The development of today's committee system is a product of internal congressional reforms, but national forces also have played a role. This report contains data on the numbers and sizes of committees and subcommittees and on Members' assignments since 1945. This report also contains data on committee staff sizes from 1979 through 1995.

The World Health organization (WHO), established in 1948, is the United Nations system's authority on international public health issues. It assists governments in improving national health services and in establishing worldwide standards for foods, chemicals, and biological and pharmaceutical products. WHO concentrates on preventive rather than curative programs, including efforts to eradicate endemic and other widespread diseases, stabilize population growth, improve nutrition, sanitation, and maternal and child care. WHO is not an operational agency. It works through contracts with other agencies and private voluntary organizations.

Since the early 1960s, the United States has imposed a range of economic sanctions on Cuba, the most prominent of which is a comprehensive embargo prohibiting trade with Cuba. This Congressional Research Service report first provides an overview of U.S.-Cuba relations and U.S. policy toward Cuba. It then examines the history and current legislative and executive authorities of the various components of U.S. sanctions against Cuba, including aid, trade, and other restrictions.

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This report provides a background and analysis on the Chinese proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

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This report is intended to provide a brief overview of the various potential restrictions upon or regulation of the lobbying activities of non-profit organizations.

This report discusses the dispute between Greece and Turkey over the Rocky islet crisis.

This report examines two new federal firearms offenses created by amendment of 18 U.S.C. 922(d) and (g). Section 922(d)(9) which makes it unlawful for any person knowingly to sell or otherwise dispose of any firearm or ammunition to a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. The new law gives the domestic violence misdemeanant two new statutory defenses to the validity of the predicate conviction.

This report discusses the legislation by the 104th Congress to increase overall adoption rates by prohibiting racial and other discriminatory practices in the adoption process. The report identifies this as a provision of the Small Business Job Protection Act, which will also increase minimum wage.

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This report provides historical background that may be useful to Congress as it considers funding levels, types of programs, and problems in implementation of U.S. assistance to other countries.

Interest in restructuring (including eliminating) the Department of Energy (DOE) and its laboratories has increased since the end of the Cold War, and especially since the beginning of the 104th Congress. A number of non-legislative proposals and activities to this end are reviewed, including DOE's own proposals for "alignment and downsizing" of the Department and its laboratories.

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This report describes the freestanding Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) re-authorization and the child welfare-related provisions in welfare reform. This report also briefly discusses the child welfare block grants that were considered but not enacted.

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This report covers the debate over the reexamination of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 in the 104th Congress. There is speculation the banks are finding loopholes that allow them to redefine some of their services as "securities" without directly violating the Glass-Steagall Act.

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