Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension: Farm Bill Issues (open access)

Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension: Farm Bill Issues

This report discusses the farm bill (P.L. 110-234) that will authorize and direct the implementation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) major programs across the spectrum of its mission areas through FY2012. The enacted bill reorganizes the Department's research, extension, and economics mission area, which currently comprises four agencies that separately administer intramural and extramural programs supporting agricultural research and development (R&D).
Date: July 22, 2009
Creator: Ho, Melissa D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coast Guard Deepwater Acquisition Programs: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress (open access)

Coast Guard Deepwater Acquisition Programs: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

This report discusses the coast guard Acquisition reform Act of 2009 and the Coast Guard Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011 that contains provisions that would reform Coast Guard acquisition, including Deep water acquisition programs.
Date: July 22, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Defense Base Act (DBA): The Federally Mandated Workers’ Compensation System for Overseas Government Contractors (open access)

The Defense Base Act (DBA): The Federally Mandated Workers’ Compensation System for Overseas Government Contractors

None
Date: July 22, 2009
Creator: Grasso, Valerie Bailey; Webel, Baird & Szymendera, Scott
System: The UNT Digital Library
The European Parliament (open access)

The European Parliament

The European Parliament (EP) is one of the three key institutions of the European Union (EU), and the only EU institution whose members are directly elected. This report discusses the construction and history of the EP, its role in functions of the EU as well as internationally, various international supports and criticisms of the EP, and the EP's ties with the U.S. Congress.
Date: July 22, 2009
Creator: Archick, Kristin & Mix, Derek E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The European Parliament (open access)

The European Parliament

This report discusses the construction and history of the European Parliament (EP), its role in functions of the European Union as well as internationally, various international supports and criticisms of the EP, and the EP's ties with the U.S. Congress.
Date: July 22, 2009
Creator: Archick, Kristin & Mix, Derek E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Homosexuals and the U.S. Military: Current Issues (open access)

Homosexuals and the U.S. Military: Current Issues

This report examines the "don't ask, don't tell," policy in the U.S. military. "Don't ask, don't tell," holds that the presence in the armed forces of persons who demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion which are the essence of military capability. Service members are not to be asked about nor allowed to discuss their homosexuality.
Date: July 22, 2009
Creator: Burrelli, David F. & Feder, Jody
System: The UNT Digital Library
Inherently Governmental Functions and Department of Defense Operations: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress (open access)

Inherently Governmental Functions and Department of Defense Operations: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress

This report provides background, issues, and options for Congress on defining inherently governmental functions within the context of DOD operations.
Date: July 22, 2009
Creator: Luckey, John R.; Grasso, Valerie Bailey & Manuel, Kate M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Issues Regarding a National Land Parcel Database (open access)

Issues Regarding a National Land Parcel Database

This report provides a summary of some of the issues regarding the creation of a national land parcel database, or cadastre. The report identifies some of the perceived needs for a national cadastre, legislative and administrative options that could lead to a national land parcel database, and some of the challenges and concerns. The report also summarizes and briefly discusses recommendations in a 2007 National Research Council (NRC) report that concluded "...a national approach is necessary to provide a rational and accountable system of property records."
Date: July 22, 2009
Creator: Folger, Peter
System: The UNT Digital Library
Issues Regarding a National Land Parcel Database (open access)

Issues Regarding a National Land Parcel Database

This report provides a summary of some of the issues regarding the creation of a national land parcel database, or cadastre. The report identifies some of the perceived needs for a national cadastre, legislative and administrative options that could lead to a national land parcel database, and some of the challenges and concerns.
Date: July 22, 2009
Creator: Folger, Peter
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Aegis Cruiser and Destroyer Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Aegis Cruiser and Destroyer Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress

None
Date: July 22, 2009
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy F/A-18E/F and EA-18G Aircraft Procurement and Strike Fighter Shortfall: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy F/A-18E/F and EA-18G Aircraft Procurement and Strike Fighter Shortfall: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses the Navy's proposed FY2011 budget requests (about $1.8 billion) for the procurement of 22 F/A- 18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters and about $1.0 billion for the procurement of 12 EA-18G Growler electric attack aircraft.
Date: July 22, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Drought: Species and Ecosystem Management (open access)

Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Drought: Species and Ecosystem Management

Drought in the Southeast has brought congressional attention to an ongoing interstate water conflict among Alabama, Florida, and Georgia over water allocation and management of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint basin. This report details the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint ecosystem, consultation under the Endangered Species Act, consultations in 2008, what endangered species need, and related figures.
Date: July 22, 2008
Creator: Corn, M. Lynne
System: The UNT Digital Library
Clean Air After the CAIR Decision: Back to Square One? (open access)

Clean Air After the CAIR Decision: Back to Square One?

This report discusses three Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) long-term options in regard to Clean Air: (1) starting anew with a new strategy with respect to mitigating transported air pollution based on the decision; (2) allowing the states to sort out the issue through Section 126 petitions; and (3) seeking new legislation providing EPA with the statutory authority to implement either CAIR in some form, or an alternative.
Date: July 22, 2008
Creator: McCarthy, James E.; Parker, Larry B. & Meltz, Robert
System: The UNT Digital Library
Continuation of Employment Benefits for Senate Restaurant Employees (open access)

Continuation of Employment Benefits for Senate Restaurant Employees

This report contains an overview of the continuation of employment benefits for senate restaurant employees.
Date: July 22, 2008
Creator: Straus, Jacob R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Female Genital Mutilation as Persecution: When Can It Constitute a Basis for Asylum and Withholding of Removal? (open access)

Female Genital Mutilation as Persecution: When Can It Constitute a Basis for Asylum and Withholding of Removal?

This report first explores the basic statutory and regulatory framework that governs refugee law. This entails an outline of the requirements an applicant must meet in order to qualify as a refugee, a discussion about the differences between the two main forms of relief for aliens facing removal from the United States, asylum and withholding of removal, and an examination of several important issues and controversies concerning this particular area of refugee law.
Date: July 22, 2008
Creator: Kim, Yule
System: The UNT Digital Library
Financing the U.S. Trade Deficit (open access)

Financing the U.S. Trade Deficit

This report provides an overview of the U.S. balance of payments, an explanation of the broader role of capital flows in the U.S. economy, an explanation of how the country finances its trade deficit or a trade surplus, and the implications for Congress and the country of the large inflows of capital from abroad.
Date: July 22, 2008
Creator: Jackson, James K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007: The Role of the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate (open access)

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007: The Role of the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate

This report provides an overview of the role of the clerk of the house and secretary of the senate with the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007.
Date: July 22, 2008
Creator: Straus, Jacob R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iraq: Reconstruction Assistance (open access)

Iraq: Reconstruction Assistance

This report describes recent developments in the assistance effort in post-authoritarian Iraq and key issues of potential interest to Congress.
Date: July 22, 2008
Creator: Tarnoff, Curt
System: The UNT Digital Library
Kosovo’s Independence and U.S. Policy (open access)

Kosovo’s Independence and U.S. Policy

None
Date: July 22, 2008
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
NATO's Prague Capabilities Commitment (open access)

NATO's Prague Capabilities Commitment

With the end of the Cold War, NATO began to reassess its collective defense strategy and to anticipate possible new missions. The conflicts in the Balkans highlighted the need for more mobile forces, for greater technological equality between the United States and its allies, and for interoperability. At its 2002 summit, NATO approved a new initiative, the Prague Capabilities Commitment (PCC), touted as a slimmed-down, more focused Defense Capabilities Initiative (DCI), with quantifiable goals. Analysts cautioned that the success of PCC would hinge upon increased spending and changed procurement priorities, particularly by the European allies. The 2008 Bucharest summit declaration did not mention PCC, but, in light of NATO missions, particularly in Afghanistan, stressed the urgency of acquiring specific capabilities such as airlift and communications.
Date: July 22, 2008
Creator: Ek, Carl
System: The UNT Digital Library
Overview of Federal Housing Assistance Programs and Policy (open access)

Overview of Federal Housing Assistance Programs and Policy

None
Date: July 22, 2008
Creator: McCarty, Maggie; Perl, Libby; Foote, Bruce E. & Peterson, Meredith
System: The UNT Digital Library
Reducing Teen Pregnancy: Adolescent Family Life and Abstinence Education Programs (open access)

Reducing Teen Pregnancy: Adolescent Family Life and Abstinence Education Programs

None
Date: July 22, 2008
Creator: Solomon-Fears, Carmen
System: The UNT Digital Library
The United States as a Net Debtor Nation: Overview of the International Investment Position (open access)

The United States as a Net Debtor Nation: Overview of the International Investment Position

This report provides an overview of international investing patterns and impacts, and ends with considerations on this topic for Congress.
Date: July 22, 2008
Creator: Jackson, James K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Agriculture in the U.S.-Dominican RepublicCentral American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) (open access)

Agriculture in the U.S.-Dominican RepublicCentral American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA)

This report considers the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA). Specifically, the report explores sugar imports, phasing out tariffs and quotas, and how the U.S. can protect the market from an overflow of imported products.
Date: July 22, 2005
Creator: Jurenas, Remy
System: The UNT Digital Library