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Reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank: Issues and Policy Options for Congress
This report provides background information and potential issues and options for Congress relating to the reauthorization of Ex-Im Bank. The scope of this report is limited to Ex-Im Bank reauthorization issues.
Date:
January 1, 2012
Creator:
Ilias, Shayerah
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Central Asia: Regional Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests
U.S. policy toward the Central Asian states has aimed at facilitating their cooperation with U.S. and NATO stabilization efforts in Afghanistan and their efforts to combat terrorism, proliferation, and trafficking in arms, drugs, and persons. Other U.S. objectives have included promoting free markets, democratization, human rights, energy development, and the forging of East-West and Central Asia-South Asia trade links. Such policies aim to help the states become what various U.S. administrations have considered to be responsible members of the international community rather than to degenerate into xenophobic, extremist, and anti-Western regimes that contribute to wider regional conflict and instability
Date:
January 3, 2012
Creator:
Nichol, Jim
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Fact Sheet: The Social Security Retirement Age
two important ages may affect a worker's plans to claim Social Security retired-worker benefits. Workers may claim full Social Security benefits at the full retirement age, which is rising gradually to age 67 for workers who were born in 1960 and later. Retired workers may claim benefits as early as age 62, which is known as the early eligibility age. Social Security benefits are reduced, however, for every month that retired worker benefits are claimed before the full retirement age.
Date:
January 3, 2012
Creator:
Shelton, Alison M.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV): Background and Issues for Congress
The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) is currently being developed by the Army and the Marine Corps as a successor to the 11 different versions of the High Mobility, Multi-Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) that have been in service since 1985. There are concerns about the affordability of JLTVs and its redundancy with other tactical wheeled vehicles.
Date:
January 3, 2012
Creator:
Feickert, Andrew
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Preexisting Condition Exclusion Provisions for Children and Dependent Coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)
None
Date:
January 3, 2012
Creator:
unknown
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program
In response to concerns over the adequacy of firefighter staffing, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Act—popularly called the “SAFER Act”—was enacted by the 108th Congress as Section 1057 of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 108-136). The SAFER Act authorizes grants to career, volunteer, and combination local fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry-minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. Concern over local fire departments' budgetary problems has framed debate over the SAFER reauthorization, which is included in S. 550/H.R. 2269, the Fire Grants Authorization Act of 2011. Previously in the 111th Congress, reauthorization legislation for SAFER was passed by the House, but was not passed by the Senate. As part of the reauthorization debate, Congress may consider whether some SAFER rules and restrictions governing the hiring grants should be eliminated or altered in order to make it economically feasible for more fire departments to participate in the program.
Date:
January 3, 2012
Creator:
Kruger, Lennard G.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Unmanned Aerial Systems
Unmanned aerial systems comprise a rapidly growing portion of the military budget, and have been a long-term interest of Congress. At times, Congress has encouraged the development of such systems; in other instances, it has attempted to rein in or better organize the Department of Defense's efforts.
Date:
January 3, 2012
Creator:
Gertler, Jeremiah
System:
The UNT Digital Library
United States Fire Administration: An Overview
The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA)—which includes the National Fire Academy (NFA)—is currently housed within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The objective of the USFA is to significantly reduce the nation's loss of life from fire, while also achieving a reduction in property loss and non-fatal injury due to fire. The United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008 was signed into law on October 8, 2008. As is the case with many federal programs, concerns in the 112th Congress over the federal budget deficit could impact budget levels for the USFA. Debate over the USFA budget has focused on whether the USFA is receiving an appropriate level of funding to accomplish its mission, given that appropriations for USFA have consistently been well below the agency's authorized level. An ongoing issue is the viability and status of the USFA and National Fire Academy within the Department of Homeland Security.
Date:
January 3, 2012
Creator:
Kruger, Lennard G.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Congressional Salaries and Allowances
This report provides basic information on congressional salaries and allowances. First, the report briefly summarizes the current salary of Members of Congress, limits on their outside earned income and honoraria, and applicable health insurance and retirement benefits.
Date:
January 4, 2012
Creator:
Brudnick, Ida A.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Early Withdrawals and Required Minimum Distributions in Retirement Accounts: Issues for Congress
This report discusses the reasons offered in support of suspending these provisions, as well as the drawbacks. This reports also presents data that estimates the number of households that these proposals would impact.
Date:
January 4, 2012
Creator:
Topoleski, John J.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Medicare Advantage Risk Adjustment and Risk Adjustment Data Validation Audits
None
Date:
January 4, 2012
Creator:
unknown
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Presidential Signing Statements: Constitutional and Institutional Implications
Presidential signing statements are official pronouncements issued by the President contemporaneously to the signing of a bill into law that, in addition to commenting on the law generally, have been used to forward the President's interpretation of the statutory language; to assert constitutional objections to the provisions contained therein; and, concordantly, to announce that the provisions of the law will be administered in a manner that comports with the administration's conception of the President's constitutional prerogatives. This report focuses on the use of signing statements by recent administrations, with particular emphasis on the Administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Date:
January 4, 2012
Creator:
Garvey, Todd
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2011
None
Date:
January 4, 2012
Creator:
unknown
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables
This report contains information on the pay procedure and recent adjustments. It also contains historical information on the rate of pay for Members of Congress since 1789; the adjustments projected by the Ethics Reform Act as compared to actual adjustments in Member pay; details on past legislation enacted with language prohibiting the annual pay adjustment; and Member pay in constant and current dollars since 1992.
Date:
January 4, 2012
Creator:
Brudnick, Ida A.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Social Security Retirement Earnings Test: How Earnings Affect Benefits
Social Security benefits received before a person attains full retirement age (FRA) are subject to an actuarial reduction for early retirement and also may be reduced by the Social Security Retirement Earnings Test (RET) if the beneficiary has earnings that exceed an annual threshold. This report explains how the RET is applied under current law and provides detailed benefit examples to show how the RET affects both the worker beneficiary and any family members (auxiliary beneficiaries) who receive benefits based on the worker beneficiary’s record. The report points out features of the RET that are not widely known or understood, such as the recomputation of benefits when a beneficiary attains FRA to adjust (increase) benefits to take into account months for which no benefit or a partial benefit was paid as a result of the RET. Finally, the report discusses policy issues related to the RET, including recent research on the effect of the RET on work effort and the decision to claim Social Security benefits.
Date:
January 4, 2012
Creator:
Nuschler, Dawn & Shelton, Alison M.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
The State of Campaign Finance Policy: Recent Developments and Issues for Congress
This report discusses selected litigation to demonstrate how those events have changed the campaign finance landscape and affected the policy issues that may confront Congress, but it is not a constitutional or legal analysis. Campaign finance data appears throughout the report.
Date:
January 4, 2012
Creator:
Garrett, R. S.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement: Labor Issues
This report examines three labor issues and arguments related to the pending U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement (CFTA; H.R. 5724 and S. 2830): violence against trade unionists; impunity (accountability for or punishment of the perpetrators); and worker rights protections for Colombians.
Date:
January 4, 2012
Creator:
Bolle, Mary Jane
System:
The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement and Potential Employment Effects: Analysis of Studies
None
Date:
January 4, 2012
Creator:
unknown
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Ukraine: Current Issues and U.S. Policy
This report discusses the current political and economic situation in Ukraine. It also discusses Ukraine's foreign policy, especially in respect to NATO, European Union, and Russia. The Ukraine's energy issues are also briefly deliberated in this report.
Date:
January 4, 2012
Creator:
Woehrel, Steven
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Funding Emergency Communications: Technology and Policy Considerations
This report identifies areas where changes in existing policies and practices may facilitate achievement of the important goals for emergency communications that Congress and others have identified. Why these goals have become important, and recent planning efforts to achieve these goals, is discussed first. Next, possible barriers to achieving these goals are identified and described. The conclusion revisits key options presently under consideration by Congress.
Date:
January 5, 2012
Creator:
Moore, Linda K.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
FY2012 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Policy Issues
This report focuses exclusively on the annual defense authorization process. It does not include language concerning appropriations, veterans' affairs, tax implications of policy choices, or any discussion of separately introduced legislation.
Date:
January 5, 2012
Creator:
Burrelli, David F.; Henning, Charles A.; Jansen, Don J. & Kapp, Lawrence
System:
The UNT Digital Library
International Trade: Rules of Origin
This report deals with Rules of origin (ROO) in three parts. First, we describe in more detail the reasons that country of origin rules are important and briefly describe U.S. laws and methods that provide direction in making these determinations. Second, we discuss briefly some of the more controversial issues involving rules of origin, including the apparently subjective nature of some CBP origin determinations, and the effects of the global manufacturing process on ROO. Third, we conclude with some alternatives and options that Congress could consider that might assist in simplifying the process.
Date:
January 5, 2012
Creator:
Jones, Vivian C. & Martin, Michael F.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
International Trade: Rules of Origin
This report deals with rules of origin (ROO) in three parts. First, we describe in more detail the reasons that country of origin rules are important and briefly describe U.S. laws and methods that provide direction in making these determinations. Second, we discuss briefly some of the more controversial issues involving rules of origin, including the apparently subjective nature of some CBP origin determinations, and the effects of the global manufacturing process on ROO. Third, we conclude with some alternatives and options that Congress could consider that might assist in simplifying the process.
Date:
January 5, 2012
Creator:
Jones, Vivian C. & Martin, Michael F.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Internships, Fellowships, and Other Work Experience Opportunities in the Federal Government
This report describes Internet resources on major internship, fellowship, and work experience programs within the federal government. It is intended as a selective guide for students of all levels: high school, undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate.
Date:
January 5, 2012
Creator:
Manning, Jennifer E.
System:
The UNT Digital Library