This report provides an overview of federal law governing wiretapping and electronic eavesdropping. It also appends citations to state law in the area and contains a bibliography of legal commentary as well as the text of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This report also includes a brief summary of the recently expired Protect America Act, P.L. 110-55 and of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008, P.L. 110-261 (H.R. 6304).

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This report discusses the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program, which provides for compensation of individuals injured by vaccinations given as part of a countermeasure plan declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in preparation for potential hostile activities involving the smallpox virus.

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This report introduces selected basic sources that are useful in obtaining background information or specific facts on the status of federal legislative or regulatory initiatives. It includes telephone, online, and media sources are included, as well as pertinent directories, such as those of organizations that track areas of interest. Annotations describing each source's contents and organization are included so that researchers can select those that most closely fit their needs. Internet addresses usually provide information about the items, rather than access to them.

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This report reviews many of the core consumer bankruptcy features that have been common to most versions of bankruptcy reform legislation.

This report discusses revenue legislation, which may include changes to individual and corporate income taxes, social insurance taxes, excise taxes, or tariffs and duties. Congressional consideration of revenue legislation is governed by various constitutional provisions and procedural rules.

This report discusses the Government Pension Offset (GPO) provision, which reduces Social Security benefits that a person receives as a spouse if he or she also has a government pension based on work that was not covered by Social Security. Its purpose is to replicate Social Security’s “dual entitlement” rule, which requires that a Social Security benefit earned as a worker be subtracted from any Social Security spousal benefit to which the worker is eligible. Its intent is to remove an advantage these workers would otherwise receive if they could receive both a government pension and full Social Security spousal benefits. Opponents contend that the provision is basically inaccurate and often unfair. Five bills have been introduced in the 108th Congress that would modify or repeal the provision.

This report provides information about the Federal Pension and Retirement Benefits on Former Presidents. The GSA is authorized by the FPA to provide office staff and suitable office space at a location in the United States.

This report discusses the United States free trade agreements with Singapore and Chile that include labor provisions.

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This report shows the funding the George H.W. Bush, Clinton, and George W. Bush Administrations requested for the space shuttle program between FY1992 and FY2002, the funding provided in the House and Senate appropriations bills each year, and the final funding appropriated after the House-Senate conference. It also summarizes the explanations given in report language for congressional changes to the funding requested.

This report describes federal climate change research and technology activities, and related programs.

Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act requires states to identify water that is impaired by pollution, even after application of pollution controls. For those waters, states must establish a total maximum daily load of pollutants to ensure that water quality standards can be attained. This report contains background information, implementation, and issues for Congress as relating to the Clean Water Act.

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