The Revenue Baseline for Tax Reform (open access)

The Revenue Baseline for Tax Reform

This report provides information on the current revenue baseline as calculated by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). This report also discusses how the enactment of changes in tax policy can potentially change the baseline, and implications of these changes for subsequent legislation, such as tax reform.
Date: April 14, 2017
Creator: Sherlock, Molly F. & Driessen, Grant A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Senate Proceedings Establishing Majority Cloture for Supreme Court Nominations: In Brief (open access)

Senate Proceedings Establishing Majority Cloture for Supreme Court Nominations: In Brief

This report explains the actions taken on April 6, 2017, by which the Senate effectively extended to Supreme Court nominations its November 2013 reinterpretation of Rule XXII regarding how many Senators are needed to invoke cloture for nominations being debated by the Senate. It concludes with a list of related CRS products that provide more history and context regarding the method used to reinterpret the Senate Rule, the nominations process, and cloture and filibusters.
Date: April 14, 2017
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-U.K. Free Trade Agreement: Prospects and Issues for Congress (open access)

U.S.-U.K. Free Trade Agreement: Prospects and Issues for Congress

This report discuses the prospects of a free trade agreement between the U.K. and the U.S. after Brexit and potential issues that might be addressed in such an agreement. Congress's role in free trade agreements is also discussed.
Date: April 14, 2017
Creator: Akhtar, Shayerah Ilias
System: The UNT Digital Library
Agricultural Disaster Assistance (open access)

Agricultural Disaster Assistance

This report discusses several programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help farmers recover financially from natural disasters, including drought and floods. Most programs receive funding amounts that are "such sums as necessary" and are not subject to annual discretionary appropriations.
Date: April 14, 2016
Creator: Stubbs, Megan
System: The UNT Digital Library
Air Force B-21 Long Range Strike Bomber (open access)

Air Force B-21 Long Range Strike Bomber

This report discusses the development of the new long-range bomber aircraft, the B-21 (previously known as LRS-B), and proposes to acquire 100 of them.
Date: April 14, 2016
Creator: Gertler, Jeremiah
System: The UNT Digital Library
General Policy Statements: Legal Overview (open access)

General Policy Statements: Legal Overview

This report examines one type of guidance document of particular recent prominence: agency policy statements. It explores judicial doctrine regarding the difference between legislative rules and statements of policy; discusses when such statements are judicially reviewable; analyzes when courts will grant deference to agency interpretations contained in guidance documents; and notes the relative costs and benefits of potential judicial and statutory rules regarding their use.
Date: April 14, 2016
Creator: Cole, Jared P. & Garvey, Todd
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mens Rea Reform: A Brief Overview (open access)

Mens Rea Reform: A Brief Overview

This report provides a brief background on the history of "mens rea," including an exploration of the Supreme Court's default mens rea rules; analyzes the various bills that intend to create new default rules; and applies these rules to various existing federal criminal offenses.
Date: April 14, 2016
Creator: Thompson, Richard M., II
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

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) program. Decisions that Congress makes on procurement of Virginia-class boats could substantially affect U.S. Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
Date: April 14, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Zika Virus: Global Health Considerations (open access)

Zika Virus: Global Health Considerations

This report discusses Zika, a virus that is primarily spread by Aedes mosquitoes--the same mosquitoes that transmit dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. It provides background and information about responses to the disease, which has been documented nearly worldwide.
Date: April 14, 2016
Creator: Salaam-Blyther, Tiaji
System: The UNT Digital Library
2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force: Issues Concerning Its Continued Application (open access)

2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force: Issues Concerning Its Continued Application

This report discusses the Congress-enacted legislation (2001 AUMF; P.L. 107-40; 50 U.S.C. §1541) to authorize the use of military force against those who perpetrated or provided support for the attacks on September 11, 2001.
Date: April 14, 2015
Creator: Weed, Matthew C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Background and Overview (open access)

The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Background and Overview

This report provides background information on the historical circumstances that led to the adoption of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), a summary of its major provisions, and a brief discussion of the U.S. Supreme Court decision and related legislation in the 113th and 114th Congresses.
Date: April 14, 2015
Creator: Coleman, Kevin J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): Status and Issues (open access)

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): Status and Issues

This report discusses the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) enacted in 1985, which provides payments to farmers to take highly erodible or environmentally-sensitive cropland out of production for ten years or more to conserve soil and water resources.
Date: April 14, 2014
Creator: Stubbs, Megan
System: The UNT Digital Library
The DHS S&T Directorate: Selected Issues for Congress (open access)

The DHS S&T Directorate: Selected Issues for Congress

This report provides a brief overview of the Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate's mission, organization, and budgetary structure; a discussion of selected critiques of the S&T Directorate; and an analysis of selected issues facing congressional policymakers.
Date: April 14, 2014
Creator: Shea, Dana A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Implementing the Affordable Care Act: Delays, Extensions, and Other Actions Taken by the Administration (open access)

Implementing the Affordable Care Act: Delays, Extensions, and Other Actions Taken by the Administration

This report discusses the health care reform, private health insurance provisions and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Date: April 14, 2014
Creator: Redhead, C. S. & Kinzer, Janet
System: The UNT Digital Library
Legislative Options for Financing Water Infrastructure (open access)

Legislative Options for Financing Water Infrastructure

This report discusses several options being considered by Congress to address the financing needs of local communities for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects, and to decrease or close the gap between available funds and projected needs.
Date: April 14, 2014
Creator: Copeland, Claudia; Maguire, Steven & Mallett, William J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Uniform Procurement: Questions and Answers (open access)

Military Uniform Procurement: Questions and Answers

This report discusses military uniform procurement through the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), an agency of the Department of Defense.
Date: April 14, 2014
Creator: Grasso, Valerie Bailey
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and potential issues for Congress on the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), a relatively inexpensive Navy surface combatant equipped with modular "plug-and-fight" mission packages for countering mines, small boats, and diesel-electric submarines, particularly in littoral (i.e., near-shore) waters.
Date: April 14, 2014
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Oil Sands and the Keystone XL Pipeline: Background and Selected Environmental Issues (open access)

Oil Sands and the Keystone XL Pipeline: Background and Selected Environmental Issues

This report focuses on selected environmental concerns raised in conjunction with the proposed pipeline and the oil sands crude it will transport. As such, the environmental issues discussed in this report do not represent an exhaustive list of concerns and issues. Moreover, many of the environmental concerns are not unique to oil sands. One could compose analogous lists for all forms of energy: coal, natural gas, nuclear, biofuels, conventional crude oil. Therefore, the oil sands/pipeline issues discussed in this report, when practicable, will be compared to other energy sources, particularly conventional crude oil development.
Date: April 14, 2014
Creator: Ramseur, Jonathan L.; Lattanzio, Richard K.; Luther, Linda; Parfomak, Paul W. & Carter, Nicole T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-Vietnam Economic and Trade Relations: Issues for the 113th Congress (open access)

U.S.-Vietnam Economic and Trade Relations: Issues for the 113th Congress

This report examines the bilateral trade issues between United States and Vietnam, discussing their main elements and exploring their potential implications for the 113th Congress.
Date: April 14, 2014
Creator: Manyin, Mark E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coast Guard Deepwater Acquisition Programs: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress (open access)

Coast Guard Deepwater Acquisition Programs: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

This report provides background information and oversight issues for Congress on the Coast Guard's Deepwater acquisition programs for replacing and modernizing the service's aging fleet of deepwater-capable ships and aircraft. The Coast Guard's FY2012 budget appears to request $957.2 million in acquisition funding for Deepwater programs, including $271.6 million for aircraft, $512.0 million for surface ships and boats, and $173.6 million for other items. Congress's decisions on Deepwater acquisition programs could substantially affect Coast Guard capabilities and funding requirements, as well as contractors involved in these programs.
Date: April 14, 2011
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress (open access)

Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the modernization of the Coast Guard's polar icebreaker fleet, which performs a variety of missions supporting U.S. interests in polar regions.
Date: April 14, 2011
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies (open access)

Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies

This list of about 150 congressional liaison offices is intended to help congressional offices in placing telephone calls and addressing correspondence to government agencies. In each case, the information was supplied by the agency itself and is current as of the date of publication. Entries are arranged alphabetically in four sections: legislative branch; judicial branch; executive branch; and agencies, boards, and commissions.
Date: April 14, 2011
Creator: Crane-Hirsch, Audrey Celeste
System: The UNT Digital Library
Consumers and Food Price Inflation (open access)

Consumers and Food Price Inflation

This report is divided into five sections that cover the following: major economic concepts underlying consumer food behavior; descriptions how U.S. food price inflation rates have evolved since 1915, when federal price data collection for inflation-measuring purposes began; information on recent history and projections for U.S. food expenditure shares relative to total household budget; an examination of retail food price inflation; and a discussion on the impact that rapid food price inflation can have on government food programs and the more vulnerable consumer groups.
Date: April 14, 2011
Creator: Schnepf, Randy & Richardson, Joe
System: The UNT Digital Library