The DACA and DAPA Deferred Action Initiatives: Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

The DACA and DAPA Deferred Action Initiatives: Frequently Asked Questions

This report provides answers to frequently asked questions about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) initiatives.
Date: February 15, 2017
Creator: Bruno, Andorra
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Russian Compliance with the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Russian Compliance with the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty: Background and Issues for Congress

This report describes the current status of the INF Treaty and highlights issues that Congress may address as the United States pursues its compliance concerns with Russia. It includes a historical overview and summary of the provisions of the INF Treaty and Russia's concerns about U.S. compliance with the treaty; it concludes with a discussion of options that the United States might pursue to address its concerns regarding Russia's activities and options that it might pursue if Russia deploys new INF-range missiles.
Date: March 15, 2017
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Qatar: Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy (open access)

Qatar: Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy

This report provides a brief history of the state of Qatar, discussing its governance and human rights. The report also includes U.S.-Qatari defense and security cooperation and economic issues.
Date: March 15, 2017
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Sanctuary Jurisdictions: Congressional Action and President Trump's Interior Enforcement Executive Order (open access)

Sanctuary Jurisdictions: Congressional Action and President Trump's Interior Enforcement Executive Order

This report discusses President Trump's executive order (EO) "Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States" issued on January 25, 2017, which seeks, among other things, to penalize "sanctuary jurisdictions." The term refers to states and localities that limit their cooperation with federal agencies on immigration law enforcement.
Date: February 15, 2017
Creator: Kandel, William A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Finding Quotes for Speeches: Fact Sheet (open access)

Finding Quotes for Speeches: Fact Sheet

This report provides sources for finding quotes. The resources are divided into three categories: (1) General Quotations, (2) Americana, and (3) Religion.
Date: June 15, 2017
Creator: Crane-Hirsch, Audrey C.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iran's Foreign and Defense Policies (open access)

Iran's Foreign and Defense Policies

This report discusses Iran's national security policy. Some experts forecast that Iran's foreign and defense policies might shift after international sanctions were eased in January 2016 in accordance with the July 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement with Iran (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA).
Date: June 15, 2017
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Dakota Access Pipeline: Siting Controversy (open access)

Dakota Access Pipeline: Siting Controversy

This report discusses the Dakota Access Pipeline including background on the project and information about siting approval, as well as opposition and litigation against the pipeline.
Date: June 15, 2017
Creator: Parfomak, Paul W.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cyprus: Reunification Proving Elusive (open access)

Cyprus: Reunification Proving Elusive

This report provides a brief overview of the history of the negotiations between Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, a review of the negotiations since 2008, and a description of some of the issues involved in the talks.
Date: June 15, 2017
Creator: Morelli, Vincent L.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Violence Against Members of Congress and Their Staff: A Brief Overview (open access)

Violence Against Members of Congress and Their Staff: A Brief Overview

This report discusses questions about the personal security and safety of Members of Congress and their staffs.
Date: June 15, 2017
Creator: Petersen, R. Eric
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the sustainment and modernization of the Coast Guard's polar icebreaker fleet. The Coast Guard's proposed FY2017 budget requests $150 million in acquisition funding for a new polar icebreaker that the Coast Guard wants to begin building in FY2020. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Administration's FY2017 acquisition funding request for a new polar icebreaker, and, more generally, whether to approve, reject, or modify the Coast Guard's overall plan for sustaining and modernizing the polar icebreaking fleet.
Date: August 15, 2017
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress (open access)

Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress

This report discusses the process of naming Navy ships, which have traditionally been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the Navy. Rules for giving certain types of names to certain types of Navy ships have evolved over time.
Date: August 15, 2017
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Texas Register, Volume 42, Number 37, Pages 4709-4846, September 15, 2017 (open access)

Texas Register, Volume 42, Number 37, Pages 4709-4846, September 15, 2017

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.
Date: September 15, 2017
Creator: Texas. Secretary of State.
Object Type: Journal/Magazine/Newsletter
System: The Portal to Texas History
Inspector General Community Launches Oversight.gov to Increase Accessibility to Reports (open access)

Inspector General Community Launches Oversight.gov to Increase Accessibility to Reports

This report discusses the launch of oversight.gov by the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) and which agencies are currently participating in the beta test. The site allows Office of the Inspector General (OIG) reports related to participating agencies to be accessed in one place with keyword searchability.
Date: August 15, 2017
Creator: Francis, Kathryn A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Implementation Date Nears for HHS Emergency Preparedness (EP) Rule (open access)

Implementation Date Nears for HHS Emergency Preparedness (EP) Rule

This report discusses the new emergency preparedness rules for organizations which participate in the Medicaid and Medicare programs that will be required to be in place by November 16, 2017.
Date: September 15, 2017
Creator: Lister, Sarah A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Supreme Court October Term 2016: A Review of Select Major Rulings (open access)

Supreme Court October Term 2016: A Review of Select Major Rulings

This report highlights four particularly notable cases the Court heard and ruled on during the October 2016 term: Matal v. Tam, which examines the interplay between the First Amendment and trademark law; Sessions v. Morales-Santana, a case exploring the relationship between immigration law and the Court's Equal Protection jurisprudence; Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Comer, the latest chapter in the Court's Free Exercise jurisprudence; and Ziglar v. Abbasi, a case limiting the types of damages claims that can be asserted against federal officers for alleged constitutional violations under the Bivens doctrine. Each case is addressed in a separate section below, which provides background information on the case; summarizes the arguments that were presented to the Court; explains the Court's ultimate ruling; and examines the implications that the Court's ruling could have for Congress, including broader ramifications for jurisprudence in a given area of law.
Date: September 15, 2017
Creator: Nolan, Andrew; Brown, Cynthia; Garcia, Michael John; Lewis, Caitlin Devereaux & Peck, Sarah Herman
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Oil Spills: Background and Governance (open access)

Oil Spills: Background and Governance

This report provides background information regarding oil spills and identifies the legal authorities and processes for oil spill prevention, response, liability, and compensation. The first section highlights background issues, including oil spill statistics and potential environmental impacts. The second section discusses the legal and regulatory framework that governs oil spill prevention and response.
Date: September 15, 2017
Creator: Ramseur, Jonathan L.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iran Nuclear Agreement (open access)

Iran Nuclear Agreement

This report discusses the Iran nuclear agreement that was made on July 14, 2015 and the lifting of sanctions related to their nuclear weapons programs which occurred on January 16, 2016. Iran's obligations under the agreement and Congressional discussion of adjustments to the agreement or withdrawal are outlined.
Date: September 15, 2017
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth & Kerr, Paul K.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Maritime Territorial and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Disputes Involving China: Issues for Congress (open access)

Maritime Territorial and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Disputes Involving China: Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on maritime territorial and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) disputes in the East China (ECS) and South China Sea (SCS) involving China, with a focus on how these disputes may affect U.S. strategic and policy interests.
Date: September 15, 2017
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
EPA's 20115 Ozone Air Quality Standards (open access)

EPA's 20115 Ozone Air Quality Standards

This report discusses the EPA's standard-setting process for National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), the specifics of the most recent reviews, and issues raised by the 2015 rulemaking, which lowered the allowed levels of ozone pollution in the air, and its implementation.
Date: August 15, 2017
Creator: McCarthy, James E. & Lattanzio, Richard K.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
State Department Special Envoy, Representative, and Coordinator Positions: Background and Congressional Actions (open access)

State Department Special Envoy, Representative, and Coordinator Positions: Background and Congressional Actions

This report provides background on the use of special envoys, representatives, and coordinators (primarily within the foreign affairs arena; for the most part, interagency positions are not included). It identifies various temporary positions, their purpose, and existing authorities. The report presents commonly articulated arguments for and against the use of these positions and issues for Congress going forward. The scope of this report is limited to the special envoy and related positions identified by the Department of State in a 2017 report to Congress and additional selected positions identified by CRS. This report may be updated to reflect congressional action.
Date: September 15, 2017
Creator: Gill, Cory R. & Epstein, Susan B.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Coast Guard's programs for procuring 8 National Security Cutters (NSCs), 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), and 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRCs). Congress's decisions on these three programs could substantially affect Coast Guard capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
Date: August 15, 2017
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Charlottesville Car Crash Attack: Possibility of Federal Criminal Prosecution (open access)

Charlottesville Car Crash Attack: Possibility of Federal Criminal Prosecution

This report discusses the announcement that the Charlottesville, Virginia car crash attack is being investigated as a federal civil rights case. It also outlines the sections of the federal law under which the attack could be classified.
Date: August 15, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Net Neutrality Debate: Access to Broadband Networks (open access)

The Net Neutrality Debate: Access to Broadband Networks

This report discusses net neutrality and the concept of open internet access. A decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2015 to classify broadband internet service as a telecommunication subjected the industry to further regulation and provoked a debate over what level of regulation should be used for the internet. The FCC in May 2017 announced their intention to modify rules from the 2015 regulations opening the debate once again. Past and current Congressional legislation related to internet policy is included in the final section.
Date: August 15, 2017
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Judiciary Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2017 (open access)

Judiciary Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2017

This report describes the 2017 fiscal year appropriations for the judiciary branch. The judiciary's FY2017 budget request of $7.58 billion was submitted on February 9, 2016 and represents a 3.3% increase over the FY2016 enacted level of $7.34 billion provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113), Division E, Title III, enacted December 18, 2015. The House Appropriations Committee held a markup (H.R. 5485) on June 9, 2016, and recommended a total of $7.55 billion. The Senate Appropriations Committee held a markup (S. 3067) on June 16, 2016, and recommended a total of $7.58 billion.
Date: May 15, 2017
Creator: Glassman, Matthew E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library