Generally speaking, United States patent law does not have extraterritorial effect. The exception, however, is § 271(f) of the Patent Act, which makes it an act of patent infringement to manufacture within the United States the components of a patented invention and then export those disassembled parts for combination abroad into an end product. This report discusses Microsoft Corp. v. AT&T Corp. (550 U.S. ___ , No. 05-1056, decided April 30, 2007), in which the U.S. Supreme Court held that software companies are not liable for patent infringement under § 271(f) when they export software that has been embodied in machine-readable, physical form (a CD-ROM, for example), with the intent that such software be copied abroad for installation onto foreign-manufactured computers.

This report presents an overview of current issues related to foreign direct investment in the economy and the development of U.S policy toward inward and outward direct investment. It also assesses the role of foreign direct investment in the economy and the costs and benefits of direct investment.

This report answers frequently asked questions regarding the the implementation for the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) plans, called “Business Plans”, describe the implementing actions, their timing, cost, and other related issues.

This report provides an overview of the current Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) program, how the program has changed over time, and general background on the issue.

This report discusses broadband Internet, examining what it is and the various technologies that allow for its transmission. Broadband or high-speed Internet access is provided by technologies that give users the ability to send and receive data at volumes and speeds far greater than access over traditional telephone lines; it also provides a continuous, "always on" connection (no need to dial-up) and a "two-way" capability, that is, the ability to both receive (download) and transmit (upload) data at high speeds.

This report, tracks congressional appropriations for HUD and provides a detailed discussion of the funding and issues related to the majority of accounts in the Department’s budget.

This report discusses the farm bill, which renewed about every five years, governs federal farm and food policy. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-171) is the most recent omnibus farm bill, covering a wide range of programs including commodity price and income support, farm credit, agricultural conservation, research, rural development, and foreign and domestic food programs, among others.

This report summarizes the subsidies that are available for about 25 agricultural commodities representing about one-third of gross farm sales.

This report reviews the major legislative initiatives to deal with the gasoline price issue.

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This report is intended for Members and staff assisting grant seekers in districts and states and covers writing proposals for both government and private foundations grants. In preparation for writing a proposal, the report first discusses preliminary information gathering and preparation, developing ideas for the proposal, gathering community support, identifying funding resources, and seeking preliminary review of the proposal and support of relevant administrative officials. The second section of the report covers the actual writing of the proposal. The last section of the report provides a listing of free grants-writing websites.

This report discusses the “Secret,” or “closed,” sessions of the House and Senate that exclude the press and the public.

This report will provide an overview of these federal employment and training programs targeted to veterans, and federal policies to assist veterans in obtaining federal employment.

This report discusses the latest legislative developments regarding immigration policy for professional workers. It provides analysis for H-1B admissions and legislative issues in the 110th Congress.

This report discusses the federal minimum wage in American Samoa. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the minimum wage for the islands is fixed by a commission established by the Secretary of Labor. The minimum wage for fish processing is currently $3.26 an hour. Were Congress to extend the general (federal) minimum wage to American Samoa (and raise it to $7.25 an hour, as is currently proposed), the fish processing industry might absorb the increase, change the way it processes tuna, or migrate to other low-wage countries.

This report provides a detailed history of mental health parity legislation, including a discussion of bills introduced in each Congress, and accompanying legislative action, including hearings, markups, and floor votes. This legislation is in response to concerns about the coverage of mental health benefits in group health plans, which is often much more restricted than the coverage of physical illness. Updated May 18, 2007.

This report discusses United States foreign operations appropriations for the People’s Republic of China (PRC), which primarily support democracy-related programs, particularly rule of law training, and support Tibetan communities. The U.S. Congress has played a leading role in providing funding for such programs, which has grown from $10 million in FY2002 to $23 million in FY2006. Major funding areas include legal training, legal aid, criminal defense, labor rights, and non-governmental organization (NGO) development in China, monitoring human rights conditions in the PRC from outside China, and preserving Tibetan culture.

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This report is on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed regulations that would revise a 2003 Clean Water Act rule governing waste discharges.

This report contains brief summaries of federal animal protection statues, listed alphabetically. It includes statues concerning animals that are not entirely, or not at all, animal protection statues.

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This report is categorized into four categories: (I) Introduction, (II) Federal Pipeline Safety Regulation, (III) Regulatory Policy Issues and (IV) Conclusion.

This report provides a short overview of Canada's political scene, its economic conditions, and its recent security and foreign policy, focusing particularly on issues that may be relevant to U.S. policymakers.