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- U.S.-China Relations: Policy Issues
- This report examines the political and economic relationship between the United States and China. The first part provides an overview of U.S.-China relations and the Obama Administration policy toward China. A summary of major policy issues follows, including security issues and Taiwan, economic issues, climate change and clean energy cooperation, and human rights. The report includes five appendices. Appendix A provides a chronology of meetings between the U.S. and Chinese presidents and information about select bilateral dialogues. Appendix B analyzes the Joint Statement issued during President Hu’s January 2011 state visit. Appendix C lists congressionally mandated annual reports related to China. Appendices D and E list China-related legislation introduced in the 112th and 111th Congresses.
- Outer Continental Shelf Moratoria on Oil and Gas Development
- This report discusses moratoria measures for the outer continental shelf (OCS) which establish bans or restrictions on oil and gas exploration and development in federal ocean areas. It includes a background of offshore oil and gas development, the sources of U.S. moratorium policy, the background of ocean governance, U.S. moratoria in international areas, and related issues for congress.
- Energy and Water Development: FY2011 Appropriations
- This report covers key budgetary issues involving the Energy and Water Development appropriations bill, which provides funding for civil works projects of the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of Energy (DOE), and a number of independent agencies.
- Impact on the Federal Budget of Freezing Non-Security Discretionary Spending
- This report examines the impact on the federal budget of the President’s proposals, specifically the proposed freeze in non-security discretionary spending and how the freeze might change the fiscal outlook over the 10-year budget window.
- Legislative Branch: FY2011 Appropriations
- This report gives an overview of the status of FY2011 appropriations and funding issues for the Senate, House of Representatives, and support agencies.
- Veterans Medical Care: FY2011 Appropriations
- This report discusses the FY2011 appropriations process for funding the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides benefits to veterans through three major operating units, including the VHA.
- Veterans Affairs: Presumptive Service Connection and Disability Compensation
- The purpose of this report is to examine the very complex and sometimes controversial policy issue of establishing presumptive service connection. The material in it is based in large part on VA’s “Analysis of Presumptions of Service Connection,” and IOM’s “Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans” reports.
- Keeping America’s Pipelines Safe and Secure: Key Issues for Congress
- This report covers ways in which the 112th Congress can introduce relevant legislation to safeguard pipelines that transport natural gas, oil, and other hazardous liquids across the United States. While an efficient and fundamentally safe means of transport, many pipelines carry materials with the potential to cause public injury and environmental damage; the networks are also widespread and vulnerable to accidents and terrorist attack.
- EPA Regulations: Too Much, Too Little, or On Track?
- This report provides background information on recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rulemaking to help address dissenting concerns from critics and the EPA. It examines 43 major or controversial regulatory actions taken by or under development at EPA since January 2009. The report also discusses factors that affect the timeframe in which regulations take effect.
- Should the United States Levy a Value-Added Tax for Deficit Reduction?
- This report discusses the levying of a value-added tax (VAT), a broad-based consumption tax, to potentially assist in resolving United States fiscal problems. It considers the experiences of the 29 nations with value-added taxes (VATs) in the 30-member Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) which are relevant to the feasibility and operation of a possible U.S. VAT.
- Cuba: Issues for the 112th Congress
- This report discusses the current political conditions of Cuba, as well as its relationship with the United States. In particular, the report focuses on U.S. policy regarding Cuba, including various economic sanctions, human rights issues, and foreign aid appropriations.
- Keystone XL Pipeline Project: Key Issues
- This report describes the Keystone XL pipeline proposal and the process required for federal approval. It summarizes key arguments for and against the pipeline put forth by the pipeline's developers, federal agencies, environmental groups, and other stakeholders. The report discusses potential consistency challenges faced by the State Department in reviewing the pipeline application given its recent prior approvals of similar pipeline projects. Finally, the report reviews the constitutional basis for the State Department's authority to issue a Presidential Permit, and opponents' possible challenges to this authority.
- Multilateral Development Banks: General Capital Increases
- This report shows in tabular form how much the Administration has requested and how much Congress has appropriated for U.S. payments to the multilateral development banks (MDBs) since 2000. It also provides a brief description of the MDBs and the ways they fund their operations.
- Oil Spill Legislation in the 112th Congress
- This report focuses primarily on oil spill policy matters that concern prevention, preparedness, response, liability and compensation, and Gulf restoration. For the most part, the underlying statutes for these provisions are found in either the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Clean Water Act (CWA) and its amendments, or the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and its amendments.
- The Federal Budget: Issues for FY2011, FY2012, and Beyond
- This report examines the federal budgets for the fiscal years 2011 and 2012. It gives an overview of the federal budget, addresses the problems of budgeting in a strained economy, and discusses considerations for Congress, both in the short term and the long term.
- Fukushima Nuclear Crisis
- This report briefly discusses the March 11, 2001 earthquake off the east coast of Honshu, Japan's largest island. The earthquake caused an automatic shutdown of eleven of Japan's fifty-five operating nuclear power plants, though the plants closest to the earthquake's epicenter, Fukushima and Onagawa, were damaged by the earthquake and resulting tsunami. This report also discusses efforts by the United States and other countries to provide assistance to Japan to deal with the nuclear crisis.
- Nord Stream 2: A Geopolitical Lightning Rod
- This report discusses the natural gas pipeline project, Nord Stream 2, that would allow Germany to increase the amount of natural gas it imports directly from Russia via the Baltic Sea, which has been criticized by President Trump.
- Turkey's Currency Crisis
- This report discusses the currency crisis in Turkey, implications for the Turkish and U.S. economies, and questions for Congress to consider.
- Securities Regulation and Initial Coin Offerings: A Legal Primer
- This report discusses the principles that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and courts use to determine whether a transaction qualifies as an offering of "securities" under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and the application of those principles to initial coin offerings (ICOs).
- Defense Primer: Department of the Navy
- This report provides basic information on the Department of the Navy, which includes both the Navy and the Marine Corps. It also describes the Coast Guard's relationship to the Department.
- Federal Role in U.S. Campaigns and Elections: An Overview
- This report provides a resource for understanding the current campaigns and elections regulatory structure. It addresses those areas of law and public policy that most directly and routinely affect American campaigns and elections: campaign finance; election administration; election security; redistricting; qualifications and contested elections; and voting rights.
- The "Flores Settlement" and Alien Families Apprehended at the U.S. Border: Frequently Asked Questions
- This report answers frequently asked legal questions pertaining to the Flores Settlement and the settlement's impact on the detention of alien families apprehended at or near the U.S. border. In particular, the report addresses (1) background of the litigation, (2) how the Settlement restricts DHS's power to keep families in detention, (3) the relationship between the Ms. L. litigation and the Settlement, (4) the executive branch's policy options under the Settlement, and (5) the extent to which either the executive branch or Congress can override or modify the terms of the Flores Settlement.
- Fiscal Year 2019 Defense Appropriations Bill: An Overview of S. 3159, as Reported
- This report provides an overview of the appropriations and provisions of the FY2019 Defense Appropriations Bill.
- Buy America and the Electric Bus Market
- This report discusses a current controversy over how Buy America (which requires that federally-funded highway, public transportation, aviation, and intercity passenger rail projects use U.S.-made manufactured goods) applies to battery-powered buses. This controversy illustrates the challenges in determining whether or not a product is made in the United States.
- Costs of Government Interventions in Response to the Financial Crisis: A Retrospective
- This report summarizes government assistance programs and presents how much the programs ultimately cost (or benefit) the taxpayers based on straightforward cash accounting as reported by the various agencies.
- Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF): Cartel Lite?
- This report discusses the functions of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), which was founded for the purpose of maximizing the value of natural gas; developing short-, medium-, and long-term analysis and forecasting; facilitating cooperation on issues of common interest among members; promoting natural gas as a fuel; and positioning the GECF as an internationally recognized organization. It also compares the GECF with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), describes structural constraints, and outlines concerns for Congress.
- Toward the Creation of a U.S. "Space Force"
- This report discusses the possibility of a new military service branch -- the Space Force -- with the goal of asserting "American dominance in space."
- Calling Balls and Strikes: Ethics and Supreme Court Justices
- This report examines questions related to the integrity and independence of the Supreme Court, and Congress's potential role in regulating the ethics of the Supreme Court Justices. For example: What mechanisms ensure the integrity of Justices as federal officials? Are Justices subject to any rules of ethical conduct? How might such ethics rules be enforced?
- Cuba: U.S. Policy in the 115th Congress
- This report examines U.S. policy toward Cuba in the 115th Congress in three sections: Cuba's political and economic environment; U.S. policy toward Cuba; and selected issues in U.S.-Cuban relations, including restrictions on travel and trade, funding for democracy and human rights projects in Cuba and for U.S. government-sponsored radio and television broadcasting, migration, anti-drug cooperation, U.S. property claims, and U.S. fugitives from justice in Cuba.
- Defense Primer: Geography, Strategy, and U.S. Force Design
- This report describes how world geography influences U.S. military strategy. Of particular importance to U.S. policymakers is preventing the emergence of a regional hegemony in one part of Eurasia or another.
- Proposals to Impose Sanctions on Russian Sovereign Debt
- This report discusses proposals to impose sanctions on Russian sovereign debt. The U.S. already imposes sanctions on Russia for aggression against Ukraine, election interference, malicious cyber activity, human rights violations, weapons proliferation, and other activities. The sovereign debt sanction would prohibit U.S. investors from buying or trading new Russian sovereign debt.
- Turkey: Background and U.S. Relations
- This report provides information and analysis on Turkish relations with the United States, Russia, Syria, and Kurdish groups. Domestic issues in Turkey include economic issues and President Erdogan's increasing authoritarianism.
- Senate Confirmation Votes on U.S. Supreme Court Nominations: Overview
- This report provides an overview of several issues related to final confirmation votes by the Senate on Supreme Court nominations.
- Al Qaeda and Islamic State Affiliates in Afghanistan
- This report outlines major terrorist groups affiliated and allied with Al Qaeda (AQ) and the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIS, ISIL, or by the Arabic acronym Da'esh) and the complex, often shifting relations between them and various other state and non-state actors.
- Proposed U.S.-EU Trade Negotiations: Hitting Pause on a Trade War?
- This report discusses the announcement by the United States and European Union (EU) that they are at a "new phase" in their relationship for "freer, fairer, and more reciprocal trade." The announcement came on July 25, 2018 at a challenging time for transatlantic trade relations.
- Iran's Threats, the Strait of Hormuz, and Oil Markets: In Brief
- This report discusses the how the exchange of threats between members of the governments of Iran and the United States, have again raised the specter of an interruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait is a key waterway for the transit of oil and natural gas to world markets. The report also discusses the possibility of Congress to consider legislation regarding sanctions on Iran.
- The Nordic Countries and U.S. Relations
- This report provides an overview of U.S. relations with the five Nordic countries -- Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden -- which share deep historical, linguistic, and cultural ties and many political and economic similarities. Topics include foreign and security policies, policies toward Russia, and countering terrorism.
- Potential WTO Implications of USDA's Proposed Response to Trade-Retaliation
- This report briefly discusses the World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments that are relevant to U.S. domestic support programs and how the newly-announced U.S. trade retaliation assistance program may or may not comply with those WTO commitments.
- Role of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Environmental Justice
- This report explains what environmental justice means and how it is implemented by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- Questioning Judicial Nominees: Legal Limitations and Practice
- This report examines the relevant considerations for questioning judicial nominees. It describes applicable canons of judicial ethics that may discourage judicial nominees from answering certain questions posed by Members of Congress; which types of questions prior federal judicial nominees have answered or declined to answer, focusing on nominees for the U.S. Supreme Court; and some takeaways for Members.
- The U.S. Nuclear Weapons Complex: Overview of Department of Energy Sites
- This report summarizes the operations at each of the U.S. nuclear energy sites. The nuclear weapons complex consists primarily of nine government-owned, contractor-operated sites in seven states, and a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) nuclear reactor used to produce tritium for nuclear weapons.
- National Flood Insurance Program Borrowing Authority
- This report evaluates the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) borrowing authority to receive loans from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, particularly in the context of major floods, and also discusses the current financial situation of the NFIP.
- Only Minimal Impact on Commerce Needed for Attempted Bombing
- This report discusses the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in the United States v. Suarez case, that a minimal impact on commerce is sufficient to satisfy the jurisdictional requirement of the federal weapons of mass destruction statute. This decision seems to reflect a growing willingness of federal appellate courts to read broadly Congress's Commerce Clause powers.
- Section 232 Investigations: Overview and Issues for Congress
- This report provides an overview of Section 232, which relates to trade barriers and other foreign practices. It analyzes the Trump Administration's Section 232 investigations and actions and considers potential policy and economic implications and issues for Congress. To provide context for the current debate, the report also includes a discussion of previous Section 232 investigations and a brief legislative history of the statute.
- Cambodian Election
- This report discusses the Cambodian National Assembly election, which was held on July 29, 2018 and U.S. policy responses. Critics viewed the election, in which the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) likely won all 125 parliamentary seats, as neither free nor fair and the victory as "hollow" given that the CPP banned the largest opposition party in 2017.
- Supreme Court Nomination: CRS Products
- This document provides a list of all the Congressional Research Service reports describing the judicial decisions of Justice Kennedy and Judge Kavanaugh, as well as Supreme Court vacancies and nominations.
- India: Religious Freedom Issues
- This report provides an overview of religious freedom issues in India including a broad discussion of the religious demographics and freedoms, and human rights. It also discusses specific areas of religiously-motivated repression and violence and perceived assaults on freedoms of expression and operations by nongovernmental organizations that are seen as harmful to India's secular traditions and the U.S-promoted goal of interfaith tolerance.
- Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment, and Research Efforts in the Military
- This report discusses substance abuse trends in the military, efforts by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to address the opioid crisis, and the main elements of DOD's substance abuse prevention, compliance, and disciplinary policies.
- Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh: His Jurisprudence and Potential Impact on the Supreme Court
- This report provides an overview of Judge Kavanaugh's jurisprudence and discusses his potential impact on the Court if he were to be confirmed to succeed Justice Kennedy. It focuses upon those areas of law where Justice Kennedy can be seen to have influenced the High Court's approach to certain issues or served as a fifth and deciding vote on the Court, with a view toward how Judge Kavanaugh might approach these same issues.
- Overview of U.S.-South Korea Agricultural Trade
- This report provides an overview of U.S.-South Korea agricultural trade, including details of key agricultural products and issues affecting U.S. exports.