This report outlines regulations for vessels discharging ballast water into U.S waters, to prevent the spread of invasive species and pollution of bodies of water. It discusses various federal, state, and Coast Guard requirements along with exempted vessel types, and recent legislative action regarding the issue.

This report discusses the Army Corps of Engineers and its role in disaster recovery and flood management and how supplemental appropriations from Congress assist in funding these efforts. The 115th Congress is considering possible responses to various natural disasters in 2017. H.R. 4667--Further Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements, 2017 (as passed by the House)--proposes $12.09 billion for the agency's activities associated with response, repair, and recovery from natural disasters including Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.

This report summarizes legislative actions taken during the 111th-115th Congresses to modify the health care-related provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (HCERA). Since enactment of the ACA and HCERA, lawmakers have repeatedly debated the laws' implementation and considered bills to repeal, defund, or otherwise amend them.

This report discusses the pesticide general permit (PGP), which is required for discharges of biological pesticides and chemical pesticides that leave a residue in navigable waters. Possible actions from the 115th Congress are also discussed.

This report outlines the legal framework for withdrawal from international agreements under domestic and international law, and it examines legal issues related to the potential termination of two agreements that may be of significance to the 115th Congress: the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) related to Iran's nuclear program.

This report discusses legislation and debates regarding the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) during the 115th Congress.

This report focuses on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a key player in federal efforts to curb the opioid epidemic. It provides an overview of FDA's role in approving new prescription drugs, including challenges of approval and regulation of opioid products; addresses FDA's multifaceted approach in responding, including recent agency action; and concludes with a discussion of selected opioid-related legislation in the 115th Congress.

This report provides a summary of all legislative proposals that the 115th Congress has considered to date regarding the conflict in Yemen. Proposed stand-alone legislation, resolutions, and amendments to wider bills [National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 2810; P.L. 115-91) and Defense appropriations (H.R. 3219/Division I, H.R. 3354)] reflect a range of congressional perspectives and priorities.

This report discusses the structure and role of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and recent legislation in the 115th Congress regarding the FCC.

This report examines U.S. policy toward Cuba in the 115th Congress in three sections: Cuba's political and economic environment; U.S. policy toward Cuba; and selected issues in U.S.-Cuban relations, including restrictions on travel and trade, funding for democracy and human rights projects in Cuba and for U.S. government-sponsored radio and television broadcasting, migration, anti-drug cooperation, U.S. property claims, and U.S. fugitives from justice in Cuba.

This report examines the political and economic environment in Latin America and the Caribbean and U.S. policy toward the region in the 115th Congress, highlighting congressional interest and legislative action.

This report describes Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the context of humanitarian responses to migration and also briefly describes one alternative -- Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) -- including the historical use of these mechanisms. It also provides data on the countries currently designated for TPS, outlines past legislation to provide lawful permanent resident status to certain TPS-designated foreign nationals, and provides examples of activity in the 115th Congress related to TPS.

This report presents a profile of the membership of the 115th Congress (2017-2018) as of October 1, 2018. 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.

This report summarizes legislative proposals in the 115th Congress that relate to U.S. policy in Afghanistan. Proposals address a number of issues including: 1) aspects of the U.S. troop presence in the country, 2) information that the executive branch provides to Congress, 3) the role of women in Afghan society, government, and the military, 4) purposes for U.S. aid, and conditions under which it can be obligated, 5) overall U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, including prospects for a negotiated settlement, and 6) regional dynamics, including the role of Russia.

This report examines U.S. policy toward Cuba in the 115th Congress in three sections: Cuba's political and economic environment; U.S. policy toward Cuba; and selected issues in U.S.-Cuban relations, including restrictions on travel and trade, funding for democracy and human rights projects in Cuba and for U.S. government-sponsored radio and television broadcasting, migration, anti-drug cooperation, U.S. property claims, and U.S. fugitives from justice in Cuba.

The Federal Reserve (Fed) is the subject of legislation being considered in the 115th Congress. This report analyzes Fed bills that have seen committee or floor action and the policy debate surrounding them. The bills contain wide-ranging changes that can be grouped into five broad categories: Fed governance, oversight and disclosure, monetary policy rules (the Taylor Rule), the Fed's emergency lending powers, and the Fed's balance sheet.

This report serves as a primer on the EU. Despite the UK's vote to leave the EU, the UK remains a full member of the bloc until it completes withdrawal negotiations and officially exits the EU (expected to occur in March 2019). As such, this report largely addresses the EU and its institutions as they currently exist. It also briefly describes U.S.-EU political and economic relations that may be of interest in the 115th Congress.

This report provides background on the Islamic State organization, discusses its goals, operations, and affiliates, reviews U.S. legislative and policy debates, and reviews relevant legislation from the 114th and 115th Congresses.

This report presents a profile of the membership of the 115th Congress (2017-2018) as of January 3, 2018. 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.

This report discusses handgun concealed carry laws and provides statistics for the type of permits issued by states and territories and a historical comparison to laws in 1987.

This report provides an overview of banking related issues of interest to the 115th Congress.

This report serves as a primer on class action litigation in the federal courts. It begins by discussing the purpose of class actions, as well as the risks class actions may pose to defendants, class members, and society at large. The report also discusses the prerequisites that a class action must satisfy before a court may "certify" it--that is, before a federal court may allow a case to proceed as a class action. An Appendix to the report also contains a reference chart that graphically illustrates those prerequisites for class certification. The report then discusses Rule 23's restrictions on the parties' ability to settle a certified class action. The report concludes by identifying ways in which Congress could modify the legal framework governing class actions if it were so inclined, with a particular focus on a bill currently pending in the 115th Congress that would effectuate a variety of changes to the class action system.

This report provides an overview of the Federal Reserve and legislation related to it proposed or passed during the 115th Congress.

This report discusses "tort reform" which refers to whether (and to what extent) legislatures should limit lawsuits concerning negligence, personal injury, medical malpractice, products liability, and other similar causes of action. The report surveys several major tort and litigation reform bills pending in the 115th Congress and discusses some of the legal issues raised by each bill.