Defense Authorization and Appropriations Bills: FY1961-FY2018 (open access)

Defense Authorization and Appropriations Bills: FY1961-FY2018

This report is a research aid that lists the DOD authorization bills (Table 1 and Table 2) and appropriations bills (Table 3 and Table 4) for FY1961-FY2018. This report includes all the pertinent information on the passage of these bills through the legislative process: bill numbers, report numbers, dates reported and passed, recorded vote numbers and vote tallies, dates of passage of the conference reports with their numbers and votes, vetoes, substitutions, dates of final passage, and public law numbers. Significant definitions are also included. This report will be updated as legislative activity warrants.
Date: April 19, 2018
Creator: Debruyne, Nese & Torreon, Barbara Salazar
System: The UNT Digital Library
France and U.S.-French Relations: In Brief (open access)

France and U.S.-French Relations: In Brief

This report discusses relations between the U.S. and France and collaboration between them in counter-terrorism efforts, military affairs, and economic matters as well as the current political situation in France and ongoing challenges with Muslims integration into French society.
Date: April 19, 2018
Creator: Belkin, Paul
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Peace Treaty with North Korea? (open access)

A Peace Treaty with North Korea?

This report discusses the recent comments and upcoming summits between North Korea, South Korea, and the United States regarding denuclearization and negotiating a formal peace treaty to officially end the Korean War. A brief overview of past attempts to negotiate a peace treaty between the parties in the Korean War is provided and current priorities for a peace treaty are provided.
Date: April 19, 2018
Creator: Chanlett-Avery; Lawrence, Susan V.; Manyin, Mark E. & Nikitin, Mary Beth D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The President's Authority to the National Guard or the Armed Forces to Secure the Border (open access)

The President's Authority to the National Guard or the Armed Forces to Secure the Border

This report discusses the President's legal authority to send the National Guard or regular military forces to secure the U.S. border with Mexico and examines the statutes and precedent related to such uses of Presidential authority.
Date: April 19, 2018
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Gun Control: Federal Law and Legislative Action in the 114th Congress (open access)

Gun Control: Federal Law and Legislative Action in the 114th Congress

This report provides background on the two major federal gun control statutory frameworks: the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA), as amended, and the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA), as amended. It then provides analysis of the Senate amendments offered in the 114th Congress that would have addressed issues regarding expanding federal background check requirements to private non-licensed gun sellers in public places, allowing the Attorney General power to stop the sale of firearms or explosives to a person deemed "a dangerous terrorist", revising and codifying rules regarding people with mental health conditions acquiring firearms, and improving computer systems and the availability of information on persons not authorized to possess a firearm . It also tracks the status of gun control related appropriations for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Section, National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and NICS Amendments Record Improvement Program (NARIP).
Date: April 19, 2017
Creator: Krouse, William J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Lobbying Registration and Disclosure: The Role of the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate (open access)

Lobbying Registration and Disclosure: The Role of the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate

This report explains the role of the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate in implementing lobbying registration and disclosure requirements and summarizes the guidance documents they have jointly issued.
Date: April 19, 2017
Creator: Straus, Jacob R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Lobbying Registration and Disclosure: The Role of the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate (open access)

Lobbying Registration and Disclosure: The Role of the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate

This report explains the role of the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate in implementing lobbying registration and disclosure requirements and summarizes the guidance documents they have jointly issued.
Date: April 19, 2017
Creator: Straus, Jacob R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Presidential Permit Review for Cross-Border Pipelines and Electric Transmission (open access)

Presidential Permit Review for Cross-Border Pipelines and Electric Transmission

This report discusses the Presidential Permit review processes for cross-border energy infrastructure as implemented by these agencies: The Department of State for pipelines and similar facilities that transport liquids such as petroleum, petroleum products, and other hazardous liquids; The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for natural gas pipelines and associated facilities; and The Department of Energy (DOE) for electricity transmission lines and associated facilities. This report compares practices among these three agencies with respect to how they define a proposed project's scope (which dictates the array of associated impacts they will review), conduct environmental reviews, and make final decisions on permit applications. It also includes a discussion of recent efforts by Congress to change those permitting processes.
Date: April 19, 2017
Creator: Luther, Linda & Parfomak, Paul W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Westinghouse Bankruptcy Filing Could Put New U.S. Nuclear Projects at Risk (open access)

Westinghouse Bankruptcy Filing Could Put New U.S. Nuclear Projects at Risk

This report discusses the bankruptcy of Westinghouse Electric Company and its effects on two nuclear power plant projects that the company was building.
Date: April 19, 2017
Creator: Holt, Mark
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Affordable Care Act's (ACA) Employer Shared Responsibility Determination and the Potential Employer Penalty (open access)

The Affordable Care Act's (ACA) Employer Shared Responsibility Determination and the Potential Employer Penalty

This report describes potential employer penalties as well as regulations to implement the ACA employer provisions. The regulations address insurance coverage requirements, methodologies for determining whether a worker is considered full time, provisions relating to seasonal workers and corporate franchises, and other reporting requirements.
Date: April 19, 2016
Creator: Whittaker, Julie M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Arms Sales: Congressional Review Process (open access)

Arms Sales: Congressional Review Process

This report reviews the process and procedures that currently apply to congressional consideration of foreign arms sales proposed by the President. This includes consideration of proposals to sell major defense equipment, defense articles and services, or the re-transfer to third party states of such military items.
Date: April 19, 2016
Creator: Kerr, Paul K.
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: April 19, 2016
Creator: Argueta, Carla N.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Funding for Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CSS) at DOE: In Brief (open access)

Funding for Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CSS) at DOE: In Brief

This report discusses current legislation regarding the potential of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) as a mitigation strategy for lowering global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). Congress has appropriated more than $7 billion since FY2008 to CCS activities at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
Date: April 19, 2016
Creator: Folger, Peter
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Islamic State's Acolytes and the Challenges They Pose to U.S. Law Enforcement (open access)

The Islamic State's Acolytes and the Challenges They Pose to U.S. Law Enforcement

This report discusses an analysis of publicly available information on homegrown violent jihadist activity in the United States since September 11, 2001, which suggests that the Islamic State (IS) and its acolytes may pose broad challenges to domestic law enforcement and homeland security efforts.
Date: April 19, 2016
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP): Issues in Brief (open access)

The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP): Issues in Brief

This report discusses the responsibility of four federal agencies for long-term earthquake risk reduction under the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). Congress has not introduced legislation in the 114th Congress that addresses the NEHRP program directly.
Date: April 19, 2016
Creator: Folger, Peter
System: The UNT Digital Library
Congressional or Federal Charters: Overview and Enduring Issues (open access)

Congressional or Federal Charters: Overview and Enduring Issues

This report is categorized into three categories: (I) What is a Congressional or Federal Charter?, (II) Congress's Use of Charters, (III) Enduring Issues. It further discusses Title 36 Corporations' Membership Practices, Title 36 Corporations and "Political Activities", Confusion Over which Corporations are Governmental and Private and The Federal Management of Corporations.
Date: April 19, 2013
Creator: Kosar, Kevin R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Security Assistance Reform: "Section 1206" Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Security Assistance Reform: "Section 1206" Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background on the pre-Section 1206 status of security assistance authorities and the factors contributing to the enactment of Section 1206, which provides the Secretary of Defense with authority to train and equip foreign military forces and foreign maritime security forces. It then sets out the purposes of the legislation and scope of its activities, restrictions on its use, the DOD-State Department planning process, and funding. It concludes with a discussion of issues for Congress.
Date: April 19, 2013
Creator: Serafino, Nina M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
State Taxation of Internet Transactions (open access)

State Taxation of Internet Transactions

This report intends to clarify significant issues in the remote sales tax collection debate, beginning with a description of state and local sales and use taxes. Congress has a role in this issue because interstate commerce, in most cases, falls under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution.
Date: April 19, 2013
Creator: Maguire, Steven
System: The UNT Digital Library
Generalized System of Preferences: Background and Renewal Debate (open access)

Generalized System of Preferences: Background and Renewal Debate

This report presents, first, a brief history, economic rationale, and legal background leading to the establishment of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). Second, the report presents a discussion of U.S. implementation of the GSP, along with the present debate surrounding its renewal and legislative developments to date. Third, an analysis of the U.S. program's effectiveness and the positions of various stakeholders are presented. Fourth, implications of the expiration of the U.S. program and possible options for Congress are discussed.
Date: April 19, 2012
Creator: Jones, Vivian C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iraq: Politics, Governance, and Human Rights (open access)

Iraq: Politics, Governance, and Human Rights

This report discusses the situation immediately following the completion of the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq on December 18, 2011, when relations among major political factions worsened substantially, threatening Iraq's stability and the legacy of the U.S. intervention in Iraq. It includes an overview of historical and current political, military, and governance issues as well as an analysis of Iraq in relation to the other nations in the region.
Date: April 19, 2012
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
The STOCK Act, Insider Trading, and Public Financial Reporting by Federal Officials (open access)

The STOCK Act, Insider Trading, and Public Financial Reporting by Federal Officials

An overview of the STOCK Act (Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012), which was signed into law on April 4, 2012, affirms and makes explicit the fact that there is no exemption from the "insider trading" laws and regulations for Members of Congress, congressional employees, or any federal officials.
Date: April 19, 2012
Creator: Maskell, Jack
System: The UNT Digital Library
Background and Issues for Congressional Oversight of ARRA Broadband Awards (open access)

Background and Issues for Congressional Oversight of ARRA Broadband Awards

This report examines federal funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for broadband projects across the nation. These projects are intended to expand broadband availability and adoption in unserved and underserved areas, which in turn is believed to contribute to increased future economic development in those areas.
Date: April 19, 2011
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP): Status and Issues (open access)

Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP): Status and Issues

The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-246, 2008 farm bill) created the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). This report discusses the two main purposes of BCAP, which are (1) to support the establishment and production of eligible crops for conversion to bioenergy in selected areas, and (2) to assist agricultural and forest land owners and operators with collection, harvest, storage, and transportation of eligible material for use in a biomass conversion facility.
Date: April 19, 2011
Creator: Stubbs, Megan
System: The UNT Digital Library
Chemical Facility Security: Issues and Options for the 112th Congress (open access)

Chemical Facility Security: Issues and Options for the 112th Congress

This report provides a brief overview of the existing statutory authority that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has to regulate chemical facilities for security purposes, and the regulation implementing this authority. It describes several policy issues raised in previous debates regarding chemical facility security and identifies policy options for congressional consideration, as well as relevant legislation in the 112th Congress.
Date: April 19, 2011
Creator: Shea, Dana A.
System: The UNT Digital Library