The Indian Health Service (IHS): An Overview (open access)

The Indian Health Service (IHS): An Overview

This report provides an overview of the IHS and the population it serves.
Date: April 21, 2015
Creator: Heisler, Elayne J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Funeral Honors and Military Cemeteries: Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

Military Funeral Honors and Military Cemeteries: Frequently Asked Questions

This report is written in response to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about military funeral honors and military cemeteries. It provides information to questions in three general areas: implementation of the funeral honors and eligibility criteria; components of the honor detail and the funeral ceremony; and specific questions on burial and honors at Arlington National Cemetery. It also cites legislation requiring the Department of Defense (DOD) to make military funeral honors available to every eligible veteran upon request.
Date: April 10, 2015
Creator: Salazar Torreon, Barbara
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act: Standards of Conduct of Brokers, Dealers, and Investment Advisers (open access)

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act: Standards of Conduct of Brokers, Dealers, and Investment Advisers

None
Date: April 6, 2015
Creator: Seitzinger, Michael V.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mountaintop Mining: Background on Current Controversies (open access)

Mountaintop Mining: Background on Current Controversies

This report provides background on regulatory requirements, controversies and legal challenges to mountaintop mining, and recent Administration actions. Attention to EPA’s veto of the West Virginia mining permit and other federal agency actions has increased in Congress. Congressional interest in these issues is discussed, including legislation seeking to restrict the practice of mountaintop mining and other legislation intended to block the Obama Administration’s regulatory actions.
Date: April 20, 2015
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Background and Overview (open access)

The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Background and Overview

This report provides background information on the historical circumstances that led to the adoption of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), a summary of its major provisions, and a brief discussion of the U.S. Supreme Court decision and related legislation in the 113th and 114th Congresses.
Date: April 14, 2015
Creator: Coleman, Kevin J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The HUD Homeless Assistance Grants: Programs Authorized by the HEARTH Act (open access)

The HUD Homeless Assistance Grants: Programs Authorized by the HEARTH Act

This report discusses the Homeless Assistance Grants, administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The composition of the Homeless Assistance Grants changed when Congress enacted the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act as part of the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act in the 111th Congress (P.L. 111-22).
Date: April 22, 2015
Creator: Perl, Libby
System: The UNT Digital Library
Corporate Tax Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS): An Examination of the Data (open access)

Corporate Tax Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS): An Examination of the Data

This report is intended to assist Congress as it considers what, if any, action to take to curb profit shifting. It is one of several CRS products related to the subject of profit sharing.
Date: April 30, 2015
Creator: Keightley, Mark P. & Stupak, Jeffrey M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Financing for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (open access)

Federal Financing for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

This report provides an overview of CHIP financing, beginning with an explanation of the federal matching rate. It describes various aspects of federal CHIP funding, such as the federal appropriation, state allotments, the CHILD Enrollment Contingency Fund etc.
Date: April 23, 2015
Creator: Mitchell, Alison
System: The UNT Digital Library
Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2015 (open access)

Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2015

This report contains information on actions taken affecting each pay year since the establishment of the Ethics Reform Act adjustment procedure. It also provides information on other floor action related to pay for Members of Congress.
Date: April 15, 2015
Creator: Brudnik, Ida A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Statutory Interpretation: Theories, Tools, and Trends (open access)

Statutory Interpretation: Theories, Tools, and Trends

This report begins by discussing the general goals of statutory interpretation, reviewing a variety of contemporary as well as historical approaches. The report then briefly describes the two primary theories of interpretation employed today, before examining the main types of tools that courts use to determine statutory meaning. The report concludes by exploring developing issues in statutory interpretation.
Date: April 5, 2015
Creator: Brannon, Valerie C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Terrorist Databases and the No Fly List: Procedural Due Process and Hurdles to Litigation (open access)

Terrorist Databases and the No Fly List: Procedural Due Process and Hurdles to Litigation

This report provides an overview of the operation of the government's watchlists, examines some of the legal issues implicated by challenges to the No Fly list, and describes recent case law on the matter.
Date: April 2, 2015
Creator: Cole, Jared P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF): Program Overview and Issues (open access)

Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF): Program Overview and Issues

This report discusses the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments of 1996, which authorized a drinking water state revolving loan fund (DWSRF) program. The program was intended to help public water systems finance infrastructure projects that were needed to comply with federal drinking water regulations and to meet the Act's health objectives. It includes an overview of funding, allotments and set-asides, drinking water infrastructure needs, program issues, and legislative activity.
Date: April 8, 2015
Creator: Tiemann, Mary
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress

This report covers Special Operations Forces (SOF) budgets for FY2014 and expected uses of the budgeted money. SOF actions play a significant role in U.S. military operations, and the Administration has given U.S. SOF greater responsibility for planning and conducting worldwide counterterrorism operations.
Date: April 9, 2015
Creator: Feickert, Andrew
System: The UNT Digital Library
IMF Reforms: Issues for Congress (open access)

IMF Reforms: Issues for Congress

This report provides information about the reforms made by the Board of Governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in December 2010, Congress's role in the reform process, and how the reforms could affect U.S. interests at the IMF.
Date: April 9, 2015
Creator: Nelson, Rebecca M. & Weiss, Martin A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The War Powers Resolution: Concepts and Practice (open access)

The War Powers Resolution: Concepts and Practice

This report discusses and assesses the War Powers Resolution and its application since enactment in 1973, providing detailed background on various cases in which it was used, as well as cases in which issues of its applicability were raised. It will be revised biannually.
Date: April 3, 2015
Creator: Weed, Matthew C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Trade Promotion Authority (TPA): Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

Trade Promotion Authority (TPA): Frequently Asked Questions

This report addresses a number of frequently asked questions regarding the reauthorization of the Trade Promotion Authority and pending legislation.
Date: April 20, 2015
Creator: Fergusson, Ian F. & Beth, Richard S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA): An Overview of Programs and Funding (open access)

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA): An Overview of Programs and Funding

This report provides an overview of funding and programs of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) bureau.
Date: April 1, 2015
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Overview of Unconventional Oil and Natural Gas: Resources and Federal Actions (open access)

An Overview of Unconventional Oil and Natural Gas: Resources and Federal Actions

This report focuses on the growth in U.S. oil and natural gas production driven primarily by tight oil formations and shale gas formations. It also reviews selected federal environmental regulatory and research initiatives related to unconventional oil and gas extraction, including the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hydraulic fracturing rule (finalized in March 2015) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) actions.
Date: April 7, 2015
Creator: Ratner, Michael & Tiemann, Mary
System: The UNT Digital Library
Domestic Human Trafficking Legislation in the 114th Congress (open access)

Domestic Human Trafficking Legislation in the 114th Congress

This report discusses domestic human trafficking-related issues that have received legislative action or are of significant interest in the 114th Congress.
Date: April 16, 2015
Creator: Finklea, Kristin; Fernandes-Alcantara, Adrienne L. & Siskin, Alison
System: The UNT Digital Library
Ballistic Missile Defense in the Asia-Pacific Region: Cooperation and Opposition (open access)

Ballistic Missile Defense in the Asia-Pacific Region: Cooperation and Opposition

This report presents background information and discusses potential issues for Congress relating to U.S. ballistic missile defense (BMD) efforts in the Asia-Pacific region. These efforts pose several potential policy, funding, and oversight issues for Congress. Decisions that Congress makes on these issues could affect U.S. defense funding requirements and military capabilities, and U.S. relations with countries in the Asia Pacific region, including China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, and Australia.
Date: April 3, 2015
Creator: Rinehart, Ian E.; Hildreth, Steven A. & Lawrence, Susan V.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Franking Privilege: Historical Development and Options for Change (open access)

Franking Privilege: Historical Development and Options for Change

This report provides a history of the Congressional franking privilege and discusses the franking privilege that has carried an element of controversy throughout American history.
Date: April 22, 2015
Creator: Glassman, Matthew E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Health Coverage Tax Credit (open access)

Health Coverage Tax Credit

The report describes the expired eligibility criteria, as well as the types of health insurance to which the tax credit may have been applied. It discusses past federal and state roles in administering the HCTC program, and it summarizes analyses on the credit's effectiveness in reaching targeted populations and related equity and efficiency issues. In addition, the report includes a short discussion of relevant current law and summarizes statutory history of the HCTC program.
Date: April 2, 2015
Creator: Fernandez, Bernadette
System: The UNT Digital Library
Net Neutrality: Selected Legal Issues Raised by the FCC's 2015 Open Internet Order (open access)

Net Neutrality: Selected Legal Issues Raised by the FCC's 2015 Open Internet Order

This report discusses the primary legal issues raised by the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC's) 2015 Open Internet Order: the FCC's authority to reclassify broadband Internet access services, the FCC's authority to forbear from the imposition of Title II regulations following reclassification, the FCC's authority under Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and whether the FCC properly complied with the Administrative Procedure Act.
Date: April 6, 2015
Creator: Ruane, Kathleen Ann
System: The UNT Digital Library
Barriers Along the U.S. Borders: Key Authorities and Requirements (open access)

Barriers Along the U.S. Borders: Key Authorities and Requirements

This report discusses key statutory authorities and requirements governing the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) construction of barriers along the U.S. borders. It also includes appendixes listing federal laws that have been waived by DHS in furtherance of border construction projects.
Date: April 8, 2015
Creator: Garcia, Michael J.
System: The UNT Digital Library