FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: New Jersey (open access)

FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: New Jersey

This report discusses the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) that is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is the primary source of funding used to provide assistance following a major disaster declaration.
Date: January 28, 2015
Creator: McCarthy, Francis X.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
China as the World’s “Largest Economy” (open access)

China as the World’s “Largest Economy”

Various media have recently reported that China has overtaken the United States to become the world’s largest economy (a position the United States had held at least since 1913), based on estimates of purchasing power parity (PPP) measurements and projections made by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This report examines the data and its policy implications.
Date: January 29, 2015
Creator: Morrison, Wayne M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Medical Device Excise Tax: Economic Analysis (open access)

The Medical Device Excise Tax: Economic Analysis

This report reviews the issues surrounding the medical devices tax within the framework of basic principles surrounding the choice of commodities to tax under excise taxes. The next section describes the tax and its legislative origins. After that, the report analyzes the arguments for retaining and repealing the tax.
Date: January 9, 2015
Creator: Gravelle, Jane G. & Lowry, Sean
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Effect of Corinthian Colleges’ Closure on Student Financial Aid: Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

Effect of Corinthian Colleges’ Closure on Student Financial Aid: Frequently Asked Questions

This report answers several frequently asked questions regarding the effect of the sale and closure of CCI's schools as they relate to former CCI students aid.
Date: June 17, 2015
Creator: Hegji, Alexandra
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Introduction to Financial Services: International Supervision (open access)

Introduction to Financial Services: International Supervision

This report discusses the financial crisis of 2007-2008 and subsequent global economic turmoil that underscored the interconnectedness of the global financial system as well as its weaknesses. In the wake of the crisis, leaders from the United States and other countries have pursued a wide range of reforms to the international financial regulatory system.
Date: February 10, 2015
Creator: Weiss, Martin A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Qualified Charitable Distributions from Individual Retirement Accounts: Features and Legislative History (open access)

Qualified Charitable Distributions from Individual Retirement Accounts: Features and Legislative History

A provision of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-280) allows tax-free distributions from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) for charitable purposes. This report describes the IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) provision.
Date: February 4, 2015
Creator: Topoleski, John J. & Sidor, Gary
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Funeral Honors and Military Cemeteries: Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

Military Funeral Honors and Military Cemeteries: Frequently Asked Questions

This report is written in response to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about military funeral honors and military cemeteries. It provides information to questions in three general areas: implementation of the funeral honors and eligibility criteria; components of the honor detail and the funeral ceremony; and specific questions on burial and honors at Arlington National Cemetery. It also cites legislation requiring the Department of Defense (DOD) to make military funeral honors available to every eligible veteran upon request.
Date: April 10, 2015
Creator: Salazar Torreon, Barbara
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
House Rules Governing Committee Markup Procedures (open access)

House Rules Governing Committee Markup Procedures

This report provides an overview of the markup procedures on the house rules governing committee. The rules of the house provides general guidance to committees for conducting meetings to markup legislation.
Date: August 31, 2015
Creator: Schneider, Judy
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Softwood Lumber Imports From Canada: Current Issues (open access)

Softwood Lumber Imports From Canada: Current Issues

This report examines the status and current issues surrounding Canadian softwood lumber imports since 2006. After providing background information on what constitutes softwood lumber, the stakeholders in the dispute, and the history of the dispute, the report introduces the 2006 SLA and analyzes its impacts on the U.S. lumber industry as well as on the trade relationship between the United States and Canada. Finally, the report discusses the potential issues Congress may consider when the agreement expires in 2015.
Date: August 27, 2015
Creator: Hoover, Katie & Fergusson, Ian F.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cybersecurity and Information Sharing: Legal Challenges and Solutions (open access)

Cybersecurity and Information Sharing: Legal Challenges and Solutions

While considerable debate exists with regard to the best strategies for protecting America’s various cyber-systems and promoting cybersecurity, one point of general agreement amongst cyber-analysts is the perceived need for enhanced and timely exchange of cyber-threat intelligence both within the private sector and between the private sector and the government. This report examines the various legal issues that arise with respect to the sharing of cybersecurity intelligence, with a special focus on two distinct concepts: (1) sharing of cyberinformation within the government’s possession and (2) sharing of cyber-information within the possession of the private sector.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Nolan, Andrew
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Small Business Administration and Job Creation (open access)

Small Business Administration and Job Creation

The Small Business Administration (SBA) administers several programs to support small businesses, including loan guaranty programs, disaster loan programs, management and technical assistance training programs, and federal contracting programs. Congressional interest in these programs has increased in recent years, primarily because they are viewed as a means to stimulate economic activity, create jobs, and assist in the national economic recovery. This report examines the economic research on net job creation to identify the types of businesses that appear to create the most jobs.
Date: January 29, 2015
Creator: Dilger, Robert J.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Integrated Mortgage Disclosure Forms and H.R. 3192 and S. 1484/S. 1910: In Brief (open access)

Integrated Mortgage Disclosure Forms and H.R. 3192 and S. 1484/S. 1910: In Brief

None
Date: October 6, 2015
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wilderness: Overview and Statistics (open access)

Wilderness: Overview and Statistics

In 1964, the Wilderness Act established a national system of congressionally designated areas to be preserved in a wilderness condition: “where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” This report provides a brief history of wilderness, describes what wilderness is, identifies permitted and prohibited uses in wilderness areas, and provides data on the 109.8 million acres of designated wilderness areas as of January 1, 2015.
Date: January 12, 2015
Creator: Hoover, Katie
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Pharmaceutical Patent-Antitrust: Reverse Payment Settlements and Product Hopping (open access)

Pharmaceutical Patent-Antitrust: Reverse Payment Settlements and Product Hopping

This report introduces and analyzes innovation and competition policy issues associated with the pharmaceutical industry. It begins with a review of the Hatch-Waxman Act and its implications upon the availability of generic substitutes for brand-name medications. The report then turns to a basic review of the antitrust law. It then addresses judicial developments with respect to reverse payment settlements and product hopping. The report closes with a summary of congressional issues and possible alternatives.
Date: October 7, 2015
Creator: Thomas, John R.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Senate Committee Hearings: Preparation (open access)

Senate Committee Hearings: Preparation

Committee hearings allow Senators an opportunity to gather information on—and draw attention to—legislation and issues within a committee’s purview, conduct oversight of programs or agencies, and investigate allegations of wrongdoing. This checklist identifies, primarily for staff, many of the tasks that need to be performed by a full committee and, in most cases, subcommittees in advance of a hearing. Some of the tasks are required by Senate or committee rules; others are common committee practice. Some tasks are usually the responsibility of the committee’s majority staff, some are shared by majority and minority staff, and some are performed by a Senator’s personal office staff.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Columbia River Treaty Review (open access)

Columbia River Treaty Review

This report provides a brief overview of the Columbia River Treaty review. It includes background on the history of the basin and consideration of the treaty, as well as a brief summary of studies and analyses of the Columbia River Treaty review process to date.
Date: May 1, 2015
Creator: Stern, Charles V.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Financial Transactions Taxes: In Brief (open access)

Financial Transactions Taxes: In Brief

None
Date: October 22, 2015
Creator: Knightley, Mark P.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (H.R. 3230; P.L. 113-146) (open access)

Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (H.R. 3230; P.L. 113-146)

None
Date: February 10, 2015
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Methane: An Introduction to Emission Sources and Reduction Strategies (open access)

Methane: An Introduction to Emission Sources and Reduction Strategies

None
Date: January 14, 2015
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Train and Equip Authorities for Syria: In Brief (open access)

Train and Equip Authorities for Syria: In Brief

None
Date: January 9, 2015
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: Kentucky (open access)

FEMA DRF Major Disaster Assistance: Kentucky

None
Date: January 28, 2015
Creator: Richardson, Daniel J.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Research Tax Credit: Current Law and Policy Issues for the 114th Congress (open access)

Research Tax Credit: Current Law and Policy Issues for the 114th Congress

Technological innovation is a primary engine of long-term economic growth, and research and development (R&D) serves as the lifeblood of innovation. The federal government encourages businesses to invest more in R&D than they otherwise would in several ways, including a tax credit for increases in spending on qualified research above a base amount. This report describes the current status of the credit, summarizes its legislative history, discusses policy issues it raises, and describes legislation to modify and extend it.
Date: May 22, 2015
Creator: Guenther, Gary
Object Type: Report
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.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Amending Process in the House of Representatives (open access)

The Amending Process in the House of Representatives

This report consists of the amending process in the house of representatives.
Date: September 16, 2015
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library