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The Pros and Cons of Compulsory Arbitration
This report
The issue of fair trade
This report presents various issues on fair trade like goods, prices etc.
Federal financial regulatory agency reform: monetary policy operations
This report presents provides a framework for examining proposals to reform the financial regulatory system.
Trends in Governmental Expenditures and Public Employement in the Unted States, by level of Government, selected Fiscal Years 1946-1976, 1978 July 12
This report is a descriptive journey of the trends in governmental expenditure and public employment in the United States by the level of government.
Energy Efficiency Standards for Appliances: Are They Needed?
The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA! (P.L. 94-163), as amended by the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (NEPCA) (P.L. 95-619) , requires that energy efficiency standards be established for each of 13 classes of appliances that are major consumers of energy. NEPCA stipulates that such standards "be designed to achieve the maximum improvement in energy efficiency which the Secretary [of Energ'y] determines is technologically feasible and economically justified." The Department of Energy ' announced proposed standards for 8 of the 13 classes of appliances in June 1980 and initiated public hearings on them prior to final promulgation. In January 1981, the DOE suspended this process; after re-studying the proposed standards, it announced in April 1982 a finding that no standards are economically justified.
Manufacturing, Technology, and Competitiveness
This report discusses increases in the productivity of American firms to maintain competitiveness in the international marketplace.
Energy Tax Policy: An Economic Analysis
The report provides background on the theory and application of tax policy as it relates to the energy sector, particularly with respect to the theory of market failure in the energy sector and the suggested policy remedies. This background provides a context for understanding how current or proposed energy tax policy may affect other policy objectives or be affected by such objectives.
Internet Transactions and the Sales Tax
This report is an introduction to the economics of electronic commerce and its potential impact on sales and use tax collections. Presently, 45 states (and the District of Columbia) require that retail outlets add a fixed percentage to the sales price of all taxable items (inclusive of federally imposed excise taxes).
Terrorism Insurance - The 2002 Marketplace
No Description Available.
Industrial Competitiveness and Technological Advancement: Debate Over Government Policy, July 12, 2002
This report discusses congressional interest in the pace of U.S. technological advancement due to its influence on U.S. economic growth, productivity, and international competitiveness. The proper role of the federal government in technology development and the competitiveness of U.S. industry continues to be a topic of congressional debate.
Postal Reform
No Description Available.
Federal Railroad Safety Program and Reauthorization Issues
The Federal Railroad Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation is the primary federal agency that promotes and regulates railroad safety. To implement its safety responsibilities, the Federal Railroad Administration uses numerous strategies including the Safety Assurance and Compliance Program, field inspections; and to help improve its regulations, the administration uses the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee. This report contains information on the Federal Railroad Administration's Safety Program, railroad safety statistics, key reauthorization issues, and related information.
Postal Reform
No Description Available.
Electricity: The Road Toward Restructuring
The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 (PUHCA) and the Federal Power Act (FPA) were enacted to eliminate unfair practices and other abuses by electricity and gas holding companies by requiring federal control and regulation of interstate public utility holding companies. Comprehensive energy legislation has passed the House and Senate. The House passed H.R. 6 on April 11, 2003. On July 31, 2003, the Senate suspended debate on S. 14, inserted the text of H.R. 4 (107th Congress) as a substitute, and passed H.R. 6. A conference agreement was reached November 17, 2003, and passed by the House the next day. H.R. 6 includes an electricity title that would, in part, repeal PUHCA, would prospectively repeal the mandatory purchase requirement under PURPA, and would create an electric reliability organization. On June 15, 2004, H.R. 4503, a comprehensive energy policy bill, passed the House.
Small Business Tax Preferences: Legislative Proposals in the 108th Congress
No Description Available.
The Enron Collapse: An Overview of Financial Issues
The sudden and unexpected collapse of Enron Corp. was the first in a series of major corporate accounting scandals that has shaken confidence in corporate governance and the stock market. This report briefly examines the accounting system that failed to provide a clear picture of the firm's true condition, the independent auditors and board members who were unwilling to challenge Enron's management, the Wall Street stock analysts who failed to warn investors of trouble ahead, the rules governing employer stock in company pension plans, and the unregulated energy derivatives trading that was the core of Enron's business.
Postal Reform Bills: A Side-by-Side Comparison of H.R. 22 and S. 662
No Description Available.
Upper Mississippi River System: Proposals to Restore an Inland Waterway’s Ecosystem
This report explains what is meant by restoration, the Corps' restoration plan, and some of the issues in the debate over federal investment in this restoration.
U.S. Agriculture After Hurricane Katrina: Status and Issues
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast region leaving behind widespread devastation. This report examines Katrina’s impact on three important factors affecting the U.S. agricultural sector: marketing infrastructure based on the Mississippi River waterway and Gulf ports; production losses for major crop and livestock producers in the affected region; and potential consequences for agricultural production as a result of high energy costs. It also discusses the federal government response.
Chemical Facility Security
Facilities handling large amounts of potentially hazardous chemical (i.e., chemical facilities) might be of interest to terrorists, either as targets for direct attacks meant to release chemicals into the community or as a source of chemicals for use elsewhere. For any individual facility, the risk is very small, but the risks may be increasing -- with potentially severe consequences for human health and the environment. Congress might choose to rely on existing efforts in the public and private sectors to improve chemical site security over time. Alternatively, Congress could expand existing environmental planning requirements for chemical facilities to require consideration of terrorism. Congress might also enact legislation to reduce risks, either by "hardening" defenses against terrorists or by requiring industries to consider use of safer chemicals, procedures, or processes.
Legislative Approaches to Chemical Facility Security
This report discusses current chemical facility security efforts, issues in defining chemical facilities, policy challenges in developing chemical facility security legislation, and the various policy approaches.
Legislative Approaches to Chemical Facility Security
This report discusses current chemical facility security efforts, issues in defining chemical facilities, policy challenges in developing chemical facility security legislation, and the various policy approaches.
Courts Narrow McCarran-Ferguson Antitrust Exemption for ”Business of Insurance”; Viability of ”State Action” Doctrine as an Alternative
This report discusses the United States v. South-Eastern underwriter Ass'n that held that the federal antitrust laws were applicable to an insurance association's interstate activities in restrain of trade.
Trade Promotion Authority (TPA): Issues, Options, and Prospects for Renewal
This report presents background on the development of TPA, a summary of the major provisions under the recently expired authority, and a discussion of the issues that have arisen in the debate over TPA renewal. It also explores the policy options available to Congress and will be updated as the congressional debate unfolds.
Federal Business Taxation: The Current System, Its Effects, and Options for Reform
No Description Available.
Regulation of Energy Derivatives
After the collapse of Enron Corp. in late 2001, that company's activities came under intense scrutiny. Much of its business consisted of trading financial contracts whose value was derived from changes in energy prices. Enron's derivatives trading was largely "over-the-counter" (OTC) and unregulated: little information about transactions was available. This incident has sparked interest in reform of energy derivatives regulation. This report summarizes energy derivatives regulation and proposed legislation.
Unemployment Insurance: Available Unemployment Benefits and Legislative Activity
This report describes these five kinds of unemployment benefits: regular UC, TAA, EB, TEUC, and DUA. The report explains their basic eligibility requirements, benefits, and financing structure.
U.S. Trade Deficit and the Impact of Rising Oil Prices
This report provides an estimate of the initial impact of the rising oil prices on the nation's merchandise trade deficit. Petroleum prices continued to rise sharply in 2008, at one time reaching more than $140 per barrel of crude oil. At the same time the average monthly volume of imports of energy-related petroleum products fell slightly.
Calculation of Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)
This report is about Calculation of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions for the renewable Fuel Standards
The "8(a) Program" for Small Businesses Owned and Controlled by the Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: Legal Requirements and Issues
This report provides a brief history of the 8(a) Program, summarizes key requirements, and discusses legal challenges alleging that the program's presumption that members of certain racial and ethnic groups are socially disadvantaged violates the constitutional guarantee of equal protection.
Economic Recovery: Sustaining U.S. Economic Growth in a Post-Crisis Economy
Report examining how Congress has been proactive in helping the economy recover after the 2008-2009 recession, as well as how it can help to keep recessions at bay in the future.
Analysis of the Tax Exclusion for Canceled Mortgage Debt Income
This report is an Analysis of the Tax Exclusion for Canceled Mortgage Debt Income.
The Role of Local Food Systems in U.S. Farm Policy
This report looks at the growing popularity of locally produced foods, and how that popularity and regional/local food systems are affected by the reauthorization of the 2008 farm bill.
A Brief Overview of Business Types and Their Tax Treatment
Report that provides a general overview of the tax treatment of the major business types, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, C corporations, subchapter S corporations, and limited liability companies.
Federal Crop Insurance: Background
This report provides a primer on the federal crop insurance program.
Section 471 of H.R. 10, H.R. 1219, S. 444, and Section 914 of H.R. 3280: Supporting America's Innovators
This report discusses various current bills in Congress that are related to to increasing business innovation and easing regulation on securities and venture-capitol firms. Brief outlines of the goals of each bill and their current progress along with arguments for and against them are presented.
Small Business Administration Microloan Program
This report discusses the Small Business Administration's (SBA) microloan program. It describes the Microloan program's eligibility standards and operating requirements for lenders and borrowers and examines the arguments presented by the program's critics and advocates. It also examines changes to the program authorized by P.L. 111-240, the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 and several bills introduced during the 114th and 115th Congresses.
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