UNT Libraries Government Documents Department - 9,876 Matching Results

Search Results

open access

Representatives and Senators: Trends in Member Characteristics Since 1945

Description: This report provides profiles of Senators and Representatives in selected Congresses since 1945. It includes data based on Representatives and Senators serving on the first day of the 79th-113th Congresses for several demographic characteristics such as age (including the oldest and youngest Members of the House and Senate), sex, previous occupation, race and ethnicity, education, religion, and military service.
Date: January 27, 2014
Creator: Petersen, R. Eric; Brudnick, Ida A.; Garrett, R. Sam; Manning, Jennifer E.; Straus, Jacob R. & Wilhelm, Amber Hope
open access

Community Development Block Grants: Recent Funding History

Description: This report is a review of the Community Development Fund (CDF) account's funding history from FY2000 to FY2013, as well as current funding in FY2014. It includes a discussion of the three primary components of the CDF account: (1) CDBG formula grants; (2) CDBG-related set-asides and earmarks; and (3) CDBGlinked supplemental and special appropriations. It is intended to provide recent historical background as the 113th Congress considers CDF funding levels and composition.
Date: February 6, 2014
Creator: Boyd, Eugene
open access

The Education Sciences Reform Act

Description: This report discusses the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA, Title I of P.L. 107-279) that established the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) as an independent research arm of the Department of Education (ED).
Date: February 14, 2014
Creator: Kuenzi, Jeffrey J. & Stoll, Adam
open access

Crime and Forfeiture

Description: This report provides an overview of federal forfeiture law. It sketches the origins and general attributes of forfeiture, describes the distribution of the hundreds of millions of dollars it generates, and identifies some of the related constitutional issues.
Date: May 13, 2013
Creator: Doyle, Charles
open access

Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the sustainment and modernization of the Coast Guard's polar icebreaker fleet, which performs a variety of missions supporting U.S. interests in polar regions. The report is written in response to the Coast Guard's budget request for a new polar ice breaker (none are currently in operation).
Date: February 11, 2014
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
open access

Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and potential issues for Congress on the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), a relatively inexpensive Navy surface combatant equipped with modular "plug-and-fight" mission packages for countering mines, small boats, and diesel-electric submarines, particularly in littoral (i.e., near-shore) waters.
Date: February 25, 2014
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
open access

Critical Infrastructures: Background, Policy, and Implementation

Description: This report discusses the evolution of a national critical infrastructure policy and the institutional structures established to implement it. Critical infrastructure includes physical assets used to produce and distribute services such as electricity (including the power plants and electric grid), communications, and computers. The report highlights five issues of Congressional concern: identifying critical assets; assessing vulnerabilities and risks; allocating resources; information sharing;… more
Date: February 21, 2014
Creator: Moteff, John D.
open access

The FutureGen Carbon Capture and Sequestration Project: A Brief History and Issues for Congress

Description: This report briefly summarizes the history of FutureGen, discusses why it has gained interest and support from some members of Congress and the Administration while remaining in initial stages of development, and offers some policy considerations on barriers that challenge its further development as a model for a carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) program. A timeline history of FutureGen is included at the end of this report.
Date: February 10, 2014
Creator: Folger, Peter
open access

Latin America and the Caribbean: Key Issues for the 113th Congress

Description: This report provides an overview of U.S. policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean, including the Obama Administration's priorities; examines changes in the region's economic and political environment that affect U.S. relations with the region; and analyzes U.S. policy toward the region and various recommendations made by policy analysts and think tanks. The report then examines the role of Congress and congressional interests in Latin America, looking at selected regional and country issue… more
Date: February 15, 2014
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P.
open access

The Debt Limit Since 2011

Description: This report discusses the federal debt increase. The accumulation of federal debt accelerated in the wake of the 2007-2008 financial crisis and subsequent recession. Rising debt levels, along with continued differences in views of fiscal policy, led to a series of contentious debt limit episodes in recent years.
Date: February 18, 2014
Creator: Austin, D. Andrew
open access

Visa Waiver Program

Description: This report discusses the visa waiver program (VWP), which allows for a bypass of the first step by which foreign visitors are screened for admissibility to enter the United States. Some policymakers are concerned that this waiver allows terrorists to more easily enter the country. The report provides waiver-related statistics and related legislation.
Date: February 12, 2014
Creator: Siskin, Alison
open access

Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA): A Summary of the Act and Its Major Requirements

Description: This report summarizes the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and its major programs and regulatory requirements. This report includes the drinking water security provisions added to the SDWA by the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-188), and lead reduction provisions as amended by P.L. 111-380. It also outlines amendments made in December 2013 by P.L. 113-64 (H.R. 3588) to explicitly exempt fire hydrants from coverage under the act's lead plumb… more
Date: February 5, 2014
Creator: Tiemann, Mary
open access

Health Benefits for Members of Congress and Certain Congressional Staff

Description: This report summarizes the provisions of the final rule and describes how it affects current and retired Members and congressional staff. OPM has indicated that Members and congressional staff are still eligible for other health benefits related to federal employment, and these additional health benefits are outlined in this report. This report also discusses Members' and staff's eligibility for Medicare, which does not appear to be affected by the final rule.
Date: February 18, 2014
Creator: Mach, Annie L. & Cornell, Ada S.
open access

Unemployment Insurance: Programs and Benefits

Description: This report describes three kinds of unemployment benefit programs: regular Unemployment Compensation (UC), Extended Benefits (EB), and Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08). The report explains their basic eligibility requirements, benefits, and financing structure.
Date: February 12, 2014
Creator: Whittaker, Julie M. & Isaacs, Katelin P.
open access

Countering Violent Extremism in the United States

Description: This report provides examples of Administration "combating violent extremism" (CVE) activity and examines some of the risks and challenges evident in the "Strategic Implementation Plan for Empowering Local Partners to Prevent Violent Extremism in the United States" (SIP's) three objectives. The report also diagrams and briefly discusses the "future activities and efforts" outlined in the SIP for each of these three objectives.
Date: February 19, 2014
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
Back to Top of Screen