Congressional Research Service Reports - 210 Matching Results
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- Bangladesh: Political and Strategic Developments and U.S. Interests
- This report provides historical background and geography of Bangladesh. The report discusses the contemporary political situation, election and Bangladesh politics.
- Cyprus: Reunification Proving Elusive
- This report discusses attempts to resolve the Cyprus problem and reunify the island which have undergone various levels of negotiation for almost 40 years. Prospects for a settlement that would end the political division of Cyprus appear to have reached a stalemate and may now enter a period of retrenchment possibly dominated by harder-line views by both sides and more difficult negotiations.
- Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses
- This report discusses the reasons that Iran is considered a threat to U.S. security, including Iran's nuclear program, involvement with terrorist organizations, and involvement with neighboring countries' local governments. The report also discusses ways which the U.S. hopes to modify Iran's behavior with sanctions, and the effectiveness of these sanctions.
- Judicial Activity Concerning Enemy Combatant Detainees: Major Court Rulings
- This report discusses major judicial opinions concerning suspected enemy belligerents detained in the conflict with Al Qaeda and the Taliban.
- Minority Contracting and Affirmative Action for Disadvantaged Small Businesses: Legal Issues
- No Description Available.
- Navy Nuclear Aircraft Carrier (CVN) Homeporting at Mayport: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Navy's proposal to homeport a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (CVN) at Mayport, Florida. Transferring a CVN from Norfolk, Virginia, to Mayport would also shift the local economic activity associated with homeporting a CVN, which some sources estimate as being worth hundreds of millions of dollars per year.
- U.S. Immigration Policy on Permanent Admissions
- This report discusses the four major principles underlie current U.S. policy on permanent immigration: the reunification of families, the admission of immigrants with needed skills, the protection of refugees, and the diversity of admissions by country of origin.
- Economic Development Administration: Reauthorization and Funding Issues in the 111th Congress
- This report discusses the economic development program re-authorization issues and appropriations.
- F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), also called the Lighting II, which is a new strike fighter being procured in different versions by the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy. It details the Obama Administration's proposed FY2010 defense budget requests for F-35 program funding and outlines the issues that Congress must consider when deciding whether to approve, reject, or modify the administration's funding requests.
- International Criminal Court Cases in Africa: Status and Policy Issues
- This report provides background on current International Criminal Court (ICC) cases and examines issues raised by the ICC's actions in Africa, including the potential deterrence of future abuses and the potential impact on African peace processes.
- Is the U.S. Current Account Deficit Sustainable?
- This report reviews studies on the America's current account (CA) deficit's sustainability. Some of the studies suggest that a large dollar depreciation could eventually be required to restore sustainability. But the inflation-adjusted 25% depreciation of the dollar from 2002-2008 had little effect on the CA deficit, which kept growing until 2007.
- Latin America and the Caribbean: Fact Sheet on Leaders and Elections
- This fact sheet tracks the current heads of government in Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. It provides the dates of the last and next elections for the head of government and the national independence date for each country.
- Latin America and the Caribbean: Fact Sheet on Leaders and Elections
- This fact sheet tracks the current heads of government in Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. It provides the dates of the last and next elections for the head of government and the national independence date for each country.
- Medical Marijuana: Review and Analysis of Federal and State Policies
- No Description Available.
- North Korea's 2009 Nuclear Test: Containment, Monitoring, Implications
- This report discusses the implications of North Korea's May 25, 2009, underground nuclear test, related issues such as the the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), containment of radioactive materials, and other concerns for Congress, such as improving nuclear monitoring capability.
- The SAFRA Act: Education Programs in the FY2010 Budget Reconciliation
- No Description Available.
- The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010: Summary and Legislative History
- No Description Available.
- U.S.-Russia Meat and Poultry Trade Issues
- In December 2008, the United States and Russia signed a protocol aimed at resolving various emerging trade issues between the two countries in order to continue U.S. livestock and poultry exports to Russia through the end of 2009. This report examines the current trade relationship between the U.S. and Russia in regards to meat and poultry.
- Africa Command: U.S. Strategic Interests and the Role of the U.S. Military in Africa
- This report provides information on U.S. Africa Command or (AFRICOM), including AFRICOM's mission, structure, interagency coordination, and its basing and manpower requirements. The report also gives a broad overview of U.S. strategic interests in Africa and the role of U.S. military efforts on the continent as they pertain to the creation of Africa Command.
- Authoritative Resources on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)
- List containing authoritative resources to assist in responding to a broad range of questions and concerns about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), P.L. 111-5. It includes links to the full text of the act, Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates, White House fact sheets, and federal, state, and municipal government websites are included, along with other useful information.
- China-U.S. Poultry Dispute
- This report is categorized into five categories: (I) Background, (II) US.-China Agricultural Trade, (III) U.S. Regulation of Poultry Safety, (IV) China Poultry Rule and (V) Trade Implication and Outlook.
- Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court
- This report provides an overview of the early judicial developments and the establishment of Combatant Status Review Tribunals (CSRTs) procedures; summarizes selected court cases related to the detentions and the use of military commissions; and discusses the Detainee Treatment Act, as amended by the Military Commissions Act of 2006 and the Military Commissions Act of 2009, analyzing its effects on detainee-related litigation in federal court. The report summarizes the Supreme Court's decision in Boumediene invalidating Congress's efforts to revoke the courts' habeas jurisdiction, and discusses some remaining issues and subsequent developments.
- European Union Enlargement: A Status Report on Turkey's Accession Negotiations
- This report provides a brief overview of the European Union's (EU) accession process, Turkey's path to EU membership, the impact of the Cyprus problem, and a review of the United States' interest in Turkey's future in the European Union.
- Health Care: Constitutional Rights and Legislative Powers
- This report analyzes constitutional and legal issues pertaining to a right to health care, as well as the power of Congress to enact and fund health care programs. It also discusses legal issues that have been raised regarding the power of Congress to mandate that individuals purchase health insurance, and the ability of states to "nullify" or "opt out" of such a requirement.
- Internet Domain Names: Background and Policy Issues
- This report discusses the Domain Name System (DNS), which is the distributed set of databases residing in computers around the world that contain address numbers mapped to corresponding domain names, making it possible to send and receive messages and to access information from computers anywhere on the Internet.
- Internet Domain Names: Background and Policy Issues
- This report provides an overview of the background and policy issues of the internet domain names.
- Navy F/A-18E/F and EA-18G Aircraft Procurement and Strike Fighter Shortfall: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the Navy's proposed FY2011 budget requests (about $1.8 billion) for the procurement of 22 F/A- 18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters and about $1.0 billion for the procurement of 12 EA-18G Growler electric attack aircraft.
- Sentencing Levels for Crack and Powder Cocaine: Kimbrough v. United States and the Impact of United States v. Booker
- No Description Available.
- Summary of Potential Employer Penalties Under PPACA (P.L. 111-148)
- No Description Available.
- Summary of Small Business Health Insurance Tax Credit Under PPACA (P.L. 111-148)
- No Description Available.
- U.S. Initiatives to Promote Global Internet Freedom: Issues, Policy, and Technology
- This report provides information regarding the role of U.S. and other foreign companies in facilitating Internet censorship by repressive regimes overseas. The report is divided into several sections: Examination of repressive policies in China and Iran, Relevant U.S. laws, U.S. policies to promote Internet freedom, Private sector initiatives, and Congressional action.
- Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance
- This report discusses the current political state of Afghanistan, as well as the Afghan government. This report also discusses Afghanistan's relationship with the United States, particularly U.S. efforts to urge President Hamid Karzai to address corruption within the Afghan government.
- Air Force C-17 Aircraft Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information on the C-17 Aircraft program, including previous appropriations, related programs, and issues for Congress.
- Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2011 Appropriations
- This report provides an overview of actions taken by Congress to provide FY2011 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS). It also provides an overview of FY2010 appropriations for agencies and bureaus funded under the CJS bill.
- Comparison of Rights in Military Commission Trials and Trials in Federal Criminal Court
- This report provides a brief summary of legal issues raised by the choice of forum for trying accused terrorists and a table comparing selected military commissions rules under the Military Commissions Act, as amended, to the corresponding rules that apply in federal court.
- CRS Issue Statement on Health Care Reform
- On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed health reform legislation into law - the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, some provisions of which were amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. This report covers the basic facts of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the affects it was intended to have on health insurance coverage for Americans.
- The Global Economic Crisis: Impact on Sub-Saharan Africa and Global Policy Responses
- This report analyzes Africa's vulnerability to the global crisis and potential implications for economic growth, poverty alleviation, fiscal balances, and political stability. The report describes channels through which the crisis is affecting Africa, and provides information on international efforts to address the impact, including U.S. policies and those of multilateral institutions in which the United States plays a major role.
- Health Insurance Premium Credits Under PPACA (P.L. 111-148)
- This report describes the premium credits as reflected in current law through this legislation.
- The Military Commissions Act of 2009: Overview and Legal Issues
- This report provides an analysis of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and its financial status, summarizes the major challenges facing the program, including issues affecting its long-term financial solvency, presents some alternative approaches for managing and financing the flood losses and describes pending legislation on this issue.
- The Military Commissions Act of 2009: Overview and Legal Issues
- This report provides a background and analysis comparing military commissions as envisioned under the revised Military Commissions Act (MCA) to those established in 2006. After reviewing the history of the implementation of military commissions in the "global war on terrorism," the report provides an overview of the procedural safeguards provided in the MCA. Finally, the report provides two tables comparing the MCA as amended by the MCA 2009 to the original MCA enacted in 2006 and to general courts-martial.
- The Proposed U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement: Economic and Political Implications
- This report provides a review of the U.S.-Columbia free trade agreement (CFTA) and the U.S.-Columbia economic relationship, as well as the political situation in Columbia and the proposed CFTA issues for Congress.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Global Health Programs: FY2001-FY2011
- This report explains the role the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plays in U.S. global health assistance, highlights how much the agency has spent on global health efforts from FY2001 to FY2010, and discusses how funding to each of its programs has changed during this period.
- Days Reserved for Special Business in the House
- This report provides information about the Days Reserved for Special Business in the House.several provisions in the rules of the house provide for certain types of business to be privileged for consideration on special days.
- Grandfathered Health Plans Under PPACA (P.L. 111-148)
- This report addresses key questions concerning grandfathered plans and insurance reforms affecting such plans, including reporting and consumer information requirements, benefits package, and access to coverage.
- Greece's Debt Crisis: Overview, Policy Responses, and Implications
- This report provides an overview of the Greek debt crisis; outlines the major causes of the crisis, focusing on both domestic and international factors; examines how Greece, the Eurozone members, and the IMF have responded to the crisis; and highlights the broader implications of Greece's debt crisis, including for the United States.
- Medicaid: The Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP)
- No Description Available.
- Outer Continental Shelf Moratoria on Oil and Gas Development
- This report discusses moratoria measures for the outer continental shelf (OCS) which establish bans or restrictions on oil and gas exploration and development in federal ocean areas. It includes a background of offshore oil and gas development, the sources of U.S. moratorium policy, the background of ocean governance, U.S. moratoria in international areas, and related issues for Congress.
- Trade in Services: The Doha Development Agenda Negotiations and U.S. Goals
- The report provides a brief background section on the significance of trade in services to the U.S. economy. It then explains briefly the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the structure and agenda of the services negotiations in the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) round, including U.S. objectives in the negotiations. The report concludes with a status report on the negotiations and an examination of potential results.
- U.S. Military Stop Loss Program: Key Questions and Answers
- Stop Loss is a frequently misunderstood DOD force management program that retains servicemembers beyond their contractually agreed-to separation date. Because of the involuntary nature of this extension, some critics have referred to the program as a "backdoor draft" or "involuntary servitude". This report outlines the history of Stop Loss, current issues relating to Stop Loss, and the possible future directions of the program.
- Agricultural Biotechnology: The U.S.-EU Dispute
- This report focuses on a conflict between the European Union (EU) and the United States, Canada, and Argentina. The United States suggests that the European Union's moratorium costs the U.S. 300 million dollars in exports to the EU annually. Moreover, the report highlights other concerns the U.S. has with the EU's biotechnology policies.