Net Neutrality: Back to the Future (Part One and Part Two) (open access)

Net Neutrality: Back to the Future (Part One and Part Two)

This report is the first two reports in a series discussing the Federal Communication Commission's proposal to reclassify broadband Internet access services and modify or eliminate "net neutrality" regulations. Various legal aspects of the debate and classification of telecommunications are discussed.
Date: May 30, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Update: A Steely Look at Steel: Commerce Directed to Prioritize Investigation of the Effects of Steel Imports on National Security (open access)

Update: A Steely Look at Steel: Commerce Directed to Prioritize Investigation of the Effects of Steel Imports on National Security

This report discusses President Trump's April 2017 memorandums ordering the Commerce Department to prioritize investigation of the effects of steel and aluminium imports on U.S. national security. The report outlines the process such an investigation would take and possible outcomes if the Commerce Department determines that imports are threatening national security.
Date: May 1, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Two-Sided Credit Card Markets: The Supreme Court Takes Up Novel Antitrust Issue (open access)

Two-Sided Credit Card Markets: The Supreme Court Takes Up Novel Antitrust Issue

This report discusses the case of "Ohio v. American Express" which the Supreme Court has accepted for hearing which poses the question of how federal antitrust law should treat two-sided markets which are platforms in which two distinct user groups operate in an interdependent way. The case challenges anti-steering clauses in American Express contract agreements with merchants that prevent the merchants from promoting the use of other credit cards. The case has the potential to change the way vendors accept card payments across the country--but the case also provides the Supreme Court with the opportunity to guide the lower courts that are increasingly confronting antitrust issues concerning two-sided markets. As a result, the American Express case raises several issues for Congress that could implicate its legislative and oversight roles with respect to the financial services industry and, more generally, the regulation of two-sided markets.
Date: November 13, 2017
Creator: Smith, Austin D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Update: What Constitutes "Sexual Abuse of a Minor" For Immigration Purposes (open access)

Update: What Constitutes "Sexual Abuse of a Minor" For Immigration Purposes

This report provides an update of an earlier report from April 6, 2017, providing the final decision by the Supreme Court in the case of "Esquivel-Quintana v. Sessions". The case concerned the question of whether an immigrant alien who was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor where the minor was under 18 but at least 16 (in this case statutory rape in California between a 21 year old male and a 17 year female) was removable for an aggravated felony under immigration law. The Supreme Court ruled that the immigration law required the victim be under 16 before the removal of an alien for an aggravated felony would be allowable.
Date: June 7, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Unmanned and Unregulated? Court of Appeals Rejects FAA Regulation of Many Drones (open access)

Unmanned and Unregulated? Court of Appeals Rejects FAA Regulation of Many Drones

This report discusses a ruling by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals which said that model aircraft including many drones were exempt from the FAA's registration rule. Carious implications of the ruling are also discussed.
Date: June 6, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
President Trump's Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement Raises Legal Questions: Parts 1 and 2 (open access)

President Trump's Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement Raises Legal Questions: Parts 1 and 2

This report discusses various legal questions raised by President Trump's announcement of the U.S.'s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. Questions addressed include the withdrawal process, whether the agreement is binding or non-binding, the role of United States in other international climate meetings, and why President Trump announced the exit.
Date: June 9, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Strike on Syrian Airbase: Legal Under International Law? (open access)

U.S. Strike on Syrian Airbase: Legal Under International Law?

This report discusses whether the U.S. airstrike on a Syrian airbase in retaliation for Syria's use of chemical weapons was legal under international laws as outlined in the U.N. Charter.
Date: April 17, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): What Actions Do Not Require Congressional Approval? (open access)

Renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): What Actions Do Not Require Congressional Approval?

This report briefly addresses questions about the extent to which the executive branch may unilaterally renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and implement amendments to the agreement in domestic law without further action from Congress.
Date: January 26, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Law and Leaks to the Press (open access)

The Law and Leaks to the Press

This report discusses laws that govern the legality or possible repercussions of leaking government information of various types to the press.
Date: February 22, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Fifth Amendment in Congressional Investigations (open access)

The Fifth Amendment in Congressional Investigations

This report discusses the use and rules regarding invoking Fifth Amendments rights during Congressional investigations in the wake of the use of the Fifth Amendment by former national security adviser Michael Flynn during Congressional investigations.
Date: May 26, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
For First Time, FinCEN Imposes Penalty on Foreign-Based Virtual Currency Exchange for Violations of Anti-Money Laundering Laws (open access)

For First Time, FinCEN Imposes Penalty on Foreign-Based Virtual Currency Exchange for Violations of Anti-Money Laundering Laws

This report discusses the first case of enforcement by the U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) against a foreign-based virtual currency exchange. The action was taken agains BTC-e for violations of anti-money laundering regulations in the U.S. and potential money laundering activities.
Date: August 17, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Dressed to the Nines: What's Next for the Nine-Justice Supreme Court? (open access)

Dressed to the Nines: What's Next for the Nine-Justice Supreme Court?

This report discusses the confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch as a Supreme Court Justice and the effects he may have on current and upcoming cases as the ninth member of the Supreme Court.
Date: April 10, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Plan to Restrict Federal Grants to "Sanctuary Jurisdictions" Raises Legal Questions (open access)

Plan to Restrict Federal Grants to "Sanctuary Jurisdictions" Raises Legal Questions

This report provides a description of Executive Order (EO) 13768 "Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States" issued on January 25, 2017 by President Trump. It highlights, in particular, potential questions about how the EO could be construed in regard to "sanctuary cities" and briefly discusses the claims made by those jurisdictions challenging the EO.
Date: February 14, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Foreign Money and U.S. Elections (open access)

Foreign Money and U.S. Elections

This report provides an overview of the prohibitions on foreign money under federal campaign finance law.
Date: August 17, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Qualified Immunity for a Police Shooting (open access)

Qualified Immunity for a Police Shooting

This report discusses the rule of qualified immunity for police officers, which prevents officers from being sued for actions taken in the course of their job unless there was a clear decision by the officer to break the law or incompetence. It specifically discusses the case of "White v. Pauly" heard by the Supreme Court, which upheld qualified immunity for Officer White after he was accused of violating a suspect's fourth amendment rights by use of excessive force to seize the suspect who had been fatally shot during the incident.
Date: February 9, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Special Counsels, Independent Counsels, and Special Prosecutors: Investigations of the Executive Branch by the Executive Branch (open access)

Special Counsels, Independent Counsels, and Special Prosecutors: Investigations of the Executive Branch by the Executive Branch

This report discusses the authorities who may appoint a special counsel or independent counsel to conduct criminal investigations of the executive branch when the Department of Justice may have a conflict of interest.
Date: May 11, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Six Justice Court to Decide Liability of Officials for Post 9/11 Detention (open access)

Six Justice Court to Decide Liability of Officials for Post 9/11 Detention

This report discusses a Supreme Court case regarding whether men detained after 9/11 by federal authorities can sue the individual officials involved in their arrest and detainment that was due to be heard by a six justice court due to the death of Justice Scalia and the recusements of two other justices.
Date: March 7, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Brief History of Attorney General Recusal (open access)

A Brief History of Attorney General Recusal

This report lists the fifteen previous instances of U.S. Attorney General's recusing themselves from an investigation since 1989 after the announcement by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions that he was recusing himself from and any investigations regarding President Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
Date: March 8, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Update to "Smith v. Obama": A Servicemember's Legal Challenge to the Campaign Against the Islamic State (open access)

Update to "Smith v. Obama": A Servicemember's Legal Challenge to the Campaign Against the Islamic State

This report discusses a case which was brought by Army Captain Nathan Smith against President Barack Obama in 2016, arguing that President Obama had no authority to be conducting the campaign against the Islamic State because no Congressional approval had been given. The case was dismissed in Nov. 2016 but he has appealed the dismissal of the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Date: April 4, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Immigration Officer's Authority to Apprehend and Remove Aliens: Questions and Answers in Brief (open access)

Immigration Officer's Authority to Apprehend and Remove Aliens: Questions and Answers in Brief

This report provides brief answers to some of the questions regarding immigration agents' authority to apprehend and remove aliens; these questions were raised by reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted enforcement actions in at least six states during the week of February 6, 2017.
Date: February 13, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Climate Change Litigation Update: "Children's Crusade" Case Against the United States Goes Forward (open access)

Climate Change Litigation Update: "Children's Crusade" Case Against the United States Goes Forward

This report discusses the case of "Juliana v. United States" which was brought by a group of 21 individuals all under the age of 20 organized through an Oregon nonprofit called Our Children's Trust. The plaintiffs seek to compel the federal government to reduce carbon dioxide emissions through appeals to the Constitution and common law.
Date: January 1, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Charlottesville Car Crash Attack: Possibility of Federal Criminal Prosecution (open access)

Charlottesville Car Crash Attack: Possibility of Federal Criminal Prosecution

This report discusses the announcement that the Charlottesville, Virginia car crash attack is being investigated as a federal civil rights case. It also outlines the sections of the federal law under which the attack could be classified.
Date: August 15, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Neil Gorsuch's Nomination to the Supreme Court: Initial Observations (open access)

Neil Gorsuch's Nomination to the Supreme Court: Initial Observations

This report discusses Judge Neil Gorsuch's nomination for the Supreme Court and provides a brief overview of his background and potential influence on the Supreme Court.
Date: February 1, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Congressional Health Coverage: Is the Government Contribution in Limbo? (open access)

Congressional Health Coverage: Is the Government Contribution in Limbo?

This report first provides an overview of the statutory framework governing congressional health coverage and the current Office of Personnel Management (OPM) rule, and then addresses certain legal considerations that may come into play should the Trump Administration take action to modify this existing rule.
Date: August 24, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library