Defense Authorization and Appropriations Bills: FY1970-FY2010 (open access)

Defense Authorization and Appropriations Bills: FY1970-FY2010

The passage of the Department of Defense (DOD) authorization and appropriations bills through Congress often does not follow the course laid out in textbooks on legislative procedure. Tracking DOD authorization or appropriations bills can often be confusing and time-consuming. This report is a research aid, which lists the DOD authorization bills (Table 1) and appropriations bills (Table 2) for FY1970-FY2010. This report includes all the pertinent information on the passage of these bills through the legislative process: bill numbers, report numbers, dates reported and passed, recorded vote numbers and vote tallies, dates of passage of the conference reports with their numbers and votes, vetoes, substitutions, dates of final passage, and public law numbers. Key definitions are also included.
Date: February 17, 2010
Creator: Oboroceanu, Mari-Jana
System: The UNT Digital Library
Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Congress (open access)

Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Congress

Asian Pacific Americans have served in both houses of Congress representing California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Oregon, Virginia, American Samoa, and Guam. They have served in leadership positions, including committee and subcommittee chairmanships. This report presents information on Senators, Representatives, and Delegates, including party affiliations, length and dates of service, and committee assignments.
Date: February 1, 2010
Creator: Tong, Lorraine H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Direct Overt U.S. Aid and Military Reimbursements to Pakistan, FY2002-FY2011 (open access)

Direct Overt U.S. Aid and Military Reimbursements to Pakistan, FY2002-FY2011

Aid and military reimbursements made to Pakistan from 2002-2011. The list is divided by agency.
Date: February 16, 2010
Creator: Kronstadt, K. Alan
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA): A Summary of the Act and Its Major Requirements (open access)

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA): A Summary of the Act and Its Major Requirements

This report summarizes the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the major regulatory programs dealing with chemical production and distribution in U.S. commerce.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Schierow, Linda-Jo
System: The UNT Digital Library
Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990 (open access)

Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990

This report discusses U.S. security assistance to Taiwan (calling itself Republic of China (ROC)), including policy issues for Congress and legislation.
Date: February 16, 2010
Creator: Kan, Shirley A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Rwanda: Background and Current Developments (open access)

Rwanda: Background and Current Developments

This report discusses the current political conditions of Rwanda, including a brief historical overview. The report also includes information about the poor human rights conditions in Rwanda and U.S. Rwanda relations.
Date: February 4, 2010
Creator: Dagne, Ted
System: The UNT Digital Library
Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance (open access)

Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance

This report discusses the current political state of Afghanistan, as well as the Afghan government. This report also discusses Afghanistan's relationship with the United States, particularly U.S. efforts to urge President Hamid Karzai to address corruption within the Afghan government.
Date: February 19, 2010
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Department of Defense Food Procurement: Background and Status (open access)

Department of Defense Food Procurement: Background and Status

This report describes the origin, authority, and policy in the procurement of food for the military. Military food items, also known as subsistence items, are generally procured under the auspices of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), an agency of the Department of Defense (DOD) which provides worldwide logistics support for the U.S. military services. Under DLA, DLA Troop Services (formerly the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia) is the inventory control point for food, clothing, textiles, medicines, medical equipment, general and industrial supplies, and services for the military, their eligible dependents, and other non-DOD customers worldwide. DLA Troop Services buys and manages about $13.4 billion worth of food, clothing, textiles, and other products.
Date: February 25, 2010
Creator: Grasso, Valerie Bailey
System: The UNT Digital Library
Argentina's Defaulted Sovereign Debt: Dealing with the "Holdouts" (open access)

Argentina's Defaulted Sovereign Debt: Dealing with the "Holdouts"

This report reviews Argentina's financial crisis, the bond exchanges of 2005 and 2010, ongoing litigation, prospects for a final solution, related U.S. legislation, and broader policy issues. These include lessons on the effectiveness and cost of Argentina's default strategy, the ability to force sovereigns to meet their debt obligations, and ways to avoid future defaults like Argentina's.
Date: February 17, 2010
Creator: Hornbeck, J. F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Membership of the 111th Congress: A Profile (open access)

Membership of the 111th Congress: A Profile

This report presents a profile of the membership of the 111th Congress. Statistical information is included on selected characteristics of Members, including data on party affiliation, average age and length of service, occupation, religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity, foreign births, and military service.
Date: February 4, 2010
Creator: Manning, Jennifer E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Democratic Republic of Congo: Background and Current Developments (open access)

The Democratic Republic of Congo: Background and Current Developments

This report discusses in brief the current political state of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as the crisis situation in eastern Congo that has displaced more than 250,000 civilians. It also describes U.S., U.N., and other international efforts to aid in resolving the crisis.
Date: February 4, 2010
Creator: Dagne, Ted
System: The UNT Digital Library
Foreign Investment and National Security: Economic Considerations (open access)

Foreign Investment and National Security: Economic Considerations

This report assesses recent international developments as the leaders from a number of nations work to reach a consensus on an informal set of best practices regarding national restrictions on foreign investment for national security purposes. This report also provides one possible approach for assessing the costs and benefits involved in using national policies to direct or to restrict foreign direct investment for national security reasons.
Date: February 8, 2010
Creator: Jackson, James K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses (open access)

Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses

This report discusses the reasons that Iran is considered a threat to U.S. security, including Iran's nuclear program, involvement with terrorist organizations, and involvement with neighboring countries' local governments. The report also discusses ways which the U.S. hopes to modify Iran's behavior with sanctions, and the effectiveness of these sanctions.
Date: February 16, 2010
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Severe Thunderstorms and Tornadoes in the United States (open access)

Severe Thunderstorms and Tornadoes in the United States

This report discusses the natural basis of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes and the risk associated with them. The report also examines several options Congress could consider to potentially reduce the costs these destructive natural events.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Folger, Peter
System: The UNT Digital Library
Security Assistance Reform: "Section 1206" Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Security Assistance Reform: "Section 1206" Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background on the pre-Section 1206 status of security assistance authorities and the factors contributing to the enactment of Section 1206, which provides the Secretary of Defense with authority to train and equip foreign military forces and foreign maritime security forces. It then sets out the purposes of the legislation and scope of its activities, restrictions on its use, the DOD-State Department planning process, and funding. It concludes with a discussion of issues for Congress.
Date: February 18, 2010
Creator: Serafino, Nina M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Implementation: The Future of Commercial Trucking Across the Mexican Border (open access)

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Implementation: The Future of Commercial Trucking Across the Mexican Border

This report discusses the implementation of trucking provisions set forth by NAFTA that would have opened the border states to cross-border trucking competition in 1995 and all of North America in 2000. The full implementation of the provisions has been stalled because of concern with the safety of Mexican trucks.
Date: February 1, 2010
Creator: Frittelli, John
System: The UNT Digital Library
Spectrum Policy in the Age of Broadband: Issues for Congress (open access)

Spectrum Policy in the Age of Broadband: Issues for Congress

This report considers the possibility of modifying spectrum policy: (1) to support national goals for broadband deployment by placing more emphasis on attracting new providers of wireless broadband services; and (2) to accommodate the wireless broadband needs of industries that are considered by many to be the economic drivers of the future, not only communications, but also areas such as energy, health care, transportation, and education.
Date: February 3, 2010
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
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: February 26, 2010
Creator: Chesser, Susan G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Honduran-U.S. Relations (open access)

Honduran-U.S. Relations

This report examines current political and economic conditions in Honduras as well as issues in Honduran-U.S. relations.
Date: February 1, 2010
Creator: Meyer, Peter J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Honduran-U.S. Relations (open access)

Honduran-U.S. Relations

This report examines current political and economic conditions in Honduras as well as issues in Honduran-U.S. relations.
Date: February 1, 2010
Creator: Meyer, Peter J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
War in Afghanistan: Strategy, Military Operations, and Issues for Congress (open access)

War in Afghanistan: Strategy, Military Operations, and Issues for Congress

The character of the war in Afghanistan evolved from a violent struggle against al Qaeda and its Taliban supporters to a multi-faceted counterinsurgency (COIN) effort. This report provides an examination of the war's background, context, and early execution; an analytical discussion of the COIN war to date, including strategy, organization, participation, and key facets of the effort including population security, advising the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), counter-narcotics, reconciliation, community outreach, and civil-military coordination; and an analysis of major strategic and operational issues and options that the 111th Congress may opt to consider.
Date: February 25, 2010
Creator: Bowman, Steve & Dale, Catherine
System: The UNT Digital Library
Haiti Earthquake: Crisis and Response (open access)

Haiti Earthquake: Crisis and Response

The largest earthquake ever recorded in Haiti devastated parts of the country, including the capital, on January 12, 2010. This report discusses the disaster and various responses, ranging from the Haitian government's initial response to foreign humanitarian and financial aid.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Margesson, Rhoda & Taft-Morales, Maureen
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the CVN-78 program, which includes the CVN-78, CVN-79, and CVN-80 as the first three ships in the Navy's new Gerald R. Ford (CVN- 78) class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs).
Date: February 16, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Trafficking in Persons: U.S. Policy and Issues for Congress (open access)

Trafficking in Persons: U.S. Policy and Issues for Congress

Trafficking in persons (TIP) for the purposes of exploitation is both an international and a domestic crime that involves violations of labor, public health, and human rights standards. This report focuses on human trafficking both internationally and within the United States. The report begins with an overview of human trafficking including a discussion of the definition of human trafficking, the scope of the problem globally, and an examination of the victims. It follows with an analysis of global anti-trafficking efforts by the United States and the international community. The report then focuses on trafficking into and within the United States, examining relief for trafficking victims in the United States and discussing U.S. law enforcement efforts to combat domestic trafficking. The report concludes with an overview of anti-trafficking legislation and an analysis of policy issues related to human trafficking.
Date: February 18, 2010
Creator: Wyler, Liana Sun & Siskin, Alison
System: The UNT Digital Library