A chapter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Under Executive Order 12866, the Office of Management and Budget's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) reviews hundreds of agency rules each year before they are published in the Federal Register. Those reviews can have a significant effect on a broad array of public policies. GAO was asked to (1) describe OIRA's review process and any changes in its policies or processes in recent years, (2) provide detailed information about rules submitted by nine health, safety, or environmental agencies that were returned, withdrawn, or changed at OIRA's suggestion, and (3) describe how OIRA decided that certain existing rules merited high priority review."

Increased nitrogen levels have been correlated with decreased ductility and elevated ductile-to-brittle transition temperature in pressure vessel steels [1]. However, the exact role played by nitrogen in the embrittlement of steels remains unclear. Miller and Burke have reported atom probe ion microscopy findings from neutron-irradiated low-alloy pressure vessel steel showing the presence of a 1 to 2 ruonolayer thick film of Mo, N, and C at prior austenitic grain boundaries (GB's) [2], suggesting a role for nitrogen as an intergranular embrittler. It is of interest for the development of mitigation strategies whether nitrogen must combine with other impurities to form nitride precipitates in order to exert an embrittling effect. Briant et al [1] have associated the embrittling effect of N in steels exclusively with intergranular nitride formation. This association suggests that high nitrogen levels may be acceptable if nitride precipitation at grain boundaries is suppressed. To address whether precipitate formation is indeed essential to the N embrittlement process in pressure vessel steel, a computational study was undertaken to ascertain whether the presence of interstitial nitrogen alone could embrittle an Fe GB. If so, nitrogen in any form must be kept completely away from the grain boundaries, if not out of …

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This report summarizes the congressional-mandated presidential designation procedures on major illicit narcotics producing and transit countries that will be fully in effect for fiscal year 2004 and subsequent years. The report also provides background on the past procedures and presidential actions, congressional reform efforts, and the transitional procedures in effect for fiscal years 2002 and 2003.

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This report is prepared annually to provide unclassified quantitative data on conventional arms transfers to developing nations by the United States and foreign countries for the preceding eight calendar years. Some general data are provided on worldwide conventional arms transfers, but the principal focus is the level of arms transfers by major weapons suppliers to nations in the developing world. The data in the report illustrate how global patterns of conventional arms transfers have changed in the post-Cold War and post-Persian Gulf War years.

On July 31, 2003, the Senate, facing obstacles to passage of its comprehensive energy bill (S. 14), substituted the energy legislation the Senate had passed in the 107th Congress. It is in conference, now as H.R. 6, in the 108th Congress. The Senate bill would require the Secretary of Transportation to issue, not later than 15 months after enactment, “newregulations setting forth increased fuel economy standards” reflecting “maximum feasible fuel economy levels” consistent with factors set out in the original legislation authorizing the corporate average fuel economy [CAFE] standards – the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA, P.L. 94-163).

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Appropriations are one part of a complex federal budget process that includes budget resolutions, appropriations (regular, supplemental, and continuing) bills, rescissions, and budget reconciliation bills. This Report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress passes each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittees.

This report mainly discusses about the Grants Information for Constituents and key sources of information on government and private grants for state and community projects.

Some policymakers, believing that disparities in broadband access across American society could have adverse economic and social consequences on those left behind, assert that the federal government should play a more active role to avoid a “digital divide” in broadband access. One approach is for the federal government to provide financial assistance to support broadband deployment in underserved areas. Others, however, believe that federal assistance for broadband deployment is not appropriate. Some opponents question the reality of the “digital divide,” and argue that federal intervention in the broadband marketplace would be premature and, in some cases, counterproductive.

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This report discusses issues debated in the 107th Congress while is considering various proposals to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). Major issues in recent years have included changing the role of science in decision-making, changing the role of critical habitat, reducing conflicts with Department of Defense activities, incorporating further protection for property owners, and increasing protection of listed species, among others. In addition, many have advocated including significant changes to ESA regulations made during the Clinton Administration in the law itself.