European Security and Islamist Terrorism (open access)

European Security and Islamist Terrorism

This report discusses challenges the European Union faces in light of the continuing threat of Terrorism at the hands of the Islamic State and the implications for U.S. policy.
Date: March 29, 2016
Creator: Archick, Kristin & Belkin, Paul
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Proposed U.S. Foreign Assistance Initiative "Peace Colombia" (open access)

The Proposed U.S. Foreign Assistance Initiative "Peace Colombia"

This report briefly discusses Plan Colombia, a bilateral cooperation program aimed at improving Colombia's security and strengthening its democratic development.
Date: March 3, 2016
Creator: Beittel, June S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Libya: Transition and U.S. Policy (open access)

Libya: Transition and U.S. Policy

This report discusses current political and security dynamics in Libya following the fall of Muammar al Qadhafi in 2011. As of early 2016, a United Nations-facilitated agreement to form a Government of National Accord (GNA) remains under consideration by Libyan factions.
Date: March 4, 2016
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nigeria's Boko Haram: Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

Nigeria's Boko Haram: Frequently Asked Questions

This report explores several questions that have been often asked in relation to the Boko Haram, a violent Islamist insurgent group originally based in northeast Nigeria, the impact of its attacks, and the response of the Nigerian government and other international actors, including the United States.
Date: March 29, 2016
Creator: Blanchard, Lauren P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Daylight Saving Time (open access)

Daylight Saving Time

This report discusses Daylight Saving Time (DST), which is a period of the year between spring and fall when clocks in the United States are set one hour ahead of standard time. DST is currently observed in the United States from 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March until 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday in November.
Date: March 9, 2016
Creator: Cook, Beth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federally Supported Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment Programs (open access)

Federally Supported Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment Programs

This report provides background information on the types of water supply and wastewater treatment projects traditionally funded by the federal government and the several existing programs to assist communities with water supply and wastewater recycling and treatment.
Date: March 17, 2016
Creator: Copeland, Claudia; Carter, Nicole T.; Cody, Betsy A.; Stubbs, Megan & Tiemann, Mary
System: The UNT Digital Library
Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) Filers and the Child Tax Credit: Overview and Legislation (open access)

Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) Filers and the Child Tax Credit: Overview and Legislation

This report discusses the child tax credit, which was created by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-34) to help ease the financial burden on families when they have children. The ACTC is available to taxpayers with little or no federal income tax liability.
Date: March 22, 2016
Creator: Crandall-Hollick, Margot L. & Lunder, Erika K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies (open access)

Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies

This report is a list of about 200 congressional liaison offices, intended to help congressional offices in placing telephone calls and addressing correspondence to government agencies. In each case, the information was supplied by the agency itself and is current as of the date of publication. Entries are arranged alphabetically in four sections: legislative branch; judicial branch; executive branch; and agencies, boards, and commissions.
Date: March 14, 2016
Creator: Crane-Hirsch, Audrey C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicare Primer (open access)

Medicare Primer

This report provides a general overview of the Medicare program including descriptions of the program's history, eligibility criteria, covered services, provider payment systems, and program administration and financing.
Date: March 31, 2016
Creator: Davis, Patricia A.; Talaga, Scott R.; Binder, Cliff; Hahn, Jim; Kirchhoff, Suzanne M. & Morgan, Paulette C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Latin America and the Caribbean: Fact Sheet on Leaders and Elections (open access)

Latin America and the Caribbean: Fact Sheet on Leaders and Elections

This report provides the results of recent elections in Latin America and the Caribbean. It includes three tables organized by region, containing the date of each country's independence, the name of the newly elected president or prime minister, and the projected date of the next election. Information in this report was gathered from numerous sources, including the U.S. State Department, Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA's) World Fact Book, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Election Guide, Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), and other news sources.
Date: March 1, 2016
Creator: DeBruyne, Nese F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act: History, Impact, and Issues (open access)

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act: History, Impact, and Issues

This report examines debates over what constitutes an unfunded federal mandate and the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act's (UMRA's) implementation. It also discusses particular mandates and procedures associated with UMRA, and assesses UMRA's impact on federal mandates and arguments concerning UMRA's future, focusing on UMRA's definitions, exclusions, and exceptions that currently exempt many federal actions with potentially significant financial impacts on nonfederal entities.
Date: March 2, 2016
Creator: Dilger, Robert J. & Beth, Richard S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Federal Budget: Overview and Issues for FY2017 and Beyond (open access)

The Federal Budget: Overview and Issues for FY2017 and Beyond

This report summarizes issues surrounding the federal budget and discusses policy changes relevant to the budget framework for FY2017. It also discusses the major policy proposals included in the President's FY2017 budget and, when available, the House and Senate budget resolutions. Finally, this report addresses major short- and long-term fiscal challenges facing the federal government.
Date: March 24, 2016
Creator: Driessen, Grant A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wartime Detention Provisions in Recent Defense Authorization Legislation (open access)

Wartime Detention Provisions in Recent Defense Authorization Legislation

This report offers a brief background of the salient issues raised by the detainee provisions of the FY2012 NDAA, provides a section-by-section analysis, and discusses executive interpretation and implementation of the act's mandatory military detention provision. It also addresses detainee provisions in subsequent defense authorization legislation.
Date: March 14, 2016
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K. & Garcia, Michael J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: Responses to Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: Responses to Frequently Asked Questions

This report provides responses to frequently asked questions about the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. It is intended to serve as a quick reference to provide easy access to information and data.
Date: March 18, 2016
Creator: Falk, Gene
System: The UNT Digital Library
Eligibility and Determination of Health Insurance Premium Tax Credits and Cost-Sharing Subsidies: In Brief (open access)

Eligibility and Determination of Health Insurance Premium Tax Credits and Cost-Sharing Subsidies: In Brief

Certain individuals without access to subsidized health insurance coverage may be eligible for premium tax credits, as established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; P.L. 111-148, as amended). This report examines these tax credits and their eligibility requirements, as well as cost-sharing subsidies.
Date: March 23, 2016
Creator: Fernandez, Bernadette
System: The UNT Digital Library
Former Presidents: Pensions, Office Allowances, and Other Federal Benefits (open access)

Former Presidents: Pensions, Office Allowances, and Other Federal Benefits

This report provides a legislative and cultural history of the Former Presidents Act. It considers the potential effects of maintaining the FPA or amending the FPA in ways that might reduce or otherwise modify a former President's benefits.
Date: March 16, 2016
Creator: Ginsberg, Wendy
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
Overview of FY2017 Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) (open access)

Overview of FY2017 Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)

This report tracks and describes actions taken by the Administration and Congress to provide FY2017 appropriations for the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) accounts. It also provides an overview of FY2016 appropriations for agencies and bureaus funded as part of annual CJS appropriations.
Date: March 7, 2016
Creator: James, Nathan
System: The UNT Digital Library
Public Trust and Law Enforcement--A Brief Discussion for Policymakers (open access)

Public Trust and Law Enforcement--A Brief Discussion for Policymakers

This report provides a brief overview of police-community relations and how the federal government might be able to promote more accountability and better relationships between citizens and law enforcement.
Date: March 22, 2016
Creator: James, Nathan; Bjelopera, Jerome P.; Finklea, Kristin; Keegan, Natalie; Lister, Sarah A.; Sacco, Lisa N. et al.
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Immigration Policy: Chart Book of Key Trends (open access)

U.S. Immigration Policy: Chart Book of Key Trends

This report is a chart book of selected immigration trends. Key immigration issues that Congress has considered in recent years include increased border security and immigration enforcement, expanded employment eligibility verification, reforms to the system for legal temporary and permanent immigration, and options to address the millions of unauthorized aliens residing in the country.
Date: March 14, 2016
Creator: Kandel, William A. & Wasem, Ruth Ellen
System: The UNT Digital Library
Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy (open access)

Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy

This report discusses the current state of reform and foreign policy in Bahrain. Outward signs of the uprising against Bahrain's Al Khalifa ruling family that began on February 14, 2011, have diminished, but continued smaller demonstrations, opposition boycotts of elections, and incarceration of dissident leaders counter government assertions that Bahrain has "returned to normal."
Date: March 18, 2016
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Implications of Iranian Elections (open access)

Implications of Iranian Elections

This report briefly describes the Iranian election process and the implications of this Election's results. On February 26, 2016, Iran held elections for the 290-seat Majles (parliament) and for the 88-seat body called the "Assembly of Experts," which is empowered to choose a successor to the Supreme Leader and rewrite Iran's constitution.
Date: March 4, 2016
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iran: Politics, Gulf Security, and U.S. Policy (open access)

Iran: Politics, Gulf Security, and U.S. Policy

This report provides background on Iran's political history and examines the current political climate. The report also considers U.S. policy responses, specifically in regards to Iran's nuclear capabilities.
Date: March 10, 2016
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iran Sanctions (open access)

Iran Sanctions

This report analyzes U.S. and international sanctions against Iran and provides some examples, based on open sources, of companies and countries that conduct business with Iran.
Date: March 23, 2016
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library