Navy SSBN(X) Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy SSBN(X) Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses the Navy's plan to develop and design a class of 12 next-generation ballistic missile submarines, or SSBN(X)s, as replacements for the 14 Ohio class SSBNs currently in operation. The report explores certain related issues for Congress, including the affordability of the project and its potential impact on other Navy shipbuilding programs, alternatives to the program, and which shipyard or shipyards will build the proposed ships.
Date: July 27, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Proposals to Change the Operation of Cloture in the Senate (open access)

Proposals to Change the Operation of Cloture in the Senate

This report provides a brief history of the Senate cloture rule, explains its main features and the arguments made by supporters and opponents of these features, outlines a range of proposals to change its operation, and briefly explains the methods by which the Senate might change its rules or practices.
Date: July 27, 2010
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.; Heitshusen, Valerie & Palmer, Betsy
System: The UNT Digital Library
Safe Drinking Water Act: Selected Regulatory and Legislative Issues (open access)

Safe Drinking Water Act: Selected Regulatory and Legislative Issues

This report provides an overview of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and examines recent issues such as infrastructure funding needs, regulatory compliance issues, and concerns caused by the detection of unregulated contaminants in drinking water.
Date: July 27, 2010
Creator: Tiemann, Mary
System: The UNT Digital Library
Veterans Medical Care: FY2011 Appropriations (open access)

Veterans Medical Care: FY2011 Appropriations

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides benefits to veterans through three major operating units, one of which is the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), on which this report focuses. This report will track the FY2011 appropriations process for funding VHA, and will be updated as legislative activities warrant.
Date: July 27, 2010
Creator: Panangala, Sidath Viranga
System: The UNT Digital Library
FEMA Disaster Housing: From Sheltering to Permanent Housing (open access)

FEMA Disaster Housing: From Sheltering to Permanent Housing

This report reviews standard disaster housing procedures as well as options that could be taken to improve disaster housing including increased FEMA/HUD cooperation, the use of the case management authority, the repair and renovation of private rental housing units, and the use of alternative manufactured housing.
Date: August 27, 2010
Creator: McCarthy, Francis X.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Frequently Asked Questions about IMF Involvement in the Eurozone Debt Crisis (open access)

Frequently Asked Questions about IMF Involvement in the Eurozone Debt Crisis

On May 2, 2010, the Eurozone member states and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced an unprecedented €110 billion (about $145 billion) financial assistance package for Greece. The following week, on May 9, 2010, EU leaders announced that they would make an additional €500 billion (about $636 billion) in financial assistance available to vulnerable European countries, and suggested that the IMF could contribute up to an additional €220 billion to €250 billion (about $280 billion to $318 billion). This report answers frequently asked questions about IMF involvement in the Eurozone debt crisis.
Date: August 27, 2010
Creator: Nelson, Rebecca M.; Nanto, Dick K.; Sanford, Jonathan E. & Weiss, Martin A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Gun Control Legislation (open access)

Gun Control Legislation

This report provides basic firearms-related statistics, an overview of federal firearms law, and a summary of legislative action in the 111th Congress. The report concludes with salient issues that have generated significant congressional interest, including the 1994-2004 LCAFD ban.
Date: August 27, 2010
Creator: Krouse, William J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Homeland Security Department: FY2011 Appropriations (open access)

Homeland Security Department: FY2011 Appropriations

This report describes the FY2011 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Administration requested a net appropriation of $45.0 billion in budget authority for FY2011. This amounts to a $1.1 billion, or a 2.4% increase from the $43.9 billion enacted for FY2010. Total budget authority requested by the Administration for DHS for FY2011 amounts to $52.6 billion as compared to $51.7 billion enacted for FY2010.
Date: August 27, 2010
Creator: Haddal, Chad C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Immigration of Foreign Workers: Labor Market Tests and Protections (open access)

Immigration of Foreign Workers: Labor Market Tests and Protections

This report discusses §1611, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which requires companies receiving Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funding to comply with the more rigorous labor market rules of H-1B dependent companies if they hire foreign workers on H-1B visas.
Date: August 27, 2010
Creator: Wasem, Ruth Ellen
System: The UNT Digital Library
Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) and Its Implementing Regulations (open access)

Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) and Its Implementing Regulations

None
Date: August 27, 2010
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Currency Manipulation: The IMF and WTO (open access)

Currency Manipulation: The IMF and WTO

This report describes how the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Trade Organization (WTO) deal with the issue of currency manipulation. It also discusses apparent discrepancies in their charters and ways those differences might be addressed.
Date: September 27, 2010
Creator: Sanford, Jonathan E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Managing Electronic Waste: Issues with Exporting E-Waste (open access)

Managing Electronic Waste: Issues with Exporting E-Waste

Electronic waste (e-waste) is a term that is used loosely to refer to obsolete, broken, or irreparable electronic devices like televisions, computer central processing units (CPUs), and computer monitors. There are various issues of concern with regard to e-waste disposal and recycling. This report looks at issues specifically related to its export for recycling. Particularly, it discusses documented impacts to human health and the environment that have been tied to unsafe recycling practices in developing countries, as well as issues that have motivated certain stakeholders to divert e-waste from landfill disposal and, hence, increase recycling. It also provides an overview of various factors necessary to understand why e-waste disposal has become a concern in the United States, and it also discusses waste management requirements in the United States.
Date: September 27, 2010
Creator: Luther, Linda
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress (open access)

Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress

The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a relatively inexpensive Navy surface combatant equipped with modular "plug-and-fight" mission packages. The Navy's FY2011-FY2015 shipbuilding plan calls for procuring 17 more LCSs in annual quantities of 2, 3, 4, 4, and 4. This report details this shipbuilding plan, the Navy's budget proposals, and a new LCS acquisition strategy proposed by the Navy on September 16, 2009. FY2011 issues for Congress include whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's request for FY2011 procurement and advance procurement funding for the LCS program, and whether to provide any additional direction to the Navy regarding LCS acquisition strategy.
Date: September 27, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Shutdown of the Federal Government: Causes, Processes, and Effects (open access)

Shutdown of the Federal Government: Causes, Processes, and Effects

This report discusses the causes of funding gaps and shutdowns of the federal government, processes that are associated with shutdowns, and how agency operations may be affected by shutdowns. The report concludes with a discussion of potential issues for Congress.
Date: September 27, 2010
Creator: Brass, Clinton T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Bush Tax Cuts and the Economy (open access)

The Bush Tax Cuts and the Economy

The George W. Bush Administration enacted a series of tax cuts through the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 and the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. This report examines these tax cuts within the context of the current and long-term economic environment.
Date: October 27, 2010
Creator: Hungerford, Thomas L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
India-U.S. Relations (open access)

India-U.S. Relations

This report focuses on relations between the United States and India, a relationship deepened in the Clinton and G. W. Bush Administrations. The Obama Administrations seeks to continue developing this relationship. Continuing U.S. interest in South Asia focuses on ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, human rights issues, caste-based discrimination, and India's economic expansion.
Date: October 27, 2010
Creator: Kronstadt, K. Alan; Kerr, Paul K.; Martin, Michael F. & Vaughn, Bruce
System: The UNT Digital Library
Indonesia: Domestic Politics, Strategic Dynamics, and U.S. Interests (open access)

Indonesia: Domestic Politics, Strategic Dynamics, and U.S. Interests

This report explores the current political conditions of Indonesia, as well as its relationship with surrounding nations and its relationship with the United States, including a focus on U.S. policy regarding Indonesia. The report also focuses on how the election of President Barack Obama increased Indonesian expectations of an improved relationship with the U.S., as President Obama spent part of his childhood in Indonesia.
Date: October 27, 2010
Creator: Vaughn, Bruce
System: The UNT Digital Library
Social Security: Trust Fund Investment Practices (open access)

Social Security: Trust Fund Investment Practices

None
Date: October 27, 2010
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Unauthorized Alien Students: Issues and "DREAM Act" Legislation (open access)

Unauthorized Alien Students: Issues and "DREAM Act" Legislation

Supporters of comprehensive immigration reform have urged the President and Congress to pursue reform legislation. While legislative action on comprehensive reform does not appear likely during the remainder of the 111th Congress, there may be an effort to enact a measure, commonly referred to as the "DREAM Act," to enable certain unauthorized alien students to legalize their status. This report discusses the DREAM act and related issues.
Date: October 27, 2010
Creator: Bruno, Andorra
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act: Overview and Issues (open access)

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act: Overview and Issues

This report discusses the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), under which members of the uniformed services and U.S. citizens who live abroad are eligible to register and vote absentee in federal elections. The report discusses recent improvements to UOCAVA, necessary as teh result of controversy surrounding ballots received in Florida from absentee voters in the 2000 presidential election. The report also discusses related legislation, such as the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2010, which provided for a major overhaul of UOCAVA.
Date: October 27, 2010
Creator: Coleman, Kevin J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
China-U.S. Trade Issues (open access)

China-U.S. Trade Issues

This report is on China-U.S. Trade Issues.
Date: December 27, 2010
Creator: Morrison, Wayne M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cybercrime: A Sketch of 18 U.S.C. 1030 and Related Federal Criminal Laws (open access)

Cybercrime: A Sketch of 18 U.S.C. 1030 and Related Federal Criminal Laws

This report shows Sketch of 18 U.S.C. 1030 and Related Federal Criminal Laws on cybercrime. The federal computer fraud and abuse statute,outlaws conduct that victimizes computer systems.
Date: December 27, 2010
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cybercrime: An Overview of the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Statute and Related Federal Criminal Laws (open access)

Cybercrime: An Overview of the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Statute and Related Federal Criminal Laws

The federal computer fraud and abuse statute, 18 U.S.C. 1030, outlaws conduct that victimizes computer systems. It is a cyber security law. It protects federal computers, bank computers, and computers connected to the Internet. It shields them from trespassing, threats, damage, espionage, and from being corruptly used as instruments of fraud. It is not a comprehensive provision, but instead it fills cracks and gaps in the protection afforded by other federal criminal laws. This is a brief sketch of Section 1030 and some of its federal statutory companions, including the amendments found in the Identity Theft Enforcement and Restitution Act.
Date: December 27, 2010
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Membership of the 111th Congress: A Profile (open access)

Membership of the 111th Congress: A Profile

This report presents a profile of the membership of the 111th Congress. Statistical information is included on selected characteristics of Members, including data on party affiliation, average age and length of service, occupation, religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity, foreign births, and military service.
Date: December 27, 2010
Creator: Manning, Jennifer E.
System: The UNT Digital Library