Congressional Research Service Reports - 950 Matching Results
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- Current Economic Conditions and Selected Forecasts
- This report begins with a comprehensive presentation of current economic conditions focusing on income growth, unemployment, and inflation. The posture of monetary and fiscal policy is surveyed as are the forecasts of economic activity. It concludes with data on the factors important for economic growth.
- Current Economic Conditions and Selected Forecasts
- This report contains information regarding the Current Economic Conditions, Recent Macroeconomic Developments, Posture of Monetary and Fiscal Policy, Summary of Current Developments, Sources of GDP Growth, Economic Forecasts 2001, and Promotion of Economic Growth. The report also presents statistics regarding the Growth Rate of Real GDP v. Final Sales, Civilian Unemployment Rate, Rate of Change in the Consumer Price Index, Rate of Change in the GDP Deflators, Rate of Change in Labor Costs, U.S. Foreign Trade Deficit, Alternative Measures of Fiscal Policy, The Growth Rates of the Monetary Aggregates, etc.
- Budget Deficits: Causes, Effects and Some Remedial Options
- In 1981 Congress enacted extensive changes in taxing and spending policies that supporters of these changes expected to generate sufficient revenues, despite a series of tax rate cuts, to balance the budget by FY84. After the onset of recession in early 1982, however, the Reagan Administration's projections showed widening budget deficits, which culminated in an actual FY83 deficit of $195.4 billion. Despite enactment of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, and, more recently, the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984, large deficits are expected to persist, even under continued favorable economic conditions, unless Federal taxing and spending policies are altered dramatically.
- Petroleum Refining: Economic Performance and Challenges for the Future
- No Description Available.
- Current Economic Conditions and Selected Forecasts
- This report begins with a comprehensive presentation of current economic conditions focusing on income growth, unemployment, and inflation. The posture of monetary and fiscal policy is surveyed as are the forecasts of economic activity. It concludes with data on the factors important for economic growth.
- The Consumer Price Index: An Overview
- The consumer price index is probably the most widely used measure of inflation. Changes i n the index affect the incomes of a substantial portion of the U.S. population. This report provides background information on the history and concepts of the index. In addition, several factors which may produce biases in the index are analyzed. The objective is to provide an introduction to the CPI f o r the policy maker who wishes to acquire a working knowledge of the concept as an aid in examining economic policy alternatives.
- Financial Regulatory Reform: Analysis of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) as Proposed by the Obama Administration and H.R. 3126
- This report provides a brief summary of the President's Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act of 2009 (the CPFA Act or the Act) and delineates some of the substantive differences between it and H.R. 3126, as introduced. It then analyzes some of the policy implications of the proposal, focusing on the separation of safety and soundness regulation from consumer protection, financial innovation, and the scope of regulation. The report then raises some questions regarding state law preemption, sources of funding, and rule-making procedures that the Act does not fully answer.
- Foreign Direct Investment in the United States: An Economic Analysis
- This report discusses the foreign direct investment in the United States that declined sharply after 2000, when a record $300 billion was invested in U.S. businesses and real estate.
- Job Growth During the Recovery
- Congress in recent years passed a number of bills intended in part to jump-start a recovery in the labor market from the recession that began in December 2007. Policymakers are interested in how employment has responded to stimulus measures to determine how effective the legislation has been and to decide whether additional job creation legislation is warranted. This report discusses this topic in brief.
- The Labor Market during the Great Depression and the Current Recession
- This report analyzes the labor market experiences of workers during the 1930s, which encompassed the almost five years of the Great Depression. Because it was a period very distant and different from today, considerable time is devoted to examining the employment and unemployment measures available at that time. The report ends by comparing the labor market conditions of the 1930s with those encountered by workers thus far during the recession that began in December 2007.
- Systemically Important or "Too Big to Fail" Financial Institutions
- Report that discusses the economic issues raised by "too big to fail" (TBTF), the historical experience with TBTF before and during the financial crisis of the 2000s, broad policy options, and policy changes made by the relevant Dodd-Frank provisions.
- Foreign Direct Investment in the United States: An Economic Analysis
- Report that discusses the foreign direct investment in the United States that declined sharply after 2000, when a record $300 billion was invested in U.S. businesses and real estate.
- Enforcing U.S. Trade Laws: Section 301 and China
- This report discusses the Trump Administration's decision to proceed with a Section 301 case against China's intellectual property rights (IPR) policies and their intent to impose 25% ad valorem tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese products. It also looks at past use of Section 301 against China.
- Rio+20: The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, June 2012
- This report discusses the purpose of the June 2012 United Nations (U.N.) Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD or “Rio+20”) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It looks at issues that could be addressed during the conference as well as how this conference may differ from the last U.N. Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio in 1992.
- Double-Dip Recession: Previous Experience and Current Prospect
- This report discusses factors suggesting an increased risk of a double-dip recession. A double-dip or W-shaped recession occurs when the economy emerges from a recession, has a short period of growth, but then, still well short of a full recovery, falls back into recession. It also discusses other factors that suggest economic recovery will continue. It presents the U.S. historical experience with double-dip recessions. It examines the role of deleveraging by households and businesses in the aftermath of the recent financial crisis in shaping the likely pace of economic recovery. The report concludes with a look at current economic projections.
- Global Trade Imbalances
- This report discusses the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) July 2018 report on global trade imbalances that identifies countries with "excessive" current account balances and exchange rates that are "misaligned." The current account is a broad measure of a country's global economic engagement and is comprised of trade in goods, services, and official flows.
- Systemically Important or "Too Big to Fail" Financial Institutions
- This report discusses the economic issues raised by "too big to fail" (TBTF) financial firms, broad policy options, and policy changes made by the relevant Dodd-Frank provisions, as amended.
- Foreign Direct Investment in the United States: An Economic Analysis
- This report discusses the foreign direct investment in the United States that declined sharply after 2000, when a record $300 billion was invested in U.S. businesses and real estate.
- Economic Crisis in Russia
- This report briefly examines the economic climate in Russia, providing background information and examining key trends. The report also briefly discusses possible next steps for the Kremlin and potential spillover effects for the United States.
- Systemically Important or "Too Big to Fail" Financial Institutions
- This report discusses the economic issues raised by "too big to fail" (TBTF), the historical experience with TBTF before and during the financial crisis of the 2000s, broad policy options, and policy changes made by the relevant Dodd-Frank provisions.
- Foreign Direct Investment in the United States: An Economic Analysis
- This report discusses the foreign direct investment in the United States that declined sharply after 2000, when a record $300 billion was invested in U.S. businesses and real estate.
- Inflation-Indexing Elements in Federal Entitlement Programs
- This report identifies key indexing elements in major federal entitlement programs under current law and presents the information in a summary table. The report provides a brief description of the measures of consumer price change used to index various elements of these programs under current law, as well as the alternative measure of consumer price change (the Chained CPI-U) that has been proposed for computing Social Security cost-of-living-adjustments (COLAs) and making inflation adjustments to other federal programs.
- Systemically Important or "Too Big to Fail" Financial Institutions
- This report discusses the economic issues raised by "too big to fail" (TBTF), the historical experience with TBTF before and during the financial crisis of the 2000s, broad policy options, and policy changes made by the relevant Dodd-Frank provisions.
- Space Launch Vehicles: Government Activities, Commercial Competition, and Satellite Exports
- This report various sides of the debate related to domestic launch services, such as satellite export issues, the development of new launch vehicles by the private sector, and whether tax incentives or loan guarantees should be created for companies attempting to develop lower-cost launch vehicles.
- The Financial Outlook for Social Security and Medicare
- This report provides an overview of the financial outlook for Social Security and Medicare programs.
- The Financial Outlook for Social Security and Medicare
- This report provides a financial outlook for social security and medicare programs.
- The Financial Outlook for Social Security and Medicare
- This report provides an overview of the financial outlook for social security and medicare programs.
- The Financial Outlook for Social Security and Medicare
- This report provides an overview of the financial outlook for social security and Medicare
- Systemically Important or "Too Big to Fail" Financial Institutions
- This report discusses the economic issues raised by "too big to fail" (TBTF) financial firms including broad policy options and policy changes made by the relevant Dodd-Frank provisions.
- Foreign Direct Investment in the United States: An Economic Analysis
- This report discusses the foreign direct investment in the United States that declined sharply after 2000, when a record $300 billion was invested in U.S. businesses and real estate. While some in Congress encourage such investment to offset the perceived negative economic effects of U.S. firms investing abroad, others are concerned about foreign acquisitions of U.S. firms that are considered essential to U.S. national and economic security.
- Financial Market Turmoil and U.S. Macreconomic Performance
- This report looks at causes of the 2008 financial crisis and ways that government policy can help to fix it.
- Economic Growth and the Unemployment Rate
- Issues concerning and which can be influenced by Congress regarding unemployment rates.
- The 2001 and 2003 Bush Tax Cuts and Deficit Reduction
- This report uses the context of the current and long-term economic environment to examine the tax cuts implemented by the George W. Bush Administration, including the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 and the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003.
- Current Economic Conditions and Selected Forecasts
- U.S. real GDP growth has been positive for 18 consecutive quarters, and the economy is considered to be in an "expansion" phase. As of the second quarter of 2006, real or inflation-adjusted growth was nearly 16% above its previous high near the end of the 1991-2001 expansion. This report contains information on current economic conditions, the posture of fiscal and monetary policy, economic forecasts, and related information.
- Job Growth During the Recovery
- This report analyzes employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from December 2007 to September 2012, including characteristics of job loss and gain within several industries.
- Nationwide Permits for Wetlands Projects: Permit 26 and Other Issues and Controversies
- Nationwide permits of the U.S Army Corps of Engineers authorize certain types of projects in wetlands and other waters and are a key means of minimizing the regulatory burden on landowners This report discusses the nationwide permits reissued in 1996, focusing on one of the most controversial permits (number 26), and a July 1998 proposal to modify nationwide permit 26 further. The revised permits and a federal court decision that invalidated certain Corps' regulations could be impetus for congressional activity. This report will be updated as developments warrant. Also see CRS Issue Brief 97014, Wetland Issues in the 105th Congress.
- The National Forest Roadless Area Initiative
- No Description Available.
- Roadless Areas: The Administration's Moratorium
- On February 12, 1999, the Forest service announced a moratorium on new road construction in many roadless areas within the national Forest System. This measure is temporary (up to 18 moths) while national Forest transportation policy revision is being debated. areas protected by the moratorium include roadless areas of at least 5,000 acres, of at least 1,000 acres if contiguous to other roadless areas. However, the moratorium exempts 9 national forests with recently revised management plans and the 16 national forests encompassed by President Clinton's Northwest Forests Plan. Proponents of roadless area protection objected to exempting 25 national forests and roadless areas of less than 5,000 acres. Proponents of roadless area development object to the potential economic impact of halting planned and possible developing and to limiting public access. Congress may be asked to reverse the moratorium or to protect these areas permanently. This report will not be updated.
- The National Forest System Roadless Areas Initiative
- No Description Available.
- "Mad Cow Disease" or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy: Scientific and Regulatory Issues
- This report discusses the regulatory issues regarding cattle disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and a rare, fatal human illness, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).
- U.S. Policies on Iraq: CRS Experts
- The following table provides access to names and contact information for CRS experts on policy concerns relating to Iraq. Policy areas identified include: U.S. policies on Iraq; governance in Iraq and U.S. military issues; refugees, internally displaced persons, and humanitarian assistance; prospects for Iraq's economy; resource and funding requirements; and the international context--the regional political and security environment.
- Financial Regulatory Reform: Analysis of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) as Proposed by the Obama Administration and H.R. 3126
- This report provides a brief summary of the Obama Administration's Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act of 2009 (CFPA) and delineates some of the substantive differences between it and H.R. 3126, as ordered to be reported by the House Financial Services Committee, as well as the version that was ordered to be reported by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
- Foreign Direct Investment in the United States: An Economic Analysis
- This report discusses the foreign direct investment in the United States, which declined sharply after 2000 when a record $300 billion was invested in U.S. businesses and real estate.
- The TANF Emergency Contingency Fund
- This report discusses the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which created an Emergency Contingency Fund (ECF) within the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. The fund expired on September 30, 2010. It helped states, Indian tribes, and territories pay for additional costs of providing economic aid to families during the current economic downturn for FY2009 and FY2010. This report describes the TANF ECF as well as proposals offered in 2010 to extend and modify TANF emergency funding.
- The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act: Title X, The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- This report provides a legal overview of the regulatory structure of consumer finance under existing federal law, which is followed by an analysis of how the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 will change this legal structure, with a focus on the Bureau's organization and funding; the entities and activities that fall (and do not fall) under the Bureau's supervisory, enforcement, and rulemaking authority; the Bureau's general and specific rulemaking powers and procedures; and an analysis of the act's preemption standards over state consumer protection laws as they apply to national banks and thrifts.
- Foreign Direct Investment in the United States: An Economic Analysis
- This report discusses the foreign direct investment in the United States, which declined sharply after 2000 when a record $300 billion was invested in U.S. businesses and real estate.
- Financial Regulatory Reform: Systemic Risk and the Federal Reserve
- This report defines the potential duties and responsibilities of a systemic risk regulator, relating those duties to events that potentially contributed to the recent crisis. It then identifies the powers that would need to be given to a regulator to perform those duties, and compares those powers and responsibilities to the Fed's existing powers and responsibilities. It discusses advantages and disadvantages of giving those responsibilities to the Fed or the executive branch. It also includes a brief overview of major elements of the Administration's proposal, H.R. 4173, which passed the House on December 11, 2009, and S. 3217, which passed the Senate on May 20, 2010,2 that involve the Fed.
- Double-Dip Recession: Previous Experience and Current Prospect
- This report discusses factors suggesting an increased risk of double-dip recession. It discusses other factors that suggest economic recovery will continue. The U.S. historical experience with double-dip recessions is also presented. It examines the role of deleveraging by households and businesses in the aftermath of the recent financial crisis in shaping the likely pace of economic recovery. The report concludes with a look at current economic projections.
- Financial Regulatory Reform: Analysis of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) as Proposed by the Obama Administration and H.R. 3126
- This report provides a brief summary of the President's Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act of 2009 and delineates some of the substantive differences between it and H.R. 3126, as introduced. It then analyzes some of the policy implications of the proposal, focusing on the separation of safety and soundness regulation from consumer protection, financial innovation, and the scope of regulation.
- Income and Poverty Among Older Americans in 2007
- This report describes the income and poverty status of the 36.8 million Americans age 65 and older who were living in households in 2007. The report also describes how the proportion of total income received from each source differs between high-income individuals and households and low-income individuals and households.