Congressional Research Service Reports - 1,279 Matching Results
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- 9/11 Terrorism: Global Economic Costs
- This report provides a brief survey of the global economic costs of 9/11.
- S. 147/H.R. 309: Process for Federal Recognition of a Native Hawaiian Governmental Entity
- S. 147/H.R. 309, companion bills introduced in the 109th Congress, represent an effort to accord to Native Hawaiians a means of forming a governmental entity that could enter into government-to-government relations with the United States. This report describes the provisions of the reported version of S. 147; outlines some federal statutes and recent cases which might be relevant to the issue of federal recognition of a Native Hawaiian entity; and recounts some legal arguments that have been presented in the debate on this legislation. It includes a brief outline of the provisions of a substitute amendment expected to be offered in lieu of the reported version of S. 147, when Senate debate, which was interrupted by the filing of a cloture motion on July 29, resumes.
- The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues
- This report provides a brief overview of selected legal issues including emergency measures, civil rights, liability issues, and employment issues.
- The 2010 Oil Spill: Natural Resource Damage Assessment Under the Oil Pollution Act
- The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill leaked an estimated 4.1 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, damaging the waters, shores, and marshes, and the fish and wildlife that live there. When resources in the public trust are harmed by contamination, federal, state, foreign, and tribal governments may seek compensation for damage to natural resources under certain laws. This is done in two steps: first, by assessing the harm; then, by determining how and what restoration will take place. Compensation for natural resource damage is intended to restore the natural resources to their condition before the damage and to compensate the public for the lost use of those resources. This report discusses legislation that provides a framework for assessing and mitigating the damage caused by such spills.
- The 2016 G-20 Summit
- This report discusses the 2016 G-20 summit where the leaders of the Group of Twenty (G-20) countries met in Hangzhou, China.
- 2017 Hurricanes and Army Corps of Engineers: Background for Flood Response and Recovery
- This report outlines the role of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in hurricane disaster relief and recovery. This role encompasses emergency response to floods and general disaster recovery, maintaining or repairing flood control structures such as dams that they operate as well as assisting in the repair of non-federally owned flood control structures. Recent activities of the Corps during and after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma are discussed.
- 3D-Printed Guns: An Overview of Recent Legal Developments
- This report addresses the various legal questions that have arisen in recent litigation over 3D-printed guns by providing an overview of the issues and developments that have culminated in the injunction.
- Abortion: Judicial History and Legislative Response
- This report discusses legislative action related to abortion since the 1973 "Roe v. Wade" decision. Topics covered include Major Supreme Court cases related to abortion, restrictions on federal funding being used for abortions, and previous and current legislative actions related to abortion restriction.
- Across-the-Board Rescissions in Appropriations Acts: Overview and Recent Practices
- This report provides information on the main components of across-the-board rescissions and recent practices between FY2008 through FY2013.
- Across-the-Board Rescissions in Appropriations Acts: Overview and Recent Practices
- This report provides information on the main components of across-the-board rescissions and recent practices since FY2008. The annual appropriations process reqires an agreement on the level of funding for individual items or accounts but also with regard to the total amount of discretionary budget authority that will be provided for that fiscal year. If that agreed-upon amount requires a reduction in budget authority and sufficient reductions are not associated with individual programs, an alternative method to reduce that amount is an "across-the-board rescission."
- Adult Education and Literacy: Overview and Reauthorization Proposals of the 109th Congress
- This report discusses the reauthorization of federal adult education and literacy programs being considered by the 109th Congress. The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) authorized these programs through FY2003. The General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) provided a one-year extension of authorization through FY2004, and annual appropriations have continued AEFLA programs since.
- The Advanced Spectroscopic Portal Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides an overview of the Advanced Spectroscopic Portal program's history and outlines issues for Congress as the program moves forward.
- Advisory Bodies Created by the President and by Congress 1955 Through July 15, 1970
- This report addresses advisory bodies created by the president and by congress between 1955 and July 15, 1970.
- The Advocacy of Terrorism on the Internet: Freedom of Speech Issues and the Material Support Statutes
- This report discusses relevant precedent concerning the extent to which advocacy of terrorism may be restricted in a manner consistent with the First Amendment's Freedom of Speech Clause. The report also discusses the potential application of the federal ban on the provision of material support to foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) to the advocacy of terrorism, including as it relates to the dissemination of such advocacy via online services like Twitter or Facebook.
- The Affordable Care Act's (ACA) Employer Shared Responsibility Determination and the Potential ACA Employer Penalty
- This report describes the potential employer penalties related to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; P.L. 111-148, as amended) as well as regulations to implement the ACA employer provisions. The regulations address insurance coverage requirements, methodologies for determining whether a worker is considered full time, provisions relating to seasonal workers and corporate franchises, and other reporting requirements.
- Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance
- This report discusses the current political state of Afghanistan, as well as the Afghan government. This report also discusses Afghanistan's relationship with the United States, particularly U.S. efforts to urge President Hamid Karzai to address corruption within the Afghan government.
- Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy
- Report that covers concerns and issues relating to governance, elections, election fraud/nepotism, human rights, and Afghan culture in Afghanistan. It discusses the pros and cons of U.S.A. intervention in the shaping of these endeavors.
- The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA): A Legal Overview
- This report provides an overview of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and discusses current legal and legislative developments.
- Aging Infrastructure: Dam Safety
- To help inform discussions on the federal role in dam safety, this report provides background information on the nation’s dam safety activities and funding mechanisms.
- Agricultural Disaster Assistance
- This report has two sections. The first provides an overview of the current U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster assistance programs: federal crop insurance, NAP payments, emergency disaster loans, the new Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE), and four other smaller disaster programs authorized in the 2008 farm bill. The second section reviews the recent history of emergency supplemental farm disaster assistance.
- Agricultural Policy, Food Policy, Nutrition Policy, and World Food Problems: A Select Bibliography, 1969-1974
- This report provides a bibliography of resources related to agricultural, nutritional, and food policy and world food problems that were published between 1969 and 1974.
- Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2010 Appropriations
- This report discusses various policy aspects of the Agriculture appropriations bill for FY2010, which funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), except for the Forest Service.
- Agriculture in the WTO: Rules and Limits on Domestic Support
- This report provides a brief overview of the World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments most relevant for U.S. domestic farm policy. The report discusses a key question that policy makers ask of virtually every new farm proposal is, how will it affect U.S. commitments under the WTO? The answer depends not only on cost, but also on the proposal's design and objectives, as described below.
- Agriculture in the WTO: Rules and Limits on U.S. Domestic Support
- This report provides a brief overview of the World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments that are most relevant for U.S. domestic farm policy. It includes a discussion regarding how WTO commitments may influence policies and questions for evaluating WTO compliance of domestic farm spending..
- Air Force F-22 Fighter Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the Air Force F-22 fighter, also known as the Raptor, which is the world's most capable air-to-air combat aircraft. Procurement of F-22s began in FY1999, and a total of 187 have been procured through FY2009, including 24 in FY2009.
- Air Force F-22 Fighter Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the Air Force F-22 fighter, also known as the Raptor, which is the world's most capable air-to-air combat aircraft. Procurement of F-22s began in FY1999, and a total of 187 have been procured through FY2009, including 24 in FY2009.
- Air Force Next-Generation Bomber: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses key issues regarding funding for a next-generation bomber (NGB) program. Congress's decisions on these issues could affect Air Force capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. aircraft manufacturing industrial base.
- Air Pollution from Ships: MARPOL Annex VI and Other Control Options
- This report provides information regarding pollution from ships and port facilities; discusses some of the measures being implemented and considered by local, state, and federal regulatory agencies; discusses the efforts to ratify and to strengthen Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL); and describes legislation Congress is considering to control emissions from ships by amending the Clean Air Act (CAA).
- Air Pollution from Ships: MARPOL Annex VI and Other Control Options
- This report provides information regarding pollution from ships and port facilities; discusses some of the measures being implemented and considered by local, state, and federal regulatory agencies; discusses the efforts to ratify and to strengthen Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL); and describes legislation Congress is considering to control emissions from ships by amending the Clean Air Act (CAA).
- Air Quality: EPA's 2012 Proposed Changes to the Particulate Matter (PM) Standard
- This report summarizes the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) June 2012 proposed changes to the particulate matter (PM) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) and includes comparisons with previous (1997) and current (2006) promulgated and proposed standards. Key actions leading up to the June 2012 proposal, and potential issues and concerns associated with the proposal to strengthen the PM2.5 annual standard, are also highlighted.
- Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: A Primer
- This report reviews the types of air emissions from livestock and poultry operations and their human health and environmental impacts. It then discusses provisions of several federal laws concerned with environmental impacts, beginning with the Clean Water Act, because protecting water resources has been the primary regulatory focus regarding livestock and animal operations.
- Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: EPA’s Air Compliance Agreement
- This report discusses a plan announced by EPA in January 2005, called the Air Compliance Agreement, intended to produce air quality monitoring data on animal agriculture emissions from a small number of farms, while at the same time protecting all participants (including farms where no monitoring takes place) through a “safe harbor” from liability under certain provisions of federal environmental laws.
- Air Quality Standards and Sound Science: What Role for CASAC?
- This report discusses the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), which are standards that define what EPA considers to be clean air. Their importance stems from the long and complicated implementation process that is set in motion by their establishment.
- Air Quality Standards and Sound Science: What Role for CASAC?
- This report discusses the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), which are standards that define what EPA considers to be clean air. Their importance stems from the long and complicated implementation process that is set in motion by their establishment.
- Airport Body Scanners: The Role of Advanced Imaging Technology in Airline Passenger Screening
- This report looks at privacy and health issues, as well as effectiveness, of advanced imaging technology (AIT) scanners at airports deployed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
- The Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline: Status and Current Policy Issues
- This report provides a brief review of efforts to develop and construct a natural gas pipeline from Prudhoe Bay, a status report on recent efforts to proceed, and an analysis of major relevant policy issues.
- Alternative Fuels and Advanced Technology Vehicles: Issues in Congress
- This report provides an overview of current issues surrounding alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles - issues discussed in further detail in other CRS reports referred to in each section.
- Alternative Fuels and Advanced Technology Vehicles: Issues in Congress
- This report consists of alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles: Issues in Congress.
- The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT): Income Entry Points and “Take Back” Effects
- This report examines the alternative minimum tax for individuals (AMT), which was originally enacted to ensure that high-income taxpayers paid a fair share of the federal income tax.
- Amber Alert Program Technology
- This report discusses Amber Alerts (also referred to as AMBER plans) which use technology to disseminate information about child abductions in a timely manner. Technologies used for alerts include the Emergency Alert System (EAS), highway messages boards, telephone alert systems, the Internet, text messaging, and email.
- Amendments on the House Floor: Summary of Major Restrictions
- This report discusses the opportunities for Representatives to offer floor amendments to a bill or resolution procedures by which the House considers the measure.
- America COMPETES Act and the FY2010 Budget
- This report discusses in detail the America COMPETES Act, which is intended to increase the nation's investment in research and development (R&D), and in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. This report discusses the funding increases authorized by the act for various relevant institutions, e.g., the National Science Foundation (NSF); the act's education activities intended to enhance the skills of STEM educators; and if Congress will continue to similarly fund the America COMPETES Act in the FY2010 budget.
- America COMPETES Acts: FY2008-FY2013 Funding Tables
- This report has been updated to reflect FY2013 funding levels contained in P.L. 113-6 (Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013) and the explanatory statement published in the March 11, 2013. This report also provides selected FY2013 current or operational plan funding levels, which have been adjusted to account for the effects of sequestration and other currently known legal determinations made by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that may affect the final appropriations levels.
- America COMPETES Acts: FY2008-FY2013 Funding Tables
- This report has been updated to reflect FY2013 funding levels contained in P.L. 113-6 (Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013) and the explanatory statement published in the March 11, 2013.
- American Foreign Fighters and the Islamic State: Broad Challenges for Federal Law Enforcement
- This report offers a framework for considering the challenges to domestic security posed by American fighters in the terrorist group known as the Islamic State (IS, previously referred to as ISIS or ISIL) and outlines some of the ways that U.S. law enforcement responds to such challenges.
- American Jihadist Terrorism: Combating a Complex Threat
- This report describes homegrown violent jihadists and the plots and attacks that have occurred since 9/11. For this report, "homegrown" and "domestic" are terms that describe terrorist activity or plots perpetrated within the United States or abroad by American citizens, legal permanent residents, or visitors radicalized largely within the United States. The report also discusses the radicalization process and the forces driving violent extremist activity. It analyzes post-9/11 domestic jihadist terrorism and describes law enforcement and intelligence efforts to combat terrorism and the challenges associated with those efforts. It also outlines actions underway to build trust and partnership between community groups and government agencies and the tensions that may occur between law enforcement and engagement activities.
- American Jihadist Terrorism: Combating a Complex Threat
- Between May 2009 and August 2010, arrests were made for 19 "homegrown," jihadist-inspired terrorist plots by American citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States. The apparent spike in such activity after May 2009 suggests that at least some Americans - even if a tiny minority - continue to be susceptible to ideologies supporting a violent form of jihad. This report describes homegrown violent jihadists and the plots and attacks that have occurred since 9/11. This report also provides official definitions for terms such as "homegrown," "jihadist," and "violent jihadist." The report also discusses the radicalization process and the forces driving violent extremist activity. It analyzes post-9/11 domestic jihadist terrorism, describes law enforcement and intelligence efforts to combat terrorism and the challenges associated with those efforts. It also outlines actions underway to build trust and partnership between community groups and government agencies and the tensions that may occur between law enforcement and engagement activities.
- American Jobs Act: Provisions for Hiring Targeted Groups, Preventing Layoffs, and for Unemployed and Low-Income Workers
- This report describes provisions in the American Jobs Act that fall into three major categories.
- American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics
- This report provides U.S. war casualty statistics compiled from various Department of Defense (DOD) sources (listed at end). The first data table lists the number of casualties among American military personnel who served in principal wars and combat operations from 1775 to the present. Subsequent tables provide more specific information by conflict about the demographics of soldiers killed or wounded in action and information such as race and ethnicity, gender, branch of service, home state, and cause of death.
- American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics
- This report is a response to numerous requests for war casuality statistics and lists of war dead.