Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses (open access)

Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses

This report discusses the current political state of Iran and its relationship with the United States. This report emphasizes in particular the Iranian presidential elections that took place on June 12, 2009; current U.S. efforts under President Obama to forge diplomatic talks with Iran while at the same time urging aggressive action in the way of certain economic and trade sanctions; and how current U.S. efforts under the Obama Administration differ and/or are similar to efforts under the Bush Administration.
Date: July 2, 2009
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress

The issue for Congress that is discussed in this report is how to respond to the Navy's proposed force structure and shipbuilding plans. Decisions that Congress makes on this issue could significantly affect future U.S. military capabilities, Navy funding requirements, and the Navy shipbuilding industrial base.
Date: June 2, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Latin America and the Caribbean: Fact Sheet on Leaders and Elections (open access)

Latin America and the Caribbean: Fact Sheet on Leaders and Elections

This fact sheet tracks the current heads of government in Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. It provides the dates of the last and next elections for the head of government and the national independence date for each country.
Date: December 2, 2009
Creator: Gomez-Granger, Julissa & Sullivan, Mark P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Troop Levels in the Afghan and Iraq Wars, FY2001-FY2012: Cost and Other Potential Issues (open access)

Troop Levels in the Afghan and Iraq Wars, FY2001-FY2012: Cost and Other Potential Issues

In February and March 2009, the Obama Administration announced its overall plans to increase troop levels in Afghanistan and decrease troop levels in Iraq for 2009 through 2011. Using several Department of Defense (DOD) data reports, this report describes, analyzes, and estimates deployed troop strength from the 9/11 attacks to FY2012 to provide Congress with a tool to assess current and future DOD war funding requests; implications for the U.S. military presence in the region; and deployment burdens on individual service members and each of the services.
Date: July 2, 2009
Creator: Belasco, Amy
System: The UNT Digital Library
Trafficking in Persons: U.S. Policy and Issues for Congress (open access)

Trafficking in Persons: U.S. Policy and Issues for Congress

Trafficking in persons (TIP) for the purposes of exploitation is believed to be one of the most prolific areas of international criminal activity and is of significant concern to the United States and the international community. This report discusses the global and ongoing problem of TIP in detail, as well as anti-TIP programs and U.S. and international efforts to combat TIP.
Date: July 2, 2009
Creator: Wyler, Liana Sun; Siskin, Alison & Seelke, Clare Ribando
System: The UNT Digital Library
NATO in Afghanistan: A Test of the Transatlantic Alliance (open access)

NATO in Afghanistan: A Test of the Transatlantic Alliance

This report discusses the mission of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Afghanistan, the purpose of which is to stabilize and reconstruct Afghanistan by combating emerging threats such as terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This report also discusses how the Obama Administration has made the Afghanistan conflict a policy priority, and what this stance could mean for potential future endeavors.
Date: July 2, 2009
Creator: Morelli, Vincent & Belkin, Paul
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Global Financial Crisis: Analysis and Policy Implications (open access)

The Global Financial Crisis: Analysis and Policy Implications

The world has entered a global recession that is causing widespread business contraction, increases in unemployment, and shrinking government revenues. The process for coping with the crisis by countries across the globe has been manifest in four basic phases. The first has been intervention to contain the contagion and restore confidence in the system. The second has been coping with the secondary effects of the crisis, particularly the global recession and flight of capital from countries in emerging markets and elsewhere that have been affected by the crisis. The third phase of this process is to make changes in the financial system to reduce risk and prevent future crises. The fourth phase of the process is dealing with political, social, and security effects of the financial turmoil. The role for Congress in this financial crisis is multifaceted. This report describes this role, as well as the financial crisis in general, in detail.
Date: July 2, 2009
Creator: Nanto, Dick K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iraq: Politics, Elections, and Benchmarks (open access)

Iraq: Politics, Elections, and Benchmarks

This report discusses Iraq's political system, which has been restructured through a U.S.-supported election process. The Iraqi government is increasingly characterized by peaceful competition rather than violence, but sectarianism and ethnic and factional infighting still remain. This report discusses issues relating to opponents of the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and also discusses the atmosphere of nationwide provincial elections. The report also addresses the Obama Administration's plan to reduce the U.S. troop presence in Iraq by August 2010 and briefly addresses the Iranian influence in Iraq.
Date: June 2, 2009
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Ocean Acidification (open access)

Ocean Acidification

With increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, the extent of effects on the ocean and marine resources is an increasing concern. One aspect of this issue is the ongoing process whereby seawater becomes acidified (i.e., ocean acidification) as more CO2 dissolves in it, causing hydrogen ion concentration in seawater to increase. While not yet fully understood, the ecological and economic consequences of ocean acidification could be substantial. Congress is beginning to focus attention on better understanding ocean acidification and determining how this concern might be addressed.
Date: July 2, 2009
Creator: Buck, Eugene H. & Folger, Peter
System: The UNT Digital Library
Hedge Funds: Should They Be Regulated? (open access)

Hedge Funds: Should They Be Regulated?

In view of the growing impact of hedge funds on a variety of financial markets, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in October 2004 adopted a regulation that requires hedge funds to register as investment advisers, disclose basic information about their operations, and open their books for inspection. The regulation took effect in February 2006, but on June 23, 2006, a court challenge was upheld and the rule was vacated. S. 1402 and H.R. 2586 would reinstate the SEC's authority. H.R. 2683 would require defined benefit pension plans to disclose investments in hedge funds. In December 2006, the SEC proposed raising the "accredited investor" standard - to be permitted to invest in hedge funds, an investor would need $2.5 million in assets, instead of $1 million.
Date: July 2, 2007
Creator: Jickling, Mark
System: The UNT Digital Library
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Votes and Legislative Actions, 95th Congress to 110th Congress (open access)

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Votes and Legislative Actions, 95th Congress to 110th Congress

This report provides a summary of legislative attempts to address issues of energy development and preservation in the Refuge from the 95th Congress through the 110th Congress, with emphasis on the 108th through 110th Congresses.
Date: September 2, 2008
Creator: Corn, M. L. & Roberts, Beth A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Soil and Water Conservation: An Overview (open access)

Soil and Water Conservation: An Overview

The report offers the most recent development regarding the soil and water conservation topics and current major conservation activities. The report discusses the farm bill, which the 110th Congress is considering. The House passed its version of the farm bill on July 27, 2007 (H.R. 2419) by a vote of 231 to 191. Numerous options for conservation provisions were offered as the legislation moved through the House, but the conservation title was passed largely as reported by the Agriculture Committee and modified by a chairman's mark.
Date: January 2, 2008
Creator: Zinn, Jeffrey A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Climate Change: Design Approaches for a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Program (open access)

Climate Change: Design Approaches for a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Program

This report explores strategies to control greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and options to address the cost issue in four parts. First, the basic economic tradeoff between controlling the quantity of GHG emissions and the program's compliance costs is introduced and explained. Second, the five dimensions of the cost issue that have arisen so far in the climate change debate are identified and discussed. Third, a representative sample of proposed approaches to address cost concerns is compared and analyzed according to the five cost dimensions identified previously. Finally, the proposed options are summarized and opportunities to combine or merge different approaches are analyzed.
Date: June 2, 2008
Creator: Parker, Larry
System: The UNT Digital Library
Commercial Fishery Disaster Assistance (open access)

Commercial Fishery Disaster Assistance

This report discusses disaster relief for commercial fishery, which be provided by the federal government to assist the fishing industry when it is affected by a commercial fishery failure.
Date: May 2, 2008
Creator: Upton, Harold F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Emission Allowance Allocation in a Cap-and-Trade Program: Options and Considerations (open access)

Emission Allowance Allocation in a Cap-and-Trade Program: Options and Considerations

The first two sections of this report discuss the primary emission allowance distribution methods: auctions and no-cost distribution to covered sources. These sections examine the potential benefits and concerns of these allocation mechanisms. The final section identifies different options and policy considerations for Congress when determining to whom and for what purpose to distribute the value of the emission allowances.
Date: June 2, 2008
Creator: Ramseur, Jonathan L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wildfire Damages to Homes and Resources: Understanding Causes and Reducing Losses (open access)

Wildfire Damages to Homes and Resources: Understanding Causes and Reducing Losses

This report focuses on options for protecting structures and for protecting wildlands and natural resources from wildfires. It begins with a brief overview of the nature of wildfires, followed by a discussion of protecting structures. Then, it discusses wildfire damages to wildlands and natural resources, fuel treatment options and their benefits and limitations, and public involvement in federal decisions.
Date: June 2, 2008
Creator: Gorte, Ross W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Conservation Provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill (open access)

Conservation Provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill

This report discusses the policy questions and issues shaping the conservation title of the 2008 Farm Bill. The report describes the program changes in the enacted 2008 Farm Bill, and working lands conservation programs.
Date: July 2, 2008
Creator: Cowan, Tadlock & Johnson, Renée
System: The UNT Digital Library
Does the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Listing Provide More Protection of the Polar Bear? (open access)

Does the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Listing Provide More Protection of the Polar Bear?

This report discusses the polar bear that has been protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) since 1972. The polar bear was listed because the bear's primary habitat of sea ice was threatened with destruction due to global climate change.
Date: September 2, 2008
Creator: Alexander, Kristina
System: The UNT Digital Library
United States Fire Administration: An Overview (open access)

United States Fire Administration: An Overview

The report discusses the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), which is an entity within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Date: June 2, 2008
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Polar Bears: Listing Under the Endangered Species Act (open access)

Polar Bears: Listing Under the Endangered Species Act

None
Date: September 2, 2008
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Free Trade Agreements and the WTO Exceptions (open access)

Free Trade Agreements and the WTO Exceptions

None
Date: July 2, 2008
Creator: Tatelman, Todd B.; Grimmett, Jeanne J. & Nichols, James E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Guide to Individuals Seated on the House Dais (open access)

Guide to Individuals Seated on the House Dais

This report provides information about the Guide to Individuals Seated on the House Dais. The house of representatives meets in the capitol in the house chamber.
Date: October 2, 2007
Creator: Amer, Mildred
System: The UNT Digital Library
Stem Cell Research: Federal Research Funding and Oversight (open access)

Stem Cell Research: Federal Research Funding and Oversight

None
Date: April 2, 2007
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library