Mexico-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress (open access)

Mexico-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

This report explores the relationship between the United States and Mexico in terms of trade, drug trafficking, and cooperative disease control and management. Specifically, the report discusses the Mérida Initiative, the trade dispute involving the implementation of NAFTA trucking provisions, Secretary of State Clinton's March 2009 visit to Mexico, and the April 2009 outbreak of the H1N1 "swine flu" virus.
Date: May 1, 2009
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P. & Beittel, June S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Army's Future Combat System (FCS): Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

The Army's Future Combat System (FCS): Background and Issues for Congress

This report describes the Future Combat System (FCS) program, which was to be the Army's major research, development, and acquisition program consisting of 14 manned and unmanned systems linked by an extensive communications and information network. This report describes the proposed restructuring of the FCS program, announced by Secretary of Defense Gates in April 2009, which includes modernizing outdated equipment and re-evaluating vehicle design strategy. This report will be superseded by a report on the Army's BCT (Brigade Combat Team) Modernization Strategy when sufficient details are available.
Date: May 29, 2009
Creator: Feickert, Andrew
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress (open access)

Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

The Navy is procuring a new type of surface combatant called the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). The Navy wants to procure a total of 55 LCSs. This report details the 2007 restructuring of the LCS program, as well as various financial information relating to the program. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's plans for the LCS program. The LCS program raises potential oversight issues for Congress relating to various aspects of the program, all of which are explored within this report.
Date: May 5, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coast Guard Deepwater Acquisition Programs: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress (open access)

Coast Guard Deepwater Acquisition Programs: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

The term Deepwater refers to a collection of more than a dozen Coast Guard acquisition programs for replacing and modernizing the service's aging fleet of deepwater-capable ships and aircraft. Currently, there are plans to increase and enhance the Coast Guard's fleet through the Deepwater acquisition program. This report details the Coast Guard's budget requests and explains how the Coast Guard has improved its organization and management over the past several years.
Date: May 29, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Nuclear-Powered Surface Ships: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress (open access)

Navy Nuclear-Powered Surface Ships: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress

This report discusses the possibility of increasing the number of Navy surface ships powered by nuclear energy, including the Navy's planned CG(X) cruiser. The report explores a 2006 Navy study that discusses budget considerations, the cost of a nuclear-powered ship compared to a ship powered by crude oil, and other suggestions relating to this proposed expansion. The overall report has a specific emphasis on the planned CG(X) cruiser, and how the implementation of this cruiser may be delayed by current budget proposals.
Date: May 29, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Speed of Presidential and Senate Actions on Supreme Court Nominations, 1900 - 2009 (open access)

Speed of Presidential and Senate Actions on Supreme Court Nominations, 1900 - 2009

This report provides information on the amount of time taken to act on all Supreme Court nominations occurring between 1900 and the present. It focuses on the actual amounts of time that Presidents and the Senate have taken to act (as opposed to the elapsed time between official points in the process). This report focuses on when the Senate became aware of the President's selection (e.g., via a public announcement by the President).
Date: May 29, 2009
Creator: Garrett, R. Sam & Rutkus, Denis Steven
System: The UNT Digital Library
Supreme Court Nominations, 1789 - 2009: Actions by the Senate, the Judiciary Committee, and the President (open access)

Supreme Court Nominations, 1789 - 2009: Actions by the Senate, the Judiciary Committee, and the President

This report explains in detail the process of appointing Supreme Court Justices, both as it stands currently and how it has changed over the last two centuries. The report includes a table that lists and describes actions taken by the Senate, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the President on all Supreme Court nominations, from 1789 to the present.
Date: May 13, 2009
Creator: Rutkus, Denis Steven & Bearden, Maureen
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Research and Development Funding: FY2009 (open access)

Federal Research and Development Funding: FY2009

This report summarizes budgetary decisions relating to research and development funding for FY2009, as well as some projected information for FY2010.
Date: May 22, 2009
Creator: Sargent, John F., Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Science and Technology Policymaking: A Primer (open access)

Science and Technology Policymaking: A Primer

Science and technology policy is concerned with the allocation of resources for and encouragement of scientific and engineering research and development, the use of scientific and technical knowledge to enhance the nations' response to societal challenges, and the education of Americans in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This report describes the science and engineering community, policymakers' interest in that community and its various endeavors, and the organizations that provide science and technology policy advice to agencies of the federal government and/or Members of Congress.
Date: May 27, 2009
Creator: Stine, Deborah D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Vietnamese Victims of Agent Orange and U.S.-Vietnam Relations (open access)

Vietnamese Victims of Agent Orange and U.S.-Vietnam Relations

This report examines various estimates of the effects that the herbicide Agent Orange has had on Vietnam's people and environment, the history of U.S. policy on the issue, the current clean up efforts in Vietnam, the various forms of assistance -- including U.S. assistance -- provided to people with medical conditions associated with dioxin exposure, and the implications for bilateral relations. It concludes with a brief discussion of possible congressional responses to the issue.
Date: May 28, 2009
Creator: Martin, Michael F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iraq: U.S. Casualties (open access)

Iraq: U.S. Casualties

This report consists of a brief table summarizing casualty data compiled by the Department of Defense (DOD), including fatalities during Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 19, 2003, and since May 1, 2003, including statistics on those wounded, but not killed, since March 19, 2003.
Date: May 28, 2009
Creator: Chesser, Susan G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Gun Control: Statutory Disclosure Limitations on ATF Firearms Trace Data and Multiple Handgun Sales Reports (open access)

Gun Control: Statutory Disclosure Limitations on ATF Firearms Trace Data and Multiple Handgun Sales Reports

This report briefly describes a provision known as the "Tiahrt" amendment, a rider on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) appropriations that prohibits ATF from disclosing firearm trace data and multiple handgun sales reports data for any purpose other than supporting a criminal investigatoin or agency licensing proceeding. The Tiahrt amendment is so called because its sponsor is Representative Todd Tiahrt. A coalition of 210 city mayors favors the repeal of this rider, but there is much opposition to that motion.
Date: May 27, 2009
Creator: Krouse, William J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Guam: U.S. Defense Deployments (open access)

Guam: U.S. Defense Deployments

The United States military has been building up forces on the U.S. territory of Guam to increase deterrence and power projection for possible responses to crises and disasters, counter-terrorism, and contingencies in support of South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, or elsewhere in Asia. But the defense buildup on Guam is moderate. China has concerns about the defense buildup. Guam's role has increased with plans to withdraw some U.S. forces from Japan and South Korea. This report describes in brief detail the various cooperative efforts, including financial efforts, undertaken by the U.S. and the above nations.
Date: May 22, 2009
Creator: Kan, Shirley A. & Niksch, Larry A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America: An Overview and Selected Issues (open access)

Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America: An Overview and Selected Issues

The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) is a trilateral initiative that was launched in March 2005 for the purpose of increasing and enhancing security and prosperity in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This initiative promoted communication and cooperation across several key policy areas of mutual interest, such as improving certain sectors of the economy, developing higher health and safety standards, and addressing environmental concerns. This report describes this initiative in brief detail, including summaries of several SPP-related meetings between the three countries' leaders.
Date: May 27, 2009
Creator: Villarreal, M. Angeles & Lake, Jennifer E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Organized Crime in the United States: Trends and Issues for Congress (open access)

Organized Crime in the United States: Trends and Issues for Congress

This report discusses the threat of organized crime against the United States, most notably organized crime from criminal organizations in Russia, Asia, Italy, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Africa. The report explores the issue of organized crime in relation to the economic downturn and national security, namely terrorism. The report also discusses how Congress is currently working to address these issues and includes information on relevant pieces of legislation.
Date: May 15, 2009
Creator: Finklea, Kristin M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
FY2009 Spring Supplemental Appropriations for Overseas Contingency Operations (open access)

FY2009 Spring Supplemental Appropriations for Overseas Contingency Operations

This report discusses the White House's request for supplemental appropriations that include funding for defense, foreign affairs, and domestic fire fighting. The report details the different programs and areas that the appropriations would fund, including operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, preparedness and emergency management measures relating to the swine flu outbreak, border security between the United States and Mexico, benchmark assessment in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and other general defense operations.
Date: May 5, 2009
Creator: Daggett, Stephen; Epstein, Susan B.; Margesson, Rhoda; Nakamura, Kennon H.; Tarnoff, Curt; Kronstadt, K. Alan et al.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Alert Systems for Missing Adults in Eleven States: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Alert Systems for Missing Adults in Eleven States: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses the emerging development of nationwide alert systems to recover missing adults, such as those with mental impairment (such as Alzheimer's disease), developmental disabilities, or suicidal tendencies. This report provides an overview of such alert systems in 11 states: Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, and Virginia. This report also provides a discussion of issues for Congress to consider with respect to the federal role, if any, in developing state alert programs for missing adults.
Date: May 7, 2009
Creator: Fernandes, Adrienne L. & Colello, Kirsten J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Immigration Policies and Issues on Health-Related Grounds for Exclusion (open access)

Immigration Policies and Issues on Health-Related Grounds for Exclusion

This report discusses the criteria that foreign nationals must meet before admission to the United States, including the reasons why a foreign national might be denied admission, most particularly on health-related grounds. This report discusses such issues in relation to the recent outbreak of the 2009 H1N1 ("swine flu") virus, and how the outbreak has affected various government agencies, such as the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This report also discusses efforts to confront and address such issues on a legislative front.
Date: May 18, 2009
Creator: Haddal, Chad C. & Wasem, Ruth Ellen
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fishery, Aquaculture, and Marine Mammal Issues in the 111th Congress (open access)

Fishery, Aquaculture, and Marine Mammal Issues in the 111th Congress

This report gives an overview of Fishery, Aquaculture, and Marine Mammal Issues in the 111th Congress
Date: May 29, 2009
Creator: Buck, Eugene H. & Upton, Harold E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Foreign Aid to the Palestinians (open access)

U.S. Foreign Aid to the Palestinians

None
Date: May 1, 2009
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Motor Vehicle Industry: Federal Financial Assistance and Restructuring (open access)

U.S. Motor Vehicle Industry: Federal Financial Assistance and Restructuring

This report focuses on the current situation faced by the Detroit 3, key aspects of their current crisis, including possible consequences of a failure of one or more companies, and some aspects of legislative actions that have been considered to bridge their financial conditions to a more stable situation.
Date: May 29, 2009
Creator: Canis, Bill; Bickley, James M.; Chaikind, Hinda; Pettit, Carol A.; Purcell, Patrick; Rapaport, Carol et al.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Ocean Commissions: Ocean Policy Review and Outlook (open access)

Ocean Commissions: Ocean Policy Review and Outlook

None
Date: May 9, 2009
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act: Overview and Issues (open access)

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act: Overview and Issues

This report discusses the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) of 1986, which was enacted to improve absentee registration and voting for this group of voters and to consolidate existing laws.
Date: May 29, 2009
Creator: Coleman, Kevin J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding (open access)

Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding

This report discusses the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, also known as fire grants of the FIRE Act grant program, which provides federal grants directly to local fire departments and unaffiliated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations to help address a variety of equipment, training, and other firefighter-related and EMS needs. This report also discusses the possible reauthorization of AFG and the related Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters (SAFER) program.
Date: May 8, 2009
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
System: The UNT Digital Library