Offshore Oil and Gas Development: Legal Framework (open access)

Offshore Oil and Gas Development: Legal Framework

This report explains the nature of U.S. authority over offshore areas pursuant to international and domestic law. It also describes the laws, at both the state and federal levels, governing the development of offshore oil and gas and the litigation that has flowed from development under the current legal regimes. Also included is an outline of the recent changes to the authorities regulating offshore development wrought by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and subsequent legislation enacted by the 109th Congress prior to adjournment. Finally, this report discusses legislation under consideration by the 110th Congress that might also amend existing law in this area.
Date: January 30, 2008
Creator: Vann, Adam
System: The UNT Digital Library
Ecosystem Restoration in the Great Lakes: The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy (open access)

Ecosystem Restoration in the Great Lakes: The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy

This report summarizes The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy, analyzes issues related to the Strategy and its implementation, and discusses federal legislation related to restoration in the Great Lakes. The Strategy is a series of recommendations for actions and activities aimed at starting the restoration of the Great Lakes ecosystem. The Strategy encompasses eight issue areas: aquatic invasive species, fish and wildlife habitat (habitat/species), coastal health, contaminated sediments, nonpoint source pollution, toxic pollutants, indicators and information, and sustainable development.
Date: January 30, 2008
Creator: Sheikh, Pervaze A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The European Union's Energy Security Challenges (open access)

The European Union's Energy Security Challenges

This report examines some of Europe's critical energy security challenges and EU efforts to coordinate a common European energy strategy. It also includes an overview of broader transatlantic energy security cooperation and will be updated as needed.
Date: January 30, 2008
Creator: Belkin, Paul
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mining on Federal Lands: Hardrock Minerals (open access)

Mining on Federal Lands: Hardrock Minerals

This report discusses the mining of hardrock minerals on fedearl lands, which is governed by the claim-patent system under the General Mining Law of 1872. It gives an overview the issues involved with the current system, such as competing land uses, and discusses proposed legislation meant to reform the claim-patent system.
Date: April 30, 2008
Creator: Humphries, Marc
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances (open access)

Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances

The first half of this report looks at the background of U.S. travel restrictions to Cuba over the last 40 years. The second half of this report looks at several initiatives from the 110th Congress that would ease U.S. travel restrictions to Cuba.
Date: July 30, 2008
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Honduran-U.S. Relations (open access)

Honduran-U.S. Relations

This report examines current political and economic conditions in Honduras as well as issues in Honduran-U.S. relations.
Date: January 30, 2008
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P. &
System: The UNT Digital Library
Agriculture in U.S. Free Trade Agreements: Trade with Current and Prospective Partners, Impact, and Issues (open access)

Agriculture in U.S. Free Trade Agreements: Trade with Current and Prospective Partners, Impact, and Issues

This report discusses the trade in agricultural products, which is one of the difficult issues negotiators face in concluding free trade agreements (FTAs). The report also deals with food safety and animal/plant health matters.
Date: January 30, 2008
Creator: Jurenas, Remy
System: The UNT Digital Library
Climate Change: The Kyoto Protocol, Bali “Action Plan,” and International Actions (open access)

Climate Change: The Kyoto Protocol, Bali “Action Plan,” and International Actions

This report discusses concerns over climate change, often termed “global warming,” which have emerged both in the United States and internationally as major policy issues. The report discusses different treaties that address climate change, and other international meetings.
Date: May 30, 2008
Creator: Fletcher, Susan R. & Parker, Larry
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Airline Industry: Issues and Role of Congress (open access)

U.S. Airline Industry: Issues and Role of Congress

None
Date: April 30, 2008
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Disability Evaluation of Military Servicemembers (open access)

Disability Evaluation of Military Servicemembers

This report is intended as a primer to describe disability evaluation in general, including evaluations used by Department of Defense (DOD) and Veterans Affairs (VA), as well as civilian evaluations used by the SSA and by workers' compensations programs. This report emphasizes the disability evaluation systems at DOD and VA, with illustrative comparisons made to civilian systems when appropriate.
Date: January 30, 2008
Creator: Scott, Christine; Panangala, Sidath Viranga & Henning, Charles A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean and Central America (open access)

HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean and Central America

None
Date: April 30, 2008
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Instability in Chad (open access)

Instability in Chad

None
Date: January 30, 2008
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Distribution of Income (open access)

The Distribution of Income

None
Date: December 30, 2008
Creator: Cashell, Brian W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
FDA Regulation of Tobacco Products: A Historical, Policy and Legal Analysis (open access)

FDA Regulation of Tobacco Products: A Historical, Policy and Legal Analysis

This report begins with an overview of the FDA's 1996 tobacco rule that includes a summary of the agency's arguments for asserting jurisdiction over tobacco products. The report then reviews the 1997 proposed national tobacco settlement, which would have codified the FDA rule and given the agency explicit authority to regulate tobacco products as medical devices.
Date: July 30, 2008
Creator: Redhead, C. Stephen & Burrows, Vanessa K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coastal Zone Management: Background and Reauthorization Issues (open access)

Coastal Zone Management: Background and Reauthorization Issues

This report contains background and an overview of the reauthorization issues of the coastal zone management.
Date: April 30, 2008
Creator: Upton, Harold F. & Zinn, Jeffrey A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Farm Commodity Programs in the 2008 Farm Bill (open access)

Farm Commodity Programs in the 2008 Farm Bill

None
Date: September 30, 2008
Creator: Monke, Jim
System: The UNT Digital Library
Immigration-Related Detention: Current Legislative Issues (open access)

Immigration-Related Detention: Current Legislative Issues

This report examines policy issues surrounding detention of aliens, including concerns about the number of aliens subject to mandatory detention and the justness of mandatory detention, especially as it is applied to asylum seekers arriving without proper documentation. Some have raised concerns about the length of time in detention for aliens who have been ordered removed. Additionally, issues have been raised about the amount of detention space available to house DHS detainees. Another area of uncertainty is the Attorney General’s role in the detention of noncitizens, since the creation of DHS.
Date: January 30, 2008
Creator: Siskin, Alison
System: The UNT Digital Library
Codes of Conduct for Multinational Corporations: An Overview (open access)

Codes of Conduct for Multinational Corporations: An Overview

This report discusses The U.S. economy is growing increasingly interconnected with other economies around the world, a phenomenon often referred to as globalization. As U.S. businesses expand globally, however, various groups across the social and economic spectrum are growing concerned over the economic, social, and political impact of this activity. Over the past 15 years, multinational corporations and nations have adopted voluntary, legally enforceable, and industry-specific codes of conduct to address many of these concerns. This report provides background on the issue and briefly examines options for Congress to address it.
Date: January 30, 2008
Creator: Jackson, James K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicare: FY2009 Budget Issues (open access)

Medicare: FY2009 Budget Issues

None
Date: May 30, 2008
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Israeli-Arab Negotiations: Background, Conflicts, and U.S. Policy (open access)

Israeli-Arab Negotiations: Background, Conflicts, and U.S. Policy

This report discusses issues related to peace in the Middle East, including post-Gulf War negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon; U.S. interest in these and continuing negotiations and peacetalks between Middle Eastern countries; and the role of the U.S., the U.N., the European Union, and Russia in Middle Eastern relations.
Date: October 30, 2008
Creator: Migdalovitz, Carol
System: The UNT Digital Library
The U.S. Trade Situation for Fruit and Vegetable Products (open access)

The U.S. Trade Situation for Fruit and Vegetable Products

This report presents recent trends in U.S. fruit and vegetable trade, and highlights some of the factors contributing to these trends. This summary excludes trade data for tree nuts and processed tree nut products. Although not presented here, U.S. exports and imports of tree nuts and processed tree nut products (excluding peanuts) have shown continued increases, with a growing trade surplus of $1.8 billion in 2006.
Date: April 30, 2008
Creator: Johnson, Renée
System: The UNT Digital Library
Monetary Policy and the Federal Reserve: Current Policy and Conditions (open access)

Monetary Policy and the Federal Reserve: Current Policy and Conditions

Monetary policy can be defined as any policy relating to the supply of money. Since the agency concerned with the supply of money is the nation’s central bank, the Federal Reserve, monetary policy can also be defined in terms of the directives, policies, statements, and actions of the Federal Reserve, particularly those from its Board of Governors that have an effect on national spending. This report discusses current issues regarding monetary policy.
Date: April 30, 2008
Creator: Labonte, Marc & Makinen, Gail E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Safeguarding the Nation’s Drinking Water: EPA and Congressional Actions (open access)

Safeguarding the Nation’s Drinking Water: EPA and Congressional Actions

None
Date: January 30, 2008
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress (open access)

Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

None
Date: December 30, 2008
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library