The European Union: Questions and Answers (open access)

The European Union: Questions and Answers

This report provides a brief overview of the European Union (EU), an economic and political partnership between 27 sovereign member states. The report describes the formation of the EU, the three main institutions of the EU, and the EU's relationship with the United States.
Date: January 13, 2015
Creator: Archick, Kristin
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-EU Cooperation on Ukraine and Russia (open access)

U.S.-EU Cooperation on Ukraine and Russia

This report briefly discusses U.S.-EU responses to the Ukrainian conflict, specifically focusing on the possible expansion of sanctions against Russia.
Date: March 13, 2015
Creator: Archick, Kristin & Mix, Derek E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Colombian Peace Talks Breakthrough: A Possible End- Game? (open access)

Colombian Peace Talks Breakthrough: A Possible End- Game?

This report briefly discusses the recent breakthrough reached in talks between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) just a day after Pope Francis left Cuba, following more than 40 rounds of discussions held in Havana since November 2012.
Date: October 13, 2015
Creator: Beittel, June S.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Federal Minimum Wage: In Brief (open access)

The Federal Minimum Wage: In Brief

None
Date: January 13, 2015
Creator: Bradley, David H.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Workforce Investment Act and the One-Stop Delivery System (open access)

The Workforce Investment Act and the One-Stop Delivery System

This report provides details of WIA Title I state formula program structure, services, allocation formulas, and performance accountability. In addition, it provides a program overview for national grant programs. It also provides brief overviews of Titles II and IV. Title III of WIA amends the Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933, which establishes the Employment Service (ES), to make the ES an integral part of the One-Stop system created by WIA. Because the ES is a central part of the One-Stop system, it is discussed briefly in this report even though it is authorized by separate legislation (Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933).
Date: January 13, 2015
Creator: Bradley, David H.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Deployable Federal Assets Supporting Domestic Disaster Response Operations: Summary and Considerations for Congress (open access)

Deployable Federal Assets Supporting Domestic Disaster Response Operations: Summary and Considerations for Congress

This report reviews several key concepts about federal disaster assets, and highlights possible issues Congress may consider when evaluating their authorization and appropriation.
Date: May 13, 2015
Creator: Brown, Jared T.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coastal Flood Resilience: Policy, Roles, and Funds (open access)

Coastal Flood Resilience: Policy, Roles, and Funds

None
Date: May 13, 2015
Creator: Carter, Nicole T.; Upton, Harold F. & McCarthy, Francis X.
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 issues regarding U.S.-Japan economic relations, since the economic condition of each nation can affect the world economy and a U.S.-Japan bilateral economic relationship could influence economic conditions in other countries. U.S. and Japanese leaders have several options on how to manage their relationship, including stronger reliance on the World Trade Organization; special bilateral negotiating frameworks and agreements; or a free trade agreement.
Date: January 13, 2015
Creator: Chanlett-Avery, Emma
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Power over Local Law Enforcement Reform: Legal Issues (open access)

Federal Power over Local Law Enforcement Reform: Legal Issues

This report will examine several constitutional principles relevant to this issue and apply them to the various legislative proposals.
Date: July 13, 2015
Creator: Cole, Jared P.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
How Legislation Is Brought to the House Floor: A Snapshot of Parliamentary Practice in the 113th Congress (2013-2014) (open access)

How Legislation Is Brought to the House Floor: A Snapshot of Parliamentary Practice in the 113th Congress (2013-2014)

This report provides a snapshot of the forms and origins of measures that, according to the Legislative Information System of the U.S. Congress, received action on the House floor in the 113th Congress (2013-2014) and the parliamentary procedures used to bring them up for initial House consideration.
Date: February 13, 2015
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2016 Budget and Appropriations (open access)

State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2016 Budget and Appropriations

This report provides an overview of the FY2016 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) request, a discussion of key issues and historic context, and account-by-account funding comparisons with FY2014 actuals, available FY2015 estimates, and FY2016 legislation.
Date: October 13, 2015
Creator: Epstein, Susan B.; Lawson, Marian L. & Tiersky, Alex
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2016 Budget and Appropriations (open access)

State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2016 Budget and Appropriations

This report provides an overview of the FY2016 SFOPS request, a discussion of key issues and historic context, and account-by-account funding comparisons with FY2014 actuals and FY2015 estimates.
Date: May 13, 2015
Creator: Epstein, Susan B.; Lawson, Marian L. & Tiersky, Alex
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Internet of Things: Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

The Internet of Things: Frequently Asked Questions

This report was developed to assist Congress in responding to some commonly asked questions about the Internet of Things (IoT), a complex, often poorly understood phenomenon.
Date: October 13, 2015
Creator: Fischer, Eric A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Newsletter of Texas State Representative James Frank: April 13, 2015 (open access)

Newsletter of Texas State Representative James Frank: April 13, 2015

Newsletter of James Frank for his constituents discussing news, activities, and various updates related to work in the Texas legislature. It focuses on the debate of which taxes to cut, and an update on House Bill 1042.
Date: April 13, 2015
Creator: Frank, James Boisfeuillet
Object Type: Journal/Magazine/Newsletter
System: The Portal to Texas History
Tracking Federal Funds: USAspending.gov and Other Data Sources (open access)

Tracking Federal Funds: USAspending.gov and Other Data Sources

This report discusses USAspending.gov, which collects data on grants, loans, insurance, assistance, and contracts, and it presents various searching and downloading options to Congress and the public.
Date: May 13, 2015
Creator: Gerli, Merete F.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions in Independent and Other Agencies During the 112th Congress (open access)

Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions in Independent and Other Agencies During the 112th Congress

This report identifies, for the 112th Congress, all nominations to full-time positions requiring Senate confirmation in 40 organizations in the executive branch (27 independent agencies, 6 agencies in the Executive Office of the President [EOP], and 7 multilateral organizations) and 4 agencies in the legislative branc
Date: January 13, 2015
Creator: Greene, Michael
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Research Tax Credit: Current Law and Policy Issues for the 114th Congress (open access)

Research Tax Credit: Current Law and Policy Issues for the 114th Congress

This report describes the current status of the research tax credit, summarizes its legislative history, discusses policy issues it raises, and describes legislation to modify and extend it.
Date: March 13, 2015
Creator: Guenther, Gary
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Body Armor for Law Enforcement Officers: In Brief (open access)

Body Armor for Law Enforcement Officers: In Brief

This report contains an overview of the Matching Grant Program for Law Enforcement Armor Vests (BPV program). It also provides a discussion of data on law enforcement agencies that require their officers to wear armor vests while on duty, research on why officers may choose to wear armor vests, research on the life cycle for armor vests, data on the use of body armor by law enforcement officers who were killed with a firearm, and research on the effectiveness of armor vests.
Date: January 13, 2015
Creator: James, Nathan
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): In Brief (open access)

Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): In Brief

None
Date: January 13, 2015
Creator: James, Nathan
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Risk and Needs Assessment in the Criminal Justice System (open access)

Risk and Needs Assessment in the Criminal Justice System

This report provides information on the use of risk and needs assessment in the criminal justice system. It starts with an overview of risk and needs assessment and a discussion of some of the critiques of it. The report concludes with a discussion of the issues policymakers might consider if they debate legislation to expand the use of risk and needs assessment in the federal prison system.
Date: October 13, 2015
Creator: James, Nathan
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Food Safety Issues for the 114th Congress (open access)

Food Safety Issues for the 114th Congress

This report discusses pertinent issues for Congress in regards to food safety legislation.
Date: February 13, 2015
Creator: Johnson, Renée
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iraq: Politics and Governance (open access)

Iraq: Politics and Governance

This report provides background and analysis on the politics of Iraq, including its communities, governing personalities and factions, security forces and militias, and the government's human rights record.
Date: November 13, 2015
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth & Humud, Carla E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
DRIVE Act Would Increase Highway Funding Faster than Projected Inflation (open access)

DRIVE Act Would Increase Highway Funding Faster than Projected Inflation

This report briefly discusses the Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy Act (DRIVE Act; S. 1647). The DRIVE Act would authorize $278 billion for a six-year federal highway program.
Date: July 13, 2015
Creator: Kirk, Robert S.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Charleston, SC, Mass Shooter Might Have Been Denied a Handgun If Not for Possible Recordkeeping Oversights (open access)

Charleston, SC, Mass Shooter Might Have Been Denied a Handgun If Not for Possible Recordkeeping Oversights

This report briefly discusses the announcement by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey that the alleged assailant in the Charleston, SC, mass murder/shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church might have been prevented from acquiring a handgun if not for possible recordkeeping oversights on the part of the FBI and Columbia, SC, city police and county sheriff's departments.
Date: July 13, 2015
Creator: Krouse, William J.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library