Congressional Research Service Reports - 91 Matching Results
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- Environmental Protection Issues: From the 104th to the 105th Congress
- The continued interest in regulatory reform measures in the final moments of the 104th Congress suggests that the 105th Congress will consider them again. At the same time the fact that the 104th Congress enacted flexibility provisions in drinking water and food safety/pesticides legislation could be an indicator that the 105th Congress may pursue reforms in individual reauthorization legislation rather than in broad regulatory reform bills.
- Committee System: Rules Changes in the House, 105th Congress
- No Description Available.
- Clean Water Issues in the 105th Congress
- No Description Available.
- Clean Water Issues in the 105th Congress
- For the 105th Congress, reauthorization of the Clean Water Act may be a priority in the second session. The Act was last amended in 1987 and authorizations expired on Sept. 30, 1990. Clean water was a priority for the last two Congresses, but no legislation was enacted. In the 104th Congress, the House passed a comprehensive reauthorization bill, but during House debate and subsequently, controversies arose over whether and how the Act should be made more flexible and less burdensome on regulated entities. Issues likely to be of interest again in the 105th Congress include funding, overall flexibility and regulatory reform of water quality programs, and measures to address polluted runoff from farms and city streets.
- Budget Reconciliation in the 105th Congress: Achieving a Balanced Budget by 2002
- This report consists of the budget reconciliation in the 105th congress with achieving a balance budget by 2002.
- Budget Reconciliation in the 105th Congress: Achieving a Balanced Budget by 2002
- Achievement of a balanced federal budget by 2002 was a high priority for the 105th Congress and the President. After months of negotiations and debate, starting in February 1997 and ending in July 1997, congressional leaders and the White House forged a consensus on legislation to accomplish this goal. The legislation, signed into law by President Clinton on August 5, 1997, sets “caps” on discretionary spending, constrains entitlement programs, and on balance reduces federal taxes.
- Environmental Protection Legislation in the 105th Congress
- The 105th Congress enacted tax provisions relating to Superfund brownfields sites, transportation- and defense-related environmental provisions, a border smog bill, EPA funding as well as reinstating the tax that supports the Leaking Underground Storage Trust Fund. There were various actions on regulatory reform, the budget resolution, appropriations, highway- and defense-related environmental provisions, Superfund reform bills and underground storage tanks. It is too early to tell if these will be issues for the 106th Congress.
- Adoption Promotion Legislation in the 105th Congress
- This report discusses the type of adoption legislation in the 105th Congress. Specifically, the report tackles the idea that children are kept in foster care too long and that this may cause lower adoption rates. The report also discusses the enormous support for this legislation in the Senate and the House.
- Adoption Promotion Legislation in the 105th Congress
- President Clinton signed the Adoption and Safe Families Act into law on November 19, 1997, after the House and Senate approved final versions of the legislation on November 13. The new law (P.L. 105-89) is intended to promote adoption or other permanent arrangements for foster children who are unable to return home, and to make general improvements in the nation’s child welfare system. The House initially passed legislation (H.R. 867) on April 30 by a vote of 416-5, and the Senate passed an amended version on November 8. A compromise version was passed on November 13, by a vote of 406-7 in the House and by unanimous consent in the Senate. This report discusses the final version of the legislation, as enacted into law.
- Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension Issues in the 105th Congress
- The public agricultural research, education, and extension system is comprised of a nationwide network of federal and state agricultural research laboratories and departments, land grant Colleges of Agriculture, colleges of forestry and veterinary medicine, and the nationwide Cooperative Extension System. Although the basic authority to conduct agricultural research and extension programs is permanent, Congress since 1977 has provided funding authority and policy guidance for USDA's in-house research programs, and for federal support for cooperative research, higher education, and extension programs in the states, through a title contained in omnibus farm legislation. This report discusses specific pieces of such legislation and details certain agricultural and food-related appropriations.
- Education Issues in the 105th Congress, 2nd Session
- This report provides a brief summary of education issues anticipated for the 2nd Session, as well as a synopsis of education activity during the 1st Session.
- Education Issues in the 105th Congress, 2nd Session
- Several education issues are being considered by the 105th Congress. Some of the congressional action results from expiring legislation, such as the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA). Other action may occur because of debate over the appropriate federal role in education, including federal support for school reform or national testing. This report provides a brief summary of education issues anticipated for the 2nd Session, as well as a synopsis of education activity during the 1st Session.
- Medicaid: 105th Congress
- No Description Available.
- Environmental Reauthorizations and Regulatory Reform: From the 104th Congress to the 105th
- The 104th Congress pursued efforts to reform environmental regulations on several fronts: (1) revising regulatory decision making processes; (2) attaching specific reforms to funding bills; (3) establishing a House corrections day calendar of bills addressing specific regulatory problems; and (4) incorporating regulatory reforms into individual program reauthorization bills. The 105th Congress has pursued regulatory reform in four primary directions: (1) proposals to establish a comprehensive cost-benefit/risk analysis framework for regulatory programs, (2) private property “takings” initiatives, (3) amendments and reforms directed at individual environmental statutes, and (4) oversight of environmental programs.
- Medical Savings Accounts: Legislation in the 105th Congress
- No Description Available.
- NATO Policy: Selected Legislation in the 103d, 104th, and 105th Congresses
- No Description Available.
- Consumer Bankruptcy Reform: Proposals Before the 105th Congress
- This report examines several proposals for consumer bankruptcy reform which have been introduced in the 105th Congress.
- Consumer Bankruptcy Reform: Proposals Before the 105th Congress
- This report examines current consumer bankruptcy practice and the proposals set forth in the reform bills. Also considered are the legislative history of the current consumer bankruptcy scheme, and topics likely to be debated as Congress proceeds to consider consumer bankruptcy reform.
- Campaign Finance Reform Bills in the 105th Congress: Comparison of H.R. 3485 (Thomas), S. 25 (McCain-Feingold), and Current Law
- No Description Available.
- Campaign Finance Reform Bills in the 105th Congress: Comparison of H.R. 3581 (Thomas), H.R. 3526 (Shays-Meehan), and Current Law
- No Description Available.
- Campaign Finance Reform Bills in the 105th Congress: Comparison of H.R. 3581 (Thomas), H.R. 3526 (Shays-Meehan), and Current Law
- On March 30, 1998, the House considered four campaign reform bills under a suspension of rules, focusing on the comprehensive H.R. 3581, offered that day for the Republican leadership by Mr. Thomas; it failed passage on a 74-337 vote. (The bill was similar to H.R. 3485, also by Mr. Thomas, reported by the House Oversight Committee March 18.1) The bill generating the most publicity in the 105th Congress has been S. 25 (McCain-Feingold),2 introduced on March 19 as H.R. 3526 by Messrs. Shays and Meehan. This report summarizes and compares H.R. 3581, H.R. 3526, and current law.
- The Work Opportunity Tax Credit and the 105th Congress
- This report examines the purpose and function of The Work Opportunity Tax Credit.
- Job Training Reform: Legislation in the 105th Congress
- This report focus on the job training provisions of the House and Senate-passed versions of H.R. 1385.
- Job Training Reform: Legislation in the 105th Congress
- No Description Available.
- Consumer Proposals in the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1998: H.R. 3150, 105th Congress, 2d Session (1998)
- This report is about the consumer proposal in the bankruptcy reform act of 1998
- Consumer Proposals in the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1998: H.R. 3150, 105th Congress, 2d Session (1998)
- This report considers the legislative history of the current consumer bankruptcy scheme. It examines current consumer bankruptcy practice and surveys the consumer proposals set forth in Title I of H.R. 3150, with an emphasis on the likely impact of the bill on family support obligations.
- Unemployment Benefits: Legislative Issues in the 105th Congress
- No Description Available.
- Campaign Finance Debate in the House: Substitute Amendments to H.R. 2183 (105th Congress)
- This report summarizes and compares the 11 substitute amendments to campaign finance reform bills that have passed the House and Senate.
- Campaign Finance Debate in the House: Substitute Amendments to H.R. 2183 (105th Congress)
- This report provides a summary and comparison of the 11 substitute amendments to H.R. 2183, a campaign finance reform bill offered by Representatives Hutchinson and Allen, that, under H. Res. 442, will be in order for consideration by the House. The House began consideration of the bill and these substitute amendments (as well as additional perfecting amendments) on May 21, 1998. This report is intended for use by House Members and staff in preparation for and during House debate and assumes basic familiarity with the underlying issues. It may be updated to reflect further legislative actions.
- Adult Education and Literacy: Current Programs and Legislative Proposals in the 105th Congress
- This report summarizes current programs for adult education and literacy, provides a funding history, and analyzes major provisions of the legislative proposals being considered by the 105th Congress for amending adult education and literacy programs. Specifically, the report examines the provisions of H.R. 1385, the Employment, Training, and Literacy Enhancement Act of 1997, as passed by the House, and H.R. 1385, the Workforce Investment Partnership Act of 1998, as amended by the Senate (originally considered as S. 1186). Key issues include state and local administration issues, comprehensive state plan requirements, integration with other federal training and employment programs, and program performance standards. The report will be updated as legislative action occurs.
- Adult Education and Literacy: Current Programs and Legislative Proposals in the 105th Congress
- This report summarizes current programs for adult education and literacy, provides a funding history, and analyzes major provisions of the legislative proposals being considered by the 105th Congress for amending adult education and literacy programs. Specifically, the report examines the provisions of H.R. 1385, the Employment, Training, and Literacy Enhancement Act of 1997, as passed by the House, and H.R. 1385, the Workforce Investment Partnership Act of 1998, as amended by the Senate (originally considered as S. 1186). Key issues include state and local administration issues, comprehensive state plan requirements, integration with other federal training and employment programs, and program performance standards. The report will be updated as legislative action occurs.
- Child Nutrition Issues in the 105th Congress
- This report covers proposed and enacted legislative initiatives to change child nutrition programs (including the WIC program) during 1997 and 1998.
- Child Nutrition Issues in the 105th Congress
- This report covers proposed and enacted legislative initiatives to change child nutrition programs (including the WIC program) during 1997 and 1998.
- China: Pending Legislation in the 105th Congress
- The 105 Congress has been active on issues involving China. This report, which will be updated as developments occur, tracks pending human rights legislation, including bills concerning: prison conditions and prison labor exports; coercive abortion practices; China’s policies toward religion; and more general human rights issues.
- China: Pending Legislation in the 105th Congress
- This report tracks pending human rights legislation, including bills concerning: prison conditions and prison labor exports (H.R. 2195, H.R. 2358); coercive abortion practices (H.R. 2570); China’s policies toward religion (H.R. 967, H.R. 2431); and more general human rights issues (H.R. 2095). Other bills concern Taiwan — in particular, Taiwan’s entry into the World Trade Organization (H.Res. 190) and the U.S. role in helping Taiwan with a theater missile defense system (H.R. 2386). Also, legislation is pending on China’s missile proliferation activities (H.Res. 188), Radio Free Asia broadcasting to China (H.R. 2232), China’s participation in multilateral institutions (H.R. 1712, H.R. 2605), and the activities of China’s military and intelligence services (H.R. 2647, H.R. 2190).
- Arts and Humanities: Funding and Reauthorization in the 105th Congress
- This report summarizes the funding and re-authorization in the 105th congress on arts and humanities.
- Arts and Humanities: Funding and Reauthorization in the 105th Congress
- One of the primary vehicles for federal support of the arts and humanities is the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities, composed of the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. This report describes the issues and options raised in the 105th Congress with regard to both authorization and appropriations for support of the arts and humanities.
- Campaign Finance Bills in the 105th Congress: Comparison of H.R. 2183 (Hutchinson-Allen), H.R. 3526 (Shays-Meehan), and Current Law
- This report is about the Finance reform in May 1998 in the 105th congress.
- Campaign Finance Bills in the 105th Congress: Comparison of H.R. 2183 (Hutchison -Allen), H.R. 3526 (Shays-Meehan), and Current Law
- As pledged by Speaker Gingrich, the House renewed consideration of campaign finance reform in May 1998. The principal bill is H.R. 2183, known as the freshman bipartisan bill, introduced July 17, 1997, by Messrs. Hutchinson and Allen. Selected floor amendments and substitutes will be in order. The legislation that has generated the most publicity in the 105th Congress has been the McCain-Feingold bill (S. 25), offered on March 19, 1998, as H.R. 3526 by Messrs. Shays and Meehan;1 this has also been offered as substitute amendment no. 13 to H.R. 2183 in the current debate. Table 1 highlights key differences between the two bills, and Table 2 summarizes and compares H.R. 2183, H.R. 3526, and current law.
- Banking and Finance: Legislative Initiatives in the 105th Congress, Second Session
- This report reviews major banking and finance issues that are receiving congressional attention in the 2nd session of the 105th Congress.
- Banking and Finance: Legislative Initiatives in the 105th Congress, Second Session
- This report reviews major banking and finance issues that are receiving congressional attention in the 2nd session of the 105th Congress. It will be updated periodically to reflect legislative developments. Relevant CRS products are referenced.
- Census 2000: Sampling as an Appropriations Issue In the 105th Congress
- The 105th Congress has debated the decennial census sampling issue mainly in the appropriations process, beginning with FY 1997 supplemental appropriations legislation for disaster relief. In Fy 1998, appropriation for Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies, the Senate instructed the Bureau of the Census not to make "irreversible" Census 2000 sampling plans, while the House sought a moratorium on these plans, pending expedited judicial review of their constitutionally and legality. This report contains information on FY 1997 and 1998 appropriations and related Congressional actions
- Census 2000: Sampling as an Appropriations Issue in the 105th Congress
- The 105th Congress has debated the decennial census sampling issue mainly in the appropriations process, beginning with FY1997 supplemental appropriations legislation for disaster relief. In FY1998 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies (CJS), the Senate (S. 1022) instructed the Bureau of the Census not to make “irreversible” Census 2000 sampling plans, while the House (H.R. 2267) sought a moratorium on these plans, pending expedited judicial review of their constitutionality and legality.
- Clean Water Act Reauthorization in the 105th Congress
- In the 105th Congress, legislation to reauthorize the Clean Water Act was not been introduced, and no major House or Senate committee activity occurred. EPA and states' water quality inventories have identified wet weather flows (including agricultural runoff, urban storm water, and sewer overflows) as the largest remaining threat to water quality. EPA's clean water programs are now focusing to a large extent on solving wet weather pollution problems. These issues may be addressed legislatively, as well. At issue is whether and how to detail wet weather programs in the Act versus allowing flexibility that recognizes the site-specific nature of intermittent wet weather pollution.
- Environmental Protection Legislation in the 105th Congress
- The 105th Congress enacted tax provisions relating to Superfund brownfields sites, transportation- and defense-related environmental provisions, a border smog bill, EPA funding as well as reinstating the tax that supports the Leaking Underground Storage Trust Fund. There were various actions on regulatory reform, the budget resolution, appropriations, highway- and defense-related environmental provisions, Superfund reform bills and underground storage tanks. It is too early to tell if these will be issues for the 106th Congress.
- East Asia and the Pacific: Issues at the End of the 105th Congress
- No Description Available.
- Child Nutrition Issues in the 105th Congress
- This report summarizes proposed and enacted legislative initiatives to change child nutrition programs (including WIC program) during 1997 and 1998.
- Solid Waste Issues in the 105th Congress
- The 105th Congress adjourned without passing any legislation affecting solid waste management. Changes to the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) cleanup program and bills to exempt from hazardous waste management requirements certain wastes generated by remediation of old waste sites had been considered possible until late in the second session. The House passed changes to the LUST program (H.R. 688) on April 23, 1997. A comparable Senate bill (S. 555) was ordered reported, amended, September 23, 1998; but it never came to the floor.
- Environmental Reauthorizations and Regulatory Reform: From the 104th Congress to the 106th
- The 104th Congress pursued efforts to reform environmental regulations on several fronts: (1) revising regulatory decision making processes; (2) attaching specific reforms to funding bills; (3) establishing a House corrections day calendar of bills addressing specific regulatory problems; and (4) incorporating regulatory reforms into individual program reauthorization bills. The 105th Congress has pursued regulatory reform in four primary directions: (1) proposals to establish a comprehensive cost-benefit/risk analysis framework for regulatory programs, (2) private property “takings” initiatives, (3) amendments and reforms directed at individual environmental statutes, and (4) oversight of environmental programs.
- The Higher Education Act: Reauthorization by the 105th Congress
- This report provides a brief overview of the main HEA programs, and summarizes the main provisions of the House and Senate bills and final HEA Amendments of 1998.