Congressional Research Service Reports - 39 Matching Results
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- Overview of the Authorization-Appropriations Process
- No Description Available.
- Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Congress
- This report provides information on the 33 Asian Pacific Americans who have served in the United States Congress from 1903 to the present, including 13 Resident Commissioners from the Philippine Islands. These Resident Commissioners served from 1907-1946 while the Philippines were a U.S. territory and commonwealth (all were Philippine born). Information on Members and territorial delegates includes party affiliations, length and dates of service, and committee assignments.
- The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction
- This report describes the annual appropriations cycle from the President’s submission of his annual budget through enactment of the appropriations measures. It describes the three types of appropriations measures—regular appropriations bills, continuing resolutions, and supplemental bills. It explains the spending ceilings for appropriations bills that are associated with the budget resolution and the sequestration process, including a description of the mechanisms used to enforce the ceilings. It also explains the authorization appropriations process, which prohibits certain provisions in some of the appropriations bills.
- A User's Guide to the Congressional Record
- The Congressional Record is a substantially verbatim account of remarks made during the proceedings of the House and Senate, subject only to technical, grammatical, and typographical corrections. It consists of four main sections: the proceedings of the House and Senate, the Extensions of Remarks, and the Daily Digest. This fact sheet is one of a series on the legislative process.
- Congressional Record: Its Production, Distribution, and Accessibility
- The Congressional Record is the most widely recognized published account of the debates and activities in Congress. The Record often reflects the intent of Congress in enacting legislation. This fact sheet is one of a series on the legislative process.
- Guide to Individuals Seated on the Senate Dais
- This report is a brief summary of House and Senate procedures for reaching agreement on legislation. It discusses the provisions of House Rule XXII and Senate Rule XXVIII as well as other applicable rules, precedents, and practices. The report focuses on the most common and customary procedures.
- The Congressional Budget Process Timetable
- The Congressional Budget Act (CBA) of 1974 (Titles I-IX of P.L. 93-344, 88 Stat. 297-332) established the congressional budget process, which coordinates the legislative activities on the budget resolution, appropriations bills, reconciliation legislation, revenue measures, and other budgetary legislation. Section 300 of this act provides a timetable (see Table 1) so that Congress may complete its work on the budget by the start of the fiscal year on October 1.
- Secret Sessions of the House and Senate
- No Description Available.
- Pages of the United States Congress: Selection, Duties, and Program Administration
- No Description Available.
- "Sense of" Resolutions and Provisions
- One or both houses of Congress may formally express opinions about subjects of current national interest through freestanding simple or concurrent resolutions (called generically “sense of the House,” “sense of the Senate,” or “sense of the Congress” resolutions). These opinions may also be added to pending legislative measures by amendments expressing the views of one or both chambers. This fact sheet identifies the various forms such expressions may take and the procedures governing such actions.
- Calling Up Measures on the Senate Floor
- The Senate takes up measures under procedures set in Senate rules and by longstanding customs, thereby giving it flexibility in setting its floor agenda. This report first treats those processes or customs most often used by the Senate and then discusses some procedures less often used to call up measures.
- Flow of Business: Typical Day on the Senate Floor
- Several authorities govern the daily chamber work of the Senate: the standing rules, the “standing orders,” unanimous consent agreements, precedent, and tradition. Because these authorities have different influence at certain times, no Senate session day is truly typical. This report discusses procedures and business that usually occur every session day, and refers to certain business items that may occur less frequently.
- "Fast-Track" or Expedited Procedures: Their Purposes, Elements, and Implications
- This report discusses certain provisions of law that commonly are known as “fast-track” or expedited procedures. They are so labeled because these statutory provisions contain special legislative procedures that apply to one or both houses of Congress and that expedite, or put on a fast track, congressional consideration of a certain measure or a narrowly defined class of measures. This report first presents the nature, purpose, and elements of fast-track procedures. Then the report discusses some of the most important ways in which these procedures differ from the normal procedures of the House and Senate and, therefore, how the use of expedited procedures can affect the legislative process in Congress.
- Expedited Procedures in the House: Variations Enacted Into Law
- Congress enacts expedited, or fast-track, procedures into law when it wants to increase the likelihood that one or both houses of Congress will vote in a timely way on a certain measure or kind of measure. These procedures are enacted as rulemaking provisions of law pursuant to the constitutional power of each house to adopt its own rules. The house to which a set of expedited procedures applies may act unilaterally to waive, suspend, amend, or repeal them.
- The Capitol Visitors' Center: An Overview
- This report presents the cost of the center, the most extensive addition to the Capitol since the Civil War, and the largest in the structure’s more than 200-year history, is now estimated to be at least $555 million. The project is being financed with appropriated funds, and a total of $65 million from private donations and revenue generated by the sale of commemorative coins.
- Appropriations for FY2004: Legislative Branch
- Appropriations are one part of a complex federal budget process that includes budget resolutions, appropriations (regular, supplemental, and continuing) bills, rescissions, and budget reconciliation bills. This Report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress passes each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Legislative Branch Appropriations.
- House and Senate Chaplains
- No Description Available.
- The Office of the Parliamentarian in the House and Senate
- No Description Available.
- How Measures Are Brought to the Senate Floor: A Brief Introduction
- Two basic methods are used by the Senate to bring legislation to the floor for consideration. The Senate, at the majority leader’s request, grants unanimous consent to take up a matter, or agrees to his motion to proceed to consider it. Because the motion to proceed is subject to debate in most circumstances, it is not frequently used. Both methods are derived from the basic premise that the Senate as a body may decide what matters it considers. The Senate may also use the same two methods to bring up executive business (nominations and treaties). This report will be updated to reflect changes in Senate practice.
- Senate Leadership Structure: Overview of Party Organization
- No Description Available.
- War Powers Resolution: Presidential Compliance
- Two separate but closely related issues confront Congress each time the President introduces armed forces into a situation abroad that conceivably could lead to their involvement in hostilities. One issue concerns the division of war powers between the President and Congress, whether the use of armed forces falls within the purview of the congressional power to declare war and the War Powers Resolution. The other issue is whether Congress concurs in the wisdom of the action. This issue brief does not deal with the substantive merits of using armed forces in specific cases, but rather with the congressional authorization for the action and the application and effectiveness of the War Powers Resolution.
- Clean Air Act Issues in the 108th Congress
- Clean air issues were discussed at length in the 107th Congress, but legislation was not enacted, leaving the same issues for possible consideration in the 108th. The most prominent air quality issues discussed in this report are; the controversy over EPA’s proposed changes to the New Source Review (NSR) requirements, Clear Skies / Multi-Pollutant Legislation, gasoline additive MTBE, Conformity of Transportation Plans and SIPs Deadlines for Achieving the Ozone Air Quality Standard.
- Clean Water Act Issues in the 108th Congress
- In this report several other Clean Water Act issues are likely to receive congressional attention, through oversight hearings and possibly in legislative proposals. Among the topics of interest is whether and how the Administration will revise the current program for restoration of pollution-impaired waters (the Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL program), in view of controversy over regulatory changes made during the Clinton Administration and continuing disagreement among states, cities, industry, and environmental advocates about program effectiveness and efficiency.
- Clean Water Act Issues in the 108th Congress
- The Clean Water Act Issues has again received attention in the 108th Congress. At issue is how the federal government will assist states and cities in meeting needs to rebuild, repair, and upgrade wastewater treatment plants, especially in light of capital costs which are projected to be as much as $390 billion over the next two decades. In October 2004, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee reported legislation to authorize $20 billion in funding for clean water infrastructure (S. 2550), while in July 2003, a House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee also approved a water infrastructure financing bill (H.R. 1560). Still, prospects for further action during the 108th Congress are uncertain.
- Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress
- No Description Available.
- Latin America and the Caribbean: Issues for the 108th Congress
- No Description Available.
- Foreign Relations Authorization, FY2004 and FY2005: An Overview
- The foreign relations process dovetails with the annual appropriation process for the Department of State and foreign policy/foreign aid activities. Congress is required by law to authorize the spending of appropriations for the State Department and foreign policy activities every two years. This report contains information on foreign relations, defense trade and security assistance, and foreign assistance discussed by Congress in FY2004 and FY2005.
- NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia: Quick Facts and Issues for Congress
- No Description Available.
- Tactical Aircraft Modernization: Issues for Congress
- No Description Available.
- Suspension of Rules in the House: Measure Sponsorship by Party
- No Description Available.
- House Leadership Structure: Overview of Party Organization
- At the beginning of each Congress, Members meet to organize and select their leaders. Democrats call their party organization the Democratic Caucus; Republicans call their party organization the Republican Conference. Within the caucus and conference are numerous entities that assist party leaders in determining the work and role of the Members of that party. This report serves as a companion piece to CRS Report RS20499, House Leadership: Whip Organization, and CRS Report RS20881, Party Leaders in the House.
- Congressional Gold Medals 1776-2003
- This report responds to congressional inquiries concerning the process for awarding Congressional Gold Medals, and includes a historical examination and chronological list of these awards.
- “Fast-Track” or Expedited Procedures: Their Purposes, Elements, and Implications
- This report discusses certain provisions of law that commonly are known as “fast-track” or expedited procedures. They are so labeled because these statutory provisions contain special legislative procedures that apply to one or both houses of Congress and that expedite, or put on a fast track, congressional consideration of a certain measure or a narrowly defined class of measures. This report first presents the nature, purpose, and elements of fast-track procedures. Then the report discusses some of the most important ways in which these procedures differ from the normal procedures of the House and Senate and, therefore, how the use of expedited procedures can affect the legislative process in Congress.
- Congressional Record: Its Production, Distribution, and Accessibility
- Congressional Record.This report provides information about the Production, Distribution, and Accessibility of Congressional Record. The Congressional Record is the most widely published account of the debates and activities in congress.
- Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Congress
- This report provides information on the 33 Asian Pacific Americans who have served in the United States Congress from 1903 to the present, including 13 Resident Commissioners from the Philippine Islands.
- The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction
- Congress annually considers 13 or more appropriation measures, which provide funding for a variety of activities such as national defense, education, disaster assistance, crime programs, and general government operations, such as the administration of most federal agencies. This report details the rules and practices for the consideration of appropriations measures, referred to as the appropriations process.
- The Middle East Partnership Initiative: An Overview
- This report provides an overview of The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) program, its perception in the Middle East, and its role in the debate over U.S. public diplomacy toward the Arab world.
- Country Applicability of the U.S. Normal Trade Relations (Most-Favored-Nation) Status
- This report provides information about the Country Applicability of the U.S. Normal Trade Relations (Most-Favored-Nation) Status. The united states extends unlimitedand permanent nondiscriminatory treatment to all of its trading partners.
- The Congressional Budget Process Timetable
- The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 established the congressional budget process, which coordinates the legislative activities on the budget resolution, appropriations bills, reconciliation legislation, revenue measures, and other budgetary legislation. This report provides a timetable in which the congressional budget process takes place.