Federal Reserve: Legislation in the 114th Congress (open access)

Federal Reserve: Legislation in the 114th Congress

None
Date: December 15, 2015
Creator: Labonte, Marc
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Army's M-1 Abrams, M-2/M-3 Bradley, and M-1126 Stryker: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

The Army's M-1 Abrams, M-2/M-3 Bradley, and M-1126 Stryker: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses various issues surrounding the M-1 Abrams Tank, the M-2/M-3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV), and the M-1126 Stryker Combat Vehicle, centerpieces of the Army's Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs) and Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCTs). Congress is concerned with the long-term military effectiveness of these vehicles.
Date: October 15, 2015
Creator: Feickert, Andrew
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Federal Civil Service Annuities (open access)

Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Federal Civil Service Annuities

This report discusses the Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and government retirees, as well as related legislation.
Date: October 15, 2015
Creator: Isaacs, Katelin P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad, 1798-2015 (open access)

Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad, 1798-2015

This report lists hundreds of instances in which the United States has used its Armed Forces abroad in situations of military conflict or potential conflict or for other than normal peacetime purposes. It is intended primarily to provide a rough survey of past U.S. military ventures abroad, without reference to the magnitude of the given instance noted.
Date: October 15, 2015
Creator: Torreon, Barbara Salazar
System: The UNT Digital Library
Less-than-Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement Signed in Burma (open access)

Less-than-Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement Signed in Burma

Eight ethnic groups and representatives of Burma's government signed a ceasefire agreement on October 15, possibly moving the country one step closer to ending its six decade long civil war. This report briefly discusses the process that lead to the agreement and its implications.
Date: October 15, 2015
Creator: Martin, Michael F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
"Regulatory Relief" for Banking: Selected Legislation in the 114th Congress (open access)

"Regulatory Relief" for Banking: Selected Legislation in the 114th Congress

This report discusses regulatory relief legislation for banks in the 114th Congress that, at the time this report was published, has seen floor action or has been ordered to be reported by a committee. Many, but not all, of the bills would make changes to the Dodd-Frank Act (P.L. 111-203), wide ranging financial reform enacted in response to the financial crisis.
Date: October 15, 2015
Creator: Hoskins, Sean M.; Gnanarajah, Raj; Labonte, Marc; Murphy, Edward V. & Shorter, Gary
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Natural Gas Exports and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement (open access)

U.S. Natural Gas Exports and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement

On October 5, 2015, President Obama announced the conclusion of negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a free trade agreement (FTA) among the United States and 11 other Asia-Pacific nations - Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. This report briefly discusses the agreement and its potential effects.
Date: October 15, 2015
Creator: Parfomak, Paul W. & Ratner, Michael
System: The UNT Digital Library
Green Infrastructure and Issues in Managing Urban Stormwater (open access)

Green Infrastructure and Issues in Managing Urban Stormwater

Managing stormwater is one of the biggest and most expensive problems facing cities across the United States. This report discusses legislation that has been introduced to support research and implementation of green/innovative stormwater infrastructure. Overall, many in Congress remain concerned about how municipalities will pay for needed investments in water infrastructure projects generally—not limited to green infrastructure—and what role the federal government can and should play in those efforts.
Date: September 15, 2015
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
System: The UNT Digital Library
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Proposed Rule on Medicaid Managed Care: Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Proposed Rule on Medicaid Managed Care: Frequently Asked Questions

This report responds to a series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) identified to address some of the major updates included in the proposed rule. The FAQs summarize provisions such as the introduction of a minimum medical loss ratio (MLR), guidance on enrolling the long-term services and supports (LTSS) population in managed care, and network adequacy.
Date: July 15, 2015
Creator: Blom, Kirstin B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cybersecurity: Legislation, Hearings, and Executive Branch Documents (open access)

Cybersecurity: Legislation, Hearings, and Executive Branch Documents

This report provides links to cybersecurity-related committee hearings in the 112th and 113th Congresses. It also provides a list of executive orders and presidential directives pertaining to information and computer security.
Date: July 15, 2015
Creator: Tehan, Rita
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order: Questions and Answers (open access)

Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order: Questions and Answers

None
Date: July 15, 2015
Creator: Manuel, Kate M. & Perry, Rodney M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Order: Answers to Questions (open access)

Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Order: Answers to Questions

This report discusses Executive Order 13673, Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces, which has the stated intent of increasing “efficiency and cost savings” by ensuring that executive branch procurement contractors understand and comply with labor laws.
Date: July 15, 2015
Creator: Perry, Rodney M. & Manuel, Kate M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Employees' Retirement System: Benefits and Financing (open access)

Federal Employees' Retirement System: Benefits and Financing

This report discusses the retirement systems in place for federal employees including the Civil Service Retirement System (for employees hired before 1984) and the Federal Employees' Retirement System (for employees hired in 1984 or later). Both programs require participants to contribute toward the cost of their pensions through a payroll tax.
Date: July 15, 2015
Creator: Isaacs, Katelin P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Omnibus Appropriations Acts: Overview of Recent Practices (open access)

Omnibus Appropriations Acts: Overview of Recent Practices

Omnibus appropriations acts have become a significant feature of the legislative process in recent years as Congress and the President have resorted more frequently to their use to bring action on the regular appropriations cycle to a close. Following a discussion of pertinent background information, this report reviews the recent use of such measures and briefly addresses several issues that their use raises.
Date: July 15, 2015
Creator: Tollestrup, Jessica
System: The UNT Digital Library
What are the Department of Defense (DOD) Policies on Transgender Service? (open access)

What are the Department of Defense (DOD) Policies on Transgender Service?

This report briefly discusses Department of Defense Policies regarding transgender service.
Date: July 15, 2015
Creator: Kamarck, Kristy N.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Department of Transportation (DOT): FY2016 Appropriations (open access)

Department of Transportation (DOT): FY2016 Appropriations

This report is categorized into four categories: (I) Introduction, (II) Understanding the DOTA Appropriations Act, (III) DOT Funding Trend, (IV) DOT FY2016 Appropriations.
Date: June 15, 2015
Creator: Peterman, David Randall
System: The UNT Digital Library
Intelligence Authorization Legislation for FY2016: Selected Provisions (open access)

Intelligence Authorization Legislation for FY2016: Selected Provisions

This report briefly highlights key provisions of H.R. 2596, the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (IAA for FY2016), which provides guidance to, and authorizes appropriations for, components of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC).
Date: June 15, 2015
Creator: Daugherty Miles, Anne
System: The UNT Digital Library
Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and the Role of Congress in Trade Policy (open access)

Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and the Role of Congress in Trade Policy

This report presents background and analysis on the development of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), which expired on July 1, 2007. The report also includes a summary of the major provisions under the recently expired authority and a discussion of the issues that have arisen in the debate over TPA renewal, as well as policy options available to Congress.
Date: June 15, 2015
Creator: Fergusson, Ian F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
International Investment Agreements (IIAs): Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

International Investment Agreements (IIAs): Frequently Asked Questions

This report answers frequently asked questions about international investment agreements (IIAs) made between the United States and other countries. Questions are categorized in three main areas: background and context; U.S. international investment agreements; and investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS).
Date: May 15, 2015
Creator: Weiss, Martin A.; Akhtar, Shayerah Ilias; Murrill, Brandon J. & Shedd, Daniel T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
United Nations Reform: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

United Nations Reform: Background and Issues for Congress

This report examines reform priorities from the perspective of several key actors, including Members of Congress, the Obama Administration, selected member states, the U.N. Secretary-General, and a cross-section of groups tasked with addressing U.N. reform. It also discusses congressional actions related to U.N. reform and mechanisms for implementing reform, as well as possible challenges facing U.S. policy makers as they consider existing and future U.N. reform efforts.
Date: May 15, 2015
Creator: Blanchfield, Luisa
System: The UNT Digital Library
FY2016 Appropriations for the Department of Justice (DOJ) (open access)

FY2016 Appropriations for the Department of Justice (DOJ)

None
Date: April 15, 2015
Creator: James, Nathan; Bjelopera, Jerome P.; Finklea, Kristin M.; Krouse, William J. & Sacco, Lisa N.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2015 (open access)

Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2015

This report contains information on actions taken affecting each pay year since the establishment of the Ethics Reform Act adjustment procedure. It also provides information on other floor action related to pay for Members of Congress.
Date: April 15, 2015
Creator: Brudnik, Ida A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
State Sponsors of Acts of International Terrorism--Legislative Parameters: In Brief (open access)

State Sponsors of Acts of International Terrorism--Legislative Parameters: In Brief

This report provides information on legislation that authorizes the designation of any foreign government as a state sponsor of acts of international terrorism.
Date: April 15, 2015
Creator: Rennack, Dianne E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate (open access)

Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate

This report discusses the continued debate amongst congressional policymakers regarding telecommunications reform. A major point of the ongoing discussion is whether action is needed to ensure unfettered access to the Internet.
Date: January 15, 2015
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A.
System: The UNT Digital Library