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Patent Reform: Overview and Comparison of S. 507 and H.R. 400

Description: H.R. 400 and S. 507 are similar but different omnibus patent reform proposals. Both bills generally transform the Patent and Trademark Office into a government corporation; require publication of patent applications 18 months after filing, subject to certain exceptions that differ in these bills; and extend the patent term for certain delays in patent issuance. S. 507 also contains provisions on patent reexamination reform. This report summarizes and compares the bills and reviews arguments for… more
Date: April 16, 1998
Creator: Schrader, Dorothy
open access

Point & Click: Internet Searching Techniques

Description: This report discusses criteria to consider when judging the quality of an internet site and the best strategies for locating information on the World Wide Web. There are two ways to search the Internet. The first is to use subject guides (e.g., Yahoo, Galaxy, or WWW Virtual Library), which are compiled by human indexers. These present an organized hierarchy of categories so a searcher can “drill down” through their links. The second option is to use a search engine (e.g., Alta Vista, Hotbot, or… more
Date: April 6, 1998
Creator: Tehan, Rita
open access

Immigration: The “H-2A” Temporary Agricultural Worker Program

Description: In recent years, there have been various legislative efforts to modify or supplement the existing H-2A temporary agricultural program authorized by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Concern has centered on making the program easier for growers to use while still maintaining protections for domestic labor. Growers have made limited use of the program in the past and a few years ago program usage was in decline. Current trends, however, show an increase due in part to increased demand fr… more
Date: April 9, 1998
Creator: Vialet, Joyce
open access

Federal Regulation of Working Hours: The Ballenger and Ashcroft Proposals (H.R. 1 and S. 4)

Description: During the 104 Congress, legislation was considered that would have altered the 40-hour workweek and overtime pay requirements for private sector workers. In somewhat altered form, such legislation [H.R. 1 (Ballenger) and S. 4 (Ashcroft)] has been reintroduced in the 105 Congress. This report, very briefly, summarizes the issues presented by H.R. 1 and S. 4.
Date: April 16, 1998
Creator: Whittaker, William G.
open access

V-Chip and TV Ratings: Helping Parents Supervise Their Children's Television Viewing

Description: To assist parents in supervising the television viewing habits of their children, Congress included a provision in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-104) that television sets with screens 13 inches or larger sold in the United States be equipped with a "V-chip" to screen out objectionable programming. A V-chip is a computer chip that can detect program rating information that is transmitted with the television signal (broadcast or cable) and block the display of programs designated a… more
Date: April 14, 1998
Creator: Smith, Marcia S.
open access

Social Security Taxes: Where Do Surplus Taxes Go and How Are They Used?

Description: The costs of the Social Security program, both its benefits and administrative expenses, are financed by a tax on wages and self-employment income. Commonly referred to as FICA and SECA taxes (because they are levied under the Federal Insurance and Self-Employment Contributions Acts), these taxes flow each day into thousands of depository accounts maintained by the government with financial institutions across the country. Along with many other forms of revenues, these Social Security taxes bec… more
Date: April 29, 1998
Creator: Koitz, David Stuart
open access

Child Support Enforcement: New Reforms and Potential Issues

Description: This report discusses the background, issues, enforcement and the reforms of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193), signed into law on August 22, 1996, and the major changes made to the Child Support Enforcement (CSE) program.
Date: April 16, 1998
Creator: Solomon-Fears, Carmen
open access

Global Climate Change: Selected Legal Questions About the Kyoto Protocol

Description: This report discusses the Kyoto Protocol and whether the United States is now legally bound by the Protocol, the legal implications of signing it, whether it could be implemented as an executive agreement without submission to the Senate, and whether the Protocol could be used as the legal basis for regulation of emissions even prior to ratification.
Date: April 10, 1998
Creator: Ackerman, David M.
open access

Farm Commodity Programs: Sugar

Description: This report discusses the federal sugar program, which authorized by the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 seeks to ensure the viability of the U.S. sugar producing sector primarily by supporting the incomes of sugar beet and sugarcane producers and of those firms that process each crop into sugar.
Date: April 24, 1998
Creator: Jurenas, Remy
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