Egypt: Background and U.S. Relations (open access)

Egypt: Background and U.S. Relations

This report provides an overview of Egyptian politics and current issues in U.S.-Egyptian relations. It briefly provides a political history of modern Egypt, an overview of its political institutions, and a discussion of the prospects for democratization in Egypt.
Date: March 26, 2009
Creator: Sharp, Jeremy M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Overview of Recent U.S. Supreme Court Jurisprudence in Patent Law (open access)

An Overview of Recent U.S. Supreme Court Jurisprudence in Patent Law

None
Date: March 26, 2009
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Panama: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations (open access)

Panama: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations

This report discusses the current political and economic conditions in the country of Panama, which has made notable political and economic progress since the 1989 U.S. military intervention that ousted the regime of General Manuel Noriega from power. The United States has close relations with Panama, stemming in large part from the extensive linkages developed when the canal was under U.S. control. This report describes the U.S.-Panama relationship at length, including trade relations.
Date: March 26, 2009
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Small Business Tax Benefits: Overview and Economic Rationale (open access)

Small Business Tax Benefits: Overview and Economic Rationale

None
Date: March 26, 2009
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tax-Advantaged Accounts for Health Care Expenses: Side-by-Side Comparison (open access)

Tax-Advantaged Accounts for Health Care Expenses: Side-by-Side Comparison

This report provides brief summaries and background information for four types of tax-advantaged accounts for healthcare; it compares them with respect to eligibility, contribution limits, use of funds, and other characteristics for tax year 2009. It also includes a discussion of various healthcare-related issues including equity and options for reform.
Date: March 26, 2009
Creator: Lyke, Bob & Peterson, Chris L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Advanced Spectroscopic Portal Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

The Advanced Spectroscopic Portal Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides an overview of the Advanced Spectroscopic Portal (ASP) program's history and outlines issues for Congress as the program moves forward. The ASP is an improved type of radiation detection device, meant to serve as part of new and existing programs to protect against terrorist nuclear or radiological attack.
Date: March 25, 2009
Creator: Shea, Dana A.; Moteff, John D. & Morgan, Daniel
System: The UNT Digital Library
Authority of State Legislatures to Accept Funds Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (open access)

Authority of State Legislatures to Accept Funds Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

This report analyzes the language contained in § 1607 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act),1 which provides that federal funds can be made available to a state by the federal government either after certification by a governor that such money will be requested and spent or after the adoption of a concurrent resolution by a state legislature. This report evaluates the authority of state legislatures to, by concurrent resolution, provide for the acceptance of federal funds.
Date: March 25, 2009
Creator: Thomas, Kenneth R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program: Overview and Issues (open access)

FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program: Overview and Issues

This report provides an overview and discussion of federal hazard mitigation assistance. Hazard mitigation can potentially reduce federal costs by decreasing the level of damage from future disasters. Of the $96.1 billion expended for disaster assistance since 1989, FEMA allocated $4.4 billion for hazard mitigation activities to prevent or ease the impact of natural disasters.
Date: March 25, 2009
Creator: Love, Natalie P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Issues for Congress (open access)

The Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Issues for Congress

This report provides background the detection of and protection against illicit acquisition and use of special nuclear material (SNM) including the global nuclear detection architecture to secure nuclear assets against diversion, theft, and attack. It also discusses related issues for Congress.
Date: March 25, 2009
Creator: Shea, Dana A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Madagascar's 2009 Political Crisis (open access)

Madagascar's 2009 Political Crisis

This report discusses political tensions on the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar between President Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina, the former mayor of the capital city, which escalated in early 2009, culminating in the President's forced removal from office.
Date: March 25, 2009
Creator: Ploch, Lauren
System: The UNT Digital Library
Retroactive Taxation of Executive Bonuses: Constitutionality of H.R. 1586 and S. 651 (open access)

Retroactive Taxation of Executive Bonuses: Constitutionality of H.R. 1586 and S. 651

None
Date: March 25, 2009
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Unemployment and Health Insurance: Current Legislation and Issues (open access)

Unemployment and Health Insurance: Current Legislation and Issues

None
Date: March 25, 2009
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
United States Military Casualty Statistics: Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (open access)

United States Military Casualty Statistics: Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom

This report presents difficult-to-find statistics regarding U.S. military casualties in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF, Afghanistan), including those concerning medical evacuations, amputations, and the demographics of casualties.
Date: March 25, 2009
Creator: Fischer, Hannah
System: The UNT Digital Library
Zimbabwe: The Power Sharing Agreement and Implications for U.S. Policy (open access)

Zimbabwe: The Power Sharing Agreement and Implications for U.S. Policy

None
Date: March 25, 2009
Creator: Ploch, Lauren
System: The UNT Digital Library
Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program: An Overview (open access)

Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program: An Overview

This report provides a brief overview of The Hollings Manufacturing Partnership (MEP), which is a program of regional centers set up to assist small and medium-sized manufacturing companies use knowledge and technologies developed under the auspices of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Date: March 24, 2009
Creator: Schacht, Wendy H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The National Institute of Standards and Technology: An Appropriations Overview (open access)

The National Institute of Standards and Technology: An Appropriations Overview

None
Date: March 24, 2009
Creator: Schacht, Wendy H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
National Special Security Events (open access)

National Special Security Events

This report provides information on USSS legislative authority for National Special Security Events (NSSE), NSSE designation funding and training, and NSSE funding.
Date: March 24, 2009
Creator: Reese, Shawn
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nonambulatory Livestock and the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (open access)

Nonambulatory Livestock and the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act

None
Date: March 24, 2009
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Patent Reform in the 111th Congress: Innovation Issues (open access)

Patent Reform in the 111th Congress: Innovation Issues

None
Date: March 24, 2009
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Proposed U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA): Provisions and Implications (open access)

The Proposed U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA): Provisions and Implications

This report is examines the provisions of the KORUS FTA in the context of the overall U.S.-South Korean economic relationship, U.S. objectives, and South Korean objectives.
Date: March 24, 2009
Creator: Cooper, William H.; Manyin, Mark E.; Jurenas, Remy & Platzer, Michaela D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tax Benefits for Health Insurance and Expenses: Overview of Current Law and Legislation (open access)

Tax Benefits for Health Insurance and Expenses: Overview of Current Law and Legislation

None
Date: March 24, 2009
Creator: Lyke, Bob & Whittaker, Julie M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Circuit and District Court Nominations: Senate Rejections and Committee Votes Other Than to Report Favorably, 1939-2009 (open access)

U.S. Circuit and District Court Nominations: Senate Rejections and Committee Votes Other Than to Report Favorably, 1939-2009

This report lists the votes cast by the Judiciary Committee and the Senate on each of the 19 nominations and identifies senatorial courtesy, ideological disagreement, and concern over nominees' qualifications as among the circumstances that led to committee consideration of actions other than a favorable report.
Date: March 24, 2009
Creator: Rutkus, Denis S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The U.S. Secret Service: An Examination and Analysis of Its Evolving Missions (open access)

The U.S. Secret Service: An Examination and Analysis of Its Evolving Missions

This report frames potential policy questions concerning the Service's mission and organization through an examination of the USSS history and its statutory authorities, missions, and present activities within DHS.
Date: March 24, 2009
Creator: Reese, Shawn
System: The UNT Digital Library
Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy (open access)

Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy

This report discusses the current political state of Afghanistan, focusing particularly on the influence of the Taliban and other militant groups and on the leadership of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. This report also discusses the U.S.-Afghanistan relationship and U.S. efforts under the Obama Administration to provide military, reconstructive, and stabilization aid.
Date: March 23, 2009
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library