Congressional Research Service Reports - 45 Matching Results

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Line Item Vetoes in the 105th Congress, First Session: A Finding Aid: No Description Available.
Points of Order, Rulings, and Appeals in the House of Representatives: No Description Available.
Privileged Business on the House Floor: Privileged business is the legislative business of the House that Members have a right to call up for consideration on the floor when the House is not engaged in considering some other matter. Privileged business consists of various kinds of bills, resolutions, and other matters
Questions of Privilege in the House: The House of Representatives distinguishes between privileged business and questions of privilege. Privileged business consists of those bills, resolutions, and other matters that Members can bring up for consideration on the House floor. These matters are privileged to interrupt the regular order of business that is defined in the House's rules. Questions of privilege constitute one form of privileged business. Clause 1 of House Rule IX recognizes two kinds of questions of privilege: questions of the privileges of the House, and questions of personal privilege.
Religious Persecution Abroad: Congressional Concerns and Actions: The 105 Congress has sought to raise the priority of combating religious persecution worldwide among U.S. foreign policy objectives. The difficulty has been in agreeing on legislation that would effectively deal with religious persecution without adversely affecting other important U.S. interests. On May 14, 1998, the House passed H.R. 2431 (the Freedom from Religious Persecution Act of 1998) establishing in the State Department a Director of the Office of Religious Persecution Monitoring who is to issue an annual report assessing religious persecution abroad. The legislation places sanctions on countries and groups that carry out or permit such activities. The Senate may soon consider S. 1868 establishing an office in the Department of State to monitor religious persecution headed by an Ambassador at Large and requiring the President to take some action from a broad list of options against countries found engaging in or tolerating religious persecution.
Bosnia Stabilization Force (SFOR) and U.S. Policy: In December 1995, a NATO-led implementation force (IFOR) was deployed to Bosnia to enforce the military aspects of the Bosnian peace agreement. After fierce debate, the House and Senate passed separate resolutions in December 1995 expressing support for the U.S. troops in Bosnia, although not necessarily for the mission itself. Legislative efforts to bar funds for the deployment of U.S. troops to Bosnia were narrowly rejected. In the 105th Congress, similar efforts to bar a U.S. deployment after June 1998 were also rejected, although the FY 1998 defense authorization and appropriations laws contain reporting requirements that must be fulfilled before an extended deployment may take place. The defense appropriation measure requires the President to seek a supplemental appropriation for any deployment after June 1998.
Agricultural Provisions in the FY1998 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 105-174): This report considers the agricultural funding allocated in the FY1998 supplemental appropriations bill.
Clean Water Act Issues in the 106th Congress: In the 106th Congress, no comprehensive activity on reauthorizing the Clean Water Act occurred, although a number of individual clean water bills were enacted. Other issues have been debated recently, such as reforming the law to provide regulatory relief for industry, states and cities, and individual landowners. The debate over many of these issues highlights differing views of the Act and its implementation by some who seek to strengthen existing requirements and others who believe that costs and benefits should be more carefully weighed before additional control programs are mandated.
Clean Water Act Reauthorization in the 105th Congress: In the 105th Congress, legislation to reauthorize the Clean Water Act was not been introduced, and no major House or Senate committee activity occurred. EPA and states' water quality inventories have identified wet weather flows (including agricultural runoff, urban storm water, and sewer overflows) as the largest remaining threat to water quality. EPA's clean water programs are now focusing to a large extent on solving wet weather pollution problems. These issues may be addressed legislatively, as well. At issue is whether and how to detail wet weather programs in the Act versus allowing flexibility that recognizes the site-specific nature of intermittent wet weather pollution.
Legislative Powers of Congress: A Brief Reference Guide: No Description Available.
Tracking Current Federal Legislation and Regulations: A Guide to Basic Sources: This report is a guide to basic sources useful in tracking federal legislation and regulations. It has been prepared primarily for the use of constituents who wish to follow the federal government's legislative or regulatory activities at the local level. Brief annotations for the selected printed, telephone, electronic, and related sources describe their scope, focus, and frequency, include publisher contact information, and provide Internet addresses where available.
Tracking Current Federal Legislation and Regulations: A Guide to Basic Sources: This report is a guide to basic sources useful in tracking federal legislation and regulations. It has been prepared primarily for the use of constituents who wish to follow the federal government's legislative or regulatory activities at the local level. Brief annotations for the selected printed, telephone, electronic, and related sources describe their scope, focus, and frequency, include publisher contact information, and provide Internet addresses where available.
China: Pending Legislation in the 105th Congress: The 105 Congress has been active on issues involving China. This report, which will be updated as developments occur, tracks pending human rights legislation, including bills concerning: prison conditions and prison labor exports; coercive abortion practices; China’s policies toward religion; and more general human rights issues.
China: Pending Legislation in the 105th Congress: This report tracks pending human rights legislation, including bills concerning: prison conditions and prison labor exports (H.R. 2195, H.R. 2358); coercive abortion practices (H.R. 2570); China’s policies toward religion (H.R. 967, H.R. 2431); and more general human rights issues (H.R. 2095). Other bills concern Taiwan — in particular, Taiwan’s entry into the World Trade Organization (H.Res. 190) and the U.S. role in helping Taiwan with a theater missile defense system (H.R. 2386). Also, legislation is pending on China’s missile proliferation activities (H.Res. 188), Radio Free Asia broadcasting to China (H.R. 2232), China’s participation in multilateral institutions (H.R. 1712, H.R. 2605), and the activities of China’s military and intelligence services (H.R. 2647, H.R. 2190).
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996: Guidance on Frequently Asked Questions: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 guarantees the availability and renewability of health insurance coverage for certain individuals. It permits a limited number of small businesses and self-employment individuals to establish tax-favored medical savings accounts, increases the tax deduction for health insurance for the self-employed, and amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat private long-term care policies the way health insurance policies and health care expenses are currently treated.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996: Guidance on Frequently Asked Questions: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 guarantees the availability and renewability of health insurance coverage for certain individuals. It permits a limited number of small businesses and self-employment individuals to establish tax-favored medical savings accounts, increases the tax deduction for health insurance for the self-employed, and amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat private long-term care policies the way health insurance policies and health care expenses are currently treated.
Congressional Overrides of Presidential Vetoes: The President’s veto is effective not only in preventing the passage of legislation undesirable to the President, but also as a threat, sometimes forcing Congress to modify legislation before it is presented to the President. However, as a veto threat is carried out, Congress is faced with choices: letting the veto stand, the difficult task of overriding the veto, meeting the President’s objections and sending a new bill forward, or resubmitting the same provisions under a new bill number.
The Presidential Veto and Congressional Procedure: No Description Available.
Holocaust-Related Legislation of the 105th Congress: This report lists, describes, and analyzes a selection of Holocaust-related bills and resolutions of the 105th Congress.
Fast-Track Trade Negotiating Authority: A Comparison of 105th Congress Legislative Proposals: This report provides a side-by-side comparison of H.R. 2621 and S. 2400, as reported, 105th Congress bills that would provide the President with trade negotiating authority and accord certain resulting agreements and implementing bills expedited -- or "fast-track" -- legislative consideration.
Fast-Track Trade Negotiating Authority: A Comparison of 105th Congress Legislative Proposals: This report provides a side-by-side comparison of the reported versions of H.R. 2621 and S. 1269, 105 Congress bills that would provide the President with trade negotiating authority and accord certain resulting agreements and implementing bills expedited -- or “fast-track” -- legislative consideration.
Congressional Budget Act Points of Order: Title III of the Congressional Budget Act (CBA) of 1974 (P.L. 93-344), as amended, establishes the points of order that are used to enforce congressional budget procedures and substantive provisions of a budget resolution. These points of order prohibit certain congressional actions and consideration of certain legislation.
The Congressional Budget Process Timetable: The Congressional Budget Act (CBA) of 1974 (P.L. 93-344), as amended, establishes the congressional budget process, which coordinates the legislative activities on the budget resolution, appropriations bills, reconciliation legislation, revenue measures, and other budgetary legislation. Section 300 of this act provides a timetable (see Table 1) so that Congress may complete its work on the budget by the start of the fiscal year on October 1.
Debt-Limit Legislation in the Congressional Budget Process: The gross federal debt consists of the debt held by the public plus the debt held by government accounts. Almost all of the gross federal debt is subject to a public debt limit, as set forth in statute (31 U.S.C. 3101).This report considers legislation needed to change the public debt limit.
Revenue Legislation in the Congressional Budget Process: Most of the laws establishing the federal government's revenue sources are permanent and continue year after year without any additional legislative action. Congress, however, typically enacts revenue legislation, changing some portion of the existing tax system, every year. Revenue legislation may include changes to individual and corporate income taxes, social insurance taxes, excise taxes, or tariffs and duties. Congressional consideration of revenue legislation is governed by various constitutional provisions and procedural rules.
Consumer Proposals in the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1998: H.R. 3150, 105th Congress, 2d Session (1998): This report is about the consumer proposal in the bankruptcy reform act of 1998
Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies: This is a directory of approximately 150 government agencies designed to assist congressional staff in contacting agencies of the legislative branch, cabinet departments and other executive branch agencies and boards and commissions. This directory contains names of congressional liaison officers, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and occasionally e-mail addresses. It is regularly updated each spring.
The Senate's Byrd Rule Against Extraneous Matter in Reconciliation Measures: Reconciliation is an expedited process under the 1974 Congressional Budget Act used to change mainly entitlement and revenue laws in order to implement budget resolution policies.
Environmental Protection Legislation in the 105th Congress: The 105th Congress enacted tax provisions relating to Superfund brownfields sites, transportation- and defense-related environmental provisions, a border smog bill, EPA funding as well as reinstating the tax that supports the Leaking Underground Storage Trust Fund. There were various actions on regulatory reform, the budget resolution, appropriations, highway- and defense-related environmental provisions, Superfund reform bills and underground storage tanks. It is too early to tell if these will be issues for the 106th Congress.
Censure of the President by the Congress: Exploring a possible compromise between an impeachment and taking no congressional action, certain Members of Congress and congressional commentators have suggested a congressional “censure” of the President to express the Congress’ disapproval of the President’s conduct which has been the subject of an ongoing independent counsel investigation. This report provides and overview and discussion of the legal basis and congressional precedents regarding a congressional “censure” of the President.
Solid Waste Issues in the 105th Congress: The 105th Congress adjourned without passing any legislation affecting solid waste management. Changes to the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) cleanup program and bills to exempt from hazardous waste management requirements certain wastes generated by remediation of old waste sites had been considered possible until late in the second session. The House passed changes to the LUST program (H.R. 688) on April 23, 1997. A comparable Senate bill (S. 555) was ordered reported, amended, September 23, 1998; but it never came to the floor.
The House Amendment Tree: This report discusses the House amendment tree, a chart that depicts the maximum number and types of amendments.
Trade Agreements: Renewing the Negotiating and Fast-Track Implementing Authority: Legislation authorizing the negotiation and, where required, fast-track implementation of trade agreements expired in early 1994. Action in the 104th Congress to renew the authority, prompted in part by the near-term prospect of the negotiation of a free-trade agreement with Chile, which might later be followed by other agreements, reached an impasse in late 1995 because of a disagreement between Congress and the Administration as to the inclusion of labor and environmental issues in agreements approved by fast-track procedure.
Economic Sanctions to Achieve U.S. Foreign Policy Goals: Discussion and Guide to Current Law: This report provides background on foreign policy sanctions and the events that might necessitate their use, criteria to consider when determining if sanctions are appropriate, approaches that might be effective, and aspects of the use of sanctions that are sometimes overlooked or not considered fully. The report also provides an uncomplicated map of where sanctions policies and options currently may be found in U.S. law.
Fax-on-Demand Services Available from Federal Government Agencies: This report provides information about the Fax-on-Demand Services Available from Federal Government Agencies where numerous associations and organizations are finding fax publishing an efficient way to distribute information to the public or targeted audience.
Child Nutrition Issues in the 105th Congress: This report covers proposed and enacted legislative initiatives to change child nutrition programs (including the WIC program) during 1997 and 1998.
Term Limits for Members of Congress: State Activity: No Description Available.
Constitution of the United States; Recent Writings: Bibliography-in-Brief: This bibliography contains recent publications discussing the history, development, and application of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
The New Vacancies Act: Congress Acts to Protect the Senate's Confirmation Prerogative: No Description Available.
Procedural Distinctions Between the House and the Committee of the Whole: No Description Available.
Special Rules and Waivers of House Rules: To the extent that a special rule is silent with respect to the terms for considering a measure, the standing rules of the House apply. The standing rules impose various limitations on consideration; however, it is not always in the interest of the House to observe these limitations. Therefore, special rules may sometimes include exemptions from one or more provisions of the standing rules, which appear in the form of waivers of those provisions.
Transfer of Missile and Satellite Technology to China: A Summary of H.Res. 463 Authorizing a House Select Committee: Report on trade between the U.S. and China of missile and satellite technology, including funding, how classified information is handled, jurisdictional concerns, and more.
The False Claims Act and Health Care Fraud: An Overview: The Federal False Claims Act provides for the judicial imposition of civil monetary penalties and treble damages for the knowing submission of false claims to the United States Government. This report contains information on the background of the Federal False Claims Act, current False Claims Act provisions, and health care fraud and the False Claims Act.
Census 2000: The Sampling Debate: This report summarizes legal actions of the efforts of the Bureau of Census to include two sample surveys into the 2000 census. This has resulted in a mix reaction from Congress.
Kosovo and U.S. Policy: No Description Available.

Congressional Research Service Reports - 45 Matching Results

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