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2006 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5): Designating Nonattainment Areas

Description: This report focuses primarily on the NAAQS implementation process for designating geographical nonattainment areas with respect to the tightening of the PM2.5 standards under the 2006 particulates NAAQS, including comparisons with the final designations under the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS. Also included is a brief overview of states' subsequent obligations for developing and submitting implementation plans (SIPs) for attaining or maintaining compliance with the NAAQS.
Date: October 25, 2012
Creator: Esworthy, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Air Force F-22 Fighter Program

Description: Report that discusses the procurement of Air Force F-22 Raptor fighters, which began in Fiscal Year 1999, and a total of 195 (177 production aircraft, 16 test aircraft, and 2 development aircraft) were procured through FY2009.
Date: October 25, 2012
Creator: Gertler, Jeremiah
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles: Policy Issues

Description: Congress has long been concerned about whether U.S. policy advances the national interest in reducing the role of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missiles that could deliver them. Recipients of China's technology reportedly include Pakistan and countries said by the State Department to have supported terrorism, such as Iran. This CRS Report, updated as warranted, discusses the security problem of China's role in weapons prolifer… more
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Kan, Shirley A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Constitutionality of Retroactive Tax Legislation

Description: Report that examines the constitutional provisions that might be implicated by retroactive tax legislation, including legislation that seems intended to punish past behavior.
Date: October 25, 2012
Creator: Lunder, Erika K.; Meltz, Robert & Thomas, Kenneth R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Domestic Content Legislation: The Buy American Act and Complementary Little Buy American Provisions

Description: Congress has broad authority to place conditions on the purchases made by the federal government or with federal dollars. One of many conditions that it has placed on direct government purchases is a requirement that they be produced in the United States. The most well-known of these requirements is the Buy American Act, which is the major domestic preference statute governing procurement by the federal government. This report summarizes (1) the Buy American Act, what it does and does not cover… more
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Luckey, John R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

EPA Regulations: Too Much, Too Little, or On Track?

Description: This report examines 40 major or controversial regulatory actions taken by or under development at EPA since January 2009, providing details on the regulatory action itself, presenting an estimated timeline for completion of the rule and provides the EPA's estimates of costs and benefits where available. It provides background information on recent EPA regulatory activity to help address issues raised by this activity, as well as factors that will affect the timeframe in which these regulations… more
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: McCarthy, James E. & Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Higher Education Tax Benefits: Brief Overview and Budgetary Effects

Description: This report provides a brief overview of the higher education tax benefits that are currently available to students and their families. The report contrasts higher education tax benefits with traditional student aid, presents a brief history of higher education tax policy over the past 60 years, summarizes key features of the available tax benefits, and provides JCT estimates of revenue losses resulting from individual tax provisions.
Date: September 25, 2012
Creator: Crandall-Hollick, Margot L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Honduran-U.S. Relations

Description: This report examines current conditions in Honduras as well as issues in U.S-Honduran relations, including human rights, poverty, inequality, international support, democracy, security challenges, and international trade.
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Meyer, Peter J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

House Committee Chairs: Considerations, Decisions, and Actions as One Congress Ends and a New Congress Begins

Description: Report that addresses some of the critical matters a House committee chair confronts from the time of the early organization meetings in November to approximately the spring district work-period in March or April.
Date: October 25, 2012
Creator: Schneider, Judy & Koempel, Michael L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Members of Congress Who Die in Office: Historic and Current Practices

Description: Since 1973, 84 Members of Congress-69 Representatives, and 15 Senators-have died in office. When a sitting Member dies, the House and Senate carry out a number of actions based on chamber rules, statutes, and longstanding practices. This report discusses these actions.
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Petersen, R. Eric & Manning, Jennifer E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: Report that discusses the funding for the growth of the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program. The Aegis BMD program, which is carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy, gives Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers a capability for conducting BMD operations.
Date: October 25, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress

Description: Congress has long maintained an interest in how Navy ships are named, and has influenced the naming of certain Navy ships. The Navy suggests that congressional offices wishing to express support for proposals to name a Navy ship for a specific person, place, or thing contact the office of the Secretary of the Navy to make their support known. Congress may also pass legislation relating to ship names. Measures passed by Congress in recent years regarding Navy ship names have all been sense-of-th… more
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Obama Administration’s Proposal to Establish a National Network for Manufacturing Innovation

Description: This report discusses the proposed creation of the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI), which would help accelerate innovation and support manufacturing technology commercialization. It includes an overview of the topic as well as discussion on the Administration's proposal, preliminary activities, legislative status, and issues for consideration.
Date: July 25, 2012
Creator: Sargent, John F., Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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An Overview and Comparison of Senate Proposals to Extend the “Bush Tax Cuts”: S. 3412 and S. 3413

Description: This report provides an overview of the Bush tax cuts, followed by brief summaries of the Reid and Hatch proposals, respectively. Revenue loss estimates of certain provisions of these bills are also included, as well as a brief summary of H.R. 8. In addition, detailed summary tables comparing the Reid and Hatch proposals—to each other and to current law—are provided. Finally, this report concludes with a brief overview of the current policy debate surrounding the partial or full extension of th… more
Date: July 25, 2012
Creator: Crandall-Hollick, Margot L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Proliferation Control Regimes: Background and Status

Description: Report that discusses the nuclear nonproliferation regime that encompasses several treaties, extensive multilateral and bilateral diplomatic agreements, multilateral organizations and domestic agencies, and the domestic laws of participating countries. The chemical and biological weapons (CBW) nonproliferation regimes contain three elements: the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC), and the Australia Group.
Date: October 25, 2012
Creator: Nikitin, Mary Beth; Kerr, Paul K. & Hildreth, Steven A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Residential Energy Tax Credits: Overview and Analysis

Description: This report explores one policy option for promoting residential energy efficiency: tax credits. It begins by providing an overview of the current residential energy-efficiency tax credits. The report then goes on to provide an economic rationale for residential energy-efficiency tax incentives, introducing the concept of "market failures" and "market barriers" which may lead to suboptimal or "economically inefficient" investment in energy-efficiency technologies. The final sections of this re… more
Date: September 25, 2012
Creator: Crandall-Hollick, Margot L. & Sherlock, Molly F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security Administration (SSA): Budget Issues

Description: This report provides an overview of the SSA's mandatory spending but largely focuses on discretionary appropriations for the agency's administrative expenses. The size of the annual appropriations for administrative expenses affects the agency's ability to effectively administer the SSA's benefit programs as well as conduct program integrity activities designed to ensure that only eligible persons receive federal benefits.
Date: January 25, 2012
Creator: Szymendera, Scott
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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