Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate (open access)

Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate

This report discusses the continued debate amongst congressional policymakers regarding telecommunications reform. A major point of the ongoing discussion is whether action is needed to ensure unfettered access to the Internet.
Date: June 12, 2014
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Advertising by the Federal Government: An Overview (open access)

Advertising by the Federal Government: An Overview

This report discusses government advertising that can be controversial if it conflicts with citizens' views about the proper role of government.
Date: June 23, 2014
Creator: Kosar, Kevin R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Aliens' Right to Counsel in Removal Proceedings: In Brief (open access)

Aliens' Right to Counsel in Removal Proceedings: In Brief

This report provides an overview of the various legal authorities governing aliens' right to counsel--as that term is broadly understood--in removal proceedings.
Date: June 20, 2014
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Bond v. United States: Validity and Construction of the Federal Chemical Weapons Statute (open access)

Bond v. United States: Validity and Construction of the Federal Chemical Weapons Statute

The report discusses the court's decision in bond, majority opinion and concurrence. It also discusses Mrs. Bond's Constitutional Challenge and Mrs. Bond's Application Challenge.
Date: June 20, 2014
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Broadband Loan and Grant Programs in the USDA's Rural Utilities Service (open access)

Broadband Loan and Grant Programs in the USDA's Rural Utilities Service

This report discusses the broadband loan and grant programs at Rural Utilities Service (RUS) that is intended to accelerate the deployment of broadband services in rural America.
Date: June 23, 2014
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Budgetary Treatment of Federal Credit (Direct Loans and Loan Guarantees): Concepts, History, and Issues for Congress (open access)

Budgetary Treatment of Federal Credit (Direct Loans and Loan Guarantees): Concepts, History, and Issues for Congress

The purpose of this report is to explain the provisions of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 or FCRA; examine the implementation of credit reform, including credit reform provisions of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (P.L. 105- 33, §1011; 111 Stat. 254,692); discuss proposed modifications of credit reform; and describe proposed legislation in the 113th Congress.
Date: June 24, 2014
Creator: Levit, Mindy R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
C-130 Hercules: Background, Sustainment, Modernization, Issues for Congress (open access)

C-130 Hercules: Background, Sustainment, Modernization, Issues for Congress

This report provides background information regarding Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, and discusses the number of C-130s airlift aircraft, and C-130 modernization issues.
Date: June 24, 2014
Creator: Heisler, Timrek
System: The UNT Digital Library
Canada-U.S. Relations (open access)

Canada-U.S. Relations

This report provides an overview of Canada's political scene, economic conditions, security and foreign policy, and environmental initiatives, focusing particularly on issues that may be relevant to U.S. policymakers. This country survey is followed by several summaries of current bilateral issues in the political, international security, trade, and environmental arenas. The questions following each summary are designed as potential inquiries to Canadian officials to promote thought and discussion among policymakers.
Date: June 3, 2014
Creator: Fergusson, Ian F. & Mix, Derek E.
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).
Date: June 27, 2014
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
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).
Date: June 5, 2014
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
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, which performs a variety of missions supporting U.S. interests in polar regions. The report is written in response to the Coast Guard's budget request for a new polar ice breaker (none are currently in operation).
Date: June 1, 2014
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
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, which performs a variety of missions supporting U.S. interests in polar regions. The report is written in response to the Coast Guard's budget request for a new polar ice breaker (none are currently in operation).
Date: June 5, 2014
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
System: The UNT Digital Library
Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies (open access)

Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies

This report provides a list of roughly 200 congressional liaison offices with phone numbers, addresses, and other contact information.
Date: June 27, 2014
Creator: Crane-Hirsch, Audrey C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Conservation Compliance and U.S. Farm Policy (open access)

Conservation Compliance and U.S. Farm Policy

This report discusses various provisions designed to reduce production and conserve soil and water resources. Many of the provisions remain in effect today, including the two compliance provisions--highly erodible land conservation (sodbuster) and wetland conservation (swampbuster).
Date: June 9, 2014
Creator: Stubbs, Megan
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Defense Production Act of 1950: History, Authorities, and Reauthorization (open access)

The Defense Production Act of 1950: History, Authorities, and Reauthorization

This report examines some of the history of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA), focusing primarily on its creation and most recent legislative reauthorization. It also discusses the foremost active authorities of the DPA.
Date: June 19, 2014
Creator: Brown, Jared T. & Else, Daniel H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Domestic Federal Law Enforcement Coordination: Through the Lens of the Southwest Border (open access)

Domestic Federal Law Enforcement Coordination: Through the Lens of the Southwest Border

This report discusses the law enforcement task forces and intelligence information sharing centers. The report focuses on those task forces and information sharing efforts that respond to federal counterdrug and counterterrorism priorities in the Southwest border region.
Date: June 3, 2014
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Dynamic Scoring for Tax Legislation: A Review of Models (open access)

Dynamic Scoring for Tax Legislation: A Review of Models

This report first explains dynamic scoring, including the types of effects incorporated and the types of models used, as well as what groups conduct or have conducted macroeconomic analysis of tax changes. The following section discusses the specific issues associated with tax reform. The final section discusses general issues surrounding the use of various models and reviews the empirical evidence on supply side responses.
Date: June 8, 2014
Creator: Gravelle, Jane G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Energy and Water Development: FY2015 Appropriations (open access)

Energy and Water Development: FY2015 Appropriations

This report discusses the Energy and Water Development appropriations bill that provides funding for civil works projects of the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), for the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the Department of Energy (DOE), and several independent agencies.
Date: June 1, 2014
Creator: Holt, Mark
System: The UNT Digital Library
Environmental Regulation and Agriculture (open access)

Environmental Regulation and Agriculture

This report provides the background, status, and issues related to selected environmental regulations or initiatives possibly affecting agriculture that have drawn attention in and beyond Congress.
Date: June 16, 2014
Creator: Stubbs, Megan
System: The UNT Digital Library
EPA's Proposed Greenhouse Gas Regulations for Existing Power Plants: Frequently Asked Questions (open access)

EPA's Proposed Greenhouse Gas Regulations for Existing Power Plants: Frequently Asked Questions

This report summarizes the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) proposal regarding greenhouse gas regulations. In addition to discussing details of the proposed rule, the report addresses a number of questions regarding the reasons for the proposal; the EPA's authority under Section 111 of the CAA; the EPA's previous experience using that authority; the steps the agency must take to finalize the proposed rule; and various other background questions.
Date: June 9, 2014
Creator: McCarthy, James E.; Meltz, Robert; Leggett, Jane A.; Ramseur, Jonathan L. & Dolan, Alissa M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
EPA’s Proposed Greenhouse Gas Regulations: Implications for the Electric Power Sector (open access)

EPA’s Proposed Greenhouse Gas Regulations: Implications for the Electric Power Sector

This report presents an analysis of EPA's proposed plan.
Date: June 23, 2014
Creator: Campbell, Richard J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Estate and Gift Taxes for Nonresident Aliens (open access)

Estate and Gift Taxes for Nonresident Aliens

This report explains the major provisions of the federal estate and gift transfer taxes for transfers by nonresident aliens in 2014. This discussion highlights the different tax rules for estates of nonresident aliens as compared to the estates of U.S. citizens and resident aliens.
Date: June 2, 2014
Creator: Lanza, Emily M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Export-Import Bank: Overview and Reauthorization Issues (open access)

Export-Import Bank: Overview and Reauthorization Issues

This report provides: (1) a general background of Ex-Im Bank; (2) a discussion of the international context of the Bank; (3) analysis of key issues that Congress may consider in a reauthorization debate; and (4) the congressional outlook on Ex-Im Bank.
Date: June 3, 2014
Creator: Akhtar, Shayerah Ilias
System: The UNT Digital Library
Export-Import Bank: Overview and Reauthorization Issues (open access)

Export-Import Bank: Overview and Reauthorization Issues

This report provides: (1) a general background of Ex-Im Bank; (2) a discussion of the international context of the Bank; (3) analysis of key issues that Congress may consider in a reauthorization debate; and (4) the congressional outlook on Ex-Im Bank.
Date: June 30, 2014
Creator: Akhtar, Shayerah Ilias
System: The UNT Digital Library