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The Target and Other Financial Data Breaches: Frequently Asked Questions

Description: This report answers some frequently asked questions about the Target and selected other data breaches, including what is known to have happened in the breach, and what costs may result. It also examines some of the broader issues common to data breaches, including how the payment system works, how cybersecurity costs are shared and allocated within the payment system, who bears the losses in such breaches more generally, what emerging cybersecurity technologies may help prevent them, and what r… more
Date: February 4, 2015
Creator: Weiss, N. E. & Miller, Rena S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Consumers and Food Price Inflation

Description: The heightened commodity price volatility of 2008 and the subsequent acceleration in U.S. food price inflation raised concerns and generated many questions about farm and food price movements by Members of Congress and their constituents. This report responds to those concerns by addressing the nature and measurement of retail food price inflation.
Date: November 4, 2009
Creator: Schnepf, Randy & Richardson, Joe
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financial Regulatory Reform: Analysis of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) as Proposed by the Obama Administration and H.R. 3126

Description: This report provides a brief summary of the Obama Administration's Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act of 2009 (CFPA) and delineates some of the substantive differences between it and H.R. 3126, as ordered to be reported by the House Financial Services Committee, as well as the version that was ordered to be reported by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Date: November 9, 2009
Creator: Carpenter, David H. & Jickling, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Advertising Industry in the Digital Age

Description: This report discusses regulatory challenges faced by policymakers as the advertising industry enters a period of far-reaching change brought about by the economic downturn and structural shifts as consumers move to the Internet and other digital platforms for news, entertainment, and socializing.
Date: November 9, 2009
Creator: Kirchhoff, Suzanne M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Financial Regulatory Reform: Analysis of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) as Proposed by the Obama Administration and H.R. 3126

Description: This report provides a brief summary of the President's Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act of 2009 and delineates some of the substantive differences between it and H.R. 3126, as introduced. It then analyzes some of the policy implications of the proposal, focusing on the separation of safety and soundness regulation from consumer protection, financial innovation, and the scope of regulation.
Date: September 9, 2009
Creator: Carpenter, David H. & Jickling, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Products Liability: A Legal Overview

Description: This report discusses products liability, which refers to the liability of a manufacturer or seller for injury caused by his product to the person or property of a buyer or third party. Legal developments starting in the 1960s, particularly the adoption of strict tort liability, have made it substantially easier for persons injured by defective products to recover damages.
Date: January 16, 2009
Creator: Chu, Vivian S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Consumer and Credit Reporting, Scoring, and Related Policy Issues

Description: This report provides background information on the consumer data industry and various specialty areas. One prominent specialty area--consumer scoring--is explained and includes information about various factors used to calculate credit scores. It provides a general description of the current regulatory framework of the consumer data industry. Finally, this report discusses selected policy issues pertaining to credit scoring and proposed modifications that may result in expanded consumer protect… more
Date: July 30, 2015
Creator: Getter, Darryl E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The FDA FY2009 Budget

Description: This report discusses the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) FY2009 budget request of $2.676 billion that would provide a 17.9% increase ($406 million) over FY2008. It includes an overview and breakdowns for specific programs: Foods Program, Human Drugs Program, Biologics program, Animal Drugs and Feed Program, and the Devices and Radiological Health Program.
Date: August 25, 2008
Creator: Johnson, Judith A.; Lister, Sarah A. & Porter, Donna V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Discriminatory Pricing and the Robinson- Patman Act: Brief Background and Analysis

Description: This report discusses the Robinson-Patman (R-P) Act, which makes it unlawful, with certain exceptions, to knowingly sell goods "in commerce," for use or sale within the United States, at differing prices to contemporaneous buyers of those goods.
Date: January 16, 2009
Creator: Rubin, Janice E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008: P.L. 110-314

Description: This report provides an overview of the prior authority of the CPSC to establish consumer product safety standards and to inspect and recall unsafe consumer products, and discussing P.L. 110-314, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, reforming the CPSC and strengthening enforcement of consumer product safety standards.
Date: September 22, 2008
Creator: Lee, Margaret M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Telemarketing: Dealing with Unwanted Telemarketing Calls

Description: This report provides summaries of the federal laws and regulations particular to telemarketing, the establishment of a national do-not-call registry, and on the options that are available to consumers to attempt to limit the calls that they receive from telemarketers and to report questionable telemarketing practices to local or federal authorities. The report also lists sources of additional information with addresses, phone numbers, and Internet sites (if available) and will be updated as leg… more
Date: October 5, 2004
Creator: Riehl, James R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Credit Card Minimum Payments

Description: Recently, credit card issuers began adjusting their minimum payment formulas, raising the amount of the required monthly payment. Congress has focused on the need to increase consumer awareness of the financial jeopardy that can result from paying only the required minimum. This report provides an overview of the issues and congressional action. It will be updated as events warrant.
Date: December 21, 2005
Creator: Smale, Pauline
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Copyright Law: Digital Rights Management Legislation

Description: Digital Rights Management (DRM) refers to the technology that copyright owners use to protect digital media. This report surveys several of the DRM bills that were introduced in the 107th Congress and those that are pending in the 108th Congress. Generally, the bills are directed at two separate goals. One goal is to increase access to digitally-protected media for lawful purposes. The other attempts to thwart digital piracy and would do so by enhancing civil and criminal sanctions for digital … more
Date: August 2, 2004
Creator: Jeweler, Robin
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Budget for Fiscal Year 2008

Description: This report discusses the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) FY2009 budget request of $2.676 billion that would provide a 17.9% increase ($406 million) over FY2008. It includes an overview and breakdowns for specific programs: Foods Program, Human Drugs Program, Biologics program, Animal Drugs and Feed Program, and the Devices and Radiological Health Program.
Date: January 4, 2008
Creator: Austin, D. Andrew
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Copyright Law: Digital Rights Management Legislation

Description: Digital Rights Management (DRM) refers to the technology that copyright owners use to protect digital media. This report surveys several of the DRM bills that were introduced in the 107th Congress and those that are pending in the 108th Congress. Generally, the bills are directed at two separate goals. One goal is to increase access to digitally-protected media for lawful purposes. The other attempts to thwart digital piracy and would do so by enhancing civil and criminal sanctions for digital … more
Date: December 18, 2003
Creator: Jeweler, Robin
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Copyright Law: Digital Rights Management Legislation in the 107th and 108th Congresses

Description: Digital Rights Management (DRM) refers to the technology that copyright owners use to protect digital media. This report surveys several of the DRM bills that were introduced in the 107th and 108th Congresses. Generally, the bills are directed at two separate goals. One goal is to increase access to digitally-protected media for lawful purposes. The other attempts to thwart digital piracy and would do so by enhancing civil and criminal sanctions for digital (and traditional) copyright infringem… more
Date: January 5, 2005
Creator: Jeweler, Robin
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Telemarketing: Dealing with Unwanted Telemarketing Calls

Description: This report provides summaries of the federal laws and regulations particular to telemarketing, the establishment of a national do-not-call registry, and the options that are available to consumers to limit the calls that they receive from telemarketers and to report questionable telemarketing practices to local or federal authorities. The report also lists sources of additional information with addresses, phone numbers, and Internet sites (if available).
Date: January 29, 2004
Creator: Riehl, James R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Overview of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003

Description: This report examines the the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, which creates a prescription drug benefit for Medicare beneficiaries and establishes a new Medicare Advantage program to replace the current Medicare+Choice program.
Date: December 6, 2004
Creator: O'Sullivan, Jennifer; Chaikind, Hinda; Tilson, Sibyl; Boulanger, Jennifer & Morgan, Paulette
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Defense Production Act of 1950: History, Authorities, and Considerations for Congress

Description: This report examines some of the extensive history of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA), focusing primarily on its creation and most recent legislative reauthorization. This report also identifies relevant delegations of the President's DPA authorities made in Executive Order (E.O.) 13603 -- National Defense Resources Preparedness -- and provides a brief overview of issues Congress may consider in its oversight.
Date: November 20, 2018
Creator: Brown, Jared T. & Schwartz, Moshe
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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