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Federal Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Taxes: A Description of Current Law
This report contains an explanation of the major provisions of the federal estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes. The discussion divides the federal estate tax into three components: the gross estate, deductions from the gross estate, and computation of the tax, including allowable tax credits. The federal estate tax is computed through a series of adjustments and modifications of a tax base known as the "gross estate." Certain allowable deductions reduce the gross estate to the "taxable estate," to which is then added the total of all lifetime taxable gifts made by the decedent. The tax rates are applied and, after reduction for certain allowable credits, the amount of tax owed by the estate is reached.
Date:
January 5, 2008
Creator:
Luckey, John R.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Offshore Oil and Gas Development: Legal Framework
This report explains the nature of U.S. authority over offshore areas pursuant to international and domestic law. It also describes the laws, at both the state and federal levels, governing the development of offshore oil and gas and the litigation that has flowed from development under these legal regimes. Also included is an outline of the changes to the authorities regulating offshore development wrought by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and subsequent legislation and executive action as well as a discussion of recent executive action and legislative proposals to encourage further offshore exploration and production.
Date:
August 5, 2008
Creator:
Vann, Adam
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Heritage Areas: Background, Proposals, and Current Issues
This report focuses on heritage areas designated by Congress and related issues and legislation. Over more than two decades, Congress has established 40 National Heritage Areas (NHAs) to commemorate, conserve, and promote areas that include important natural, scenic, historic, cultural, and recreational resources.
Date:
September 5, 2008
Creator:
Vincent, Carol Hardy & Whiteman, David L.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Coal Mine Safety and Health
This report begins by reviewing the record of working conditions in the coal mining industry. It then describes the regulatory regime and recent funding of the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration. The report closes with an analysis of current regulatory and legislative initiatives.
Date:
September 5, 2008
Creator:
Levine, Linda
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Global Environment Facility (GEF): Overview
The report provides an overview regarding the establishment and the role of Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Date:
March 5, 2008
Creator:
Fletcher, Susan R.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Economic Slowdown: Issues and Policies
This report first discusses the current state of the economy, including measures that have already been taken by the monetary authorities, and assesses the need for and potential consequences of fiscal stimulus. The second part of the report reviews the proposals discussed during debate on the recently enacted fiscal stimulus, both those adopted and those considered but not adopted.
Date:
September 5, 2008
Creator:
Gravelle, Jane G.; Hungerford, Thomas L.; Labonte, Marc; Weiss, N. E. & Whittaker, Julie M.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Tax Deductions for Catastrophic Risk Insurance Reserves: Explanation and Economic Analysis
According to the Insurance Services Office, Inc., (ISO), the property/casualty (p/c) insurance industry paid $62.2 billion in catastrophe losses from 24 disasters and more than 4.4 million claims in 2005, making 2005 the most costly year for catastrophe losses. This report begins by providing some background on the market for catastrophe insurance. It continues by describing the proposal for tax-deductible reserve accounts as set forth in H.R. 164/S. 926 of the 110th Congress, and concludes by providing an economic analysis of the plan.
Date:
June 5, 2008
Creator:
King, Rawle O.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Emergency Communications Legislation: Implications for the 110th Congress
This report discusses the legislation addressing communications among first responders focused first on interoperability -- the capability of different systems to connect -- with provisions in the Homeland Security Act (P.L. 107-296).
Date:
August 5, 2008
Creator:
Moore, Linda K.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): Congressional Issues
This report provides an overview of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and describes its background, objectives, and structure, including the role of the Convention's monitoring body, the CEDAW Committee. It examines U.S. policy and issues in the U.S. ratification debate, including the Convention's possible impact on U.S. sovereignty, its effectiveness in combating discrimination, and its role as an instrument of U.S. foreign policy.
Date:
August 5, 2008
Creator:
Blanchfield, Luisa
System:
The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues
This report reviews the ongoing programs that will affect the expected size and shape of the U.S. strategic nuclear force structure. It begins with an overview of this force structure during the Cold War, and summarizes the reductions and changes that have occurred since 1991. It then offers details about each category of delivery vehicle, focusing on their current deployments and ongoing and planned modernization programs. The report concludes with a discussion of issues related to decisions about the future size and shape of the U.S. strategic nuclear force.
Date:
August 5, 2008
Creator:
Woolf, Amy F.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Legislation in the 110th Congress
This report summarizes action on more than 360 energy efficiency and renewable energy bills introduced during the 110th Congress.1 These bills cover a wide range of policy and issue areas that include appropriations, authorizations, budget, research and development (R&D), grants, loans, financing, regulation (including a renewable fuel standard), tax incentives, goals, plans, impacts, and the environment/climate change.2 Most of these bills have focused on grants and tax incentives. The bills also cover a range of sectors and topics that include buildings, defense, education, federal lands and energy management, farms, American Indians, and international activities. Thus far, the sector of international activities has generated the greatest number of bills. For each bill listed in this report, a brief description and a summary of action are given, including references to committee hearings and reports.
Date:
June 5, 2008
Creator:
Sissine, Fred; Cunningham, Lynn J. & Gurevitz, Mark
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Congressional Influence on Rulemaking and Regulation Through Appropriations Restrictions
This report examines the Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2008, and identifies four types of such provisions: (1) restrictions on the finalization of particular proposed rules, (2) restrictions on regulatory activity within certain areas, (3) implementation or enforcement restrictions, and (4) conditional restrictions (e.g., preventing implementation of a rule until certain actions are taken). The report then examines appropriations acts in nine previous fiscal years, noting that some provisions have been included in appropriations bills every year, and others have appeared for several years in a row. Numerous examples of regulatory appropriations restrictions are provided in this report.
Date:
August 5, 2008
Creator:
Copeland, Curtis W.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
U.S. International Trade: Trends and Forecasts
This report provides an overview of the current status, trends, and forecasts for U.S. international trade. The purpose of this report is to provide current data and brief explanations for the various types of trade flows, particularly U.S. exports, along with a short discussion of particular trends and points of contention related to trade policy.
Date:
September 5, 2008
Creator:
Nanto, Dick K.; Ilias, Shayerah & Donnelly, J. Michael
System:
The UNT Digital Library
United Nations Peacekeeping: Issues for Congress
This report tracks the process by which Congress provides the funding for U.S. assessed contributions to the regular budgets of the United Nations, its agencies, and U.N. peacekeeping operation accounts, as well as for U.S. voluntary contributions to U.N. system programs and funds.
Date:
August 5, 2008
Creator:
Browne, Marjorie Ann
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Intelligence Reform at the Department of Energy: Policy Issues and Organizational Alternatives
This report analyzes two consolidations of separate counterintelligence (CI) office — the first authorized by Congress at the Department of Energy's (DOE) request; the second initiated by DOE — and examines the impact of each on the effectiveness of the Department's CI program. A major oversight issue for Congress is whether either, or both, organizational changes will strengthen the Department's CI program as intended. Some observers are concerned that the two consolidations may have undercut CI capabilities.
Date:
December 5, 2008
Creator:
Cumming, Alfred
System:
The UNT Digital Library
United Nations Reform: U.S. Policy and International Perspectives
This report focuses on current U.N. reform efforts and priorities from the perspective of several key actors, including the U.S. government, the U.N. Secretary-General, selected groups of member states, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and a cross-section of groups tasked with addressing U.N. reform. It also examines congressional actions related to U.N. reform, as well as future policy considerations.
Date:
August 5, 2008
Creator:
Blanchfield, Luisa
System:
The UNT Digital Library
The United Nations Human Rights Council: Issues for Congress
This report provides historical background of the Council, including the role of the previous Commission. It discusses the Council's current mandate and structure, as well as U.S. policy and congressional actions.
Date:
June 5, 2008
Creator:
Blanchfield, Luisa
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Oil Spills in U.S. Coastal Waters: Background, Governance, and Issues for Congress
This report focuses on oil spills in U.S. coastal waters. The first section highlights background issues, including oil spill statistics and potential environmental impacts. The second section discusses the legal framework that governs oil spill prevention and response. The third section examines the threat of future oil spills in coastal waters and whether response personnel are prepared to respond to a major spill. The final section highlights recent legislative activity.
Date:
February 5, 2008
Creator:
Ramseur, Jonathan L.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Coast Guard Deepwater Acquisition Programs: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress
This report discusses issues for Congress in 2008, which include but are not necessarily limited to the Coast Guard's overall management of Deepwater acquisition, the status of certain Deepwater acquisition programs, and the so-called revolving door issue.
Date:
June 5, 2008
Creator:
O'Rourke, Ronald
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Climate Change: The Role of the U.S. Agriculture Sector
This report is organized in three parts. First, it discusses the extent of GHG emissions associated with the U.S. agriculture sector, and cites current and potential estimates for U.S. agricultural soils to sequester carbon and partly offset national GHG emissions. Second, the report describes the types of land management and farm conservation practices that can reduce GHG emissions and/or sequester carbon in agricultural soils, highlighting those practices that are currently promoted under existing voluntary federal agricultural programs. The Appendix provides a summary primer of the key background information presented in these first two sections. Finally, the report describes ongoing legislative action within both the climate change and farm bill debates, and discusses the types of questions that may be raised regarding the role of the U.S. agriculture sector in the broader climate change debate.
Date:
May 5, 2008
Creator:
Johnson, Renée
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Health Insurance: Uninsured by State, 2005-2007
This report is based on data from the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey (CPS), an estimated 45.7 million people lacked health insurance coverage in 2007, representing 15.3% of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population.
Date:
September 5, 2008
Creator:
Peterson, Chris L. & Grady, April
System:
The UNT Digital Library
The United Nations Human Rights Council: Issues for Congress
This report provides historical background of the Council, including the role of the previous Commission. It discusses the Council's current mandate and structure, as well as U.S. policy and congressional actions.
Date:
June 5, 2008
Creator:
Blanchfield, Luisa
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Defense: FY2009 Authorization and Appropriations
None
Date:
May 5, 2008
Creator:
Towell, Pat & Daggett, Stephen
System:
The UNT Digital Library
The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT): Income Entry Points and “Take Back” Effects
This report describes how the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) is ineffective under the tax reductions of 2004-2007.
Date:
March 5, 2008
Creator:
Maguire, Steven
System:
The UNT Digital Library