Guinea's New Transitional Government: Emerging Issues for U.S. Policy (open access)

Guinea's New Transitional Government: Emerging Issues for U.S. Policy

This report provides background information on the government of national unity of Guinea. The report discusses issues for U.S. policy and bilateral relations with the transitional government.
Date: April 23, 2010
Creator: Arieff, Alexis
System: The UNT Digital Library
International Criminal Court Cases in Africa: Status and Policy Issues (open access)

International Criminal Court Cases in Africa: Status and Policy Issues

This report provides background on current International Criminal Court (ICC) cases and examines issues raised by the ICC's actions in Africa, including the potential deterrence of future abuses and the potential impact on African peace processes.
Date: April 2, 2010
Creator: Arieff, Alexis; Margesson, Rhoda & Browne, Marjorie Ann
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Global Economic Crisis: Impact on Sub-Saharan Africa and Global Policy Responses (open access)

The Global Economic Crisis: Impact on Sub-Saharan Africa and Global Policy Responses

This report analyzes Africa's vulnerability to the global crisis and potential implications for economic growth, poverty alleviation, fiscal balances, and political stability. The report describes channels through which the crisis is affecting Africa, and provides information on international efforts to address the impact, including U.S. policies and those of multilateral institutions in which the United States plays a major role.
Date: April 6, 2010
Creator: Arieff, Alexis; Weiss, Martin A. & Jones, Vivian C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Trends in Discretionary Spending (open access)

Trends in Discretionary Spending

This report discusses historical, current, and projected discretionary spending trends. It also describes how current discretionary spending trends reflect national priorities. Discretionary spending is provided in, and controlled by, annual appropriations acts, which fund many of the routine activities commonly associated with such federal government functions as running executive branch agencies, congressional offices and agencies, and international operations of the government.
Date: April 12, 2010
Creator: Austin, D. Andrew & Levit, Mindy R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
International Agreements on Climate Change: Selected Legal Questions (open access)

International Agreements on Climate Change: Selected Legal Questions

This report provides background information on global climate change negotiations. The report discuses the United Nations framework for convention for climate change, the Kyoto protocol, and the Copenhagen accord.
Date: April 12, 2010
Creator: Barbour, Emily C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Impeachment: An Overview of Constitutional Provisions, Procedure, and Practice (open access)

Impeachment: An Overview of Constitutional Provisions, Procedure, and Practice

On June 19, 2009, the House voted to impeach U.S. District Judge Samuel B. Kent of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The impeachment process provides a mechanism for removal of the President, Vice President, and other federal civil officers found to have engaged in "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." This report explains the impeachment process, including its history and the process itself.
Date: April 8, 2010
Creator: Bazan, Elizabeth B. & Henning, Anna C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Impeachment: An Overview of Constitutional Provisions, Procedure, and Practice (open access)

Impeachment: An Overview of Constitutional Provisions, Procedure, and Practice

On June 19, 2009, the House voted to impeach U.S. District Judge Samuel B. Kent of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The impeachment process provides a mechanism for removal of the President, Vice President, and other federal civil officers found to have engaged in "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." This report explains the impeachment process, including its history and the process itself.
Date: April 26, 2010
Creator: Bazan, Elizabeth B. & Henning, Anna C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Political Status of Puerto Rico: Options for Congress (open access)

Political Status of Puerto Rico: Options for Congress

This report discusses the current U.S.-Puerto Rico relationship, the history of said relationship, and the current political state of Puerto Rico, as well as relevant pieces of U.S. Congressional legislation concerning Puerto Rico.
Date: April 23, 2010
Creator: Bea, Keith & Garrett, R. Sam
System: The UNT Digital Library
Food Safety on the Farm: Federal Programs and Selected Proposals (open access)

Food Safety on the Farm: Federal Programs and Selected Proposals

This report discusses comprehensive food safety bills that are progressing in the 111th Congress and could affect farmers and ranchers. Interest in on-farm practices was renewed after more than 1,300 persons in 43 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada were found to be infected with the same unusual strain of bacteria (Salmonella Saintpaul) in April-July 2008.
Date: April 21, 2010
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Colombia: Issues for Congress (open access)

Colombia: Issues for Congress

This report provides an overview of recent political developments in Colombia, including the administration of President Uribe (2002-2010), continuing into the election of President Juan Manuel Santos. It discusses the political issues including Colombia's longstanding conflict with internal armed groups and ongoing challenges such as human rights, demobilization and displacement, drug trends, and Colombia's regional relations. The report also lays out issues for Congress including various plans for addressing those issues.
Date: April 23, 2010
Creator: Beittel, June S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Unauthorized Aliens in the United States (open access)

Unauthorized Aliens in the United States

This report discusses the unauthorized immigrant (illegal alien) population in the United States, which is a key and controversial immigration issue.
Date: April 27, 2010
Creator: Bruno, Andorra
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the 111th Congress: Conflicting Values and Difficult Choices (open access)

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the 111th Congress: Conflicting Values and Difficult Choices

The Endangered Species Act has been one of the more contentious environmental laws. This may stem from its strict substantive provisions, which can affect the use of both federal and nonfederal lands and resources. This report discusses oversight issues and legislation introduced in the 11th Congress to address Endangered Species Act implementation and management of endangered and threatened species.
Date: April 23, 2010
Creator: Buck, Eugene H.; Corn, M. Lynne; Sheikh, Pervaze A.; Meltz, Robert & Alexander, Kristina
System: The UNT Digital Library
Permissible Securities Activities of Commercial Banks Under the Glass-Steagall Act (GSA) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) (open access)

Permissible Securities Activities of Commercial Banks Under the Glass-Steagall Act (GSA) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)

This report explains the extent to which commercial banks, their subsidiaries, and affiliates were able to engage in securities activities, including securities underwriting, dealing, and brokerage, under the authorities of the Glass-Steagall Act (GSA) and other pre-GLBA (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act) banking laws, most notably the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (BHCA; 70 Stat. 133). It also discusses how the volume and scope of these securities activities expanded over time, and how the GLBA changed the GSA construct by facilitating affiliations among commercial banks and securities firms..
Date: April 12, 2010
Creator: Carpenter, David H. & Murphy, M. Maureen
System: The UNT Digital Library
Afghanistan Casualties: Military Forces and Civilians (open access)

Afghanistan Casualties: Military Forces and Civilians

This report collects statistics from a variety of sources on casualties sustained during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), which began on October 7, 2001. OEF actions took place primarily in Afghanistan; however, OEF casualties also includes American casualties in Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Guantanamo Bay (Cuba), Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines, Seychelles, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Yemen.
Date: April 12, 2010
Creator: Chesser, Susan G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Trade in Services: The Doha Development Agenda Negotiations and U.S. Goals (open access)

Trade in Services: The Doha Development Agenda Negotiations and U.S. Goals

The report provides a brief background section on the significance of trade in services to the U.S. economy. It then explains briefly the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the structure and agenda of the services negotiations in the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) round, including U.S. objectives in the negotiations. The report concludes with a status report on the negotiations and an examination of potential results.
Date: April 7, 2010
Creator: Cooper, William H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Clean Water Act: A Summary of the Law (open access)

Clean Water Act: A Summary of the Law

The principal law governing pollution of the nation's surface waters is the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, or Clean Water Act. Originally enacted in 1948, it was totally revised by amendments in 1972 that gave the act its current shape. The 1972 legislation spelled out ambitious programs, for water quality improvement that have since been expanded and are still being implemented by industries and municipalities.
Date: April 23, 2010
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
System: The UNT Digital Library
Legislative Approaches to Defining "Waters of the United States" (open access)

Legislative Approaches to Defining "Waters of the United States"

This report seeks to clarify the scope of the Clean Water Act (CWA) in the wake of Supreme Court decisions in 2001 and 2006 that interpreted the law's jurisdiction more narrowly than prior case law.
Date: April 30, 2010
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mountaintop Mining: Background on Current Controversies (open access)

Mountaintop Mining: Background on Current Controversies

This report provides background on regulatory requirements, controversies and legal challenges to mountaintop mining, and recent Administration actions. Congressional interest in these issues also is discussed, including legislation in the 111th Congress seeking to restrict the practice of mountaintop mining and other legislation intended to block the Obama Administration’s regulatory actions.
Date: April 12, 2010
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
System: The UNT Digital Library
Sudan: The Crisis in Darfur and Status of the North-South Peace Agreement (open access)

Sudan: The Crisis in Darfur and Status of the North-South Peace Agreement

This report discusses the history of Sudan's civil unrest and the subsequent crisis in Darfur, as well as United Nations and United States aid and peacekeeping efforts, and current related policy under the Obama Administration.
Date: April 19, 2010
Creator: Dagne, Ted
System: The UNT Digital Library
The SAFRA Act: Education Programs in the FY2010 Budget Reconciliation (open access)

The SAFRA Act: Education Programs in the FY2010 Budget Reconciliation

None
Date: April 2, 2010
Creator: Dortch, Cassandria; Smole, David P. & Mahan, Shannon M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The SAFRA Act: Education Programs in the FY2010 Budget Reconciliation (open access)

The SAFRA Act: Education Programs in the FY2010 Budget Reconciliation

None
Date: April 14, 2010
Creator: Dortch, Cassandria; Smole, David P. & Mahan, Shannon M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Conspiracy Law: A Brief Overview (open access)

Federal Conspiracy Law: A Brief Overview

This report discusses Federal conspiracy law. It also discusses about sanctions, Relation of Conspiracy to Other Crimes and Procedural Attributes.
Date: April 30, 2010
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Conspiracy Law: A Sketch (open access)

Federal Conspiracy Law: A Sketch

This report discusses about Conspiracies to Defraud the United States, Relation of Conspiracy to Other Crimes, Procedural Attributes etc.
Date: April 30, 2010
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
NATO Common Funds Burdensharing: Background and Current Issues (open access)

NATO Common Funds Burdensharing: Background and Current Issues

Member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) contribute to the activities of the alliance in several ways, the chief of which is through the deployment of their own armed forces, funded by their national budgets. Certain commonly conducted activities, however, are paid for out of three NATO-run budgets. These three accounts--the civil budget, the military budget, and the security investment program--are funded by individual contributions from the member states. This report discusses North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) burdensharing in funding such operations.
Date: April 22, 2010
Creator: Ek, Carl
System: The UNT Digital Library