Search Results

open access

Legislative Branch: FY2006 Appropriations

Description: This report is a guide to the regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House Committee on Appropriations and Senate Subcommittee on Legislative Branch of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. It summarizes the current legislative status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related legislative activity.
Date: August 30, 2005
Creator: Dwyer, Paul E.
open access

The United States as a Net Debtor Nation: Overview of the International Investment Position

Description: This report discusses the international investment position of the United States is an annual measure of the assets Americans own abroad and the assets foreigners own in the United States. The net position, or the difference between the two, sometimes is referred to as a measure of U.S. international indebtedness. Although this designation is not strictly correct, the net international investment position does reveal the difference between the total assets Americans own abroad and total amount … more
Date: August 30, 2005
Creator: Jackson, James K.
open access

Farm and Food Support Under USDA's Section 32 Program

Description: This report discusses "Section 32", which is a permanent appropriation that since 1935 has earmarked the equivalent of 30% of annual customs receipts to support the farm sector through a variety of activities. Today, most of this sizeable appropriation (totaling approximately $6 billion each year) is transferred to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) child nutrition account.
Date: August 26, 2005
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S.
open access

Grazing Regulations: Changes by the Bureau of Land Management

Description: This report discusses the two-pronged approach to grazing reform the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is taking by proposing changes to grazing regulations and considering other changes to grazing policies. BLM asserts that regulatory changes are needed to increase flexibility for grazing managers and permittees, to improve rangeland management and grazing permit administration, to promote conservation, and to comply with court decisions.
Date: August 24, 2005
Creator: Vincent, Carol Hardy
open access

Everglades Restoration: The Federal Role in Funding

Description: In 2000, Congress approved a 30-year, $7.8 billion restoration plan, termed the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), for the Everglades ecosystem in southern Florida, and authorized an initial set of projects at a cost of $1.4 billion. This report provides information on federal appropriations for Everglades restoration, and discusses some issues related to the authorization and appropriations for restoration projects.
Date: August 23, 2005
Creator: Sheikh, Pervaze A. & Carter, Nicole T.
open access

Humane Treatment of Farm Animals: Overview and Issues

Description: Animal protection activists in the United States have long sought legislation to modify or curtail some practices considered by U.S. agriculture to be both acceptable and necessary to animal health. Some Members of Congress over the years have offered various bills that would affect animal care on the farm, during transport, or at slaughter. The House and Senate Agriculture Committees from time to time have held hearings on farm animal welfare issues, but their members generally express a prefe… more
Date: August 22, 2005
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey
open access

Minority Rights and Senate Procedures

Description: This report discusses the nature of Senate procedures and various opportunities that the minority has to influence the process. The rules of the Senate emphasize the rights and prerogatives of individual Senators and, therefore, minority groups of Senators. The Senate's rules also are a source of other minority rights, including the right to propose non-germane amendments to most bills and to prevent bills from being referred to committees that might not consider and report them.
Date: August 22, 2005
Creator: Schneider, Judy
open access

Science and Technology Policy: Issues for the 109th Congress

Description: Science and technology have a pervasive influence over a wide range of issues confronting the nation. Decisions on how much federal funding to invest in research and development (R&D), and determining what programs have the highest priority, for example, may have implications for homeland security, new high technology industries, government/private sector cooperation in R&D, and myriad other areas. This report indicates the sweep of science and technology in many public policy issues, although … more
Date: August 22, 2005
Creator: Smith, Marcia S.
open access

Property Rights "Takings": Justice O'Connor's Opinions

Description: When Justice O’Connor ascended to the Supreme Court, expectations were that she would adhere to the conservative line and generally uphold the property rights position over the government’s in Fifth Amendment “takings” cases. This did not happen. Instead, in this area as well as others, she established her place at the Court’s ideological center. To be sure, Justice O’Connor made many arguments favoring property owners, in both her opinions and her concurrences and dissents. But this asserted e… more
Date: August 19, 2005
Creator: Meltz, Robert
open access

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): Resources for Responding to Disasters and its Role in Homeland Security

Description: This report discusses various emergency activities undertaken by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) including disaster detection, preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery, as well as emergency response funding and an analysis of how this could be affected by legislation.
Date: August 18, 2005
Creator: Morrissey, Wayne A.
open access

The First Day of a New Congress: A Guide to Proceedings on the House Floor

Description: The House of Representatives follows a well established routine on the opening day of a new Congress. The proceedings include election of the Speaker, swearing in its members, election of administrative officers, and adoption of rules of procedure. Also, resolutions assigning its members to committees may be adopted. The House must take these actions at the beginning of each new Congress because it is not a continuing body. Article 1, Section 2 of Constitution sets terms for Members of the Hous… more
Date: August 17, 2005
Creator: Amer, Mildred L.
Back to Top of Screen