Current Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Issues (open access)

Current Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Issues

This report discusses the missile defense program and whether current policy or program direction might change. The FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA, P.L. 114-328) made several notable changes that could have significant effects on the direction of U.S. BMD policy and programs.
Date: February 21, 2017
Creator: Hildreth, Steven A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The European Union: Questions and Answers (open access)

The European Union: Questions and Answers

This report serves as a primer on the European Union and provides a brief description of U.S.-EU relations that may be of interest in the 114th Congress.
Date: February 21, 2017
Creator: Archick, Kristin
System: The UNT Digital Library
Legislative Branch: FY2017 Appropriations (open access)

Legislative Branch: FY2017 Appropriations

The first section of this report provides an overview of the consideration of fiscal year 2017 legislative branch appropriations, with subsections covering each action. It is followed by a section on prior year actions and funding, which contains historical tables. The report then addresses the FY2017 budget requests, requested administrative language, and selected funding issues for individual legislative branch agencies and entities.
Date: February 21, 2017
Creator: Brudnick, Ida A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A New Authorization for Use of Military Force Against the Islamic State: Issues and Current Proposals (open access)

A New Authorization for Use of Military Force Against the Islamic State: Issues and Current Proposals

This report focuses on several proposals for a new Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) specifically targeting the Islamic State made during the 113th and 114th Congresses. It includes a brief review of existing authorities and AUMFs, as well as a discussion of issues related to various provisions included in existing and proposed AUMFs that both authorize and limit presidential use of military force. Appendices provide a comparative analysis of similar provisions in new AUMFs proposed in the 113th and 114th Congresses. This report will be updated to reflect congressional activity.
Date: February 21, 2017
Creator: Weed, Matthew C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nonstrategic Nuclear Weapons (open access)

Nonstrategic Nuclear Weapons

This report provides basic information about U.S. and Russian nonstrategic nuclear weapons. It reviews the issues that have been raised with regard to U.S. and Russian nonstrategic nuclear weapons, and summarizes a number of policy options that might be explored by Congress, the United States, Russia, and other nations to address these issues.
Date: February 21, 2017
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Airline Passenger Denied Boarding: Rules and Regulations (open access)

Airline Passenger Denied Boarding: Rules and Regulations

This report discusses regulations regarding an airline's responsibilities when a passenger with a confirmed ticket is denied boarding on a flight due to lack of seats (known as overselling). The various updates to the original regulation from 1967 are discussed with the latest modifications occurring in 2015.
Date: April 21, 2017
Creator: Tang, Rachel Y.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Budget Control Act and the Defense Budget: Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

The Budget Control Act and the Defense Budget: Frequently Asked Questions

This report addresses several frequently asked questions related to the Budget Control Act (BCA) and the defense budget. The BCA limits discretionary spending on defense through the process of sequestration and was enacted in 2011. Recent proposals to remove the restrictions of the BCA on defense or raise the spending limits are also discussed.
Date: April 21, 2017
Creator: Williams, Lynn M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Congressional Arts Caucus and the Congressional Art Competition: History and Current Practice (open access)

The Congressional Arts Caucus and the Congressional Art Competition: History and Current Practice

This report provides a brief history of the Congressional Arts Caucus and the Congressional Art Competition which is an art competition for high school students. It also provides a history of sponsorship and support for the caucus and the annual competition. The report includes copies of the original correspondence establishing the competition, a sample competition announcement, sample guidelines and required forms for the competition, and a chronological list of congressional co-chairs.
Date: April 21, 2017
Creator: Mansfield, Jerry W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cybersecurity: Critical Infrastructure Authoritative Reports and Resources (open access)

Cybersecurity: Critical Infrastructure Authoritative Reports and Resources

This report provides resources for congressional staff researching cybersecurity issues and critical infrastructure.The annotated descriptions of these sources are listed in reverse chronological order with an emphasis on material published in the past several years.The report includes resources and studies from government agencies (federal, state, local, and international), think tanks, academic institutions, news organizations, and other sources. Table 1 contains overview reports and resources, Table 2 lists energy industry resources, Table 3 lists financial industry resources, Table 4 contains healthcare industry resources, Table 5 contains telecommunications and communication industry resources, and Table 6 contains transportation industry resources.
Date: April 21, 2017
Creator: Tehan, Rita
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act: Background and Summary (open access)

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act: Background and Summary

This report reviews issues related to financial regulation and provides brief descriptions of major provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act, along with links to CRS products going in to greater depth on specific issues. It does not attempt to track the legislative debate in the 115th Congress.
Date: April 21, 2017
Creator: Webel, Baird
System: The UNT Digital Library
Guide to Individuals Seated on the House Dais (open access)

Guide to Individuals Seated on the House Dais

This report describes the House of Representatives' seating arrangement on the dais located in their chambers at the Capitol. It outlines each tier with the location of specialized positions.
Date: April 21, 2017
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie
System: The UNT Digital Library
Senate Rules Restricting the Content of Conference Reports (open access)

Senate Rules Restricting the Content of Conference Reports

This report discusses Senate rules regarding restrictions on placing new material into conference reports that was not previously passed by the House or Senate.
Date: April 21, 2017
Creator: Rybicki, Elizabeth
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Senate's "Calendar of Business" (open access)

The Senate's "Calendar of Business"

This report describes what makes up the Senate's "Calendar of Business" which is the calendar that lists all the bills or other legislative business that can be considered on the Senate floor.
Date: April 21, 2017
Creator: Rybicki, Elizabeth
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Senate's "Executive Calendar" (open access)

The Senate's "Executive Calendar"

This report explains what the Senate's "executive calendar" is and how it is laid out. The "executive calendar" includes all treaties and confirmations that the Senate is planning to consider.
Date: April 21, 2017
Creator: Rybicki, Elizabeth
System: The UNT Digital Library
FY2016 State Grants Under Title 10A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) (open access)

FY2016 State Grants Under Title 10A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)

This report provides final FY2016 state grant amounts under each of the four formulas used to determine Title I-A grants. Overall, California received the largest FY2016 Title I-A grant amount ($1.8 billion or 11.98% of total Title I-A grants). Wyoming received the smallest FY2016 Title IA grant amount ($34.8 million or 0.24% of total Title I-A grants).
Date: June 21, 2017
Creator: Skinner, Rebecca R. & Rosenstiel, Leah
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

This report provides an overview of monetary policy and recent developments. It discusses issues for Congress, including transparency and proposals to change the Federal Reserve's (Fed's) mandate, and ends with a brief overview of the Fed's regulatory responsibilities.
Date: June 21, 2017
Creator: Labonte, Marc
System: The UNT Digital Library
Out of Breath: Military Aircraft Oxygen Issues (open access)

Out of Breath: Military Aircraft Oxygen Issues

This report discusses hypoxia, caused by lack of oxygen, which has affected pilots of F-22, F/A-18, and T-45 aircraft in recent years.
Date: June 21, 2017
Creator: Gertler, Jeremiah
System: The UNT Digital Library
Reception and Placement of Refugees in the United States (open access)

Reception and Placement of Refugees in the United States

This report discusses the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), which is managed by the Department of State (DOS), responsible for resettling refugees from around the world in the United States.
Date: June 21, 2017
Creator: Bruno, Andorra
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: Subsidized Employment Demonstration Proposal: In Brief (open access)

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: Subsidized Employment Demonstration Proposal: In Brief

This report discusses the proposed Accelerating Individuals into the Workforce Act (H.R. 2842) which would provide $100 million in FY2018 funding under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant for demonstrations to test two approaches--subsidized employment and "career pathways" programs--to help disadvantaged individuals. These funds would be provided in addition to the TANF basic block grant to the states. The $100 million cost of the proposal would be financed by reserving funds from the FY2018 appropriation for the TANF contingency fund. Subsidized employment programs are those where public funds are used to pay all or part of the wages, benefits, and other costs of employing an individual. Career pathways are a workforce development approach that combines education, training, and other services to help individuals enter or advance within a specific occupation or occupation grouping. The bill was ordered reported from the House Ways and Means Committee on June 15, 2017. It is scheduled for House floor consideration the week of June 19, 2017.
Date: June 21, 2017
Creator: Falk, Gene
System: The UNT Digital Library
Farm Bill Programs Without a Budget Baseline Beyond FY2018 (open access)

Farm Bill Programs Without a Budget Baseline Beyond FY2018

This report discusses the 2014 farm bill, which contains 39 programs that received mandatory funding that do not have baseline beyond FY2018. These programs had estimated mandatory spending totaling $2.824 billion over the five-year farm bill.
Date: July 21, 2017
Creator: Monke, Jim
System: The UNT Digital Library
Reform of U.S. International Taxation: Alternatives (open access)

Reform of U.S. International Taxation: Alternatives

This report describes and assesses the principal prescriptions that have been offered for broad reform of the international system. It begins with an overview of current law and possible revisions. It then sets the framework for considering economic efficiency as well as tax shelter activities. Finally, it reviews alternative approaches to revision in light of those issues.
Date: July 21, 2017
Creator: Gravelle, Jane G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Comparing DHS Component Funding, Fiscal Year 2018: In Brief (open access)

Comparing DHS Component Funding, Fiscal Year 2018: In Brief

This report illustrates the appropriations for various parts of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for fiscal year 2018 compared with funding levels for fiscal year 2017 in a series of charts and tables.
Date: August 21, 2017
Creator: Painter, William L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Domestic Terrorism: An Overview (open access)

Domestic Terrorism: An Overview

This report provides background regarding domestic terrorists--detailing what constitutes the domestic terrorism threat as suggested by publicly available U.S. government sources. It also illustrates some of the key factors involved in assessing this threat.
Date: August 21, 2017
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Select Acquisition Reform Provisions in the House and Senate Versions of the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (open access)

Select Acquisition Reform Provisions in the House and Senate Versions of the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act

This report discusses the Department of Defense's acquisition reform provisions in the House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2018. The main areas of acquisition addressed by these provisions are commercial items, service contracts, Other Transaction (OT) authority, intellectual property, and acquisition system management.
Date: August 21, 2017
Creator: Rumbaugh, Russell
System: The UNT Digital Library