Search Results

open access

Navy Nuclear-Powered Surface Ships: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress

Description: This report discusses congressional interest in expanding the use of nuclear power to a wider array of Navy surface ships, starting with the Navy’s planned CG(X) cruiser. The issue for Congress is whether the CG(X) or other future Navy surface ships should be nuclear-powered. Congress’s decisions on this issue could affect, among other things, future Navy capabilities, Navy funding requirements, and the shipbuilding industrial base.
Date: September 21, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Peacekeeping/Stabilization and Conflict Transitions: Background and Congressional Action on the Civilian Response/Reserve Corps and other Civilian Stabilization and Reconstruction Capabilities

Description: This report provides background on issues regarding peacekeeping efforts, as well as stabilization and reconstruction operations. It also discusses proposals and tracks related legislative action.
Date: July 23, 2009
Creator: Serafino, Nina M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Debt Limit: History and Recent Increases

Description: This report discusses how the total debt of the federal government can increase, a historical overview of debt limits, and how the current economic slowdown has led to higher deficits and thereby a series of debt limit increases, as well as legislation related to these increases.
Date: October 9, 2009
Creator: Austin, D. A. & Levit, Mindy R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Long-Range Ballistic Missile Defense in Europe

Description: This report discusses how successive U.S. governments have urged the creation of an anti-missile system to protect against long-range ballistic missile threats from adversary states. The proposed U.S. system has encountered resistance in some European countries and beyond.
Date: January 21, 2009
Creator: Hildreth, Steven A. & Ek, Carl
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security Administration: Administrative Budget Issues

Description: The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers the Social Security program (Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance, or OASDI) and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, and provides administrative support to Medicare and several other federal programs. Total SSA spending in FY2008 was about $658 billion, about 99% of which was mandatory spending on benefit payments. This report focuses on SSA’s administrative spending, which is discretionary and amounts to about 1% of SSA’s … more
Date: August 20, 2009
Creator: Scott, Christine
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security Administration: Administrative Budget Issues

Description: The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers the Social Security program (Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance, or OASDI) and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, and provides administrative support to Medicare and several other federal programs. Total SSA spending in FY2008 was about $658 billion, about 99% of which was mandatory spending on benefit payments. This report focuses on SSA’s administrative spending, which is discretionary and amounts to about 1% of SSA’s … more
Date: May 18, 2009
Creator: Romig, Kathleen
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline: Background, Status, and Issues for Congress

Description: This report concerns itself with the construction of an Alaska natural gas pipeline. The report considers the funding available for a natural gas pipeline and the potential for it to stimulate the economy. Moreover, the report discusses how the 2008 recession poses an obstacle to the creation of the pipeline due to it causing low gas prices.
Date: November 30, 2009
Creator: Parfomak, Paul W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

Description: This report explores the reasoning behind the development of the new cruiser called the CG(X), the budgetary actions taking place to enable their development, selected technical specifics of their design, and various other information relating to defense procurement costs.
Date: April 10, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Peacekeeping/Stabilization and Conflict Transitions: Background and Congressional Action on the Civilian Response/Reserve Corps and other Civilian Stabilization and Reconstruction Capabilities

Description: This report provides background information relating to the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS) in the Office of the Secretary of State. This report also discusses proposals and tracks related legislative action.
Date: May 22, 2009
Creator: Serafino, Nina M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Peacekeeping/Stabilization and Conflict Transitions: Background and Congressional Action on the Civilian Response/Reserve Corps and other Civilian Stabilization and Reconstruction Capabilities

Description: In its second session, the 110th Congress enacted legislation that "operationalizes" the Department of State and other federal agencies for S&R efforts by authorizing the creation of federal civilian "response" units, as well as the creation of a volunteer S&R civilian reserve force. This report provides background on these issues and discusses proposals and tracks related legislative action.
Date: February 5, 2009
Creator: Serafino, Nina M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Navy Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses Navy procurement of Virginia-class (SSN-774) nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) at a rate of one-per-year for the past several years. The procurement rate is scheduled to increase to two boats per year starting in FY2011. A total of 11 boats have been procured through FY2009. The eight Virginia-class submarines to be procured in the five-year period FY2009-FY2013 (boats 11 through 18) are being procured under a multiyear procurement (MYP) arrangement.
Date: April 29, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Energy Provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5)

Description: This report discusses the energy appropriations in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA, P.L. 111-5). It includes background information, a summary of provisions, and detailed explanations of the relevant appropriations and tax provisions.
Date: March 3, 2009
Creator: Sissine, Fred; Andrews, Anthony; Folger, Peter; Kaplan, Stan M.; Morgan, Daniel; Stine, Deborah D. et al.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Amtrak: Budget and Reauthorization

Description: This report discusses the background and funding of Amtrak, which was created by Congress in 1970 to provide intercity passenger railroad service. It operates approximately 44 routes over 22,000 miles of track, 97% of which is owned by freight rail companies. It runs a deficit each year, and requires federal assistance to cover operating losses and capital investment. Without a yearly federal grant to cover operating losses, Amtrak would not survive as presently configured.
Date: February 6, 2009
Creator: Frittelli, John & Peterman, David R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Federal Disaster Recovery Programs: Brief Summaries

Description: This report identifies programs administered by federal agencies to provide a range of assistance to individual victims; state, territorial, and local governments; and non-governmental entities after major disasters, including certain terrorist attacks. It provides brief descriptive information to help congressional offices determine which programs bear further consideration in the planning, organization, or implementation of recovery operations.
Date: January 30, 2009
Creator: Torsell, Carolyn V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives After 15 Years: Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives' (OTI's) origin, its past and present activities, and issues about the program's impact, structure, and role within USAID that may be of interest to Congress. OTI's activities are overtly political, based on the idea that in the midst of political crisis and instability abroad there are local agents of change whose efforts, when supported by timely and creative U.S. assistance, can tip the balance toward peaceful and democratic outc… more
Date: May 27, 2009
Creator: Lawson, Marian L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
Back to Top of Screen