Congressional Research Service Reports - 83 Matching Results

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Africa's Great Lakes Region: Current Conditions in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda

Description: Africa's Great Lakes region is slowly becoming more stable after almost a decade of conflicts. The region remains vulnerable, however, since armed rebel groups are active in eastern Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and northern Uganda. This report discusses conflicts in these areas in detail, as well as U.S.-led efforts to reach peaceful resolutions.
Date: October 28, 2003
Creator: Dagne, Theodore S. & Farrell, Maureen
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response

Description: This report discusses the ongoing conflict in Syria and provides an overview of U.S. Policy responses. The rise of the insurgent terrorist group known as the Islamic State (IS, aka the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant or ISIL/ISIS) and Russia's military intervention on behalf of the Syrian government have reshaped debates over U.S. policy toward the ongoing civil conflict in Syria, now in its fifth year.
Date: September 28, 2016
Creator: Humud, Carla E.; Blanchard, Christopher M. & Nikitin, Mary Beth D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Balkan Cooperation on War Crimes Issues: 2005 Update

Description: A combination of intensified international pressure and deadlines associated with Euro-Atlantic integration processes has prompted a spate of transfers of persons indicted for war crimes to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague in late 2004-early 2005. Full cooperation with The Hague tribunal has been established as a key prerequisite to further progress toward a shared long-term goal for the western Balkan countries: closer association with and event… more
Date: March 28, 2005
Creator: Kim, Julie
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Border Searches of Laptop Computers and Other Electronic Storage Devices

Description: This report discusses a developing issue in the law of search and seizure: whether the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution permits warrantless searches of the content of laptop computers and other electronic storage devices at U.S. borders. The federal courts that have addressed this issue have held that the border search exception to the Fourth Amendment applies to these searches, making warrantless searches permissible.
Date: July 28, 2009
Creator: Kim, Yule
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Border Security and the Southwest Border: Background, Legislation, and Issues

Description: As the number of illegal aliens that are present in the United States continues to grow, attention is directed at the border patrol and the enforcement of immigration laws within the interior of the country. The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) units have launched several initiatives aimed at apprehending illegal aliens and dismantling human and drug smuggling organizations. Despite these efforts, the flo… more
Date: September 28, 2005
Creator: Seghetti, Lisa M.; Lake, Jennifer E.; Nuñez-Neto, Blas; Siskin, Alison; Storrs, K. Larry; Brooks, Nathan et al.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Border Security: Fences Along the U.S. International Border

Description: This report outlines the issues involved with the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) completion of a three-tiered, 14-mile fence, along the border near San Diego, California. The state of California delayed completion of the fence due primarily to legal and policy conflicts with its federally-approved, state-run Coastal Management Program. Former authorization for the fence only allowed the waiver of the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. During the 109th C… more
Date: November 28, 2005
Creator: Nuñez-Neto, Blas & Viña, Stephen R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Brexit at a Pivotal Moment

Description: This report discusses the draft withdrawal agreement in the the United Kingdom's (UK's) expected withdrawal from the European Union (EU), known as Brexit. It also summarizes issues for the U.S. Congress to consider in regard to Brexit.
Date: November 28, 2018
Creator: Mix, Derek E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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China-North Korea Relations

Description: This report provides a brief survey of China-North Korea relations, assesses China's objectives and actions, and raises policy issues for the United States.
Date: December 28, 2010
Creator: Nanto, Dick K. & Manyin, Mark E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Closing the Guantanamo Detention Center: Legal Issues

Description: This report provides an overview of major legal issues that are likely to arise as a result of executive and legislative action to close the Guantanamo detention facility. It discusses legal issues related to the transfer or release of Guantanamo detainees, the continued detention of such persons in the United States, and the possible removal of persons brought to the United States. It considers selected constitutional issues that may arise in the criminal prosecution of detainees. Issues discu… more
Date: March 28, 2011
Creator: Garcia, Michael John; Elsea, Jennifer K.; Mason, R. Chuck & Liu, Edward C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty: Pros and Cons

Description: The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) would ban all nuclear explosions. President Clinton signed it in 1996 and transmitted it to the Senate in 1997. The Senate rejected it in 1999. To enter into force, 44 named nations, including the United States, must ratify the treaty. The Bush Administration opposes ratification but has maintained a moratorium on nuclear testing begun in 1992. This report presents pros and cons of key arguments: the treaty’s implications for nuclear nonproliferation, fo… more
Date: June 28, 2005
Creator: Medalia, Jonathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): Congressional Issues

Description: This report provides an overview of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and describes its background, objectives, and structure, including the role of the Convention's monitoring body, the CEDAW Committee. It examines U.S. policy and issues in the U.S. ratification debate, including the Convention's possible impact on U.S. sovereignty, its effectiveness in combating discrimination, and its role as an instrument of U.S. foreign policy.
Date: October 28, 2008
Creator: Blanchfield, Luisa
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cote d'Ivoire's Post-Election Crisis

Description: This report discusses the recent political instability in Côte d'Ivoire, which has surfaced most recently in February 2011, and stems from a contested November 28, 2010 presidential election. This report discusses background information on Côte d'Ivoire's long struggle toward peace, political stability, and democratic governance. It also addresses U.S. interests regarding Côte d'Ivoire's stability and democratic progress.
Date: January 28, 2011
Creator: Cook, Nicolas
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cybercrime: The Council of Europe Convention

Description: Forty-three countries, including the United States, have signed the Council of Europe’s Convention on Cybercrime of November 2001. The U.S. Senate ratified the Convention on August 3, 2006. The Convention seeks to better combat cybercrime by harmonizing national laws, improving investigative abilities, and boosting international cooperation. Supporters argue that the Convention will enhance deterrence, while critics counter it will have little effect without participation by countries in which … more
Date: September 28, 2006
Creator: Archick, Kristin
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Dispute Settlement in the World Trade Organization (WTO): An Overview

Description: This report describes the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (DSU), which is the World Trade Organization's (WTO) means of resolving disputes arising under WTO agreements. The report includes criticisms of certain flaws in the DSU, as well as WTO Members' suggestions for improvement. The report also describes the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), which represents the United States in WTO disputes, and discusses pieces of legislation… more
Date: August 28, 2012
Creator: Grimmett, Jeanne J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Dispute Settlement Under the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement: An Overview

Description: This report discusses the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) and the two types of formal dispute settlement it contains: 1) State-State and 2) investor-State. The report also discusses how the PTPA differs from earlier U.S. Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).
Date: January 28, 2011
Creator: Grimmett, Jeanne J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Exempting Food and Agriculture Products from U.S. Economic Sanctions: Status and Implementation

Description: Falling agricultural exports and declining commodity prices led farm groups and agribusiness firms to urge the 106th Congress to pass legislation exempting foods and agricultural commodities from U.S. economic sanctions against certain countries. In completing action on the FY2001 agriculture appropriations bill, Congress codified the lifting of unilateral sanctions on commercial sales of food, agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical products to Iran, Libya, North Korea, and Sudan, and … more
Date: February 28, 2002
Creator: Jurenas, Remy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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First Responder Initiative: Policy Issues and Options

Description: This report provides background information and policy analysis pertinent to proposals to restructure first responder assistance programs. Specifically, this report provides information on existing programs, appropriations, legislation in the 108th Congress, and selected policy issues. This report does not discuss all relevant policy issues, but, rather, those issues that may be germane to any significant restructuring of existing programs.
Date: August 28, 2003
Creator: Canada, Ben
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Growth of the Private Sector in China and Implications For China’s Accession to the World Trade Organization

Description: This report discusses the growth of the private sector in China, which has occurred to a large extent from the government’s efforts to reform China’s money-losing state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Workers who have been laid off from SOEs have been encouraged to find jobs in the private sector or to start their own businesses.
Date: March 28, 2001
Creator: Morrison, Wayne M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Guam: U.S. Defense Deployments

Description: This report discusses the strategic significance of Guam for defense buildup and the force relocation and deployments from the U.S. mainland. It also discusses the concerns and issues for Congress, such as allies and partners, relations with China, and legislation.
Date: October 28, 2014
Creator: Kan, Shirley A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Implementing International Agreements on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs): Proposed Amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act

Description: The focus of this report is on proposed amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This report does not constitute a legal analysis of the bills or of existing law. Instead, it begins by describing the three international agreements and relevant provisions of TSCA. The report then summarizes selected provisions of H.R. 4591 and H.R. 4800, as introduced, and compares them in a brief narrative and more detailed table.
Date: March 28, 2006
Creator: Schierow, Linda-Jo
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Intellectual Property Rights and Access to Medicines: International Trade Issues

Description: This report focuses on the relationship between intellectual property right (IPR) provisions in international and U.S. trade policy and access to medicines. This issue represents one component of a broader debate about the relationship between trade policy and public health.
Date: May 28, 2009
Creator: Ilias, Shayerah
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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International Food Aid Programs: Background and Issues

Description: This report describes the major U.S. international food aid programs along with the related issues--including the Administration's reform proposals--currently before Congress.
Date: May 28, 2014
Creator: Schnepf, Randy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Iran, Gulf Security, and U.S. Policy

Description: This report discusses issues regarding Iran's political history and structure. It also takes a look at economic and defense policy responses for Congress.
Date: May 28, 2015
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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