Language

Active Sonar and Marine Mammals: Chronology with References (open access)

Active Sonar and Marine Mammals: Chronology with References

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 provides a chronology of significant events and documents since 1994.
Date: June 1, 2005
Creator: Calvert, Kori & Buck, Eugene H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) (open access)

The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA)

On August 5, 2004, the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic signed the Dominican Republic- Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement, or the DR-CAFTA. The DR-CAFTA was negotiated as a regional agreement in which all parties would be subject to the “the same set of obligations and commitments,” but with each country defining its own separate schedules for market access. It is a comprehensive and reciprocal trade agreement, which distinguishes it from the unilateral preferential trade arrangement between the United States and these countries as part of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), as amended. It liberalizes trade in goods, services, government procurement, intellectual property, investment, and addresses labor and environment issues.
Date: June 1, 2005
Creator: Hornbeck, J. F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Environmental Protection Issues in the 109th Congress (open access)

Environmental Protection Issues in the 109th Congress

This report gives an overview of key environmental issues that are receiving or may receive attention in the 109th Congress
Date: June 1, 2005
Creator: Fletcher, Susan R. & Isler, Margaret
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Taxation of the Pharmaceutical Industry: Effects on New Drug Development and Legislative Initiatives in the 109th Congress (open access)
Military Base Closures: Implementing the 2005 Round (open access)

Military Base Closures: Implementing the 2005 Round

On November 15, 2002, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced the first steps in implementing the new 2005 base realignment and closure (BRAC) law. These included development of a force structure plan, comprehensive inventory of military installations, and establishment of criteria for selecting bases for closure and realignment.
Date: June 1, 2005
Creator: Lockwood, David E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Ship Acquisition: Options for Lower-Cost Ship Designs - Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Ship Acquisition: Options for Lower-Cost Ship Designs - Issues for Congress

Rising procurement costs for Navy ships have recently emerged as a matter of concern for both Navy officials and some Members of Congress who track Navyrelated issues. Combined with constraints on ship-procurement funding, these rising costs have caused the Navy to reduce planned ship procurement rates.
Date: June 1, 2005
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Public Health Service Operating Agencies (open access)

Public Health Service Operating Agencies

None
Date: June 1, 2005
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Recreation on Federal Lands (open access)

Recreation on Federal Lands

None
Date: June 1, 2005
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Steel: Price and Availability Issues (open access)

Steel: Price and Availability Issues

None
Date: June 1, 2005
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Trade Remedy Legislation: Applying Countervailing Action to Nonmarket Economy Countries (open access)

Trade Remedy Legislation: Applying Countervailing Action to Nonmarket Economy Countries

None
Date: June 1, 2005
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tsunamis: Monitoring, Detection, and Early Warning Systems (open access)

Tsunamis: Monitoring, Detection, and Early Warning Systems

This report discusses proposals for international tsunami early warning systems and examines U.S. policy regarding tsunamis.
Date: June 1, 2005
Creator: Morrissey, Wayne A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
War on Drugs: Reauthorization of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (open access)

War on Drugs: Reauthorization of the Office of National Drug Control Policy

Authorization of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) expired on September 30, 2003. Located in the Executive Office of the President, the ONDCP Director often referred to as the “drug czar,” is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the federal war on drugs and directly runs certain drug control programs such as the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program, the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, and the Counter-Drug Technology Assessment Center. The office was created in 1988 and reauthorized twice since then.
Date: June 1, 2005
Creator: Eddy, Mark
System: The UNT Digital Library
Clean Water Act Issues in the 109th Congress (open access)

Clean Water Act Issues in the 109th Congress

Congress has recently focused legislative attention on narrow bills to extend or modify selected Clean Water Act (CWA) programs, rather than taking up comprehensive proposals. In the 109th Congress, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has approved S. 1400, a bill authorizing $20 billion in federal grants to capitalize state clean water infrastructure loan programs. Also, a House committee has approved bills to reauthorize several Clean Water Act programs: H.R. 624 would provide $1.5 billion in grants over six years for sewer overflow projects; H.R. 1359 would extend a pilot program for alternative water source projects; H.R. 1721 would reauthorize coastal water quality programs; and H.R. 3963 would extend the Long Island Sound Program.
Date: June 2, 2005
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
System: The UNT Digital Library
Clinical Trials Reporting and Publication (open access)

Clinical Trials Reporting and Publication

This report is on Clinical Trials Reporting and Publication.
Date: June 2, 2005
Creator: Williams, Erin D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
DR-CAFTA Labor Rights Issues (open access)

DR-CAFTA Labor Rights Issues

The U.S.-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DRCAFTA) is the eighth free trade agreement to include labor protections.1 Labor concerns tend to focus on three main questions: (1) How strong are labor laws in DRCAFTA countries?2 (2) Are those labor laws being adequately enforced? and (3) Does DR- CAFTA comply with the principal negotiating objectives for trade agreements outlined in the Trade Act of 2002?
Date: June 2, 2005
Creator: Bolle, Mary Jane
System: The UNT Digital Library
Exemptions from Environmental Law for the Department of Defense: An Overview of Congressional Action (open access)

Exemptions from Environmental Law for the Department of Defense: An Overview of Congressional Action

Several environmental statutes contain national security exemptions, which the Department of Defense (DOD) can obtain on a case-by-case basis. Since FY2003, DOD has sought broader exemptions that it argues are needed to preserve training capabilities and ensure military readiness. There has been disagreement in Congress over the need for broader exemptions in the absence of data on the overall impact of environmental requirements on training and readiness.
Date: June 2, 2005
Creator: Bearden, David M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Haiti: Developments and U.S. Policy Since 1991 and Current Congressional Concerns (open access)

Haiti: Developments and U.S. Policy Since 1991 and Current Congressional Concerns

President Jean-Bertrand Aristide first assumed office in February 1991, following elections that were widely heralded as the first free and fair elections in Haiti's then-186-year history. He was overthrown by a military coup in September 1991. The U.S. involved itself in this by cutting off aid to the government, imposing trade embargoes, and military intervention among other things. This report contains information on the Haitian government and U.S. Congressional concerns.
Date: June 2, 2005
Creator: Taft-Morales, Maureen
System: The UNT Digital Library
Homeland Security: Navy Operations - Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Homeland Security: Navy Operations - Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses potential Navy homeland security roles include defending the United States against ballistic or cruise missile attack, defending U.S. naval bases and naval computer networks against attack, searching for terrorists at sea, and assisting civil authorities in responding to terrorist attacks. The Navy’s role in homeland security raises several potential issues for Congress.
Date: June 2, 2005
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mexico-U.S. Relations: Issues for the 109th Congress (open access)

Mexico-U.S. Relations: Issues for the 109th Congress

The United States and Mexico have a special relationship as neighbors and partners under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The friendly relationship has been strengthened by President Bush’s meetings with President Fox. This report, covering trade, migration/border, drug trafficking, and political issues, will be updated on a regular basis.
Date: June 2, 2005
Creator: Storrs, K. Larry
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mexico-United States Dialogue on Migration and Border Issues, 2001-2005 (open access)

Mexico-United States Dialogue on Migration and Border Issues, 2001-2005

This report, which will be updated periodically, focuses on the interactions between Mexico and the United States on migration and border issues during the administrations of President George W. Bush and President Vicente Fox of Mexico. The discussions and agreements fall into four areas: (1) the bilateral migration talks, (2) the Partnership for Prosperity, (3) the Border Partnership Agreement, and (4) the trilateral “Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America.”
Date: June 2, 2005
Creator: Storrs, K. Larry
System: The UNT Digital Library
NASA's Space Shuttle Program: Issues for Congress Related to The Columbia Tragedy and "Return to Flight" (open access)

NASA's Space Shuttle Program: Issues for Congress Related to The Columbia Tragedy and "Return to Flight"

None
Date: June 2, 2005
Creator: Smith, Marcia S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
National Environmental Education Act of 1990: Overview, Implementation, and Reauthorization Issues (open access)

National Environmental Education Act of 1990: Overview, Implementation, and Reauthorization Issues

None
Date: June 2, 2005
Creator: Bearden, David M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Naval Transformation: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Naval Transformation: Background and Issues for Congress

The Department of the Navy (DON) has several efforts underway to transform the U.S. naval forces to prepare them for future military challenges. The Navy has organized these efforts under a conceptual framework called Sea Power 21. Key elements of naval transformation include a focus on operating in littoral waters, network-centric operations, use of unmanned vehicles, reducing personnel requirements, directly launching and supporting expeditionary operations ashore from sea bases, new kinds of naval formations, new ship-deployment approaches, and streamlined and reformed business practices. Naval transformation poses several potential issues for Congress. This report will be updated as events warrant.
Date: June 2, 2005
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library