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The Federal False Claims Act provides for the judicial imposition of civil monetary penalties and treble damages for the knowing submission of false claims to the United States Government. This report contains information on the background of the Federal False Claims Act, current False Claims Act provisions, and health care fraud and the False Claims Act.

This report discusses the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, which affected alien eligibility for federal, state, and local government assistance programs, both imposing and broadening restrictions on a number of immigration benefits and programs.

This report describes the fundamentals of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which was enacted in 1952 and significantly amended since, most recently by the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.

Married couples filing joint tax returns are liable individually and as a couple for all taxes due on the return with a limited exemption for innocent spouses. This report discusses joint and several liability, which has been the subject of much criticism and calls for reform or elimination.

Several courts in the various circuits have considered whether the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination applies to fear of incrimination in foreign countries, and they have come to divergent conclusions. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari in United States v. Balsys, and on June 25, 1998, decided that a witness may not invoke the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination in which only a foreign prosecution is possible. This report provides background on United States v. Balsys and examines the court's opinion.

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This report provides an overview of unprecedented developments in the relations between two important U.S. allies, Israel and Turkey.

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This report discusses the U.S. policy on Taiwan, which is governed by the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), the 3 U.S. joint communiqués with China, and the so-called "Six Assurances" on Taiwan.

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This report analyzes the pay adjustment that Federal employees are to receive in fiscal 1999 under P.L. 101-509, the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act.

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The President's veto authority is among their most significant tools in the legislative dealing with Congress. It is effective not only in preventing the passage of legislation undesirable to the President, but also as a threat, sometimes forcing Congress to modify legislation before it is presented to the President. As of the writing of this document, Presidents had vetoed 1,471 bills and Congres had overridden only 105 of them. This report details what bills have been vetoed by President Clinton and how they were vetoed.

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This report provides a side-by-side comparison of the reported versions of H.R.2621 and S. 1269, 105th Congress bills that would provide the President with trade negotiating authority and accord certain resulting agreements and implementing bills expedited legislative consideration.

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This report discusses the ramifications of actions taken by lawmakers to reduce the consumption of tobacco in regards to tobacco farms and the farming industry.