The Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS) (open access)

The Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS)

This report discusses the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) which is an interagency body comprised of nine Cabinet members, two ex officio members, and other members as appointed by the President, that assists the President in overseeing the national security aspects of foreign direct investment in the U.S. economy. Various legislative and executive actions that would effect the operations of CFIUS are also discussed.
Date: January 16, 2018
Creator: Jackson, James K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Expired Tax Provisions and "Tax Extenders" (open access)

Expired Tax Provisions and "Tax Extenders"

This report discusses tax provisions which expired at the end of 2016 and were not addressed in the 2017 tax reform bill and various options for Congress to either extend them or end them.
Date: January 16, 2018
Creator: Sherlock, Molly F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
House Judiciary Committee to Mark Up H.R. 4170, the Disclosing Foreign Influence Act (open access)

House Judiciary Committee to Mark Up H.R. 4170, the Disclosing Foreign Influence Act

This report discusses the House Judiciary Committee's announcement that they would hold a full committee markup hearing on Wednesday, January 17 for H.R. 4170, the Disclosing Foreign Influence Act (DFIA).
Date: January 16, 2018
Creator: Brown, Cynthia
System: The UNT Digital Library
"Marbury v. Madison Returns"! The Supreme Court Considers the Scope of "Judicial Power" (open access)

"Marbury v. Madison Returns"! The Supreme Court Considers the Scope of "Judicial Power"

This report provides background on "Marbury v. Madison" and the upcoming case of Dalmazzi v. United States" which challenges the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court over the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF) and concludes by exploring the potential ramifications of the jurisdictional question "Dalmazzi" poses.
Date: January 16, 2018
Creator: Freeman, Wilson C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Respirable Crystalline Silica in the Workplace: New Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standards (open access)

Respirable Crystalline Silica in the Workplace: New Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standards

This report discusses OSHA's new standards for respirable crystalline silica in the workplace. Groups representing employers, manufacturers, and labor filed court challenges to the new standards. On December 22, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld the new standards.
Date: January 16, 2018
Creator: Szymendara, Scott D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Constitutional Challenge to SEC Administrative Law Judges (open access)

Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Constitutional Challenge to SEC Administrative Law Judges

This report discusses the case of "Lucia v. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)" which is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court. The case addresses whether administrative law judges(ALJs) within the SEC are "Officers of the United States" (officers) who must be appointed in accordance with the Appointments Clause of Article II of the Constitution.
Date: January 16, 2018
Creator: Killion, Victoria L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Updated: Will the Supreme Court Address State's Power to Require that Retailers Tax Internet Sales? (open access)

Updated: Will the Supreme Court Address State's Power to Require that Retailers Tax Internet Sales?

This report is an update of an earlier report regarding a state's power to require retailers to tax internet sales in the purchasers state of residence. A case was brought by the state of South Dakota against Wayfair.com (South Dakota v. Wayfair) which was accepted to be heard by the Supreme Court on January 12, 2018.
Date: January 16, 2018
Creator: Lunder, Ericka K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Changes in the Purposes and Frequency of Authorizations of Appropriations (open access)

Changes in the Purposes and Frequency of Authorizations of Appropriations

This report discusses general principles in how the language concerning the purposes and frequency of authorizations of appropriations has changed over the past century. These general principles are illustrated through case studies on the authorizations of appropriations that were enacted during this period for three agencies: the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Peace Corps.
Date: January 16, 2015
Creator: Tollestrup, Jessica
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fatherhood Initiatives: Connecting Fathers to Their Children (open access)

Fatherhood Initiatives: Connecting Fathers to Their Children

This report briefly examines the role of the CSE agency in fatherhood programs and discusses initiatives to promote and support father-child interaction outside the parents relationship.
Date: January 16, 2015
Creator: Solomon-Fears, Carmen
System: The UNT Digital Library
Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines: Process and Timing of FERC Permit Application Review (open access)

Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines: Process and Timing of FERC Permit Application Review

This report provides an overview of the federal certification process for interstate natural gas pipelines. It discusses the length of the review for recent interstate gas pipeline applications--a topic of specific interest to Congress and industry. In this context, the report discusses the key provisions in H.R. 161 and their implications for gas pipeline certificate approval.
Date: January 16, 2015
Creator: Parfomak, Paul W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tax Havens: International Tax Avoidance and Evasion (open access)

Tax Havens: International Tax Avoidance and Evasion

This report discusses the State of the Union address, which is a communication between the President and Congress in which the chief executive reports on the current conditions of the United States and provides policy proposals for the upcoming legislative year.
Date: January 16, 2015
Creator: Gravelle, Jane G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Block Grants: Perspectives and Controversies (open access)

Block Grants: Perspectives and Controversies

This report provides an overview of the six grant types with criteria for defining a block grant and a list of current block grants. It also examines competing perspectives concerning the use of block grants versus other grant mechanisms to achieve national goals, provides an historical overview of the role of block grants in American federalism, and discusses recent changes to existing block grants and proposals to create new ones.
Date: January 16, 2014
Creator: Dilger, Robert Jay
System: The UNT Digital Library
Border Security: Immigration Enforcement Between Ports of Entry (open access)

Border Security: Immigration Enforcement Between Ports of Entry

This report reviews efforts to combat unauthorized migration across the Southwest border in the nearly three decades since the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) initiated the modern era in migration control. In reviewing such efforts, the report takes stock of the current state of border security and considers lessons that may be learned about enhanced enforcement at U.S. borders.
Date: January 16, 2014
Creator: Seghetti, Lisa
System: The UNT Digital Library
Identity Theft: Trends and Issues (open access)

Identity Theft: Trends and Issues

This report first provides a brief federal legislative history of identity theft laws. It analyzes selected trends in identity theft, including prevalent identity theft-related crimes, the federal agencies involved in combating identity theft, and the trends in identity theft complaints and prosecutions. The report also discusses the relationship between data breaches and identity theft as well as possible effects of the FTC's Identity Theft Red Flags Rule. It also examines possible issues for Congress to consider.
Date: January 16, 2014
Creator: Finklea, Kristin
System: The UNT Digital Library
Reform of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Courts: Procedural and Operational Changes (open access)

Reform of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Courts: Procedural and Operational Changes

This report begins with an overview of both the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Court of Review, including the jurisdiction of these courts, how the judges are appointed, and the FISC’s practices and procedures for reviewing and issuing surveillance orders. The report then discusses the scope and underlying legal principles behind congressional regulation of the procedures of the federal courts, and applies those principles with respect to the various proposals to reform the FISA judicial review process.
Date: January 16, 2014
Creator: Nolan, Andrew & Thompson, Richard M., II
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Role of TARP Assistance in the Restructuring of General Motors (open access)

The Role of TARP Assistance in the Restructuring of General Motors

This report provides background information on General Motors' capital crisis in 2008-2009 and discusses the U.S. government assistance to the motor vehicle industry.
Date: January 16, 2014
Creator: Canis, Bill
System: The UNT Digital Library
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2014 Budget and Appropriations (open access)

State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2014 Budget and Appropriations

This report provides a brief overview of the FY2014 State Department, Foreign Operations and Related Programs funding request, as well as top-line analysis of House and Senate State-Foreign Operations appropriations proposals and enacted continuing resolutions. It does not provide information or analysis on specific provisions in the House and Senate legislation.
Date: January 16, 2014
Creator: Epstein, Susan B.; Tiersky, Alex & Lawson, Marian L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Naturalization Policy (open access)

U.S. Naturalization Policy

This report reviews the rights and obligations that come with naturalization. It examines the naturalization process, discusses recent trends regarding who, among the roughly 1 million immigrants entering the United States each year, ultimately becomes a U.S. citizen, and discusses recent naturalization-related policy issues.
Date: January 16, 2014
Creator: Kandel, William A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Circular A-76 and the Moratorium on DOD Competitions: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Circular A-76 and the Moratorium on DOD Competitions: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses the current moratorium on the conduct of Department of Defense (DOD) public-private competitions under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-76 and issues for Congress.
Date: January 16, 2013
Creator: Bailey Grasso, Valerie
System: The UNT Digital Library
FY2013 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Policy Issues (open access)

FY2013 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Policy Issues

None
Date: January 16, 2013
Creator: Theohary, Catherine A.; Kapp, Lawrence; Burrelli, David F. & Jansen, Don J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mexico: Background and U.S. Relations (open access)

Mexico: Background and U.S. Relations

This report provides an overview of political and economic conditions in Mexico followed by assessments of some key issues of congressional interest in Mexico: migration, trade, security, human rights, energy, and water issues. The report summarizes legislative action that has occurred related to these topics and refers to other CRS products and experts that can be consulted for further information.
Date: January 16, 2013
Creator: Seelke, Clare Ribando
System: The UNT Digital Library
Clean Air Issues in the 111th Congress (open access)

Clean Air Issues in the 111th Congress

This report provides a brief overview on the issue of climate change as well as other Clean Air Act issues of interest to the 111th Congress.
Date: January 16, 2009
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Copyright Protection for Fashion Design: A Legal Analysis of the Design Piracy Prohibition Act (H.R. 2033 and S. 1957) (open access)

Copyright Protection for Fashion Design: A Legal Analysis of the Design Piracy Prohibition Act (H.R. 2033 and S. 1957)

This report analyzes the amendments that the Design Piracy Prohibition Act would have made to Chapter 13 of the copyright Act. It also summarizes arguments both in favor of and against extending copyright protection to fashion design.
Date: January 16, 2009
Creator: Yeh, Brian T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Discriminatory Pricing and the Robinson- Patman Act: Brief Background and Analysis (open access)

Discriminatory Pricing and the Robinson- Patman Act: Brief Background and Analysis

This report discusses the Robinson-Patman (R-P) Act, which makes it unlawful, with certain exceptions, to knowingly sell goods "in commerce," for use or sale within the United States, at differing prices to contemporaneous buyers of those goods.
Date: January 16, 2009
Creator: Rubin, Janice E.
System: The UNT Digital Library