Search Results

open access

Internet Commerce and State Sales and Use Taxes

Description: 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 ne… more
Date: March 31, 2004
Creator: Maguire, Steven
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The National Institute of Standards and Technology: An Overview

Description: This report discusses the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) that has a mandate to increase the competitiveness of U.S. companies. NIST research also provides the measurement, calibration, and quality assurance techniques that underpin U.S. commerce.
Date: March 17, 2003
Creator: Schacht, Wendy H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

State and Local Sales and Use Taxes and Internet Commerce

Description: 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 c… more
Date: March 9, 2006
Creator: Maguire, Steven
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program: An Overview

Description: This report provides a brief overview of The Hollings Manufacturing Partnership (MEP), which is a program of regional centers set up to assist small and medium-sized manufacturing companies use knowledge and technologies developed under the auspices of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Date: March 24, 2009
Creator: Schacht, Wendy H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Industrial Competitiveness and Technological Advancement: Debate Over Government Policy

Description: There is ongoing interest in the pace of U.S. technological advancement due to its influence on U.S. economic growth, productivity, and international competitiveness. Because technology can contribute to economic growth and productivity increases, congressional attention has focused on how to augment private-sector technological development. This report covers legislative activity in the past and present on this topic. It also looks at the future of Congressional action towards mandated speci… more
Date: March 13, 2012
Creator: Schacht, Wendy H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program: Background, Funding, and Activities

Description: In the early 1990s, Congress recognized that several federal agencies had ongoing high performance computing programs, but no central coordinating body existed to ensure long-term coordination and planning. To provide such a framework, Congress passed the High-Performance Computing and Communications Program Act of 1991 to enhance the effectiveness of the various programs. In conjunction with the passage of the act, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released Grand Challeng… more
Date: March 27, 2012
Creator: Figliola, Patricia Moloney
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The National Institute of Standards and Technology: An Appropriations Overview

Description: This report is a look at the funding for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a laboratory of the Department of Commerce. NIST is mandated to provide technical services to facilitate the competitiveness of U.S. industry. In 2007, the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) was terminated and replaced by the Technology Innovation Program (TIP). However, no funding was appropriated for TIP in the FY2012 appropriations legislation and NIST is "...currently taking the necessary acti… more
Date: March 5, 2012
Creator: Schacht, Wendy H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Internet Domain Names: Background and Policy Issues

Description: The Domain Name System (DNS) is the distributed set of databases residing in computers around the world that contain address numbers mapped to corresponding domain names, making it possible to send and receive messages and to access information from computers anywhere on the Internet. Many of the technical, operational, and management decisions regarding the DNS can have significant impacts on Internet-related policy issues such as intellectual property, privacy, ecommerce, and cybersecurity. T… more
Date: March 18, 2011
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Cybersecurity: Cyber Crime Protection Security Act (S. 2111)—A Legal Analysis

Description: The Cyber Crime Protection Security Act (S. 2111) would enhance the criminal penalties for the cyber crimes outlawed in the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA). Those offenses include espionage, hacking, fraud, destruction, password trafficking, and extortion committed against computers and computer networks. S. 2111 contains some of the enhancements approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee when it reported the Personal Data Privacy and Security Act (S. 1151), S.Rept. 112-91 (2011).
Date: March 12, 2012
Creator: Doyle, Charles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Cybersecurity: Selected Legal Issues

Description: This report discusses selected legal issues that frequently arise in the context of recent legislation to address vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure to cyber threats, efforts to protect government networks from cyber threats, and proposals to facilitate and encourage sharing of cyber threat information amongst private sector and government entities. This report also discusses the degree to which federal law may preempt state law.
Date: March 14, 2012
Creator: Liu, Edward C.; Stevens, Gina; Ruane, Kathleen Ann; Dolan, Alissa M. & Thompson, Richard M., II
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Energy Storage for Power Grids and Electric Transportation: A Technology Assessment

Description: This report attempts to summarize the current state of knowledge regarding energy storage technologies for both electric power grid and electric vehicle applications. It is intended to serve as a reference for policymakers interested in understanding the range of technologies and applications associated with energy storage, comparing them, when possible, in a structured way to highlight key characteristics relevant to widespread use. While the emphasis is on technology, this report also address… more
Date: March 27, 2012
Creator: Parfomak, Paul W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The President's Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP): Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the role of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), including an overview of the history of science and technology advice to the President, issues and options for Congress regarding (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). The report also discusses actions taken by the Obama Administration regarding OSTP.
Date: March 20, 2009
Creator: Stine, Deborah D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education: Background, Federal Policy, and Legislative Action

Description: This report provides the background and context to understand these legislative developments. The report first presents data on the state of Schience, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in the United States. It then examines the federal role in promoting STEM education. The report concludes with a discussion of the legislative actions recently taken to address federal STEM education policy.
Date: March 21, 2008
Creator: Kuenzi, Jeffrey J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program: Background, Funding, and Activities

Description: This report discusses background and funding for the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) program (previously known as the High-Performance Computing and Communications program, or HPPCC), which involves multiagency research and development (R&D) projects. It includes information about the program, background on federal technology funding, related activities in the 112th and 111th Congresses, and potential issues for Congress to address.
Date: March 22, 2011
Creator: Moloney Figliola, Patricia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Technology Innovation Program

Description: This report discusses the elimination of the Technology Innovation Program (TIP) - specifically a renewal of the debate over the role of the federal government in promoting commercial technology development. TIP was established in 2007 at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to replace the Advanced Technology Program (ATP). This effort was designed "to support, promote, and accelerate innovation in the United States through high-risk, high-reward research in areas of criti… more
Date: March 23, 2011
Creator: Schacht, Wendy H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Aereo and FilmOn X: Internet Television Streaming and Copyright Law

Description: This report begins with a discussion of the technology used by Aereo and FilmOn X that permit subscribers to watch live broadcast television as well as already-aired programming. It then examines the public performance right in the Copyright Act and discusses the interpretation of the transmit clause and public performance right by the courts in the Aereo and FilmOn cases. The report concludes with a brief overview of future litigation by these parties and related legislative proposals in the 1… more
Date: March 20, 2014
Creator: Lanza, Emily M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Internet Domain Names: Background and Policy Issues

Description: This report discusses the Domain Name System (DNS), which is the distributed set of databases that contain address numbers mapped to corresponding domain names, making it possible to send and receive messages and to access information on the Internet. The report includes background on the DNS and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) that manages the servies, as well as related issues for the 113th Congress.
Date: March 28, 2014
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Cybersecurity: Authoritative Reports and Resources

Description: This report provides links to selected authoritative resources related to cybersecurity issues. This report includes information on Legislation, Executive Orders and Presidential Directives, Data and Statistics, Cybersecurity Glossaries", Reports by Topic, Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports, White House/Office of Management and Budget reports, Military/DOD, Cloud Computing, Critical Infrastructure, National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC), Cybercrime/Cyberwar, … more
Date: March 8, 2013
Creator: Tehan, Rita
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Cloud Computing: Constitutional and Statutory Privacy Protections

Description: This report first describes cloud computing and how it differs from traditional computing. It then describes how the Fourth Amendment and federal electronic privacy statutes apply to communications in the physical world, to Internet communications generally, and specifically to the cloud. Finally, this report surveys recent legislation and other various proposals designed to update the existing statutory framework.
Date: March 22, 2013
Creator: Thompson, Richard M., II
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Cybersecurity: Authoritative Reports and Resources

Description: This report provides links to selected authoritative resources related to cybersecurity issues. This report includes information on Legislation, Executive Orders and Presidential Directives, Data and Statistics, Cybersecurity Glossaries", Reports by Topic, Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports, White House/Office of Management and Budget reports, Military/DOD, Cloud Computing, Critical Infrastructure, National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC), Cybercrime/Cyberwar, … more
Date: March 20, 2013
Creator: Tehan, Rita
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Networking and Constituent Communications: Members' Use of Twitter and Facebook During a Two-Month Period in the 112th Congress

Description: This report examines Member adoption and use of two social networking services: Twitter and Facebook. The report analyzes data on Member use of Twitter and Facebook collected by an academic institution in collaboration with the Congressional Research Service during a two-month period between August and October 2011 and the adoption of both platforms as of January 2012.
Date: March 22, 2013
Creator: Glassman, Matthew E.; Straus, Jacob R. & Shogan, Colleen J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Nanotechnology: A Policy Primer

Description: This report provides an overview of the nanotechnology that is believed by many to offer extraordinary economic and societal benefits and two others: nanomanufacturing and public understanding of and attitudes toward nanotechnology.
Date: March 12, 2010
Creator: Sargent, John F., Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
Back to Top of Screen