Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides an overview of Arctic-related issues for Congress, and refers readers to more in-depth CRS reports on specific Arctic-related issues. The diminishment of Arctic sea ice has led to increased human activities in the Arctic, and has heightened interest in, and concerns about, the region's future.
Date: May 31, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities--Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities--Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on China's naval modernization effort and its implications for U.S. Navy capabilities. The issue for Congress is how the U.S. Navy should respond to China's military modernization effort, particularly its naval modernization effort.
Date: May 31, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
DOD's Rotation to the Philippines (open access)

DOD's Rotation to the Philippines

This report briefly discusses the Department of Defense's (DOD's) announcement of its intention to "rebalance" by focusing more of its attention and activity on Asia. One goal is to influence the development of regional norms and rules, particularly as China exerts greater influence.
Date: May 31, 2016
Creator: Else, Daniel H.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iran Nuclear Agreement (open access)

Iran Nuclear Agreement

This report provides background on the agreement negotiated by Iran and six other countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany--collectively known as the P5+1) regarding Iran's nuclear program, and discusses the implications for U.S.-Iran relations.
Date: May 31, 2016
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth & Kerr, Paul K.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iran's Nuclear Program: Tehran's Compliance with International Obligations (open access)

Iran's Nuclear Program: Tehran's Compliance with International Obligations

This report provides a brief overview of Iran's nuclear program and describes the legal basis for the actions taken by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board and the Security Council.
Date: May 31, 2016
Creator: Kerr, Paul K.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy LX(R) Amphibious Ship Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy LX(R) Amphibious Ship Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on maritime territorial and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) disputes in the East China (ECS) and South China Sea (SCS) involving China, with a focus on how these disputes may affect U.S. strategic and policy interests.
Date: May 31, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Offsets, Supplemental Appropriations, and the Disaster Relief Fund: FY1990-FY2013 (open access)

Offsets, Supplemental Appropriations, and the Disaster Relief Fund: FY1990-FY2013

This report discusses the history of the use of offsetting rescissions to pay for supplemental appropriations to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) from FY1990 through FY2013.
Date: May 31, 2016
Creator: Painter, William L.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Shift in the International Security Environment: Potential Implications for Defense--Issues for Congress (open access)

A Shift in the International Security Environment: Potential Implications for Defense--Issues for Congress

This report briefly describes the shift in the international security environment that some observers believe has occurred, and identifies some defense-related issues for Congress that could arise from it. Congress's decisions on these issues could have significant implications for U.S. defense capabilities and funding requirements.
Date: May 31, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Coast Guard's programs for procuring 8 National Security Cutters (NSCs), 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), and 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRCs). These 91 planned cutters are intended as replacements for 90 aging Coast Guard cutters and patrol craft. The Coast Guard's proposed FY2017 budget requests a total of $467 million in acquisition funding for the three programs.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the sustainment and modernization of the Coast Guard's polar icebreaker fleet. The Coast Guard's proposed FY2017 budget requests $150 million in acquisition funding for a new polar icebreaker that the Coast Guard wants to begin building in FY2020. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Administration's FY2017 acquisition funding request for a new polar icebreaker, and, more generally, whether to approve, reject, or modify the Coast Guard's overall plan for sustaining and modernizing the polar icebreaking fleet.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Intellectual Property Rights Violations: Federal Civil Remedies and Criminal Penalties Related to Copyrights, Trademarks, Patents, and Trade Secrets (open access)

Intellectual Property Rights Violations: Federal Civil Remedies and Criminal Penalties Related to Copyrights, Trademarks, Patents, and Trade Secrets

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on multiyear procurement (MYP) and block buy contracting (BBC), which are special contracting mechanisms that Congress permits the Department of Defense (DOD) to use for a limited number of defense acquisition programs.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: Yeh, Brian T.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on multiyear procurement (MYP) and block buy contracting (BBC), which are special contracting mechanisms that Congress permits the Department of Defense (DOD) to use for a limited number of defense acquisition programs.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald & Schwartz, Moshe
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress

This report presents background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Navy's Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) and Zumwalt (DDG-1000) class destroyer programs. The Navy's proposed FY2017 budget requests funding for the procurement of two DDG-51s.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress

This report presents background information and issues for Congress concerning the Navy's ship force-structure goals and shipbuilding plans. The planned size of the Navy, the rate of Navy ship procurement, and the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans have been matters of concern for the congressional defense committees for the past several years.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) class aircraft carrier program. The Navy's proposed FY2017 budget requests a total of $2,662.6 million in procurement and advance procurement (AP) funding for CVN-79 and CVN-80, the second and third ships in the program.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Operations: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Operations: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and potential issues for Congress on the Navy's irregular warfare (IW) and counterterrorism (CT) operations. The Navy's IW and CT activities pose a number of potential oversight issues for Congress, including how much emphasis to place on IW and CT activities in future Navy budgets.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Hypervelocity Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Hypervelocity Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on three potential new weapons that could improve the ability of Navy surface ships to defend themselves against enemy missiles: solid state lasers (SSLs), the electromagnetic railgun (EMRG), and the hypervelocity projectile (HVP). Any one of these new weapon technologies, if successfully developed and deployed, might be regarded as a "game changer" for defending Navy surface ships against enemy missiles.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)/Frigate Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)/Frigate Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)/Frigate program, a program to procure a large number of LCSs and modified LCSs. The modified LCSs are to be referred to as frigates. The Navy's execution of the program has been a matter of congressional oversight attention for several years. The program presents several oversight issues for Congress.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy LX(R) Amphibious Ship Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy LX(R) Amphibious Ship Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the LX(R) amphibious ship program, a Navy program to build a new class of 11 amphibious ships. The Navy wants to procure the first LX(R) in FY2020. Decisions Congress makes on the LX(R) program will affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Ohio Replacement (SSBN[X]) Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Ohio Replacement (SSBN[X]) Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Ohio replacement program (ORP), a program to design and build a new class of 12 ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to replace the Navy's current force of 14 Ohio-class SSBNs.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
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 issues for Congress on the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)/Frigate program, a program to procure a large number of LCSs and modified LCSs. The modified LCSs are to be referred to as frigates. The Navy's execution of the program has been a matter of congressional oversight attention for several years. The program presents several oversight issues for Congress.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Resurgence of Unaccompanied Alien Children? (open access)

A Resurgence of Unaccompanied Alien Children?

This report briefly examines the recently-high number of unaccompanied alien children (UAC). In the first seven months of FY2016, apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border have approached levels close to what they were in FY2014 when such migration flows reached what were characterized as "crisis" proportions.
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: Kandel, William A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Texas Attorney General Opinion: KP-0092 (open access)

Texas Attorney General Opinion: KP-0092

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Ownership of interest earned on county taxes held by the appraisal district (RQ-0080-KP).
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: Texas. Attorney-General's Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Texas Attorney General Opinion: KP-0093 (open access)

Texas Attorney General Opinion: KP-0093

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether an institution of higher education may enter into a contract with a business entity in which an institution's board member has an interest (RQ-0081-KP).
Date: May 27, 2016
Creator: Texas. Attorney-General's Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History