This report discusses the case of "Juliana v. United States" which was brought by a group of 21 individuals all under the age of 20 organized through an Oregon nonprofit called Our Children's Trust. The plaintiffs seek to compel the federal government to reduce carbon dioxide emissions through appeals to the Constitution and common law.

This report discusses the announcement that the Charlottesville, Virginia car crash attack is being investigated as a federal civil rights case. It also outlines the sections of the federal law under which the attack could be classified.

This report discusses Judge Neil Gorsuch's nomination for the Supreme Court and provides a brief overview of his background and potential influence on the Supreme Court.

This report first provides an overview of the statutory framework governing congressional health coverage and the current Office of Personnel Management (OPM) rule, and then addresses certain legal considerations that may come into play should the Trump Administration take action to modify this existing rule.

This report provides answers to frequently asked questions about the legal implications of the Obama Administration's changes in policy as to Cuban citizens and nationals with the announcement of the rescission of the wet-foot/dry-foot immigration policy.

This report briefly surveys the legal authorities that underlay the implementation of the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS), as well as the authorities that remain available to the Executive notwithstanding the recent rule change by President Obama on December 23, 2016 which removed the regulations for the system.

This report outlines significant cases on which Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch had voted while on the Tenth Circuit court, organized by topical categories. These categories represent fields of law where Judge Gorsuch could, if confirmed, influence the High Court's approach.

This report discusses countervaling duties which are charged on items entering the U.S. whose makers are supported by government subsidies in their country. Part 1 provides a general background on countervailing duties and the procedures that result in the imposition of these types of duties. Part II explores the Canadian softwood lumber dispute in more detail, providing a history of this thirty-year dispute and details about the status of the current countervailing duty investigation.

This report discusses the EPA's proposal to repeal the Obama Administration's 2015 rule "Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units (EGUs)" commonly known as the Clean Power Plan (CPP). It includes information about the legal basis for the repeal, process, possible challenges and impacts, as well as actions that Congress might take.

This report discusses legal questions related to President's Trump's announcement that the United States intends to leave the Paris Climate Agreement.

This report discusses President Trump's executive order (EO) regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and answers questions regarding the authority and discretion agencies currently have to implement the ACA, and the procedures that may be required in the exercise of those authorities. Also addressed are ways the policy enunciated in the EO may translate into action by the Trump Administration in the context of pending lawsuits challenging the ACA.

This report briefly describes the difference between import tariffs and border taxes and whether the President may unilaterally impose them without congressional approval.

This report discusses President Trump's removal of James Comey as FBI Director and the Presidents legal power to do such a removal.

This report describes President Trump's executive memorandum regarding the Keystone XL Pipeline and discuses its directives and implications for the future of the pipeline project.

This report discusses legal questions and relevant cases related to a new presidents power to freeze implementation of pending regulation temporarily while it is reviewed by the new administration for compatibility with his policy goals.

This report provides an overview of the series of three executive actions -- (the first two taking the form of executive orders, and the third issued as a presidential proclamation) commonly referred to as the "Travel Ban," which restrict the entry of specified categories of non-U.S. nationals (aliens) into the United States -- as well as the litigation related to those executive actions.

This report discusses Executive Order (EO) 13783 issued by President Trump which directs government agencies to "review, revise, or rescind" climate change related policies and regulations that "unduly burden domestic energy production or use." It also considers legal considerations and possible effects of the order.

This report discusses obstruction of justice statutes and discussions about whether they apply to FBI investigations in response to the allegations that President Trump interfered in an FBI investigation by encouraging Director James Comey to terminate the investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

This report is the third in a series discussing the potential impact of the Federal Communication Commission's proposal to reclassify broadband internet access services (BIAS). This report focuses on the regulations of BIAS provider's privacy practices.

This report discusses the federal civil service hiring freeze for the executive branch which was instituted by President Trump on Jan. 23, 2017 and presidential powers to institute such freezes and exceptions available to the hiring freeze.

This report discusses the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 and a recent Supreme Court case decision in "NLRB v SW General Inc." related to acting officials filling Presidential nominated positions under the Vacancies Act.

This report discusses developments since January 2017 related to legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and health care reform.

This report discusses the Supreme Court's ruling in "Ziglar v. Abbassi" and the "Bivens" remedy that the plaintiffs were attempting to use to win their case. The "Bivens" remedy is a legal precedent that came from a 1971 case where the plaintiff Bivens sued federal agents with the Federal Bureau of Narcotics for violations of the fourth amendment due to them handcuffing him inside his own home without a warrant. It has been used two other times for suits against federal officials related to breaches of constitutional rights, one related to gender bias and equality and the other for lack of medical care in prison.

This report discusses the use of private immigration bills in Congress which allow Congress to grant permanent residency status to an immigrant who is not eligible under normal immigration procedures but that they deem to have extraordinary equities in the United States. It also addresses the announcement of new rules by the Immigration and Citizenship Enforcement Department (ICE) that limit stays of removal granted to immigrants who are proposed beneficiaries of a private immigration bill in Congress.