Search Results

open access

Promoting Global Internet Freedom: Policy and Technology

Description: Report that provides information about federal and private sector efforts to promote and support global Internet freedom, a description of Internet freedom legislation from the 112th Congress, and suggestions for further reading on this topic. Two appendixes describe censorship and circumvention technologies.
Date: October 23, 2012
Creator: Moloney Figliola, Patricia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): Overview and Issues

Description: Report that describes the general nature of the biofuels RFS and its implementation, outlines some of the emerging issues related to the sustainability of the continued growth in U.S. biofuels production needed to fulfill the expanding RFS mandate, and the emergence of potential unintended consequences of this rapid expansion.
Date: January 23, 2012
Creator: Schnepf, Randy & Yacobucci, Brent D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Budget Control Act: Potential Impact of Automatic Spending Reduction Procedures on Health Reform Spending

Description: This report discusses the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA; P.L. 112-25), which established new budget enforcement mechanisms for reducing the federal deficit by at least $2.1 trillion over the 10-year period FY2012-FY2021. The BCA places statutory limits, or caps, on discretionary spending for each of those 10 fiscal years, which will save an estimated $0.9 trillion during that period. In addition, it creates a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (Joint Committee), which is instructed t… more
Date: March 23, 2012
Creator: Redhead, C. Stephen
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Global Challenge of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria

Description: This report examines formal interagency collaborative arrangements and activities, which are intended to enhance joint efforts and cooperation among independent federal agencies with shared responsibilities and overlapping jurisdictions. This report highlights some of the current challenges posed by HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria, as well as several crosscutting policy issues that the 112th Congress may consider as it determines U.S. global health funding for these three diseases, including: Health … more
Date: February 23, 2012
Creator: Kendall, Alexandra E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities—Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report covers the question of how the United States should respond to China's military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort, has emerged as a key issue in U.S. defense planning. The question is of particular importance to the U.S. Navy, because many U.S. military programs for countering improved Chinese military forces would fall within the Navy's budget. Potential oversight issues for Congress include the following: whether the U.S. Navy in coming years will be l… more
Date: March 23, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses

Description: This report discusses the effects of economic sanctions against Iran; support to the Iranian democracy movement; and opposition against Iranian human rights violations and Iranian support for Syrian human rights violations. The Obama Administration identifies Iran as a major threat to U.S. national security interests. The sense of imminent crisis with Iran which greeted the beginning of 2012 follows three years in which the Obama Administration first offered Iran's leaders consistent and sustai… more
Date: March 23, 2012
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2013 Budget and Appropriations

Description: This report analyzes the FY2013 request and congressional action related to FY2013 State-Foreign Operations legislation. The 112th Congress is considering FY2013 international affairs funding within the context of the Budget Control Act that established discretionary spending limits for FY2012-FY2021 and contains automatic budget reductions (sequestration) on discretionary spending to begin on January 2, 2013.
Date: July 23, 2012
Creator: Epstein, Susan B.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo & Tiersky, Alex L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

President Obama’s January 4, 2012, Recess Appointments: Legal Issues

Description: This report analyzes the legal issues associated with the President's asserted exercise of his Recess Appointments Clause power on January 4, 2012. The report begins with a general legal overview of the Recess Appointment Clause. This is followed by an analysis of two legal principles, standing and the political question doctrine, which may impede a reviewing court from reaching the merits of a potential legal challenge to the appointments.
Date: January 23, 2012
Creator: Carpenter, David H.; Chu, Vivian S.; Dolan, Alissa M. & Garvey, Todd
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Affordable Care Act: Litigation Resources

Description: This report discusses the lawsuits challenging the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Moreover, the report also discusses how the Supreme Court granted three petitions of certiorari and scheduled oral arguments in 2012.
Date: March 23, 2012
Creator: Taylor, Julia & Tarnay, Eva M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The 2012 Farm Bill: A Comparison of SenatePassed S. 3240 and the House Agriculture Committee’s H.R. 6083 with Current Law

Description: From Summary: "This report contains a more detailed summary of the major similarities and differences between the House and Senate 2012 farm bills and also provides a side-by-side comparison of every provision in the two farm bills and how these provisions relate to current federal law or policy."
Date: July 23, 2012
Creator: Chite, Ralph M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction

Description: This report provides information about The Introduction of Congressional Appropriations Process. Congress has developed certain rules and practices for the consideration of appropriate measures, referred to as Congressional Appropriations Process.
Date: February 23, 2012
Creator: Streeter, Sandy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

ACA: A Brief Overview of the Law, Implementation, and Legal Challenges

Description: This report summarizes the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the legal challenges it has faced. The report contains information on various lawsuits due to the ACA and provides the reasoning behind them as Congress violating its enumerated powers in the constitution. Moreover, the report covers the challenges of implementing the law.
Date: March 23, 2012
Creator: Redhead, C. Stephen; Staman, Jennifer; Burrows, Vanessa K. & Fernandez, Bernadette
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Grandfathered Health Plans Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). January 2012

Description: This report describes grandfather plans and summarizes the ACA insurance reforms that will affect such plans, including the requirements concerning medical loss ratios, dependent coverage, and preexisting health condition coverage.
Date: January 23, 2012
Creator: Fernandez, Bernadette
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The 2001 and 2003 Bush Tax Cuts and Deficit Reduction

Description: 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.
Date: July 23, 2012
Creator: Hungerford, Thomas L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Biological Opinions for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: A Case Law Summary

Description: For decades biologists, water users, and lawmakers (both federal and state) have attempted to craft a system that meets the needs of California water users while ensuring sufficient usable water for fish. Under California's hybrid system of appropriate water rights, users are issued permits for water diverted from rivers and streams regardless of the users' proximity to the source of water. This report details the proceedings related to the long-term central valley project and state water proje… more
Date: January 23, 2012
Creator: Alexander, Kristina
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Community Development Block Grants: Funding Issues in the 112th Congress and Recent Funding History

Description: The FY 2013 budget debate will take place within the context of growing concerns about the need to address federal budget deficits, the national debt, and a sluggish economic recovery following the longest and deepest recession since the Great Depression. This report contains information on FY 2013 appropriations, FY 2012 appropriations, FY 2011 appropriations, Congressional action, and related topics.
Date: March 23, 2012
Creator: Boyd, Eugene
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Cybersecurity: CRS Experts

Description: This report contains the table that provides names and contact information for CRS experts on policy issues related to cyber security bills currently being debated in the 112th Congress.
Date: July 23, 2012
Creator: Fischer, Eric A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Federal Laws Relating to Cybersecurity: Discussion of Proposed Revisions

Description: For more than a decade, various experts have expressed concerns about information-system security-often referred to as cybersecurity-in the United States and abroad. This report discusses that framework and proposals to amend more than 30 acts of Congress that are part of or relevant to it.
Date: April 23, 2012
Creator: Fischer, Eric A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
Back to Top of Screen