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World Trade Organization (WTO): Issues in the Debate on Continued U.S. Participation

Description: Following World War II, the United States led efforts to establish an open and nondiscriminatory trading system with the expressed goal of raising the economic well-being of all countries and bolstering world peace. These efforts culminated in the creation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1948, a provisional agreement on tariffs and trade rules that governed world trade for 47 years. The World Trade Organization (WTO) succeeded the GATT in 1995 and today serves as a perma… more
Date: June 16, 2010
Creator: Ahearn, Raymond J. & Fergusson, Ian F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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European Security and Islamist Terrorism

Description: This report briefly discusses the current security climate in Europe, as well as policy considerations for the U.S. Over the last two years, European governments and the European Union (EU) have grown increasingly alarmed by the rise of the Islamic State terrorist organization, its ability to attract European citizens to join the fighting in the Syria-Iraq region, and its use of violent extremist propaganda to inspire others.
Date: June 8, 2017
Creator: Archick, Kristin; Belkin, Paul & Mix, Derek E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Islamic State's Acolytes and the Challenges They Pose to U.S. Law Enforcement

Description: This report provides an analysis of publicly available information on homegrown violent jihadist activity in the United States since September 11, 2001, which suggests that the Islamic State (IS) and its acolytes may pose broad challenges to domestic law enforcement and homeland security efforts.
Date: June 13, 2016
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Sifting Domestic Terrorism from Hate Crime and Homegrown Violent Extremism

Description: This report examines the differences between domestic terrorism, hate crime, and homegrown violent extremism. Federal law enforcement agencies use these three distinct concepts to categorize key types of criminals whose illegal activities are at least partly ideologically motivated.
Date: June 13, 2016
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Libya: Transition and U.S. Policy

Description: This report discusses the revolution and post-conflict transition in Libya, triggered in mid-February 2011 by a chain of events resulting in the death of the Prime Minister (Qadhafi); a new government was elected in July. The report also looks at the military and economic state of the country, including human rights, Islam and politics, and Libya's oil assets.
Date: June 11, 2014
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Train and Equip Program for Syria: Authorities, Funding, and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the current debate over various aspect of the Syria Train and Equip program. These include U.S. efforts to combat the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations in Syria and setting the conditions for a negotiated settlement to Syria's civil war.
Date: June 9, 2015
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M. & Belasco, Amy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response

Description: This report discusses the recent conflict in Syria including an overview of the situation, information about anti- and pro-Asad forces, background on chemical weapons and disarmament, plans for U.S. policy and assistance, and a general sense of the future outlook.
Date: June 27, 2014
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M.; Humud, Carla E. & Nikitin, Mary Beth D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response

Description: This report discusses the recent conflict in Syria including an overview of the situation, information about anti- and pro-Asad forces, background on chemical weapons and disarmament, plans for U.S. policy and assistance, and a general sense of the future outlook.
Date: June 24, 2014
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M.; Humud, Carla E. & Nikitin, Mary Beth D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Membership in the United Nations and Its Specialized Agencies

Description: This report highlights key steps in the process for attaining membership in the United Nations and its specialized agencies. It discusses the capacities associated with U.N. membership and observer status, as well as criteria for and implications of membership. It also examines related U.S. legislation and recent congressional and Obama Administration actions
Date: June 19, 2014
Creator: Blanchfield, Luisa & Browne, Marjorie Ann
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Democratic Republic of Congo: Background and Current Developments

Description: This report discusses in brief the current political state of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as the crisis situation in eastern Congo that has displaced more than 250,000 civilians. It also describes U.S., U.N., and other international efforts to aid in resolving the crisis.
Date: June 4, 2010
Creator: Dagne, Ted
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Chinese Land Reclamation in the South China Sea: Implications and Policy Options

Description: This report assesses legal, military/operational, and diplomatic implications of the reclamation and construction activity. It surveys U.S. and Chinese statements on the situation, provides a history of reclamation activity by other nations including the United States and other South China Sea claimants, and discusses U.S. strategy and potential options for U.S. policymakers.
Date: June 16, 2015
Creator: Dolven, Ben; Elsea, Jennifer K.; Lawrence, Susan V.; O'Rourke, Ronald & Rinehart, Ian E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military Enjoined from Transferring American ISIS Suspect to Foreign Country--at Least for Now

Description: This report discusses the case of Doe v. Mattis, a case with potential ramifications regarding the authority to conduct military operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (D.C. Circuit) upheld 2-1 the district court's injunctions temporarily protecting "John Doe" from forcible transfer to another country from Iraq, where he is currently being held by the U.S. military as a suspected ISIS combatant.
Date: June 20, 2018
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and the Role of Congress in Trade Policy

Description: This report presents background and analysis on the development of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), which expired on July 1, 2007. The report also includes a summary of the major provisions under the recently expired authority and a discussion of the issues that have arisen in the debate over TPA renewal, as well as policy options available to Congress.
Date: June 15, 2015
Creator: Fergusson, Ian F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement

Description: This report discusses the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), a free trade agreement that includes nations on both sides of the Pacific. Original members of the TPP were Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, and Singapore. The United States, Australia, Peru, and Vietnam have committed themselves to joining and expanding this group. This report discusses similar trade partnerships, the importance of Asia to U.S. trade and security interests, and U.S. participation in the TPP.
Date: June 25, 2010
Creator: Fergusson, Ian F. & Vaughn, Bruce
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): Key Provisions and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) among the United States and 11 Asia-Pacific countries. It examines the key provisions of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), related policy and economic contexts, and issues of potential interest to Congress.
Date: June 14, 2016
Creator: Fergusson, Ian F. & Williams, Brock R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Issues for Congress

Description: Report that examines the issues related to the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the state and substance of the negotiations (to the degree that the information is publicly available), the specific areas under negotiation, the policy and economic contexts in which the TPP would fit, and the issues for Congress that the TPP presents.
Date: June 17, 2013
Creator: Fergusson, Ian F.; Cooper, William H.; Jurenas, Remy & Williams, Brock R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Southwest Border Violence: Issues in Identifying and Measuring Spillover Violence

Description: There has been an increase in the level of drug trafficking-related violence within and between the drug trafficking organizations in Mexico. This violence has generated concern among U.S. policy makers that the violence in Mexico might spill over into the United States. This report looks at the nature of the drug trafficking conflict and assessments of how the conflict could spill across the border.
Date: June 9, 2011
Creator: Finklea, Kristin M.; Krouse, William J. & Rosenblum, Marc R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Implementation: The Future of Commercial Trucking Across the Mexican Border

Description: This report discusses the implementation of trucking provisions set forth by NAFTA that would have opened the border states to cross-border trucking competition in 1995 and all of North America in 2000. The full implementation of the provisions has been stalled because of concern with the safety of Mexican trucks.
Date: June 1, 2010
Creator: Frittelli, John
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Procedures for Congressional Action in Relation to a Nuclear Agreement with Iran: In Brief

Description: This report provides, in brief, analysis of the congressional procedural provisions laid out in the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-17). Only provisions relating to congressional actions are covered in this report.
Date: June 23, 2015
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S.-Latin America Trade: Recent Trends and Policy Issues

Description: Trade is one of the more enduring issues in contemporary U.S.-Latin America relations. Latin America is far from the largest U.S. regional trade partner, but historically is the fastest growing one. The United States has implemented comprehensive reciprocal trade agreements with most of its important trade partners in Latin America. Agreements with Panama and Colombia have been signed but not implemented, pending congressional action. Countries south of the Caribbean Basin have been reluctant t… more
Date: June 25, 2010
Creator: Hornbeck, J. F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Possible Economic Impact of Brexit

Description: This report briefly discusses the possible economic impact of a June 23, 2016 referendum in which a majority of British voters supported the United Kingdom (UK) leaving the European Union (EU), stunning global financial markets that expected the vote to fail.
Date: June 28, 2016
Creator: Jackson, James K. & Akhtar, Shayerah I.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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