Can the President Withdraw from the Paris Agreement? (open access)

Can the President Withdraw from the Paris Agreement?

This report discusses legal rules governing the ability of the President to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement and other similar agreements.
Date: December 5, 2016
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Colombia Adopts Revised Peace Accord: What Next? (open access)

Colombia Adopts Revised Peace Accord: What Next?

This report discusses the Colombian government's revised peace accord, signed in November 2016 by President Juan Manuel Santos and the FARC's leader (known as Timochenko).
Date: December 5, 2016
Creator: Beittel, June S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
International Insurance Issues and H.R. 5143 (open access)

International Insurance Issues and H.R. 5143

This report discusses the international response to the financial crisis, which included the creation of a Financial Stability Board (FSB) largely made up of various national financial regulators and the increased focus by the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS).
Date: December 5, 2016
Creator: Webel, Baird
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Introduction to Judicial Review of Federal Agency Action (open access)

An Introduction to Judicial Review of Federal Agency Action

This report provides a broad overview of the issues that may be relevant to any number of present and future challenges to agency action in federal court.
Date: December 5, 2016
Creator: Cole, Jared P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iran Nuclear Agreement (open access)

Iran Nuclear Agreement

This report provides background on the agreement negotiated by Iran and six other countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany--collectively known as the P5+1) regarding Iran's nuclear program, and discusses the implications for U.S.-Iran relations.
Date: December 5, 2016
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth & Kerr, Paul K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Membership of the 114th Congress: A Profile (open access)

Membership of the 114th Congress: A Profile

This report presents a profile of the membership of the 114th Congress (2015-2016). Statistical information is included on selected characteristics of Members, including data on party affiliation, average age, occupation, education, length of congressional service, religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity, foreign births, and military service.
Date: December 5, 2016
Creator: Manning, Jennifer E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Social Security Primer (open access)

Social Security Primer

This report provides an overview of Social Security financing and benefits under current law. Specifically, the report covers the origins and a brief history of the program; Social Security financing and the status of the trust funds; how Social Security benefits are computed; the types of Social Security benefits available to workers and their family members; the basic eligibility requirements for each type of benefit; the scheduled increase in the Social Security retirement age; and the federal income taxation of Social Security benefits.
Date: December 5, 2016
Creator: Nuschler, Dawn
System: The UNT Digital Library
How Much Slack Remains in the Labor Market? (open access)

How Much Slack Remains in the Labor Market?

The amount of "slack" in the labor market--jobless or underemployed workers--has consequences for the appropriate stance of monetary policy, the future path of the budget deficit, and counter-cyclical spending on programs such as unemployment insurance. This report briefly examines this concept in the context of the current economy.
Date: August 5, 2016
Creator: Labonte, Marc & Stupak, Jeffrey M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Al Qaeda's Syria Affiliate Declares Independence (open access)

Al Qaeda's Syria Affiliate Declares Independence

This report briefly discusses the implications of a recent announcement from Al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, Jabhat al Nusra, stating that it was reconstituting itself as an independent group.
Date: August 5, 2016
Creator: Humud, Carla E. & Blanchard, Christopher M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Trafficking in Persons and U.S. Foreign Policy Responses in the 114th Congress (open access)

Trafficking in Persons and U.S. Foreign Policy Responses in the 114th Congress

This report provides an overview of recent global trends and U.S. foreign policy responses to address human trafficking. The report focuses in particular on efforts conducted by the State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP) and the President's Interagency Task Force (PITF) on human trafficking, as well as discussion of the 2016 TIP Report.
Date: August 5, 2016
Creator: Rosen, Liana W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Economic Effects of Trade: Overview and Policy Challenges (open access)

The Economic Effects of Trade: Overview and Policy Challenges

This report focuses on some of the major issues associated with trade and trade agreements and the impact of trade on the U.S. economy. Discussions of trade and trade agreements often focus on a number of issues, including the role that trade plays in the U.S. economy, the impact of trade agreements on employment gains and losses, and the size of the U.S. trade deficit.
Date: July 5, 2016
Creator: Jackson, James K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
North American Leaders' Summit (open access)

North American Leaders' Summit

This report discusses the 10th annual North American Leaders' Summit (NALS), in which Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hosted President Barack Obama and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Date: July 5, 2016
Creator: Villarreal, M. A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Unique Identification Codes for Federal Contractors: DUNS Numbers and CAGE Codes (open access)

Unique Identification Codes for Federal Contractors: DUNS Numbers and CAGE Codes

This report focuses on identification numbers for government acquisition and acquisition-related purposes that government contractors, generally, are required to have. The federal government uses a proprietary system, Dun & Bradstreet's (D&B's) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS), to uniquely identify the entities with which it does business. It does not address taxpayer identification numbers (TINs) or other types of recipients of federal money (e.g., grant award recipients) who are required to obtain DUNS numbers.
Date: May 5, 2016
Creator: Halchin, L. E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2015 National Security Strategy: Authorities, Changes, Issues for Congress (open access)

The 2015 National Security Strategy: Authorities, Changes, Issues for Congress

This report discusses the National Security Strategy (NSS), a document released by the Obama Administration which states that its purpose is to "set out the principles and priorities to guide the use of American power and influence in the world."
Date: April 5, 2016
Creator: Lucas, Nathan J. & McInnis, Kathleen J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Army's M-1 Abrams, M-2/M-3 Bradley, and M-1126 Stryker: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

The Army's M-1 Abrams, M-2/M-3 Bradley, and M-1126 Stryker: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses various issues surrounding the M-1 Abrams Tank, the M-2/M-3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV), and the M-1126 Stryker Combat Vehicle, centerpieces of the Army's Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs) and Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCTs).
Date: April 5, 2016
Creator: Feickert, Andrew
System: The UNT Digital Library
Discharging a Senate Committee from Consideration of a Nomination (open access)

Discharging a Senate Committee from Consideration of a Nomination

Some press reports have suggested that the full Senate could vote in relation to the nomination of Merrick B. Garland to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, even if the Senate Judiciary Committee does not act on the nomination. This report addresses questions concerning the exact nature of such a vote; it also explains the procedural steps that could be necessary to bring the nomination to a direct vote on the floor.
Date: April 5, 2016
Creator: Rybicki, Elizabeth
System: The UNT Digital Library
EPA's Clean Power Plan for Existing Power Plants: Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

EPA's Clean Power Plan for Existing Power Plants: Frequently Asked Questions

This report summarizes the issues the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encountered when developing regulations for "carbon pollution" from existing power plants as part of the Clean Power Plan. The report describes how the EPA resolved these issues.
Date: April 5, 2016
Creator: McCarthy, James E.; Ramseur, Jonathan L.; Wyatt, Alexandra M. & Dolan, Alissa M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Millennium Challenge Corporation (open access)

Millennium Challenge Corporation

This report discusses the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) which provides economic assistance through a competitive selection process to developing nations that demonstrate positive performance in three areas: ruling justly, investing in people, and fostering economic freedom.
Date: April 5, 2016
Creator: Tarnoff, Curt
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 Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) class aircraft carrier program. Congress's decisions on the CVN-78 program could substantially affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the shipbuilding industrial base.
Date: April 5, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)/Frigate Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)/Frigate Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)/Frigate program, a program to procure a large number of LCSs and modified LCSs. Congress's decisions on the LCS/Frigate program will affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the shipbuilding industrial base.
Date: April 5, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Ohio Replacement (SSBN[X]) Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Ohio Replacement (SSBN[X]) Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Ohio replacement program (ORP), a program to design and build a new class of 12 ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to replace the Navy's current force of 14 Ohio-class SSBNs.
Date: April 5, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Supreme Court Vacancies That Arose During One Presidency and Were Filled During a Different Presidency (open access)

Supreme Court Vacancies That Arose During One Presidency and Were Filled During a Different Presidency

This report provides data and analysis related to Supreme Court vacancies since 1797 that arose during one presidency and were filled during a different presidency.
Date: April 5, 2016
Creator: McMillion, Barry J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Freight Policy: In Brief (open access)

Federal Freight Policy: In Brief

This report discusses the federal role in freight system planning. The U.S. freight system is a complex network including four principal modes of transportation: The National Truck Network, railroads, barge and ship lines, and air carriers.
Date: February 5, 2016
Creator: Frittelli, John
System: The UNT Digital Library
Legislative Actions to Repeal, Defund, or Delay the Affordable Care Act (open access)

Legislative Actions to Repeal, Defund, or Delay the Affordable Care Act

This report provides background information and three tables summarizing legislative actions taken to repeal, defund, delay, or otherwise amend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) since it was enacted. Table 1 summarizes the ACA changes that have been signed into law. Table 2 lists all the House-passed ACA bills. Table 3 summarizes the ACA provisions in the vetoed reconciliation bill.
Date: February 5, 2016
Creator: Redhead, C. S. & Kinzer, Janet
System: The UNT Digital Library