Congressional Research Service Reports - 76 Matching Results

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The Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) Program

Description: This report discuses the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan program administered by the Department of Transportation (DOT) which offers long-term low interest loans to railroad operators fro improving rail infrastructure. It was originality intended to assist small freight railroads but has been of increasing interest to passenger rail lines. Its structure, application process, approved projects, and challenges are discussed.
Date: May 15, 2017
Creator: Peterman, David Randall
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Revitalizing Coastal Shipping for Domestic Commerce

Description: This report examines recent trends in waterborne freight movement within the United States and offers policy options that might strengthen the competitive position of coastal and Great Lakes shipping in the face of robust demand for freight transportation.
Date: May 2, 2017
Creator: Frittelli, John
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Coast Guard's programs for procuring 8 National Security Cutters (NSCs), 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), and 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRCs). These 91 planned cutters are intended as replacements for 90 aging Coast Guard cutters and patrol craft. The Coast Guard's proposed FY2017 budget requests a total of $467 million in acquisition funding for the three programs.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the sustainment and modernization of the Coast Guard's polar icebreaker fleet. The Coast Guard's proposed FY2017 budget requests $150 million in acquisition funding for a new polar icebreaker that the Coast Guard wants to begin building in FY2020. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Administration's FY2017 acquisition funding request for a new polar icebreaker, and, more generally, whether to … more
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Navy Ohio Replacement (SSBN[X]) Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Ohio replacement program (ORP), a program to design and build a new class of 12 ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to replace the Navy's current force of 14 Ohio-class SSBNs.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Earthquake Risk and U.S. Highway Infrastructure: Frequently Asked Questions

Description: This report addresses a number of frequently asked questions about earthquake risk and highway system components, especially bridges. Earthquakes and related events, such as soil liquefaction, landslides, tsunamis, flooding, and fires, pose risks to highway infrastructure. Concerns about the U.S. highway system's seismic vulnerability stem from interest in protecting public safety, facilitating response and recovery efforts, and minimizing economic loss and social disruption.
Date: May 19, 2016
Creator: Mallett, William J.; Carter, Nicole T. & Folger, Peter
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Transportation Security: Issues for the 114th Congress

Description: This report examines aviation, transit and passenger rail security, as well as port and maritime security. The difficulty and cost of protecting the transportation sector from attack raises a core question for policymakers, i.e., how much effort and resources to put toward protecting potential targets versus pursuing and fighting terrorists.
Date: May 9, 2016
Creator: Elias, Bart; Peterman, David R. & Frittelli, John
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Transportation Conformity Under the Clean Air Act

Description: This report explains the Clean Air Act requirement that federal departments and agencies demonstrate that their activities--including projects that they fund--"conform" to state plans for achieving air quality standards. The report explains the statutory requirements, reviews the recent history of their implementation, and examines how conformity requirements might affect areas designated "nonattainment" for a revised ozone air quality standard.
Date: May 21, 2015
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Transportation Security: Issues for the 114th Congress

Description: This report discusses aviation security, transit and passenger security, port and maritime security.
Date: May 20, 2015
Creator: Elias, Bart; Peterman, David R. & Frittelli, John
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Maritime Territorial Disputes in East Asia: Issues for Congress

Description: This report presents policy and oversight issues for Congress arising from maritime territorial disputes involving East Asia, East China Sea (ECS), and an additional dispute over whether China has a right under international law to regulate U.S. and other foreign military activities in its maritime Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Date: May 14, 2014
Creator: Dolven, Ben; Manyin, Mark E. & Kan, Shirley A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Army's Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV): Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information on the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) and it discusses the Army's proposed replacement to the Vietnam-era M-113 personnel carriers, which are still in service in a variety of support capacities in Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs).
Date: May 6, 2014
Creator: Feickert, Andrew
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Rail Transportation of Crude Oil: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the challenges in the transportation of oil, as refineries that once received crude oil principally from oceangoing tankers are now seeing increasing deliveries by domestic transport. It also outlines possible issues for Congress including rail transport of oil versus pipelines, and the possible increase of oil spills from rail transport.
Date: May 5, 2014
Creator: Frittelli, John; Parfomak, Paul W.; Ramseur, Jonathan L.; Andrews, Anthony; Pirog, Robert & Ratner, Michael
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and presents potential issues for Congress concerning the Navy's ship force-structure goals and shipbuilding plans, including the planned size of the Navy, the rate of Navy ship procurement, and prospective affordability. Congressional decisions on Navy shipbuilding programs can substantially affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
Date: May 24, 2013
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Airline Passenger Rights: The Federal Role in Aviation Consumer Protection

Description: This report examines aviation consumer protections following the 1978 elimination of most governmental control regarding airline business practices. It explains the roles of Congress and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in protecting airline consumers, and discusses some major passenger rights issues and related laws and regulations.
Date: May 20, 2013
Creator: Tang, Rachel
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Inland Waterways: Recent Proposals and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the major issues for Congress which include whether to increase inland waterway funding in the future (and by what amount); the appropriate type of revenue stream (e.g., fuel taxes or lockage fees) for the user-required portion of these projects; division of the cost-share responsibilities between the federal government and commercial users (e.g., 50/50 or some other division); and whether to initiate process-based recommendations that some argue will improve the delivery … more
Date: May 3, 2013
Creator: Stern, Charles V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and presents potential issues for Congress concerning the Navy's ship force-structure goals and shipbuilding plans. The planned size of the Navy, the rate of Navy ship procurement, and the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans have been matters of concern for the congressional defense committees for the past several years. Decisions that Congress makes on Navy shipbuilding programs can substantially affect Navy capabilities and fu… more
Date: May 4, 2011
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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F-35 Alternate Engine Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the past four years of administration proposals to terminate the program to develop the General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 engine as an alternative to the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine that currently powers the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). These proposals have been continually rejected by Congress. The Obama Administration's FY2011 budget submission against proposes to terminate the program. This report explores both sides of the termination argument.
Date: May 24, 2010
Creator: Gertler, Jeremiah
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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