Congressional Research Service Reports - 69 Matching Results
Search Results
- U.S. Sanctions on Russia
- This report provides a comprehensive overview of U.S. sanctions against Russia. It provides an overview of U.S. sanctions authorities and tools; describes various sanctions regimes that have been used and entities or that are available for this purpose, addressing authorities, tools, targets, and historical context; briefly discusses countersanctions by Russia; addresses the evolution of U.S. coordination with the European Union; and assesses the economic impact of sanctions on Russia at the level of the national economy and individual firms.
- 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. It outlines the various sanctions against Iran and their current implementation status, international efforts to bring about compliance, and their effects; it also addresses recent discussions regarding President's Trump announcement that the U.S. was decertifying the nuclear agreement and the possibility of reinstating certain sanctions.
- Who's the Boss at the CFPB?
- This report discusses an ongoing dispute over who the new acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is following the resignation of the past director on Nov. 24., 2017. President Trump appointed Mick Mulvaney as the acting director, but the past director had already appointed Leandra English who has filed a lawsuit and asked for a temporary restraining order preventing Mulvaney from performing the duties of director. This report outlines the merits of the case and the President's power to fill vacancies under the Vacancies Act.
- State Innovation Waivers: Frequently Asked Questions
- This report answers nine frequently asked questions about the State Innovation Waiver program under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that allows states to obtain waivers from certain areas of the program and instead use their own state run processes.
- Presidential Pardons: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- This report provides a general overview of the pardon power and briefly addresses a few frequently-asked legal questions concerning its scope and application, such as: whether the President can issue a "prospective pardon, pardon himself or issue "secret" pardons, whether the acceptance of a pardon is an admission of guilt, and whether Congress can regulate the President's pardon power.
- Update: The Microsoft Ireland Decision: U.S. Appeals Court Rules that ECPA does not Require Internet Service Providers to Produce Electronic Communications Stored Overseas
- This report discusses the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in the case of "Microsoft Corporation v. United States" where the court ruled that the U.S. could not enforce a subpoena asking Microsoft to retrieve emails stored on a server in Ireland. On June 28, 2017 the United States filed for reversal of the decision through a writ of certiorari in the Supreme Court.
- Body Armor for Law Enforcement Officers: In Brief
- This report contains an overview of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Initiative (BPV program). It also provides a discussion of data on law enforcement agencies that require their officers to wear armor vests while on duty, research on why officers may choose to wear armor vests, research on the life cycle for armor vests, data on the use of body armor by law enforcement officers who were killed with a firearm, and research on the effectiveness of armor vests.
- Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations
- This report includes information regarding Thailand, its background, and relations with the United States. Sections include security and regional relations.
- The Debt Limit: CRS Experts
- This report contains the names and contact information for CRS experts on policy concerns relating to the debt limit and legislative proposals to raise the debt limit.
- FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: Wyoming
- This In Focus provides an overview of the assistance provided to Wyoming by the FEMA DRF (Disaster Relief Fund) from 2002-2013.
- Appropriations and Fund Transfers in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
- The report is categorized into three categories: (I) Mandated Appropriations and Fund Transfers, (II) Discretionary Funding and (III) CRS Products.
- Constitutional Implications of State GE Food Labeling Laws
- This report analyzes three constitutional provisions relevant to state GE food labeling laws, the First Amendment, the Supremacy Clause, and the Commerce Clause, by explaining the wider legal background of GE labeling as well the court's analysis of these constitutional issues in GMA v. Sorrell.
- Appropriations and Fund Transfers in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
- This report provides information about the mandatory appropriations and fund transfers in patient protection and ACA.
- FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: Louisiana
- This In Focus provides an overview of the assistance provided to Louisiana by the FEMA DRF (Disaster Relief Fund) from 2002-2013.
- FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: Alabama
- This In Focus provides an overview of the assistance provided to Alabama by the FEMA DRF (Disaster Relief Fund) from 2002-2013.
- Disability Retirement for Federal Employees
- This report is categorized into two categories: (I) Sick Leave and (II) Disability Retirement. Disability Retirement is further categorized into three categories such as (I) Civil Service Retirement System, (II) Federal Employees' Retirement System and (III) Federal Employees' Compensation Act.
- FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: Ohio
- This In Focus provides an overview of the assistance provided to Ohio by the FEMA DRF (Disaster Relief Fund) from 2002-2013.
- The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): An Overview
- This report is categorized into four categories: (I) Legislative History, (II) The Major Provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), (III) Administration of FMLA Leave and (IV) Enforcement of the FMLA.
- Federal Minimum Wage, Tax-Transfer Earnings Supplements, and Poverty
- This report focuses on the impact of minimum wage and tax-transfer earnings supplements for workers of different family types.
- FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: Oregon
- This In Focus provides an overview of the assistance provided to Oregon by the FEMA DRF (Disaster Relief Fund) from 2002-2013.
- FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: Pennsylvania
- This In Focus provides an overview of the assistance provided to Pennsylvania by the FEMA DRF (Disaster Relief Fund) from 2002-2013.
- Deductibility of Corporate Campaign Expenditures
- This report discusses Disallowance of Deduction for Political Expenditures and Constitutionality of IRC Section 162(e).
- FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: Minnesota
- This In Focus provides an overview of the assistance provided to Minnesota by the FEMA DRF (Disaster Relief Fund) from 2002-2013.
- Follow-On Biologics: Intellectual Property Issues
- This report discusses FDA Regulation of Biologics, Biosimilars and Regulatory Exclusivities, Patent Dispute Resolution and Current Issues.
- Dairy Farm Support: Legislative Proposals in the 112th Congress
- This report discusses the question of how federal policies deal with financial stress encountered by dairy farmers has led many in Congress to reconsider federal policy for supporting them.
- FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: Hawaii
- This In Focus provides an overview of the assistance provided to Hawaii by the FEMA DRF (Disaster Relief Fund) from 2002-2013.
- Cuba’s Offshore Oil Development: Background and U.S. Policy Considerations
- This report discusses Cuba's Offshore Oil Development. It points out about Cuba's Oil sector, Implications and Considerations for U.S. Policy and Legislative Initiatives and Oversight.
- The Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the 111th Congress: Conflicting Values and Difficult Choices
- The Endangered Species Act has been one of the more contentious environmental laws. This may stem from its strict substantive provisions, which can affect the use of both federal and nonfederal lands and resources. This report discusses oversight issues and legislation introduced in the 11th Congress to address Endangered Species Act implementation and management of endangered and threatened species.
- FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: North Dakota
- This In Focus provides an overview of the assistance provided to North Dakota by the FEMA DRF (Disaster Relief Fund) from 2002-2013.
- FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: South Dakota
- This In Focus provides an overview of the assistance provided to South Dakota by the FEMA DRF (Disaster Relief Fund) from 2002-2013.
- Israel: Possible Military Strike Against Iran’s Nuclear Facilities
- This report analyzes key factors that may influence Israeli political decisions relating to a possible strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.
- Campaign Finance: Potential Legislative and Policy Issues for the 111th Congress
- This report provides an overview of selected campaign finance policy issues that may receive, or have received, attention during the 111th congress. Congress continues to consider the supreme court's January 2,1, 2010, ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
- Child Well-Being and Noncustodial Fathers
- The structure of a family plays an important role in children's well-being. A contributing factor to the high rates of child poverty over the long-term, and the increase in child poverty during the period from 2001-2007, was the increasing likelihood of children living in families headed by a single female. This report covers information on the background including social and economic trends, selected federal programs, federal policy options, and related information.
- Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Its Role in U.S. Trade Policy
- This report discusses the role of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) in U.S. trade policy, from its inception as a legislative option in the early 1950s, to its core role as an alternative to import relief that many argue has served to promote the long-term U.S. trade liberalization agenda. It will also consider the extent to which TAA has been linked to both renewal of trade agreements authority, and passage of trade agreement implementing legislation.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Appropriations for FY2011
- This document provides the appropriations for FY2011. A comparison is shown in the amount of funding given throughout the years and how the President is wanting to decrease the funding presently (2011). The document continues to describe in detail the funding given for clean water and drinking water along with its changes. The appropriations for prominent issues such as, climate change, hazardous waste clean-up, and the restoration of The Great Lakes are also described.
- FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: Rhode Island
- This In Focus provides an overview of the assistance provided to Rhode Island by the FEMA DRF (Disaster Relief Fund) from 2002-2013.
- The American Opportunity Tax Credit: Overview, Analysis, and Policy Options
- The report discusses the american opportunity tax credit. It is categorized into four categories: (I) Current Law, (II) Legislative History, (III) Analysis and (IV) Policy options.
- Horse Slaughter Prevention Bills and Issues
- This report is about the issues and bill on horse slaughter prevention.
- The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant: An Introduction
- This report provides a nontechnical introduction to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant.
- Individual Development Accounts (IDAs): Background and Current Legislation for Federal Grant Programs to Help Low-Income Families Save
- This report describes IDA programs funded by two major federal grants: the Assets for Independence (AFI) Act of 1998 and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program created in the 1996 welfare reform law.
- Birthright Citizenship and Children Born in the United States to Alien Parents: An Overview of the Legal Debate
- This report provides a brief historical review of U.S. citizenship from the time of the founding through the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of 1868.
- Drug Testing and Crime-Related Restrictions in TANF, SNAP, and Housing Assistance
- This report describes and compares the drug- and crime-related policy restrictions contained in selected federal programs that provide assistance to low-income individuals and families: the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps), and the three primary federal housing assistance programs (the public housing program, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, and the project-based Section 8 rental assistance program).
- Iran, Gulf Security, and U.S. Policy
- This report discusses issues regarding Iran's political history and structure. It also takes a look at economic and defense policy responses for Congress.
- Intermediate-Level Blends of Ethanol in Gasoline, and the Ethanol "Blend Wall"
- This report discusses the growing interest in the potential for ethanol to displace petroleum as a transportation fuel, as well as related issues, including the current Clean Air Act (CAA) limitation on ethanol content in gasoline; the requests of ethanol producers for an increase of this limitation; and the effects the limitation has upon vehicle and engine warranties and the infrastructures of the automobile and fuel industries.
- Iran Sanctions
- This report analyzes U.S. and international sanctions against Iran. U.S. sanctions have been a major feature of U.S. Iran policy since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, but U.N. and worldwide bilateral sanctions on Iran are a relatively recent (post-2006) development.
- Nuclear Cooperation with Other Countries: A Primer
- This report discusses section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act (AEA), the specific requirements of which must be met in order for the United States to engage in civilian nuclear cooperation with other states. The AEA also provides for exemptions to these requirements, export control licensing procedures, and criteria for terminating cooperation.
- Agricultural Disaster Assistance
- This report has two sections. The first provides an overview of the current USDA disaster assistance programs: federal crop insurance, NAP payments, emergency disaster loans, the new Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE), and four other smaller disaster programs authorized in the 2008 farm bill. The second section reviews the recent history of emergency supplemental farm disaster assistance.
- America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (H.R. 5116) and the America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69): Selected Policy Issues
- This report provides background information on P.L. 110-69 and H.R. 5116, includes information about related legislative activity in the 111th Congress, and analyzes four policy issues addressed by these measures: (1) STEM Education, (2) Federal Research Programs and Activities, (3) Broadening Participation, and (4) Funding. It also discusses selected policy concerns identified in the debate about U.S. competitiveness and describes how H.R. 5116 responds to those concerns.
- The Defense Production Act of 1950: History, Authorities, and Reauthorization
- This report examines some of the history of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA), focusing primarily on its creation and most recent legislative reauthorization. It also discusses the foremost active authorities of the DPA.
- Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) Status for Russia and U.S.-Russian Economic Ties
- This report discusses the issues surrounding whether or not the U.S. should grant Russia permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) following its accession into the World Trade Organization (WTO).