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Fast Track for Trade Agreements: Procedural Controls for Congress and Proposed Alternatives

Description: This report discusses the fast track trade procedures in the Trade Act of 1974 operate as procedural rules of the House and Senate, and the statute itself declares them to be enacted as an exercise of the constitutional authority of each house to determine its own rules. These procedures prevent Congress from altering an implementing bill or declining to act, but permit it to enact or reject the bill. By these means Congress retains authority to legislate in the areas covered, yet affords the Pā€¦ more
Date: October 31, 1997
Creator: Beth, Richard S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Analysis of Ten Selected Science and Technology Policy Studies

Description: Since the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, a number of reports have been prepared on a broad range of science and technology (S&T) policy issues, most notably dealing with national research and development (R&D) goals, priorities, and budgets, and university-government-industry relationships. This report discusses and analyzes ten of these S&T reports.
Date: September 4, 1997
Creator: Boesman, William C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Business and Labor Spending in U.S. Elections

Description: Federal election law has long prohibited corporate and union spending in federal elections, but distinctions in statutes and judicial rulings have opened avenues by which these groups have been able to spend money in the electoral process. Business groups make particular use of political action committee (PAC) donations to candidates and soft money donations to parties. Unions made prominent use of issue advocacy in 1996, but laborā€™s political strength lies in exempt activity communications witā€¦ more
Date: October 28, 1997
Creator: Cantor, Joseph E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Peacekeeping Options: Considerations for U.S. Policymakers and the Congress

Description: This report provides a frame of reference for considering the relative merits of using these organizations in peace and security operations. It first reviews the types of actions and activities available to deal with situations ranging from low-level tension to open conflict to post-conflict transition. It then examines, for each of the organizations, the major considerations, i.e., effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages, and other important issues for U.S. policy makers in their use.
Date: April 10, 1997
Creator: Collier, Ellen & Serafino, Nina M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Attorneys' Fees in the State Tobacco Litigation Cases

Description: Some states have hired private attorneys to file complaints against the tobacco companies in court to recover Medicaid costs towards treating citizens for tobacco related illnesses. This report mentions the fee agreements between the states and private counsel.
Date: September 23, 1997
Creator: Contrubis, John
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Aviation Taxes and the Airport and Airway Trust Fund

Description: This report discusses the reauthorization of excise tax revenues for the airport and airway trust fund, which has been a contentious issue for the last two years. Most of the concern during this period was about future funding needs for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The issue, somewhat unexpectedly, became an element of the tax plans embedded in House and Senate FY1998 budget reconciliation proposals. The House proposed a major structural change in how aviation taxes would be imposā€¦ more
Date: August 12, 1997
Creator: Fischer, John W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Global Climate Change Treaty: Negotiations and Related Issues

Description: This report discusses the negotiations leading the Kyoto conference of the parties. The United States and other parties to the 1992 Climate Change Convention signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro will meet December 1-12 in Kyoto, Japan, to conclude year-long negotiations on a legally binding protocol or amendment to reduce or stabilize emissions of greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S. proposal to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases to 1990 levels between 2008ā€¦ more
Date: November 21, 1997
Creator: Fletcher, Susan R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Grants Work in a Congressional Office

Description: Members of Congress often get requests from constituents for information and help in obtaining funds for projects. Many state and local governments, nonprofit social service and community action organizations, private research groups, small businesses, and individuals approach congressional offices to find out about funding, both from the federal government and from the private sector. The success rate in obtaining federal assistance is not high, given the competition for federal funds. A grantā€¦ more
Date: January 24, 1997
Creator: Gerli, Merete
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Civilian Marksmanship Program

Description: This report covers the Civilian Marksmanship Program and its relationship with Congress. It also covers issues and controversial nature of the government initiated program.
Date: July 18, 1997
Creator: Hawthorne, Jeri & Burrelli, David F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Highway Fund Sanctions for Clean Air Act Violations

Description: This report provides information concerning the authority to impose sanctions, lists the 14 areas that have been subject to sanctions since 1990, describes their status as of October 1997, and discusses the role of sanctions and alternatives under the act.
Date: October 22, 1997
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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World Heritage Convention and U.S. National Parks

Description: This report describes the operation of the UNESCO Convention and H.R. 901, legislation which would give Congress a role in designating any new U.S. national parks and monuments of world significance added to the World Heritage List, a UNESCO administered list established by the 1972 World Heritage Convention. Sponsors of the bill are concerned that designation of a U.S. site to the U.N. list, which is currently done under Executive Branch authority, does not protect the rights of private properā€¦ more
Date: September 19, 1997
Creator: McHugh, Lois
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Turkey: Situation Update

Description: This report briefly discusses recent political, economic, and security issues in Turkey, especially relating to Turkey's relationship with Greece, the European Union, and the United States.
Date: September 12, 1997
Creator: Migdalovitz, Carol
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Indian Law: Background and Current Issues

Description: This report briefly describes some of the fundamentals of federal Indian law, including the concept of tribal sovereignty and the allocation of authority among state, federal, and tribal governments with reference to criminal and civil laws and taxation.
Date: September 15, 1997
Creator: Murphy, M. Maureen
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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