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Bills, Resolutions, Nominations, and Treaties: Origins, Deadlines, Requirements, and Uses

Description: In addition to bill and/or joint resolution this report presents two other acts of congress; 1) nominations and 2) treaties. It also discusses the characteristics and uses of six different kind of business before Congress, such as designation, origin, deadline for action, requirements for approval, and use.
Date: January 22, 1999
Creator: Beth, Richard S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Engrossment, Enrollment, and Presentation of Legislation

Description: Engrossment, enrollment, and presentation of legislation are technical components of the legislative process. They attest to the accuracy of bill texts, confirm passage by the House and Senate, and confirm delivery of the bills to the President for his review.
Date: March 2, 1999
Creator: Rundquist, Paul S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Census 2000: The Sampling Debate

Description: This report summarizes legal actions of the efforts of the Bureau of Census to include two sample surveys into the 2000 census. This has resulted in a mix reaction from Congress.
Date: April 27, 1998
Creator: Williams, Jennifer D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Solid Waste Issues in the 105th Congress

Description: The 105th Congress adjourned without passing any legislation affecting solid waste management. Changes to the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) cleanup program and bills to exempt from hazardous waste management requirements certain wastes generated by remediation of old waste sites had been considered possible until late in the second session. The House passed changes to the LUST program (H.R. 688) on April 23, 1997. A comparable Senate bill (S. 555) was ordered reported, amended, Septem… more
Date: December 23, 1998
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Committee System in the U.S. Congress

Description: Due to the high volume and complexity of its work, Congress divides its tasks among approximately 44 committees with 154 subcommittees. The House and Senate each has its own committee systems, which are similar. Within chamber guidelines, however, each committee adopts its own rules; thus, there is considerable variation among panels.
Date: May 10, 1995
Creator: Hardy-Vincent, Carol
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Investigative Oversight: An Introduction to the Law, Practice and Procedure of Congressional Inquiry

Description: This report will provide an overview of some of the more common legal, procedural and practical issues, questions, and problems that committees have faced in the course of an investigation. Following a summary of the case law developing the scope and limitations of the power of inquiry, the essential tools of investigative oversight--subpoenas, staff interviews and depositions, grants of immunity, and the contempt power -- are described. Next, some of the special problems of investigating the e… more
Date: April 7, 1995
Creator: Rosenberg, Morton
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Environmental Protection Issues: From the 104th to the 105th Congress

Description: The continued interest in regulatory reform measures in the final moments of the 104th Congress suggests that the 105th Congress will consider them again. At the same time the fact that the 104th Congress enacted flexibility provisions in drinking water and food safety/pesticides legislation could be an indicator that the 105th Congress may pursue reforms in individual reauthorization legislation rather than in broad regulatory reform bills.
Date: January 7, 1997
Creator: Lee, Martin R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Grants Work in a Congressional Office

Description: Members of Congress often get requests from constituents for information and help in obtaining funds for projects. Many state and local governments, nonprofit social service and community action organizations, private research groups, small businesses, and individuals approach congressional offices to find out about funding, both from the federal government and from the private sector. The success rate in obtaining federal assistance is not high, given the competition for federal funds. A grant… more
Date: January 24, 1997
Creator: Gerli, Merete
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Oversight

Description: Congressional oversight of policy implementation and administration, which has occurred throughout the U.S. government experience under the Constitution, takes a variety of forms and utilizes various techniques. These range from specialized investigations by select committees to annual appropriations hearings, and from informal communications between Members or congressional staff and executive personnel to the use of extra congressional mechanisms, such as offices of inspector general and stud… more
Date: October 10, 1997
Creator: Kaiser, Frederick M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Secret Sessions of Congress: A Brief Historical Overview

Description: “Secret” or “closed door” sessions of the House of Representatives and Senate are held periodically to discuss business, including impeachment deliberations, deemed to require confidentiality and secrecy. Authority for the two chambers to hold these sessions is implied by Article I, section 5, of the Constitution. Both the House and the Senate have supplemented this clause through rules and precedents.
Date: April 6, 1999
Creator: Amer, Mildred L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Amendments Between the Houses

Description: This report briefly summarizes the process of amendments between the House of Representatives and the Senate, which occurs if the House and Senate approve differing versions of a measure. An exchange of amendments between the houses resolves these differences.
Date: February 19, 1999
Creator: Saturno, James V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction

Description: This report provides information about The Introduction of Congressional Appropriations Process. Congress has developed certain rules and practices for the consideration of appropriate measures, referred to as Congressional Appropriations Process.
Date: August 3, 1999
Creator: Streeter, Sandy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Adoption: Interethnic Placement Legislation In the 104th Congress

Description: This report discusses the legislation by the 104th Congress to increase overall adoption rates by prohibiting racial and other discriminatory practices in the adoption process. The report identifies this as a provision of the Small Business Job Protection Act, which will also increase minimum wage.
Date: October 14, 1996
Creator: Spar, Karen
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Questions of Privilege in the House

Description: The House of Representatives distinguishes between privileged business and questions of privilege. Privileged business consists of those bills, resolutions, and other matters that Members can bring up for consideration on the House floor. These matters are privileged to interrupt the regular order of business that is defined in the House's rules. Questions of privilege constitute one form of privileged business. Clause 1 of House Rule IX recognizes two kinds of questions of privilege: questions… more
Date: April 28, 1998
Creator: Bach, Stanley
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Special Rules and Waivers of House Rules

Description: To the extent that a special rule is silent with respect to the terms for considering a measure, the standing rules of the House apply. The standing rules impose various limitations on consideration; however, it is not always in the interest of the House to observe these limitations. Therefore, special rules may sometimes include exemptions from one or more provisions of the standing rules, which appear in the form of waivers of those provisions.
Date: May 5, 1998
Creator: Saturno, James V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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