Over the past decade, worldwide production of illicit drugs has risen dramatically: opium and marijuana production has roughly doubled and coca production tripled. Street prices of cocaine and heroin have fallen significantly in the past 20 years, reflecting increased availability. Despite apparent national political resolve to deal with the drug problem, inherent contradictions regularly appear between U.S. anti-drug policy and other national policy goals and concerns. The mix of competing domestic and international pressures and priorities has produced an ongoing series of disputes within and between the legislative and executive branches concerning U.S. international drug policy. One contentious issue has been the Congressionally-mandated certification process, an instrument designed to induce specified drug-exporting countries to prioritize or pay more attention to the fight against narcotics businesses.

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The 109th congress is considering the issues related to the public lands managed by the Bureau of the Land Management (BLM) and the national forest managed by the Forest Service,

The continued rise in the U.S.-China trade imbalance, complaints from several U.S. manufacturing firms over the competitive challenges posed by cheap Chinese imports, and concerns that U.S. manufacturing jobs are being lost to Chinese competitors have led several Members to call on the Bush Administration to take a more aggressive stance against certain Chinese trade policies deemed to be unfair. This report explores these issues in detail, especially concerning the lack of protection for U.S. IPR.

This report briefly examines the debate regarding spending levels to reauthorize federal highway, highway safety, and transit programs.

This report includes information about Egyptian and U.S. relations, issues with these relations, and U.S. foreign assistance to Egypt.

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Israeli-U.S. relations are an important factor in U.S. policy in the Middle East, and Congress has placed considerable emphasis on the maintenance of a close and supportive relationship. The main vehicle for expressing support for Israel has been foreign aid; Israel currently receives about $3 billion per year in economic and military grants, refugee settlement assistance, and other aid. Congress has monitored aid closely along with other issues in bilateral relations, and its concerns have affected Administration’s policies.

This report includes information regarding the relationship between the United States and Lebanon, as well as Lebanon's political profile, and foreign presence in Lebanon

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This is one report in the series of reports that discuss the campaign finance practices and related issues. Concerns over financing federal elections have become a seemingly perennial aspect of our political system, centered on the enduring issues of high campaign costs and reliance on interest groups for needed campaign funds. The report talks about the today’s paramount issues such as perceived loopholes in current law and the longstanding issues: overall costs, funding sources, and competition.

This report provides information about the Civilian Nuclear Waste Disposal.The nuclear waste policy act of 1982 calls for disposal of spent nuclear fuel in a deep geologic repository.

This report includes information regarding U.S. relations with Libya as well as other Libyan foreign relations and government.

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A comprehensive test ban treaty, or CTBT, is the oldest item on the nuclear arms control agenda. Three treaties currently limit testing to underground only, with a maximum force equal to 150,000 tons of TNT. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, the United States conducted 1,030 nuclear tests, the Soviet Union 715, the United Kingdom 45, France 210, and China 45. The last U.S. test was held in 1992; the last U.K. test, in 1991. Russia claims it has not conducted nuclear tests since 1991.

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This report contains information regarding the Safe Drinking Water Act. Amendments to the act, drinking water infrastructure funding, and drinking water security are among topics discussed in this report.

This report discusses the information related to U.S trade with China, and major U.S - China Trade issues.

This report includes information regarding Lebanon. United States relations, Lebanon's political profile, and foreign presence in Lebanon are among topics discussed in this report.

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This report consists of the independence of all the former Soviet republics by the end of 1991, including the South Caucasus state of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in the United States.