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- 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.
- EPA Proposes New Permitting Test for Power Plant Modifications
- This report discusses the EPA's proposed Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from existing coal-fired power plants. As part of the ACE Rule, EPA proposed a new test for determining whether New Source Review (NSR) would apply to a modification of an existing power plant.
- Trends in Mandatory Spending: In Brief
- This report describes mandatory spending, its composition and growth over time, and possible mandatory spending in coming decades, as well as relevant policy options.
- Electronic Filing of Senate Campaign Finance Reports
- This report discusses recent changes in campaign finance reporting requirements for Senate candidates.
- Hurricane Florence: Brief Overview of FEMA Programs and Resources
- This report provides a brief overview of emergency and major disaster declarations relevant to Hurricane Florence, and selected federal resources and links to CRS products related to emergency and disaster declarations, disaster response, and recovery.
- The Army's Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV): Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the Army's Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) program and outlines its basic functions, procurement plans, and funding requests for FY2019.
- Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV): Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) which is a newly-developed vehicle for the Army and Marine Corps. The major potential issues for Congress include whether an increase in endstrength and force structure might result in an increase in overall JLTV requirements, and possible effects of JLTV Foreign Military Sales.
- Farm Bills: Major Legislative Actions, 1965-2018
- This report examines the major legislative milestones for the last 11 farm bills covering 53 years and illustrates trends that may provide useful background and context as the current farm bill debate proceeds.
- Immigration: Frequently Asked Questions about "Public Charge"
- This report provides answers to frequently-asked questions about current public charge policy, including the sources of laws that govern public charge determinations, who is subject to determinations, factors that are considered in determinations, and the consequences of determinations.
- Intellectual Property Law: A Brief Introduction
- This report provides a brief overview of each form of federal intellectual property (IP) protection, including patent law, copyright law, and trademarks.
- Agriculture in the WTO: Rules and Limits on U.S. Domestic Support
- This report provides a brief overview of the World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments that are most relevant for U.S. domestic farm policy. It includes a discussion regarding how WTO commitments may influence policies and questions for evaluating WTO compliance of domestic farm spending..
- EPA Proposes the Affordable Clean Energy Rule to Replace the Clean Power Plan
- This report explores the legal basis for the proposed Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule and discusses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) authority to consider various emission reduction options for existing power plants under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
- Electric Grid Cybersecurity
- This report discusses the current state of electric grid cybersecurity, and the interconnected dependency of critical infrastructure with regard to electric sector reliability. It includes discussions of recent developments, cyber and physical security, threats to the grid and supply chain risks, use of artificial intelligence, improvements to grid cybersecurity, recent legislation and other issues for Congress.
- NAFTA and the Preliminary U.S.-Mexico Agreement
- This report outlines the key provisions of the agreement between the U.S. and Mexico that is set to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
- Supreme Court Appointment Process: Senate Debate and Confirmation Vote
- This report provides information and analysis related to the final stage of the confirmation process for a nomination to the Supreme Court--the consideration of the nomination by the full Senate, including floor debate and the vote on whether to approve the nomination.
- Locomotive Idling, Air Quality, and Blocked Crossings
- This report discusses the risks and disruptions that occur when trains idle on the tracks and block crossings as well as possible responses to address the problem.
- American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics
- This report provides U.S. war casualty statistics compiled from various Department of Defense (DOD) sources (listed at end). The first data table lists the number of casualties among American military personnel who served in principal wars and combat operations from 1775 to the present. Subsequent tables provide more specific information by conflict about the demographics of soldiers killed or wounded in action and information such as race and ethnicity, gender, branch of service, home state, and cause of death.
- The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP): Issues in Brief
- This report discusses the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program which is made up of four agencies (FEMA, The National Science Foundation, USGS, and National Institute of Standards and Technology) which are responsible for monitoring, reporting, and studying earthquakes and increasing resiliency to earthquakes through means such as stronger infrastructure, early warning systems, and recovery plans.
- Expedited Removal of Aliens: Legal Framework
- This report provides an overview of the statutory and regulatory framework that governs expedited removal of aliens under INA Section 235(b)(1) and exceptions to expedited removal -- including provisions to seek review of an asylum claim. Finally, the report addresses the scope of judicial review, some of the legal challenges that have been raised to the expedited removal process, and potential legal issues that may arise if expedited removal were expanded to cover additional categories of aliens present in the United States.
- WTO Disciplines on U.S. Domestic Support for Agriculture
- This report outlines the rules and disciplines the United States has committed to abide by as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
- Can a Foreign Employee of a Foreign Company be Federally Prosecuted for Foreign Bribery?
- This report discusses whether foreign nationals and companies may be federally prosecuted for Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations under conspiracy and accomplice liability theories.
- U.S.-China Relations
- This report discusses the relations between the United States and the People's Republic of China (PRC or China). Selected issues include strategic competition, trade, North Korea, synthetic drugs, the "one-China" policy, and human rights.
- Congressional Primer on Responding to Major Disasters and Emergencies
- This report provides information to aid policymakers related to the laws and administrative policies governing the disaster response and recovery process. It also reviews the legislative framework for providing federal financial assistance following disasters, as well as the policies the executive branch employs to provide supplemental help to state (or territory), tribal, and local governments during time of disasters.
- Supreme Court October Term 2017: A Review of Selected Major Rulings
- This report highlights seven notable cases from the October Term 2017 that could impact the work of Congress: (1) Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis; (2) Carpenter v. United States; (3) Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); (4) Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31 (AFSCME); (5) National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) v. Becerra; (6) Trump v. Hawaii; and (7) Lucia v. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). For each case it provides background information, summarizes the arguments presented to the Court, explains the Court's ruling, and examines the potential implications for Congress, including the ramifications for the jurisprudence in a given area of law.
- Escalating Tariffs: Potential Impacts
- This report examines the potential impacts of U.S. trade actions on steel and aluminium tariffs and tariffs against China.
- Federal Grants and Loans for State and Local Emergency Communications Projects: Frequently Asked Questions
- This report provides congressional staff with information on current federal grants and loans that fund emergency communications, including information on the application process, eligible communications activities, and other resources they can provide to constituents seeking federal grant and loan funding to support emergency communications projects.
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks in U.S. Agriculture
- This report discusses agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States, agricultural carbon sequestration, and practices that offset GHG emissions.
- Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriations for the Department of Energy
- This report discusses the appropriations budget for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), funding proposed in the request, and key changes .
- The Veterans Choice Program (VCP): Program Implementation
- This report discusses the Veterans Choice Program (VCP) which allows veterans to use community health care providers and still be covered under VA (Veteran's Affairs) insurance benefits. The report provides details on how the VCP is being implemented and is meant to provide insight into the execution of the current VCP program.
- Army Corps of Engineers: Water Resource Authorization and Project Delivery Processes
- This report summarizes congressional authorization legislation for U.S. Army Corps of Engineer (USACE) water resource development projects, the standard project delivery process, authorities for alternative water resource project delivery, and other USACE authorities.
- Cloture Attempts on Nominations: Data and Historical Development Through November 20, 2013
- This report discusses topics regarding cloture as a means to limit debate and overcome a possible filibuster.
- Federal Reserve: Legislation in the 115th Congress
- The Federal Reserve (Fed) is the subject of legislation being considered in the 115th Congress. This report analyzes Fed bills that have seen committee or floor action and the policy debate surrounding them. The bills contain wide-ranging changes that can be grouped into five broad categories: Fed governance, oversight and disclosure, monetary policy rules (the Taylor Rule), the Fed's emergency lending powers, and the Fed's balance sheet.
- Marine Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV): Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the development and procurement of the Marine Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) and the FY2019 budget request for the ACV program.
- Defense Primer: Lowest Price Technically Acceptable Contracts
- This report discusses the use of lowest-price technically-acceptable (LPTA) contracts by the Department of Defense (DOD), benefits of using LPTA, and when it is appropriate.
- Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriations for the Department of Energy
- This report discusses the President's FY2019 budget request for the Department of Energy (DOE), funding proposed in the request, funding proposed by the conference committee, and key changes.
- 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.
- The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), Reinsurance, and Catastrophe Bonds
- This report discusses the use of reinsurance to transfer some of the risk of an insurance policy from the primary insurer to a secondary insurer, and the National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP) decision to use reinsurance through the issuance of catastrophe bonds (which pay out when a particular type of disaster set out in the bond agreement occurs) by the secondary private insurers.
- Trade Promotion Authority (TPA): Frequently Asked Questions
- This report discusses the Trade Promotion Authority program which allows the President to request an expedited procedure for an international trade deal that meets certain requirements. The report answers a variety of frequently asked questions regarding TPA's functions and purpose and Congressional power over it.
- Government Contract Bid Protests: Analysis of Legal Processes and Recent Developments
- This report briefly analyzes the varying legal procedures applicable to bid protests under each forum. First, it provides an overview of bid protests generally and then analyzes the legal distinctions among these forums. Finally, the report discusses recent legislative developments affecting bid protest procedures and potential considerations for Congress.
- The Congressional Review Act: Determining Which "Rules" Must Be Submitted to Congress
- This report describes what types of agency actions can be overturned using the Congressional Review Act (CRA) by providing a close examination and discussion of the statutory definition of a "rule." It also explains how Members can use the CRA to overturn agency rules that have not been submitted to Congress.
- Civilian Nuclear Waste Disposal
- This report discusses disposal of nuclear waste, primarily highly-radioactive spent fuel from nuclear power plants, including: Presidential and Congressional actions regarding nuclear waste disposal sites and the Yucca Mountain Project, other alternatives previously proposed by the Obama Administration, and temporary solutions.
- 3D-Printed Guns: An Overview of Recent Legal Developments
- This report addresses the various legal questions that have arisen in recent litigation over 3D-printed guns by providing an overview of the issues and developments that have culminated in the injunction.
- The "Flores Settlement" and Alien Families Apprehended at the U.S. Border: Frequently Asked Questions
- This report answers frequently asked legal questions pertaining to the Flores Settlement and the it's impact on the detention of alien families apprehended at or near the U.S. border. In particular, the report addresses (1) background of the litigation, (2) how the Settlement restricts DHS's power to keep families in detention, (3) the relationship between the Ms. L. litigation and the Settlement, (4) the executive branch's policy options under the Settlement, (5) proposed rulemaking for implementation, and (6) the extent to which either the executive branch or Congress can override or modify the terms of the Settlement.
- Federalism-Based Limitations on Congressional Power: An Overview
- This report provides a broad overview of the various legal doctrines that inform the boundaries of Congress's authority vis-Ã -vis the states under the Constitution. It addresses several general principles, discusses "internal" limitations on Congress's exercise of powers, and concludes by outlining several "external" federalism-based limitations on Congress's powers, such as the anti-commandeering, anti-coercion, state sovereign immunity, and equal sovereignty doctrines.
- Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs): Issues for Congress
- This report discusses policy issues for Congress to address regarding exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which are common ways for Americans to invest. An ETF is an investment vehicle that, similar to a mutual fund, offers public investors shares of a pool of assets; unlike a mutual fund, however, an ETF can be traded on exchanges like a stock.
- Selected Legal Tools for Maintaining Government Contractor Accountability
- This report analyzes a selection of the legal tools a procuring agency may use to hold contractors accountable. It assesses contractual remedies that procuring agencies could utilize, discusses performance-related contract source selection criteria, and describes other legal tools--outside of contract law and the contract selection processes--that the government may employ to hold a contractor accountable.
- The Supreme Court's Overruling of Constitutional Precedent
- This report examines how the Supreme Court determines whether to overrule its prior decisions on questions of constitutional law. It provides an overview of the doctrine of stare decisis, under which a court generally follows rules adopted in prior decisions; discusses how Justices who have adopted textualism and originalism handle conflicts between precedent and their judicial philosophies; and examines various factors that the Court weighs when interpreting the Constitution, providing examples from the Court's recent jurisprudence.
- Labor Enforcement Issues in U.S. FTAs
- This report discusses labor enforcement in free trade agreements (FTAs), U.S. labor disputes, and issues for Congress to consider.
- Former Speakers of the House: Office Allowances, Franking Privileges, and Staff Assistance
- This report discusses the allowance former Speakers of the House of Representatives were provided upon their departure. This allowance began in 1970 and was repealed with the passage of the legislative branch appropriations act for FY2019, P.L. 115-244.
- Water Infrastructure Financing: The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program
- This report discusses the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act which is planning to provide subsidized loans and credit assistance to water infrastructure projects through the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).