This report outlines the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and related legislation. The report discusses a comprehensive test ban treaty, which is the oldest item on the nuclear arms control agenda.

This report includes information regarding Iraq, specifically compliance, sanctions, and U.S. policy. Weapons of mass destruction, human rights, and Iraqi issues with Kuwait are among topics discussed in this report.

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.

This report includes information regarding intelligence issues for Congress. Recent developments, background and analysis, and selected 106th Congress legislation are among topics discussed in this report.

This report discusses the concerns related to financing Federal election campaigning. The contents include information of the current system, campaign finance practices, and related issues, policy options.

This report includes information regarding Iraq, specifically compliance, sanctions, and U.S. policy. Weapons of mass destruction, human rights, and Iraqi issues with Kuwait are among topics discussed in this report.

This report includes information regarding current issues in Saudi Arabia, background to Saudi-U.S. relations, and congressional interest in Saudi Arabia

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This report discusses issues for the United States regarding Palestinians and peace in the Middle East. Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, U.S. policy towards Palestinians, and the peace problem are among topics discussed in this report.

This report includes information regarding intelligence issues for Congress. The CIA and the Israel-Palestinian Accord, Kosovo/Operation Allied Force, and counterintelligence are among topics discussed in this report.

Report on renewable energy, including background information, production issues, incentives, legislation, and more.

This is one report in the series of reports that discuss the campaign finance practices and related issues. Concerns over financing federal elections have become a seemingly perennial aspect of our political system, centered on the enduring issues of high campaign costs and reliance on interest groups for needed campaign funds. The report talks about the today’s paramount issues such as perceived loopholes in current law and the longstanding issues: overall costs, funding sources, and competition.

The Bush Administration FY2002 budget blueprint, submitted to Congress February 28, commits the nation to "mobilizing the armies of compassion" to "transform lives," and terms this effort the next bold step of welfare reform. The budget includes tax incentives for charitable donations. Earlier the President created the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in the White House, fulfilling a campaign promise.

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The Convention provides the most extensive and intrusive verification regime of any arms control treaty, extending its coverage to not only governmental but also civilian facilities. The Convention also requires export controls and reporting requirements on chemicals that can be used as warfare agents and their precursors. The CWC establishes the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to oversee the Convention's implementation. Chemical Weapons Convention implementing legislation, as S. 610, passed the Senate unanimously on May 23, 1997. This legislation, which was an amendment in the nature of a substitute reported from the Judiciary Committee, provides the statutory authority for domestic compliance with the Convention's provisions. It sets criminal and civil penalties for the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, transfer, possession, or use of chemical weapons.

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comprehensive test ban treaty, or CTBT, is the oldest item on the nuclear arms control agenda. Three treaties currently limit testing to underground only, with a maximum force equal to 150,000 tons of TNT. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, the United States conducted 1,030 nuclear tests, the Soviet Union 715, the United Kingdom 45, France 210, and China 45. Since 1997, the United States has held 13 "subcritical experiments" at the Nevada Test Site to study the behavior of plutonium under pressures generated by explosives. The most recent was held December 14, 2000. Russia has reportedly conducted several such tests since 1998, including several in fall 2000. It claims it has not done other nuclear tests since 1991, though some suspect it may have conducted a low-yield nuclear test in August 1997 and September 1999. The last U.S. test was held in 1992; the last U.K. test, in 1991. In May 1998, India and Pakistan each announced several nuclear tests and declared themselves nuclear weapons states. Each declared a moratorium on further tests, but separately stated, in the summer of 2000, that the time was not right to sign the CTBT.

This report provides a brief background analysis and recent developments regarding China’s Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles. The report includes topics such as: Recent Proliferation Transfers, chemical, nuclear, and missile technology sales to Iran, Pakistan, Libya, Syria, trade controls, nonproliferation and arms control.

This report provides a brief background analysis and recent developments regarding China’s Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles. The report includes topics such as: Recent Proliferation Transfers, chemical, nuclear, and missile technology sales to Iran, Pakistan, Libya, Syria, trade controls, nonproliferation and arms control.

This report discusses the background information, analysis and the recent developments in the F-22 Raptor Aircraft Program. The F-22 program raises questions about its cost and the need for this aircraft, the capabilities it would have, and the number of these planes needed to meet military requirements. The F-22 has had strong congressional support, although some have criticized the program on grounds of cost, requirements, and coordination with other tactical aircraft programs. Deletion of procurement funds in the FY2000 defense appropriation bill passed by the House made the future of the program a major issue for House and Senate conferees in 1999.

Growing populations and changing values continue to place increasing demands on water supplies and river systems, resulting in water use and management conflicts throughout the country. Recent conflicts are particularly evident in the West, where the population is expected to increase 30% in the next 20-25 years and where agricultural needs are often in direct conflict with urban needs, as well as with water demand for threatened and endangered species, recreation, and scenic enjoyment.

The entry into force, on January 1, 1994, of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has eliminated the advantage that the beneficiaries of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) and related provisions of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) had enjoyed in trade with the United States relative to Mexico, and gave Mexico an increasingly significant competitive edge over the CBERA countries. The scheduled further implementation of the NAFTA would have resulted in a substantial advantage to Mexico over the CBERA countries and vitiate in part the purpose of the CBERA.

The entry into force, on January 1, 1994, of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has eliminated the advantage that the beneficiaries of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) and related provisions of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) had enjoyed in trade with the United States relative to Mexico, and gave Mexico an increasingly significant competitive edge over the CBERA countries. The scheduled further implementation of the NAFTA would have resulted in a substantial advantage to Mexico over the CBERA countries and vitiate in part the purpose of the CBERA.