Army Corps of Engineers: Water Resource Authorization and Project Delivery Processes (open access)

Army Corps of Engineers: Water Resource Authorization and Project Delivery Processes

This report summarizes congressional authorization legislation for U.S. Army Corps of Engineer (USACE) water resource development projects, the standard project delivery process, authorities for alternative water resource project delivery, and other USACE authorities.
Date: April 30, 2018
Creator: Carter, Nicole T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Public Transportation Program: In Brief (open access)

Federal Public Transportation Program: In Brief

This report provides a brief description of the Federal Public Transportation Program and its functions and funding.
Date: April 30, 2018
Creator: Mallett, William J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Establishment of Task Force on the U.S. Postal Service (open access)

Establishment of Task Force on the U.S. Postal Service

This report discusses the task force on the U.S. Postal Service established by President Trump's Executive Order on April 12, 2018, (EO 13829) and the topics the task force is directed to address. It concludes with potential issues for congressional consideration.
Date: April 30, 2018
Creator: Stuessy, Meghan M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Introduction to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) (open access)

Introduction to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

This report provides introductory information on key components of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), ranging from floodplain mapping to the standard flood insurance forms. This report will be updated as significant revisions are made to the NFIP through legislation or administrative action. However, this report does not provide detail on current or future legislative issues for Congress, which are covered in a separate report
Date: April 30, 2018
Creator: Horn, Diane P. & Brown, Jared T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Unemployment and Employment Programs Available to Workers Affected by Disasters (open access)

Unemployment and Employment Programs Available to Workers Affected by Disasters

This report discusses two income support programs and two workforce service programs that are available to those who lose their jobs due to a disaster. In each benefit category, there is a broader permanent program and a more-targeted program for disaster-affected workers. All of these programs are administered through state agencies and some programmatic details may be state-specific.
Date: April 30, 2018
Creator: Collins, Benjamin; Bradley, David H.; Isaacs, Katelin P. & Whittaker, Julie M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Third Circuit Invalidates "De Facto" Life Sentences for "Non-Incorrigible" Juvenile Offenders (open access)

Third Circuit Invalidates "De Facto" Life Sentences for "Non-Incorrigible" Juvenile Offenders

This report discusses a recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in the case of "United States v. Grant" that prohibits the use of "de facto" life sentences without possibility of parole (created by sentencing juveniles to prison terms longer than the average lifespan or that would end after they reached the typical retirement age) for juvenile offenders who have a reasonable potential for rehabilitation. The report also discusses previous decisions related to this issue and the split among appeals court over the proper application of the Eighth Amendment to juvenile sentencing restrictions.
Date: April 30, 2018
Creator: Smith, Alison M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Options to Cease Implementing the Iran Nuclear Agreement (open access)

Options to Cease Implementing the Iran Nuclear Agreement

This report analyzes some of the options the Administration and Congress might use to end or alter U.S. implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) AKA the Iran Nuclear deal. Potential implications of these options are analyzed as well. This report bases its analysis primarily on the text of key documents involved in the issue--the JCPOA itself;3 U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 of July 20, 2015,4 which endorsed the JCPOA; and the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (INARA, P.L. 114-17, of May 22, 2015).
Date: April 30, 2018
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth; Kerr, Paul K. & Heitshusen, Valerie
System: The UNT Digital Library
Teen Pregnancy: Federal Prevention Programs (open access)

Teen Pregnancy: Federal Prevention Programs

This report discusses federal programs that assist in reducing teen pregnancy rates. This report begins with a brief discussion of recent developments in funding for the four teen pregnancy prevention programs. It then provides background on the role of Congress and the executive branch in preventing teen pregnancy. The remainder of the report focuses on the four programs, examining the types of grants they provide as well as related funding, requirements, and research activities.
Date: April 30, 2018
Creator: Fernandes-Alcantara, Adrienne L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Teen Birth Trends: In Brief (open access)

Teen Birth Trends: In Brief

This report provides context for Congress about the U.S. teen birth rate--or the number of births per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19 each year--and its changes since the 1950s. Over this period, the teen birth rate has generally been in decline. This decline has been most significant in recent years, with the rate reaching a record low in 2016. Multiple factors have likely contributed to the decrease, though the influence of any single factor is not fully known. Reduced teen sexual activity, particularly among younger adolescents, could be one explanation. Increases in use of contraceptives, including highly effective and multiple methods, among sexually active teens could be another. Other factors, such as broader social and economic trends, may also be at play.
Date: April 30, 2018
Creator: Fernandes-Alcantara, Adrienne L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Suicide Prevention and Response (open access)

Military Suicide Prevention and Response

This report discusses suicide among military service members, including the scope of the issue, efforts previously taken to address it, and considerations for confronting the issue in the future.
Date: April 30, 2018
Creator: Kamarck, Kristy N. & McKinsey, Eva G.
System: The UNT Digital Library