This report identifies selected websites for maps of Iraq, including government, library, and organizational websites. Maps of the Middle East, Iraq, facilities used by U.S. forces in the Gulf, and U.S. government humanitarian assistance and reconstruction activities in Iraq are also provided.

This report discusses the reintroduction of the 30-year bond that could reduce government borrowing costs.

This report provides an overview of The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) program, its perception in the Middle East, and its role in the debate over U.S. efforts to promote democracy in the Arab world.

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Since congressional passage of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) in August 2002 (P.L. 107-210), the U.S.-Chile free trade agreement (FTA) has been implemented and negotiations were concluded on the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA). Implementing legislation may be introduced in the first session of the 109th Congress. Other important U.S.-Latin America trade initiatives include FTA negotiations with three Andean countries and Panama, and the ongoing but slowed talks on the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Congress defined trade negotiation objectives in TPA and trade agreements are enacted only after Congress passes implementing legislation. This report supports the congressional role in trade policy by providing an analytical overview of U.S.-Latin American trade data and trends.

This report briefly examines Senate Rule XXV and party conference rules that address committee assignments. It includes a table for A, B, and C committees with an overview of limitations and procedures.

This report examines P.L. 109-92 (2005), which passed the Senate and the House as S. 397, 109th Congress and was signed by the President on October 26, 2005

The Cobell v. Norton litigation has been before the courts since 1996. Cobell is a class action lawsuit alleging federal government mismanagement of accounts held in trust for individual Indians. To date the litigation has not been able to secure from the Department of the Interior sufficient data in the form of an historical accounting to determine the accuracy of the payments to individual account holders. Although a full historical accounting is unlikely to be judicially required, the prospect that pursuit of an accounting through litigation will be costly, protracted, and elusive has resulted in the introduction of S. 1439/H.R. 4322 and a concerted effort by Indian representatives to develop principles for a legislative settlement. This report provides an overview of the development of a legislative solution.

This report evaluates multiple studies, whose assessments of NAFTA, by and large, are analytical in nature, use established methodologies, caveat their own work to reflect limitations of the research, and draw on academic rather than special interest research.

This report provides a summary of the six bills currently before Congress and a side-by-side comparison of their major provisions.

This report begins by summarizing the detailed, complex rules regarding eligibility and qualified insurance for the HCTC.

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This report examines various options for strengthening FDA's ability to protect the public.

In February 2002, the Administration proposed its welfare reauthorization plan. The debate was dominated by controversy over the amount of child care funding and the Administration's proposed changes to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) work participation standards. The final agreement reflects the same child care funding increase that was provided in House-passed welfare reauthorization measures in 2002 and 2003 ($1 billion in additional mandatory child care funding over five years). The 2005 Senate Finance Committee welfare reauthorization bill would have provided $6 billion in additional child care funding over five years. Though the final agreement would require states to increase the share of their families participating in TANF work activities, it does not include the Administration's proposal to set a 40-hour workweek standard or revise the activities that count toward the standard. The reauthorization debate also reflected a renewed focus on noncustodial parents and on family formation issues. The budget agreement includes responsible fatherhood initiatives and a scaled back version of the President's initiative to promote healthy marriages.

In February 2002, the Administration proposed its welfare reauthorization plan. The debate was dominated by controversy over the amount of child care funding and the Administration's proposed changes to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) work participation standards. The final agreement reflects the same child care funding increase that was provided in House-passed welfare reauthorization measures in 2002 and 2003 ($1 billion in additional mandatory child care funding over five years). The 2005 Senate Finance Committee welfare reauthorization bill would have provided $6 billion in additional child care funding over five years. Though the final agreement would require states to increase the share of their families participating in TANF work activities, it does not include the Administration's proposal to set a 40-hour workweek standard or revise the activities that count toward the standard. The reauthorization debate also reflected a renewed focus on noncustodial parents and on family formation issues. The budget agreement includes responsible fatherhood initiatives and a scaled back version of the President's initiative to promote healthy marriages.

This report briefly provides an overview of general trends among the states individual statutes.

This report briefly discusses charging fees for grazing private livestock on federal lands, which is a long-standing but contentious practice. Generally, livestock producers who use federal lands want to keep fees low, while conservation groups and others believe fees should be raised to approximate "fair market value."

This report is a guide to one of the regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies. It summarizes the status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related congressional activity, and is updated as events warrant.