The Islamic State’s Acolytes and the Challenges They Pose to U.S. Law Enforcement: In Brief (open access)

The Islamic State’s Acolytes and the Challenges They Pose to U.S. Law Enforcement: In Brief

This report outlines the broad challenges for federal law enforcement agencies in identifying and confronting the challenges posed by the Islamic State in the United States. This report also highlights the interagency efforts taken in preempting terrorists in the screening processes, visa fraud, and stopping the radicalization of individuals.
Date: July 16, 2015
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Economic Development Administration: FY2016 Appropriations (open access)

Economic Development Administration: FY2016 Appropriations

This report discusses funding issues for the Economic Development Administration (EDA), which was created pursuant to the enactment of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, with the objective of fostering growth in economically distressed areas characterized by high levels of unemployment and low per-capita income levels.
Date: July 16, 2015
Creator: Boyd, Eugene
System: The UNT Digital Library
FEMA's Public Assistance Grant Program: Background and Considerations for Congress (open access)

FEMA's Public Assistance Grant Program: Background and Considerations for Congress

This report provides background on key elements of the FEMA's Public Assistance Program, such as the eligibility of applicants, the types of assistance available, and the methods FEMA uses for awarding grant assistance. The PA Program provides financial grant assistance to states, tribes, and local communities both in the response to and recovery from significant disasters.
Date: April 16, 2015
Creator: Brown, Jared T. & Richardson, Daniel J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Offices and Officials in the Senate: Roles and Duties (open access)

Offices and Officials in the Senate: Roles and Duties

This report outlines the officers of the Senate, including brief information about the history of each office, examples of their roles and duties, and election or appointment information about the current incumbent.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Brudnick, Ida A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Firearms at Army Corps Water Resource Projects: Proposed Legislation and Issues in the 113th Congress (open access)

Firearms at Army Corps Water Resource Projects: Proposed Legislation and Issues in the 113th Congress

This report examines the Corps current regulations, related legislative proposals, and firearms-related safety and security issues at Corps projects.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Carter, Nicole T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Flow of Business: A Typical Day on the Senate Floorr (open access)

Flow of Business: A Typical Day on the Senate Floorr

This report discusses procedures that usually occur every session day and notes certain business items that occur less frequently.
Date: September 16, 2015
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Chinese Land Reclamation in the South China Sea: Implications and Policy Options (open access)

Chinese Land Reclamation in the South China Sea: Implications and Policy Options

This report assesses legal, military/operational, and diplomatic implications of the reclamation and construction activity. It surveys U.S. and Chinese statements on the situation, provides a history of reclamation activity by other nations including the United States and other South China Sea claimants, and discusses U.S. strategy and potential options for U.S. policymakers.
Date: June 16, 2015
Creator: Dolven, Ben; Elsea, Jennifer K.; Lawrence, Susan V.; O'Rourke, Ronald & Rinehart, Ian E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Mandatory Minimum Sentencing: The 18 U.S.C. 924(c) Tack-On in Cases Involving Drugs or Violence (open access)

Federal Mandatory Minimum Sentencing: The 18 U.S.C. 924(c) Tack-On in Cases Involving Drugs or Violence

None
Date: September 16, 2015
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and Its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape (open access)

The Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and Its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape

This report discusses current issues regarding the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is an independent federal agency charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. The mission of the FCC is to ensure that the American people have available--at reasonable cost and without discrimination--rapid, efficient, nation- and world-wide communication services, whether by radio, television, wire, satellite, or cable.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Figliola, Patricia Moloney
System: The UNT Digital Library
Domestic Human Trafficking Legislation in the 114th Congress (open access)

Domestic Human Trafficking Legislation in the 114th Congress

This report discusses domestic human trafficking-related issues that have received legislative action or are of significant interest in the 114th Congress.
Date: April 16, 2015
Creator: Finklea, Kristin; Fernandes-Alcantara, Adrienne L. & Siskin, Alison
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 current debate over "net neutrality." While there is no single accepted definition of "net neutrality," most agree that any such definition should include the general principles that owners of the networks that compose and provide access to the Internet should not control how consumers lawfully use that network, and they should not be able to discriminate against content provider access to that network.
Date: April 16, 2015
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
ARPA-E and the FY2016 Budget Request (open access)

ARPA-E and the FY2016 Budget Request

This budget and appropriations tracking report describes selected major items from the Administration's FY2016 budget request for ARPA-E and tracks legislative action on FY2016 appropriations to the agency. It also provides selected historical funding data.
Date: April 16, 2015
Creator: Gonzalez, Heather B.
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
The Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB): Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

The Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB): Frequently Asked Questions

None
Date: June 16, 2015
Creator: Hahn, Jim; Davis, Christopher M. & Liu, Edward C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Mental Health Workforce: A Primer (open access)

The Mental Health Workforce: A Primer

This report begins with a working definition of the mental health workforce and a brief discussion of alternative definitions. It then describes three dimensions of the mental health workforce that may influence quality of care, access to care, and costs of care. The report then briefly discusses how these dimensions of the mental health workforce might inform certain policy discussions.
Date: April 16, 2015
Creator: Heisler, Elayne J. & Bagalman, Erin
System: The UNT Digital Library
Senate Committee Hearings: Preparation (open access)

Senate Committee Hearings: Preparation

Committee hearings allow Senators an opportunity to gather information on—and draw attention to—legislation and issues within a committee’s purview, conduct oversight of programs or agencies, and investigate allegations of wrongdoing. This checklist identifies, primarily for staff, many of the tasks that need to be performed by a full committee and, in most cases, subcommittees in advance of a hearing. Some of the tasks are required by Senate or committee rules; others are common committee practice. Some tasks are usually the responsibility of the committee’s majority staff, some are shared by majority and minority staff, and some are performed by a Senator’s personal office staff.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie
System: The UNT Digital Library
Senate Committee Hearings: Witness Testimony (open access)

Senate Committee Hearings: Witness Testimony

This report discusses rules regarding witness testimony before Senate committees. It includes brief descriptions of rules for oral testimony, questioning of witnesses, and hearing transcription.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie
System: The UNT Digital Library
Congressional Budget Resolutions: Historical Information (open access)

Congressional Budget Resolutions: Historical Information

This report discusses the budget resolution that include budget reconciliation directives instructing one or more committees to recommend legislative changes to meet the direct spending and revenue levels included in the budget resolution.
Date: November 16, 2015
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
International Crises and Disasters: U.S. Humanitarian Assistance Response Mechanisms (open access)

International Crises and Disasters: U.S. Humanitarian Assistance Response Mechanisms

This report examines U.S. humanitarian assistance in international crises and disaster situations. It considers the sources and types of U.S. government aid, the response mechanisms of key U.S. agencies and departments, and possible issues for Congress.
Date: October 16, 2015
Creator: Margesson, Rhoda
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Addition of Trainers to Iraq: Background for Congress (open access)

The Addition of Trainers to Iraq: Background for Congress

This report provides a brief overview of the conflict with the Islamic State organization (IS, aka ISIL/ISIS/Daesh) and resulting military campaign.
Date: June 16, 2015
Creator: McInnis, Kathleen J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cybersecurity and Information Sharing: Legal Challenges and Solutions (open access)

Cybersecurity and Information Sharing: Legal Challenges and Solutions

While considerable debate exists with regard to the best strategies for protecting America’s various cyber-systems and promoting cybersecurity, one point of general agreement amongst cyber-analysts is the perceived need for enhanced and timely exchange of cyber-threat intelligence both within the private sector and between the private sector and the government. This report examines the various legal issues that arise with respect to the sharing of cybersecurity intelligence, with a special focus on two distinct concepts: (1) sharing of cyberinformation within the government’s possession and (2) sharing of cyber-information within the possession of the private sector.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Nolan, Andrew
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the sustainment and modernization of the Coast Guard's polar icebreaker fleet, which performs a variety of missions supporting U.S. interests in polar regions.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Homeland Security Appropriations: FY2015 Action in the 114th Congress (open access)

Homeland Security Appropriations: FY2015 Action in the 114th Congress

This report provides a brief outline of the FY2015 annual appropriations measure for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its enactment by the 114th Congress.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Painter, William L.
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