The Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA): A Legal Analysis (open access)

The Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA): A Legal Analysis

Report that discusses current laws that prohibit discrimination in education, and continues with an analysis of the specific provisions contained in SNDA, including provisions relating to coverage, prohibited acts, and enforcement and remedies under the proposed legislation.
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Feder, Jody
System: The UNT Digital Library
The State of Campaign Finance Policy: Recent Developments and Issues for Congress (open access)

The State of Campaign Finance Policy: Recent Developments and Issues for Congress

This report includes updated material that emphasizes the issues most prominently before the 113th Congress. It also discusses foundational information about major elements of campaign finance policy.
Date: September 20, 2013
Creator: Garrett, R. S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Revised Federal Standards for Traffic Signs: Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

Revised Federal Standards for Traffic Signs: Frequently Asked Questions

Report that addresses some of the questions that have been raised about the changes made by the Federal Highway Administration to certain standardized street and highways signs.
Date: January 20, 2011
Creator: Peterman, David Randall
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Laws Relating to Cybersecurity: Overview and Discussion of Proposed Revisions (open access)

Federal Laws Relating to Cybersecurity: Overview and Discussion of Proposed Revisions

Report that is concerned with the current legislative framework for cybersecurity as well as proposals to amend more than 30 related acts of Congress.
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Fischer, Eric A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Transforming Government Acquisition Systems: Overview and Selected Issues (open access)

Transforming Government Acquisition Systems: Overview and Selected Issues

Report that begins with an overview of major online procurement systems that support certain acquisition processes, or contain data about agencies' procurements.
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Halchin, L. Elaine
System: The UNT Digital Library
Independent Counsels, Special Prosecutors, Special Counsels, and the Role of Congress (open access)

Independent Counsels, Special Prosecutors, Special Counsels, and the Role of Congress

Report that provides information on the procedure for the appointment of an "independent counsel," a "special prosecutor," or a "special counsel" to investigate and prosecute potential or possible violations of federal criminal law by officials in the executive branch of the federal government and in federal agencies.
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Maskell, Jack
System: The UNT Digital Library
Science and Technology Issues in the 113th Congress (open access)

Science and Technology Issues in the 113th Congress

Report that briefly outlines an array of science and technology policy issues that may come before the 113th Congress.
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Gottron, Frank
System: The UNT Digital Library
Human Rights, Civil Unrest, and Political Reform in Burma in 2013 (open access)

Human Rights, Civil Unrest, and Political Reform in Burma in 2013

Report that examines the current situation in Burma from the implicit perspective shaped by U.S. policy decisions.
Date: July 20, 2013
Creator: Martin, Michael F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Across-the-Board Rescissions in Appropriations Acts: Overview and Recent Practices (open access)

Across-the-Board Rescissions in Appropriations Acts: Overview and Recent Practices

This report provides information on the main components of across-the-board rescissions and recent practices between FY2008 through FY2013.
Date: September 20, 2013
Creator: Tollestrup, Jessica
System: The UNT Digital Library
Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables (open access)

Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables

Report that contains information on congressional pay procedure and recent adjustments. It includes historical information on pay rates since 1789; the adjustments projected by the Ethics Reform Act as compared to actual adjustments in Member pay; details on past legislation enacted with language prohibiting the annual pay adjustment; and Member pay in constant and current dollars since 1992.
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Brudnick, Ida A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2013 (open access)

Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2013

Report that contains information on the pay procedure of members of Congress and recent adjustments. It provides information on previous actions and votes by year, from 1990-2010.
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Brudnick, Ida A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Intelligence Authorization Legislation: Status and Challenges (open access)

Intelligence Authorization Legislation: Status and Challenges

This report reviews the intelligence appropriations process, describes various changes that have been proposed, and analyzes the issues associated with the proposals.
Date: January 20, 2011
Creator: Best, Richard A., Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance (open access)

Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance

Report that discusses the current political state of Afghanistan, as well as the Afghan government. This report also discusses Afghanistan's relationship with the United States, particularly U.S. efforts to urge President Hamid Karzai to address corruption within the Afghan government. Election fraud and corruption in Afghanistan are also discussed.
Date: September 20, 2012
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
American Jihadist Terrorism: Combating a Complex Threat (open access)

American Jihadist Terrorism: Combating a Complex Threat

This report describes homegrown violent jihadists and the plots and attacks that have occurred since 9/11. For this report, "homegrown" and "domestic" are terms that describe terrorist activity or plots perpetrated within the United States or abroad by American citizens, legal permanent residents, or visitors radicalized largely within the United States. The report also discusses the radicalization process and the forces driving violent extremist activity. It analyzes post-9/11 domestic jihadist terrorism and describes law enforcement and intelligence efforts to combat terrorism and the challenges associated with those efforts. It also outlines actions underway to build trust and partnership between community groups and government agencies and the tensions that may occur between law enforcement and engagement activities.
Date: September 20, 2013
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The U.S. Export Control System and the President's Reform Initiative (open access)

The U.S. Export Control System and the President's Reform Initiative

This report discusses some of the proposed legislation and other issues related to the U.S. export control system. In considering the future of the U.S. export control system, Congress may weigh the merits of a unified export control system -- the end result of the President's proposal -- or the continuation of the present bifurcated system by reauthorizing the present Export Administration Act (EAA) or writing new legislation. In doing so, Congress may debate the record of the present dual-use system maintained by emergency authority, the aims and effectiveness of the present non-proliferation control regimes, the maintenance of the defense industrial base, and the delicate balance between the maintenance of economic competitiveness and the preservation of national security.
Date: September 20, 2013
Creator: Fergusson, Ian F. & Kerr, Paul K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Small Business Administration: A Primer on Programs and Funding (open access)

Small Business Administration: A Primer on Programs and Funding

This report provides an overview of the Small Business Administration (SBA) business loan guaranty programs.
Date: March 20, 2014
Creator: Dilger, Robert Jay & Lowry, Sean
System: The UNT Digital Library
Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress (open access)

Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

This report discusses issues regarding U.S.-Japan economic relations, since the economic condition of each nation can affect the world economy and a U.S.-Japan bilateral economic relationship could influence economic conditions in other countries. U.S. and Japanese leaders have several options on how to manage their relationship, including stronger reliance on the World Trade Organization; special bilateral negotiating frameworks and agreements; or a free trade agreement.
Date: February 20, 2014
Creator: Chanlett-Avery, Emma; Cooper, William H.; Manyin, Mark E. & Rinehart, Ian E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
EPA Regulation of Greenhouse Gases: Congressional Responses and Options (open access)

EPA Regulation of Greenhouse Gases: Congressional Responses and Options

This report discusses elements of the greenhouse gas (GHG) controversy, providing background on stationary sources of GHG pollution and identifying options Congress has at its disposal to address GHG issues, including: (1) resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act; (2) freestanding legislation; (3) the use of appropriations bills as a vehicle to influence EPA activity; and (4) amendments to the Clean Air Act, including legislation to establish a new GHG control regime.
Date: February 20, 2014
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Aereo and FilmOn X: Internet Television Streaming and Copyright Law (open access)

Aereo and FilmOn X: Internet Television Streaming and Copyright Law

This report begins with a discussion of the technology used by Aereo and FilmOn X that permit subscribers to watch live broadcast television as well as already-aired programming. It then examines the public performance right in the Copyright Act and discusses the interpretation of the transmit clause and public performance right by the courts in the Aereo and FilmOn cases. The report concludes with a brief overview of future litigation by these parties and related legislative proposals in the 113th Congress.
Date: March 20, 2014
Creator: Lanza, Emily M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-China Military Contacts: Issues for Congress (open access)

U.S.-China Military Contacts: Issues for Congress

This report discusses policy issues regarding military-to-military (mil-to-mil) contacts with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and provides a record of major contacts and crises since 1993. The first part of this CRS Report discusses policy issues regarding such military-to-military (mil-to-mil) contacts. The second part provides a record of such contacts since 1993, when the United States resumed exchanges after suspending them in response to the Tiananmen Crackdown in 1989. Congress has exercised important oversight.
Date: November 20, 2013
Creator: Kan, Shirley A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations (open access)

Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations

This report looks at the relationship between the U.S. and Thailand, in particular, recent rivalries between populist political forces, nepotism in government, and Thai relationships with neighboring countries.
Date: December 20, 2013
Creator: Chanlett-Avery, Emma & Dolven, Ben
System: The UNT Digital Library
Financing the U.S. Trade Deficit (open access)

Financing the U.S. Trade Deficit

This report provides an overview of the U.S. balance of payments, an explanation of the broader role of capital flows in the U.S. economy, an explanation of how the country finances its trade deficit or a trade surplus, and the implications for Congress and the country of the large inflows of capital from abroad.
Date: December 20, 2013
Creator: Jackson, James K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Unemployment Insurance: Programs and Benefits (open access)

Unemployment Insurance: Programs and Benefits

This report describes three kinds of unemployment benefit programs: regular Unemployment Compensation (UC), Extended Benefits (EB), and Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) . The report explains their basic eligibility requirements, benefits, and financing structure.
Date: November 20, 2013
Creator: Whittaker, Julie M. & Isaacs, Katelin P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Pay Equity Legislation (open access)

Pay Equity Legislation

This report begins by showing the trend in the male-female wage gap and by examining the explanations that have been offered for its enduring presence. It next discusses the major laws directed at eliminating sex-based wage discrimination as well as relevant federal court cases. The report closes with a description of pay equity legislation that has been considered by Congress in recent years, including bills introduced in the 111th Congress.
Date: September 20, 2010
Creator: Feder, Jody & Levine, Linda
System: The UNT Digital Library