Congressional Research Service Reports - 552 Matching Results
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- Defense Primer: United States Airpower
- This report provides an overview of the airpower of the United States military. This includes the U.S. Air Force, and Army, Naval, and Marine Corps aviation.
- Defense Primer: The United States Air Force
- This report provides an overview of U.S. Air Force operations.
- Tribal Broadband: Status of Deployment and Federal Funding Programs
- This report discusses federal funding for tribal broadband, and whether or not it is sufficient. Native American tribal areas and communities tend to lag behind other areas and segments of American society with respect to broadband and telecommunications services.
- Supreme Court Appointment Process: Senate Debate and Confirmation Vote
- This report provides information and analysis related to the final stage of the confirmation process for a nomination to the Supreme Court--the consideration of the nomination by the full Senate, including floor debate and the vote on whether to approve the nomination.
- Labor Enforcement Issues in U.S. FTAs
- This report discusses labor enforcement in free trade agreements (FTAs), U.S. labor disputes, and issues for Congress to consider.
- Nord Stream 2: A Geopolitical Lightning Rod
- This report discusses the natural gas pipeline project, Nord Stream 2, that would allow Germany to increase the amount of natural gas it imports directly from Russia via the Baltic Sea, which has been criticized by President Trump.
- Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act: An Overview of H.R. 5515
- This report discusses the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which would authorize $708.1 billion in discretionary appropriations for national defense-related activities of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and other agencies. The bill (H.R. 5515) would authorize $16 billion (2.3%) more than the amount authorized by the FY2018 NDAA (P.L. 115-91) and match the amount requested by the Administration.
- Military Service Records, Awards, and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources
- This report provides information on locating military unit histories and individual service records of discharged, retired, and deceased military personnel. It also provides information on locating and replacing military awards and medals as well as contact information for military history centers, websites for additional sources of research, and a bibliography of other publications, including related CRS reports.
- Serbia: Background and U.S. Relations
- This report provides an overview of Serbia and its governmental structure, economy, and foreign relations with the U.S., Kosovo, Turkey, Russia, and the EU.
- Iran Sanctions
- This report discusses U.S. sanctions against Iran and the 2016 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear agreement which led to the lifting of sanctions based on nuclear proliferation in Iran. The bulk of the report outlines the various sanctions against Iran and their current implementation status, international efforts to bring about compliance, and their effects. Recent discussions regarding President's Trump announcement that the U.S. was decertifying the nuclear agreement and the possibility of reinstating certain sanctions are also discussed.
- Navy Columbia (SSBN-826) Class Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Columbia-class program, a program to design and build a new class of 12 ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to replace the Navy's current force of 14 Ohio-class SSBNs. The program was previously known as the Ohio replacement program (ORP) or SSBN(X) program. The Navy has identified the Columbia-class program as the Navy's top priority program. The Navy wants to procure the first Columbia-class boat in FY2021. The Navy's proposed FY2019 budget requests $3,005.3 million in advance procurement (AP) funding and $704.9 million in research and development funding for the program
- How to Develop and Write a Grant Proposal
- This report is intended for members and staff assisting grant seekers in districts and states and covers writing proposals for both government and private foundation grants.
- White House-Congress Relationships: Information Exchange and Lobbying
- This paper examines the purpose and evolution of White House lobbying from 1921 to 1978, and major controversies affiliated with lobbying.
- The United States Supreme Court Justices, 1789-1971: Period of Service Prior Judicial Experience
- This report is a description about the supreme court justices in the United States.
- Summary of Major Provisions of the Older Americans Act of 1965, As Amended: Development of Major Amendments, 1965-1974
- This report outlines the major provisions of the Older Americans Act of 1965, and the amendments added to it later.
- Counterforce and Countervalue Options Compared: A Military Analysis Related to Nuclear Deterrence
- This report was created to provide a frame of reference to evaluate the virtues of counterforce and countervalue concepts and capabilities as they pertain to United States nuclear deterrence.
- A Legislative History of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, As Amended
- This report describes the legislative history of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and following amendments as well as the subsequent effects of such legislation.
- The Killing of Baby Seals
- This report is a response to a mail campaign concerning a letter published about the killing of baby seals in Canada.
- The Supreme Court, 1970-1971 Term-January 26 to March 29 1971
- This report is the fourth report on the 1970-1971 term of the United States Supreme Court. They were created as a response to requests for analyses of individual Supreme Court decisions or series of decisions.
- Calling of a Federal Constitutional Convention by State Petition
- This report is a bibliography of published materials concerning the calling of a Federal constitutional convention via state petition.
- New Towns: A Select List of References, 1969-1971
- This report is a bibliography of references on new towns created in the United States.
- The District of Columbia Home Rule Issue With Special Reference to the 93rd Congress
- This report is an overview of some of the issues regarding local government in the District of Columbia, and two separate bills concerning home rule.
- Federal Income Tax Treatment of Capital Gains: A Legislative History and Summary of Issues and Proposals, With a Selected Bibliography
- This report details the current law, historical summary of major revisions in the law, issues in, and proposed revisions to the federal income tax treatment of capital gains.
- Covert Action and Clandestine Activities of the Intelligence Community: Selected Notification Requirements in Brief
- This report discusses the requirements for notifying Congress of covert action and clandestine activities of the intelligence community and activities of the military. These requirements originated from instances in the 1970s when media disclosure of past intelligence abuses underscored reasons for Congress taking a more active role in oversight. Over time, these requirements were written into statute or became custom.
- Section 201 Safeguards on Solar Products and Washing Machines
- This report discusses new U.S. tariffs on solar energy related products and certain large residential washing machines which are intended to safeguard American businesses from foreign competition temporarily while they adjust production levels and methods.
- Banking Policy Issues in the 115th Congress
- This report provides an overview of banking related issues of interest to the 115th Congress.
- U.S. Army Weapons-Related Directed Energy (DE) Programs: Background and Potential Issues for Congress
- This report discusses U.S. military research and development programs related to directed energy (DE) weapons which utilize electromagnetic energy rather than kinetic energy. This report examines the two most prevalent types of DE weapons: High Energy Lasers (HELs) and High Powered Microwaves (HPMs).
- Defense Primer: A Guide for New Members
- This report provides a brief description of Congress and the executive branches' relations with the military and defense department and a brief overview of the structure, roles, and needs of the military and defense communities.
- Marine Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV): Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the development and procurement of the Marine Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) and the FY2019 budget request for the ACV program.
- Millennium Challenge Corporation
- This report describes the structure, purpose, and funding of the Millennium Challenge Fund.
- How Hard Should it Be to Bring a Class Action?
- This report discusses the process of bringing a class action suit and the requirements plaintiffs are required to prove before one may be brought.
- The Latest on the SEC's Consideration of the Proposed Acquisition of Chicago Stock Exchange
- This report is an update of an earlier report regarding the SEC's consideration of a rule change regarding the proposed acquisition of the Chicago Stock Exchange by a group of Chinese investors with ties to the Chinese government. The SEC disapproved the rule change due to a lack of documentation on the funding sources of some investors and the deal was called off on March 5, 2018.
- District Court Enjoins DACA Phase-out: Explanation and Takeaways
- This report is an update of a previous report regarding DACA's phase-out and discusses court injunctions preventing the the phase-out of DACA benefits for those already enrolled and a decision by a Maryland federal court which prevents the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using personal information found in DACA applications for law enforcement purposes except by permission of the court in uses needed for national security, public safety, or the public interest.
- Unemployment Insurance: Consequences of Changes in State Unemployment Compensation Laws
- This report analyzes recent changes to state Unemployment Compensation (UC) programs. Two categories of UC state law issues are considered: changes in the duration of state UC unemployment benefits and (changes in the UC weekly benefit amount. Overall, the two types of changes to state UC laws and programs have consequences for the duration and amount of unemployment benefits. This report describes these changes and analyzes their consequences for UC, EUC08 (when it was authorized), and EB benefits. It will be updated, as needed, to reflect additional state UC changes.
- Financial Regulation: Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations and the Financial CHOICE Act (H.R. 10)
- This report discusses the Financial CHOICE Act (H.R. 10) and the FY 2018 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Bill (H.R. 3354, Division D). The Senate Appropriations Committee released an FY2018 FSGG chairmen's mark on November 20, 2017, but further action has yet to occur on the bill. Much of the federal government, including agencies covered by FSGG appropriations, has been operating for the first part of FY2018 under a continuing resolution effective through December 8, 2017.
- Efforts to Address Seasonal Agricultural Import Competition in the NAFTA Renegotiation
- This report discusses a proposal by the U.S. in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiations that would allow U.S. agricultural producers of certain fruits and vegetables to more easily file an injury claim regarding imports from Mexico. It includes details regarding the proposal, Mexican produce imports statistics, and arguments for and against the proposal.
- Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy
- This report discusses the refugee admissions process and refugee number caps for the 2018 fiscal year. For FY2018, the worldwide refugee ceiling is 45,000. The FY2018 regional allocations are, as follows: Africa (19,000), East Asia (5,000), Europe and Central Asia (2,000), Latin America/Caribbean (1,500), and Near East/South Asia (17,500). Refugee admissions in FY2017 totaled 53,716.
- Defense Primer: Department of Defense Maintenance Depots
- This report discusses the Department of Defense's (DOD) maintenance depots which provide dedicated equipment repair for the military's vehicles, weapons systems, and electronics and provides the locations and services of each depot divided by each military service.
- Update: What Constitutes "Sexual Abuse of a Minor" For Immigration Purposes
- This report provides an update of an earlier report from April 6, 2017, providing the final decision by the Supreme Court in the case of "Esquivel-Quintana v. Sessions". The case concerned the question of whether an immigrant alien who was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor where the minor was under 18 but at least 16 (in this case statutory rape in California between a 21 year old male and a 17 year female) was removable for an aggravated felony under immigration law. The Supreme Court ruled that the immigration law required the victim be under 16 before the removal of an alien for an aggravated felony would be allowable.
- Implementation of Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Amendments (P.L. 114-182)
- This report summarizes select EPA actions to implement the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) amendments over the past year since their passage on June 22, 2016 as a part of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for 21st Century Act (P.L. 114-182). Brief discussions and lists of various chemicals that are being evaluated or have been evaluated under the law are included.
- Division A of H.R. 3922: The CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act
- This report summarizes provisions in Division A of the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act. Division A would extend funding for several public health programs that had received directed appropriations through FY2017. It would also make a number of changes to these programs and would provide offsets for the proposed funding extensions. The House passed the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act on November 3, 2017, by a vote of 242 to 174. CRS Report R44989, "Comparison of the Bills to Extend State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Funding", summarizes provisions in Division B.
- When an Agency's Budget Request Does Not Match the President's Request: The Fiscal Year 2018 CFTC Request and "Budget Bypass"
- This report discuses two competing 2018 fiscal year budget requests for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) from President Trump and from the CFTC themselves. The Presidential request is $250 million, which is the same amount the CFTC had the past year, while CFTC is requesting an additional $31.5 million in funding for a total request of $ 281.5 million. The process of submitting budgets to the President and Congress is discussed as well as ways to reconcile the two conflicting budget requests.
- Child Welfare Funding in Brief: Fiscal Year 2017 Final Funding and the President's Fiscal Year 2018 Request.
- This report discusses the 2017 fiscal year appropriations received for child welfare programs and the fiscal year 2018 budge request for the same.
- Trump Administration Releases First Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions
- This report discusses the issuing of President Trump's first Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions on July 20, 2017 and changes in terminology in this report from previous ones.
- Six Justice Court to Decide Liability of Officials for Post 9/11 Detention
- This report discusses a Supreme Court case regarding whether men detained after 9/11 by federal authorities can sue the individual officials involved in their arrest and detainment that was due to be heard by a six justice court due to the death of Justice Scalia and the recusements of two other justices.
- Introduction to the Legislative Process in the U.S. Congress
- This report introduces the main steps through which a bill (or other item of business) may travel in the legislative process--from introduction to committee and floor consideration to possible presidential consideration. However, the process by which a bill can become law is rarely predictable and can vary significantly from bill to bill. In fact, for many bills, the process will not follow the sequence of congressional stages that are often understood to make up the legislative process.This report presents a look at each of the common stages through which a bill may move, but complications and variations abound in practice.
- Gun Control: Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Other Initiatives
- This report chronicles the FY2017 appropriations cycle for ATF and other gun control initiatives, including legislative histories for several ATF funding limitations related to firearms. It also includes discussion of year-to-year data trends that could affect ATF workloads, such as the number and type of federal firearms licensees (FFLs), growth in the civilian gun stock, and firearms-related violent crime.
- Filibusters and Cloture in the Senate
- This report discusses filibusters and the use of cloture to end them in the Senate. In regards to cloture it concentrates on the operation of cloture under the general provisions of Senate Rule XXII, paragraph 2, though it also identifies key modifications to its application in recent years.
- Unfunded Mandates Reform Act: History, Impact, and Issues
- This report examines debates over what constitutes an unfunded federal mandate and the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act's (UMRA) implementation. It focuses on UMRA's requirement that CBO issue written cost estimate statements for federal mandates in legislation, its procedures for raising points of order in the House and Senate concerning unfunded federal mandates in legislation, and its requirement that federal agencies prepare written cost estimate statements for federal mandates in rules. It also assesses UMRA's impact on federal mandates and arguments concerning UMRA's future, focusing on UMRA's definitions, exclusions, and exceptions that currently exempt many federal actions with potentially significant financial impacts on nonfederal entities. An examination of the rise of unfunded federal mandates as a national issue and a summary of UMRA's legislative history are provided in Appendix A. Citations to UMRA points of order raised in the House and Senate are provided in Appendix B.
- Recess Appointments Made by President Barack Obama
- This report identifies recess appointments made by President Obama. The report discusses these recess appointments in the context of recess appointment authorities and practices generally, and it provides related statistics. Congressional actions to prevent recess appointments prior to and during the Obama presidency, the President's unconstitutional appointments, and the judiciary's response are discussed in more detail in an appendix to the report. Additional information concerning recess appointments by President George W. Bush, general recess appointment practices, and legal issues pertaining to judicial recess appointments in particular may be found in other CRS reports.