Afghanistan: Background and U.S. Policy in Brief (open access)

Afghanistan: Background and U.S. Policy in Brief

This report provides an overview of current political and military dynamics, with a focus on the Trump Administration's new strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia, the U.S.-led coalition and Afghan military operations, and recent political developments, including prospects for peace talks and elections.
Date: March 5, 2018
Creator: Thomas, Clayton
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Bar Bouncer Equivalent for Planes in Flight (open access)

A Bar Bouncer Equivalent for Planes in Flight

This report discusses the decisions of two U.S. Appeals Courts regarding the cases of "U.S. v. Lynch" and "U.S. v. Petras" which both concerned passenger misconduct toward flight attendants.
Date: March 5, 2018
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S. 2155) and Selected Policy Issues (open access)

Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S. 2155) and Selected Policy Issues

This report discusses the provisions of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S. 2155) and some related policy issues.
Date: March 5, 2018
Creator: Perkins, David W.; Getter, Darryl E.; Labonte, Marc & Weiss, N. Eric
System: The UNT Digital Library
Guns, Excise Taxes, Wildlife Restoration, and the National Firearms Act (open access)

Guns, Excise Taxes, Wildlife Restoration, and the National Firearms Act

This report discusses excise taxes collected on firearms which are used to fund wildlife restoration and legislative proposals to adjust the tax system on firearms.
Date: March 5, 2018
Creator: Crafton, R. Eliot; Gravelle, Jane G. & Krouse, William J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
International Trade and Finance: Overview and Issues for the 115th Congress (open access)

International Trade and Finance: Overview and Issues for the 115th Congress

This report discusses major topics of interest and debate in the 115th Congress related to trade and finance.
Date: March 5, 2018
Creator: Irace, Mary A. & Nelson, Rebecca M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iraq: In Brief (open access)

Iraq: In Brief

This report discusses Iraq's political and governmental structure, economy, humanitarian issues, military operations, and relations with the U.S.
Date: March 5, 2018
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Joint-Resolution Seeks to End U.S. Support for Saudi-led Coalition Military Operations in Yemen (open access)

Joint-Resolution Seeks to End U.S. Support for Saudi-led Coalition Military Operations in Yemen

This report discusses Senate Joint Resolution 54 which directs the President to remove U.S. forces from "hostilities in or affecting" Yemen (except for those U.S. forces engaged in counterterrorism operations directed at al Qaeda or associated forces). It provides a brief overview of U.S. involvement in Yemen both militarily and diplomatically through advisement of Saudi Arabia on reducing civilian casulaties and refueling of Saudi planes used in airstrikes.
Date: March 5, 2018
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M.; Sharp, Jeremy M. & Weed, Matthew C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Material Support for Terrorism is Not Always an "Act of International Terrorism," Second Circuit Holds (open access)

Material Support for Terrorism is Not Always an "Act of International Terrorism," Second Circuit Holds

This report discusses the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in the case of "Linde v. Arab Bank, PLC".
Date: March 5, 2018
Creator: Mulligan, Stephen P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tax-Preferred College Savings Plans: An Introduction to 529 Plans (open access)

Tax-Preferred College Savings Plans: An Introduction to 529 Plans

This report provides an introduction to 529 college savings plans and examines the specific tax advantages of these plans.
Date: March 5, 2018
Creator: Crandall-Hollick, Margot L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Grants to State and Local Governments: A Historical Perspective on Contemporary Issues (open access)

Federal Grants to State and Local Governments: A Historical Perspective on Contemporary Issues

This report provides a historical synopsis of the evolving nature of the federal grants-in-aid system, focusing on the role Congress has played in defining the system's scope and nature.
Date: March 5, 2015
Creator: Dilger, Robert J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Selected Agency Budget Justifications for FY2016 (open access)

Selected Agency Budget Justifications for FY2016

None
Date: March 5, 2015
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Supervised Release (Parole): An Abbreviated Outline of Federal Law (open access)

Supervised Release (Parole): An Abbreviated Outline of Federal Law

This report discusses the supervised release (parole) for federal crimes, the nature of the supervision and the conditions imposed during supervised release.
Date: March 5, 2015
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Supervised Release (Parole): An Overview of Federal Law (open access)

Supervised Release (Parole): An Overview of Federal Law

This report discusses the supervised release (parole) for federal crimes, the nature of the supervision, and the conditions imposed during supervised release.
Date: March 5, 2015
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Analysis of the Geographic Distribution of the Mortgage Interest Deduction (open access)

An Analysis of the Geographic Distribution of the Mortgage Interest Deduction

This report analyzes variation in the mortgage interest deduction tax expenditure across states. Tax expenditures, such as the mortgage interest deduction, can generally be viewed as government spending administered via the tax code, or as tax incentives that are intended to achieve particular policy objectives. Regardless of the interpretation, tax expenditures provide a benefit to qualifying tax payers by lowering their federal tax liabilities.
Date: March 5, 2014
Creator: Keightley, Mark P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The First Responder Network (FirstNet) and Next-Generation Communications for Public Safety: Issues for Congress (open access)

The First Responder Network (FirstNet) and Next-Generation Communications for Public Safety: Issues for Congress

None
Date: March 5, 2014
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Foreign Investment in U.S. Securities (open access)

Foreign Investment in U.S. Securities

This report analyzes the extent of foreign portfolio investment in the U.S. economy, assesses the economic conditions that are attracting such investments, and discusses the impact such investments are having on the economy. This report relies on a comprehensive set of data regarding capital flows represented by purchases and sales of U.S. government securities and U.S. and foreign corporate stocks and bonds into and out of the United States; the data is reported by the Treasury Department on a monthly basis.
Date: March 5, 2014
Creator: Jackson, James K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Highway and Public Transportation Infrastructure Provision Using Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) (open access)

Highway and Public Transportation Infrastructure Provision Using Public-Private Partnerships (P3s)

This report discusses two broad policy options for Congress as it considers reauthorizing federal surface transportation programs.
Date: March 5, 2014
Creator: Mallett, William J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses (open access)

Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses

None
Date: March 5, 2014
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Russian Political, Economic, and Security Issues and U.S. Interests (open access)

Russian Political, Economic, and Security Issues and U.S. Interests

This report discusses the current political and economic conditions in Russia, focusing on the impact of Vladimir Putin's leadership and the leadership of his successor/protégé, Dmitriy Medvedev, both of which have steered Russia away from progress toward democratization. The report also discusses the state of the economy since the Soviet collapse in 1999, how the recent global economic downturn has affected Russia, the state of Russia's military, and the current relationship between Russia and the United States.
Date: March 5, 2014
Creator: Nichol, Jim
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Tax Reform Act of 2014 (open access)

The Tax Reform Act of 2014

None
Date: March 5, 2014
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers (open access)

Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers

This report provides background on the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers (TAA) program, which provides federal assistance to workers who have been adversely affected by foreign trade. The report discusses TAA eligibility and benefits as set by the Trade Adjustment Assistance Extension Act of 2011; describes how the program is funded and administered; and presents data on recent application activity and benefit usage.
Date: March 5, 2014
Creator: Collins, Benjamin
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics (open access)

Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics

This report provides wildfire management (WFM) appropriations for the last ten years, and provides general wildfire management statistics (e.g., number of wildfires, acres burned, select state wildfire activity, firefighter personnel).
Date: March 5, 2014
Creator: Bracmort, Kelsi
System: The UNT Digital Library
Arab League Boycott of Israel (open access)

Arab League Boycott of Israel

This report provides background information on the boycott and U.S. efforts to end its enforcement.
Date: March 5, 2013
Creator: Weiss, Martin A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Army Drawdown and Restructuring: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Army Drawdown and Restructuring: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses the new defense strategy, which was unveiled by senior Department of Defense (DOD) leadership based on a review of potential future security challenges, current defense strategy, and budgetary constraints. This strategy will rebalance the Army's global posture and presence, emphasizing where potential problems are likely to arise, such as the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East.
Date: March 5, 2013
Creator: Feickert, Andrew
System: The UNT Digital Library