The Refuge Revenue Sharing Fund (RRSF) was enacted in response to the concern of local governments regarding losses to their tax base due to the presence of federally owned land under the jurisdiction of the Fish and Wildlife Service. This report outlines recent history of RRSF payment levels. It examines the RRSF and describes how the fund differs in its treatment of reserved and acquired lands under the jurisdiction of FWS. The report also examines the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program in detail.

This report summarizes the proposals that have emerged and the issues surrounding them.

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This report provides background and an overview on clearcutting use in the National Forests and effects.

This report provides brief legislative background for Older Americans Act programs expired at the end of FY1995. The report discusses issues with re-authorization and 106th Congress proposals.

This report discusses criteria to consider when judging the quality of an internet site and the best strategies for locating information on the World Wide Web. There are two ways to search the Internet. The first is to use subject guides (e.g., Yahoo, Galaxy, or WWW Virtual Library), which are compiled by human indexers. These present an organized hierarchy of categories so a searcher can “drill down” through their links. The second option is to use a search engine (e.g., Alta Vista, Hotbot, or InfoSeek), an automated software robot which indexes Web pages and retrieves information based on relevancy-ranked algorithms. This report describes how search engines index the World Wide Web, as well as various features common to most search engines. In addition, the report suggests searching tips for retrieving the most precise information. Finally, the report discusses Usenet news groups, email discussion lists, gophers, and miscellaneous Web resources.

This report discusses how The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 has affected alien (illegal immigrants and nonimmigrants in the country) eligibility for federal, state, and local government assistance.

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This report discusses the events leading to the creation of a permanent international criminal tribunal and U.S. perspectives on the Court including: problematic provisions in the ICC Treaty, congressional considerations, and potential implications for U.S. foreign policy.

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This report provides information about the Foreign Policy Agency Reorganization in the 105th Congress. This report also provides the background on foreign policy consolidation issues, discusses foreign policy implications, and tracks legislation.

This report examines Mercosur, the third largest preferential trading group in the world. Since its inception in 1991, Mercosur has made considerable progress in integrating the economies of its members. The integration --- an almost complete free trade area and a partial customs union --- has been accompanied by a significant increase in U.S. exports and investment to the region. In the future, Mercosur face challenges affecting the size of its membership, the depth of its integration, and the strength of its institutions.

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This report provides an overview and analysis of charter school legislation and related activity in the states, the federal Public Charter School program, and issues that have risen about the participation of charter schools in other federal education assistance programs.

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This report discusses the ramifications of actions taken by lawmakers to reduce the consumption of tobacco in regards to tobacco farms and the farming industry.