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Unfunded Mandates Reform Act: History, Impact, and Issues

Description: This report examines debates regarding what constitutes an "unfunded federal mandate" and the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995's (UMRA) implementation. It focuses on UMRA's requirement that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issue written cost estimate statements for federal mandates in legislation, its procedures for raising points of order in the House and Senate concerning unfunded federal mandates in legislation, and its requirement that federal agencies prepare written cost estimate… more
Date: August 29, 2013
Creator: Dilger, Robert Jay & Beth, Richard S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Energy Policy: 113th Congress Issues

Description: This report discusses the energy policy in the United States that is focused on three major goals: assuring a secure supply of energy, keeping energy costs low, and protecting the environment.
Date: November 29, 2013
Creator: Behrens, Carl E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Constitutional Analysis of Suspicionless Drug Testing Requirements for the Receipt of Governmental Benefits

Description: This report gives an overview of the issues related to federal or state laws that condition the initial or ongoing receipt of governmental benefits on passing drug tests. These regulations are vulnerable to constitutional challenge, most often due to issues of personal privacy and Fourth Amendment protections against "unreasonable searches."
Date: January 29, 2014
Creator: Carpenter, David H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Army Corps of Engineers: Water Resource Authorizations, Appropriations, and Activities

Description: This report summarizes congressional authorization and appropriations processes for the Army Corps of Engineers. It also discusses agency activities under general authorities. Congress directs the Corps through authorizations, appropriations, and oversight of its studies, construction projects, and other activities.
Date: January 29, 2014
Creator: Carter, Nicole T. & Stern, Charles V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Agricultural Disaster Assistance

Description: This report has four sections. The first describes recent developments in weather and policy. The second provides an overview of the current USDA disaster assistance programs: federal crop insurance, NAP payments, and emergency disaster loans. The third section discusses the now expired disaster programs under the 2008 farm bill, specifically Supplemental Revenue, Assistance Payments Program (SURE), and four other smaller disaster programs. The fourth section briefly reviews the potential reaut… more
Date: August 29, 2013
Creator: Shields, Dennis A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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A Brief Overview of Actions Taken by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in Its First Year

Description: Report that looks at actions taken by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) during its first year. The CFPB exists to implement and enforce federal consumer financial laws, ensure consumer access to financial products and services, and ensure that the markets for consumer financial services and products are fair, transparent, and competitive.
Date: August 29, 2012
Creator: Hoskins, Sean M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Immigration Detainers: Legal Issues

Description: Report that provides background information regarding the Immigration and Naturalization Service rules and regulations and discusses the "immigration detainer", a document by which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) advises other law enforcement agencies that it seeks custody of individual aliens whom these agencies are detaining.
Date: May 29, 2013
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Tax Provisions to Assist with Disaster Recovery

Description: Report that provides a basic overview of existing, permanent provisions that benefit victims of disasters, as well as past, targeted legislative responses to particular disasters. The relief is discussed without examining either the qualifications for or the limitation on claiming the provisions' benefits.
Date: November 29, 2012
Creator: Lunder, Erika K.; Pettit, Carol A. & Teefy, Jennifer
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Army Corps Supplemental Appropriations: Recent History, Trends, and Policy Issues

Description: Report that summarizes recent trends in supplemental funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, particularly related to natural disasters. It provides summary data and analysis on Corps funding over the last 10 years and includes a general discussion of how the Corps funds emergency actions at its own facilities and elsewhere.
Date: November 29, 2012
Creator: Stern, Charles V. & Carter, Nicole T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Membership of the 113th Congress: A Profile

Description: Report that presents a profile of the membership of the 113th Congress (2013-2014). Statistical information is included on selected characteristics of Members, including data on party affiliation, average age, occupation, education, length of congressional service, religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity, foreign births, and military service.
Date: May 29, 2013
Creator: Manning, Jennifer E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Proposed U.S.-Mexico Transboundary Hydrocarbons Agreement: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the offshore areas of the Gulf of Mexico that provide a setting for domestic and international energy production, U.S. military training and border operations, trade and commerce, fishing, tourist attractions, and recreation.
Date: August 29, 2013
Creator: Hagerty, Curry L. & Uzel, James C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Spectrum Policy in the Age of Broadband: Issues for Congress

Description: Report that discusses some of the commercial and federal radio frequency spectrum policy changes required by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. It also summarizes new policy directions for spectrum management under consideration in the 112th Congress, such as the encouragement of new technologies that use spectrum more efficiently.
Date: August 29, 2012
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and issues for Congress on multiyear procurement (MYP) and block buy contracting (BBC),1 which are special contracting mechanisms that Congress permits the Department of Defense (DOD) to use for a limited number of defense acquisition programs. Compared to the standard or default approach of annual contracting, MYP and BBC have the potential for reducing weapon procurement costs by several percent.
Date: October 29, 2013
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald & Schwartz, Moshe
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Presidential Permits for Border Crossing Energy Facilities

Description: This report discusses the executive orders regarding the construction, operation, and maintenance of facilities that cross the U.S.-Mexico or U.S.- Canada border, including the source of the executive branch authority to issue the orders, the standards set forth in the orders, and the projects approved pursuant to the orders.
Date: October 29, 2013
Creator: Vann, Adam & Parfomak, Paul W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans and Homelessness

Description: This report discusses several issues relating to homelessness among veterans, which has become more prominent since the beginning of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Date: November 29, 2013
Creator: Perl, Libby
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Department of Energy: Progress Made Overseeing the Costs of Contractor Postretirement Benefits, but Additional Actions Could Help Address Challenges

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Energy (DOE) relies on contractors to conduct its mission activities. DOE reimburses these contractors for allowable costs, including the costs of providing pension and other postretirement benefits, such as retiree health care plans. Since the economic downturn, DOE has had to devote significantly more funding toward reimbursing these benefit costs, in part because of a decline in int… more
Date: April 29, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Fiscal Exposures: Improving Cost Recognition in the Federal Budget

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Fiscal exposures may be explicit in that the federal government is legally required to pay for the commitment; alternatively, it may be implicit in that the exposure arises from expectations based on current policy or past practices. The nine programs GAO examined illustrate the range of federal fiscal exposures (see figure) and how they can change over time. Also, some programs may have elements of bot… more
Date: October 29, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Recovery Act: Tax Debtors Have Received FHA Mortgage Insurance and First-Time Homebuyer Credits

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured over $1.44 billion in mortgages for 6,327 borrowers with $77.6 million in federal tax debt who benefited from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Of these borrowers, 3,815 individuals claimed and received $27.4 million in Recovery Act First-Time Homebuyer Credits (FTHBC). This analysis includes tax debtors who (1) benefited from FHA’s increas… more
Date: May 29, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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School Facilities: Physical Conditions in School Districts Receiving Impact Aid for Students Residing on Indian Lands

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "State and local governments spend billions of dollars annually on the construction, renovation, and maintenance of public school facilities, yet concerns persist about the condition of some school facilities, particularly in school districts serving students residing on Indian lands. The Department of Education's (Education) Impact Aid Program provides funding to school districts that are adversely impa… more
Date: October 29, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financial Audit: Independent and Special Counsel Expenditures for the Six Months Ended March 31, 2006

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This report presents the results of our audits of expenditures reported by one office of independent counsel and one office of special counsel for the 6 months ended March 31, 2006. The Department of Justice and independent counsels are required under 28 U.S.C. 594 (d)(2), (h) and 596 (c)(1) to report on a semiannual basis the expenditures from a permanent, indefinite appropriation established within th… more
Date: September 29, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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