Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions in Independent and Other Agencies During the 114th Congress (open access)

Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions in Independent and Other Agencies During the 114th Congress

This report identifies all nominations during the 114th Congress that were submitted to the Senate for full-time positions in 40 organizations in the executive branch (27 independent agencies, 6 agencies in the Executive Office of the President [EOP], and 7 multilateral organizations) and 4 agencies in the legislative branch. The tables include full-time positions confirmed by the Senate, pay levels for these positions, and appointment action within each agency, with additional summary information across all agencies in an appendix.
Date: November 28, 2017
Creator: Nagel, Jared C. & Greene, Michael
System: The UNT Digital Library
Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions on regulatory and Other Collegial Boards and Commissions, 114th Congress (open access)

Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions on regulatory and Other Collegial Boards and Commissions, 114th Congress

This report identifies all nominations submitted to the Senate for full-time positions on 34 boards and commissions during the 114th Congress. Information for each board and commission is presented in profiles and tables, listing full-time positions confirmed by the Senate, pay levels for these positions, incumbents as of the end of the 114th Congress, incumbents' parties (where balance is required), and appointment action within each board or commission. Additional summary information across all 34 boards and commissions appears in an appendix.
Date: November 28, 2017
Creator: Greene, Michael & Nagel, Jared C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Legislative Actions to Modify the Affordable Care Act in the 111th-115th Congresses (open access)

Legislative Actions to Modify the Affordable Care Act in the 111th-115th Congresses

This report summarizes legislative actions taken during the 111th-115th Congresses to modify the health care-related provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (HCERA). Since enactment of the ACA and HCERA, lawmakers have repeatedly debated the laws' implementation and considered bills to repeal, defund, or otherwise amend them.
Date: June 27, 2018
Creator: Mach, Annie L. & Kinzer, Janet
System: The UNT Digital Library
Research Tax Credit: Current Law and Policy Issues for the 114th Congress (open access)

Research Tax Credit: Current Law and Policy Issues for the 114th Congress

Technological innovation is a primary engine of long-term economic growth, and research and development (R&D) serves as the lifeblood of innovation. The federal government encourages businesses to invest more in R&D than they otherwise would in several ways, including a tax credit for increases in spending on qualified research above a base amount. This report describes the current status of the credit, summarizes its legislative history, discusses policy issues it raises, and describes legislation to modify and extend it.
Date: May 22, 2015
Creator: Guenther, Gary
System: The UNT Digital Library
District of Columbia: Issues in the 114th Congress (open access)

District of Columbia: Issues in the 114th Congress

None
Date: July 7, 2015
Creator: Boyd, Eugene; Davis, Christopher M.; Yeh, Brian T.; Krouse, William J. & Chu, Vivian S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Trade-Based Money Laundering: Overview and Policy Issues (open access)

Trade-Based Money Laundering: Overview and Policy Issues

This report discusses the scope of the trade-based money laundering (TBML) problem and analyzes selected U.S. government policy responses to address TBML. It includes a listing of hearings in the 114th Congress that addressed TBML.
Date: June 22, 2016
Creator: Miller, Rena S.; Rosen, Liana W. & Jackson, James K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Access to Government Information in the United States: A Primer (open access)

Access to Government Information in the United States: A Primer

This report offers an introduction to the four access laws and provides citations to additional resources related to these statutes. It includes statistics on the use of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and on litigation related to FOIA. In addition, this report provides some examples of the methods Congress, the President, and the courts have employed to provide or require the provision of information to one another, as well as a list of resources related to transparency, secrecy, access, and nondisclosure.
Date: March 18, 2016
Creator: Ginsberg, Wendy & Greene, Michael
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Future of Internet Governance: Should the United States Relinquish Its Authority over ICANN? (open access)

The Future of Internet Governance: Should the United States Relinquish Its Authority over ICANN?

This report discusses legislation relevant to the future of Internet governance that has been introduced in the 113th and 114th Congresses which would prevent, delay, or impose conditions or additional scrutiny on the transition of NTIA's stewardship role and procedural authority over key Internet domain name functions to the global Internet multi-stakeholder community.
Date: March 22, 2016
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tax Reform in the 114th Congress: An Overview of Proposals (open access)

Tax Reform in the 114th Congress: An Overview of Proposals

This report provides background information regarding tax reform and discusses ways to make the U.S. tax system simpler, fairer, and more efficient.
Date: March 18, 2016
Creator: Sherlock, Molly F. & Keightley, Mark 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
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, 113th, and 114th Congresses. It also provides a list of executive orders and presidential directives pertaining to information and computer security.
Date: March 30, 2016
Creator: Tehan, Rita
System: The UNT Digital Library
Abortion and Family Planning-Related Provisions in U.S. Foreign Assistance Law and Policy (open access)

Abortion and Family Planning-Related Provisions in U.S. Foreign Assistance Law and Policy

This report details legislation and policies that restrict or place requirements on U.S. funding of abortion or family planning activities abroad. The level and extent of federal funding for these activities is an ongoing and controversial issue in U.S. foreign assistance and will likely continue to be a point of contention during the 114th Congress.
Date: May 17, 2016
Creator: Blanchfield, Luisa
System: The UNT Digital Library
Transportation Security: Issues for the 114th Congress (open access)

Transportation Security: Issues for the 114th Congress

This report examines aviation, transit and passenger rail security, as well as port and maritime security. The difficulty and cost of protecting the transportation sector from attack raises a core question for policymakers, i.e., how much effort and resources to put toward protecting potential targets versus pursuing and fighting terrorists.
Date: May 9, 2016
Creator: Elias, Bart; Peterman, David R. & Frittelli, John
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Retrospective of House Rules Changes Since the 110th Congress (open access)

A Retrospective of House Rules Changes Since the 110th Congress

This report analyzes rules changes made on only the opening day of the 110th, 111th, 112th, 113th, and 114th Congresses, with references in footnotes to other selected legislation and actions during these Congresses that also affected House rules. One of the majority party's prerogatives is writing House rules and using its numbers to effect the chamber's rules on the day a new House convenes. Because all Members of the House stand for election every two years, the Members-elect constitute a new House that must adopt rules at the convening of each Congress.
Date: June 7, 2016
Creator: Koempel, Michael L. & Schneider, Judy
System: The UNT Digital Library
Membership of the 114th Congress: A Profile (open access)

Membership of the 114th Congress: A Profile

This report presents a profile of the membership of the 114th Congress (2015-2016). Statistical information is included on selected characteristics of Members, including data on party affiliation, average age, occupation, education, length of congressional service, religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity, foreign births, and military service.
Date: June 10, 2016
Creator: Manning, Jennifer E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Future of Internet Governance: Should the United States Relinquish Its Authority over ICANN? (open access)

The Future of Internet Governance: Should the United States Relinquish Its Authority over ICANN?

This report discusses legislation relevant to the future of Internet governance that has been introduced in the 113th and 114th Congresses which would prevent, delay, or impose conditions or additional scrutiny on the transition of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA's) stewardship role and procedural authority over key Internet domain name functions to the global Internet multi-stakeholder community.
Date: June 10, 2016
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2016 (open access)

Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2016

This report contains information on actions taken that affect the salaries for members of Congress, broken down by year and starting with the establishment of the Ethics Reform Act adjustment procedure (1990). It also provides background on the most recent developments and information on other related floor action.
Date: June 21, 2016
Creator: Brudnick, Ida A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Zika Response Funding: Request and Congressional Action (open access)

Zika Response Funding: Request and Congressional Action

This report presents the Administration's request for supplemental appropriations for the Zika response. It includes sections outlining Congressional actions, the emergency supplemental appropriations request for Zika response efforts -- by both U.S. health and human services agencies and international assistance programs -- and information about unobligated Ebola response funds.
Date: June 2, 2016
Creator: Epstein, Susan B. & Lister, Sarah A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Reserve: Legislation in the 114th Congress (open access)

Federal Reserve: Legislation in the 114th Congress

This report analyzes provisions and the policy debate surrounding a number of bills that would affect the Federal Reserve's (Fed's) monetary policy, lender of last resort, and regulatory responsibilities. The Fed's responsibilities as the nation's central bank fall into four main categories: monetary policy, provision of emergency liquidity through the lender of last resort function, supervision of certain types of banks and other financial firms for safety and soundness, and provision of payment system services to financial firms and the government.
Date: May 19, 2016
Creator: Labonte, Marc
System: The UNT Digital Library
Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on multiyear procurement (MYP) and block buy contracting (BBC), which are special contracting mechanisms that Congress permits the Department of Defense (DOD) to use for a limited number of defense acquisition programs.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald & Schwartz, Moshe
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-Vietnam Economic and Trade Relations: Issues for the 114th Congress (open access)

U.S.-Vietnam Economic and Trade Relations: Issues for the 114th Congress

This report examines the bilateral trade issues between United States and Vietnam, discussing their main elements and exploring their potential implications for the 114th Congress.
Date: May 20, 2016
Creator: Martin, Michael F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Status of the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa: Overview and Issues for Congress (open access)

Status of the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa: Overview and Issues for Congress

This report discusses ongoing efforts to control Ebola in West Africa, analyzes persistent challenges in fighting the spread of the disease, and tracks Ebola emergency funds. The 2014-2015 outbreak and spread of Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa became an international public health emergency that, in no small part due to international intervention, abated significantly by the end of 2015 and early 2016. The issue remains of interest toward the end of the 114th Congress for a number of reasons, including ongoing concerns about the status of disease and risks of future outbreaks, and interest in the disposition of funds appropriated by Congress in response to Ebola, especially in view of the more recent health challenge posed by the Zika virus.
Date: May 25, 2016
Creator: Salaam-Blyther, Tiaji; Epstein, Susan B. & Skorupski, Bolko J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Zika Response Funding: In Brief (open access)

Zika Response Funding: In Brief

This report presents the Administration's request for supplemental appropriations for the Zika response. It includes sections outlining Congressional actions, the emergency supplemental appropriations request for Zika response efforts -- by both U.S. health and human services agencies and international assistance programs -- and information about unobligated Ebola response funds.
Date: April 28, 2016
Creator: Epstein, Susan B. & Lister, Sarah A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa (open access)

EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa

This report includes a discussion of the EB-5 visa's requirements and an overview of the Regional Center Program, information on the EB-5 application (petition) process, admissions, and the economic impacts of the visa, a review of policy issues surrounding the visa and the Regional Center Program, and a summary of current legislation on the EB-5 visa and the Regional Center Program in the 114th Congress.
Date: April 22, 2016
Creator: Argueta, Carla N. & Siskin, Alison
System: The UNT Digital Library