The deployment of active sonar by the U.S. Navy and its potential impacts on marine mammals has been an ongoing issue of intense debate; regulatory, legislative, and judicial activity; and international concern. This report summarizes legal and political events related to active sonar and marine mammals since 1994. This report summarizes some of the more significant recent events pertaining to active military sonar, in particular.

The international HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to deepen. According to UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, an estimated 39.4 million people were living with HIV in 2004, including 4.9 million who were newly infected during the year. This report discusses the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which includes bilateral programs and contributions to the multilateral Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

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This report is on Secret Sessions of the House and Senate.

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Report on the trade agreements between the United States and Thailand, including commercial relations, intellectual property rights, and more.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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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.

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This report is about the Broadband Internet Access, The Background, and analysis of Broadband. It's importance, and about broadband technologies like Cable, Satellite and other technologies. The status of Broadband Deployment and Development Issues.

The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA, P.L. 103- 414, 47 USC 1001-1010), enacted October 25, 1994, is intended to preserve the ability of law enforcement officials to conduct electronic surveillance effectively and efficiently despite the deployment of new digital technologies and wireless services that have altered the character of electronic surveillance. CALEA requires telecommunications carriers to modify their equipment, facilities, and services, wherever reasonably achievable, to ensure that they are able to comply with authorized electronic surveillance actions.