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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

Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy

Description: This report discusses the current state of Bahrain, which has undergone substantial political reforms since the late 1990s, but which still suffers from tension between the Shiite majority and the Sunni-led government. It focuses particularly on Bahrain's relationship with Iran and with the United States.
Date: April 1, 2013
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
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

Canada-U.S. Relations

Description: This report begins with an overview of Canada's political scene, economic conditions, security and foreign policy, and environmental initiatives, focusing particularly on issues that may be relevant to U.S. policymakers. This country survey is followed by several summaries of current bilateral issues in the political, international security, trade, and environmental arenas. The questions following each summary are designed as potential inquiries to Canadian officials to promote thought and disc… more
Date: January 2, 2014
Creator: Ek, Carl & Fergusson, Ian F.
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.
open access

The United Arab Emirates (UAE): Issues for U.S. Policy

Description: This report discusses the open economy and society of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), provides a general description of the UAE's government and political structure, and outlines the effects of the recent global economic downturn on the UAE in general and on the city of Dubai in particular. It also describes U.S. concern over the proliferation of advanced technology in relation to a recently-signed U.S.-UAE civilian nuclear agreement, due to the UAE economy and the UAE's lax export controls.
Date: February 24, 2014
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
open access

The Affordable Care Act and Small Business: Economic Issues

Description: This report explains how employer-sponsored insurance can be used to address concerns about health insurance coverage and cost. Then, it summarizes the three ACA provisions most relevant to small businesses. Also, it analyzes these provisions for their potential effects on small businesses. Last, this report presents several approaches that could address some concerns associated with these provisions (particularly the employer penalty).
Date: February 25, 2014
Creator: Lowry, Sean & Gravelle, Jane G.
open access

Free Trade Agreements: Impact on U.S. Trade and Implications for U.S. Trade Policy

Description: This report looks at how free trade areas (FTAs) affect U.S. trade policy, specifically tariffs. It looks closely at the Bush Administration's Trade Promotion Policy, and pending FTAs leftover from this administration. Additionally, it looks at the Obama Administration's work in the prospective Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP).
Date: February 26, 2014
Creator: Cooper, William H.
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