Congressional Research Service Reports - 46 Matching Results

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Government Access to Phone Calling Activity and Related Records: Legal Authorities

Description: This report summarizes statutory authorities regarding access by the Government, for either foreign intelligence or law enforcement purposes, to information related to telephone calling patterns or practices.
Date: May 17, 2006
Creator: Bazan, Elizabeth B.; Stevens, Gina Marie & Yeh, Brian T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Digital Surveillance: The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act

Description: The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA, P.L. 103- 414, 47 USC 1001-1010), enacted October 25, 1994, is intended to preserve the ability of law enforcement officials to conduct electronic surveillance effectively and efficiently despite the deployment of new digital technologies and wireless services that have altered the character of electronic surveillance. CALEA requires telecommunications carriers to modify their equipment, facilities, and services, wherever reasonably … more
Date: May 10, 2006
Creator: Figliola, Patricia Moloney
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate

Description: This report discusses the current debate over "net neutrality." While there is no single accepted definition of "net neutrality," most agree that any such definition should include the general principles that owners of the networks that compose and provide access to the Internet should not control how consumers lawfully use that network, and they should not be able to discriminate against content provider access to that network.
Date: May 21, 2014
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate

Description: This report discusses the current debate over "net neutrality." While there is no single accepted definition of "net neutrality," most agree that any such definition should include the general principles that owners of the networks that compose and provide access to the Internet should not control how consumers lawfully use that network, and they should not be able to discriminate against content provider access to that network.
Date: May 7, 2015
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate

Description: This report discusses the current debate over "net neutrality." While there is no single accepted definition of "net neutrality," most agree that any such definition should include the general principles that owners of the networks that compose and provide access to the Internet should not control how consumers lawfully use that network, and they should not be able to discriminate against content provider access to that network.
Date: May 6, 2010
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Lifeline Program: Frequently Asked Questions

Description: This report discusses the Federal Lifeline Program established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1985. The program was originally designed to assist eligible low-income households to subsidize the monthly service charges incurred for voice telephone usage and was limited to one fixed line per household.
Date: May 2, 2016
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Net Neutrality: Background and Issues

Description: As the 109th Congress continues to debate telecommunications reform, a major point of contention is the question of whether action is needed to ensure unfettered access to the Internet. The move to place restrictions on the owners of the networks that compose and provide access to the Internet, to ensure equal access and nondiscriminatory treatment, is referred to as “net neutrality.” There is no single accepted definition of “net neutrality.” However, most agree that any such definition should… more
Date: May 16, 2006
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Net Neutrality Debate: Access to Broadband Networks

Description: This report discusses the current debate over "net neutrality." While there is no single accepted definition of "net neutrality," most agree that any such definition should include the general principles that owners of the networks that compose and provide access to the Internet should not control how consumers lawfully use that network, and they should not be able to discriminate against content provider access to that network.
Date: May 1, 2017
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Rural Broadband: The Roles of the Rural Utilities Service and the Universal Service Fund

Description: This report discusses Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Broadband and Telecommunications Programs. Since the initial deployment of broadband in the late 1990s, Congress has viewed broadband infrastructure deployment as a means towards improving regional economic development, and in the long term, to create jobs.
Date: May 9, 2012
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A. & Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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FCC Media Ownership Rules: Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides information about the Issues for Congress on FCC Media Ownership Rules. The media ownership rules strongly influences both the structure of the media sector and the relative negotiating power of individual companies and entire sector.
Date: May 16, 2003
Creator: Goldfarb, Charles B.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Digital Television: An Overview

Description: Digital television (DTV) is a new television service representing the most significant development in television technology since the advent of color television in the 1950s. DTV can provide sharper pictures, a wider screen, CD-quality sound, better color rendition, and other new services currently being developed. This report discusses a key issue in the Congressional debate over the digital transition has been addressing the millions of American over-the-air households whose existing analog t… more
Date: May 5, 2006
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Digital Television: An Overview

Description: Digital television (DTV) is a new television service representing the most significant development in television technology since the advent of color television in the 1950s. DTV can provide sharper pictures, a wider screen, CD-quality sound, better color rendition, and other new services currently being developed. A successful deployment of DTV requires: the development by content providers of compelling digital programming; the delivery of digital signals to consumers by broadcast television … more
Date: May 16, 2003
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Transition to Digital Television: Is America Ready?

Description: This report discusses the background and potential effects of the DTV Delay Act, which directs that all over-the-air full-power television broadcasts will become digital only.
Date: May 14, 2009
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Net Neutrality: Back to the Future (Part One and Part Two)

Description: This report is the first two reports in a series discussing the Federal Communication Commission's proposal to reclassify broadband Internet access services and modify or eliminate "net neutrality" regulations. Various legal aspects of the debate and classification of telecommunications are discussed.
Date: May 30, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program: Funding Issues and Activities

Description: This report discusses the federal government's role in the country's information technology (IT) research and development (R&D) activities. The government's support of IT R&D began because it had an important interest in creating computers that would be capable of addressing the problems and issues the government needed to solve and study.
Date: May 14, 2009
Creator: Moloney Figliola, Patricia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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"Spam": An Overview of Issues Concerning Commercial Electronic Mail

Description: This report discusses Spam, also called unsolicited commercial email (UCE) or "junk email." Not only can Spam be a nuisance, but its cost may be passed on to consumers through higher charges from Internet service providers who must upgrade their systems to handle the traffic. Proponents of UCE insist it is a legitimate marketing technique that is protected by the First Amendment. This report discusses this issue in detail, as well as related legislation.
Date: May 14, 2008
Creator: Moloney Figliola, Patricia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Amber Alert Program Technology

Description: This report discusses provisions in the National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 to test Amber Alert network technology for use in expanding the Emergency Alert System (EAS). The Amber Alert network utilizes a combination of technologies, such as highway messages boards, the Internet, and text messaging, to ensure the swift recovery of abducted children.
Date: May 18, 2005
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Emergency Communications: Meeting Public Safety Spectrum Needs

Description: This report has two main sections. In the first section “Identifying Public Safety Needs,” some of the organizations involved with public safety telecommunications are introduced, and key activities dealing with wireless and spectrum issues are summarized. The second main section, “Spectrum for Public Safety,” is organized by the major spectrum bands where public safety wireless communications are in use or planned. These are at: 100-512 MHz; 700 MHz; 800 MHz; 900 MHz and 4.9 GHz. Ultra-wide ba… more
Date: May 21, 2003
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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An Emergency Communications Safety Net: Intergrating 911 and Other Services

Description: The 9/11 Commission Report recommended that 911 call centers — also called Public Safety Answering Points, or PSAPs — be included in planning for emergency responses.1 Congress, which has since 1999 passed two bills to further the deployment of 911, is reviewing ways to expand 911 capabilities and make it more accessible and effective. Congress is also evaluating ways to improve emergency alerts2 and interoperable communications for public safety.3 Operational convergence of emergency communica… more
Date: May 5, 2006
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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