Search Results

open access

Assignments to Senate Subcommittees

Description: This report discusses the rules and process for establishing subcommittees. One of the first orders of business for Senate committees is deciding whether to establish subcommittees, and if so, determining their number, sizes, party ratios, chairs, ranking minority members, and other members. There are no direct limits on the number of subcommittees that may be created.
Date: November 15, 2005
Creator: Schneider, Judy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Committee Controls of Agency Decisions

Description: Congress has a long history of subjecting certain types of executive agency decisions to committee control, either by committees or subcommittees. Especially with the beginning of World War II, the executive branch agreed to committee controls as an accommodation that allowed Congress to delegate authority and funds broadly while using committees to monitor the use of that discretionary authority. These committee-agency arrangements took the form of different procedures: simply notifying the co… more
Date: November 16, 2005
Creator: Fisher, Louis
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Fishery, Aquaculture, and Marine Mammal Legislation in the 109th Congress

Description: Fish and marine mammals are important resources in open ocean and nearshore coastal areas. Many laws and regulations guide the management of these resources by federal agencies. This report contains information on commercial and sport fisheries, aquaculture, and marine mammals and issues related to the 109th Congress.
Date: November 21, 2005
Creator: Buck, Eugene H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Clean Air Act Issues in the 109th Congress

Description: The courts and the executive branch face major decisions on clean air issues in 2006, with Congress more likely playing an oversight role. One focus is EPA's Jan. 17 2006 proposal to strengthen air quality standards for fine particles, which are estimated to cause tens of thousands of premature deaths annually. Whether the proposal is supported by the available science and what impact its implementation would have likely issues of concern. Other issues of continuing interest are EPA's 2005 deci… more
Date: November 25, 2005
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Clean Air Act Issues in the 109th Congress

Description: The courts and the executive branch face major decisions on clean air issues in 2006, with Congress more likely playing an oversight role. One focus is EPA's Jan. 17 2006 proposal to strengthen air quality standards for fine particles, which are estimated to cause tens of thousands of premature deaths annually. Whether the proposal is supported by the available science and what impact its implementation would have likely issues of concern. Other issues of continuing interest are EPA's 2005 deci… more
Date: November 25, 2005
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Congress' Power to Legislate Control Over Hate Crimes: Selected Legal Theories

Description: Congress has no power under the commerce clause over “noneconomic, violent criminal conduct” that does not cross state lines said Chief Justice William Rehnquist in United States v. Morrison. Congress, however, enjoys additional legislative powers under the spending clauses and the legislative clauses of the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. Extensive, if something less than all encompassing, national legislation may be possible under the confluence of authority conveyed by the commerce clau… more
Date: November 28, 2005
Creator: Wallace, Paul Starett, Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

How Special Rules Regulate Calling up Measures for Consideration in the House

Description: This fact sheet describes how a special rule -- a House resolution that regulates consideration of a specific legislative measure named in the resolution -- may set terms for consideration by Representatives. It includes information about the system of privilege, forms of consideration, and how the rules are used to manage the agenda.
Date: December 5, 2005
Creator: Beth, Richard S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Agriculture in the U.S.-Dominican RepublicCentral American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA)

Description: This report considers the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA). Specifically, the report explores sugar imports, phasing out tariffs and quotas, and how the U.S. can protect the market from an overflow of imported products.
Date: December 22, 2005
Creator: Jurenas, Remy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Congressional Nominations to U.S. Service Academies: An Overview and Resources for Outreach and Management

Description: This report describes statutory requirements for allocating congressional nominations to service academies. It also identifies the qualifications that must be met by potential nominees, as established by statute and each academy. Finally, sample documents that could be used by congressional offices at various stages of the nomination selection process are included. These documents provide basic information and can be customized to fit the specific needs of individual office policies.
Date: December 29, 2005
Creator: Petersen, R. Eric
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Clean Air Act Issues in the 109th Congress

Description: Major amendments to the Clean Air Act were among the first items on the agenda of the 109th Congress, with S. 131 (the Clear Skies Act) scheduled for markup by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee March 9. The most prominent air quality issues discussed in this report are; Clear Skies / Multi-Pollutant Legislation, Mercury from Power Plants, New Source Review (NSR), MTBE and Ethanol, Ozone Nonattainment Area Deadlines, Conformity of Transportation Plans and SIPs, Hurricanes Katrina… more
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Clean Water Act Issues in the 109th Congress

Description: Congress has recently focused legislative attention on narrow bills to extend or modify selected Clean Water Act (CWA) programs, rather than taking up comprehensive proposals. In the 109th Congress, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has approved S. 1400, a bill authorizing $20 billion in federal grants to capitalize state clean water infrastructure loan programs. Also, a House committee has approved bills to reauthorize several Clean Water Act programs: H.R. 624 would provide $1… more
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Congressional Oversight

Description: Congressional oversight of policy implementation and administration, which has occurred throughout the U.S. government experience under the Constitution, takes a variety of forms and utilizes various techniques. These range from specialized investigations by select committees to annual appropriations hearings, and from informal communications between Members or congressional staff and executive personnel to the use of extra congressional mechanisms, such as offices of inspector general and stud… more
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: Kaiser, Frederick M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Authorization for Use of Military Force in Response to the 9/11 Attacks (P.L. 107-40): Legislative History

Description: This report provides a legislative history of the legislation, S.J.Res. 23 , the “Authorization for Use of Military Force” (AUMF), which, as Congress stated in its text, constitutes the legislative authorization for the use of U.S. military force contemplated by the War Powers Resolution. It also is the statute which the President and his attorneys have subsequently cited as an authority for him to engage in electronic surveillance against possible terrorists without obtaining authorization of … more
Date: January 4, 2006
Creator: Grimmett, Richard F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Status of a Member of the House Who Has Been Indicted for or Convicted of a Felony

Description: There are no federal statutes or Rules of the House of Representatives that directly affect the status of a Member of Congress who has been indicted for a crime that constitutes a felony. No rights or privileges are forfeited under the Constitution, statutory law or the Rules of the House merely upon an indictment for an offense, prior to an establishment of guilt under the judicial system. Thus, under House Rules, an indicted Member may continue to participate in congressional proceedings and … more
Date: January 5, 2006
Creator: Maskell, Jack
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Supreme Court Nominations, 1789 - 2005: Actions by the Senate, the Judiciary Committee, and the President

Description: The process of appointing Supreme Court Justices has undergone changes over two centuries, but its most basic feature -- the sharing of power between the President and Senate -- has remained unchanged. To receive a lifetime appointment to the Court, a candidate must first be nominated by the President and then confirmed by the Senate. Table 1 of this report lists and describes actions taken by the Senate, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the President on all Supreme Court nominations, from 1… more
Date: January 5, 2006
Creator: Rutkus, Denis Steven & Bearden, Maureen
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Head Start: Background and Issues

Description: This report provides background and issues of Head Start, a federal program that has provided comprehensive early childhood development services to low-income children since 1965.
Date: January 9, 2006
Creator: Gish, Melinda
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Kosovo's Future Status and U.S. Policy

Description: The future status of Kosovo is perhaps the most sensitive and potentially destabilizing political question in the Balkans. The Administration views “getting Kosovo right” as key to integrating the Balkans into Euro-Atlantic institutions. This report discusses the issue of Kosovo’s future status; that is, whether it should become an independent country, or have some form of autonomy within Serbia. Talks on Kosovo’s status could begin in January 2006 and is expected to be concluded by the end of … more
Date: January 9, 2006
Creator: Woehrel, Steven
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Criminal Charges in Corporate Scandals

Description: Since the collapse of Enron Corp. in late 2001, there has been a series of scandals involving major U.S. corporations. Recurring elements in the scandals include improper or fraudulent accounting, self-enrichment by corporate officers, stock trading on inside information, and the destruction or falsification of business records. This report tracks post-Enron criminal charges.
Date: January 10, 2006
Creator: Jickling, Mark & Janov, Paul H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
Back to Top of Screen