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Digital Searches and Seizures: Overview of Proposed Amendments to Rule 41 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure

Description: This report provides a brief overview of the proposed amendment to Rule 41, which would amend the federal search and seizure rules to permit the government to remotely access electronic devices although the location of the device may be unknown. First, the report provides a background on the origin of, and rationale underlying, the proposed amendment and a description of the rule as currently written. Second, it reviews the potential changes made by the proposed amendment and will survey variou… more
Date: September 8, 2016
Creator: Thompson, Richard M., II
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Digital Searches and Seizures: Overview of Proposed Amendments to Rule 41 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure

Description: This report provides a brief overview of the proposed amendment to Rule 41. First, it provides a background on the origin of, and rationale underlying, the proposed amendment and a description of the rule as currently written. Second, it reviews the potential changes made by the proposed amendment and will survey various concerns commenters have raised with the proposal. Lastly, this report addresses efforts being made in Congress to alter, delay, or stop this rule change.
Date: June 29, 2016
Creator: Thompson, Richard M., II
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nanotechnology: A Policy Primer

Description: This report provides a brief overview of three major topics related to nanotechnology: federal research and development (R&D) investments under the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI); U.S. international competitiveness in nanotechnology; and environmental, health, and safety (EHS) concerns. It also discusses nanomanufacturing and public attitudes toward, and understanding of, nanotechnology.
Date: June 28, 2016
Creator: Sargent, John F., Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Future of Internet Governance: Should the United States Relinquish Its Authority over ICANN?

Description: This report discusses legislation relevant to the future of Internet governance that has been introduced in the 113th and 114th Congresses which would prevent, delay, or impose conditions or additional scrutiny on the transition of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA's) stewardship role and procedural authority over key Internet domain name functions to the global Internet multi-stakeholder community.
Date: June 10, 2016
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP): History and Overview

Description: This report provides an overview of the history of science and technology (S&T) advice to the President and discusses selected recurrent issues for Congress regarding Office of Science and Technology Policy's (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).
Date: June 22, 2016
Creator: Sargent, John F., Jr. & Shea, Dana A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Delivery Drones: Coming to the Sky Near You?

Description: This legal sidebar briefly examines the prospect of highly-automated fleets of drones being used routinely to deliver packages, which raises a number of legal questions.
Date: May 6, 2016
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Semiconductor Manufacturing: Industry Trends, Global Competition, Federal Policy

Description: This report provides background information on the Zika virus, discusses challenges faced by governments and implementing partners in the Latin America and Caribbean region that are attempting to control the ongoing outbreak, and analyzes these above issues in the context of the U.S. Zika response.
Date: June 27, 2016
Creator: Platzer, Michaela D. & Sargent, John F., Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Overview of FY2017 Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)

Description: This report tracks and describes actions taken by the Administration and Congress to provide FY2017 appropriations for the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) accounts. It also provides an overview of FY2016 appropriations for agencies and bureaus funded as part of annual CJS appropriations.
Date: June 13, 2016
Creator: James, Nathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Treasury Issues White Paper on Fintech and Marketplace Lending

Description: This report briefly discusses the context and contents of a white paper issued on May 10, 2016 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The paper analyzes regulatory issues for the marketplace lending industry and offers several recommendations for industry and government responses.
Date: May 20, 2016
Creator: Murphy, Edward V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Digital Searches and Seizures: Overview of Proposed Amendments to Rule 41 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure

Description: This report provides a brief overview of the proposed amendment to Rule 41, which would amend the federal search and seizure rules to permit the government to remotely access electronic devices although the location of the device may be unknown. First, the report provides a background on the origin of, and rationale underlying, the proposed amendment and a description of the rule as currently written. Second, it reviews the potential changes made by the proposed amendment and will survey variou… more
Date: June 27, 2016
Creator: Thompson, Richard M., II
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The FDA Medical Device User Fee Program: MDUFA IV Reauthorization

Description: This report describes current law regarding medical device user fees, the impact of Medical Device User Fee and Modernization Act (MDUFMA) on Federal Drug Administration (FDA) review time of various medical device applications, and the agency's medical device program budget.
Date: June 6, 2016
Creator: Johnson, Judith A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S.-EU Data Privacy: From Safe Harbor to Privacy Shield

Description: This report provides background on U.S. and European Union (EU) data protection policies and the Safe Harbor Agreement, discusses the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruling, and reviews the key elements of the newly-proposed Privacy Shield. It also explores various issues for Congress, including implications for U.S. firms of Safe Harbor's invalidation and the role of the Judicial Redress Act in helping to ameliorate U.S.-EU tensions on data privacy and protection issues.
Date: May 19, 2016
Creator: Weiss, Martin A. & Archick, Kristin
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Encryption: Selected Legal Issues

Description: This report first provides background to the ongoing encryption debate, including a primer on encryption basics and an overview of Apple, Google, and Facebook's new encryption policies. Next, it provides an overview of the Fifth Amendment right to be free from self-incrimination.
Date: March 3, 2016
Creator: Thompson, Richard M., II & Jaikaran, Chris
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Internet Governance and the Domain Name System: Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides a definition regarding Internet governance and how the Internet is currently governed, and discusses the role of United States government and future model of Internet governance.
Date: March 23, 2016
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Future of Internet Governance: Should the United States Relinquish Its Authority over ICANN?

Description: This report discusses legislation relevant to the future of Internet governance that has been introduced in the 113th and 114th Congresses which would prevent, delay, or impose conditions or additional scrutiny on the transition of NTIA's stewardship role and procedural authority over key Internet domain name functions to the global Internet multi-stakeholder community.
Date: March 22, 2016
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Cybersecurity: Legislation, Hearings, and Executive Branch Documents

Description: This report provides links to cybersecurity-related committee hearings in the 112th, 113th, and 114th Congresses. It also provides a list of executive orders and presidential directives pertaining to information and computer security.
Date: March 30, 2016
Creator: Tehan, Rita
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Municipal Broadband: Background and Policy Debate

Description: This report discusses the debate surrounding Municipal Broadband, which is controversial because it involves governmental entities entering a commercial telecommunications marketplace that had previously been the exclusive domain of private sector providers.
Date: April 6, 2016
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G. & Gilroy, Angele A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP): History and Overview

Description: This report provides an overview of the history of science and technology (S&T) advice to the President and discusses selected recurrent issues for Congress regarding OSTP's Director, OSTP management and operations, the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC).
Date: March 28, 2016
Creator: Shea, Dana A. & Sargent, John F., Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Renewed Crypto Wars?

Description: This report briefly examines renewed tensions between tech companies and the government regarding encryption "back doors" and how quickly-advancing technologies could impact law enforcement investigations.
Date: February 9, 2016
Creator: Finklea, Kristin
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Using Data to Improve Defense Acquisitions: Background, Analysis, and Questions for Congress

Description: This report examines (1) the extent to which the Department of Defense (DOD) effectively uses data to inform decisionmaking, (2) some of the critical elements needed for DOD to use data more effectively, (3) recent efforts to improve DOD's use of data, and (4) potential questions for Congress. This report focuses primarily (but not exclusively) on defense acquisitions as a case study.
Date: January 5, 2016
Creator: Schwartz, Moshe
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Data Security and Breach Notification Legislation: Selected Legal Issues

Description: This report describes the common elements of several data security and breach notification bills that have been introduced in the 114th Congress, which broadly would impose security and notification requirements on businesses regardless of industry sector. It also discusses state laws that may apply in the event of a data breach and addresses two legal issues that may arise in consideration of new legislation about data security and breach notification.
Date: December 28, 2015
Creator: Dolan, Alissa M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cybersecurity: Overview Reports and Links to Government, News, and Related Resources

Description: This report directs the reader to authoritative sources that address many of the most prominent issues related to cybersecurity. Included in the reports are resources and studies from government agencies (federal, state, local, and international), think tanks, academic institutions, news organizations, and other sources.
Date: March 2, 2016
Creator: Tehan, Rita
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program: Background, Funding, and Activities

Description: This report discusses the federal government's role in the country's information technology (IT) research and development (R&D) activities. Support of IT R&D began because the government had an important interest in creating computers and software that would be capable of addressing the problems and issues the government needed to solve and study.
Date: February 16, 2016
Creator: Moloney Figliola, Patricia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Big Data in U.S. Agriculture

Description: This report discusses big data within the context of agriculture. Many observers predict that the growth of big data will bring positive benefits through enhanced production, resource efficiency, and improved adaptation to climate change. While lauded for its potentially revolutionary applications, big data is not without issues. From a policy perspective, issues related to big data involve nearly every stage of its existence, including its collection (how it is captured), management (how it is… more
Date: January 6, 2016
Creator: Stubbs, Megan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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