Escalating Violence in El Salvador (open access)

Escalating Violence in El Salvador

This report briefly discusses gangs and violence in El Salvador, and examines the U.S. policy response.
Date: April 20, 2016
Creator: Ribando Seelke, Clare
System: The UNT Digital Library
European Security and Islamist Terrorism (open access)

European Security and Islamist Terrorism

This report discusses the current security climate in Europe following recent incidences of terrorism. The report also addresses potential policy responses and challenges.
Date: April 18, 2016
Creator: Archick, Kristin & Belkin, Paul
System: The UNT Digital Library
Implications of Iranian Elections (open access)

Implications of Iranian Elections

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
System: The UNT Digital Library
European Security and Islamist Terrorism (open access)

European Security and Islamist Terrorism

This report discusses challenges the European Union faces in light of the continuing threat of Terrorism at the hands of the Islamic State and the implications for U.S. policy.
Date: March 29, 2016
Creator: Archick, Kristin & Belkin, Paul
System: The UNT Digital Library
Private Flood Insurance in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) (open access)

Private Flood Insurance in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

This report briefly discusses federal law regarding flood insurance. By law or regulation, federal agencies, federally-regulated lending institutions, and government-sponsored enterprises must require certain property owners to purchase flood insurance as a condition of any mortgage that these entities make, guarantee, or purchase.
Date: April 25, 2016
Creator: Brown, Jared T. & Webel, Baird
System: The UNT Digital Library
Climate Change Paris Agreement Opens for Signature (open access)

Climate Change Paris Agreement Opens for Signature

This report discusses the new international Paris Agreement, signed by 175 out of 196 Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on April 22, 2016 to address greenhouse-gas-induced climate change.
Date: April 25, 2016
Creator: Leggett, Jane A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Dominican Republic: Update on Citizenship and Humanitarian Issues (open access)

Dominican Republic: Update on Citizenship and Humanitarian Issues

This report briefly examines social issues in the Dominican Republic regarding the treatment of Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent.
Date: April 27, 2016
Creator: Ribando Seelke, Clare & Margesson, Rhoda
System: The UNT Digital Library
Display of the Confederate Flag at Federal Cemeteries in the United States (open access)

Display of the Confederate Flag at Federal Cemeteries in the United States

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: June 23, 2016
Creator: Comay, Laura B. & Szymendera, Scott D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Information Warfare: DOD's Response to the Islamic State Hacking Activities (open access)

Information Warfare: DOD's Response to the Islamic State Hacking Activities

This report briefly examines the Islamic State's (IS) strategy of accessing U.S. government computer systems for a variety of purposes, and the Department of Defense's (DOD) response.
Date: May 10, 2016
Creator: Theohary, Catherine A.; McInnis, Kathleen J. & Rollins, John W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
United Kingdom Votes to Leave the European Union (open access)

United Kingdom Votes to Leave the European Union

This report briefly examines the ramifications of a British exit from the EU (often referred to as "Brexit"). Nearly 52% of British voters in the June 23 referendum on European Union (EU) membership answered that the United Kingdom (UK) should leave the EU.
Date: June 24, 2016
Creator: Mix, Derek E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) (open access)

Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS)

This report briefly discusses the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS), which is the principal mechanism for accomplishing the flood risk management policies established by President Obama in Executive Order (E.O.) 13690. The FFRMS is a flood resilience standard that is required for "federally funded projects."
Date: May 25, 2016
Creator: Carter, Nicole T.; Brown, Jared T. & McCarthy, Francis X.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Display of the Confederate Flag at Federal Cemeteries in the United States (open access)

Display of the Confederate Flag at Federal Cemeteries in the United States

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.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Stafford Act Assistance and Acts of Terrorism (open access)

Stafford Act Assistance and Acts of Terrorism

This report provides a brief overview of Stafford Act declarations under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and the types of assistance they could authorize in response to terrorist incidents. This report also provides examples of Stafford Act declarations that have been issued for previous terrorist attacks.
Date: June 21, 2016
Creator: Lindsay, Bruce R. & McCarthy, Francis X.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Resurgence of Unaccompanied Alien Children? (open access)

A Resurgence of Unaccompanied Alien Children?

This report briefly examines the recently-high number of unaccompanied alien children (UAC). In the first seven months of FY2016, apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border have approached levels close to what they were in FY2014 when such migration flows reached what were characterized as "crisis" proportions.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: Kandel, William A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
India-U.S. Relations and the Visit of Prime Minister Modi (open access)

India-U.S. Relations and the Visit of Prime Minister Modi

This report briefly discusses Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "working visit" to Washington D.C. that will include addressing Congress, the first such address by an Indian leader since 2005.
Date: June 6, 2016
Creator: Kronstadt, K. Alan & Akhtar, Shayerah I.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Possible Economic Impact of Brexit (open access)

Possible Economic Impact of Brexit

This report briefly discusses the possible economic impact of a June 23, 2016 referendum in which a majority of British voters supported the United Kingdom (UK) leaving the European Union (EU), stunning global financial markets that expected the vote to fail.
Date: June 28, 2016
Creator: Jackson, James K. & Akhtar, Shayerah I.
System: The UNT Digital Library
After Brexit: A Diminished or Enhanced EU? (open access)

After Brexit: A Diminished or Enhanced EU?

This report briefly discusses the United Kingdom's (UK's) "Brexit" vote and what it means for the future of the European Union.
Date: June 29, 2016
Creator: Archick, Kristin
System: The UNT Digital Library
United States Lifts Remaining Restrictions on Arms Sales to Vietnam (open access)

United States Lifts Remaining Restrictions on Arms Sales to Vietnam

This report discusses the recent removal of remaining U.S. restrictions on sales of lethal weapons and related services to Vietnam. During the Vietnam War (1955-1975), the United States imposed a complete embargo on arms sales to North Vietnam, and then expanded it to cover the entire country after Communist forces defeated U.S-backed South Vietnamese government in 1975. In 2007, the Bush Administration eased the ban by allowing non-lethal defense items and defense services to be exported on a case-by-case basis.
Date: May 23, 2016
Creator: Manyin, Mark E. & Kerr, Paul K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Lending Act: Timeline, New Rules, and Issues (open access)

Military Lending Act: Timeline, New Rules, and Issues

This report briefly discusses new rules under the Military Lending Act (MLA) that change the definition of consumer credit for covered servicemembers and dependents; it will apply to transactions or accounts that are established on or after October 3, 2016. These rules may have an impact on the regulatory burdens for businesses that provide credit products to the military and may also affect military readiness.
Date: June 1, 2016
Creator: Kamarck, Kristy N.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The United Kingdom and the European Union: Stay or Go? (open access)

The United Kingdom and the European Union: Stay or Go?

This report briefly discusses the British referendum regarding whether or not to remain in the European Union. The outcome of the referendum remains difficult to predict. Polling results have varied from week to week and continue to suggest a close race with a significant number of undecided voters. Some polls in mid-June have shown a late shift in favor of the Leave campaign.
Date: June 20, 2016
Creator: Mix, Derek E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Open Skies Treaty: Issues in the Current Debate (open access)

The Open Skies Treaty: Issues in the Current Debate

This report discusses the current debate surrounding the Treaty on Open Skies, which the United States, Canada, and 22 European nations signed on March 24, 1992. The treaty entered into force on January 1, 2002, and now has 34 member states. Each participant must permit unarmed observation aircraft to fly over its entire territory to observe military forces and activities.
Date: June 10, 2016
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Sifting Domestic Terrorism from Hate Crime and Homegrown Violent Extremism (open access)

Sifting Domestic Terrorism from Hate Crime and Homegrown Violent Extremism

This report examines the differences between domestic terrorism, hate crime, and homegrown violent extremism. Federal law enforcement agencies use these three distinct concepts to categorize key types of criminals whose illegal activities are at least partly ideologically motivated.
Date: June 13, 2016
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
North American Leaders' Summit (open access)

North American Leaders' Summit

This report discusses the North American Leaders' Summits (NALS), a trilateral summit that meets in effort to increase cooperation on broader economic and security issues between the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Date: June 16, 2016
Creator: Villarreal, M. Angeles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Treasury Issues White Paper on Fintech and Marketplace Lending (open access)

Treasury Issues White Paper on Fintech and Marketplace Lending

This report briefly discusses the context and contents of a white paper issued on May 10, 2016 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The paper analyzes regulatory issues for the marketplace lending industry and offers several recommendations for industry and government responses.
Date: May 20, 2016
Creator: Murphy, Edward V.
System: The UNT Digital Library