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Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the sustainment and modernization of the Coast Guard's polar icebreaker fleet. Congress's decisions on this issue could affect Coast Guard funding requirements, the Coast Guard's ability to perform its polar missions, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
Date: April 4, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Libya: Transition and U.S. Policy

Description: This report discusses current political and security dynamics in Libya following the fall of Muammar al Qadhafi in 2011. As of early 2016, a United Nations-facilitated agreement to form a Government of National Accord (GNA) remains under consideration by Libyan factions.
Date: March 4, 2016
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Security Assistance and Cooperation: Shared Responsibility of the Departments of State and Defense

Description: This report provides an overview of U.S. assistance to and engagement with foreign military and other security forces, focusing on Department of State and DOD roles. It lays out the historical evolution and current framework of the Department of State-DOD shared responsibility. It concludes with a brief overview of salient issues.
Date: April 4, 2016
Creator: Serafino, Nina M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Implications of Iranian Elections

Description: This report briefly describes the Iranian election process and the implications of this Election's results. On February 26, 2016, Iran held elections for the 290-seat Majles (parliament) and for the 88-seat body called the "Assembly of Experts," which is empowered to choose a successor to the Supreme Leader and rewrite Iran's constitution.
Date: March 4, 2016
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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High Frequency Trading: Overview of Recent Developments

Description: This report provides background on various High-frequency trading (HFT) strategies and some associated policy issues, recent regulatory developments and selected enforcement actions by the SEC and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), on HFT, and congressional action such as proposed legislation and hearings related to HFT.
Date: April 4, 2016
Creator: Miller, Rena S. & Shorter, Gary
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Display of the Confederate Flag at Federal Cemeteries in the United States

Description: This report discusses policies regarding the display of the Confederate Flag at national cemeteries. If a state observes a Confederate Memorial Day, National Park Service (NPS) cemeteries in the state may permit a sponsoring group to decorate the graves of Confederate veterans with small Confederate flags. Additionally, such flags may also be displayed on the nationally observed Memorial Day, to accompany the U.S. flag on the graves of Confederate veterans.
Date: May 4, 2016
Creator: Comay, Laura B. & Szymendera, Scott D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Funding of Presidential Nominating Conventions: An Overview

Description: This report provides a historical overview of how Presidential Election Campaign Fund (PECF) convention funding functioned. It also describes private funding sources that remain available after legislation (H.R. 2019) became law (P.L. 113-94) eliminating PECF funding for convention operations.
Date: May 4, 2016
Creator: Garrett, R. S. & Reese, Shawn
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): Key Provisions and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) among the United States and 11 Asia-Pacific countries. It examines the key provisions of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), related policy and economic contexts, and issues of potential interest to Congress.
Date: May 4, 2016
Creator: Fergusson, Ian F. & Williams, Brock R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Kuwait: Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy

Description: This report examines Kuwait's relationships with its neighbors in the Persian Gulf, and its own political system which has been in turmoil since 2006. Kuwait remains pivotal to U.S. efforts to secure the Persian Gulf region because of its willingness to cooperate with U.S. strategy and military operations in the region and its proximity to both Iran and Iraq.
Date: May 4, 2016
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The United Kingdom and the European Union: Stay or Go?

Description: This report briefly examines the debate surrounding whether or not the United Kingdom should leave the European Union.
Date: May 4, 2016
Creator: Mix, Derek E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Coast Guard's programs for procuring 8 National Security Cutters (NSCs), 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), and 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRCs). Congress's decisions on these three programs could substantially affect Coast Guard capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
Date: April 4, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Moldova: A Pivotal Election?

Description: This report discusses Moldova's presidential election on October 30, 2016. This is the first time since 1996 that Moldova's president is being elected by a popular vote.
Date: November 4, 2016
Creator: Welt, Cory
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S.-Mexico Economic Relations: Trends, Issues, and Implications

Description: This report provides an overview of U.S.-Mexico trade and economic trends, the Mexican economy, the effects of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and major trade issues between the United States and Mexico.
Date: November 4, 2016
Creator: Villarreal, M. Angeles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Overview of Funding Mechanisms in the Federal Budget Process, and Selected Examples

Description: This report explains various funding mechanisms used to fund federal programs and activities including timelines for budgetary decisionmaking and processes (e.g., committees); it illustrates the mechanisms with examples of how they have been applied in practice. How a particular funding mechanism is structured requires tradeoffs between the frequency of congressional review and the predictability of funding for the program.
Date: August 4, 2016
Creator: Tollestrup, Jessica
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Poverty in the United States in 2015: In Brief

Description: This report presents information on poverty for demographic groups (by family structure, age, race and Hispanic origin, and work status) and for states. In this report, the numbers and percentages of those in poverty are based on the Census Bureau's estimates
Date: October 4, 2016
Creator: Dalaker, Joseph
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Zika Poses New Challenges for Blood Centers

Description: This report examines recent steps being taken to prevent the spread of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the blood supply.
Date: August 4, 2016
Creator: Redhead, C. S. & Lister, Sarah A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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A New Aid Package for Israel

Description: This report discusses potential legislation that could impact the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on U.S. assistance to Israel as the countries continue to negotiate terms for the period FY2019-FY2028.
Date: August 4, 2016
Creator: Sharp, Jeremy M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military Construction: FY2017 Appropriations

Description: This report discusses military construction for active and reserve components of the armed forces, military family housing construction and operations, and the U.S. contribution to the NATO Security Investment Program.
Date: October 4, 2016
Creator: Else, Daniel H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Turkey: Background and U.S. Relations In Brief

Description: This report provides information and analysis on key issues related to Turkish foreign and domestic policy issues, particularly regarding the aftermath of the failed July 15-16, 2016 coup attempt.
Date: August 4, 2016
Creator: Zanotti, Jim
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Fatal Balloon Accident Highlights Disagreement Between Safety Agencies

Description: This report briefly discusses the the safety of hot-air balloons and examines the current regulatory climate. On July 30, 2016, a hot-air balloon tour flight crashed about 30 miles south of Austin, Texas, killing the pilot and all 15 passengers on board.
Date: August 4, 2016
Creator: Elias, Bart
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Medicare: Part B Premiums

Description: This report provides an overview of Medicare Part B premiums, including information on Part B eligibility and enrollment, late-enrollment penalties, collection of premiums, determination of annual premium amounts, premiums for high-income enrollees, premium assistance for low-income enrollees, protections for Social Security recipients from rising Part B premiums, and historical Medicare Part B premium trends. This report also provides a summary of various premium-related issues that may be of … more
Date: August 4, 2016
Creator: Davis, Patricia A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Use of the Annual Appropriations Process to Block Implementation of the Affordable Care Act (FY2011-FY2017)

Description: This report summarizes the ACA-related language added to annual appropriations legislation by congressional appropriators since the ACA was signed into law. The information is presented in Table 1. While a detailed examination of the ACA itself is beyond the scope of this report, a brief overview of the ACA's core provisions and its impact on federal spending is provided as context for the material in the table.
Date: August 4, 2016
Creator: Redhead, C. Stephen & Cornell, Ada S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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