Congressional Research Service Reports - 25 Matching Results
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- Presidential Permit Review for Cross-Border Pipelines and Electric Transmission
- This report discusses the Presidential Permit review processes for cross-border energy infrastructure as implemented by these agencies: The Department of State for pipelines and similar facilities that transport liquids such as petroleum, petroleum products, and other hazardous liquids; The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for natural gas pipelines and associated facilities; and The Department of Energy (DOE) for electricity transmission lines and associated facilities. This report compares practices among these three agencies with respect to how they define a proposed project's scope (which dictates the array of associated impacts they will review), conduct environmental reviews, and make final decisions on permit applications. It also includes a discussion of recent efforts by Congress to change those permitting processes.
- Supersonic Transports, U.S and foreign -- A legislative history
- This report discusses the aircraft which would carry the passengers faster than the speed of sound.
- Earthquake Risk and U.S. Highway Infrastructure: Frequently Asked Questions
- This report addresses a number of frequently asked questions about earthquake risk and highway system components, especially bridges. Earthquakes and related events, such as soil liquefaction, landslides, tsunamis, flooding, and fires, pose risks to highway infrastructure. Concerns about the U.S. highway system's seismic vulnerability stem from interest in protecting public safety, facilitating response and recovery efforts, and minimizing economic loss and social disruption.
- Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD): FY2008 Appropriations
- This report is a guide to one of the regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the Subcommittees on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. It summarizes the current legislative status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related legislative activity.
- Highway Finance: RABA’s Double-edged Sword
- This report discusses a possible reduction in federal highway program spending. Congress has chosen to overrule provisions of law that would have reduced the FY2003 spending level to $23.2 billion, and has instead settled on $31.8 billion, the same as the FY2002 level.
- Highway Bridges: Conditions and the Federal/State Role
- This report examines the federal and state roles in the maintenance, inspection, reconstruction, and replacement of the nation's highway bridge infrastructure, as well as the emergency response and reconstruction role of the Department of Transportation.
- Overview of the Air Carrier Access Act
- This report briefly discusses the Air Carrier Access Act's (ACAA) statutory provisions, accompanying regulations, relevant judicial opinions, and legislation in the 110th Congress.
- Piracy off the Horn of Africa
- This report discusses recent pirate attacks on vessels, including United States vessels, in the waters off the Horn of Africa. The Horn of Africa is sometimes called the Somali Peninsula and includes the nations of Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Somalia. This report explores reasons behind the increased number of pirate attacks in recent years, as well as what efforts are being taken to combat said attacks, including those by the 111th Congress and President Obama and his Administration.
- Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD): FY2009 Appropriations
- This report is a guide to one of the regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the Subcommittees on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. It summarizes the current legislative status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related legislative activity. The report lists the key CRS staff relevant to the issues covered and related CRS products.
- Highway Bridge Conditions: Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the nation's transportation infrastructure in general, and in particular the federal role in funding, building, maintaining, and ensuring the safety of roads and especially bridges in the United States.
- Alternative Fuels and Advanced Technology Vehicles: Issues in Congress
- Alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles are seen by proponents as integral to improving urban air quality, decreasing dependence on foreign oil, and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. However, major barriers—especially economics—currently prevent the widespread use of these fuels and technologies. The 112th Congress has debated alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles directly and as it has addressed other key topics. On June 16, 2011 the Senate approved S.Amdt. 476 which would have eliminated the excise tax credit for blending ethanol in gasoline before its December 31, 2011 expiration date. Although the underlying legislation failed a cloture vote in the Senate, the amendment was approved 73-27. The prospects for further action increasing or extending biofuels and alternative fuels tax incentives may be limited in light of that vote.
- Navy LPD-17 Amphibious Ship Procurement: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress
- The Navy's FY2011-FY2015 shipbuilding plan calls for procuring an 11th and final San Antonio (LPD-17) class amphibious ship in FY2012. This report discusses the procurement cost estimates of this ship, as well as related issues for Congress.
- Piracy: A Legal Definition
- Pirate attacks in the waters off the Horn of Africa, including those on U.S.-flagged vessels, have brought continued U.S. and international attention to the long-standing problem of piracy in the region. A recent development in one of the piracy trials in Norfolk, VA, has highlighted a potential limitation in the definition of piracy under the United States Code. This report first examines the historical development of the offense of piracy, as defined by Congress and codified in the United States Code. The focus then turns to how contemporary international agreements define piracy. Finally, the report highlights a recent federal district court ruling that the offense of piracy under 18 U.S.C. § 1651 requires a robbery at sea.
- Homeland Security: Coast Guard Operations--Background and Issues for Congress
- In response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Coast Guard significantly increased homeland-security operations to protect U.S. ports and waterways from potential maritime terrorist threats. The Coast Guard accomplished this in part by diverting resources from other missions. Increased requirements for homeland-security operations after September 11 appear to have added to a pre-existing tension between Coast Guard mission responsibilities and available resources. The Coast Guard's new homeland-security operations raise potential issues for Congress regarding the adequacy of Coast Guard assets and funding, the Coast Guard's legal authorities, the Coast Guard's location within the executive branch, and coordination between the Coast Guard and other agencies.
- Homeland Security: Coast Guard Operations - Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the Coast Guard's new homeland-security operations in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, which raise potential issues for Congress regarding the adequacy of Coast Guard assets and funding, the Coast Guard’s legal authorities, the Coast Guard’s location within the executive branch, and coordination between the Coast Guard and other agencies.
- Homeland Security: Coast Guard Operations - Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the Coast Guard's new homeland-security operations in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, which raise potential issues for Congress regarding the adequacy of Coast Guard assets and funding, the Coast Guard’s legal authorities, the Coast Guard’s location within the executive branch, and coordination between the Coast Guard and other agencies.
- Homeland Security: Coast Guard Operations - Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the Coast Guard's new homeland-security operations in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, which raise potential issues for Congress regarding the adequacy of Coast Guard assets and funding, the Coast Guard’s legal authorities, the Coast Guard’s location within the executive branch, and coordination between the Coast Guard and other agencies.
- Tax Incentives for Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Vehicles
- No Description Available.
- Coast Guard Deepwater Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- The Deepwater program is a $24-billion, 25-year acquisition program to replace or modernize 93 Coast Guard ships and 207 Coast Guard aircraft. The Coast Guard’s FY2006 budget requests $966 million for the program. Some Members of Congress have strongly criticized the Deepwater program on several grounds. The House version of H.R. 2360, the FY2006 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill, reduces the FY2006 Deepwater funding request to $500 million; the Senate version reduces it to $905.6 million.
- Transportation Issues in the 108th Congress
- No Description Available.
- Transportation Issues in the 108th Congress
- No Description Available.
- The Harbor Maintenance Tax and the 106th Congress
- Prior to 1986, general funds of the U.S. treasury were used to pay 65% of the cost to operate ocean and inland ports and to maintain and deepen their channels. The other 35 percent is paid by ports, or by state or local governments. In 1986, Congress enacted the Harbor Maintenance Tax and used the revenues to provide some of the funds for what has come to be considered the federal portion of such costs
- Amtrak and Energy Conservation: Background and Selected Public Policy Issues
- A rationale for federal financial support to Amtrak has been that rail service conserves energy, compared to other forms of intercity passenger transportation. The numbers discussed in this report suggest that the rationale might not be valid with regard to autos and buses. The report discusses some public policy implications that could follow from that conclusion.
- Maritime Security: Overview of Issues
- No Description Available.
- Japanese Lobbying and U.S. Automobile Policy
- This report surveys U.S. automobile policy in the 1980s in order to clarify the effects of foreign lobbying. The conclusion is that the success of Japanese and other foreign lobbying on automobile policy has been mixed. Some decisions have gone their way; others have not. Their success is partly because they have aligned their efforts with those of powerful domestic interests.