Kenya: Current Conditions and the Challenges Ahead (open access)

Kenya: Current Conditions and the Challenges Ahead

This report discusses the current political conditions of Kenya, which has long been an important ally of the United States. The report focuses particularly on the December 2007 elections, which many international observers have declared as rigged and deeply flawed. The report also discusses violence that erupted once election results were announced, as well as U.S. efforts to urge Kenya toward election reforms.
Date: March 16, 2011
Creator: Dagne, Ted
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy LPD-17 Amphibious Ship Procurement: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress (open access)

Navy LPD-17 Amphibious Ship Procurement: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress

The Navy's FY2011-FY2015 shipbuilding plan calls for procuring an 11th and final San Antonio (LPD-17) class amphibious ship in FY2012. This report discusses the procurement cost estimates of this ship, as well as related issues for Congress.
Date: March 16, 2011
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress (open access)

Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress

This report discusses the process of naming Navy ships, which have traditionally been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the Navy. Congress in recent years has proposed, and sometimes passed, legislation regarding the naming of specific ships.
Date: March 16, 2011
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress

This report presents background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Navy's Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) and Zumwalt (DDG-1000) class destroyer programs. Decisions that Congress makes concerning these programs could substantially affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
Date: March 16, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
International Family Planning Programs: Issues for Congress (open access)

International Family Planning Programs: Issues for Congress

This report looks at how the debate over family planning within the U.S. is spilling over to U.S.-funded family planning programs abroad.
Date: March 16, 2012
Creator: Blanchfield, Luisa
System: The UNT Digital Library
Resolutions of Inquiry: An Analysis of Their Use in the House, 1947-2011 (open access)

Resolutions of Inquiry: An Analysis of Their Use in the House, 1947-2011

This report examines the use of resolutions of inquiry in the House of Representatives from 1947 to 2011. A resolution of inquiry is a measure that formally calls on the executive branch to provide specified factual information to Congress.
Date: March 16, 2011
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Puerto Rican Statehood: Effects on House Apportionment (open access)

Puerto Rican Statehood: Effects on House Apportionment

This report looks at House of Representative distribution between states if Puerto Rico were to gain statehood.
Date: March 16, 2011
Creator: Crocker, Royce
System: The UNT Digital Library
Political Status of Puerto Rico: Options for Congress (open access)

Political Status of Puerto Rico: Options for Congress

This report discusses the current U.S.-Puerto Rico relationship, the history of said relationship, and the current political state of Puerto Rico, as well as relevant pieces of U.S. Congressional legislation concerning Puerto Rico.
Date: March 16, 2010
Creator: Bea, Keith & Garrett, R. Sam
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Stafford Act Disaster Assistance: Presidential Declarations, Eligible Activities, and Funding (open access)

Federal Stafford Act Disaster Assistance: Presidential Declarations, Eligible Activities, and Funding

This report provides an overview of the Stafford Act and Stafford Act declarations. The report discusses the types of assistance and eligibility, funding caps and cost shares, hazard mitigation assistance, disaster relief funds, and other issues for the 111th Congress.
Date: March 16, 2010
Creator: Bea, Keith
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Haitian Economy and the HOPE Act (open access)

The Haitian Economy and the HOPE Act

This report discusses the HOPE Act as it relates to U.S. trade policy, the Haitian economy, and post-earthquake reconstruction efforts.
Date: March 16, 2010
Creator: Hornbeck, J. F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
German Foreign and Security Policy: Trends and Transatlantic Implications (open access)

German Foreign and Security Policy: Trends and Transatlantic Implications

This report provides an introduction to German foreign and security policy. The report discusses the foundations of German foreign policy, Germany in the European Union (EU), evolving security and defense policy, and transatalantic implications.
Date: March 16, 2010
Creator: Belkin, Paul
System: The UNT Digital Library
Terrorism and Security Issues Facing the Water Infrastructure Sector (open access)

Terrorism and Security Issues Facing the Water Infrastructure Sector

This report presents an overview of the large and diverse sector of water infrastructure systems, describes security-related actions by the government and private sector since September 11, 2001, and discusses additional policy issues and responses, including congressional interest.
Date: March 16, 2010
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
System: The UNT Digital Library
Interim Continuing Resolutions (CRs): Potential Impacts on Agency Operations (open access)

Interim Continuing Resolutions (CRs): Potential Impacts on Agency Operations

This report discusses how an interim continuing resolutions (CRs), provisions and requirements may impact directly upon an agency. Second, the report analyzes Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and agency documents that have provided guidance or requirements for how an agency should navigate through periods of interim CRs. Third, the report analyzes brief mentions of claims of impact contained in Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports from a 20-year span.
Date: March 16, 2010
Creator: Brass, Clinton T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Homeland Security Appropriations: FY2015 Action in the 114th Congress (open access)

Homeland Security Appropriations: FY2015 Action in the 114th Congress

This report provides a brief outline of the FY2015 annual appropriations measure for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its enactment by the 114th Congress.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Painter, William L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces: Facts and Issues (open access)

Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces: Facts and Issues

This report discusses Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Task Forces, which have been certified, trained, and funded by the federal government. The task forces represent a partnership involving federal, local government, and private sector experts. Most recently, USAR teams received considerable publicity, and reportedly achieved life-saving results, in their mission to Haiti after the earthquakes of early 2010.
Date: March 16, 2010
Creator: Bea, Keith
System: The UNT Digital Library
International Drug Control Policy: Background and U.S. Responses (open access)

International Drug Control Policy: Background and U.S. Responses

The global illegal drug trade represents a multi-dimensional challenge that has implications for U.S. national interests as well as the international community. This report discusses U.S. international policy frameworks and approaches in response to the issue.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Rosen, Liana W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Emergency Communications: The Future of 911 (open access)

Emergency Communications: The Future of 911

This report discusses possible paths toward the modernization of the 911 infrastructure. Efforts to splice newer, digital technologies onto the aging infrastructure have created points of failure where a call can be dropped or misdirected, sometimes with tragic consequences.
Date: March 16, 2010
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Terrorist Attacks in Europe and Mounting Security Concerns (open access)

Terrorist Attacks in Europe and Mounting Security Concerns

This report briefly discusses the European policy response to recent terrorist attacks.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Archick, Kristin & Belkin, Paul
System: The UNT Digital Library
Libya: Background and U.S. Relations (open access)

Libya: Background and U.S. Relations

This report discusses the recent revolution in Libya, from its 2011 uprising to the end of the Qadhafi era. It specifically looks at Libya's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) disarmament, political reform and human rights, and energy as it relates to the Libyan economy.
Date: March 16, 2010
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Offices and Officials in the Senate: Roles and Duties (open access)

Offices and Officials in the Senate: Roles and Duties

This report outlines the officers of the Senate, including brief information about the history of each office, examples of their roles and duties, and election or appointment information about the current incumbent.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Brudnick, Ida A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and Its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape (open access)

The Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and Its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape

This report discusses current issues regarding the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is an independent federal agency charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. The mission of the FCC is to ensure that the American people have available--at reasonable cost and without discrimination--rapid, efficient, nation- and world-wide communication services, whether by radio, television, wire, satellite, or cable.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Figliola, Patricia Moloney
System: The UNT Digital Library
The International Criminal Court (ICC): Jurisdiction, Extradition, and U.S. Policy (open access)

The International Criminal Court (ICC): Jurisdiction, Extradition, and U.S. Policy

This report focuses on the process by which the Office of the Prosecutor investigates allegations of war crimes and second on U.S policy towards the International Criminal Court (ICC) and how the court might assert jurisdiction over U.S. nationals.
Date: March 16, 2010
Creator: Barbour, Emily C. & Weed, Matthew C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Immigration: Policy Considerations Related to Guest Worker Programs (open access)

Immigration: Policy Considerations Related to Guest Worker Programs

This report discusses guest worker programs. The United States has two main programs for temporarily importing low-skilled workers, or guest workers. Agricultural guest workers enter through the H-2A visa program, and other guest workers enter through the H-2B visa program.
Date: March 16, 2010
Creator: Bruno, Andorra
System: The UNT Digital Library
Senate Committee Hearings: Witness Testimony (open access)

Senate Committee Hearings: Witness Testimony

This report discusses rules regarding witness testimony before Senate committees. It includes brief descriptions of rules for oral testimony, questioning of witnesses, and hearing transcription.
Date: March 16, 2015
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie
System: The UNT Digital Library