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Senate Committee Hearings: The “Minority Witness Rule”

Description: This report discusses the "minority witness rule." When a Senate committee, other than the Appropriations Committee, holds a hearing, the minority party members of the panel have the right to call witnesses of their choosing to testify during at least one day of that hearing.
Date: April 24, 2007
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction

Description: Congress annually considers 13 or more appropriations measures, which provide funding for numerous activities, for example, national defense, education, homeland security, and crime. These measures also fund general government operations such as the administration of federal agencies. Congress has developed certain rules and practices for the consideration of appropriations measures, referred to as the congressional appropriations process. This report discusses the following aspects of this pro… more
Date: December 6, 2004
Creator: Streeter, Sandy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Pay-As-You-Go Procedures for Budget Enforcement

Description: “Pay-as-you-go” (PAYGO) procedures play an important role in enforcing budget policies with respect to the consideration of revenue and direct spending legislation. Generally, the purpose of PAYGO procedures is to discourage or prevent the enactment of legislation that would cause, or increase, a deficit or reduce a surplus.
Date: December 31, 2007
Creator: Keith, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Investigations of the Department of Justice, 1920-2007: History, Law, and Practice

Description: This report discusses the legislative oversight that is most commonly conducted through congressional budget, authorization, appropriations, confirmation, and investigative processes, and, in rare instances, through impeachment.
Date: August 20, 2008
Creator: Rosenberg, Morton
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Points of Order, Rulings, and Appeals in the Senate

Description: The Senate’s presiding officer typically does not have responsibility for pro-actively ensuring that matters under consideration comply with the rules. Instead, Senators may enforce the Senate’s legislative rules and precedents by making points of order whenever they believe that one of those rules or precedents is, or is about to be, violated. This report briefly discusses the process by which a point of order is raised and ruled upon.
Date: September 29, 2006
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Senate Committee Hearings: Preparation

Description: Committee hearings allow Senators an opportunity to gather information on, and draw attention to, legislation and issues within a committee’s purview, conduct oversight of programs or agencies, and investigate allegations of wrongdoing. This report contains a checklist that identifies many of the tasks that need to be performed by a full committee and, in most cases, subcommittees in advance of a hearing. Some of the tasks are required by Senate or committee rules; others are common committee… more
Date: February 22, 2007
Creator: Palmer, Betsy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Tracking Current Federal Legislation and Regulations: A Guide to Basic Sources

Description: This report introduces selected basic sources that are useful in obtaining background information or specific facts on the status of federal legislative or regulatory initiatives. It includes telephone, online, and media sources are included, as well as pertinent directories, such as those of organizations that track areas of interest. Annotations describing each source's contents and organization are included so that researchers can select those that most closely fit their needs. Internet addr… more
Date: February 13, 2003
Creator: Davis, Carol D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Senate Legislative Procedures: Published Sources of Information

Description: The Senate publishes its rules, precedents, and other related information so that Senators and their staff have convenient access to the Senate’s legislative procedures and can gauge how those procedures are likely to apply in various situations. Information about the Senate’s legislative procedures is published in four official documents. This report discusses these documents.
Date: June 8, 2007
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Tracking Current Federal Legislation and Regulations: A Guide to Basic Sources

Description: This report introduces selected basic sources that are useful in obtaining background information or specific facts on the status of federal legislative or regulatory initiatives. It includes telephone, online, and media sources are included, as well as pertinent directories, such as those of organizations that track areas of interest. Annotations describing each source's contents and organization are included so that researchers can select those that most closely fit their needs. Internet addr… more
Date: August 4, 2003
Creator: Davis, Carol D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Peace Corps: Current Issues

Description: This report discusses The Peace Corps, as Congress considers authorization and Foreign Operations appropriations legislation in 2005. Congress will debate the FY2006 level of funding for the Peace Corps and may continue the 2004 discussion of Peace Corps expansion and policies regarding the safety and security of volunteers.
Date: April 26, 2005
Creator: Tarnoff, Curt
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2007 Appropriations

Description: This report considers the Agriculture and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The report compares and contrasts the Senate and House versions of the bill in terms of budgeting. Moreover, both bills reject the termination of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
Date: November 24, 2006
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S.; Hanrahan, Charles E.; Chite, Ralph M.; Cowan, Tadlock; Rawson, Jean M.; Zinn, Jeffrey A. et al.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Energy Tax Policy: History and Current Issues

Description: This report discusses the history, current posture, and outlook for federal energy tax policy. It also discusses current energy tax proposals and major energy tax provisions enacted in the 109th Congress.
Date: July 25, 2008
Creator: Lazzari, Salvatore
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Floor Procedure in the House of Representatives: A Brief Overview

Description: This report outlines the floor procedure in the House of Representatives. The House considers bills and resolutions on the floor under several different sets of procedures governing the time for debate and the opportunities for amendment. Some procedures allow 40 or 60 minutes for debate; others permit debate to continue until a majority of Members vote to end it. Some procedures prohibit most or all floor amendments; others allow Members to offer any amendments that meet the requirements of th… more
Date: August 26, 2003
Creator: Rybicki, Elizabeth & Bach, Stanley
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Emergency Contraception: Plan B

Description: This report discusses the FDA approval of Plan B as a prescription drug, as well as the more recent and controversial FDA approval of Plan B as an OTC drug. Legal issues regarding the recent FDA decision are also discussed as well as various state policies that affect access to emergency contraceptives. In addition, the report discusses the Department of Justice guidelines for the treatment of sexual assault victims, which have been criticized by numerous organizations because they do not menti… more
Date: August 1, 2007
Creator: Johnson, Judith A. & Burrows, Vanessa K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Negotiated Rulemaking

Description: This report discusses negotiated rulemaking, a supplement to traditional rulemaking, which is a process in which representatives of federal agencies and affected parties work together in a committee to reach consensus on what can ultimately become a proposed rule. Although negotiated rulemaking is not appropriate for all regulations, advocates believe that the approach can speed rule development, reduce litigation, and generate more creative and effective regulatory solutions.
Date: August 28, 2006
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The United States as a Net Debtor Nation: Overview of the International Investment Position

Description: This report outlines concerns about the US net international investment position because of the role foreign investors are playing in US capital markets and the potential for large outflows of income and services payments. Some observers also argue that the US reliance on foreign capital inflows leaves the economy vulnerable to financial crises.
Date: January 31, 2008
Creator: Jackson, James K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Kuwait: Security, Reform, and U.S. Policy

Description: This report examines Kuwait, which would be pivotal to any U.S. decision to wind down its military involvement in Iraq, has advanced its democratic development since the fall of Saddam Hussein, but it remains concerned about security threats emanating from a still unstable Iraq. In June 2006 parliamentary elections, women voted and ran for the first time, but none won.
Date: November 2, 2007
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Maritime Security: Potential Terrorist Attacks and Protection Priorities

Description: This report outlines key dimensions of maritime terrorism and illustrates credible maritime attack scenarios based on actual past attacks. It also discusses the challenge to maritime security planners and how certain federal programs address this challenge.
Date: May 14, 2007
Creator: Parfomak, Paul W. & Frittelli, John
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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