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When Does Sovereign Immunity Protect Property Owned by State Sponsors of Terrorism?

Description: This report discusses sovereign states' immunity from suits and attachments by U.S. nationals except under very specific circumstances, as well as legal interpretations and cases involving immunity rules. It particularly describes state-sponsored terrorism and the effect of The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which was proposed to allow U.S. nationals to file civil suits in U.S. courts against foreign nations for aiding and abetting acts of terrorism under a new exception to … more
Date: November 8, 2016
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides an overview of Arctic-related issues for Congress, and refers readers to more in-depth CRS reports on specific Arctic-related issues. Some general issues include Arctic territorial disputes; commercial shipping through the Arctic; Arctic oil, gas, and mineral exploration; endangered Arctic species; and increased military operations in the Arctic, which could cause the region in coming years to become an arena of international cooperation or competition.
Date: December 7, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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DOJ Brings Forfeiture Action to Seize and Return $1 Billion Embezzled Malaysian Government Assets

Description: This report discuses the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) civil forfeiture action against $1 billion worth of assets bought with money embezzled from the government of Malaysia by high-level officials in Malaysia from 2009 to 2015.
Date: August 15, 2016
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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"Nosal" Parts 1 & 2: Password Sharing May Be a Federal Crime & Circuit Split on Restitution for Attorney's Fees

Description: This report discusses the case of "Nosal v. United States" and charges against Nosal for fraud, stealing trade secrets, and access without authorization charges under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA). The charges under the CFAA are discussed in-depth along with implications for consensual password sharing being covered under the act. Restitution of attorneys fees in the case by Nosal are also discussed.
Date: December 9, 2016
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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[Not Over 'Til It's Over: TransCanada Denial of Keystone XL Permit]

Description: This report discusses the TransCanada announcement that they planned to sue the United States under NAFTA agreements for rejecting the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline. It also describes a suit in U.S. District Court regarding its view that the executive branch and the President don't have power over cross-border petroleum trade since Congress has passed general legislation regarding such matters as well as legislation approving the Keystone XL Pipeline which was vetoed by the President.
Date: January 19, 2016
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Dude, Where's My Jurisdiction? Congressional Efforts to Strip Federal Courts of Jurisdiction

Description: This report discusses Congress' right to strip federal courts of jurisdiction at any time including during litigation. It specifically discusses the case of "Patchak v. Jewell" concerning the Department of Interior's right to hold land in trust for a Native American tribe which led to Congress using their right to strip courts of jurisdiction to end the case.
Date: August 17, 2016
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Friended but not Friends: Federal Ethics Authorities Address Role of Social Media in Politics

Description: This report discusses rules governing acceptance of gifts by government employees and how social media and the concept of being "friends" on a social media network effect the personal friendship clause of the gift ethics rules.
Date: April 12, 2016
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Legal Status of CEQ's Final Guidance on Climate Change in Environmental Reviews under NEPA

Description: This report discusses the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) guidance document for federal agencies on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and considering the effects an action may have on climate change.
Date: August 17, 2016
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

FATCA Reporting on U.S. Accounts: Recent Legal Developments

Description: This report discusses the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FACTA) intended to curb tax evasion through the use of offshore accounts and its requirement to for foreign banks to report information on their U.S. citizen account holders to the IRS. It starts with an overview of the foreign financial instituition (FFI) reporting requirements and examines the role of the intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) in implementing them. The report then discusses the confidentiality protections provided to … more
Date: September 7, 2016
Creator: Lunder, Erika K. & Pettit, Carol A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

DC Circuit Holds An Agency Official's Private Email Account Not Beyond the Reach of FOIA

Description: This report discusses the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decision in "Competitive Enterprise Institute v. Office of Science and Technology Policy" stating that emails pertaining to work in personal email accounts are accessible under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
Date: August 9, 2016
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

"Smith v. Obama": A Servicemember's Legal Challenge to the Campaign Against the Islamic State

Description: This report discuses the case of "Smith v. Obama" where a military officer sued President Obama for overstepping his bounds as President by waging war on the Islamic State without a Congressional declaration of war. The case was dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction by the court.
Date: December 12, 2016
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The United Arab Emirates (UAE): Issues for U.S. Policy

Description: This report discusses the current political and economic landscape of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and its relationship with the U.S. The UAE has been a significant U.S. partner in Gulf security for more than two decades, and the alliance has deepened further in recent years in order to address multiple regional threats.
Date: August 16, 2016
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Methane: An Introduction to Emission Sources and Reduction Strategies

Description: This report discusses the "Climate Action Plan" (CAP) announced by President Obama to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs), as well as to encourage adaptation to expected climate change.
Date: August 15, 2016
Creator: Lattanzio, Richard K.; Bracmort, Kelsi; McCarthy, James E. & Cunningham, Lynn J.
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: August 17, 2016
Creator: Tang, Rachel Y.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Al Qaeda and U.S. Policy: Middle East and Africa

Description: This report examines the threat posed by Al Qaeda affiliates in the Middle East and Africa as described by U.S. officials and outside observers, as well as the U.S. approach to date in responding to the threat posed by individual groups.
Date: August 11, 2016
Creator: Humud, Carla E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Department of Defense Contractor and Troop Levels in Iraq and Afghanistan: 2007-2016

Description: This report provides background information for Congress on the levels of Department of Defense (DOD) troop and contractor personnel deployed in support of prior and ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Date: August 15, 2016
Creator: Peters, Heidi M.; Schwartz, Moshe & Kapp, Lawrence
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Repair, Modification, or Resale of Software-Enabled Consumer Electronic Devices: Copyright Law Issues

Description: This report provides a discussion and analysis of copyright law issues that may be implicated by the repair, modification, or resale of software-enabled consumer electronic devices. These issues include software licensing, fair use, the first sale doctrine, and the anti-circumvention provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
Date: August 11, 2016
Creator: Yeh, Brian T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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