Congressional Research Service Reports - 34 Matching Results

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EPA's Role in Emergency Planning and Notification at Chemical Facilities

Description: This report reviews the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) authorities regarding risk management, emergency planning, and release notification, among others, at chemical facilities. In doing so, it describes the statutory authorities--and makes note of some of the more prominent, subsequent regulations--as provided by the following: facility risk management planning requirements under Section 112(r)(7) of the Clean Air Act (CAA); emergency planning notification requirements under th… more
Date: September 18, 2017
Creator: Lattanzio, Richard K. & Bearden, David M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Disaster Assistance Response and Recovery Programs: Brief Summaries

Description: This report is designed to assist Members of Congress and their staff as they address the needs of their states, communities, and constituents after a disaster. It includes a summary of federal programs that provide federal disaster assistance to individual survivors, states, territories, local governments, and nongovernmental entities following a natural or man-made disaster.
Date: July 18, 2017
Creator: Torsell, Carolyn V. & Nagel, Jared C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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DHS Appropriations FY2016: Protection, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery

Description: This report is part of a suite of reports that discuss appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for FY2016. It specifically discusses appropriations for the components of DHS included in the third title of the homeland security appropriations bill--the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), the Office of Health Affairs (OHA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Date: April 18, 2016
Creator: Painter, William L.; Moteff, John D.; Lister, Sarah A.; Lindsay, Bruce R.; McCarthy, Francis X. & Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces: Facts and Issues

Description: This report provides basic information on the Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) task forces and presents some issues that might be addressed by Congress.
Date: August 18, 2006
Creator: Bea, Keith
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Hurricane Katrina: Medicaid Issues

Description: This report discusses the following: Medicaid’s rules on eligibility, benefits, and financing in the context of current questions and issues raised by Hurricane Katrina. Recent state actions in response to Medicaid issues raised by the hurricane. Federal Medicaid waiver authority, including information on current activity in this area and the New York Disaster Relief Medicaid waiver granted in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks. Current federal legislation related to Medicaid and Hu… more
Date: November 18, 2005
Creator: Baumrucker, Evelyne P.; Grady, April; Hearne, Jean P. & Herz, Elicia J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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FEMA's Disaster Declaration Process: A Primer

Description: This report discusses the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (referred to as the Stafford Act - 42 U.S.C. 5721 et seq.), which authorizes the President to issue "major disaster" or "emergency" declarations before or after catastrophes occur. It includes a description of the declaration process, Presidential and gubernatorial discretion, preliminary damage assessments, and factors for public or individual assistance in major disaster declarations, with concluding obs… more
Date: March 18, 2010
Creator: McCarthy, Francis X.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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FEMA's Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program: Overview and Issues

Description: This report discusses Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM), "Project Impact," and related legislative issues that Congress currently faces. PDM, as federal law and a program activity, began in 1997. Congress established a pilot program, which FEMA named "Project Impact," to test the concept of investing prior to disasters to reduce the vulnerability of communities to future disasters. From its beginnings as "Project Impact" to its current state, the PDM program has grown in its level of appropriated r… more
Date: February 18, 2010
Creator: McCarthy, Francis X.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The U.S. Tsunami Program: A Brief Overview

Description: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) National Weather Service (NWS) manages two tsunami warning centers that monitor, detect, and issue warnings for tsunamis. This report discusses these centers, which monitor and evaluate data from seismic networks and determine if a tsunami is likely based on the location, magnitude, and depth of an earthquake.
Date: March 18, 2015
Creator: Folger, Peter
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Peacekeeping/Stabilization and Conflict Transitions: Background and Congressional Action on the Civilian Response/Reserve Corps and other Civilian Stabilization and Reconstruction Capabilities

Description: This report provides background information relating to the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS) in the Office of the Secretary of State. This office was created in mid-2004 as part of the Bush Administration's efforts to develop adequate civilian organizational structures, procedures, and personnel to respond effectively to post-conflict, "stabilization and reconstruction" situations, most especially in Afghanistan and Iran. This report also discusses proposal… more
Date: September 18, 2008
Creator: Serafino, Nina M. & Weiss, Martin A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Project BioShield Act: Issues for the 113th Congress

Description: This report provides a brief overview of the Project BioShield authorities and appropriations, identifies the medical countermeasures obtained through Project BioShield, reviews the relationship between Project BioShield and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and discusses policy issues for congressional policy makers and related legislation in the 113th Congress.
Date: June 18, 2014
Creator: Gottron, Frank
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Earthquakes: Risk, Detection, Warning, and Research

Description: Report that discusses: earthquake hazards and risk in the United States, federal programs that support earthquake monitoring, the U.S. capability to detect earthquakes and issue notifications and warnings, and federally supported research to improve the fundamental scientific understanding of earthquakes with a goal of reducing U.S. vulnerability.
Date: July 18, 2013
Creator: Folger, Peter
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Public Health and Medical Emergency Management: Issues in the 112th Congress

Description: This report summarizes key issues in domestic public health and medical preparedness and response, and discusses selected federal programs by citing other CRS reports and sources of additional information.
Date: February 18, 2011
Creator: Lister, Sarah A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Evacuation Policy: Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses federal evacuation policy and analyzes potential lessons learned from the evacuations of individuals in response to the Gulf Coast hurricanes of 2005. Several issue areas that might arise concerning potential lawmaking and oversight on evacuation policy are also highlighted.
Date: January 18, 2011
Creator: Lindsay, Bruce R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Disaster Recovery Programs: Brief Summaries

Description: This report summarizes principal federal disaster assistance programs for possible use by Members of Congress and their staff in helping address the needs of constituents. A number of federal agencies provide assistance to individual victims; state, territorial, and local governments; and non-governmental entities, following a disaster.
Date: March 18, 2008
Creator: Jordan, Mary
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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FEMA's Disaster Declaration Process: A Primer

Description: The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (referred to as the Stafford Act - 42 U.S.C. 5721 et seq.) authorizes the President to issue "major disaster" or "emergency" declarations before or after catastrophes occur. Emergency declarations trigger aid that protects property, public health, and safety and lessens or averts the threat of an incident becoming a catastrophic event. A major disaster declaration, issued after catastrophes occur, constitutes broader authority … more
Date: May 18, 2011
Creator: McCarthy, Francis X.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Earthquakes: Risk, Detection, Warning, and Research

Description: This report discusses the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP), a program under which the federal government supports efforts to assess and monitor earthquake hazards and risk in the United States. This report also discusses earthquake hazards and risk in the United States; federal programs that support earthquake monitoring; the U.S. capability to detect earthquakes and issue notifications and warnings; and federally supported research to improve the fundamental scientific und… more
Date: March 18, 2011
Creator: Folger, Peter
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Tsunami Programs: A Brief Overview

Description: This report discusses U.S. warning systems and related disaster management programs in place to prepare for and react to tsunamis. This issue is discussed in relation to the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan.
Date: March 18, 2011
Creator: Folger, Peter
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Flooding in Pakistan: Overview and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the recent widespread flooding in Pakistan, which has affected about 20 million Pakistanis. U.S. interest in the flooding stems from the significant humanitarian and economic implications for Pakistan, and the security implications for U.S. interests in the region.
Date: November 18, 2010
Creator: Kronstadt, K. Alan; Sheikh, Pervaze A. & Vaughn, Bruce
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financing Recovery from Large-Scale Natural Disasters

Description: Two important issues before Congress are (1) securing the nation's capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover/rebuild from natural catastrophe events, and (2) determining whether and how the federal government should intervene in catastrophe insurance markets. This report focuses on this issue at length, taking into consideration the Gulf Coast hurricanes of 2004 and 2005; a sequence of tornadoes, wildfire, earthquakes, Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, and the 2008 Midwestern floods; and the fi… more
Date: November 18, 2008
Creator: King, Rawle O.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Immigration Policies and Issues on Health-Related Grounds for Exclusion

Description: This report discusses the criteria that foreign nationals must meet before admission to the United States, including the reasons why a foreign national might be denied admission, most particularly on health-related grounds. This report discusses such issues in relation to the recent outbreak of the 2009 H1N1 ("swine flu") virus, and how the outbreak has affected various government agencies, such as the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). … more
Date: May 18, 2009
Creator: Haddal, Chad C. & Wasem, Ruth Ellen
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding

Description: The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, also known as fire grants or the FIRE Act grant program, was established by the FY2001 National Defense Authorization Act. The fire grant program is now in its ninth year. Over $4.8 billion has been appropriated to the fire grant program since FY2001. This report discusses the inception of this program, as well as current supplemental legislation and proposed funding, which is already projected to provoke negative criticism from the fire commu… more
Date: June 18, 2009
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Homeland Security: Establishment and Implementation of the United States Northern Command

Description: The Department of Defense (DOD) established U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) to fight terrorism at home. Significant organizational and procedural progress has been made in setting up this organization. However, questions remain concerning interagency relationships and information sharing.
Date: August 18, 2006
Creator: Bowman, Steve
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Homeland Security: Establishment and Implementation of the United States Northern Command

Description: This report discusses the U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), which was established by the Department of Defense (DOD) to fight terrorism at home. Significant organizational and procedural progress has been made in setting up this organization. However, questions remain concerning interagency relationships and information sharing.
Date: August 18, 2006
Creator: Bowman, Steven R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Emergency Management and Homeland Security Organization: Historical Developments and Legislative Options

Description: This report provides background information about the establishment and evolution of federal emergency management and related homeland security organization since 1950. Post-Katrina assessments of current arrangements by Congress and the White House are also discussed. Finally, the report provides a brief summary of related legislation that had been introduced as of July 17, 2006.
Date: July 18, 2006
Creator: Hogue, Henry B. & Bea, Keith
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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