Cybersecurity: Authoritative Reports and Resources (open access)

Cybersecurity: Authoritative Reports and Resources

This report provides links to selected authoritative resources related to cyber security issues, including: legislation, hearings in the 112th Congress, data and statistics, and cyber security glossaries.
Date: April 26, 2012
Creator: Tehan, Rita
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses funding issues for Congress regarding the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program, which is carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). It looks at the background of the program and why it is necessary.
Date: April 5, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve: Authorization, Operation, and Drawdown Policy (open access)

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve: Authorization, Operation, and Drawdown Policy

This report looks at the history, purpose, and current status of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Andrews, Anthony & Pirog, Robert
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program, which is carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy, and gives Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers a capability for conducting BMD operations Issues for Congress concerning the Aegis BMD program include demands for BMD capable Aegis ships, demands for Aegis ships in general, the U.S. economic impact of shifting four Aegis ships to Rota, Spain, U.S. vs. European naval contributions to European BMD, the capability of the SM-3 Block IIB Aegis BMD interceptor, and technical risk in the Aegis program.
Date: April 5, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Requiring Individuals to Obtain Health Insurance: A Constitutional Analysis (open access)

Requiring Individuals to Obtain Health Insurance: A Constitutional Analysis

This report discusses the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), P.L. 111-148, as amended, Congress enacted a “minimum coverage provision,” which compels certain individuals to have a minimum level of health insurance. This report provides an analysis of the constitutionality of this provision requiring individuals to obtain health insurance.
Date: April 6, 2012
Creator: Staman, Jennifer; Brougher, Cynthia; Liu, Edward C.; Lunder, Erika K. & Thomas, Kenneth R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicare Primer (open access)

Medicare Primer

This report provides an overview of Medicare, the nation's federal insurance program, which pays for covered health care services of qualified beneficiaries.
Date: April 24, 2012
Creator: Davis, Patricia A.; Binder, Cliff; Hahn, Jim; Morgan, Paulette C.; Mulvey, Janemarie; Talaga, Scott R. et al.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Selected Federal Data Security Breach Legislation (open access)

Selected Federal Data Security Breach Legislation

The protection of data, particularly data that can be used to identify individuals, has become an issue of great concern to Congress. This report discusses relevant legislation regarding data security.
Date: April 9, 2012
Creator: Ruane, Kathleen Ann
System: The UNT Digital Library
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: President’s FY2013 Budget (open access)

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: President’s FY2013 Budget

This report summarizes the President's budget estimates for each section of the CMS budget. Then, for each legislative proposal included in the President's budget, this report provides a description of current law and the President's proposal. The explanations of the President's legislative proposals are grouped by the following program areas: Medicare, Medicaid, program integrity, and health insurance programs.
Date: April 9, 2012
Creator: Mitchell, Alison & Morgan, Paulette C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Financial Services and General Government: A Summary of the President’s FY2013 Budget Request (open access)

Financial Services and General Government: A Summary of the President’s FY2013 Budget Request

None
Date: April 10, 2012
Creator: Hatch, Garrett L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the 112th Congress: Conflicting Values and Difficult Choices (open access)

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the 112th Congress: Conflicting Values and Difficult Choices

None
Date: April 4, 2012
Creator: Buck, Eugene H.; Corn, M. Lynne; Alexander, Kristina; Sheikh, Pervaze A. & Meltz, Robert
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Commercial Space Industry and Launch Market (open access)

The Commercial Space Industry and Launch Market

The report discusses how the space industry is a subset of the U.S. aerospace industry and U.S. strength in aerospace has helped to provide U.S. strength in space. It also points out manufacturing for commercial space and employment in the U.S. Space Industry.
Date: April 20, 2012
Creator: Harrison, Glennon J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Dispute Settlement in the World Trade Organization (WTO): An Overview (open access)

Dispute Settlement in the World Trade Organization (WTO): An Overview

None
Date: April 5, 2012
Creator: Grimmett, Jeanne J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Data Security Breach Notification Laws (open access)

Data Security Breach Notification Laws

This report provides an overview of state security breach notification laws applicable to entities that collect, maintain, own, possess, or license personal information. It further discusses about Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA).
Date: April 10, 2012
Creator: Stevens, Gina
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program: Background, Funding, and Activities (open access)

The Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program: Background, Funding, and Activities

None
Date: April 20, 2012
Creator: Figliola, Patricia Moloney
System: The UNT Digital Library
Conservation Compliance and U.S. Farm Policy (open access)

Conservation Compliance and U.S. Farm Policy

The report discusses the Food Security Act of 1985 that included a number of significant conservation provisions designed to reduce production and conserve soil and water resources. It points out Conservation Compliance Today and Issues for the Next Farm Bill.
Date: April 2, 2012
Creator: Stubbs, Megan
System: The UNT Digital Library
Farm Safety Net Proposals in the 112th Congress (open access)

Farm Safety Net Proposals in the 112th Congress

None
Date: April 18, 2012
Creator: Shields, Dennis A. & Schnepf, Randy
System: The UNT Digital Library
Detention of U.S. Persons as Enemy Belligerents (open access)

Detention of U.S. Persons as Enemy Belligerents

The detainee provisions passed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2012 affirm that the Authorization for Use of Military Force in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, authorizes the detention of persons captured in connection with hostilities. This report provides a background to the legal issues presented, followed by a brief introduction to the law of war pertinent to the detention of different categories of individuals. An overview of U.S. practice during wartime to detain persons deemed dangerous to the national security is presented.
Date: April 11, 2012
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Laws Relating to Cybersecurity: Discussion of Proposed Revisions (open access)

Federal Laws Relating to Cybersecurity: Discussion of Proposed Revisions

For more than a decade, various experts have expressed concerns about information-system security-often referred to as cybersecurity-in the United States and abroad. This report discusses that framework and proposals to amend more than 30 acts of Congress that are part of or relevant to it.
Date: April 23, 2012
Creator: Fischer, Eric A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Legislative Options for Financing Water Infrastructure (open access)

Legislative Options for Financing Water Infrastructure

This report addresses several options being considered by Congress to address the financing needs of local communities for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects and to decrease or close the gap between available funds and projected needs. Six options that are reflected in current or recent legislative proposals, including budgetary implications, are discussed.
Date: April 3, 2012
Creator: Copeland, Claudia; Mallett, William J. & Maguire, Steven
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and oversight issues for Congress on the Virginia class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) program. The two Virginia-class boats requested for procurement in FY2013 are the final two in a group of eight covered by a multiyear procurement (MYP) arrangement for the period FY2009-FY2013. Issues for Congress include whether or not to approve the MYP arrangement request, whether to restore procurement of a second Virginia-class boat in FY2014, and the Virginia-class procurement rate in general.
Date: April 2, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress (open access)

Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress

This report provides background information and potential issues for Congress on the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), a relatively inexpensive Navy surface combatant equipped with modular "plug-and-fight" mission packages. The Navy's proposed FY2013 budget requests funding for the procurement of four LCSs. Current issues for Congress concerning the LCS program include the program's mission modules, the combat survivability of the LCS, hull cracking and engine problems on LCS-1, and corrosion on LCS-2.
Date: April 6, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's Financial Problems (open access)

Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's Financial Problems

This report discusses the continuing conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac at a time of uncertainty in the housing, mortgage, and financial markets has raised doubts about the future of these enterprises, which are chartered by Congress as government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) and whose debts are widely believed to be implicitly guaranteed by the federal government.
Date: April 2, 2012
Creator: Weiss, N. Eric
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Peace Corps: Current Issues (open access)

The Peace Corps: Current Issues

In 2012, the 112th Congress is considering the President's annual funding request for the Peace Corps, efforts to reauthorize the Peace Corps, and related issues. Current issues include the extent to which there is available funding for Peace Corps expansion, whether the Peace Corps has the institutional capacity to expand, and whether volunteers are able to function in a safe and secure environment.
Date: April 4, 2012
Creator: Tarnoff, Curt
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. National Science Foundation: Major Research Equipment and Facility Construction (open access)

U.S. National Science Foundation: Major Research Equipment and Facility Construction

The Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) account of the National Science Foundation (NSF) supports the acquisition and construction of major research facilities and equipment that are to extend the boundaries of science, engineering, and technology. The Administration's FY2013 budget request for the NSF is $7,373.1 million, a 4.8% increase over the FY2012 estimated level of $7,033.1 million. Included in the request total is $196.2 million for MREFC, slightly below the FY2012 estimate of $197.1 million.
Date: April 4, 2012
Creator: Matthews, Christine M.
System: The UNT Digital Library