
- Environmental Protection Issues in the 109th Congress
- Environmental protection concerns span a wide variety of issues, including clean air, water quality, chemical security, and environmental aspects of other major issue areas such as transportation and defense. This issue brief provides an overview of key environmental issues that are receiving or may receive attention in the 109th Congress. The sections on specific issues contain references to more detailed and extensive CRS reports on the subjects covered.
- Suspension of Budget Enforcement Procedures During Hostilities Abroad
- Federal budget policies are enforced by two major statutes—the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. The first act establishes the congressional budget process, involving the annual adoption of a budget resolution; the second act establishes discretionary spending limits and a “pay-as-you-go” (PAYGO) requirement, enforced by sequestration.
- Congressional Budget Actions in 2004
- During the second session of the 108th Congress, the House and Senate considered many different budgetary measures. Most of them pertained to FY2005 (referred to as the “budget year”) and beyond. In addition, some made adjustments to the budget for FY2004 (referred to as the “current year”). This report describes House and Senate action on major budgetary legislation within the framework of the congressional budget process and other procedural requirements.
- Omnibus Appropriations Act: Overview of Recent Practices
- Omnibus appropriations acts have become a significant feature of the legislative process in recent years as Congress and the President have used them more frequently to bring action on the regular appropriations cycle to a close. Following a discussion of pertinent background information, this report reviews the recent enactment of such measures and briefly addresses several issues raised by their use.
- U.S. Armed Forces Abroad: Selected Congressional Roll Call Votes Since 1982
- No Description Available.
- Congressional Pay
- The question of a salary increase for Members of Congress was considered by both Houses numerous times during the 97th Congress. The issue was last considered during December in the FY83 Further Continuing Appropriations. As sent to the President, the measure provided for a 15% pay increase for Members of the House of Representatives and other senior Federal officials, but not for Senators. The resolution was signed into law by the President on Dec. 21, 1982. Previously, in September, Congress approved a pay cap through Dec. 17, 1982 for Members and other senior Federal officials.
- Defense: FY2007 Authorization and Appropriations
- On July 20, the Senate Appropriations Committee marked up its version of the FY2007 defense appropriations bill, H.R. 5631. Floor action is expected to begin on August 1. The Senate bill provides $453.5 billion defense programs, including $50 billion in appropriations for overseas operations. The total is $9.1 billion less than the Administration requested. Earlier, on June 20, the House passed its version of the bill. It provides $416.3 billion for defense programs, $4.1 billion below the request. The amounts in the House and Senate bills are not directly comparable, since some programs in the Senate bill are covered in the House in the Military Quality of Life/Veterans Affairs appropriations bill, H.R. 5385.
- Secret Sessions of Congress: A Brief Historical Overview
- No Description Available.
- Clean Water Act Issues in the 109th Congress
- Congress has recently focused legislative attention on narrow bills to extend or modify selected Clean Water Act (CWA) programs, rather than taking up comprehensive proposals. In the 109th Congress, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has approved S. 1400, a bill authorizing $20 billion in federal grants to capitalize state clean water infrastructure loan programs. Also, a House committee has approved bills to reauthorize several Clean Water Act programs: H.R. 624 would provide $1.5 billion in grants over six years for sewer overflow projects; H.R. 1359 would extend a pilot program for alternative water source projects; H.R. 1721 would reauthorize coastal water quality programs; and H.R. 3963 would extend the Long Island Sound Program.
- Secret Sessions of Congress: A Brief Historical Overview
- "Secret" or "closed door" sessions of the House of Representatives and Seante are held periodically to discuss business, including impeachment deliberations, deemed to require confidentiality and secrecy. Authority for the two chambers to hold these sessions is implied by Article I, Section 5, of the Constitution. National Security is the principal reason for such sessions in recent years. This report provides a historical background of such sessions, as well as relevant regulations and expectations for Members of Congress during such sessions.
- Protection of Classified Information by Congress: Practices and Proposals
- The protection of classified national security and other controlled information is of concern not only to the executive branch - which determines what information is to be safeguarded, for the most part - but also to Congress, which uses the information to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities. It has established mechanisms to safeguard controlled information in its custody, although these arrangements have varied over time between the two chambers and among panels in each. This report explores and analyzes said mechanisms. It also discusses various proposals for standardization of and modifications to current policies.
- Gun Control: Statutory Disclosure Limitations on ATF Firearms Trace Data and Multiple Handgun Sales Reports
- This report briefly describes a provision known as the "Tiahrt" amendment, a rider on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) appropriations that prohibits ATF from disclosing firearm trace data and multiple handgun sales reports data for any purpose other than supporting a criminal investigatoin or agency licensing proceeding. The Tiahrt amendment is so called because its sponsor is Representative Todd Tiahrt. A coalition of 210 city mayors favors the repeal of this rider, but there is much opposition to that motion.
- Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress
- The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a relatively inexpensive Navy surface combatant equipped with modular "plug-and-fight" mission packages. The Navy's FY2011-FY2015 shipbuilding plan calls for procuring 17 more LCSs in annual quantities of 2, 3, 4, 4, and 4. This report details this shipbuilding plan, the Navy's budget proposals, and a new LCS acquisition strategy proposed by the Navy on September 16, 2009. FY2011 issues for Congress include whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's request for FY2011 procurement and advance procurement funding for the LCS program, and whether to provide any additional direction to the Navy regarding LCS acquisition strategy.
- Women in the United States Congress: 1917-2011
- This report identifies the names, committee assignments, dates of service, and (for Representatives) congressional districts of the 274 women who have served in Congress. It will be updated when there are relevant changes in the makeup of Congress.
- Venezuela: Issues for Congress
- The United States traditionally has had close relations with Venezuela, a major supplier of foreign oil, but there has been friction in relations under the government of populist President Hugo Chávez. U.S. officials have expressed concerns about human rights, Venezuela's military arms purchases, its relations with Cuba and Iran, and its efforts to export its brand of populism to other Latin American countries. Declining cooperation on anti-drug and anti-terrorism efforts has also been a concern.
- Women in the United States Congress: 1917-2012
- This report identifies the names, committee assignments, dates of service, and (for Representatives) congressional districts of the 276 women who have served in Congress.
- Legislative Procedure in Congress: Basic Sources for Congressional Staff
- Written for congressional staff, this report identifies and provides details on how to obtain official government sources of information on the legislative process and the rules and procedure of the House and Senate. References to selected CRS products are also provided, as well as a listing of selected titles for supplementary reading.
- Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and potential issues for Congress on the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), a relatively inexpensive Navy surface combatant equipped with modular "plug-and-fight" mission packages for countering mines, small boats, and diesel-electric submarines, particularly in littoral (i.e., near-shore) waters.
- House Committee on Ethics: A Brief History of Its Evolution and Jurisdiction
- This report examines the history and evolution of the House Committee on Ethics, including the committee's jurisdiction and investigative procedure. It does not deal with changes to federal or state criminal law or with criminal prosecutions of Members of Congress or with the specifics of disciplinary cases in the House.
- Representatives and Senators: Trends in Member Characteristics Since 1945
- This report provides profiles of Senators and Representatives in selected Congresses since 1945. It includes data based on Representatives and Senators serving on the first day of the 79th-113th Congresses for several demographic characteristics such as age (including the oldest and youngest Members of the House and Senate), sex, previous occupation, race and ethnicity, education, religion, and military service.
- Sessions, Adjournments, and Recesses of Congress
- This report first describes how pertinent rules and practices regulate the daily sessions of Congress and their adjournments and recesses, including discussion of the "legislative day." It then develops a corresponding discussion for the annual sessions of Congress, which addresses, among other things, the use of "pro forma sessions." The report clarifies certain situations in which terms may simultaneously apply in different ways in relation to the daily session and to the annual session. Finally, the report notes some of the most important implications of the occurrence of sessions, adjournments, and recesses in relation to such matters as presidential action on legislation, recess appointments by the President, the operation of statutory expedited procedures ("fast track" procedures), and "lame duck" (post-election) sessions.
- Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies
- This report provides a list of roughly 200 congressional liaison offices with phone numbers, addresses, and other contact information.