This report discusses Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Act, which was enacted by the 108th Congress as Section 1057 of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 108-136). It includes background of the SAFER Act, appropriations from FY2011-FY2013, reauthorization of the program in the House and Senate, and information about program implementation.

This report discusses the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which bans all nuclear explosion and was in 1996 adopted by the U.N. General Assembly but rejected by the U.S. Senate in 1997. This report discusses the Obama Administration's stated goal of pursuing U.S. ratification of the CTBT, although the Administration has mainly focused on securing Senate consent to ratification of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START). This report also discusses other nuclear weapons-related issues as well as the long history of nuclear testing.

This report discusses the federal government's role in the country's information technology (IT) research and development (R&D) activities. The government's support of IT R&D began because it had an important interest in creating computers and software that would be capable of addressing the problems and issues the government needed to solve and study.

This report will analyze the legal issues related to Members of Congress serving in the Armed Forces Reserves during their congressional tenure. It will discuss previous congressional action regarding Members' simultaneous service as well as federal legislation addressing the status of Reservists. It will also analyze court decisions related to challenges to simultaneous service.

Discretionary spending is essentially all spending on federal wages and salaries. Discretionary spending is often divided into defense, domestic discretionary, and international outlays. Defense and domestic discretionary spending compose nearly all of discretionary spending. The Obama Administration contends that many domestic priorities have been underfunded and has proposed some cuts in defense spending. The current economic and financial turmoil, which has led to several major federal interventions, is projected to increase non-defense spending over the next several fiscal years.

This report discusses Iraq's political system that is increasingly characterized by peaceful competition and formation of cross-sectarian alliances. However, ethnic and sectarian political and sometimes violent infighting continues, often involving the questionable use of key levers of power and legal institutions. This infighting-and the belief that holding political power may mean the difference between life and death for the various political communities-significantly delayed agreement on a new government that was to be selected following the March 7, 2010, national elections for the Council of Representatives (COR, parliament).

This report

This report summarizes the FY2011 budget request for research & development (R&D) funding, including comparisons to R&D funding requests in the FY2010 budget. Congress will play a central role in defining the nation's R&D priorities, especially with respect to two overarching issues: the extent to which the Federal R&D investment can grow in the context of increased pressure on discretionary spending and how available funding will be prioritized and allocated. This report breaks down in detail the various aspects of the President's FY2011 R&D funding request.

This report discusses carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), but not other types of carbon sequestration activities whereby CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and stored in vegetation, soils, or oceans.

This report gives an overview of issues involved in the provisions of the 2008 farm bill (P.L. 110-234, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act). It includes a brief overview describing environmental services markets, benefits and barriers, recent Congressional action related to the topics, and possible considerations.

This report discusses the National Park System that includes 391 diverse units administered by the National Park Service (NPS) of the Department of the Interior. Units of the system generally are managed to preserve resources in their natural or historical conditions for the benefit of future generations.

This report discusses environmental services markets in relation to the farm bill (P.L. 110-234, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008), which covers a range of farm and forestry sector services associated with improved water and air quality, increased carbon storage, and habitat protection. It gives an overview of environmental services markets as well as benefits and barriers, how they are affected by Congressional action, and possible considerations.

This report provides an estimate of the initial impact of the rising oil prices on the nation's merchandise trade deficit.

This report summarizes and compares the 11 substitute amendments to campaign finance reform bills that have passed the House and Senate.

This report begins with an overview of Congress's authority pursuant to the Commerce and Bankruptcy Clauses to pass laws pertaining to foreclosures, and a review of Contract Clause, Substantive Due Process, and Takings Clause jurisprudence.

This report aims to provide a snapshot of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) program, including its current funding levels and the budget request for FY2014, together with some discussion of the program’s achievements and prospects for success in meeting its stated goals.

This report analyzes the legal implications of the safe-harbor provision found in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (H.R. 6).

This report describes how the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program (CMAQ) and enhancement programs function, examines the policy issues surrounding them, and summarizes relevant provisions in major legislation to reauthorize ISTEA in the 105th Congress.

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This report is on Cloture: Its Effect on Senate Proceedings.

Mentions how the Assistive Technology Act is a source of funding for individuals with disabilities. Explains how Assistive Technology, such as a device or service, is used to assist people with disabilities to perform day to day activities.

This report discusses the current legislative jurisdictions of House and Senate committees with responsibility over terrorism, homeland security, and the agencies affected by the proposed new department.

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This report provides a summary of the four bills currently before Congress and a side-by-side comparison of their major provisions.