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African American Members of the United States Congress: 1870-2009

Description: This report discusses the history and current status of African Americans in Congress. There are 42 African American Members serving in the 111th Congress, 41 in the House of Representatives and one in the Senate. There have been 125 African American Members of Congress: 119 have been elected to the House; five have been elected to the Senate; and one has been appointed to the Senate. There have been 98 Democrats: 95 in the House, three in the Senate; and 27 Republicans: 24 in the House, three … more
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Manning, Jennifer E. & Shogan, Colleen J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Alien Legalization and Adjustment of Status: A Primer

Description: This report summarizes the main avenues for foreign nationals currently in the United States--legally or illegally--to become LPRs. Alien legalization or "amnesty," as well as adjustment of status and cancellation of removal options, are briefly discussed. Designed as a primer on the issues, the report provides references to other CRS products that track pertinent legislation and analyze these issues more fully.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Wasem, Ruth Ellen
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Chemical Regulation in the European Union: Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals

Description: This report discusses the EU's new law governing chemicals in EU commerce, Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). It is intended to protect human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals while at the same time protecting the competitiveness of European industry.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Schierow, Linda-Jo
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA): A Summary

Description: This report summarizes the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the major regulatory programs that mandate reporting by industrial facilities of releases of hazardous chemicals to the environment, as well as local planning to respond in the event of significant, accidental releases.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Schierow, Linda-Jo
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 and software that would be capable of addressing the problems and issues the government needed to solve and study.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Figliola, Patricia Moloney
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Government Access to Phone Calling Activity and Related Records: Legal Authorities

Description: This report summarizes legal authorities regarding access by the government, for either foreign intelligence or law enforcement purposes, to information related to telephone calling patterns or practices. Where pertinent, it also discusses statutory prohibitions against accessing or disclosing such information, along with relevant exceptions to those prohibitions.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Bazan, Elizabeth B.; Liu, Edward C. & Stevens, Gina
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Haiti Earthquake: Crisis and Response

Description: The largest earthquake ever recorded in Haiti devastated parts of the country, including the capital, on January 12, 2010. This report discusses the disaster and various responses, ranging from the Haitian government's initial response to foreign humanitarian and financial aid.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Margesson, Rhoda & Taft-Morales, Maureen
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Immigration Reform Issues in the 111th Congress

Description: This report synthesizes the multi-tiered debate over immigration reform into key elements: legal; immigration; legalization; immigration control; refugees, asylees, and humanitarian migrants; and, alien rights, benefits and responsibilities.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Wasem, Ruth Ellen
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs): Issues and Proposed Expansion

Description: This report provides background information on IRAs, including a description of current law and the tax benefits of IRAs. In addition, the effects of IRAs on saving and other national objectives is discussed. A final section describes and analyzes recent IRA reform proposals.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Hungerford, Thomas L. & Gravelle, Jane G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Proposed Comcast-NBC Universal Combination: How It Might Affect the Video Market

Description: This report discusses the proposed combination of Comcast, the largest distributor of video services in the United States, and NBC Universal (NBCU), a major producer and aggregator of video content, which would create a huge, vertically integrated entity with potentially enormous negotiating power at a time when market forces already are altering traditional content provider/distributor relationships.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Goldfarb, Charles B.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Severe Thunderstorms and Tornadoes in the United States

Description: This report discusses the natural basis of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes and the risk associated with them. The report also examines several options Congress could consider to potentially reduce the costs these destructive natural events.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Folger, Peter
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2010 Budget and Appropriations

Description: This report analyzes the FY2010 request, recent-year funding trends, and congressional action for FY2010, which includes the July 9 House approval of H.R. 3081, the State-Foreign Operations Appropriations bill for FY2010, July 9 Senate Appropriations Committee passage of its bill (S. 1434), and passage of H.R. 3288, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, signed into law Dec. 16, 2009 (P.L. 111-117).
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Epstein, Susan B.; Nakamura, Kennon H. & Lawson, Marian Leonardo
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Set to Expire February 28, 2010

Description: The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) provides a statutory framework by which government agencies may, when gathering foreign intelligence investigation, obtain authorization to conduct electronic surveillance or physical searches, utilize pen registers and trap and trace devices, or access specified business records and other tangible things. This report discusses three sunsetting amendments of FISA which include the "Lone Wolf" provision, "roving" wiretaps, and access to business r… more
Date: March 2, 2010
Creator: Henning, Anna C. & Liu, Edward C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Government Collection of Private Information: Background and Issues Related to the USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization

Description: This report discusses the history of constitutional interpretations and legislative responses relevant to the collection of private information for criminal investigation, foreign intelligence gathering, and national security purposes.
Date: March 2, 2010
Creator: Henning, Anna C.; Bazan, Elizabeth B.; Doyle, Charles & Liu, Edward C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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