Congressional Research Service Reports - 495 Matching Results
Search Results
- The Franchise System of Distribution
- This report discusses the franchising system of distribution and its growing popularity among small business owners. Legal challenges to franchising under anti-trust laws are also discussed.
- Multinational Corporations 1968-70: Selected References
- This report provides a bibliography of resources related to multinational corporations which were published from 1968 to 1970.
- Settling Transportation Labor Disputes: Present Procedures, and Changes proposed by the Nixon Administration
- This report addresses settling transport labor disputes, present procedures, and changes proposed by the Nixon administration.
- Alaskan Oil, Environment vs. Economy: A Compilation of Selected Writings
- This report provides a selection of news articles and government publications weighing the economic advantages of tapping Alaskan oil versus the environmental effects and hazards of oil drilling and transport.
- The 100 largest industrial corporations in the U.S ranked by sales in 1970
- This report ranks the 100 largest industrial corporations in the U.S by sales in 1970.
- Emergency Federal Financial Assistance to Private Enterprise: A Selective Examination of Past Loan and Loan Guarantee Programs of the Federal Government
- This report discusses instances where federal emergency assistance through loan and guarantee programs was offered to private enterprises.
- A guide to statistics on subsidy programs of the federal government
- This report act as a guide to the sources of the existing statistics of information on the subsidies provided by the federal government.
- Land Disposal Policies of the Principal Federal Land Management Agencies
- This report reviews the history of public land disposal and the location and uses of present Federal Public Lands. Land disposal policies and practices of agencies of the Department of Agriculture, Defense and the Interior, and of the General Services Administration are discussed.
- Health Insurance: The Pro-Competition Proposals
- For more than a decade, Congress and the Executive Branch have tried to stem spiraling health care costs through various regulatory actions at the Federal and State levels. Planning laws, for example, focus regulatory attention on the capacity of the health care industry to provide health services. Other laws have created programs to monitor and control the use of services provided to individual patients. Direct wage and price controls were applied to the health industry in the early 1970's and in recent years Congress has debated whether to impose controls over hospital spending in the United States. This report discusses the debate surrounding various approaches to lower health care costs.
- The General Motors-Toyota Joint Venture and Its Competitive Implications
- This report reviews the economics of joint ventures by focusing on their implication for market competition. It also reviews the legislative history of mergers and joint ventures with special emphasis on aspects of the law that are directed at reducing market concentration.
- The Liability Insurance Controversy
- This report discusses liability insurance, as the primary method of managing business related risks that has been recognized as one of the foundations of American comnerce.
- The Liability Insurance Controversy
- This report discusses liability insurance, as the primary method of managing business related risks that has been recognized as one of the foundations of American commerce.
- The Liability Insurance Crisis
- This report discusses liability insurance crisis, including complaints from businesses, professionals , and municipalities as well threat of lawsuits.
- The Liability Insurance Crisis
- This report discusses liability insurance crisis, including complaints from businesses, professionals , and municipalities as well threat of lawsuits.
- Glass-Steagall Act: Commercial vs. Investment Banking
- This report discusses debate over reform of the Nation's financial structure in the 100th Congress includes re-examination of "the separation of banking and commerce." This separation was mandated by the Glass-Steagall Act (part of the Banking Act of 1933); and was carried forward into the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended in 1970 and thereafter. The resulting isolation of banking from securities was designed to (1) maintain the integrity of the banking system; (2) prevent self-dealing and other financial abuses; and (3) limit stock market speculation. By half a century later, the "wall" it created seemed to be crumbling, as bankers created new financial products resembling securities, and securities firms innovated new financial products resembling loans and deposits. The ongoing process of "financial deregulation" has evoked calls for Congress to give depository institutions new powers, especially in the securities field. Financial deregulation in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan has put additional pressure on Congress to re-examine this Act. Concerns over a seemingly fragile system of depository institutions persist, however, tending to place counter-pressure on Congress to maintain the Act.
- The Labor Market of the 1980s: Unemployment Omens in a Growing Economy
- This report provides discussion over the nature of job growth, the labor market of the 1980s, and the skill and pay ladder.
- The Labor Market of the 1980s: Unemployment Omens in a Growing Economy
- This report provides discussion over the nature of job growth, the labor market of the 1980s, and the skill and pay ladder.
- General Overview of United States Antitrust Law
- This report presents brief summaries of (1) the primary United States antitrust statutes, and (2) some of the activities which are generally considered to be violations of those laws. There is also some reference to the prohibition against unfair competition and the "unfairness" jurisdiction of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). There is not, however, any discussion of the extraterritorial reach of the United States antitrust laws. Further, the laws whose descriptions follow do not constitute all of the statutes which are applicable to antitrust issues, but rather, constitute those which are most often utilized.
- Business and Labor Spending in U.S. Elections
- Federal election law has long prohibited corporate and union spending in federal elections, but distinctions in statutes and judicial rulings have opened avenues by which these groups have been able to spend money in the electoral process. Business groups make particular use of political action committee (PAC) donations to candidates and soft money donations to parties. Unions made prominent use of issue advocacy in 1996, but labor’s political strength lies in exempt activity communications with members. This report explains these tools and their use in today’s elections.
- Legal Analysis of the 10% Disadvantaged Small Business Set-Aside Provisions of H.R. 2400, the "Building Efficient Surface Transportation and Equity Act of 1997"
- This report discusses the vote on H.R. 2400, the "Building Efficient Surface Transportation and Equity Act of 1997"(BESTEA), an omnibus bill to fund surface transportation into the next century.
- Federal Sales of Natural Resources: Pricing and Allocating Mechanisms
- This report describes the systems used by the federal government to price its resources and to determine who gets access to those resources. For some (e.g., timber and leasable minerals), markets are used to set prices, but administrative systems used for some resources may result in prices substantially lower than market values.
- Manufacturing, Technology, and Competitiveness
- This report discusses increases in the productivity of American firms to maintain competitiveness in the international marketplace.
- Monopoly and Monopolization - Fundamental But Separate Concepts in U.S. Antitrust Law
- This report illustrates the difference between the concepts of “monopoly” and “monopolization” by touching on the monopoly/monopolization thinking in the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as illustrated in (1) statements on merger enforcement made by recent antitrust enforcement officials (generally indicative of the agencies’ concerns about competitive conditions and the effect of various market transactions), (2) the 1992 Horizontal Merger Guidelines 2 and (3) some observations on the Government actions against the Microsoft and Intel Corporations.
- The Advanced Technology Program
- The Advanced Technology Program (ATP) was created by P.L. 100-418, the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, to encourage public-private cooperation in the development of pre-competitive technologies with broad application across industries. This activity has been targeted for elimination as a means to cut federal spending. This report discusses the ATP and related issues of federal appropriations (or the lack thereof).
- Federal Regulatory Structure for Egg Safety: Fact Sheet
- This report discusses the federal role in regulating egg safety. Although the egg industry is primarily responsible for ensuring the safety of its products, four federal agencies hold statutory responsibilities for egg safety.
- Fair Conduct in Franchise Sales: H.R. 3308, 106th Congress
- No Description Available.
- Internet and E-Commerce Statistics: What They Mean and Where to Find Them on the Web
- Statistics indicating Internet usage are imprecise. It is difficult to measure the scale of the Internet (or the World Wide Web), calculate the number and types of users (age, sex, race, gender, location, etc.), or forecast future growth. This report discusses the inherent complexities of estimating Internet and electronic commerce growth and describes various types of Internet statistics, discussing how to evaluate them and providing Web addresses for locating them. In addressing these topics, it is important to understand how the statistics are compiled, how they are used, and what their limitations are.
- Industrial Competitiveness and Technological Advancement: Debate Over Government Policy
- This report discusses contribution of technological advancement to economic growth and productivity increases. Because technology can contribute to economic growth and productivity increases, congressional interest has focused on how to augment private-sector technological development.
- 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).
- Industrial Competitiveness and Technological Advancement: Debate Over Government Policy, December 28, 2000
- This report discusses contribution of technological advancement to economic growth and productivity increases. Because technology can contribute to economic growth and productivity increases, congressional interest has focused on how to augment private-sector technological development.
- Small Business Legislation: Sources of Information
- This report seeks to respond to inquiries from congressional staff who request information about major legislation affecting small business.
- General Overview of United States Antitrust Law
- This Report briefly summarizes (1) the primary United States antitrust statutes, and (2) some of the activities which are generally considered to be violations of those laws. There is also some reference to the prohibition against unfair competition and the “unfairness” jurisdiction of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The laws discussed do not constitute all of the statutes which may be applicable to, or implicated in antitrust issues, but rather, are those which are most often utilized.
- Financial Risk: An Overview of Market and Policy Considerations
- This report sets out a framework for considering the issue of financial risk and its regulation. First, basic concepts and the state of the art in private risk management are discussed. Then, scenarios for financial crises that may require government intervention are explored. The next section deals with the development and the shortcomings of tools available to regulators to prevent or cope with crises. The report ends with an analysis of current trends in financial markets and their implications for risk oversight.
- Internet Firearm Sales
- This report discusses the sale of firearms over the internet, with a focus on the extent to which federal law regulates such activity. A review of the relevant factors indicates that while firearms transferred in an illegal manner via the internet may pose special investigatory problems for law enforcement, internet firearm sales are subject to the same regulatory scheme as traditional firearm transactions.
- Monopoly and Monopolization - Fundamental But Separate Concepts in U.S. Antitrust Law
- This report illustrates the difference between the concepts of “monopoly” and “monopolization” by touching on the monopoly/monopolization thinking in the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as illustrated in (1) statements on merger enforcement made by recent antitrust enforcement officials (generally indicative of the agencies’ concerns about competitive conditions and the effect of various market transactions), (2) the 1992 Horizontal Merger Guidelines 2 and (3) some observations on the Government actions against the Microsoft and Intel Corporations.
- Small Business Disaster Assistance: Responding to the Terrorist Attacks
- This report discusses the impact of the terrorist attacks on small businesses, provides an overview of the types of relief assistance currently available from the SBA, notes the agency's response to date, summarizes proposed legislation, and analyzes policy options for Congress.
- Industrial Competitiveness and Technological Advancement: Debate Over Government Policy, December 3, 2001
- This report discusses contribution of technological advancement to economic growth and productivity increases. Because technology can contribute to economic growth and productivity increases, congressional interest has focused on how to augment private-sector technological development.
- Internet Commerce and State Sales and Use Taxes
- State governments rely on sales and use taxes for approximately one-third (32.3%) of their total tax revenue – or approximately $174 billion in FY2000. Local governments derived 16.4% of their tax revenue or $51.6 billion from local sales and use taxes in FY1999. Both state and local sales taxes are collected by vendors at the time of transaction and are levied at a percentage of a product’s retail price. Alternatively, use taxes are not collected by vendors if they do not have nexus (loosely defined as a physical presence) in the consumer’s state. Consumers are required to remit use taxes to their taxing jurisdiction. However, compliance with this requirement is quite low. Because of the low compliance, many observers suggest that the expansion of the internet as a means of transacting business across state lines, both from business to consumer (B to C) and from business to business (B to B), threatens to diminish the ability of state and local governments to collect sales and use taxes. Congress has a role in this issue because commerce between parties in different states conducted over the Internet falls under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. Congress can either take an active or passive role in the “Internet tax” debate. This report intends to clarify important issues in the Internet tax debate.
- Internet Commerce and State Sales and Use Taxes
- State governments rely on sales and use taxes for approximately one-third (32.3%) of their total tax revenue – or approximately $174 billion in FY2000. Local governments derived 16.4% of their tax revenue or $51.6 billion from local sales and use taxes in FY1999. Both state and local sales taxes are collected by vendors at the time of transaction and are levied at a percentage of a product’s retail price. Alternatively, use taxes are not collected by vendors if they do not have nexus (loosely defined as a physical presence) in the consumer’s state. Consumers are required to remit use taxes to their taxing jurisdiction. However, compliance with this requirement is quite low. Because of the low compliance, many observers suggest that the expansion of the internet as a means of transacting business across state lines, both from business to consumer (B to C) and from business to business (B to B), threatens to diminish the ability of state and local governments to collect sales and use taxes. Congress has a role in this issue because commerce between parties in different states conducted over the Internet falls under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. Congress can either take an active or passive role in the “Internet tax” debate. This report intends to clarify important issues in the Internet tax debate.
- Lumber Imports from Canada: Issues and Events
- This report provides a concise historical account of the dispute, summarizes the subsidy and injury evidence, and discusses the current issues and events regarding lumber imports from Canada.
- Electronic Commerce: An Introduction
- No Description Available.
- Lumber Imports from Canada: Issues and Events
- This report provides a concise historical account of the dispute, summarizes the subsidy and injury evidence, and discusses the current issues and events regarding lumber imports from Canada.
- The Federal Arbitration Act: Background and Recent Developments
- Enacted in 1925, the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”) seeks to ensure the validity and enforcement of arbitration agreements in any “maritime transaction or a contract evidencing a transaction involving commerce.” This report provides a brief legislative history of the FAA, as well as a review of selected cases that have interpreted the FAA. The report also discusses bills introduced during the 107th Congress that would amend the FAA for various purposes. Of the nine measures that have been introduced, five bills would amend the FAA to address arbitration and employment disputes. The remaining bills address arbitration in motor vehicle franchise contracts and arbitration and consumer credit contracts.
- Lumber Imports from Canada: Issues and Events
- This report provides a concise historical account of the dispute, summarizes the subsidy and injury evidence, and discusses the current issues and events regarding lumber imports from Canada.
- Lumber Imports from Canada: Issues and Events
- This report provides a concise historical account of the dispute, summarizes the subsidy and injury evidence, and discusses the current issues and events regarding lumber imports from Canada.
- Discriminatory Pricing and the Robinson-Patman Act: Brief Overview, Including Some Exceptions
- No Description Available.
- Lumber Imports from Canada: Issues and Events
- This report provides a concise historical account of the dispute, summarizes the subsidy and injury evidence, and discusses the current issues and events regarding lumber imports from Canada.
- Lumber Imports from Canada: Issues and Events
- This report provides a concise historical account of the dispute, summarizes the subsidy and injury evidence, and discusses the current issues and events regarding lumber imports from Canada.
- Industrial Competitiveness and Technological Advancement: Debate Over Government Policy
- This report discusses the ongoing congressional interest in the pace of U.S. technological advancement due to its influence on U.S. economic growth, productivity, and international competitiveness. Because technology can contribute to economic growth and productivity increases, congressional interest has focused on how to augment private-sector technological development. Legislative activity over the past decade has created a policy for technology development, albeit an ad hoc one. Because of the lack of consensus on the scope and direction of a national policy, Congress has taken an incremental approach aimed at creating new mechanisms to facilitate technological advancement in particular areas and making changes and improvements as necessary.
- The American Steel Industry: A Changing Profile
- The U.S. steel industry has faced increasing difficulties since the late 1990s. More than 30 U.S. steel producers have gone into bankruptcy. While different companies and parts of the industry have been affected to different degrees, the two types of domestic producers of raw steel, integrated mills and minimills, have both supported restrictions on imports, which they say have undermined the ability of the U.S. industry to produce steel economically. This report reviews industry developments and the economic situation of the steel industry, including legacy cost aspects of its problems.