This report describes the background of the Export-Import Bank (Eximbank), which finances and promotes U.S. trade. The report also describes Eximbank's programs, developments, international agreements, and legislative issues.

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This report includes information regarding Pakistan. Information including historical background, Pakistan and U.S. relations, and U.S. aid to Pakistan is detailed in this report.

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This report is about Burundi, specifically the peace process and U.S. policy

This report provides information about the Background and Legislative Issues on Export-Import Bank. The import-export bank is the U.S chief government agency that helps finance American exports.

This report describes executive and legislative activities relating to research and development budgets and priority-setting that occurred primarily during FY1993 to FY2001, the period of the two Clinton Administrations.

On October 7, 1994, President Clinton transmitted to the Senate the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 1994 Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention. The package was referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. On November 16, 1994, the U.N. Law of the Sea Convention entered into force but without accession by the United States. The 1994 Agreement entered into force on July 28, 1996, again without U.S. ratification.

This report examines three fundamental points implicit in the "engine of growth" argument. First, it questions whether the current account deficit is caused by strong U.S. growth and weak foreign growth. Second, it examines whether foreign growth is dependent on U.S. imports and the maintenance of a large U.S. current account deficit. Finally, it reviews the proposition that a U.S. recession would cause a world recession by lowering U.S. import demand. The report concludes that to make the final argument persuasive, other factors need to come into play, such as deteriorating expectations, financial crisis, or slow economic adjustment. These other factors seem unlikely to occur in the context of slowing U.S. growth, but they are possible in a recession.

The 107th Congress is considering legislation that would amend federal pipeline safety law, which directs the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to regulate pipeline transportation and storage of natural gases and hazardous liquids. Those bills also would authorize funding for the Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), which is charged with implementing federal pipeline safety law. Among the topics discussed as part of the process of reauthorizing the OPS program are: state versus federal roles in pipeline safety, increased community involvement, funding amounts to support OPS, and new regulatory directives and authorities intended to improve the OPS program and associated state activities. S. 235, as amended, the "Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2001," passed the Senate on February 8, 2001. This report will be updated as necessary.

Sub-Saharan Africa has been far more severely affected by AIDS than any other part of the world. The United Nations reports that 25.3 million adults and children are infected with the HIV virus in the region, which has about 10% of the world's population but more than 70% of the worldwide total of infected people. This report discusses this issue in detail, including the cause of the African AIDS epidemic, the social and economic consequences, response and treatment, and U.S. policy.

This report discusses one of the major trade issues in the 107th Congress: whether or not Congress approves authority for the President to negotiate trade agreements with expedited, or "fast track" procedures. Under this authority, Congress agrees to consider legislation to implement the nontariff trade agreements under a procedure with mandatory deadlines, no amendment, and limited debate. The President is required to consult with congressional committees during negotiation of nontariff trade agreements and notify Congress before entering into any such agreement. The President was granted fast-track authority almost continuously from 1974 to 1994, but the authority lapsed and has not been renewed.

This report explores the authority of BLM personnel regarding unauthorized cattle by reviewing the statutory authorities of BLM over the federal rangelands under its administration, and the regulations and administrative materials implementing those authorities in the context of grazing, trespass, impoundment and sale of unauthorized livestock.

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This report discusses the Andean Regional Initiative (ARI), implemented by the Bush Administration in 2001 to provide economic and counter-narcotics assistance for Colombia and regional neighbors. The report discusses the goals of the ARI, as well as related appropriations.

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The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) is one of the largest energy conservation programs in the nation. The DOE program is implemented in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Native American Tribes. It weatherizes an average of 70,000 dwellings per year. The program strives to increase the energy efficiency of dwellings occupied by low-income persons in order to reduce their energy consumption and lower their fuel bills. It targets vulnerable groups including the elderly, people with disabilities, and families with children.

Sub-Saharan Africa has been far more severely affected by AIDS than any other part of the world. The United Nations reports that 25.3 million adults and children are infected with the HIV virus in the region, which has about 10% of the world's population but more than 70% of the worldwide total of infected people. This report discusses this issue in detail, including the cause of the African AIDS epidemic, the social and economic consequences, response and treatment, and U.S. policy.

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The nation’s health, wealth, and security rely on the production and distribution of certain goods and services. The array of physical assets, processes and organizations across which these goods and services move are called critical infrastructures (e.g. electricity, the power plants that generate it, and the electric grid upon which it is distributed). Computers and communications, themselves critical infrastructures, are increasingly tying these infrastructures together. This report aims to address the concern that this reliance on computers and computer networks raises the vulnerability of the nation’s critical infrastructures to “cyber” attacks.

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