Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress

CVN-78, CVN-79, and CVN-80 are the first three ships in the Navy's new Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs). This report the procurement schedules, budgets, and funding for each of these ships, as well as potential oversight issues for Congress.
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background for Congress (open access)

Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background for Congress

The Navy's FY2011 budget proposes canceling the CG(X) program as unaffordable and instead building an improved version of the Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class Aegis destroyer called the Flight III version. This report provides background information on the CG(X) program as it existed prior to its proposed cancellation. For further discussion of the proposal to build Flight III DDG-51s in lieu of CG(X)s, see the CRS report on destroyer procurement.
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program. Under current Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Navy plans, the number of BMD-capable Navy Aegis ships is schedule to grow from 20 at the end of FY2010 to 38 at the end of FY2015. This report discusses the concerns some have over BMD expansion, as well as BMD funding issues.
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990 (open access)

Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990

This CRS Report discusses U.S. security assistance for Taiwan, formally called the Republic of China (ROC), particularly policy issues for Congress. It also lists sales of major defense articles and services to Taiwan, as approved by the President and notified to Congress since 1990. This report uses a variety of unclassified consultations and citations in the United States and Taiwan.
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: Kan, Shirley A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. National Science Foundation: Major Research Equipment and Facility Construction (open access)

U.S. National Science Foundation: Major Research Equipment and Facility Construction

The Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) account of the National Science Foundation (NSF) supports the acquisition and construction of major research facilities and equipment that are to extend the boundaries of science, engineering, and technology. The FY2011 request for the NSF is $7,424.4 million, approximately $551.9 million above the FY2010 estimate. This report discusses the research endeavors overseen by the NSF, as well as what NSF projects will be funded by FY2011 appropriations.
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: Matthews, Christine M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Operations: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Operations: Background and Issues for Congress

The Navy for several years has carried out a variety of irregular warfare (IW) and counterterrorism (CT) activities, and has taken some steps in recent years to strengthen its ability to conduct such activities. Among the most readily visible of the Navy's current IW operations are those being carried out by Navy sailors serving ashore in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Navy's IW and CT activities pose a number of potential oversight issues for Congress, including the definition of Navy IW activities, specific Navy IW budget priorities, and how much emphasis to place on IW and CT activities in future Navy budgets.
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: Operation New Dawn, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom (open access)

U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: Operation New Dawn, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom

This report presents difficult-to-find statistics regarding U.S. military casualties in Operation New Dawn (OND), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF, Afghanistan), including those concerning post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), amputations, evacuations, and the demographics of casualties. Some of these statistics are publicly available at the Department of Defense's (DOD's) website, while others have been obtained through contact with experts at DOD. Daily updates of total U.S. military casualties in OND, OIF, and OEF can be found at the DOD's website, at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/casualty.pdf.
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: Fischer, Hannah
System: The UNT Digital Library
DOD Leases of Foreign-Built Ships: Background for Congress (open access)

DOD Leases of Foreign-Built Ships: Background for Congress

The Department of Defense (DOD) in recent years has leased some foreign-built cargo ships for total periods, including options and renewals, of almost 10 years -- a length of time that some observers argue effectively circumvents a legal requirement that U.S. military ships be built in U.S. shipyards. These observers, particularly the American Shipbuilding Association (ASA), have proposed reducing the current five-year legal limit on ship leases to two years for foreign-built ships. DOD has opposed the idea, arguing that its ship leases are the most cost-effective way to meet its needs for the ships in question. This report briefly discusses this issue, as well as related legislation.
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Aegis Cruiser and Destroyer Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Aegis Cruiser and Destroyer Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress

The Navy has begun a multi-billion dollar program to modernize its 84 existing Aegis cruisers and destroyers over a period of more than 20 years. This report explores this program in detail, including the reasons for the program and the oversight issues it poses for Congress. This report will be updated as events warrant.
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress

The Navy has been procuring Virginia (SSN-774) class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) at a rate of one per year for the past several years, and a total of 12 boats have been procured through FY2010. The Navy's proposed FY2011 budget increases the procurement rate to two boats per year. This report discusses the Navy's proposed FY2011 budget, which requests $3,441.5 million in procurement funding to complete the procurement cost of the 13th and 14th Virginia-class boats.
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress

The planned size of the Navy, the rate of Navy ship procurement, and the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans have been matters of concern for the congressional defense committees for the past several years. The issue for Congress that is discussed in this report is how to respond to the Navy's proposed force structure and shipbuilding plans. Decisions that Congress makes on this issue could significantly affect future U.S. military capabilities, Navy funding requirements, and the Navy shipbuilding industrial base.
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses issues Congress faces regarding the Navy's proposed FY2011 budget, particularly as relating to destroyer procurement plans and programs.
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
State Statutes Governing Hate Crimes (open access)

State Statutes Governing Hate Crimes

Concerns about hate crimes have become increasingly prominent among policymakers at all levels of government in recent years. This report compiles state statutes pertaining to hate crimes, including in the context of federal legislation such as the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (the latter of which was signed by President Obama on October 28, 1999).
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: Smith, Alison M. & Foley, Cassandra L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Agency Travel Card Programs (open access)

Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Agency Travel Card Programs

The Travel and Transportation Reform Act of 1998 required federal employees to use travel charge cards to pay for the expenses of official government travel. The dollar volume of travel card transaction has nearly doubled from FY1999 to FY2009. This report discusses card misuse committed by federal employees, and Congress's response, which has included hearings and legislation intended to enhance travel card management and oversight.
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: Hatch, Garrett
System: The UNT Digital Library
Beginning and End of the Terms of United States Senators Chosen to Fill Senate Vacancies (open access)

Beginning and End of the Terms of United States Senators Chosen to Fill Senate Vacancies

This report discusses the procedures for when a Senator is chosen to fill a Senate vacancy during a session of Congress, i.e., when the appointed Senator can begin his or her term of office, and how long the Senator remains in office (until the new "Senator-elect" is sworn in and seated by the Senate).
Date: September 28, 2010
Creator: Maskell, Jack
System: The UNT Digital Library
South Sudan's Civil War: Nearly 400,000 Estimated Dead (open access)

South Sudan's Civil War: Nearly 400,000 Estimated Dead

This report discusses the impact of the civil war in South Sudan, which has been ongoing since December 2013.
Date: September 28, 2018
Creator: Blanchard, Lauren Ploch
System: The UNT Digital Library
Global Trade Imbalances (open access)

Global Trade Imbalances

This report discusses the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) July 2018 report on global trade imbalances that identifies countries with "excessive" current account balances and exchange rates that are "misaligned." The current account is a broad measure of a country's global economic engagement and is comprised of trade in goods, services, and official flows.
Date: September 28, 2018
Creator: Jackson, James K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Farm Safety Net Provisions in a 2012 Farm Bill: S. 3240 and H.R. 6083 (open access)

Farm Safety Net Provisions in a 2012 Farm Bill: S. 3240 and H.R. 6083

None
Date: September 28, 2012
Creator: Shields, Dennis A. & Schnepf, Randy
System: The UNT Digital Library
Journalists’ Privilege: Overview of the Law and Legislation in the 109th and 110th Congresses (open access)

Journalists’ Privilege: Overview of the Law and Legislation in the 109th and 110th Congresses

This report examines laws pertaining to journalists' privilege. Most states afford journalists some protection from compelled release of their confidential sources. The question remains, however, as to whether a concomitant federal privilege exists. The Supreme Court has addressed the issue of journalists’ privilege under the First Amendment only once; in Branzburg v. Hayes, it left open the question of whether the First Amendment provides journalists with any privilege.
Date: September 28, 2007
Creator: Cohen, Henry & Ruane, Kathleen Ann
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mexico’s Presidential, Legislative, and Local Elections of July 2, 2000 (open access)

Mexico’s Presidential, Legislative, and Local Elections of July 2, 2000

None
Date: September 28, 2000
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Constitutional Implications of State GE Food Labeling Laws (open access)

Constitutional Implications of State GE Food Labeling Laws

This report analyzes three constitutional provisions relevant to state GE food labeling laws, the First Amendment, the Supremacy Clause, and the Commerce Clause, by explaining the wider legal background of GE labeling as well the court's analysis of these constitutional issues in GMA v. Sorrell.
Date: September 28, 2015
Creator: Lanza, Emily M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
China’s Xinjiang-Uighur Autonomous Region: Developments and U.S. Interests (open access)

China’s Xinjiang-Uighur Autonomous Region: Developments and U.S. Interests

This report addresses developments and U.S. interests related to China’s Xinjiang-Uighur autonomous region.
Date: September 28, 2001
Creator: Wortman, Kara Miriam & Dumbaugh, Kerry
System: The UNT Digital Library
The WTO, Intellectual Property Rights, and the Access to Medicines Controversy (open access)

The WTO, Intellectual Property Rights, and the Access to Medicines Controversy

None
Date: September 28, 2005
Creator: Fergusson, Ian F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cloture Attempts on Nominations: Data and Historical Development Through November 20, 2013 (open access)

Cloture Attempts on Nominations: Data and Historical Development Through November 20, 2013

This report discusses topics regarding cloture as a means to limit debate and overcome a possible filibuster.
Date: September 28, 2018
Creator: Beth, Richard S.; Greene, Michael & Rybicki, Elizabeth
System: The UNT Digital Library