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Egypt-United States Relations
This report includes information about Egyptian and U.S. relations, issues with these relations, and U.S. foreign assistance to Egypt.
Lebanon
This report includes information regarding the relationship between the United States and Lebanon, as well as Lebanon's political profile, and foreign presence in Lebanon
Libya
This report includes information regarding U.S. relations with Libya as well as other Libyan foreign relations and government.
Federal Tort Reform Legislation: Constitutionality and Summaries of Selected Statutes
This report considers the constitutionality of federal tort reform legislation, such as the products liability and medical malpractice reform proposals that have been introduced for the last several Congresses.
Federal Tort Reform Legislation: Constitutionality and Summaries of Selected Statutes
This report considers the constitutionality of federal tort reform legislation, such as the products liability and medical malpractice reform proposals that have been introduced for the last several Congresses.
Implications for the Senate of President Bush’s Proposal on Judicial Nominations
This report provides an overview of the implications for the senate of President Bush's proposal on judicial nominations.
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Controversies for the 109th Congress
This report discusses the ongoing debate about whether or not to approve energy development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Current law forbids energy leasing in the Refuge. This report addresses several legislative options on the issue, as well as policymakers' arguments for and against development, especially in the wake of increasing terrorism since 2000-2001.
DOD's National Security Personnel System: Provisions of Law and Implementation Plans
This report discusses each of the provisions in Title XI of P.L. 108-136 and plans to implement the law. Title XI of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2004, P.L. 108-136, includes provisions on a National Security Personnel System (NSPS) for the Department of Defense (DOD) and provisions on personnel management that are applicable government-wide. The law was enacted on November 24, 2003.
Genetic Information: Legal Issues Relating to Discrimination and Privacy
In April 2003, the sequence of the human genome was deposited into public databases. This milestone, which has been compared to the discoveries of Galileo, and other advances in genetics have created novel legal issues relating to genetic information. This report discusses current federal law, state statutes, and legislation related to these issues.
Industrial Loan Companies/Banks and the Separation of Banking and Commerce: Legislative and Regulatory Perspectives
This report addresses these issues and provides context for the controversy over expansion of ILCs by line of business and branching across state lines.
The Appropriate Number of Advice and Consent Positions: An Analysis of the Issue and Proposals for Change
This report provides background information about the issues concerning possible congressional action to reduce the number of positions to which the president makes appointments with the advice and consent of the Senate.
The “Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005” in the 109th Congress
This report discusses about Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005.
U.S. Defense Articles and Services Supplied to Foreign Recipients: Restrictions on Their Use
In accordance with United States law, the U.S. Government places conditions on the use of defense articles and defense services transferred by it to foreign recipients. Violation of these conditions can lead to the suspension of deliveries or termination of the contracts for such defense items, among other things. On occasion, the President has indicated that such violations by foreign countries “may” have occurred, raising the prospect that termination of deliveries to or imposition of other penalties on such nations might take place. Section 3(a) of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) sets the general standards for countries or international organizations to be eligible to receive United States defense articles and defense services provided under this act. It also sets express conditions on the uses to which these defense items may be put.
Assistance to Firefighters Program
This article talks about the Assistance to Firefighters Program (FIRE) act and how the program assists local fire deparments by issuing federal grants for equipment, training and other firefighter related needs. It also mentions other firefighter related acts.
The Chief Justice of the United States: Responsibilities of the Office and Process for Appointment
As part of Senate consideration, the Judiciary Committee holds hearings on the nominee and votes on whether to report the nomination favorably, unfavorably, or without recommendation. Regardless of the outcome of that vote, the reporting of a Supreme Court nomination sends it to the full Senate for debate and a vote. Like the President, Senators may evaluate the nominee by such standards as professional excellence, integrity, and leadership qualities, but may also (again, as the President is free to do) focus on the nominee's judicial philosophy, views on constitutional issues, or how they believe the appointment might affect the Court's future direction on major legal and constitutional issues.
Violence Against Women Act: History and Federal Funding
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Supreme Court Nominations Not Confirmed, 1789-2004
No Description Available.
United States Sentencing Guidelines After Blakely: Booker and Fanfan - A Sketch
No Description Available.
United States Sentencing Guidelines and the Supreme Court: Booker, Fanfan, Blakely Apprendi, and Mistretta
For fifteen years, sentencing in federal court had been governed by the United States Sentencing Guidelines. During that time, the Supreme Court has upheld the Guidelines in the face of various challenges. In the meantime, however, it had decided a series of cases which called into question past assumptions relating to the role of the jury in the sentencing process. In Apprendi, the Court held that any fact that increases the penalty for a crime beyond the statutory maximum assigned for that the offense must be submitted to the jury and found beyond a reasonable doubt. The federal Sentencing Guidelines were considered beyond the reach of Apprendi because they only govern sentencing beneath the maximum penalty assigned to the crime of conviction.
Border Security: Immigration Issues in the 108th Congress
This report provides background information on the main immigration-related border security issues that have been raised as a result of the terrorist attacks and resulting concern for homeland security. It describes enacted legislation in the 107th Congress as well as in previous Congresses that focus on immigration-related border security issues. The report also poses possible immigration-related border security issues the 108th Congress may consider.
Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2005 (H.R. 1360, 109th Congress)
No Description Available.
Selected Federal Crime Control Assistance to State and Local Governments
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Committee Types and Roles
This report contains information on the general structure of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate committee structure, types of committees, and subcommittees.
The Family and Medical Leave Act: Background and U.S. Supreme Court Cases
This report provides background on the eligibility and notification requirements for taking leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act ("FMLA").
Foreign Direct Investment in the United States: An Economic Analysis
Foreign direct investment in the United States declined sharply after 2000, when a record $300 billion was invested in U.S. businesses and real estate. In 2004, according to preliminary data, foreigners invested about $100 billion. Foreign direct investments are highly sought after by State and local governments that are struggling to create additional jobs in their localities.
The Schiavo Case: Legal Issues
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Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
This report provides an overview of the "digital divide," which is a term used to describe a perceived gap between those Americans who use or have access to telecommunications and information technologies and those who do not.The report also dicusses about an important subset of th digital divide debate concerns high-speed Internet Access.
The National Counterterrorism Center: Implementation Challenges and Issues for Congress
No Description Available.
Environmental Protection Issues in the 109th Congress
This report provides an overview of key environmental issues that are receiving or may receive attention in the 109th Congress. The sections on specific issues contain references to more detailed and extensive CRS reports on the subjects covered.
North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons Program
This report includes information regarding North Korea's nuclear weapons program. This information includes background, development, and analysis
Balkan Cooperation on War Crimes Issues: 2005 Update
A combination of intensified international pressure and deadlines associated with Euro-Atlantic integration processes has prompted a spate of transfers of persons indicted for war crimes to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague in late 2004-early 2005. Full cooperation with The Hague tribunal has been established as a key prerequisite to further progress toward a shared long-term goal for the western Balkan countries: closer association with and eventual membership in the European Union (EU) and NATO. This report is updated as the number of individuals indicted for war crimes have been transferred to The Hague from Serbia, Kosovo, and Bosnia.
Lawsuits Against State Supporters of Terrorism: An Overview
No Description Available.
Animal Identification and Meat Traceability
Animal identification refers to marking individual or groups of farm animals so that they can be tracked from birth to slaughter. Animal identification is one segment of meat traceability, generally the tracking of identifiable products through the entire marketing chain to the ultimate consumer. This report details an overview of animal identification in the U.S., current programs to enforce animal identification, development of a National Identification Plan, the Foreign Trade Commission, and other selected issues.
Child Welfare: An Analysis of Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Reviews
This report provides an overview of the current Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Review process and a discussion of state performance on available reviews conducted after the January 25,2000 rule's effective date.
Competitive Sourcing Legislation
Competitive sourcing is a government-wide initiative that subjects commercial activities performed by federal government employees to public-private competition. As a federal government policy, competitive sourcing debuted in 1966 with the publication of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-76. Under the circular, commercial activities performed by federal employees are subjected to public-private competition.
Farm Commodity Programs: Wool and Mohair
This report discusses price support for wool and mohair, which became mandatory through legislation enacted in 1947 and in 1949. The National Wool Act of 1954 (P.L. 83-690) established direct payments for wool and mohair producers. The act’s stated purpose was to encourage production of wool because it was considered an essential and strategic commodity.
Treatment of Health Care Expenses under the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act
If enacted, the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act would subject prospective debtors under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to a means test to determine whether they could liquidate under chapter 7 or reorganize under chapter 13. Large outstanding medical expenses alone will not determine eligibility to liquidate or reorganize. They will, however, affect the means test in one of two ways. Prebankruptcy health care expenses are likely to raise the amount of a debtor’s unsecured debt. Health insurance premiums and ongoing costs for care of the debtor’s dependents may be deducted from the debtor’s monthly income to determine the level of disposable income.
Immigration: Terrorist Grounds for Exclusion of Aliens
"This report opens with an overview of the grounds for inadmissibility and summarizes key legislation enacted in recent years" (p. i).
The Endangered Species Act: A Primer
The Endangered Species Act (ESA)1 receives significant congressional attention. The associated power and reach of its comprehensive protection for species identified as endangered or threatened with extinction has ignited concern that there be appropriate bounds on this power. The following discussion provides an overview and background on the various features of the ESA that contribute to its stature and yet spark an ongoing debate over its implementation.
The Endangered Species Act: A Primer
The Endangered Species Act (ESA)1 receives significant congressional attention. The associated power and reach of its comprehensive protection for species identified as endangered or threatened with extinction has ignited concern that there be appropriate bounds on this power. The following discussion provides an overview and background on the various features of the ESA that contribute to its stature and yet spark an ongoing debate over its implementation.
Environmental Laws: Summaries of Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency
A dozen major statutes form the legal basis for the programs of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Many of these have been amended several times. The current provisions of each are briefly summarized in this report. The Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) seeks to prevent pollution through reduced generation of pollutants at their point of origin. The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires EPA to set mobile source limits, ambient air quality standards, hazardous air pollutant emission standards, standards for new pollution sources, and significant deterioration requirements; and to focus on areas that do not attain standards.
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act Contracts and Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma v. Leavitt: Agency Discretion to Fund Contract Support Costs
On March 1, 2005, the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Cherokee The nation of Oklahoma v. Leavitt. The conflicts in the case (actually two consolidated cases) involved federal agencies’ duty to fund contract support costs for contracts with Indian tribes under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDA).
Calculating Estate Tax Liability During the Estate Tax Phasedown Period 2001-2009
This report provides a basic explanation of how to calculate the federal estate tax for a taxable estate of any given size, using the schedule of marginal tax rates and the applicable credit amount for the year of death.
Energy Policy: Legislative Proposals in the 109th Congress
While introduction of energy legislation in the 109th Congress is pending, it remains unclear what its course may be. Some believe that the results of the fall 2004 election have heightened prospects for opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and gas development, and the Republican leadership has indicated that ANWR is to be included in the budget resolution that will come before Congress. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Pete Domenici has indicated that the committee will mark up a comprehensive bill in February. However, Senator Domenici also expressed openness to considering individual bills; he and others are interested in legislation to establish a long-term leasing plan for natural gas resources.
Broadband Internet Access: Background and Issues
From a public policy perspective, the goals are to ensure that broadband deployment is timely, that industry competes fairly, and that service is provided to all sectors and geographical locations of American society. The federal government -- through Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) -- is seeking to ensure fair competition among the players so that broadband will be available and affordable in a timely manner to all Americans who want it. While the FCC's position is not to intervene at this time, some assert that legislation is necessary to ensure fair competition and timely broadband deployment. One proposal would ease certain legal restrictions and requirements, imposed by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, on incumbent telephone companies who provide high speed data (broadband) access. Another proposal would compel cable companies to provide "open access" to competing Internet service providers.
Consumer Bankruptcy Reform in the 109th Congress: Background and Issues
This report reviews the historical context which forms the background for renewed consideration of consumer reform legislation, including a review of the current law and a survey of selected issues that have been the focus of legislative debate in the part, such as the scope of the homeland exemption, nondischargeability for liability current by violent activity, and the protection of child support payments.
Iraq: Summary of U.S. Casualties
This report provides a table of casualties that was compiled by the Department of Defense (DOD), as tallied from DOD press releases. Table 1 provides statistics on fatalities during Operation Iraqi Freedom, which began on March 19, 2003, and is ongoing, as well as on the number of fatalities since May 1, 2003.
Lawsuits Against State Supporters of Terrorism: An Overview
Since 1996, American victims of international terrorist acts supported by certain States designated by the State Department as supporters of terrorism — Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and until recently, Iraq — have had the option of bringing suit in federal court to seek monetary damages. Holders of judgments against these States, however, have encountered difficulties in their efforts to collect, despite congressional efforts to make blocked (or “frozen”) assets of such States available for attachment by judgment creditors. A recent court decision invalidating plaintiffs’ cause of action under the 1996 law raises uncertainties about the future of lawsuits against terrorist States. This report provides an overview of these issues, including a summary of a lawsuit against Iran by former hostages, Roeder v. the Islamic Republic of Iran, and a lawsuit against Iraq by former prisoners of war (POWs), Acree v. the Republic of Iraq, as well as a brief synopsis of relevant legislative proposals (H.R. 1321, H.R. 865, H.Con.Res. 93). These issues are covered in greater depth in CRS Report RL31258, Suits Against Terrorist States By Victims of Terrorism.
Abortion: Legislative Response
The primary focus of this issue brief is legislative action with respect to abortion. However, discussion of those legislative proposals necessarily involves a brief discussion of the leading U.S. Supreme Court decisions concerning a woman’s right to choose whether to terminate her pregnancy. For a more detailed discussion of the relevant case law, see CRS Report 95-724, Abortion Law Development: A Brief Overview.
Changing Senate Rules: The “Constitutional” or “Nuclear” Option
This report indicate possible attempts to curtail the use of filibusters in the Senate, perhaps in the 109th Congress. Some have suggested that proponents of this idea may invoke something called the "nuclear" or "constitutional" option in Senate floor procedure to try to end a filibuster without the need for 60 votes .
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