Debt-for-Nature Initiatives and the Tropical Forest Conservation Act: Status and Implementation (open access)

Debt-for-Nature Initiatives and the Tropical Forest Conservation Act: Status and Implementation

This report provides a description of debt-for-nature transactions and a summary of the Tropical Forest Conservation Act. Debt-for- nature transactions are generally viewed as a success by conservation organizations and government.
Date: March 30, 2010
Creator: Sheikh, Pervaze A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
China’s Currency: An Analysis of the Economic Issues (open access)

China’s Currency: An Analysis of the Economic Issues

This report provides an overview of the economic issues surrounding the current debate over China’s currency policy. It identifies the economic costs and benefits of China’s currency policy for both China and the United States, and possible implications if China were to allow its currency to significantly appreciate or to float freely. It also examines proposed legislation in the 111th Congress that seek to address China’s currency policy.
Date: December 30, 2010
Creator: Morrison, Wayne M. & Labonte, Marc
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Programs Available to Unemployed Workers (open access)

Federal Programs Available to Unemployed Workers

There are four groups of federal programs that target unemployed workers: unemployment insurance programs, health care assistance, job search assistance, and training. This report describes these programs, how they interact with each other, and their funding.
Date: December 30, 2010
Creator: Isaacs, Katelin P.; Bradley, David H.; Mulvey, Janemarie & Topoleski, John J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
EU-U.S. Economic Ties: Framework, Scope, and Magnitude. June 2010 (open access)

EU-U.S. Economic Ties: Framework, Scope, and Magnitude. June 2010

This report provides background information and analysis of the U.S.-EU economic relationship for Members of the 111th Congress as they contemplate the costs and benefits of closer U.S. economic ties with the EU.
Date: June 30, 2010
Creator: Cooper, William H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Veterans Benefits: Current Life Insurance Programs (open access)

Veterans Benefits: Current Life Insurance Programs

This report is structured in three major areas. The first area of the report includes sections providing an overview of the VA's different life insurance programs. The second area includes sections describing the VA's management and administrative structure as well as how policy proceeds to beneficiaries are currently paid for SGLI, VGLI, and S-DVI. The third area of the report discusses major areas of congressional interest and policy issues as they pertain to SGLI, VGLI, and S-DVI.
Date: September 30, 2010
Creator: Miles, Glenn L. II & Morman, Armaad R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Legal Issues Relating to the Disposal of Dispensed Controlled Substances (open access)

Legal Issues Relating to the Disposal of Dispensed Controlled Substances

This report describes the provisions of the Controlled Substances Act and its implementing regulations that relate to patient disposal of unwanted prescription medication, as well as provides an analysis of the pending legislation.
Date: July 30, 2010
Creator: Yeh, Brian T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Indian Health Care Improvement Act Provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148) (open access)

Indian Health Care Improvement Act Provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148)

This report summarizes some of the key changes made in the reauthorization of IHCIA.
Date: March 30, 2010
Creator: Heisler, Elayne J. & Walke, Roger
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicaid: The Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) (open access)

Medicaid: The Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP)

None
Date: July 30, 2010
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Brazil’s WTO Case Against the U.S. Cotton Program (open access)

Brazil’s WTO Case Against the U.S. Cotton Program

U.S. and Brazilian trade negotiators reached agreement on June 17, 2010, on a "Framework agreement" regarding a World Trade Organization dispute settlement case over U.S. cotton subsidies and GSM-102 agricultural export credit guarantees. The Framework agreement - which lays out a number of "steps and discussions" - represents a path forward toward the ultimate goal of reaching a negotiated solution to the dispute, while avoiding World Trade Organization-sanctioned trade retaliation by Brazil against U.S. goods and services. This report includes information on the dispute, panel recommendations, implementation of recommendations, compliance panel review and ruling, arbitration of Brazil's proposed countermeasures, and more related the dispute.
Date: June 30, 2010
Creator: Schnepf, Randy
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
Energy and Water Development: FY2011 Appropriations (open access)

Energy and Water Development: FY2011 Appropriations

This report discusses the energy and water development appropriations bill that provides funding for civil works projects of the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of Energy (DOE), and a number of independent agencies.
Date: September 30, 2010
Creator: Behrens, Carl E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Suspension of the Rules in the House: Principal Features (open access)

Suspension of the Rules in the House: Principal Features

None
Date: November 30, 2010
Creator: unknown
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
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act: Title VII, Derivatives (open access)

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act: Title VII, Derivatives

None
Date: August 30, 2010
Creator: Jickling, Mark & Ruane, Kathleen Ann
System: The UNT Digital Library
International Trade and Finance: Key Policy Issues for the 112th Congress (open access)

International Trade and Finance: Key Policy Issues for the 112th Congress

This report highlights major international trade and finance issues Congress may address this year and next.
Date: December 30, 2010
Creator: Ahearn, Raymond J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicare Provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA): Summary and Timeline (open access)

Medicare Provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA): Summary and Timeline

None
Date: June 30, 2010
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Independent Payment Advisory Board (open access)

The Independent Payment Advisory Board

This report which provides an overview of the Board, begins with a discussion of the rationale behind the creation of an independent Medicare board and briefly reviews prior proposals for similar boards and commissions.
Date: November 30, 2010
Creator: Newman, David & Davis, Christopher M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
DOD Leases of Foreign-Built Ships: Background for Congress (open access)

DOD Leases of Foreign-Built Ships: Background for Congress

This report briefly discusses the Department of Defense leasing foreign-built ships, the opponents of this practice, and related legislation.
Date: March 30, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Telework for Executive Agency Employees: A Side-by-Side Comparison of Legislation Pending in the 111th Congress (open access)

Telework for Executive Agency Employees: A Side-by-Side Comparison of Legislation Pending in the 111th Congress

The 111th Congress is considering legislation (S. 707 and H.R. 1722) to foster the development of telework in executive agencies of the federal government. Legislation to augment telework in executive agencies of the federal government is currently pending in the 111th Congress. S. 707, the Telework Enhancement Act of 2009, and H.R. 1722, the Telework Improvements Act of 2010, were introduced on March 25, 2009, by Senator Daniel Akaka and Representative John Sarbanes, respectively. This report presents a side-by-side comparison of the provisions of S. 707, as reported, and H.R. 1722, as ordered to be reported.
Date: March 30, 2010
Creator: Schwemle, Barbara L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Latin America and the Caribbean: Illicit Drug Trafficking and U.S. Counterdrug Programs (open access)

Latin America and the Caribbean: Illicit Drug Trafficking and U.S. Counterdrug Programs

This report provides an overview of the drug flows in the Americas and U.S. anti-drug assistance programs in the region. It also raises some policy issues for Congress to consider as it exercises oversight of U.S. anti-drug programs and policies in the Western Hemisphere.
Date: April 30, 2010
Creator: Ribando Seelke, Clare; Wyler, Liana Sun & Beittel, June S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: Political Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests (open access)

Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: Political Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests

This report discusses the history and political background of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia since breaking away from the former Soviet Union at the end of 1991. It looks at key issues for the 112th Congress including economies, energy, regional politics, local crime, and terrorism.
Date: June 30, 2010
Creator: Nichol, Jim
System: The UNT Digital Library
Department of Homeland Security Assistance to States and Localities: A Summary and Issues for the 111th Congress (open access)

Department of Homeland Security Assistance to States and Localities: A Summary and Issues for the 111th Congress

This report summarizes several emergency management and homeland security programs, and identifies and analyzes potential issues for the 111th Congress. These issues include the purpose and number of assistance programs; the evaluation of the use of grant funding; the determination of eligible grant recipients; the programs' funding amounts; and the programs; funding distribution methodologies.
Date: April 30, 2010
Creator: Reese, Shawn
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

This report provides background information and oversight issues for Congress on the Coast Guard's Deepwater acquisition programs for replacing and modernizing the service's aging fleet of deepwater-capable ships and aircraft.
Date: March 30, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
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