Congressional Research Service Reports - 30 Matching Results

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The FDA’s Authority to Recall Products

Description: This report provides information about the The FDA’s Authority to Recall Products. The FDA had fielded increasing number of question regarding recalls of unsafe imports, including jalapeno peppers.
Date: August 4, 2010
Creator: Burrows, Vanessa K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program

Description: This report briefly discusses the Small Business Innovation Development Act (P.L. 97-219), which in 1982 established Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs designed to increase participation of small innovative companies in federally funded research and development (R&D). The report also discusses the program's extensions and reauthorization activity over the years.
Date: August 4, 2010
Creator: Schacht, Wendy H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The TANF Emergency Contingency Fund

Description: This report describes the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Contingency Fund (ECF) as well as proposals to extend and modify TANF emergency funding.
Date: August 4, 2010
Creator: Falk, Gene
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Bisphenol A (BPA) in Plastics and Possible Human Health Effects

Description: This report discusses Bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is used to produce certain types of plastic that are used in thousands of formulations for myriad products. Containers made with these plastics may expose people to small amounts of BPA in food and water. Medical devices and other more ubiquitous products, such as thermal paper coatings, also may contribute significantly to human exposure. Some animal experiments have found that fetal and infant development may be harmed by small amounts of BPA, but … more
Date: August 13, 2010
Creator: Schierow, Linda-Jo & Lister, Sarah A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The European Union's Response to the 2007-2009 Financial Crisis

Description: This report examines the EU responses to the financial crisis through changes to the financial regulatory structure at the EU level as well as the member country level. The countries examined are Germany and the United Kingdom, which have single financial regulators; the Netherlands, which has a twin peaks regulatory structure; and Spain, which has a functional structure.
Date: August 13, 2010
Creator: Eubanks, Walter W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Debarment and Suspension of Government Contractors: An Overview of the Law Including Recently Enacted and Proposed Amendments

Description: As a general rule, government agencies contract with the lowest qualified responsible bidder or offeror. Debarment and suspension are among the techniques that government agencies use to ensure that they contract with only "responsible" bidders or offerors because they allow the government to exclude contractors from receiving government contracts. This report focuses upon exclusions on procurement grounds.2 It surveys the authorities requiring or allowing federal agencies to debar or suspend c… more
Date: August 16, 2010
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Responsibility Determinations Under the Federal Acquisition Regulation: Legal Standards and Procedures

Description: This report discusses the standards and procedures that federal agencies use in making responsibility determinations under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). As a general rule, government agencies contract with the lowest qualified responsible bidder or offeror. Responsibility is an attribute of the contractor, while price and qualifications are attributes of the bid or offer. Under the FAR, "[n]o purchase or award shall be made unless the contracting officer makes an affirmative determi… more
Date: August 18, 2010
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Unemployment and Economic Recovery

Description: This report examines the relationship between economic growth and the unemployment rate to anticipate possible future developments.
Date: August 20, 2010
Creator: Levine, Linda
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Contract Types: An Overview of the Legal Requirements and Issues

Description: This report provides an overview of the various contract types (e.g., fixed-price, cost-reimbursement) used in federal procurement and the legal requirements and issues pertaining to each. Current congressional and public interest in contract types is, in part, an outgrowth of the reported increase in the use of cost-reimbursement contracts during the George W. Bush Administration and the Obama Administration's proposal to reduce by at least 10% the funds obligated by "high risk-contracting aut… more
Date: August 24, 2010
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Role of Trade Secrets in Innovation Policy

Description: This report provides an overview of the law and policy of trade secrets. It discusses the role of trade secrets in U.S. innovation policy. It then reviews the sources of trade secret law and the substantive rules that they provide. The report then provides a more detailed review of existing federal legislation that pertains to trade secrets. In its next section, the report then discusses the relationship between patent law and trade secret law. The report closes with an identification of congre… more
Date: August 31, 2010
Creator: Thomas, John R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Debt Limit: History and Recent Increases

Description: This report discusses how the total debt of the federal government can increase, an historical overview of debt limits, and how the current economic slowdown has led to higher deficits and thereby a series of debt limit increases, as well as legislation related to these increases.
Date: August 3, 2011
Creator: Austin, D. Andrew & Levit, Mindy R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Small Business Administration Microloan Program

Description: This report 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.
Date: August 9, 2011
Creator: Dilger, Robert J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Its Role in U.S. Trade Policy

Description: This report looks at the background of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which was created by Congress. It then discusses how the 112th Congress is considering legislative action to extend the TAA - including two issues: how necessary or appropriate the extension is, and whether or not three proposed bills should be voted upon separately.
Date: August 11, 2011
Creator: Hornbeck, J. F. & Rover, Laine Elise
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms: Economic, Program, and Policy Issues

Description: As global economic competition heightens, many firms and workers face difficult adjustment problems. Congress has responded to these adjustment costs by authorizing four trade adjustment assistance (TAA) programs to assist trade-impacted workers, firms, farmers, and communities. This report discusses the TAA program for firms (TAAF). The TAAF program provides technical assistance to trade-affected firms to help them develop strategies and make other adjustments to remain competitive in the chan… more
Date: August 19, 2011
Creator: Hornbeck, J. F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Aviation and the European Union’s Emission Trading Scheme

Description: Beginning January 1, 2012, most carbon dioxide emissions from commercial flights to, from, and within the European Union are covered by the EU Emission Trading Scheme. This report details why there is a need to address aviation emissions, how the EU's emissions trading scheme works, estimated impacts on U.S. airlines, and related materials.
Date: August 2, 2012
Creator: Leggett, Jane A.; Elias, Bart & Shedd, Daniel T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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GAO Bid Protests: Trends and Analysis

Description: This report provides an overview of the time frames and procedures in a Government Accountability Office (GAO) bid protest, including (1) what issues can be protested with GAO; (2) who can file or be a party to a GAO protest; (3) the procedures for bringing and resolving GAO protests; (4) the time frames involved in GAO protests; (5) the automatic stay of contract award or performance triggered by a GAO protest, as well as the basis for agency overrides of automatic stays and judicial review of… more
Date: August 9, 2013
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.; Schwartz, Moshe & Martinez, Lucy P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Debt Limit: History and Recent Increases

Description: This report discusses how the total debt of the federal government can increase, provides an historical overview of debt limits, and explains how the current economic slowdown has led to higher deficits and thereby a series of debt limit increases, also discusses the legislation related to these increases.
Date: August 27, 2013
Creator: Austin, D. Andrew & Levit, Mindy R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms: Economic, Program, and Policy Issues

Description: This report discusses the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF) program and policy issues, as well as legislation to reauthorize the TAAF program. It provides technical assistance to help trade-impacted firms make strategic adjustments to improve their global competitiveness.
Date: August 4, 2014
Creator: Harrison, Glennon J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Grants Work in a Congressional Office

Description: This report provides information about the Grants Work in a Congressional Office. An internal grant manual is a valuable tool for grants staff to develop. It can also outline office proceedings and policies.
Date: August 14, 2014
Creator: Gerli, Merete F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Offshore Drilling Safety: A Status Report

Description: This report describes selected Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) safety reforms, provides a concise summary of relevant offshore safety milestones, and offers insights about policy discussions related to safety. As part of overseeing DOI safety reforms initiated in 2010, the 113th Congress is placing an emphasis on agency performance associated with implementing reforms to improve safety initiated in 2010.
Date: August 14, 2014
Creator: Hagerty, Curry L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Budget Enforcement Procedures: The Senate Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) Rule

Description: This report explains the current features of the Senate Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) rule,describes its legislative history, inlcuding key changes to the rule since it was established in 1993, and reviews Senate procedural actions under the rule.
Date: August 4, 2015
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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