Congressional Research Service Reports - 96 Matching Results
Search Results
- The 2010 Census: Count Question Resolution Program
- This report describes the ways Congress members may challenge the 2010 census results. The report also outlines the amount of funding that is dispersed based on census data, and thus the motivation for members of Congress to do this. Moreover, the report lists the requirements for filing a challenge to the amount of funding assigned.
- Agricultural Conservation Issues in the 111th Congress
- This report focuses on the discussions in the 111th Congress on the 2008 farm bill. Moreover, the report details that debate has shifted to the off-farm impact the bill has. The report also discusses the budgetary issues surrounding the farm bill that the 111th Congress was presented with.
- Agricultural Issues in the 109th Congress
- This report discusses a number of issues affecting U.S. agriculture have been or are being addressed by the 109th Congress. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-171), enacted in February 2006, included a net reduction in spending on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) mandatory programs of $2.7 billion over five years, and the reauthorization of a dairy income support program. Other issues of importance to agriculture during the second session of the 109th Congress include the consideration of emergency farm disaster assistance; multilateral and bilateral trade negotiations; concerns about agroterrorism, food safety, and animal and plant diseases (e.g., “mad cow” disease and avian flu); high energy costs; environmental issues; agricultural marketing matters; the reauthorization of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission; and farm labor issues.
- Agriculture and Fast Track or Trade Promotion Authority
- This report considers the issue of new "fast track" or trade promotion authority (APA) legislation in the 107th Congress. Moreover, the report summarizes the agricultural debates on the issue.
- Agriculture and Fast Track or Trade Promotion Authority
- New “fast track,” or trade promotion, authority (TPA) cleared the 107th Congress, and was signed into law (P.L. 107-210) on August 6, 2002. Such authority enables the Administration to submit negotiated foreign trade agreements to Congress for consideration under expedited procedures. Many agricultural and food industry interests were among the export-oriented enterprises that supported TPA, arguing that foreign trading partners would not seriously negotiate with an Administration that lacked it. However, some farm groups argued that fast track ultimately will lead to new agreements that have adverse effects on U.S. producers, at least of some commodities.
- Agriculture and Fast Track or Trade Promotion Authority
- New “fast track,” or trade promotion, authority (TPA) cleared the 107th Congress, and was signed into law (P.L. 107-210) on August 6, 2002. Such authority enables the Administration to submit negotiated foreign trade agreements to Congress for consideration under expedited procedures. Many agricultural and food industry interests were among the export-oriented enterprises that supported TPA, arguing that foreign trading partners would not seriously negotiate with an Administration that lacked it. However, some farm groups argued that fast track ultimately will lead to new agreements that have adverse effects on U.S. producers, at least of some commodities.
- Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2012 Appropriations
- This report considers the Agriculture and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The report compares and contrasts the Senate and House versions of the bill in terms of budgeting.
- Banking Policy Issues in the 115th Congress
- This report provides an overview of banking related issues of interest to the 115th Congress.
- Bills and Resolutions: Examples of How Each Kind Is Used
- This report briefly describes the process by which Congress seeks to pass a law. During this process Congress uses a bill or joint resolution, which must be passed by both houses in identical form, that is then presented to the President for his approval or disapproval.
- A Brief Summary of Anticrime Legislation Enacted During the 89th and 90th Congress
- This report address a brief summary of anticrime legislation enacted during the 89th ad 90th congress.
- The Budget Reconciliation Process: The Senate's "Byrd" Rule
- Reconciliation is a procedure under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 by which Congress implements budget resolution policies affecting mainly permanent spending and revenue programs. The principal focus in the reconciliation process has been deficit reduction, but in recent years reconciliation has encompassed revenue reduction generally and spending increases in selected program areas. The Byrd rule provides six definitions of what constitutes extraneous matter for purposes of the rule (and several exceptions thereto), but the term is generally described as covering provisions unrelated to achieving the goals of the reconciliation instructions.
- The Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Legislative Action
- Reconciliation is a procedure under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 by which Congress implements budget resolution policies affecting mainly permanent spending and revenue programs. The principal focus in the reconciliation process has been deficit reduction, but in recent years reconciliation has encompassed revenue reduction generally and spending increases in selected program areas.
- The Capitol Visitors' Center: An Overview
- This report presents the cost of the Capitol Visitors' Center (CVC), the most extensive addition to the Capitol since the Civil War, which is estimated at between $380 million and $395 million. Altogether $357.3 million in appropriated funds are available for project. An additional $65 million has been raised for construction of the center through private donations and the sale of commemorative coins.
- Cloture: Its Effect on Senate Proceedings
- Cloture is the only means by which the Senate can vote to limit debate on a matter, and thereby overcome a possible filibuster. Until 1949, cloture could not be invoked on nominations, and before 1980 this action was attempted only twice. From 1949 through 2002, cloture was sought on 35 nominations, and invoked on 21.
- Committee Funding for the House and Senate, 108th Congress
- The Senate adopted ad hoc procedures in approving committee operating budgets. With the Senate divided 51-48-1 at the beginning of the 108th Congress, Senate Democrats argued for a proportional allocation of committee staff between the parties. On January 15, after a week-long delay in the appointment of Senate committees, a unanimous consent agreement was reached providing for the proportional allocation of staff and office space between the parties on each committee, with a separate provision for each committee chair to control up to 10% of the committee budget to employ administrative staff serving both parties.
- Congressional Budget Resolutions: Historical Information
- This report provides current and historical information on the budget resolution. It provides a list of the budget resolutions adopted and rejected by Congress since implementation of the Budget Act, and describes their formulation and content. The report also provides information on the consideration and adoption of budget resolutions.
- Congressional Careers: Service Tenure and Patterns of Member Service, 1789-2011
- The average service tenure of members of the Senate and House of Representatives has varied substantially since 1789. This report presents data on member tenure and a historical analysis of tenure trends.
- Congressional Careers: Service Tenure and Patterns of Member Service, 1789-2011
- The average service tenure of members of the Senate and House of Representatives has varied substantially since 1789. This report presents data on member tenure and a historical analysis of tenure trends.
- Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies
- This report provides a list of roughly 200 congressional liaison offices with phone numbers, addresses, and other contact information.
- Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies
- This report provides a list of roughly 200 congressional liaison offices with phone numbers, addresses, and other contact information.
- Congressional Nominations to U.S. Service Academies: An Overview and Resources for Outreach and Management
- This report, which will be updated as warranted, describes statutory requirements for allocating congressional nominations to service academies. It also identifies the qualifications that must be met by potential nominees, as established by statute and each academy. Finally, sample documents that could be used by congressional offices at various stages of the nomination selection process are included.
- Congressional Overrides of Presidential Vetoes
- This report discusses Congress' power to override presidential vetoes. The President's veto authority is among his most significant tools in legislative dealings with Congress. It is effective not only in preventing the passage of legislation undesirable to the President, but also as a threat, sometimes forcing Congress to modify legislation before it is presented to the President.
- Congressional Oversight and Related Issues Concerning International Security Agreements Concluded by the United States
- This report looks at issues arising from disputes between Congress and the executive branch. It begins by providing a general background on the types of international agreements that are binding upon the United States, as well as considerations affecting whether they take the form of a treaty or an executive agreement. Next, the report discusses historical precedents as to the role that security agreements have taken, with specific attention paid to past agreements entered with Afghanistan, Germany, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Iraq. The report discusses the oversight role that Congress exercises with respect to entering and implementing international agreements involving the United States.
- Congressional Record: Its Production, Distribution, and Accessibility
- This report provides information about the Production, Distribution, and Accessibility of Congressional Record. The Congressional Record is the most widely published account of the debates and activities in congress.
- Continuing Resolutions: Latest Action and Brief Overview of Recent Practices
- Report that is divided into two segments. The first section provides the most recent information on the Fiscal Year 2011 continuing resolution (or CRs). The second segment focuses on: the history and recent trends, including the nature, scope, and duration of CRs during the past 35 years; CR types by duration; major substantive legislative provisions included in some CRs; and funding gaps.
- Country Applicability of the U.S. Normal Trade Relations (Most-Favored-Nation) Status
- This report provides information about the Country Applicability of the U.S. Normal Trade Relations (Most-Favored-Nation) Status. The United States extends unlimited and permanent NTR treatment to all its trading partners.
- Country Applicability of the U.S. Normal Trade Relations (Most-Favored-Nation) Status
- This report provides information about the Country Applicability of the U.S. Normal Trade Relations (Most-Favored-Nation) Status. The united states extends unlimitedand permanent nondiscriminatory treatment to all of its trading partners.
- Cybersecurity: Authoritative Reports and Resources, by Topic
- This report provides references to analytical reports on cybersecurity from the Congressional Research Service, other government agencies, trade associations, and interest groups. In addition, the report lists selected cybersecurity-related websites for congressional and government agencies, news, international organizations, and organizations or institutions.
- Data Security Breaches: Context and Incident Summaries
- This report discusses the Context and Incident Summaries on Data Security Breaches. Personal data security breaches are being reported with increasing regularity. A law implemented in July 2003 had increased awareness of these data security breaches.
- Defense: FY2007 Authorization and Appropriations
- The Senate began floor debate on the FY2007 defense appropriations bill, H.R. 5631 on August 1, but it did not complete the bill before adjourning for the August recess. The Senate plans to resume action on September 5. As reported by the appropriations committee, the bill provided $453.5 billion for defense, including $50 billion in appropriations for overseas operations. The total is $9.1 billion less than the Administration requested. In floor action, the Senate added substantial amounts to the $50 billion in emergency spending, including $13.1 billion to reequip units returning from abroad and $1.8 billion for border security.
- Department of Defense “Section 1207” Security and Stabilization Assistance: A Fact Sheet
- This report discusses Section 1207 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (P.L. 109-163), which provides authority for DOD to transfer to the State Department up to $100 million per fiscal year in defense articles, services, training or other support for reconstruction, stabilization, and security activities in foreign countries.
- Digital Television: An Overview
- This report provides an overview about Digital Television.Digital Television is a new telivision service representing the most significant development in telivision technology since the advent of color telivision.
- The Emoluments Clause: History, Law, and Precedents
- This report provides an historical review of the Emoluments Clause, focusing on the debates at the time the clause was drafted, as well as the precedents adopted by Congress and the executive branch with respect to nominations where the issue has arisen.
- Enrollment of Legislation: Relevant Congressional Procedures
- This report describes the congressional procedure in the enrollment of legislation, which occurs in the chamber where the measure originated and is carried out by enrolling clerks under the supervision of the Clerk of the House of Representatives and Secretary of the Senate.
- Environmental Law: Selected Bills Introduced in the 91st Congress
- This report provides a listing of bills related to environmental policy introduced in the 91st Congress.
- Environmental Protection Issues: From the 104th to the 105th Congress
- The continued interest in regulatory reform measures in the final moments of the 104th Congress suggests that the 105th Congress will consider them again. At the same time the fact that the 104th Congress enacted flexibility provisions in drinking water and food safety/pesticides legislation could be an indicator that the 105th Congress may pursue reforms in individual reauthorization legislation rather than in broad regulatory reform bills.
- Environmental Protection Issues in the 107th Congress
- This report discuss issues that received congressional attention in the 107th Congress, such as The impact of air quality regulations, key water quality issues, superfund, solid/hazardous wastes, multibillion dollar cleanup and compliance programs, climate change, pesticides, EPA budget, and Science and Technology.
- Environmental Protection Issues in the 107th Congress
- This report discuss issues that received congressional attention in the 107th Congress, such as The impact of air quality regulations, key water quality issues, superfund, solid/hazardous wastes, multibillion dollar cleanup and compliance programs, climate change, pesticides, EPA budget, and Science and Technology.
- Fax-on-Demand Services Available from Federal Government Agencies
- This report provides information about the Fax-on-Demand Services Available from Federal Government Agencies where numerous associations and organizations are finding fax publishing an efficient way to distribute information to the public or targeted audience.
- Federal Contracting and Subcontracting with Small Businesses: Issues in the 112th Congress
- Congress has generally broad authority to impose requirements upon the federal procurement process, or the process whereby agencies obtain goods and services from the private sector. One of the many ways in which Congress has exercised this authority is by enacting measures intended to promote contracting and subcontracting with "small businesses" by federal agencies. This report describes and analyzes measures that Members of the 112th Congress have enacted or proposed in response to particular issues pertaining to small business contracting and subcontracting.
- Filling U.S. Senate Vacancies: Perspectives and Contemporary Developments
- This report provides information on current vacancies in the Senate, the constitutional origins of the Senate vacancy clause, the appointment process by which most vacancies are filled, and related contemporary issues.
- The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: A Brief Overview of Selected Issues
- This report briefly outlines three issues and touches upon some of the perspectives reflected in the ongoing debate. The issues include the inherent and often dynamic tension between national security and civil liberties, particularly righta of privacy free speech.
- The Former Soviet Union and U.S. Foreign Assistance
- This report outlines the approximately $8.3 billion in grants for economic and technical assistance to the States of the Former Soviet Union (FSU) by the United States in an effort to encourage a transition to democracy and free market economics. The report also covers the various departments and agencies providing grant assistance.
- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Amendments: 110th Congress
- This report provides information about the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Amendments of 110th Congress where that statute specified nine categories of information that may be permissibly exempted from the rule of disclosure.
- Head Start: Background and Issues
- This report describes Background and Issues on Head Start. Program performance, fiscal management, and the long-term impact on children particularly with respect to educational attainment continue to be areas of focus and concern.
- Health Insurance Continuation Coverage under COBRA
- This report provides information about Health Insurance Continuation Coverage under COBRA. This report also provides background information on COBRA, on the COBRA population, and on legislation offering COBRA. Some believe that COBRA went too far in requiring employees to provide coverage.
- Health Insurance Continuation Coverage under COBRA
- This report provides information about Health Insurance Continuation Coverage under COBRA. This report also provides background information on COBRA, on the COBRA population, and on legislation offering COBRA. Some believe that COBRA went too far in requiring employees to provide coverage.
- Health Insurance Coverage: Characteristics of the Insured and Uninsured Populations in 2001
- The number of Americans without health insurance rose in 2001 to 41.2 million Americans - an increase of 1.4 million people from 2000. This reverses a two-year trend of falling numbers of uninsured. This report examines the characteristics of both the insured and the uninsured populations in the United States.
- Homeland Security: Coast Guard Operations - Background and Issues for Congress
- The Administration's proposal, announced June 6, 2002, to create a new Department of Homeland Security would, if implemented, transfer the Coast Guard from the Department of Transportation (DoT) to DHLS.
- Homeland Security: Intelligence Support
- Legislation establishing a Department of Homeland Security includes provisions for an information analysis element within the new department. This report examines the information analysis function and the sharing of information among federal agencies but does not address provisions in the proposed legislation governing the sharing of intelligence with state and local officials.