Côte d'Ivoire's Post-Election Crisis (open access)

Côte d'Ivoire's Post-Election Crisis

This report discusses the contested November 28, 2010, presidential election runoff election in Côte d'Ivoire. Laurent Gbagbo and his rival, former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara, both continue to claim to have won the runoff and to exercise exclusive national executive authority, and to attempt to consolidate their control over state institutions. An increase in armed conflicts in late February 2011, among other indicators, signals the possible outbreak of a renewed civil war. This report discusses these events, as well as U.S. and international efforts to support a peaceful transition in Côte d'Ivoire, which has remained largely divided since the civil war that began in 2002.
Date: March 15, 2011
Creator: Cook, Nicolas
System: The UNT Digital Library
European Union Enlargement: A Status Report on Turkey's Accession Negotiations (open access)

European Union Enlargement: A Status Report on Turkey's Accession Negotiations

This report provides a brief overview of the European Union's (EU) accession process and Turkey's path to EU membership.
Date: March 15, 2011
Creator: Morelli, Vincent
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Origination Clause of the U.S. Constitution: Interpretation and Enforcement (open access)

The Origination Clause of the U.S. Constitution: Interpretation and Enforcement

Article I, Section 7, clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution is known as the Origination Clause because it provides that "All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives." The meaning and application of this clause has evolved through practice and precedent since the Constitution was drafted. The Constitution does not provide specific guidelines as to what constitutes a "bill for raising revenue." This report analyzes congressional and court precedents regarding that constitutes such a bill. Second, this report describes the various ways in which the Origination Clause has been enforced. Finally, this report looks at the application of the Origination Clause to other types of legislation.
Date: March 15, 2011
Creator: Saturno, James V.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Party Leaders in the House: Election, Duties, and Responsibilities (open access)

Party Leaders in the House: Election, Duties, and Responsibilities

Each major party in the House has a leadership hierarchy. This report summarizes the election, duties, and responsibilities of the Speaker of the House, the majority and minority leaders, and the whips and whip system.
Date: February 15, 2011
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie
System: The UNT Digital Library
Western Sahara (open access)

Western Sahara

This report discusses how Morocco and the independence-seeking Popular Front for the Liberation of Saqiat al Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario) have been vying for control of the Western Sahara, a former Spanish territory, since the 1970s. The report discusses recent settlement attempts, as well as how the Western Sahara issue has affected Algerian-Moroccan bilaterial relations, Moroccan relations with the African Union, and regional cooperation on economic and security issues. The report also discusses the United States' involvement in and stance on the issue.
Date: February 15, 2011
Creator: Arieff, Alexis
System: The UNT Digital Library
Africa: U.S. Foreign Assistance Issues (open access)

Africa: U.S. Foreign Assistance Issues

The United States provides assistance to 47 African countries, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has 23 missions in Africa. In recent years, U.S. assistance to Africa saw a major increase, especially in health-related programs. This report provides an overview of U.S. aid to Africa, including the strategic objectives that shape U.S. aid to Africa, information about specific aid programs and initiatives, and the Obama Administration's FY2011 foreign aid budget request.
Date: March 15, 2011
Creator: Dagne, Ted
System: The UNT Digital Library
Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate (open access)

Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate

This report discusses the continued debate amongst congressional policymakers regarding telecommunications reform. A major point of the ongoing discussion is whether action is needed to ensure unfettered access to the Internet.
Date: March 15, 2011
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Veterans Affairs: A Preliminary Analysis of the FY2012 Appropriations Request (open access)

Veterans Affairs: A Preliminary Analysis of the FY2012 Appropriations Request

This report provides a preliminary analysis of the President's budget request for FY2012 for the programs administered by the VA. This report is not an exhaustive discussion of VA's budget request for FY2012. A full CRS report on FY2012 VA budget and appropriations issues is planned after initial congressional consideration of appropriations legislation.
Date: March 15, 2011
Creator: Scott, Christine & Panangala, Sidath Viranga
System: The UNT Digital Library
Japan 2011 Disaster: CRS Experts (open access)

Japan 2011 Disaster: CRS Experts

The following table provides access to names and contact information for CRS experts on policy concerns relating to the nuclear and humanitarian disaster unfolding in Japan. Specific policy areas are identified.
Date: March 15, 2011
Creator: Dolven, Ben
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fukushima Nuclear Crisis (open access)

Fukushima Nuclear Crisis

This report briefly discusses the March 11, 2001, earthquake off the east coast of Honshu, Japan's largest island. The earthquake caused an automatic shutdown of eleven of Japan's fifty-five operating nuclear power plants. The plants closes to the earthquake's epicenter, Fukushima and Onagawa, were damaged by the earthquake and resulting tsunami. This report also discusses efforts by the United States and other countries to provide assistance to Japan to deal with the nuclear crisis.
Date: March 15, 2011
Creator: Campbell, Richard J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Veterans Medical Care: FY2011 Appropriations (open access)

Veterans Medical Care: FY2011 Appropriations

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides benefits to veterans through three major operating units, one of which is the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), on which this report focuses. This report will track the FY2011 appropriations process for funding VHA, and will be updated as legislative activities warrant.
Date: November 15, 2010
Creator: Panangala, Sidath Viranga
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Grants-In-Aid: An Historical Perspective on Contemporary Issues (open access)

Federal Grants-In-Aid: An Historical Perspective on Contemporary Issues

This report provides an historical synopsis of the evolving nature of federal grant-in-aid programs, focusing on the role Congress has played in defining the scope and nature of those programs. It begins with an overview of contemporary federal grant-in-aid programs and then examines their evolution over time, focusing on the internal and external factors that have influenced congressional decisions concerning federal grant-in-aid programs. It concludes with an assessment of the scope and nature of the contemporary federal grants-in-aid system and raises several issues for congressional consideration, including possible ways to augment congressional capacity to provide effective oversight of this system.
Date: June 15, 2009
Creator: Dilger, Robert Jay
System: The UNT Digital Library
Inherently Governmental Functions and Department of Defense Operations: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress (open access)

Inherently Governmental Functions and Department of Defense Operations: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress

An "inherently governmental function" is one that, as a matter of law and policy, must be performed by federal government employees and cannot be contracted out because it is "intimately related to the public interest." This report explores various sides of the debate as to what exactly constitutes an "inherently governmental function," as there is currently no one uniform definition. Congress is concerned that inconsistent definitions may lead to improperly contracted jobs.
Date: June 15, 2009
Creator: Luckey, John R.; Grasso, Valerie Bailey & Manuel, Kate M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iran's Economic Conditions: U.S. Policy Issues (open access)

Iran's Economic Conditions: U.S. Policy Issues

This report provides a general overview of Iran's economy, addresses related U.S. policy concerns, and discusses policy options for Congress. The purpose of this report is two-fold. First, it provides insight into important macroeconomic trends, policy reforms and objectives, key economic sectors, international trade patterns, and sources of foreign exchange. Second, in the context of U.S. economic sanctions imposed for national security and foreign policy reasons, the report evaluates Iran's economic structure, strengths, and vulnerabilities and discusses issues and options for Congress.
Date: June 15, 2009
Creator: Ilias, Shayerah
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Prtected (MRAP) Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Prtected (MRAP) Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress

In late 2007, the Department of Defense (DOD) launched a major procurement initiative to replace most uparmored High Mobility, Multi-Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs) in Iraq with Mine- Resistant, Ambush-Protected (MRAP) vehicles by FY2009. MRAPs have been described as providing significantly more protection against Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) than uparmored HMMWVs. DOD's decision to acquire a new, smaller MRAP variant, the M-ATV, for use in Afghanistan; the disposition of MRAPs no longer needed in Iraq; and MRAP mechanical, logistical, and readiness concerns could be potential policy issues for congressional consideration.
Date: June 15, 2009
Creator: Feickert, Andrew
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wildfire Protection in the Wildland-Urban Interface (open access)

Wildfire Protection in the Wildland-Urban Interface

Report that describes the growth of the wildland-urban interface, wildfire suppression efforts, post-fire responses, and especially the programs and options for protecting the interface before the next wildfire strikes.
Date: May 15, 2013
Creator: Bracmort, Kelsi
System: The UNT Digital Library
Presidential Appointee Positions Requiring Senate Confirmation and Committees Handling Nominations (open access)

Presidential Appointee Positions Requiring Senate Confirmation and Committees Handling Nominations

Report that identifies, by Senate committee, presidentially appointed positions requiring Senate confirmation based on referrals as of the date of passage of S. 679, which became P.L. 112-166 on August 10, 2012. It begins with a brief description of the referral process and identify, for each committee to which referrals have been made, the positions that fall within the committee's jurisdiction.
Date: November 15, 2012
Creator: Davis, Christopher M. & Mansfield, Jerry W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Australia: Background and U.S. Relations (open access)

Australia: Background and U.S. Relations

This report gives an overview of the relationship between the Commonwealth of Australia and the United States including the close alliance under the ANZUS treaty. The report includes information about the structure of the Australian government, political and domestic issues, economics, defense policies and security ties, counterterrorism, environmentalism, affairs in Asia and the Pacific Southwest, and an analysis of other specific events.
Date: August 15, 2013
Creator: Vaughn, Bruce
System: The UNT Digital Library
Trafficking in Persons in Latin America and the Caribbean (open access)

Trafficking in Persons in Latin America and the Caribbean

Report that describes the nature and scope of the problem of trafficking in persons in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Date: July 15, 2013
Creator: Ribando Seelke, Clare
System: The UNT Digital Library
The National Institutes of Health: An Overview (open access)

The National Institutes of Health: An Overview

The National Institutes of Health is the focal point of federal health research. It uses its $17.8 billion budget to support more than 50,000 scientists working at 2,000 institutions across the United States, as well as to conduct biomedical and behavioral research and research training at its own facilities.
Date: September 15, 2000
Creator: Smith, Pamela W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
America COMPETES Act and the FY2010 Budget (open access)

America COMPETES Act and the FY2010 Budget

This report discusses in detail the America COMPETES Act, which is intended to increase the nation's investment in research and development (R&D), and in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. This report discusses the funding increases authorized by the act for various relevant institutions, e.g., the National Science Foundation (NSF); the act's education activities intended to enhance the skills of STEM educators; and if Congress will continue to similarly fund the America COMPETES Act in the FY2010 budget.
Date: June 15, 2009
Creator: Stine, Deborah D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Organized Crime in the United States: Trends and Issues for Congress (open access)

Organized Crime in the United States: Trends and Issues for Congress

This report discusses the threat of organized crime against the United States, most notably organized crime from criminal organizations in Russia, Asia, Italy, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Africa. The report explores the issue of organized crime in relation to the economic downturn and national security, namely terrorism. The report also discusses how Congress is currently working to address these issues and includes information on relevant pieces of legislation.
Date: May 15, 2009
Creator: Finklea, Kristin M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
FY2009 Spring Supplemental Appropriations for Overseas Contingency Operations (open access)

FY2009 Spring Supplemental Appropriations for Overseas Contingency Operations

This report discusses the White House's request for supplemental appropriations that include funding for defense, foreign affairs, and domestic fire fighting. The report details the different programs and areas that the appropriations would fund, including operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, preparedness and emergency management measures relating to the swine flu outbreak, border security between the United States and Mexico, benchmark assessment in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and other general defense operations.
Date: June 15, 2009
Creator: Daggett, Stephen; Epstein, Susan B.; Tarnoff, Curt; Margesson, Rhoda; Nakamura, Kennon H.; Kronstadt, K. Alan et al.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues (open access)

The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues

In late April 2009, human cases of infection with a novel influenza A(H1N1) virus, commonly known as "swine flu," were identified. Since then, the virus has become widespread. It is timely to examine the legal issues surrounding this public health threat. This report provides a brief overview of selected legal issues including emergency measures, civil rights, liability issues, and employment issues.
Date: June 15, 2009
Creator: Swendiman, Kathleen S. & Jones, Nancy Lee
System: The UNT Digital Library