National Mortgage Servicing Standards: Legislation in the 112th Congress (open access)

National Mortgage Servicing Standards: Legislation in the 112th Congress

This report analyzes the potential misaligned incentives in the servicer-mortgage holder relationship and the servicing standards that attempt to address each concern, the servicer-borrower relationship and the relevant servicing provisions, as well as the possible implications of reforming the servicing industry.
Date: August 29, 2012
Creator: Hoskins, Sean M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
National Security Letters: Proposals in the 112th Congress (open access)

National Security Letters: Proposals in the 112th Congress

This report reprints the text of the five National Security Letter (NSL) statutes as they now appear and as they appeared prior to amendment by the USA PATRIOT Act.
Date: February 1, 2011
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Food Safety Issues for the 112th Congress (open access)

Food Safety Issues for the 112th Congress

This report looks at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. It particularly looks at ways in which the 112th Congress may want to provide oversight for the Act.
Date: February 10, 2011
Creator: Johnson, Renée
System: The UNT Digital Library
Chemical Facility Security: Issues and Options for the 112th Congress (open access)

Chemical Facility Security: Issues and Options for the 112th Congress

This report provides a brief overview of the authority of the Department of Homeland Security to regulate chemical facilities for security purposes and the regulation implementing this authority. It describes several policy issues raised in previous debates regarding chemical facility security and identifies policy options for congressional consideration.
Date: February 17, 2011
Creator: Shea, Dana A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Public Health and Medical Emergency Management: Issues in the 112th Congress (open access)

Public Health and Medical Emergency Management: Issues in the 112th Congress

This report summarizes key issues in domestic public health and medical preparedness and response, and discusses selected federal programs by citing other CRS reports and sources of additional information.
Date: February 18, 2011
Creator: Lister, Sarah A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-EU Trade and Economic Relations: Key Policy Issues for the 112th Congress (open access)

U.S.-EU Trade and Economic Relations: Key Policy Issues for the 112th Congress

This report examines the trade relations between the United States, the European Union, and China.
Date: February 17, 2011
Creator: Ahearn, Raymond J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Transportation Security: Issues for the 112th Congress (open access)

Transportation Security: Issues for the 112th Congress

This report discusses how best to construct and finance a system of deterrence, protection, and response that effectively reduces the possibility and consequences of another terrorist attack without unduly interfering with travel, commerce, and civil liberties.
Date: February 1, 2011
Creator: Peterman, David Randall; Elias, Bart & Frittelli, John
System: The UNT Digital Library
Community Development Block Grants: Funding Issues in the 112th Congress and Recent Funding History (open access)

Community Development Block Grants: Funding Issues in the 112th Congress and Recent Funding History

This report discusses funding issues in the 112th Congress and recent funding history. The Administration's FY2012 budget proposes to: (1) increase funding for CDBG formula grants by 10.5% from $3.303 billion appropriated in FY2010 to $3.691 billion; (2) eliminate funding for the Neighborhood Initiative and Economic Development Initiative programs; (3) eliminate funding for Section 107 activities; (4) transfer its Sustainable Communities Initiative to a new stand alone account; and (5) convert Section 108 loan guarantees to a fee-based program.
Date: April 6, 2011
Creator: Boyd, Eugene
System: The UNT Digital Library
Oil Spill Legislation in the 112th Congress (open access)

Oil Spill Legislation in the 112th Congress

This report focuses primarily on oil spill policy matters that concern prevention, preparedness, response, liability and compensation, and Gulf restoration. For the most part, the underlying statutes for these provisions are found in either the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Clean Water Act (CWA) and its amendments, or the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and its amendments.
Date: March 11, 2011
Creator: Ramseur, Jonathan L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-Vietnam Economic and Trade Relations: Issues for the 112th Congress (open access)

U.S.-Vietnam Economic and Trade Relations: Issues for the 112th Congress

This report discusses the economic relationship between Vietnam and the U.S. that resumed in the 1990s. Of particular interest to Congress is that both nations may soon be members of the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TTP).
Date: April 5, 2011
Creator: Martin, Michael F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Chemical Facility Security: Issues and Options for the 112th Congress (open access)

Chemical Facility Security: Issues and Options for the 112th Congress

This report provides a brief overview of the existing statutory authority that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has to regulate chemical facilities for security purposes, and the regulation implementing this authority. It describes several policy issues raised in previous debates regarding chemical facility security and identifies policy options for congressional consideration, as well as relevant legislation in the 112th Congress.
Date: April 19, 2011
Creator: Shea, Dana A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Presidential Appointments, the Senate's Confirmation Process, and Proposals for Change, 112th Congress (open access)

Presidential Appointments, the Senate's Confirmation Process, and Proposals for Change, 112th Congress

The responsibility for populating top positions in the executive and judicial branches of government is shared, with the President having the power of appointment and the Senate having the power of advice and consent. This report provides a brief background on advice and consent issues, an overview of the appointment process in both the executive and legislative branches, and a brief discussion of recent concerns about the system. Next, the report explores the events in the 112th Congress leading up to the introduction and Senate action on S. 679 and S.Res. 116, and concludes with an analysis of the two measures.
Date: July 8, 2011
Creator: Carey, Maeve P. & Palmer, Betsy
System: The UNT Digital Library
Presidential Appointments, the Senate's Confirmation Process, and Proposals for Change, 112th Congress (open access)

Presidential Appointments, the Senate's Confirmation Process, and Proposals for Change, 112th Congress

The responsibility for populating top positions in the executive and judicial branches of government is shared, with the President having the power of appointment and the Senate having the power of advice and consent. This report provides a brief background on advice and consent issues, an overview of the appointment process in both the executive and legislative branches, and a brief discussion of recent concerns about the system. Next, the report explores the events in the 112th Congress leading up to the introduction and Senate action on S. 679 and S.Res. 116, and concludes with an analysis of the two measures.
Date: July 17, 2011
Creator: Carey, Maeve P. & Palmer, Betsy
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Postal Service: Background and Analysis of H.R. 2309 and S. 1789 in the 112th Congress (open access)

U.S. Postal Service: Background and Analysis of H.R. 2309 and S. 1789 in the 112th Congress

This report looks at how the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has taken steps to save money. It also covers how bills H.R. 2309 and S. 1789 include major reforms, such as reductions in service, expansion of the USPS's authority to provide products and services, and alterations to the postal employees pension and healthcare plans.
Date: July 9, 2012
Creator: Kosar, Kevin R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Water Quality Issues in the 112th Congress: Oversight and Implementation (open access)

Water Quality Issues in the 112th Congress: Oversight and Implementation

This report looks at ways which the 112th Congress can introduce legislation to safeguard water quality in the U.S., and reasons for doing so. Although progress has been made in achieving the goals established in the Clean Water Act (CWA) to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters, long-standing problems persist, and new problems have emerged. Water quality problems are diverse, ranging from pollution runoff, to toxic substances discharged from factories and sewage treatment plants.
Date: July 11, 2011
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
System: The UNT Digital Library
National Security Letters: Proposals in the 112th Congress (open access)

National Security Letters: Proposals in the 112th Congress

This report reprints the text of the five National Security Letter (NSL) statutes as they now appear and as they appeared prior to amendment by the USA PATRIOT Act (to which form they would be returned under S.1125 and H.R. 1805). NSLs are roughly comparable to administrative subpoenas. Various intelligence agencies use them to demand certain customer information from communications providers, financial institutions, and consumer credit reporting agencies under the Right to Financial Privacy Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the National Security Act, and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.
Date: June 30, 2011
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Membership of the 112th Congress: A Profile (open access)

Membership of the 112th Congress: A Profile

This report presents a profile of the membership of the 112th Congress (2011-2012). Statistical information is included on selected characteristics of Members, including data on party affiliation, average age, occupation, education, length of congressional service, religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity, foreign births, and military service.
Date: March 1, 2011
Creator: Manning, Jennifer E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
House Rules Changes Affecting the Congressional Budget Process Made at the Beginning of the 112th Congress (open access)

House Rules Changes Affecting the Congressional Budget Process Made at the Beginning of the 112th Congress

This report discusses the changes to the congressional budget process under H.Res. 5 (an agreement made January 5, 2011), which includes six changes made to the House Standing Rules as well as separate orders also affecting the process.
Date: July 20, 2011
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): Background and Policy Options for the 112th Congress (open access)

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): Background and Policy Options for the 112th Congress

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA; 5 U.S.C. §552) enables any person to access—without explanation or justification—certain existing, identifiable, unpublished, executive branch agency records. Pursuant to FOIA, the public has presumptive access to requested agency records unless the material falls within any of FOIA's nine categories of exemption from disclosure. This report discusses FOIA's history, examines its implementation, and provides potential policy approaches for Congress.
Date: July 26, 2011
Creator: Ginsberg, Wendy
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Project BioShield Act: Issues for the 112th Congress (open access)

The Project BioShield Act: Issues for the 112th Congress

This report discusses the Project BioShield Act, In 2004, passed by Congress to encourage the private sector to develop medical countermeasures against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) terrorism agents and to provide a novel mechanism for federal acquisition of those newly developed countermeasures. This law provides three main authorities: (1) relaxing regulatory requirements for some CBRN terrorism-related spending, including hiring personnel and awarding research grants; (2) guaranteeing a federal market for new CBRN medical countermeasures; and (3) permitting emergency use of unapproved countermeasures.
Date: June 15, 2012
Creator: Gottron, Frank
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-Vietnam Economic and Trade Relations: Issues for the 112th Congress (open access)

U.S.-Vietnam Economic and Trade Relations: Issues for the 112th Congress

This report discusses the economic relationship between Vietnam and the U.S. that resumed in the 1990s. Of particular interest to Congress is that both nations may soon be members of the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TTP).
Date: June 11, 2012
Creator: Martin, Michael F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tax Reform: An Overview of Proposals in the 112th Congress (open access)

Tax Reform: An Overview of Proposals in the 112th Congress

This report primarily covers fundamental tax reform. CRS reports are available online concerning the other three categories of tax reform: tax reform based on the elimination of the individual alternative minimum tax (AMT), proposals for reforming the corporate income tax, and proposals for reforming the U.S. taxation of international business.
Date: January 14, 2011
Creator: Bickley, James M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Chemical Facility Security: Issues and Options for the 112th Congress (open access)

Chemical Facility Security: Issues and Options for the 112th Congress

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has statutory authority to regulate chemical facilities for security purposes. This report provides a brief overview of the existing statutory authority and the regulation implementing this authority. It describes several policy issues raised in previous debates regarding chemical facility security and identifies policy options for congressional consideration. Finally, the report discusses legislation in the Congress regarding whether funding should be continued to fund these efforts.
Date: September 29, 2011
Creator: Shea, Dana A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Chemical Facility Security: Issues and Options for the 112th Congress (open access)

Chemical Facility Security: Issues and Options for the 112th Congress

This report provides a brief overview of the existing statutory authority and the regulation implementing this authority. It describes several policy issues raised in previous debates regarding chemical facility security and identifies policy options for congressional consideration. Finally, legislation in the 112th Congress is discussed.
Date: June 11, 2012
Creator: Shea, Dana A.
System: The UNT Digital Library