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open access

The ACA Medicaid Expansion

Description: This report provides an overview of the ACA Medicaid expansion, and the impact of the Supreme Court decision on the ACA Medicaid expansion. Then, the report describes who is covered under the expansion, the expansion rules, and how the expansion is financed. In addition, enrollment and expenditure estimates for the ACA Medicaid expansion are provided. Finally, the report reviews state decisions whether or not to implement the ACA Medicaid expansion, and the implications of those decisions on ce… more
Date: December 30, 2014
Creator: Mitchell, Alison
open access

An Analysis of the Geographic Distribution of the Mortgage Interest Deduction

Description: This report analyzes variation in the mortgage interest deduction tax expenditure across states. Tax expenditures, such as the mortgage interest deduction, can generally be viewed as government spending administered via the tax code, or as tax incentives that are intended to achieve particular policy objectives. Regardless of the interpretation, tax expenditures provide a benefit to qualifying taxpayers by lowering their federal tax liabilities.
Date: January 30, 2014
Creator: Keightley, Mark P.
open access

Asylum Policies for Unaccompanied Children Compared with Expedited Removal Policies for Unauthorized Adults: In Brief

Description: This report focuses on unaccompanied alien children as asylum seekers. To bring clarity to the unique policies toward unaccompanied children, this report compares their treatment to that of unauthorized adults and families with children in the specific contexts of asylum and expedited removal.
Date: July 30, 2014
Creator: Wasem, Ruth Ellen
open access

Can Marriage Conquer "Consular Nonreviewability" for a Spouse's Visa Denial?

Description: This legal sidebar discusses the case of Kerry v. Din. The case asks the Court to recognize marriage as a constitutionally-protected interest of a U.S. citizen which can trigger limited judicial review of a spouse's visa denial and require the government to identify the specific laws and facts that are grounds for denying the visa.
Date: October 30, 2014
open access

China and the United States--A Comparison of Green Energy Programs and Policies

Description: This report looks at the laws, programs, and policies encouraging development of wind, solar, and biomass power in the China and the United States. While hydropower is the most developed source of renewable electricity in both China and the United States, additional development of conventional hydropower is not currently a major focus of energy policy in the United States.
Date: April 30, 2014
Creator: Campbell, Richard J.
open access

Congressional Primer on Responding to Major Disasters and Emergencies

Description: This report covers the role of the government in disaster management. While the disaster response and recovery process is fundamentally a relationship between the federal government and the requesting state government, there are roles for congressional offices to play in providing information to the federal/state response and recovery teams in their respective states and districts, and as a source of accurate and timely information to their constituents.
Date: April 30, 2014
Creator: McCarthy, Francis X. & Brown, Jared T.
open access

Congressional Salaries and Allowances: In Brief

Description: This report provides basic information on congressional salaries and allowances and recent developments. First, the report briefly summarizes the current salary of Members of Congress; limits or prohibitions on their outside earned income, honoraria, and tax deductions; options for life and health insurance; and retirement benefits. Second, the report provides information on allowances available to Representatives and Senators to support them in their official and representational duties.
Date: December 30, 2014
Creator: Brudnick, Ida A.
open access

Cybersecurity: Authoritative Reports and Resources, by Topic

Description: This report provides references to analytical reports on cybersecurity from CRS, other government agencies, trade associations, and interest groups. The reports and related websites are grouped under the following cybersecurity topics: policy overview; National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC); cloud computing and FedRAMP; critical infrastructure; cybercrime, data breaches and data security; national security, cyber espionage, and cyberwar (including Stuxnet); international… more
Date: May 30, 2014
Creator: Tehan, Rita
open access

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA): Frequently Asked Questions

Description: This report discusses the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) June 15, 2012 announcement that certain individuals who were brought to the United States as children and meet other criteria would be considered for relief from removal for two years, subject to renewal, under an initiative known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.
Date: September 30, 2014
Creator: Bruno, Andorra
open access

Federal Employees' Retirement System: Benefits and Financing

Description: This report discusses the retirement systems in place for federal employees including the Civil Service Retirement System (for employees hired before 1984) and the Federal Employees' Retirement System (for employees hired in 1984 or later). Both programs require participants to contribute toward the cost of their pensions through a payroll tax. This report also summarizes relevant legislation in the 113th Congress that would make significant changes to federal benefits and financing, including … more
Date: January 30, 2014
Creator: Isaacs, Katelin P.
open access

Genetically Engineered Salmon

Description: This report discusses the genetically modified salmon. The term “genetic modification” refers to changes in an organism’s genetic makeup that do not occur in nature. Also, if approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Atlantic salmon would be the first genetically engineered (GE) animal to be marketed in the United States for human consumption.
Date: April 30, 2014
Creator: Upton, Harold F. & Cowan, Tadlock
open access

The Global Climate Change Initiative (GCCI): Budget Authority and Request, FY2010-FY2015

Description: This report discusses financial assistance for global climate change initiatives in developing countries. The Global Climate Change Initiative (GCCI) -- one of the three main pillars to the 2010 directive -- aims to integrate climate change considerations into relevant foreign assistance, from FY2008 enacted funding request for FY2010 through the FY2014.
Date: April 30, 2014
Creator: Lattanzio, Richard K.
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