This report summarizes the current legislative status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related legislative activity.

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This is a funding level summary of each of the 13 annual appropriation acts for FY1999 appears in the summaries of annual appropriations spending section of this report.

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The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993 allows U.S. special operations forces (SOF) to train under the Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) program in foreign countries, and does not prohibit training in nations where human rights violations have been reported. Such training includes instructing host government military units in lethal and nonlethal skills. Controversy has erupted over JCET missions in countries whose militaries are suspected or known to have committed human rights abuses. This report describes relevant legislation, SOF, JCET, alleged human rights abuses, and recent congressional initiatives and discusses further options and issues.

This report provides brief legislative background for Older Americans Act programs expired at the end of FY1995. The report discusses issues with re-authorization and 106th Congress proposals.

Forfeiture has survived through time in American law, and since 1984, the use of forfeiture statutes to divest felons of their spoils has increased substantially. This report reviews the case law which raises the issue concerning many relative to whether some civil forfeiture proceedings constitute punishment which may violate the Eighth Amendment's excessive fines clause.

This report discusses the provisions expanding a court's authority to award attorney's fees and costs in certain cases and permitting a taxpayer to collect damages for negligent collection actions by IRS agents.

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This report discusses house rules and statutes that detail several substantive requirements for items to be included in reports accompanying bills reported from committees. It provides a table that lists each rule with the requirement and applications.

This report discusses gun industry liability issues after the Maryland Court of Appeals announced that it was changing the common law "to hold the manufacturers and marketers of Saturday Night Special handguns strictly liable to innocent persons who suffer gunshot injuries from the criminal use of their products." Kelley v. R.G. Industries, Inc., 497 A.2d 1143, 1159 (Md. 1985).

This report examines the background and issues of the litigation regarding Regulations implementing the Credit Union Membership Act of 1998 that is being challenged in court as impermissively expansive.

This report provides a historic review of the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food package and the controversy over the sugar cap on cereals allowed in the program.

This report discusses legislative issues regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which provides federal funds to the states to assist them in providing an education for children with disabilities.

This report discusses the events leading to the creation of a permanent international criminal tribunal and U.S. perspectives on the Court including: problematic provisions in the ICC Treaty, congressional considerations, and potential implications for U.S. foreign policy.

This report compares selected House and Senate rules of procedure governing various stages of the legislative process: referral of legislation to committees; scheduling and calling up measures; and floor consideration. The appendices provide sources of additional information about House and Senate rules of procedure.

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This report describes the basic standards of decorum that govern remarks made in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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