Congressional Research Service Reports - 26 Matching Results

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Energy Policy: 112th Congress Issues and Legislative Proposals

Description: This report discusses the energy policy in the United States, which has focused on three major goals: assuring a secure supply of energy, keeping energy costs low, and protecting the environment.
Date: November 8, 2012
Creator: Behrens, Carl E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Cost of Government Financial Interventions, Past and Present

Description: The results of previous government financial interventions are summarized in this report. In response to ongoing financial turmoil that began in the subprime mortgage-backed securities market, the federal government has intervened with private corporations on a large scale and in an ad hoc manner three times from the beginning of 2008 through September 19, 2008.
Date: January 8, 2009
Creator: Webel, Baird; Labonte, Marc & Weiss, N. E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Reserve: Emergency Lending

Description: This report provides a review of the history of Section 13(3) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act; P.L. 111-203), including its use in 2008. It discusses the Federal Reserve's (Fed's) authority under Section 13(3) before and after the Dodd-Frank Act. It then discusses policy issues and legislation to amend Section 13(3).
Date: September 8, 2015
Creator: Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

Description: This report provides a background of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), financial crisis, and related issues for Congress.
Date: February 8, 2010
Creator: Jackson, James K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Systemically Important or "Too Big to Fail" Financial Institutions

Description: This report discusses the economic issues raised by "too big to fail" (TBTF), the historical experience with TBTF before and during the financial crisis of the 2000s, broad policy options, and policy changes made by the relevant Dodd-Frank provisions.
Date: August 8, 2014
Creator: Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Millennium Challenge Corporation

Description: This report discusses the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which provides economic assistance through a competitive selection process to developing nations that are pursuing political and economic reforms in three areas: ruling justly, investing in people, and fostering economic freedom. It also discusses several concerns related to MCC implementation, including the level of funding to support MCC programs.
Date: April 8, 2014
Creator: Tarnoff, Curt
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Debt Limit: History and Recent Increases

Description: This report discusses how the total debt of the federal government can increase, an historical overview of debt limits, and how the current economic slowdown has led to higher deficits and thereby a series of debt limit increases, as well as legislation related to these increases.
Date: September 8, 2010
Creator: Austin, D. Andrew & Levit, Mindy R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Bush Tax Cuts and the Economy

Description: The George W. Bush Administration enacted a series of tax cuts through the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 and the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. This report examines these tax cuts within the context of the current and long-term economic environment.
Date: December 8, 2010
Creator: Hungerford, Thomas L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act's Insurance for Troubled Assets

Description: Many observers trace the root cause of recent instability in financial markets to uncertainty surrounding the value of widely held securities that are based on mortgages and mortgage-related assets. The introduction of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA) was designed to address said financial instability through a variety of measures, including an insurance program for "troubled assets." This report briefly summarizes and analyzes the insurance program contained in the enact… more
Date: October 8, 2008
Creator: Webel, Baird
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financial Turmoil: Comparing the Troubled Asset Relief Program to the Federal Reserve's Response

Description: As financial conditions have deteriorated over the past year, the Federal Reserve (FeD) has greatly increased its lending to financial firms. It has also expanded the scope of eligible borrowers to include non-bank financial firms. Some have asked why these loans have not restored financial stability, and if the purchase of up to $700 billion of distressed assets through the recently enacted Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) might lead to a different result. Financial assistance to financial… more
Date: October 8, 2008
Creator: Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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China's Currency: A Summary of the Economic Issues

Description: Many Members of Congress charge that China's policy of accumulating foreign reserves (especially U.S. dollars) to influence the value of its currency constitutes a form of currency manipulation intended to make its exports cheaper and imports into China more expensive than they would be under free market conditions. Although China made modest reforms to its currency policy in 2005, Members contend the forms have not gone far enough and have warned of potential legislative action. This report su… more
Date: May 8, 2008
Creator: Morrison, Wayne M. & Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Trade, Trade Barriers, and Trade Deficits: Implications for U.S. Economic Welfare

Description: This report provides an overview of the economics of international trade that may be helpful for consideration of many recurring international economic policy issues. It is intended as a general explanation of mainstream economic principles that may be considered in gauging the economic significance of trade issues as well as the trade-offs inherent in many policy choices. This report provides a brief interview of the economic arguments for free trade, common arguments for trade barriers, and t… more
Date: June 8, 2005
Creator: Elwell, Craig K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Broadband Internet Regulation and Access: Background and Issues

Description: This is one part in the series of reports that provide a background and analysis, and most recent developments regarding broadband or high-speed Internet access. The report starts out by answering questions; what is broadband and why is it important? This report also discusses broadband technologies, the status of broadband deployment and the related policy issues, as well as the legislation in congress.
Date: May 8, 2006
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A. & Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE, or "Mad Cow Disease") in North America: A Chronology of Selected Events

Description: This report provides a chronology of selected events leading up to and following the discoveries of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or “mad cow disease”) in North America. These are primarily regulatory, legal, and congressional developments that are frequently referenced in the ongoing policy debate. The chronology does not contain entries for the introduction of the many BSE-related bills introduced into this or previous Congresses, except for those in recent years where committee or f… more
Date: November 8, 2005
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Roadless Areas: The Administration's Moratorium

Description: On February 12, 1999, the Forest service announced a moratorium on new road construction in many roadless areas within the national Forest System. This measure is temporary (up to 18 moths) while national Forest transportation policy revision is being debated. areas protected by the moratorium include roadless areas of at least 5,000 acres, of at least 1,000 acres if contiguous to other roadless areas. However, the moratorium exempts 9 national forests with recently revised management plans and… more
Date: April 8, 1999
Creator: Gorte, Ross W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Environmental Reauthorizations and Regulatory Reform: From the 104th Congress to the 106th

Description: The 104th Congress pursued efforts to reform environmental regulations on several fronts: (1) revising regulatory decision making processes; (2) attaching specific reforms to funding bills; (3) establishing a House corrections day calendar of bills addressing specific regulatory problems; and (4) incorporating regulatory reforms into individual program reauthorization bills. The 105th Congress has pursued regulatory reform in four primary directions: (1) proposals to establish a comprehensive c… more
Date: January 8, 1999
Creator: Blodgett, John E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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