This report provides an overview of the implementation phase of the department organization and management of the Homeland Security.

As the world’s largest stock exchange and a key part of the U.S. economy, the NYSE is a central focus of Congress’s oversight of financial markets. This report sets out the basic issues in NYSE governance and market structure.

The two policy committees are different in structure and operation, a contrast that appears to be rooted in different leadership styles within the two party organizations. Republican leadership has traditionally been shared among Senators other than the party floor leader; customarily, the Democratic leadership positions of party floor leader, chair of the Democratic Policy Committee, and chair of the Democratic Conference have been posts held by the same person. This report covers the history of the two Senate policy committees and explains their structure, operation, and functions.

This report discusses recent attempts at legislative action regarding changes to the computation of benefits under Social Security Amendments of 1977 (P.L. 95-216), which directly affected retirees born in the 5- to 15-year period after 1916. These persons fall in the "notch" between previous Social Security legislation and those affected by the amendments.

This report summarizes actions in Congress during 2002 to make the repeal of the estate tax permanent and other proposals that would have retained but altered the estate tax.

Baselines and scorekeeping are an integral part of the federal budget process, providing Congress and the President with a framework for making and enforcing budgetary decisions. A baseline serves as a benchmark for federal budget decisions. While the Office of Management and Budget and the Congressional Budget Office create different baselines, their baselines project federal spending, revenue, and budget surplus or deficit amounts that would occur if existing budget policies were left unchanged. Scorekeeping is the process by which the budgetary impact of proposed ad enacted budgetary policies is measured; it assists Congress and the President in making and enforcing budgetary decisions.

This report discuses lumber imports from Canada and provides a concise historical account of the dispute, summarizes the subsidy and injury evidence, and discusses the current issues and events.

This report discusses the funding authorizations for programs in the Higher Education Act (HEA). This legislation authorizes the federal government’s major student aid programs, as well as other significant initiatives.