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 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 information on wilderness protection and a discussion of issues in the wilderness debate--some pros and cons of wilderness designation generally; proposed legislation; and a discussion of wilderness study area designations and protections and related issues.

This report provides information on the use of the Capitol Rotunda, the Capital Grounds, and Emancipation Hall which require a concurrent resolution from the House and Senate for use at events. Statistics regarding the number and types of uses of these spaces are provided for the 101st Congress through the 115th Congress.

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 discusses the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) and its funding and legislation related to it in the 115th Congress.

This report discusses legislation related to insurance companies introduced or passed in the 115th Congress.

This report discusses legislation and debates regarding the National Flood Insurance Program in the 115th Congress.

This report discusses major topics of interest and debate in the 115th Congress related to trade and finance.

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

This report provides an overview of U.S. policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean during the 115th Congress. It begins with background on the region's political and economic environment and then examines U.S. policy toward the region, focusing on the Trump Administration. The report then examines selected regional and country issues, highlighting congressional interest and legislative action. An Appendix lists hearings on the region in the 115th Congress.

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 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.

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 a brief overview of federal land management and its challenges along with legislation in the 115th Congress which related to federal land management.

This report discusses the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the requirements that private insurers must meet to satisfy the federal flood insurance requirements. It also discusses legislation in the 115th Congress related to flood insurance.

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

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 summarizes key insurance reform provisions in recent legislation, identifies issues for congressional consideration as part of the possible reauthorization of the NFIP, and describes selected provisions which relate to the issues listed above in the bill to reauthorize the NFIP passed by the House (H.R. 2874, the 21st Century Flood Reform Act) and the bills yet to be considered by the Senate (S. 1313, S. 1368, and S. 1571).

This report discusses the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the requirements that private insurers must meet to satisfy the federal flood insurance requirements. It also discusses legislation in the 115th Congress related to flood insurance.