Collection
Office of Scientific & Technical Information Technical Reports
3,101
Congressional Research Service Reports
1,462
Texas Patents
567
Texas Attorney General Opinions
494
Government Accountability Office Reports
422
Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission
414
Technical Report Archive and Image Library
314
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Collection
170
Texas Register
123
Texas State Publications
115
18 More
Degree Department
Country
States
Decade
Month
Day
Language
7,180 Matching Results
Results open in a new window/tab.
Campaign Finance: Constitutional and Legal Issues of Soft Money
Prior to enactment of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA), P.L. 107-155, the term “soft money” generally referred to unregulated funds, perceived as resulting from loopholes in the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), 2 U.S.C. §§ 431 et seq. Generally, the intent of BCRA, (effective Nov. 6, 2002), which amends FECA, is to restrict the raising and spending of soft money. This Issue Brief discusses constitutional and legal issues surrounding two major types of soft money that BCRA regulates: political party soft money and soft money used for issue advocacy communications. Corporate and labor union soft money, which FECA exempts from regulation and is not addressed by BCRA, is also discussed.
Date:
January 22, 2004
Creator:
Whitaker, L. Paige
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Internet Voting: Issues and Legislation
None
Date:
February 22, 2002
Creator:
Coleman, Kevin J.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Campaign Finance Reform and Incentives to Voluntarily Limit Candidate Spending From Personal Funds: Constitutional Issues Raised by Public Subsidies and Variable Contribution Limits
The Supreme Court in Buckley v. Valeo ruled that spending limits, including the amount a candidate can spend on his or her own campaign from personal funds (also known as personal fund expenditure limits) are unconstitutional. The Court did, however, uphold a system of spending limits, on the condition that they are voluntarily accepted in exchange for some form of public financing. As a result of these Court rulings, the concept of various incentives toward voluntary compliance with a personal funds expenditure limit has been developed. This report discusses some constitutional issues raised by two such incentives: public subsidies and variable contribution limits.
Date:
March 22, 2001
Creator:
Whitaker, L. Paige
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
State Election Laws: Overview of Statutes Regarding Emergency Election Postponement Within the State
None
Date:
September 22, 2004
Creator:
Whitaker, L. Paige
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Elementary and Secondary School Teachers: Action by the 106th Congress
The quality and quantity of public elementary and secondary school teachers are of increasing concern to the 106th Congress. Although states and localities are responsible for most aspects of teacher preparation, recruitment, and employment, the federal government supports a wide array of programs for teachers. Several of these programs are being considered for amendment and extension by the 106th Congress including the Eisenhower Professional Development program and the Class Size Reduction program. The 106th Congress has before it a wide array of legislative proposals to address teacher issues. Action has occurred on several proposals. This report tracks such action and will be updated as it occurs.
Date:
August 22, 2000
Creator:
Stedman, James B.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Electricity: The Road Toward Restructuring
The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 (PUHCA) and the Federal Power Act (FPA) were enacted to eliminate unfair practices and other abuses by electricity and gas holding companies by requiring federal control and regulation of interstate public utility holding companies. Comprehensive energy legislation has passed the House and Senate. The House passed H.R. 6 on April 11, 2003. On July 31, 2003, the Senate suspended debate on S. 14, inserted the text of H.R. 4 (107th Congress) as a substitute, and passed H.R. 6. A conference agreement was reached November 17, 2003, and passed by the House the next day. H.R. 6 includes an electricity title that would, in part, repeal PUHCA, would prospectively repeal the mandatory purchase requirement under PURPA, and would create an electric reliability organization. On June 15, 2004, H.R. 4503, a comprehensive energy policy bill, passed the House.
Date:
August 22, 2002
Creator:
Abel, Amy & Parker, Larry
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Energy Efficiency: Budget, Oil Conservation, and Electricity Conservation Issues
Energy security, a major driver of federal energy efficiency programs in the past, came back into play as oil and gas prices rose late in the year 2000. The terrorist attack in 2001 and the Iraq war have led to heightened concern for energy security and raised further concerns about the vulnerability of energy infrastructure and the need for alternative fuels. Further, the 2001 power shortages in California, the 2003 northeast-midwest power blackout, and continuing high natural gas prices have brought a renewed emphasis on energy efficiency and energy conservation to dampen electricity, oil, and natural gas demand.
Date:
August 22, 2003
Creator:
Sissine, Fred
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Nuclear Energy Policy
None
Date:
April 22, 2003
Creator:
Holt, Mark & Behrens, Carl E.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Automobile and Light Truck Fuel Economy: The CAFE Standards
One of the least controversial provisions of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (P.L. 94-163) established corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for new passenger cars. This report presents a brief background and analysis regarding the price of crude oil that brought into sharp focus the fuel inefficiency of U.S. automobiles. The report also discusses the previous issues and the most recent developments regarding CAFE.
Date:
April 22, 2003
Creator:
Bamberger, Robert L.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Automobile and Light Truck Fuel Economy: The CAFE Standards
On July 31, 2003, the Senate, facing obstacles to passage of its comprehensive energy bill (S. 14), substituted the energy legislation the Senate had passed in the 107th Congress. It is in conference, now as H.R. 6, in the 108th Congress. The Senate bill would require the Secretary of Transportation to issue, not later than 15 months after enactment, “newregulations setting forth increased fuel economy standards” reflecting “maximum feasible fuel economy levels” consistent with factors set out in the original legislation authorizing the corporate average fuel economy [CAFE] standards – the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA, P.L. 94-163).
Date:
September 22, 2003
Creator:
Bamberger, Robert L.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Fuel Ethanol: Background and Public Policy Issues
In light of a changing regulatory environment, concern has arisen regarding the future prospects for ethanol as a motor fuel. Ethanol is produced from biomass (mainly corn) and is mixed with gasoline to produce cleaner-burning fuel called "gasohol" or "E10."
Date:
March 22, 2000
Creator:
Yacobucci, Brent D. & Womach, Jasper
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Bush Energy Policy: Overview of Major Proposals and Legislative Action
The Bush Administration outlined its proposals for addressing the nation’s energy problems in May 2001 with a 170-page report by the National Energy Policy Development Group (NEPD) titled National Energy Policy (NEP). In June, the President transmitted to Congress a summation of the report’s concepts and strategies that call for legislative action.
Date:
August 22, 2001
Creator:
Bamberger, Robert L. & Holt, Mark
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Clean Air Act Issues in the 108th Congress
The conference report on the energy bill (H.R. 6), which came to the House and Senate floor for action the week of November 17, 2003, contained several Clean Air Act provisions. Most of these are also contained in S. 2095, a revised version of the bill introduced February 12, 2004, and in H.R. 4503, which passed the House June 15, 2004. Most of the air provisions concern the gasoline additives MTBE and ethanol, used to meet Clean Air Act requirements that reformulated gasoline (RFG) sold in the nation’s worst ozone nonattainment areas contain at least 2% oxygen, to improve combustion.
Date:
October 22, 2004
Creator:
McCarthy, James E.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Environmental Risk and Cost-Benefit Analysis: A Review of Proposed Legislative Mandates, 1993-1998
Between 1993 and 1998 Congress considered many proposals that aimed to increase or improve the use of risk analysis by federal agencies, especially in developing environmental rules. This report describes differences and similarities among selected provisions of key proposals: Senate-passed Johnston amendments to S. 171 and S. 2019 in the 103rd Congress; S. 343, as reported by the Committee on the Judiciary, in the 104th Congress; House-passed H.R. 9 in the 104th Congress; S. 981, as reported by the Committee on Governmental Affairs, in the 105th Congress, and S. 1728, as introduced, in the 105th Congress.
Date:
January 22, 1999
Creator:
Schierow, Linda-Jo
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Executive Branch Reorganization
This issue brief views reorganization as involving the alteration and relocation of both programs and the administrative structure of the executive branch for reasons of efficiency, economy, and direction. The underlying issue is who reorganizes--Congress or the President--and by what authority and, also, for what purpose? Some other related administrative and management reforms are tracked as well.
Date:
September 22, 2000
Creator:
Relyea, Harold C.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Appropriations for FY2001: Interior and Related Agencies
Appropriations are one part of a complex federal budget process that includes budget resolutions, appropriations (regular, supplemental, and continuing) bills, rescissions, and budget reconciliation bills. This report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress passes each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations.
Date:
September 22, 2000
Creator:
Greenwood, Alfred R.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Appropriations for FY2003: U.S. Department of Agriculture and Related Agencies
Appropriations are one part of a complex federal budget process that includes budget resolutions, appropriations (regular, supplemental, and continuing) bills, rescissions, and budget reconciliation bills. This report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Agriculture.
Date:
March 22, 2002
Creator:
Chite, Ralph M.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Appropriations for FY2003: Transportation and Related Agencies
Appropriations are one part of a complex federal budget process that includes budget resolutions, appropriations (regular, supplemental, and continuing) bills, rescissions, and budget reconciliation bills. This report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the Subcommittees on Transportation of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
Date:
August 22, 2002
Creator:
Peterman, David Randall & Frittelli, John F.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Department of Homeland Security: Consolidation of Border and Transportation Security Agencies
This report includes conceptual definitions for “border management” and “border security;” descriptions of the missions of the principal border management agencies; brief discussion of seaport and transportation security, since both are integral to border security; and a brief exploration of issues raised by transferring the Federal Protective Service, the Office for Domestic Preparedness, and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center to this new directorate. The report concludes with an analysis of issues concerning the consolidation of various border and transportation security agencies in the new Department of Homeland Security. This report is intended as an analysis of border and transportation security issues attached to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security.
Date:
May 22, 2003
Creator:
Lake, Jennifer E.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Appropriations for FY2004: Commerce, Justice, State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies
Appropriations are one part of a complex federal budget process that includes budget resolutions, appropriations (regular, supplemental, and continuing) bills, rescissions, and budget reconciliation bills. This Report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress passes each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations Subcommittees.
Date:
July 22, 2003
Creator:
Canada, Ben
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Overview, FY2005 Budget in Brief, and Key Issues for Congress
None
Date:
October 22, 2004
Creator:
Smith, Marcia S. & Morgan, Daniel
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Meat and Poultry Inspection Issues
This report discusses the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) responsibility for inspecting most meat, poultry, and processed egg products for safety, wholesomeness, and proper labeling while detailing the results of congressional action in reducing the presence of pathogens and food-borne illness in facilities and food products.
Date:
March 22, 2002
Creator:
Rawson, Jean M.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Africa: U.S. Foreign Assistance Issues
This report discusses the issue of U.S. economic assistance to sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the importance of continued assistance in light of U.S. national security and also various U.S.-led efforts to promote reform amongst African citizens themselves. U.S. assistance finds its way to Africa through a variety of channels, including the USAID-administered DA program, food aid programs, and indirect aid provided through international financial institutions and the United Nations.
Date:
January 22, 2002
Creator:
Copson, Raymond W.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Africa: U.S. Foreign Assistance Issues
This report discusses the issue of U.S. economic assistance to sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the importance of continued assistance in light of U.S. national security and also various U.S.-led efforts to promote reform amongst African citizens themselves. U.S. assistance finds its way to Africa through a variety of channels, including the USAID-administered DA program, food aid programs, and indirect aid provided through international financial institutions and the United Nations.
Date:
July 22, 2003
Creator:
Copson, Raymond W.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library