This report discusses trends in poverty in the United States. In 2004, 37 million people were found poor under the official poverty definition — a 1.1 million increase from 2003. The poverty rate, or percent of the population considered poor, increased for the fourth straight year, to 12.7% in 2004 — up from 12.5% in 2003, and 11.3% in 2000, its most recent low.

This report examines the history of the federal excise tax on tires. The excise tax on tires was first levied in 1918 mainly because of revenue needs brought about by World War I. The tax was reduced after the war, and then repealed in 1926. The levy was reintroduced during the Great Depression at a time when federal individual income tax revenues were plummeting, and was increased to help finance World War II. Today, the premise for the excise tax on tires is that heavier vehicles cause greater damage to both roadways and bridges, and that the excise tax on tires resembles a pricing mechanism that is a proxy for highway wear-and-tear charges.

This report seeks to put health spending in context. Health care costs and spending are persistent concerns for the Congress. On one hand, policymakers worry about access to care and the burden of health costs on household and employer budgets. On the other hand, rising costs put growing pressure on the federal budget from Medicare, Medicaid, and tax expenditures for private health insurance.

This report provides a concise historical account of the dispute over softwood lumber imports from Canada, summarizes the subsidy and injury evidence, and discusses current issues and events.

United States and Canada's hog industry, noting how live Canadian hogs do not affect the U.S hog business.

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This report reviews how allotments of regular LIHEAP funding are determined and how these calculations change at different funding levels. Included is a description of the components of the new LIHEAP formula rates.

This report provides a general overview of hazmat transportation security and focuses on the federal role. The report first summarizes an array of key governmental activities that might be encompassed in a layered system of security enhancements. The report then summarizes some concerns associated with the federal effort in promoting hazmat transportation security, specifically commenting on the adequacy of some DHS and DOT efforts, as well as routing, pre-notification, and research concerns. Finally, the report presents ten options that might be considered to further strengthen hazmat transportation security.

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This report summarizes the bills provisions dealing with hurricane relief.

This report provides a brief analysis and tables that show the breakdown of motions to suspend the rules in the House of Representatives by party of the sponsor (100th-108th Congresses).

This report summarizes the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) and its creation. According to the report, the ATP was created to insure competitive technologies with broad applications throughout multiple industries. The report also covers information surrounding the budget of the program and its funding.

The Advanced Technology Program (ATP) was created by P.L. 100-418, the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, to encourage public-private cooperation in the development of pre-competitive technologies with broad application across industries. This activity has been targeted for elimination as a means to cut federal spending. Since FY2000, the original House-passed appropriation bills have not included funding for ATP. Many of the Administration’s budget requests have proposed termination of the program. However, ATP continues to be supported, although at levels below that achieved in FY1995 when the activity was expanded significantly. This report discusses funding (or lack thereof) appropriated for the ATP for FY2006.