Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Coast Guard's programs for procuring 8 National Security Cutters (NSCs), 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), and 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRCs).
Date: July 24, 2013
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Medical Care: Questions and Answers (open access)

Military Medical Care: Questions and Answers

This report answers several frequently asked questions about military health care, including: how the system is structured, a TRICARE summary, TRICARE eligibility and plan options, cost of military health care to beneficiaries, relationship of TRICARE to MEDICARE, how the Affordable Care Act affects TRICARE, long-term trends of defense health care costs, and a summary of the fund which funds TRICARE.
Date: July 24, 2013
Creator: Jansen, Don J. & Blakeley, Katherine
System: The UNT Digital Library
Honduras-U.S. Relations (open access)

Honduras-U.S. Relations

Report that examines current political and economic conditions in Honduras as well as issues in Honduran-U.S. relations.
Date: July 24, 2013
Creator: Meyer, Peter J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress

Report that is written in response to the Coast Guard's budget request for a new polar ice breaker, of which the Coast Guard currently has none in operation. Polar icebreakers perform a variety of missions supporting U.S. interests in polar regions. Issues for Congress include what to do with decommissioned ice breakers, the impact of having no ice breakers, how to budget for new ice breakers, and how future ice breakers should be obtained.
Date: July 24, 2013
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Trafficking in Persons: International Dimensions and Foreign Policy Issues for Congress (open access)

Trafficking in Persons: International Dimensions and Foreign Policy Issues for Congress

Report that explores current foreign policy issues regarding U.S. efforts to combat human trafficking, the interrelationship among existing polices, and the historical and current role of Congress in such efforts.
Date: July 24, 2013
Creator: Wyler, Liana Sun
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cybersecurity: Authoritative Reports and Resources (open access)

Cybersecurity: Authoritative Reports and Resources

Report that provides links to selected authoritative resources related to cybersecurity issues, including: legislation, hearings in the 112th Congress, data and statistics, and cybersecurity glossaries.
Date: July 24, 2012
Creator: Tehan, Rita
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Natural Resource Damage Assessment Under the Oil Pollution Act (open access)

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Natural Resource Damage Assessment Under the Oil Pollution Act

Report that examines the Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) process under the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) in the context of the Deepwater Horizon spill.
Date: July 24, 2013
Creator: Vann, Adam & Meltz, Robert
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-Cambodia Relations: Issues for the 113th Congress (open access)

U.S.-Cambodia Relations: Issues for the 113th Congress

Report that starts out by describing the relationship between the United States and the Kingdom of Cambodia. This includes U.S. concerns about Cambodia's human rights record and how that affects the bilateral relationship.
Date: July 24, 2013
Creator: Lum, Thomas
System: The UNT Digital Library
The U.S. Postal Service's Financial Condition: A Primer (open access)

The U.S. Postal Service's Financial Condition: A Primer

Report that discusses the USPS financial challenges, agency's revenues, and recent financial difficulties.
Date: July 24, 2013
Creator: Kosar, Kevin R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances (open access)

Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances

Report that covers the contentious travel restrictions between the U.S. and Cuba from the 1960s to the present time. Congress under the Obama Administration is easing restrictions on family, marketing, agricultural, and medical sales travel. The report also covers legislative action that has taken place in the 112th Congress to harshen travel restrictions.
Date: July 24, 2012
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Independent Research and Development (open access)

Independent Research and Development

This report is a survey of the 1970 house and Senate Hearings
Date: July 24, 1970
Creator: John D. Homfeld
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cybersecurity: Authoritative Reports and Resources (open access)

Cybersecurity: Authoritative Reports and Resources

This report provides links to selected authoritative resources related to cybersecurity issues, including: legislation, hearings in the 112th Congress, data and statistics, and cybersecurity glossaries.
Date: July 24, 2012
Creator: Tehan, Rita
System: The UNT Digital Library
Congress’s Contempt Power: Law, History, Practice, and Procedure (open access)

Congress’s Contempt Power: Law, History, Practice, and Procedure

This report examines the source of the contempt power, reviews the historical development of the early case law, outlines the statutory and common law basis for Congress's contempt power, and analyzes the procedures associated with each of the three different types of contempt proceedings. In addition, the report discusses limitations both unconstitutional and constitutionally based on the power.
Date: July 24, 2007
Creator: Rosenberg, Morton & Tatelman, Todd B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: Political Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests (open access)

Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: Political Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests

This report addresses political developments and implications for U.S. interests regarding Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
Date: July 24, 2006
Creator: Nichol, Jim
System: The UNT Digital Library
United States-Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Free Trade Agreement Negotiations: Background and Potential Issues (open access)

United States-Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Free Trade Agreement Negotiations: Background and Potential Issues

This report discusses negotiations to launch a free trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and the five members of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland) that began on June 3, 2003. A potential FTA would eliminate tariffs over time, reduce or eliminate non-tariff barriers, liberalize service trade, protect intellectual property rights, and provide technical assistance to help SACU nations achieve the goals of the agreement. This potential agreement would be subject to congressional approval.
Date: July 24, 2008
Creator: Langton, Danielle
System: The UNT Digital Library
Charter-Time Warner Cable-Bright House Networks Mergers: Overview and Issues (open access)

Charter-Time Warner Cable-Bright House Networks Mergers: Overview and Issues

The combination of Charter, Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC), and Bright House Networks (BHN) would create a single entity providing cable television and broadband access service to 23.9 million customers in 41 states, making it the nation’s second-largest cable television operator and broadband access provider. At the federal level, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must approve the transactions before they can close.This report describes recent trends in the television industry, the events leading up to the proposed transactions, and the criteria and process of regulatory review.
Date: July 24, 2015
Creator: Scherer, Dana A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Concurrent Receipt: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Concurrent Receipt: Background and Issues for Congress

This report addresses the two primary components of the concurrent receipt program: Combat-Related Compensation(CRSC) and Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments(CRDP). It reviews the possible legislative expansion of the program to additional populations and provides several potential options for Congress to consider.
Date: July 24, 2015
Creator: Kamarck, Kristy N.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Senate Committee Funding: Description of Process and Analysis of Disbursements (open access)

Senate Committee Funding: Description of Process and Analysis of Disbursements

None
Date: July 24, 2013
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
The U.S. Export Control System and the Export Control Reform Initiative (open access)

The U.S. Export Control System and the Export Control Reform Initiative

This report discusses the U.S. export control system and initiatives to reform the export control system. Topics covered include the dual-use system, military export controls, nuclear controls, and President Obama's export control initiative.
Date: July 24, 2017
Creator: Fergusson, Ian F. & Kerr, Paul K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Gulf Coast Restoration: RESTORE Act and Related Efforts (open access)

Gulf Coast Restoration: RESTORE Act and Related Efforts

This report provides information on environmental damage and restoration activities related to the Deepwater Horizon spill. An overview of how the RESTORE Act is being implemented and a discussion of multiple funding sources and plans to recover and restore the Gulf Coast environment are discussed. Further, potential issues for Congress related to this restoration initiative are presented.
Date: July 24, 2017
Creator: Stern, Charles V.; Sheikh, Pervaze A. & Ramseur, Jonathan L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS): OECD Tax Proposals (open access)

Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS): OECD Tax Proposals

This report first reviews the basics of international tax rules. It then discusses the various action items organized into Action Item 1, which relates to the digital economy and proposes standards only with respect to VATS; Action Items 2-5, 7, and 8-10, items related primarily to profit shifting; Action Item 5, which relates to harmful tax practices; Action Item 6, regarding tax treaties; and Action Items 11-15, which are primarily administrative in nature.
Date: July 24, 2017
Creator: Gravelle, Jane G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iran Sanctions (open access)

Iran Sanctions

This report analyzes U.S. and international sanctions against Iran and provides some examples, based on open sources, of companies and countries that conduct business with Iran.
Date: July 24, 2017
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) in the United States (open access)

Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) in the United States

This report provides a summary and analysis of the current state of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) in the United States and current legislation and funding related to the CCS process and the regulation of air pollution and greenhouse gases.
Date: July 24, 2017
Creator: Folger, Peter
System: The UNT Digital Library
Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy (open access)

Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy

This report examines the current political state of Afghanistan at length, discussing the political background, security policy, and regional relations.
Date: July 24, 2017
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth & Thomas, Clayton
System: The UNT Digital Library