Resource Type

Export-Import Bank: Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

Export-Import Bank: Frequently Asked Questions

This report addresses frequently-asked questions about the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank, grouped in the following categories: congressional interest and the Ex-Im Bank reauthorization debate; market context; international context; organizational structure and management; programs; statutory requirements and policies; risk management; budget and appropriations; implications of a sunset in authority; and historical and current approaches to reauthorization.
Date: April 13, 2016
Creator: Akhtar, Shayerah Ilias; Carpenter, David H.; Driessen, Grant A. & Taylor, Julia
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Gray Wolf and the Endangered Species Act: A Brief Legal History (open access)

The Gray Wolf and the Endangered Species Act: A Brief Legal History

This report provides a brief history of the laws, regulations, and lawsuits related to the wolf's protected status.
Date: April 13, 2011
Creator: Alexander, Kristina
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Navy Biofuel Initiative Under the Defense Production Act (open access)

The Navy Biofuel Initiative Under the Defense Production Act

This report looks at the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) entered into by the secretaries of Energy, Agriculture, and the Navy in order to “assist the development and support of a sustainable commercial biofuels industry.” The report specifically discusses how and why this understanding should be funded and why it is important for the U.S.
Date: June 13, 2012
Creator: Andrews, Anthony; Bracmort, Kelsi; Brown, Jared T. & Else, Daniel H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The European Union: Questions and Answers (open access)

The European Union: Questions and Answers

This report provides a brief overview of the European Union (EU), an economic and political partnership between 27 sovereign member states. The report describes the formation of the EU, the three main institutions of the EU, and the EU's relationship with the United States.
Date: January 13, 2015
Creator: Archick, Kristin
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Nordic Countries and U.S. Relations (open access)

The Nordic Countries and U.S. Relations

This report provides an overview of U.S. relations with the five Nordic countries -- Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden -- which share deep historical, linguistic, and cultural ties and many political and economic similarities. Topics include foreign and security policies, policies toward Russia, and countering terrorism.
Date: September 13, 2018
Creator: Archick, Kristin
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-EU Cooperation Against Terrorism (open access)

U.S.-EU Cooperation Against Terrorism

This report examines the evolution of counterterrorism cooperation between the United States and the European Union (EU), particularly since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. It includes a discussion of U.S.-EU cooperation progress and ongoing challenges, as well as perspectives and issues for Congress.
Date: May 13, 2010
Creator: Archick, Kristin
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Debt Limit Since 2011 (open access)

The Debt Limit Since 2011

This report discusses the federal debt increase, which can increase when the government sells debt to the public to finance budget deficits and acquire the financial resources needed to meet its obligations (increasing debt held by the public), or when the federal government issues debt to certain government accounts in exchange for their reported surpluses (increasing debt held by government accounts).
Date: February 13, 2017
Creator: Austin, D. A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Active Opioid Legislation in the House: In Brief (open access)

Active Opioid Legislation in the House: In Brief

This report briefly summarizes opioid-related bills that were considered during "Opioid Week" (the week of May 9, 2016) The summaries in this report may be useful illustrations of the range of approaches Members of Congress have proposed to address the problem of opioid addiction.
Date: May 13, 2016
Creator: Bagalman, Erin; Sacco, Lisa N. & Rosen, Liana W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Energy and Water Development: FY2014 Appropriations (open access)

Energy and Water Development: FY2014 Appropriations

This report discusses the Energy and Water Development bill, which includes funding for civil works projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the Department of the Interior's Central Utah Project (CUP) and Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the Department of Energy (DOE), and a number of independent agencies, including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).
Date: September 13, 2013
Creator: Behrens, Carl E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Energy and Water Development: FY2014 Appropriations (open access)

Energy and Water Development: FY2014 Appropriations

None
Date: January 13, 2014
Creator: Behrens, Carl E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
German Chancellor Angela Merkel Visits President Trump (open access)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel Visits President Trump

This report discusses the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel with President Donald Trump at the White House on March 17, 2017.
Date: March 13, 2017
Creator: Belkin, Paul
System: The UNT Digital Library
Holocaust-Era Insurance Claims: Background and Proposed Legislation (open access)

Holocaust-Era Insurance Claims: Background and Proposed Legislation

This report aims to inform consideration of H.R. 890 and S. 466 and possible alternatives by providing: background on Holocaust-era compensation and restitution issues; an overview of the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims (ICHEIC), including criticism and support of its claims process and Administration policy on ICHEIC; and an overview of litigation on Holocaust-era insurance claims and the proposed legislation.
Date: July 13, 2011
Creator: Belkin, Paul; Ruane, Kathleen Ann & Webel, Baird
System: The UNT Digital Library
Intelligence Issues for Congress (open access)

Intelligence Issues for Congress

To address the challenges facing the U.S. intelligence community in the 21st century, congressional and executive branch initiatives have sought to improve coordination among the different agencies and to encourage better analysis. This report discusses these challenges and efforts the current and previous Administrations and Congresses have taken and are taking to address them. The report includes criticism of the intelligence community's efforts regarding Iraq, Iran, and other areas. Improved analysis remains a key goal in these discussions.
Date: April 13, 2011
Creator: Best, Richard A., Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Satellite Surveillance: Domestic Issues (open access)

Satellite Surveillance: Domestic Issues

Report that provides background on the development of intelligence satellites and identifies the roles various agencies play in their management and use. Issues surrounding the current policy and proposed changes are discussed, followed by a discussion of legal considerations.
Date: January 13, 2011
Creator: Best, Richard A., Jr. & Elsea, Jennifer K.
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 provides 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: June 13, 2016
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Sifting Domestic Terrorism from Hate Crime and Homegrown Violent Extremism (open access)

Sifting Domestic Terrorism from Hate Crime and Homegrown Violent Extremism

This report examines the differences between domestic terrorism, hate crime, and homegrown violent extremism. Federal law enforcement agencies use these three distinct concepts to categorize key types of criminals whose illegal activities are at least partly ideologically motivated.
Date: June 13, 2016
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
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: January 13, 2014
Creator: Blanchfield, Luisa
System: The UNT Digital Library
Meeting the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Mandate for Cellulosic Biofuels: Questions and Answers (open access)

Meeting the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Mandate for Cellulosic Biofuels: Questions and Answers

This report discusses the background of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and answers some common questions about it. The RFS was expanded under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 in an effort to reduce dependence on foreign oil, promote biofuel use, and stabilize transportation fuel prices, among other goals. Over a 15-year period, the RFS seeks to establish a market for biofuels in the transportation sector by requiring that increasing amounts of biofuels be blended into transportation fuel.
Date: July 13, 2011
Creator: Bracmort, Kelsi
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wildfire Fuels and Fuel Reduction (open access)

Wildfire Fuels and Fuel Reduction

This report examines wildfire biomass fuels. It discusses fuel characteristics and their relation to wildfire intensity and spread, and includes a description of actions proposed to reduce biomass fuel levels, their effectiveness for protecting property and resources from wildfires, and their impacts on other resource values. It concludes with an examination of the federal authorities for fuel reduction activities on federal and non-federal lands, together with data on the funding provided under each of these authorities.
Date: May 13, 2013
Creator: Bracmort, Kelsi
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cellulosic Biofuels: Analysis of Policy Issues for Congress (open access)

Cellulosic Biofuels: Analysis of Policy Issues for Congress

Report that provides background on the current effort to develop industrial-scale, competitive technology to produce biofuels from cellulosic feedstocks.
Date: January 13, 2011
Creator: Bracmort, Kelsi; Schnepf, Randy; Stubbs, Megan & Yacobucci, Brent D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Federal Minimum Wage: In Brief (open access)

The Federal Minimum Wage: In Brief

None
Date: January 13, 2015
Creator: Bradley, David H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Workforce Investment Act and the One-Stop Delivery System (open access)

The Workforce Investment Act and the One-Stop Delivery System

This report provides details of WIA Title I state formula program structure, services, allocation formulas, and performance accountability. In addition, it provides a program overview for national grant programs. It also provides brief overviews of Titles II and IV. Title III of WIA amends the Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933, which establishes the Employment Service (ES), to make the ES an integral part of the One-Stop system created by WIA. Because the ES is a central part of the One-Stop system, it is discussed briefly in this report even though it is authorized by separate legislation (Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933).
Date: January 13, 2015
Creator: Bradley, David H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Special Counsels, Independent Counsels, and Special Prosecutors: Legal Authority and Limitations on Independent Executive Investigations (open access)

Special Counsels, Independent Counsels, and Special Prosecutors: Legal Authority and Limitations on Independent Executive Investigations

This report analyzes the use of special prosecutors and independent counsels that were authorized under now-expired provisions of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, as well as the use of special counsels that are currently authorized by DOJ regulations. A glossary of terms at the beginning of the report briefly defines these italicized terms (see Table 1). The report continues with an examination of various constitutional issues relevant to these efforts.
Date: April 13, 2018
Creator: Brown, Cynthia & Cole, Jared P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Deployable Federal Assets Supporting Domestic Disaster Response Operations: Summary and Considerations for Congress (open access)

Deployable Federal Assets Supporting Domestic Disaster Response Operations: Summary and Considerations for Congress

This report reviews several key concepts about federal disaster assets, and highlights possible issues Congress may consider when evaluating their authorization and appropriation.
Date: May 13, 2015
Creator: Brown, Jared T.
System: The UNT Digital Library