Wildfire Fuels and Fuel Reduction (open access)

Wildfire Fuels and Fuel Reduction

This report examines wildfire biomass fuels. It discusses fuel characteristics and their relation to wildfire intensity and spread, and includes a description of actions proposed to reduce biomass fuel levels, their effectiveness for protecting property and resources from wildfires, and their impacts on other resource values. It concludes with an examination of the federal authorities for fuel reduction activities on federal and non-federal lands, together with data on the funding provided under each of these authorities.
Date: May 13, 2013
Creator: Bracmort, Kelsi
System: The UNT Digital Library
Crime and Forfeiture (open access)

Crime and Forfeiture

This report provides an overview of federal forfeiture law. It sketches the origins and general attributes of forfeiture, describes the distribution of the hundreds of millions of dollars it generates, and identifies some of the related constitutional issues.
Date: May 13, 2013
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Spectrum Policy in the Age of Broadband: Issues for Congress (open access)

Spectrum Policy in the Age of Broadband: Issues for Congress

This report discusses some of the commercial and federal radio frequency spectrum policy changes required by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. It also summarizes new policy directions for spectrum management under consideration in the 112th Congress, such as the encouragement of new technologies that use spectrum more efficiently.
Date: May 28, 2013
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
International Crises and Disasters: U.S. Humanitarian Assistance Response Mechanisms (open access)

International Crises and Disasters: U.S. Humanitarian Assistance Response Mechanisms

Report that examines U.S. humanitarian assistance in international crises and disaster situations. It considers the sources and types of U.S. government aid, the response mechanisms of key U.S. agencies and departments, and possible issues for Congress--including competing aid and budget priorities, burden sharing and donor-fatigue, the transparency and efficacy of U.S. humanitarian assistance, consequences of such assistance, and potential links to broader U.S. foreign policy goals.
Date: May 24, 2013
Creator: Margesson, Rhoda
System: The UNT Digital Library
Political Transition in Tunisia (open access)

Political Transition in Tunisia

Report that discusses Tunisia's pro-democracy movement; concerns over potential instability in a previously secure, pro-Western area; and U.S.-Tunisian relations.
Date: May 22, 2013
Creator: Arieff, Alexis
System: The UNT Digital Library
Immigration Detainers: Legal Issues (open access)

Immigration Detainers: Legal Issues

Report that provides background information regarding the Immigration and Naturalization Service rules and regulations and discusses the "immigration detainer", a document by which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) advises other law enforcement agencies that it seeks custody of individual aliens whom these agencies are detaining.
Date: May 29, 2013
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Public Health, Workforce, Quality, and Related Provisions in ACA: Summary and Timeline (open access)

Public Health, Workforce, Quality, and Related Provisions in ACA: Summary and Timeline

Report containing reference material regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) individual provisions at the time of enactment. This report -- one in a series of CRS products summarizing ACA that were issued after the law's enactment -- describes the law's workforce, public health, quality, and related provisions.
Date: May 17, 2013
Creator: Redhead, C. S. & Heisler, Elayne J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
FBI Director: Appointment and Tenure (open access)

FBI Director: Appointment and Tenure

Report that first reviews the legislative history surrounding the enactment of the 1968 and 1976 amendments to the appointment of the FBI Director, as well as information on the nominees to the FBI Directorship since 1972. The report also provides a legal overview of the extension of a Director's tenure.
Date: May 30, 2013
Creator: Chu, Vivian S. & Hogue, Henry B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Membership of the 113th Congress: A Profile (open access)

Membership of the 113th Congress: A Profile

Report that presents a profile of the membership of the 113th Congress (2013-2014). Statistical information is included on selected characteristics of Members, including data on party affiliation, average age, occupation, education, length of congressional service, religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity, foreign births, and military service.
Date: May 29, 2013
Creator: Manning, Jennifer E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses (open access)

Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses

Report that discusses the effects of economic sanctions against Iran, support to the Iranian democracy movement, and opposition against Iranian human rights violations and Iranian support for Syrian human rights violations.
Date: May 28, 2013
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Background and Funding (open access)

Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Background and Funding

This report discusses the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, which was created by Title I of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-322). The mission of the COPS program is to advance community policing in all jurisdictions across the United States. Legislation introduced in the 111th Congress would reauthorize the COPS program through FY2014 and reestablish COPS as a multi-grant program. This report provides an overview and analysis of issues Congress might choose to consider when taking up legislation to reauthorize the COPS program.
Date: May 14, 2013
Creator: James, Nathan
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wildfire Damages to Homes and Resources: Understanding Causes and Reducing Losses (open access)

Wildfire Damages to Homes and Resources: Understanding Causes and Reducing Losses

This report focuses on options for protecting structures and for protecting wildlands and natural resources from wildfires. It begins with a brief overview of the nature of wildfires, followed by a discussion of protecting structures. Then, it discusses wildfire damages to wildlands and natural resources, fuel treatment options and their benefits and limitations, and public involvement in federal decisions.
Date: May 23, 2013
Creator: Bracmort, Kelsi
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Direct Investment Abroad: Trends and Current Issues (open access)

U.S. Direct Investment Abroad: Trends and Current Issues

This report provides a brief overview of how foreign investments can affect the U.S.
Date: May 17, 2013
Creator: Jackson, James K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Foreign Direct Investment in the United States: An Economic Analysis (open access)

Foreign Direct Investment in the United States: An Economic Analysis

Report that discusses the foreign direct investment in the United States that declined sharply after 2000, when a record $300 billion was invested in U.S. businesses and real estate.
Date: May 17, 2013
Creator: Jackson, James K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wildfire Protection in the Wildland-Urban Interface (open access)

Wildfire Protection in the Wildland-Urban Interface

Report that describes the growth of the wildland-urban interface, wildfire suppression efforts, post-fire responses, and especially the programs and options for protecting the interface before the next wildfire strikes.
Date: May 15, 2013
Creator: Bracmort, Kelsi
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medal of Honor Recipients: 1979-2013 (open access)

Medal of Honor Recipients: 1979-2013

This report covers additions and changes to the list of recipients of the medal since the release of the committee print. The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the nation's highest award for military valor. It is presented by the President in the name of Congress and thus is often called the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Date: May 16, 2013
Creator: Leland, Anne
System: The UNT Digital Library
Central Asia: Regional Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests (open access)

Central Asia: Regional Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests

Report that discusses the current status of Central Asian states and U.S. policy, which has been aimed at facilitating their cooperation with U.S. and NATO stabilization efforts in Afghanistan and their efforts to combat terrorism, proliferation, and trafficking in arms, drugs, and persons.
Date: May 31, 2013
Creator: Nichol, Jim
System: The UNT Digital Library
Regulation of Dietary Supplements (open access)

Regulation of Dietary Supplements

None
Date: May 6, 2013
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Budget Control Act: Potential Impact of Sequestration on Health Reform Spending (open access)

Budget Control Act: Potential Impact of Sequestration on Health Reform Spending

This report examines how automatic spending reductions triggered by the Budget Control Act (BCA) might affect health reform appropriations acts.
Date: May 31, 2013
Creator: Redhead, C. Stephen
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Pigford Cases: USDA Settlement of Discrimination Suits by Black Farmers (open access)

The Pigford Cases: USDA Settlement of Discrimination Suits by Black Farmers

None
Date: May 29, 2013
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Guatemala: Political, Security, and SocioEconomic Conditions and U.S. Relations (open access)

Guatemala: Political, Security, and SocioEconomic Conditions and U.S. Relations

This report provides an overview of Guatemala’s current political and economic conditions, relations with the United States, and several issues likely to figure in future decisions by Congress and the Administration regarding Guatemala.
Date: May 16, 2013
Creator: Taft-Morales, Maureen
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Proposed Equal Rights Amendment: Contemporary Ratification Issues (open access)

The Proposed Equal Rights Amendment: Contemporary Ratification Issues

None
Date: May 21, 2013
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Energy and Water Development: FY2014 Appropriations, Preliminary Tables (open access)

Energy and Water Development: FY2014 Appropriations, Preliminary Tables

None
Date: May 9, 2013
Creator: Behrens, Carl E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Small Business Administration: A Primer on Programs (open access)

Small Business Administration: A Primer on Programs

None
Date: May 2, 2013
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library