Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance (open access)

Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance

Report that discusses the current political state of Afghanistan, as well as the Afghan government. This report also discusses Afghanistan's relationship with the United States, particularly U.S. efforts to urge President Hamid Karzai to address corruption within the Afghan government. Election fraud and corruption in Afghanistan are also discussed.
Date: September 20, 2012
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Job Creation in the Manufacturing Revival (open access)

Job Creation in the Manufacturing Revival

This report looks at recent growth in the U.S. manufacturing sector, which has occurred not only as a result of the country's recovery from recession but also because a change in the nature of manufacturing work.
Date: June 20, 2012
Creator: Levinson, Marc
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Renewable Electricity: How Does the Production Tax Credit (PTC) Impact Wind Markets? (open access)

U.S. Renewable Electricity: How Does the Production Tax Credit (PTC) Impact Wind Markets?

This report discusses the use of wind as a power source, including: production tax credits (PTC), U.S. electricity demand growth, and the price of natural gas. Issues for Congress include whether or not the PTC will be extended.
Date: June 20, 2012
Creator: Brown, Phillip
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nuclear Energy Policy (open access)

Nuclear Energy Policy

This report discusses nuclear energy issues currently facing Congress, such as federal incentives for new commercial reactors, radioactive waste management policy, research and development priorities, power plant safety and regulation, nuclear weapons proliferation, and security against terrorist attacks.
Date: June 20, 2012
Creator: Holt, Mark
System: The UNT Digital Library
Kuwait: Security, Reform, and U.S. Policy (open access)

Kuwait: Security, Reform, and U.S. Policy

This report looks at Kuwait's relationships with its neighbors in the Persian Gulf, and its own political system which has been in turmoil since 2006.
Date: June 20, 2012
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Morocco: Current Issues (open access)

Morocco: Current Issues

This report discusses the current political and foreign policy status of Morocco, especially with regard to its relationship with the United States and its struggles combating terrorism.
Date: June 20, 2012
Creator: Arieff, Alexis
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mexico's 2012 Elections (open access)

Mexico's 2012 Elections

This report provides an overview of the parties and candidates competing in the Mexican federal elections, with a focus on the presidential contest, followed by a discussion of key issues in the campaign that could have implications for U.S.-Mexican relations.
Date: June 20, 2012
Creator: Ribando Seelke, Clare
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Federal Food Safety System: A Primer (open access)

The Federal Food Safety System: A Primer

None
Date: January 20, 2012
Creator: Johnson, Renée
System: The UNT Digital Library
Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: EPA’s Air Compliance Agreement (open access)

Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: EPA’s Air Compliance Agreement

From an environmental quality standpoint, much of the interest in animal agriculture has focused on impacts on water resources, because animal waste, if not properly managed, can harm water quality through surface runoff, direct discharges, spills, and leaching into soil and groundwater. A more recent issue is the contribution of emissions from animal feeding operations (AFO), enterprises where animals are raised in confinement, to air pollution. AFOs can affect air quality through emissions of gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, hazardous air pollutants, and odor. These pollutants and compounds have a number of environmental and human health effects. This report reviews key issues associated with the Air Compliance Agreement.
Date: July 20, 2012
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
System: The UNT Digital Library
Canadian Securities Administrators CSA Consultation Paper 91-406 Derivatives: OTC Central Counterparty Clearing (open access)

Canadian Securities Administrators CSA Consultation Paper 91-406 Derivatives: OTC Central Counterparty Clearing

The report discusses the board committee, advisory committees, fees, CCP Rules, Committee recommendations, Protection of Assets etc.
Date: June 20, 2012
Creator: Canadian Securities Administrators Derivatives Committee
System: The UNT Digital Library
Agriculture-Based Biofuels: Overview and Emerging Issues (open access)

Agriculture-Based Biofuels: Overview and Emerging Issues

This report reviews the evolution of the U.S. biofuels sector and the role that federal policy has played in shaping its development. In addition, it highlights emerging issues that are critical to the biofuels sector and of relevance to Congress.
Date: January 20, 2012
Creator: Schnepf, Randy
System: The UNT Digital Library
New Markets Tax Credit: An Introduction (open access)

New Markets Tax Credit: An Introduction

None
Date: December 20, 2012
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
In Re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001: Dismissals of Claims Against Saudi Defendants Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) (open access)

In Re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001: Dismissals of Claims Against Saudi Defendants Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA)

This report summarizes the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) and jurisdiction in cases against foreign defendants and analyzes the recent court of appeals decision.
Date: December 20, 2012
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities — Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities — Background and Issues for Congress

This report focuses on the potential implications of China's naval modernization for future required U.S. Navy capabilities.
Date: December 20, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress (open access)

Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress

This report discusses the process of naming Navy ships, which have traditionally been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the Navy. Congress in recent years has proposed, and sometimes passed, legislation regarding the naming of specific ships.
Date: December 20, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on multiyear procurement (MYP) and block buy contracting (BBC), which are special contracting mechanisms that Congress permits the Department of Defense (DOD) to use for a limited number of defense acquisition programs. Compared to the standard or default approach of annual contracting, MYP and BBC have the potential for reducing weapon procurement costs by several percent.
Date: December 20, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald & Schwartz, Moshe
System: The UNT Digital Library
Interior Immigration Enforcement: Programs Targeting Criminal Aliens (open access)

Interior Immigration Enforcement: Programs Targeting Criminal Aliens

This report begins by defining and quantifying the criminal alien population, to the extent possible. The following sections describe current and historical programs designed in whole or in part to target this population, including the Criminal Alien Program (CAP), Secure Communities, the §287(g) program, and the National Fugitive Operations Program (NFOP). After describing how these programs function and key differences among them, the report reviews their recent appropriations history and enforcement statistics.
Date: December 20, 2012
Creator: Rosenblum, Marc R. & Kandel, William A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Operations: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Operations: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and potential issues for Congress on the Navy's irregular warfare (IW) and counterterrorism (CT) operations. The Navy's IW and CT activities pose a number of potential oversight issues for Congress, including the definition of Navy IW activities and how much emphasis to place on IW and CT activities in future Navy budgets.
Date: December 20, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
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: December 20, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
The United Kingdom and U.S.-UK Relations (open access)

The United Kingdom and U.S.-UK Relations

This report discusses the relations between United Kingdom (UK) and the United States, including a sense of shared history, values, and culture, as well as extensive and long-established cooperation on a wide range of foreign policy and security issues.
Date: December 20, 2012
Creator: Mix, Derek E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Credit Union Commercial Business Lending: Key Issues for Legislation in the 112th Congress (open access)

Credit Union Commercial Business Lending: Key Issues for Legislation in the 112th Congress

This report discusses the key issues for legislation in the 112th Congress related to Credit Union Commercial Business Lending.
Date: June 20, 2012
Creator: Getter, Darryl E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Introducing a Senate Bill or Resolution (open access)

Introducing a Senate Bill or Resolution

This report provides an overview of the most common considerations that may be taken into account when preparing the initial draft for a Senate bill or resolution.
Date: November 20, 2012
Creator: Tollestrup, Jessica
System: The UNT Digital Library
The “Fiscal Cliff”: Macroeconomic Consequences of Tax Increases and Spending Cuts (open access)

The “Fiscal Cliff”: Macroeconomic Consequences of Tax Increases and Spending Cuts

None
Date: September 20, 2012
Creator: Gravelle, Jane G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Jackson-Vanik Amendment and Candidate Countries for WTO Accession: Issues for Congress (open access)

The Jackson-Vanik Amendment and Candidate Countries for WTO Accession: Issues for Congress

None
Date: July 20, 2012
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library