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Congressional Oversight (open access)

Congressional Oversight

Congressional oversight of policy implementation and administration, which has occurred throughout the U.S. government experience under the Constitution, takes a variety of forms and utilizes various techniques. These range from specialized investigations by select committees to annual appropriations hearings, and from informal communications between Members or congressional staff and executive personnel to the use of extra congressional mechanisms, such as offices of inspector general and study commissions. Oversight, moreover, is supported by a variety of authorities—the Constitution, public law, and chamber and committee rules—and is an integral part of the system of checks and balances between the legislature and the executive
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: Kaiser, Frederick M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Retirement: Major Legislative Issues (open access)

Military Retirement: Major Legislative Issues

Report on the military retirement system, including benefits, disability, budget, costs, cash bonuses, and more.
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: Henning, Charles A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Immigration: Selected Opinions of Judge Samuel Alito (open access)

Immigration: Selected Opinions of Judge Samuel Alito

This report discusses notable majority and dissenting opinions written by Judge Alito relating to immigration.
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: Garcia, Michael John
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Clean Air Act Issues in the 109th Congress (open access)

Clean Air Act Issues in the 109th Congress

Major amendments to the Clean Air Act were among the first items on the agenda of the 109th Congress, with S. 131 (the Clear Skies Act) scheduled for markup by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee March 9. The most prominent air quality issues discussed in this report are; Clear Skies / Multi-Pollutant Legislation, Mercury from Power Plants, New Source Review (NSR), MTBE and Ethanol, Ozone Nonattainment Area Deadlines, Conformity of Transportation Plans and SIPs, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Student Aid Need Analysis System: Background, Description, and Legislative Action (open access)

Federal Student Aid Need Analysis System: Background, Description, and Legislative Action

A federal need analysis system underlies the annual allocation of billions of dollars (more than $73 billion in FY2005) in student financial aid supported by Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) (P.L. 89-329, as amended). The system has regularly been characterized by many as too complex, creating a barrier for students seeking financial assistance, especially low-income students. This report provides an overview of the federal need analysis system, including a discussion of recent legislative changes and proposals.
Date: February 3, 2006
Creator: Mercer, Charmaine
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
HIV/AIDS International Programs: Appropriations, FY2003-FY2006 (open access)

HIV/AIDS International Programs: Appropriations, FY2003-FY2006

This report briefly discusses appropriations for international HIV/AIDS programs. FY2006 Appropriations for Foreign Operations (P.L. 109-102), Labor/HHS/Education (H.Rept. 109-300), Defense, and Agriculture (P.L. 109-97) provide more than $3.4 billion for international HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria initiatives. The largest portion of the funds is provided through P.L. 109-102, which directs more than $2.8 billion to fighting the three diseases.
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: Salaam-Blyther, Tiaji
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Jamaica: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations (open access)

Jamaica: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations

Although Jamaica has a stable parliamentary democracy and is a middle-income developing country, the government of Prime Minister P.J. Patterson faces several significant challenges. These include a violent crime wave fueled by gangs and drug trafficking; high external debt, estimated at 135% of gross domestic product, that could constrain the government’s social expenditures; and an adult HIV/AIDS infection rate of over 1%. This report discusses U.S. relations with Jamaica, which are close and characterized by significant economic linkages and cooperation on such bilateral issues as anti-drug trafficking measures, hurricane reconstruction support, and efforts to combat the AIDS epidemic.
Date: February 3, 2006
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Foreign Science and Engineering Presence in U.S. Institutions and the Labor Force (open access)

Foreign Science and Engineering Presence in U.S. Institutions and the Labor Force

The increased presence of foreign students in graduate science and engineering programs and in the scientific workforce has been and continues to be of concern to some in the scientific community. Enrollment of U.S. citizens in graduate science and engineering programs has not kept pace with that of foreign students in those programs. In addition to the number of foreign students in graduate science and engineering programs, a significant number of university faculty in the scientific disciplines are foreign, and foreign doctorates are employed in large numbers by industry. This report examines these issues and discusses their policy implications.
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: Matthews, Christine M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
NATO and the European Union (open access)

NATO and the European Union

Report which discusses issues related to the North Atlantic Trade Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) including the level of involvement of the entities in using political and military actions to defend against terrorism and proliferation, the types of military forces necessary, the role of the EU in crisis management, the appropriateness of decision-making procedures to respond to emerging threats, and the role of other international institutions.
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: Archick, Kristin & Gallis, Paul E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nuclear Arms Control: The U.S.-Russian Agenda (open access)

Nuclear Arms Control: The U.S.-Russian Agenda

None
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Russian Oil and Gas Challenges (open access)

Russian Oil and Gas Challenges

None
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: Gelb, Bernard A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Foreign Assistance to Latin America and the Caribbean (open access)

U.S. Foreign Assistance to Latin America and the Caribbean

None
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: Veillette, Connie; Ribando, Clare & Sullivan, Mark P.
Object Type: Report
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: January 3, 2006
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Science and Technology Policy: Issues for the 109th Congress (open access)

Science and Technology Policy: Issues for the 109th Congress

None
Date: February 3, 2006
Creator: Gottron, Frank
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Nuclear Cooperation with India: Issues for Congress (open access)

U.S. Nuclear Cooperation with India: Issues for Congress

None
Date: March 3, 2006
Creator: Squassoni, Sharon
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: FY2006 Appropriations (open access)

Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: FY2006 Appropriations

The annual consideration of appropriations bills (regular, continuing, and supplemental) by Congress is part of a complex set of budget processes that also encompasses the consideration of budget resolutions, revenue and debt limit legislation, other spending measures, and reconciliation bills. This report is a guide to one of the regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies. It summarizes the status of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related congressional activity, and is updated as events warrant.
Date: February 3, 2006
Creator: Vincent, Carol H. & Boren, Susan
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
France: Factors Shaping Foreign Policy, and Issues in U.S.-French Relations (open access)

France: Factors Shaping Foreign Policy, and Issues in U.S.-French Relations

This report examines the key factors that shape French foreign policy. From that context, it analyzes some of the reasons for the tensions in and the accomplishments of U.S.-French relations.
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: Gallis, Paul E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
CFTC Reauthorization in the 109th Congress (open access)

CFTC Reauthorization in the 109th Congress

This report provides brief summaries of the issues in the 2005 reauthorization legislation, including (1) the market in security futures, or futures contracts based on single stocks, which were authorized by the CFMA, but trade in much lower volumes than their proponents had hoped, (2) regulation of energy derivatives markets, where some see excessive price volatility and a lack of effective regulation, and (3) the legality of futures-like contracts based on foreign currency prices offered to retail investors.
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: Jickling, Mark
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Serbia and Montenegro Union: Prospects and Policy Implications (open access)

Serbia and Montenegro Union: Prospects and Policy Implications

None
Date: March 3, 2006
Creator: Kim, Julie
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Egypt: Background and U.S. Relations (open access)

Egypt: Background and U.S. Relations

This report provides an overview of Egyptian politics and current issues in U.S.-Egyptian relations. It briefly provides a political history of modern Egypt, an overview of its political institutions, and a discussion of the prospects for democratization in Egypt, U.S.-Egyptian relations are complex and multi-faceted, and this report addresses the following current topics: the Arab-Israeli peace process, Iraq, terrorism, democratization and reform, human rights, trade, and military cooperation.
Date: April 3, 2006
Creator: Sharp, Jeremy M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
FY2006 Supplemental Appropriations: Iraq and Other International Activities; Additional Hurricane Katrina Relief (open access)

FY2006 Supplemental Appropriations: Iraq and Other International Activities; Additional Hurricane Katrina Relief

This report discusses the two separate FY2006 supplemental appropriations requests submitted on February 16, 2006. The first, totaling $72.4 billion, would fund ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan ($67.9 billion), non-DOD intelligence operations ($0.3 billion), State Department operations in Iraq and various foreign aid programs, including additional assistance for Iraq ($4.2 billion), and other counter-terrorism funding for other agencies ($12 million). The other supplemental would provide $19.8 billion for recovery and reconstruction activities in hurricane affected Gulf Coast areas. Thus, Congress is to consider during the early months of 2006 a combined spending proposal of $92.2 billion.
Date: March 3, 2006
Creator: Irwin, Paul M. & Nowels, Larry
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress (open access)

Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

This report discusses the Japan - U.S. relations. The alliance, with its access to bases in Japan, where about 53,000 U.S. troops are stationed, facilitates the forward deployment of U.S. military forces in the Asia-Pacific, thereby undergirding U.S. national security strategy.
Date: May 3, 2006
Creator: Chanlett-Avery, Emma; Manyin, Mark E. & Cooper, William H.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
El Salvador: Political, Economic, and Social Conditions and Relations with the United States (open access)

El Salvador: Political, Economic, and Social Conditions and Relations with the United States

This report is on El Salvador: Political, Economic, and Social Conditions and Relations with the United States.
Date: April 3, 2006
Creator: Ribando, Clare
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Exon-Florio National Security Test for Foreign Investment (open access)

The Exon-Florio National Security Test for Foreign Investment

The proposed acquisition of major operations in six major U.S. ports by Dubai Ports World and of Unocal by the China National Offshore Oil Corporation sparked intense concerns among some Members of Congress and the public and has reignited the debate over what role foreign acquisitions play in U.S. national security. The United States actively promotes internationally the national treatment of foreign firms. Several Members of Congress have introduced various measures during the 2nd Session of the 109th Congress that can be grouped into four major areas: those that deal specifically with the proposed Dubai Ports World acquisition; those that focus more generally on foreign ownership of U.S. ports; those that would amend the CFIUS process; and those that would amend the Exon-Florio process.
Date: April 3, 2006
Creator: Jackson, James K.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library