Along the Pacific Coast, 26 distinct population segments of Pacific salmon and anadromous (sea-run) trout are listed as either endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). A variety of human activities have combined to greatly reduce or eliminate historic fish habitat, degrade remaining habitat, and otherwise harm anadromous fish populations. In addition, natural phenomena stress fish populations and contribute to their variable abundance

This report provides a select chronology of congressional and presidential actions and documents related to major budget events in calendar year 1999, covering the FY2000 budget. While the paper copy provides numerous Internet addresses, congressional offices can also use the Internet version of this report to access active links to appropriations and budget legislation, budget and economic data tables, pie charts, glossaries, selected testimony, publications, the President’s budget documents, and CRS products.

The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 established the executive budget process, which requires the President to prepare and submit a comprehensive federal budget to Congress each year for the fiscal year that begins on October 1. The President sets out his national priorities and proposes policy initiatives in the federal budget submitted to Congress soon after Congress convenes in January. The President's budget submission provides him the opportunity to influence the agenda for the upcoming budget and policy debate in Congress.

In 1982, the Small Business Innovation Development Act (P.L. 97-219) established small business innovation research (SBIR) programs within the major federal research and development (R&D) agencies. The intent of the effort was to increase government funding of small, high technology companies for the performance of R&D with commercial potential. Each federal department with an R&D budget of $100 million or more is required to set aside part of this amount to finance the SBIR activity. From its inception in FY1983 through FY1998, approximately $8.6 billion in awards have been made for 50,468 projects. The original program has been extended several times and is now scheduled to sunset October 1, 2000. H.R. 2392, as reported from the House Committee on Small Business and discharged from the House Committee on Science, would reauthorize the SBIR activity through September 30, 2007.

This report provides general guidance to committees for conducting meetings to mark up legislation.

This report describes the process of reaching the final agreement between house and senate over the final version of a bill that the two houses have passes in different forms.

This report provides background information regarding the bill and joint resolution, which must be passed by both houses in identical form, then presented to the President for his approval or disapproval.

None

Debate in the 106th Congress over the funding and direction of renewable energy programs will likely focus on the FY2000 spending request, the Administration's Climate Change Technology Initiative (CCTI), and proposals for restructuring the electricity industry. Energy security, a major driver of federal energy efficiency programs in the past, is now somewhat less of an issue. Although the Persian Gulf remains volatile and oil imports make up one-fifth of the balance of trade deficit, low oil prices and uninterrupted supply have dampened concern about the potential for import disruptions.

Appropriations are one part of a complex federal budget process that includes budget resolutions, appropriations (regular, supplemental, and continuing) bills, rescissions, and budget reconciliation bills. This report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress passes each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittees.

Although Congress, the President and agency administrators support the use of science as a basis for food safety regulatory activities, there are controversies about how science can best be used for this purpose. Supporters of science-based regulations regard conclusions from well-designed scientific studies as largely impartial and fair;

Because the minimum wage is not indexed to the price level, it has been legislatively increased from time to time to make up for the loss in its real value due to inflation. In nominal terms, the minimum wage has risen steadily since 1938 from 25 cents an hour to $5.15 where it now stands. But the legislated adjustments to the minimum wage have occurred at irregular intervals. As a result, there has been significant variation in the purchasing power of the minimum wage.

This is a list with a short description of the main reference sources in Federal Indian law. This information is to provide aid to those who would like to further pursue research in Indian law. The government publications are available in U.S. Government Depository Libraries; the other publications should be available in a university law library.

This report discusses current findings on the site's geology, hydrology, geochemistry, and tectonic history; reviews the site characterization process that DOE is pursuing; discusses the problems inherent in assessing risk and projecting site suitability; and reviews concerns regarding attempts to model the repository's behavior into the distant millennia.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, John Cornyn, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether a county commissioner in his or her capacity as ex officio road commissioner or the commissioner's employees may purchase auto parts from a corporation in which the commissioner owns a substantial interest.

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed: (1) states' implementation of welfare reform; (2) the status of children and families leaving welfare; and (3) key issues involved in assessing the success of welfare reform."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the financial condition of the National Flood Insurance Program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Federal Insurance Administration, focusing on the: (1) financial results of the program's operations since fiscal year 1993; (2) major factors contributing to the financial difficulties faced by the program; and (3) actions taken by and plans of the Federal Insurance Administration that may affect the program's financial health."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the status of heavy fuel oil delivered to North Korea under the October 1994 U.S./North Korean Agreement Framework, focusing on the: (1) status of heavy fuel oil funding and deliveries to North Korea; and (2) controls in place to detect the diversion of heavy fuel oil from heating and electricity generation to other purposes not specified in the Agreed Framework and any limitations in these controls that would allow North Korea to divert heavy fuel for unintended uses."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the readiness of automated systems that support the nation's delivery of health benefits and services to function reliably without interruption through the turn of the century."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed its completed assessment of the World Food Program (WFP) procedures to monitor and report on U.S. government-donated food aid to North Korea."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the Health Care Financing Administration's (HCFA) progress in addressing its year 2000 computing challenges."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed federal and state efforts to prevent telephone slamming, which involves switching a consumer's telephone service from one telephone company to another, and cramming, which involves placing unauthorized charges on a consumer's telephone bill for services and products, focusing on the: (1) number of complaints about slamming and cramming received by state and federal authorities; (2) types of protections implemented by state and federal authorities to increase consumers' ability to protect themselves against slamming and cramming; and (3) state and federal enforcement actions taken against slamming and cramming violations since 1996, including the names of the companies or individuals most frequently subject to such actions."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on personnel management in the District of Columbia (D.C.) courts, focusing on: (1) staffing and workload levels for the courts from 1989 through 1998; (2) how the courts evaluate the sufficiency of the levels of nonjudicial staff who work on processing and disposition of cases; and (3) a comparison of the D.C. courts' staffing methodology to other available methodologies."