This report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Defense. It summarizes the status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related congressional activity, and is updated as events warrant. The report lists the key CRS staff relevant to the issues covered and related CRS products.

Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, CRS estimates that the Administration has allocated a total of about $357 billion for military operations, reconstruction, embassy costs, and various foreign aid programs in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for enhanced security at defense bases. This total includes $45 billion in “bridge” funding for the Department of Defense (DOD) as provided in H.J.Res. 68 /P.L.109- 77, a FY2006 Continuing Resolution, which was signed by the President on September 30, 2005.

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During the last week of August 2005, Hurricane Katrina gathered strength in the Atlantic and moved against the gulf states. On September 8, 2005, amid the devastation left in Katrina’s wake, President George W. Bush suspended the Davis-Bacon Act as it applies to certain jurisdictions in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Although the President has the authority, under Section 6 of the Act, to render such suspensions during a national emergency, that authority has rarely been utilized.1 This report analyzes the legislative aftermath of the suspension.

On September 28, the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions announced that they had reached a compromise on a pension reform bill for consideration by the full Senate. The compromise bill has been introduced as S. 1783, “The Pension Security and Transparency Act of 2005.” S. 1783 combines provisions of S. 219, “The National Employee Savings and Trust Equity Guarantee Act,” reported by the Finance Committee, and “The Defined Benefit Security Act,” reported by the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. This report summarizes the major provisions of the compromise bill, as announced by the chairmen and ranking members of the two committees.

This report provides information about the General Services Administration Prospectus Thresholds for Owned and Leased Federal Facilities which is a federal government primary federal real property and assets management agency.

This report discusses the history and current role of the federal grand jury in the American criminal justice system. The federal grand jury exists to investigate crimes against the United States and to secure the constitutional right of grand jury indictment. Its responsibilities require broad powers. As an arm of the United States District Court which summons it, upon whose process it relies, and which will receive any indictments it returns, the grand jury's subject matter and geographical jurisdiction is that of the court to which it is attached.

The report lists the military installations that the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission approved for closing or realigning and their reasons for either supporting or rejecting the Department of Defense’s original list of recommended closures and realignments.

A brief article and captions to the four photographs of the Texas State Fair. Both the original Spanish article and the English translation are included.

Executive Correspondence - Letter dtd 09/19/05 from Chairman Principi to Iowa Senator Charles Grassley in reply to his letter of 09/12/05. The Chairman provides answers to the Senator's questions regarding Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois.

BRAC Early Bird 03 October, 2005

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether a provision of a home-rule city charter regulating dual office holding is inconsistent with article XVI, section 40 of the Texas Constitution to the extent the charter provision prohibits a municipal judge from serving as justice of the peace (RQ-0335-GA)

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether a city that has not established a residence homestead exemption under article VIII, section 1-b of the Texas Constitution is authorized to establish the property tax limitation under article VIII, section 1-b(h) (RQ-0336-GA)

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether constables may receive, in addition to their salaries, fees for delivering notices required by Property Code section 24.005 (RQ-0337-GA)

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "More than 5.5 billion pounds of explosives are used each year in the United States by private sector companies and government entities. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has authority to regulate explosives and to license privately owned explosives storage facilities. After the July 2004 theft of several hundred pounds of explosives from a state and local government storage facility, concerns arose about vulnerability to theft. GAO analyzed (1) the extent of explosives thefts from state and local government facilities, (2) ATF's authority to regulate and oversee state and local government explosives storage facilities, (3) the information ATF collects about state and local government storage facilities, and (4) security oversight measures in place at selected state and local government storage facilities."

Application materials submitted to the Texas Historical Commission requesting a historic marker for the Robert H. and Pauline Clark House, in Victoria, Texas. The materials include the inscription text of the marker, narrative, and photographs.

This is the final technical report of the subject grant. It describes the scientific results obtained during the reporting period. These results are focused on the reactions of atomic oxygen with terminal alkenes. We have studied the production of vinoxy in these reactions. We have characterized the energy disposal in the reactions and have elaborated the reaction mechanism.

The Design Team continues to conference this quarter albeit not as often. Primary focus this quarter is the continued procurement of material, receiving, and construction/installation. Phase 1 extension recommendation, and subsequent new project estimate. Forms 424 and 4600 were submitted to Ms. Zysk. The NETL technology team subsequently agreed that the increase is justified and made their recommendation to DOE HQ. All major mechanical equipment was delivered this quarter. Three hot water in-bed coils are all that remains for delivery. Two of the five are installed above the dryer air distribution bed. The dryer, baghouse, bucket elevator, control room, exhaust fan, process ductwork, and piping have all been installed. The mezzanine level over the inlet ductwork for access to the dryer was installed. Instrumentation was delivered and locations were identified. Cable is being pulled and connections made from the Control Room to the Motor Control Center. ''Emergency Stop'' equipment logic conditions were discussed and finalized. The functional description was competed and reviewed with Honeywell Controls. Piping & Instrument diagrams are completed. Some electrical schematics have been delivered for equipment south of Q-line. Dry & Wet coal conveyors are not completed. The exhaust chimney was installed. An Open House and ribbon …

Progress report covering activities at the DOE-Joint Genome Institute in Walnut Creek, California for the period 2002-2005.

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This report provides information about The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and All-Hazard Warnings on Emergency Communications.EAS is one of several federally managed warning systems.

This report discusses DNA testing for law enforcement and identifies issues with such testing, such as broadband the database, post-conviction DNA testing, DNA standards in testing and saving DNA samples.

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