This report discusses use of the Congressional Record, which is a substantially verbatim account of remarks made during the proceedings of the House and Senate, subject only to technical, grammatical, and typographical corrections. It consists of four main sections: the proceedings of the House and Senate, the Extensions of Remarks, and the Daily Digest.

On May 1, 2004, 10 states joined the European Union (EU), enlarging the Union to 25 members. The EU views the enlargement process as an historic opportunity to promote stability in Europe and further the integration of the continent by peaceful means. In addition to the 10 new members (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia), three other states — Bulgaria, Romania, and Croatia — hope to accede to the EU by 2007. Turkey is also a candidate and is expected to begin accession negotiations in 2005. Macedonia has also applied for EU membership.

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This report contains synopses of Supreme Court decisions issued from the beginning of the October 2004 Term through the end of the Term on June 27, 2005. Included in this listing are all cases decided by signed opinion and selected cases decided per curiam. In addition to the summary, the date of decision is indicated and cites to United States Law Week and West’s Supreme Court Reporter are provided. Following each synopsis, the vote on the Court’s holding is indicated in bold typeface, and authors of the Court’s opinion and of any concurring and dissenting opinions, along with the Justices who joined those opinions, are identified. Cases are listed alphabetically, and a subject index is appended. These synopses are prepared throughout the Term and can be accessed through the CRS Home Page ([http://www.crs.gov/reference/general/law/04_term.shtml]), which also provides links from the synopses to the full texts of the Court’s opinions.

This report examines relevant judicial precedents for their applicability to the issue of random testing for performance-enhancing substances in professional athletics.

Letters from Eve Harwell and Logan Knight to the BRAC Commission in response to the recommendation to realign the 186th Air Refueling Wing in Meridian, Mississippi.

Letters from Stephen G. Hearn to members of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) in support of Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico.

The proliferation of corporate affiliates in banking, finance, and commerce has figured in discussion of several policy issues, including how to protect against (1) losses incurred by affiliated companies; (2) anticompetitive “tying” of bank and nonbank financial services; and (3) misuse of financial data of consumers. This report outlines the nature and evolution of affiliates, primarily from a regulatory perspective. It provides background for discussing financial issues involving corporate affiliates.

Industrial Loan Companies (ILCs), are state-chartered and state-regulated depository institutions whose deposits the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) may insure. This report addresses the controversy over expansion of ILCs by line of business and by branching across the nation as follows, providing: (1) a historical overview of the U.S. separation of banking and commerce; (2) information on ILCs and their regulation; and (3) identifying and analyzing relevant legislation in Congress.

This report summarizes legislative proposals in the 109th Congress that aim to strengthen the regulation of the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs), and will be updated as warranted.

This report provides a summary of the State Unemployment Tax Acts (SUTA) Dumping Prevention Act of 2004, P.L. 108-295. The term "SUTA dumping" refers to a variety of tax planning strategies used by employers to minimize the tax burden of federally mandated state unemployment taxes.

Letter to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) from the Slidell City Council (Slidell, LA) enclosing Slidell City Council Resolution R05-18 which rejects the Department of Defense's recommendation to close the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) site in Slidell.

Letter from Antonio Monroig to Anthony Principi regarding the disestablishment of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP). Monroig argues in favor of the AFIP remaining open.

This report discusses about Recent economies challenges, Hong Kong- U.S. Economic ties, export controls and Hong Kong Economic Future.

S. 147/H.R. 309, companion bills introduced in the 109th Congress, represent an effort to accord to Native Hawaiians a means of forming a governmental entity that could enter into government-to-government relations with the United States. This report describes the provisions of the reported version of S. 147; outlines some federal statutes and recent cases which might be relevant to the issue of federal recognition of a Native Hawaiian entity; and recounts some legal arguments that have been presented in the debate on this legislation. It includes a brief outline of the provisions of a substitute amendment expected to be offered in lieu of the reported version of S. 147, when Senate debate, which was interrupted by the filing of a cloture motion on July 29, resumes.

Letter from Susan Nichols and Kathy Calabrese to the Base Realignment and Closure Commission regarding its recommendations towards Fort Huachuca. Nichols and Calabrese insist that BRAC has made an error in its assessments and include information to that effect.

This report provides an overview of major issues facing veterans' health care during the 109th Congress. The report's primary focus is on veterans and not military retirees.

Letter from Roselyn Patterson to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) regarding the closure of Cannon AFB. She includes a newspaper clipping.

This report reviews the current structure and financing of federal transit programs, and briefly examines the financing issues and program changes proposed in the reauthorization bills for surface transportation programs.

Letter from Congressman Mike Ross to Commissioner Bilbray thanking him for visiting Red River Army Depot.

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Newsletter of the Texas Medical Board describing news and events as well as updates about other information in medicine and health.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether payment for accumulated vacation time, paid as salary under an employment contract, is creditable compensation for purposes of determining Teacher Retirement System benefits (RQ-0251-GA)

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Whether a nonprofit organization that sponsors a "poker run" violates gambling statutes (RQ-0357-GA)