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The National Debt: Who Bears Its Burden?

Description: This report discusses the burden of a national debt and who bears that burden, which is a matter of Congressional concern since the gross national debt of the United States stands at some $5.5 trillion dollars.
Date: April 7, 2000
Creator: Makinen, Gail E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Brazil's Economic Reform and the Global Financial Crisis

Description: Despite backing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), capital flight from Brazil in 1998 prompted the government to jettison its pegged currency stabilization program and float the real on January 15, 1999, becoming another casualty of the volatile international capital markets. Brazil adjusted to its financial crisis faster than expected, which is considered over. This report provides a final summary of Brazil's financial crisis and related IMF assistance in support of Congressional inte… more
Date: June 9, 2000
Creator: Hornbeck, J. F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Social Security: Summary of Major Changes in the Cash Benefits Program

Description: Title II of the original Social Security Act of 1935 established a national plan designed to provide economic security for the nation's workers. The system of Old-Age Insurance it created provided benefits to individuals who were age 65 or older and who had "earned" retirement benefits through work in jobs covered by the system.
Date: May 18, 2000
Creator: Kollmann, Geoffrey
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Campaign Financing

Description: This is one report in the series of reports that discuss the campaign finance practices and related issues. Concerns over financing federal elections have become a seemingly perennial aspect of our political system, centered on the enduring issues of high campaign costs and reliance on interest groups for needed campaign funds. The report talks about the today’s paramount issues such as perceived loopholes in current law and the longstanding issues: overall costs, funding sources, and competi… more
Date: January 12, 2000
Creator: Cantor, Joseph E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Social Security Reform: How Much of a Role Could Personal Retirement Accounts Play?

Description: This report illustrates the potential accumulations of personal savings accounts intended for retirement savings, given a range of possible contribution amounts and interest rates. It is intended to provide information about how to evaluate the possible role of personal accounts in the debate on Social Security reform.
Date: June 9, 2000
Creator: Koitz, David S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Campaign Finance Debate in the 106th Congress: Comparison of Measures Under House Consideration

Description: On September 14, the House passed H.R. 417 on a vote of 252-177, as amended by three perfecting amendments: Bereuter/Wicker #6; Faleomavaega #1; and Sweeney #21. This report features two tables. Table 1 summarizes and compares the ten perfecting amendments, current law, and the Shays-Meehan proposal. Table 2 summarizes and compares current law, the Shays-Meehan bill, and the three substitute amendments.
Date: January 12, 2000
Creator: Cantor, Joseph E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Campaign Finance Bills in the 106th Congress: Comparison of Shays-Meehan, as passed, with McCain-Feingold, as considered

Description: On September 14, 1999, the House passed the Shays-Meehan bill--H.R. 417, the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1999, as amended, by a vote of 252-177. Senate sponsors of the companion measure, S. 26 (McCain-Feingold), revised their proposal and, on September 16, introduced S. 1593, containing just four sections of H.R. 417 and S. 26. The Senate debated S. 1593 from October 13-20, culminating in unsuccessful cloture votes October 19 on two amendments: Daschle amendment 2298, substituting… more
Date: January 12, 2000
Creator: Cantor, Joseph E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Outer Continental Shelf: Oil and Gas Leasing and Revenue

Description: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) was the source of $18 billion of oil and natural gas during 1998. This amounted to 25% of the nation's natural gas production and nearly 20% of the nation's crude oil. Nearly all of this output comes from the Central and Western Gulf of Mexico, where supporting infrastructure is already in place and there is little environmental opposition. Except for one sale in Alaska, no leases have been auctioned since 1991 in any other OCS region. The deep waters off Alaba… more
Date: May 3, 2000
Creator: Kumins, Lawrence C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Derivatives Regulation: Legislation in the 106th Congress

Description: The 106th Congress is considering a general overhaul of derivatives regulation. Pending legislation would codify the unregulated status of certain derivatives, exempt many other currently-regulated contracts from oversight by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and permit the trading of a new kind of contract: a futures contract based on the stock of an individual corporation. Derivatives legislation has been reported out of committee in both House and Senate. This report analyzes this le… more
Date: October 10, 2000
Creator: Jickling, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Debt Reduction: Initiatives for the Most Heavily Indebted Poor Countries

Description: This report offers a broad overview of the debate concerning debt reduction for poor developing countries. It profiles the scope and structure of debt and reviews previous debt relief strategies and the current HIPC Initiative. It analyzes and compares competing alternatives endorsed by the Administration, congressional activists, NGOs, and other G-7 governments. Several key issues, such as costs, impact, and conditionality, of pending proposals are also assessed.
Date: February 1, 2000
Creator: Nowels, Larry
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Social Security Reform: Bills in the 106th Congress

Description: The Social Security system is projected to have long-range funding problems. Although the system’s income currently exceeds its expenditures, its trust funds are projected to be depleted in 2037. Concern about the problem and a belief that the remedy lies partly in economic growth that could be bolstered by changes to the system have led to introduction of a number of bills incorporating varying degrees of reform. This report describes the funding problem in some detail, summarizes many of the … more
Date: April 11, 2000
Creator: Koitz, David S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Electricity Restructuring and Tax-Exempt Bonds: Economic Analysis of Legislative Proposals

Description: Tax-exempt bonds reduce public power's interest cost on debt and enable it to lower the price of electricity. This subsidy makes taxpayers better off only if the private market fails to provide the correct amount of electricity. In general, the private market can provide the correct amount of electricity; in those cases when it can not, the tax-exempt bond subsidy is unlikely to correct the problem. Tax-exempt bond legislation has been consistent with this perspective that an interest subsidy f… more
Date: January 20, 2000
Creator: Zimmerman, Dennis
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Russia's Paris Club Debt: U.S. Interests

Description: Russia is seeking substantial debt forgiveness from its Paris Club debt of some $42 billion. Germany holds about half this official debt; the United States share is 6%. The United States may adopt a policy of no debt relief, of rescheduling payments of principal and interest, or of debt forgiveness. The official position of creditor countries in the Paris Club is for no debt forgiveness. Many in Congress support linkage of any debt relief to an end of the Chechnya conflict and of aid to Serbia,… more
Date: July 18, 2000
Creator: Hardt, John P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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