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AIDS in Africa

Description: Sub-Saharan Africa has been far more severely affected by AIDS than any other part of the world. The United Nations reports that 25.3 million adults and children are infected with the HIV virus in the region, which has about 10% of the world's population but more than 70% of the worldwide total of infected people. This report discusses this issue in detail, including the cause of the African AIDS epidemic, the social and economic consequences, response and treatment, and U.S. policy.
Date: May 14, 2001
Creator: Copson, Raymond W.
open access

Air Quality: EPA’s 2006 Changes to the Particulate Matter (PM) Standard

Description: In order to better understand EPA’s actions, this report provides an analysis of the agency’s final 2006 revisions to the particulates NAAQS, and the estimated costs and benefits of the new standards and of a more stringent alternatives analyzed. The report concludes by highlighting concerns and issues raised regarding the revisions to the particulates standards, including those of the science advisory committee (Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, or CASAC), and actions in Congress.
Date: May 14, 2007
Creator: Esworthy, Robert & McCarthy, James E.
open access

American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics

Description: This report is written in response to numerous requests for war casualty statistics and lists of war dead. It provides tables, compiled by sources at the Department of Defense, indicating the number of casualties among American military personnel serving in principal wars and combat actions. For the more recent conflicts, starting with the Korean War, more detailed information on types of casualties, and when available, demographics have been included. This report also cites sources of publishe… more
Date: May 14, 2008
Creator: Fischer, Hannah; Klarman, Kim & Oboroceanu, Mari-Jana
open access

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Legislative Issues

Description: This report discusses the ongoing debate about whether or not to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for energy development. The report discusses arguments for and against such development and focuses especially on related pieces of legislation that directly affects the future of the ANWR.
Date: May 14, 2002
Creator: Corn, M. Lynne; Gelb, Bernard A. & Baldwin, Pamela
open access

Campus-Based Student Financial Aid Programs Under the Higher Education Act

Description: This report begins by providing a brief description of each of the campus-based programs, including the terms under which financial aid is awarded to students and the procedures under which federal funds are allocated to institutions for that purpose. It then provides historical information on federal funds appropriated for each of the programs, an analysis of the number and types of students served, and selected program statistics.
Date: May 14, 2007
Creator: Smole, David P.
open access

Consumer Bankruptcy and Household Debt

Description: Financial distress is most common among lower-income families, but its incidence has grown in all income brackets. This trend suggests that explanations for the rise in consumer bankruptcy filings are more likely to be found in micro-analysis of individuals and groups of debtors than in macroeconomic indicators. This report presents statistics on bankruptcy filings, household debt, and households in financial distress.
Date: May 14, 2003
Creator: Jickling, Mark
open access

Estate Tax Legislation in the 108th Congress

Description: Under provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA, P.L. 107-16, enacted June 7, 2001), the estate tax and generation-skipping transfer tax are scheduled to be repealed in 2010 but reinstated in 2011. This is because all tax cut provisions of EGTRRA are scheduled to sunset on December 31, 2010. This report tracks actions in the 108th Congress to permanently repeal — or retain but alter — the estate tax.
Date: May 14, 2004
Creator: Noto, Nonna A.
open access

Executive Branch Reorganization and Management Initiatives

Description: This issue brief views reorganization and management as involving the alteration of the program administrative structure and operations of the executive branch for reasons of efficiency, economy, and direction. The underlying issue is who reorganizes or sets management policy—Congress or the President— and by what authority and, also, for what purpose?
Date: May 14, 2003
Creator: Relyea, Harold C.
open access

Fast-Track Authority for Trade Agreements (Trade Promotion Authority): Background and Developments in the 107th Congress

Description: This report discusses one of the major trade issues in the 107th Congress: whether or not Congress approves authority for the President to negotiate trade agreements with expedited, or "fast track" procedures. Under this authority, Congress agrees to consider legislation to implement the nontariff trade agreements under a procedure with mandatory deadlines, no amendment, and limited debate. The President is required to consult with congressional committees during negotiation of nontariff trade … more
Date: May 14, 2001
Creator: Sek, Lenore
open access

The Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program: Funding Issues and Activities

Description: This report discusses the federal government's role in the country's information technology (IT) research and development (R&D) activities. The government's support of IT R&D began because it had an important interest in creating computers that would be capable of addressing the problems and issues the government needed to solve and study.
Date: May 14, 2009
Creator: Moloney Figliola, Patricia
open access

Federal Regulations: Efforts to Estimate Total Costs and Benefits of Rules

Description: This report provides information on how one widely cited study was developed to illustrate the complexities associated with this type of analysis. The report also provides information on how OMB's estimates of aggregate federal regulatory costs were developed and have varied over time, and on estimates that have been made of aggregate regulatory costs need to be interpreted and used carefully.
Date: May 14, 2004
Creator: Copeland, Curtis W.
open access

A Free Trade Area of the Americas: Status of Negotiations and Major Policy Issues

Description: At the second Summit of the Americas in Santiago, Chile (April 1998), 34 Western Hemisphere nations agreed to initiate formal negotiations to create a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) by 2005. The process so far has led to two draft texts, the second completed for the November 1, 2002 trade ministerial in Quito, Ecuador. A year later, the third draft is expected at the eighth trade ministerial scheduled for November 17-21, 2003 in Miami. Although implementing legislation is not anticipate… more
Date: May 14, 2003
Creator: Hornbeck, J. F.
open access

The Global Financial Crisis: Increasing IMF Resources and the Role of Congress

Description: This report provides information on the role the IMF has played in the financial crisis, international agreement to increase the financial resources of the IMF, and the role of Congress in increasing the Fund's resources. As will be discussed in detail at the end of the report, congressional authorization, and perhaps appropriation, would be required to increase U.S. contributions to the IMF.
Date: May 14, 2009
Creator: Sanford, Jonathan E.
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