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Civil Pleading Requirements After Bell Atlantic Corporation v. Twombly and Ashcroft v. Iqbal

Description: This report discusses the U.S. Supreme Court 2007 and 2009 decisions, Bell Atlantic Corporation v. Twombly and Ashcroft v. Iqbal, governing whether a civil complaint filed in federal court will survive a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim.
Date: July 1, 2010
Creator: Barbour, Emily C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Instability and Humanitarian Conditions in Chad

Description: This report discusses political and humanitarian conditions in Chad including political instability, ethnic and regional conflict, and peacekeeping operations. The report also briefly touches upon economic conditions and U.S. Chadian relations.
Date: July 1, 2010
Creator: Ploch, Lauren
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Iraq: Politics, Elections, and Benchmarks

Description: This report discusses Iraq's political system, which has been restructured through a U.S.-supported election process. The Iraqi government is increasingly characterized by peaceful competition rather than violence, but sectarianism and ethnic and factional infighting still remain. This report discusses issues relating to opponents of the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and also discusses the atmosphere of nationwide provincial elections. The report also addresses the Obama Administration's … more
Date: July 1, 2010
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program. Under current Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Navy plans, the number of BMD-capable Navy Aegis ships is schedule to grow from 20 at the end of FY2010 to 38 at the end of FY2015. This report discusses the concerns some have over BMD expansion, as well as BMD funding issues.
Date: July 1, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 151A and Annuities: Issues and Legislation

Description: This report explains the different types of annuities, the taxation of annuities, and disentangles the federal and state roles in the regulation of annuities. It outlines the SEC rule, including practical considerations for implementation. It also discusses congressional action in response to the SEC rule.
Date: July 1, 2010
Creator: Webel, Baird & Miller, Rena S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Spectrum Policy in the Age of Broadband: Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses spectrum policy issues in the 111th Congress. In formulating spectrum policy, mainstream viewpoints generally diverge on whether to give priority to market economics or social goals. Among the spectrum policy initiatives that have been proposed in Congress in recent years are: allocating more spectrum for unlicensed use; auctioning airwaves currently allocated for federal use; and devising new fees on spectrum use, notably those collected by the FCC's statutory authority t… more
Date: July 1, 2010
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The U.S. Postal Service's Financial Condition: Overview and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides an overview of the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS's) financial condition, recent legislation to alleviate the USPS's financial challenges, and possible issues for the 111th Congress. Since 1971, the USPS has been a self-supporting government agency that covers its operating costs with revenues generated through the sales of postage and related products and services.
Date: July 1, 2010
Creator: Kosar, Kevin R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Argentina's Defaulted Sovereign Debt: Dealing with the "Holdouts"

Description: This report reviews Argentina's financial crisis, the bond exchanges of 2005 and 2010, ongoing litigation, prospects for a final solution, related U.S. legislation, and broader policy issues. These include lessons on the effectiveness and cost of Argentina's default strategy, the ability to force sovereigns to meet their debt obligations, and ways to avoid future defaults like Argentina's.
Date: July 2, 2010
Creator: Hornbeck, J. F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Budget Reconciliation Process: The Senate's "Byrd Rule"

Description: Reconciliation is a procedure under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 by which Congress implements budget resolution policies affecting mainly permanent spending and revenue programs. The principal focus in the reconciliation process has been deficit reduction, but in recent years reconciliation has encompassed revenue reduction generally and spending increases in selected program areas. This report discusses the Byrd rule, which provides six definitions of what constitutes extraneous matter… more
Date: July 2, 2010
Creator: Keith, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Department of Defense Contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan: Background and Analysis

Description: The Department of Defense (DOD) increasingly relies upon contractors to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has resulted in a DOD workforce that has 19% more contractor personnel (207,600) than uniformed personnel (175,000). This report discusses the issues raised by this fact including (1) what role contractors should play in contingency operations, (2) whether DOD is gathering and analyzing the right data on the use of contractors, (3) what steps DOD is taking to improve contrac… more
Date: July 2, 2010
Creator: Schwartz, Moshe
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress

Description: This report discusses the process of naming Navy ships, which have traditionally been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the Navy. Congress in recent years has proposed, and sometimes passed, legislation regarding the naming of specific ships.
Date: July 2, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Proposed U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA): Provisions and Implications

Description: This report is designed to assist Members of Congress as they consider the costs and benefits of the U.S.-South Korean Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA.) It examines the provisions of the KORUS FTA in the context of the overall U.S.-South Korean economic relationship, U.S. objectives, and South Korean objectives.
Date: July 2, 2010
Creator: Cooper, William H.; Manyin, Mark E.; Jurenas, Remy & Platzer, Michaela D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2011 Budget and Appropriations

Description: On February 1, 2010, President Obama submitted a budget proposal for FY2011 that requests $58.49 billion for the international affairs budget, a 16% increase over the enacted FY2010 funding level. This report analyzes the FY2011 request, recent-year funding trends, and congressional action related to FY2011 State-Foreign Operations legislation.
Date: July 2, 2010
Creator: Lawson, Marian Leonardo; Epstein, Susan B. & Nakamura, Kennon H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program

Description: This report discusses Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Act, which was enacted by the 108th Congress as Section 1057 of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 108-136). It includes background of the SAFER Act, appropriations from FY2010-FY2011, reauthorization of the program in the House and Senate, and information about program implementation.
Date: July 4, 2010
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)

Description: Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits are available only to those individuals who have become unemployed as a direct result of a declared major disaster. First created in 1970 through P.L. 91-606, DUA benefits are authorized by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Relief Act (the Stafford Act), which authorizes the President to issue a major disaster declaration after state and local government resources have been overwhelmed by a natural catastrophe or, "regardless of… more
Date: July 6, 2010
Creator: Whittaker, Julie M. & Shelton, Alison M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Resources for Grantseekers

Description: This report describes key sources of information on government and private funding, and outlines eligibility for federal grants. Federal grants are intended for projects benefiting states and communities. Individuals may be eligible for other kinds of benefits or assistance, or small businesses and students may be eligible for loans.
Date: July 6, 2010
Creator: Gerli, Merete F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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