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- The Higher Education Act (HEA): A Primer
- This report discusses the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA; P.L. 89-329) that authorizes numerous federal aid programs that provide support to both individuals pursuing a postsecondary education and institutions of higher education (IHEs).
- Government Assistance for AIG: Summary and Cost
- Report that discusses the American International Group (AIG), which was the largest direct recipient of government financial assistance during the recent financial crisis.
- Social Services Block Grant: Background and Funding
- This report discusses the background and funding information of the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). Topics include the use of the funds provided by the grant, its funding history, and its proposed repeal.
- Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Incentives: A Summary of Federal Programs
- This report describes federal programs that provide grants, loans, loan guarantees, and other direct or indirect incentives for energy efficiency, energy conservation, and renewable energy. For each program, the report provides the administering agency, authorizing statute(s), annual funding, and the program expiration date. The appendixes provide summary information in a tabular format and also list recently expired programs.
- Small Business Administration: A Primer on Programs and Funding
- This report provides an overview of the Small Business Administration (SBA) business loan guaranty programs.
- Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
- This report discusses the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, also known as fire grants of the FIRE Act grant program, which was established by Title XVII of the FY2001 National Defense Authorization Act. The program provides federal grants directly to local fire departments and unaffiliated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations to help address a variety of equipment, training, and other firefighter-related and EMS needs. This report also discusses the possible reauthorization of AFG and the related Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters (SAFER) program. Current debates on the issue revolve around a competition for funding between career/urban/suburban departments and volunteer/rural departments. Complicating the issue is the recent economic downturn, which has left many local communities increasingly hard pressed to allocate funding for their local fire departments.
- African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA): Background and Reauthorization
- This report discusses the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which is a nonreciprocal trade preference program that provides duty-free treatment to U.S. imports of certain products from eligible sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries.
- Federal Aid to State and Local Governments: Select Issues Raised by a Federal Government Shutdown
- This report explores two grant-administration issues specifically affected by the federal shutdown. It gives an overview of federal aid to state and local governments, characteristics of federal grants and methods for disbursing the funds, grant administration issues affected by a lapse in federal funding, and potential legislative options to reduce the impact of future government shutdowns.
- Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
- Some policymakers, believing that disparities in broadband access across American society could have adverse economic and social consequences on those left behind, assert that the federal government should play a more active role to avoid a "digital divide" in broadband access. One approach is for the federal government to provide financial assistance to support broadband deployment in underserved areas. Others, however, believe that federal assistance for broadband deployment is not appropriate. Some opponents question the reality of the "digital divide," and argue that federal intervention in the broadband marketplace would be premature and, in some cases, counterproductive.
- Federal Disaster Recovery Programs: Brief Summaries
- This report summarizes federal disaster assistance programs for use by Members of Congress and their staff in helping address the needs of constituents. This report includes a list of CRS reports on disaster assistance and assistance for victims of recent hurricanes. It also includes a list of federal agencies' websites that were established to provide information on disaster responses, updates on recovery efforts, and resources on federal assistance programs.
- Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
- This report discusses the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, also known as fire grants of the FIRE Act grant program, which was established by Title XVII of the FY2001 National Defense Authorization Act. The program provides federal grants directly to local fire departments and unaffiliated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations to help address a variety of equipment, training, and other firefighter-related and EMS needs. This report also discusses the possible reauthorization of AFG and the related Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters (SAFER) program. Current debates on the issue revolve around a competition for funding between career/urban/suburban departments and volunteer/rural departments. Complicating the issue is the recent economic downturn, which has left many local communities increasingly hard pressed to allocate funding for their local fire departments.
- Small Business Administration Trade and Export Promotion Programs
- This report begins with the history, role, and scope of SBA's export promotion activities, and the creation of OIT. Next, quantitative data from SBA and qualitative data from other sources are used to provide performance analysis of SBA's international programs. This report concludes with a presentation of three issues for consideration during an era where concerns of fiscal responsibility and economic recovery are high priorities for many policy makers.
- The Violence Against Women Act: Overview, Legislation, and Federal Funding
- This report provides a brief legislative history of Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and an overview of the crimes addressed through VAWA. The report concludes with a brief description of the most recent reauthorization of VAWA.
- Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
- This report discusses the firefighting activities that are traditionally the responsibility of states and local communities. The report also talks about the funding for firefighters, which is provided mostly by state and local governments. However, during the 106th Congress, many in the fire community asserted that local fire departments require and deserve greater support from the federal government.
- Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
- This report discusses the firefighting activities that are traditionally the responsibility of states and local communities. The report also talks about the funding for firefighters, which is provided mostly by state and local governments. However, during the 106th Congress, many in the fire community asserted that local fire departments require and deserve greater support from the federal government.
- Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
- Report that provides an overview of the "digital divide", which is a term used to describe a perceived gap between those Americans who use or have access to telecommunications and information technologies and those who do not.
- Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
- Report that discusses the firefighting activities that are traditionally the responsibility of states and local communities. The report also talks about the funding for firefighters, which is provided mostly by state and local governments. However, during the 106th Congress, many in the fire community asserted that local fire departments require and deserve greater support from the federal government.
- The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: A Primer on TANF Financing and Federal Requirements
- Report that provides an overview of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant financing and rules for state programs, describing federal TANF grants and state funds, how states may use federal TANF and state MOE funds to help achieve the purpose and goals of the TANF block grant.
- Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
- This report discusses the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, also known as fire grants of the FIRE Act grant program, which was established by Title XVII of the FY2001 National Defense Authorization Act. The program provides federal grants directly to local fire departments and unaffiliated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations to help address a variety of equipment, training, and other firefighter-related and EMS needs. This report also discusses the possible reauthorization of AFG and the related Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters (SAFER) program. Current debates on the issue revolve around a competition for funding between career/urban/suburban departments and volunteer/rural departments. Complicating the issue is the recent economic downturn, which has left many local communities increasingly hard pressed to allocate funding for their local fire departments.
- Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
- This report discusses the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, also known as fire grants of the FIRE Act grant program, which was established by Title XVII of the FY2001 National Defense Authorization Act. The program provides federal grants directly to local fire departments and unaffiliated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations to help address a variety of equipment, training, and other firefighter-related and EMS needs. This report also discusses the possible reauthorization of AFG and the related Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters (SAFER) program. Current debates on the issue revolve around a competition for funding between career/urban/suburban departments and volunteer/rural departments. Complicating the issue is the recent economic downturn, which has left many local communities increasingly hard pressed to allocate funding for their local fire departments.
- Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
- The "digital divide" is a term used to describe a perceived gap between "information haves and have-nots," or in other words, between those Americans who use or have access to telecommunications and information technologies and those who do not. Whether or not individuals or communities fall into the "information haves" category depends on a number of factors, ranging from the presence of computers in the home, to training and education, to the availability of affordable Internet access.
- Federally Supported Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment Programs
- This report provides background information on the types of water supply and wastewater treatment projects traditionally funded by the federal government and the existing programs to assist communities with water supply and wastewater treatment.
- Natural Disasters of 2017: Congressional Considerations Related to FEMA Assistance
- This report provides a short overview of issues Congress may consider in its oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) federal assistance during the 2017 hurricane season (e.g., Harvey, Irma, and Maria) and other disasters (e.g., fires in California).
- Federal Disaster Assistance: The National Flood Insurance Program and Other Federal Disaster Assistance Programs Available to Individuals and Households After a Flood
- This report provides an overview of the assistance available to individuals and households following a flood and provides links to more comprehensive guidance on both flood insurance and disaster assistance.
- Recovery.gov
- Website for the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, a non-partisan, non-political agency established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) intended to provide information and oversight related to the distribution and spending of Hurricane Sandy funds. It contains information about the board's activities, as well as funding data and information for funding recipients.
- Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
- This report discusses the firefighting activities that are traditionally the responsibility of states and local communities. The report also talks about the funding for firefighters, which is provided mostly by state and local governments. However, during the 106th Congress, many in the fire community asserted that local fire departments require and deserve greater support from the federal government.
- The FY2009 Budget Request for the U.S. Department of Agriculture
- The report discusses the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) budget request for FY2009. The request includes a $76 billion in mandatory funds for food stamps, child nutrition, and farm subsidies.
- Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Incentives: A Summary of Federal Programs
- This report describes federal programs that provide grants, loans, loan guarantees, and other direct or indirect regulatory incentives for energy efficiency, energy conservation, and renewable energy. For each program, the report provides the administering agency, authorizing statute(s), annual funding, and the program expiration date. The appendixes provide summary information in a tabular format.
- SBA Veterans Assistance Programs: An Analysis of Contemporary Issues
- This report provides an overview of U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) programs to provide training and other assistants to veterans seeking civilian employment. It includes sections discussing SBA programs, an economic profile of veteran-owned businesses, veterans' employment and business development programs, veterans' access to capital, federal contracting goals for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and the military reservist economic injury disaster loan program.
- Federal Grants and Loans for State and Local Emergency Communications Projects: Frequently Asked Questions
- This report provides congressional staff with information on current federal grants and loans that fund emergency communications, including information on the application process, eligible communications activities, and other resources they can provide to constituents seeking federal grant and loan funding to support emergency communications projects.
- Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
- This report provides an overview of the "digital divide," which is a term used to describe a perceived gap between those Americans who use or have access to telecommunications and information technologies and those who do not.The report also dicusses about an important subset of th digital divide debate concerns high-speed Internet Access.
- Alternative Fuel and Advanced Vehicle Technology Incentives: A Summary of Federal Programs
- This report is a Summary of Federal Programs of Alternative Fuel and Advanced Vehicle Technology Incentives.
- Agricultural Conservation: A Guide to Programs
- This report provides a listing of federal agricultural conservation assistance programs. Each listing includes a brief description of the program, information on major amendments in the Agricultural Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-79, 2014 farm bill), national scope and availability, states with the greatest participation, the backlog of applications or other measures of continuing interest, program funding authority, FY2018 funding, FY2019 Administration budget request, statutory authority, the authorization expiration date, and a link to the program's website.
- Wildfire Protection Funding
- This report briefly describes the three categories of federal programs for wildlife protection. One category is to protect the federal lands managed by the USDA Forest Service (FS) and the US Department of the Interior. A second category assists state and local governments and communities in protecting state and private lands; these programs are used to reduce wildland fuels, to otherwise prepare for fire control, to contain and control wildfires, and to respond after severe wildfires have burned. A third category of federal programs supports fire research, fire facilities, and improvements in forest health.
- Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
- This report examines issues regarding broadband access in the U.S., more specifically the "digital divide,” which is a term that has been used to characterize a gap between “information haves and have-nots,” or in other words, between those Americans who use or have access to telecommunications technologies (e.g., telephones, computers, the Internet) and those who do not.
- Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
- This report provides an overview of the "digital divide", which is a term used to describe a perceived gap between those Americans who use or have access to telecommunications and information technologies and those who do not.
- Campus-Based Student Financial Aid Programs Under the Higher Education Act
- This is a report on Computer-based Student Financial Aid Programs under the Higher Education Act.
- First Responder Initiative: Policy Issues and Options
- This report provides background information and policy analysis pertinent to proposals to restructure first responder assistance programs. Specifically, this report provides information on existing programs, appropriations, legislation in the 107th and 108th Congress, and selected policy issues. This report does not discuss all relevant policy issues, but, rather, those issues that may be germane to any significant restructuring of existing programs.
- FY2016 State Grants Under Title I-A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
- This report provides estimated FY2016 state grant amounts under each of the four formulas used to determine Title I-A grants. The program, part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), is designed to provide supplementary educational and related services to low-achieving and other students attending pre-kindergarten through grade 12 schools with relatively high concentrations of students from low-income families.
- Democracy Promotion: An Objective of U.S. Foreign Assistance
- This report aims to provide information on the history of democracy promotion as a foreign assistance objective, the role of the primary U.S. agencies administering such programs, and funding details and trends, as well as issues of potential relevance to Congress.
- Federally Supported Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment Programs
- This report provides background information on the types of water supply and wastewater treatment projects traditionally funded by the federal government and the several existing programs to assist communities with water supply and wastewater treatment.
- Health Insurance Premium Tax Credits and Cost-Sharing Subsidies
- This report discusses health insurance premium tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies which assist low-income individuals and families in buying health insurance.
- Family Planning Program Under Title X of the Public Health Service Act
- This report discuses the federal Family Planning Program (Title X) and its functions and funding. The FY2019 budget request is included.
- The Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program
- This report discusses the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program which is a national network of centers established by the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act (P.L. 100-418).
- Error and Fraud in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- This report seeks to define terms related to errors and fraud; identify problems and describe what is known of their extent; summarize current policy and practice; and share recommendations, proposals, and pilots that have come up in recent years. The report answers several questions around four main types of inaccuracy and misconduct: trafficking SNAP benefits (by retailers and by recipients); retailer application fraud; errors and fraud in SNAP household applications; and errors and fraud committed by state agencies (including a discussion of states' recent Quality Control (QC) misconduct). The report then discusses challenges to combating errors and fraud--across the four areas--and potential strategies for addressing those challenges.
- Medicaid's Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP)
- This report describes the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) calculation used to reimburse states for most Medicaid expenditures, and it lists the statutory exceptions to the regular FMAP rate.
- Registered Apprenticeship: Federal Role and Recent Federal Efforts
- This report discusses apprenticeship programs and the federal certification process for official apprenticeships as well as recent government activity related to apprenticeship guidelines and funding.
- U.S. Farm Commodity Support: An Overview of Selected Programs
- This report provides an overview of federal farm commodity support programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and possible issues for Congress to consider regarding them.
- The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: A Primer on TANF Financing and Federal Requirements
- This report the Temporary Assistance for Needy Children (TANF) block grant. It provides an overview of TANF financing and rules for state programs, describing federal TANF grants and state funds under a "maintenance-of-effort" (MOE) requirement; how federal TANF and state MOE funds may be used to help achieve the purpose and goals of the TANF block grant; rules that apply when TANF or MOE funds are used to provide "assistance" to needy families with children; rules that apply when TANF or MOE funds are used for benefits and services other than assistance; certain accountability requirements, including requirements that states submit plans and report data to the federal government; and provisions of TANF law not directly related to grants to states, such as competitive grants for promoting healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood, and tribal TANF provisions.
- Agricultural Conservation: A Guide to Programs
- This report provides a listing of federal agricultural conservation assistance programs. Each listing includes a brief description of the program, information on major amendments in the Agricultural Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-79, 2014 farm bill), national scope and availability, states with the greatest participation, the backlog of applications or other measures of continuing interest, program funding authority, FY2018 funding, FY2019 Administration budget request, statutory authority, the authorization expiration date, and a link to the program's website.