Speakers of the House: Elections, 1913-2017 (open access)

Speakers of the House: Elections, 1913-2017

This report provides data on elections of the Speaker in each Congress since 1913, when the House first reached its present size of 435 Members. During that period (63rd through 115th Congresses), a Speaker was elected five times with the votes of less than a majority of the full membership.
Date: January 4, 2017
Creator: Beth, Richard S. & Heitshusen, Valerie
System: The UNT Digital Library
Agency Final Rules Submitted on or After June 13, 2016, May Be Subject to Disapproval by the 115th Congress (open access)

Agency Final Rules Submitted on or After June 13, 2016, May Be Subject to Disapproval by the 115th Congress

This report discusses the possibility of the new Congress and the new President to overturn agency final rules of the Obama Administration issued after early June 2016.
Date: December 15, 2016
Creator: Davis, Christopher M. & Beth, Richard S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
International Trade and Finance: Overview and Issues for the 115th Congress (open access)

International Trade and Finance: Overview and Issues for the 115th Congress

This report provides a brief overview of some of the trade and finance issues that may be of interest or continuing attention of the 115th Congress. During its 114th session, Congress faced numerous international trade and finance policy issues.
Date: December 21, 2016
Creator: Irace, Mary A. & Nelson, Rebecca M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Overview of Recent Tax Reform Proposals (open access)

An Overview of Recent Tax Reform Proposals

This report provides a review of legislative tax reform proposals introduced since the 113th Congress. Several proposals have already been introduced in the 115th Congress to replace the current income tax system.
Date: February 28, 2017
Creator: Keightley, Mark P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Membership of the 115th Congress: A Profile (open access)

Membership of the 115th Congress: A Profile

This report presents a profile of the membership of the 115th Congress (2017-2018) as of March 13, 2017. 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: March 13, 2017
Creator: Manning, Jennifer E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Provisions Affecting the Congressional Budget Process Included in H.Res. 5 (115th Congress) (open access)

Provisions Affecting the Congressional Budget Process Included in H.Res. 5 (115th Congress)

This report provides information on the standing rules and separate orders that might affect the congressional budget process.
Date: February 23, 2017
Creator: Lynch, Megan S. & Saturno, James V.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Membership of the 115th Congress: A Profile (open access)

Membership of the 115th Congress: A Profile

This report presents a profile of the membership of the 115th Congress (2017-2018) as of January 4, 2017. 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: February 17, 2017
Creator: Manning, Jennifer E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Withdrawal from International Agreements: Legal Framework, the Paris Agreement, and the Iran Nuclear Agreement (open access)

Withdrawal from International Agreements: Legal Framework, the Paris Agreement, and the Iran Nuclear Agreement

This report outlines the legal framework for withdrawal from international agreements under domestic and international law, and it examines legal issues related to the potential termination of two agreements that may be of significance to the 115th Congress: the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) related to Iran's nuclear program.
Date: February 9, 2017
Creator: Mulligan, Stephen P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Health Care-Related Expiring Provisions of the 115th Congress, First Session (open access)

Health Care-Related Expiring Provisions of the 115th Congress, First Session

This report provides descriptions of selected health care-related provisions that are scheduled to expire during the 115th Congress, first session (i.e., during calendar year [CY] 2017). It focuses on portions of law that are time limited and will lapse once a statutory deadline is reached absent further legislative action.
Date: February 22, 2017
Creator: Grossman, Joy M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Science and Technology Issues in the 115th Congress (open access)

Science and Technology Issues in the 115th Congress

This report briefly outlines an array of science and technology (S&T) policy issues that may come before the 115th Congress. It breaks down selected issues into nine categories: overarching issues, agriculture, biomedical research and development, defense, energy, environment and natural resources, homeland security, information technology, physical and material sciences, and space.
Date: March 14, 2017
Creator: Gottron, Frank
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America: Policy Issues for Congress (open access)

U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America: Policy Issues for Congress

This report examines the U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America, including its formulation, objectives, funding, and relationship to the Alliance for Prosperity plan put forward by the northern triangle governments. The report also analyzes several policy issues that the 115th Congress may assess as it considers the future of the Central America strategy.
Date: June 8, 2017
Creator: Meyer, Peter J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Human Rights in China and U.S. Policy: Issues for the 115th Congress (open access)

Human Rights in China and U.S. Policy: Issues for the 115th Congress

This report discusses U.S. policy toward China in regards to the many human rights abuses found there. A selection of the top areas human rights violations in China are discussed such as internet control. religious freedom, the criminal justice system, family planning policies, and the persecution of ethnic minorities. This is followed by a discussion of U.S. efforts and policies aimed at ending or decreasing human rights abuses in China.
Date: July 17, 2017
Creator: Lum, Thomas
System: The UNT Digital Library
Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) in the United States (open access)

Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) in the United States

This report provides a summary and analysis of the current state of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) in the United States and current legislation and funding related to the CCS process and the regulation of air pollution and greenhouse gases.
Date: July 24, 2017
Creator: Folger, Peter
System: The UNT Digital Library
Selected Homeland Security Issues in the 115th Congress (open access)

Selected Homeland Security Issues in the 115th Congress

This report outlines an array of homeland security issues that may come before the 115th Congress. After a brief discussion of the definitions of homeland security, the homeland security budget, and the role of homeland security actors in the intelligence community, the report divides the specific issues into five broad categories: Counterterrorism and Security Management; Border Security and Trade; Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery; Cybersecurity; and DHS Management Issues. Each of those areas contains a survey of topics briefly analyzed by Congressional Research Service experts. The information included only scratches the surface of most of these selected issues. More detailed information on these topics and others can be obtained by consulting the CRS reports referenced herein, or by contacting the relevant CRS expert.
Date: May 11, 2017
Creator: Painter, William L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Violence Against Members of Congress and Their Staff: Selected Examples and Congressional Responses (open access)

Violence Against Members of Congress and Their Staff: Selected Examples and Congressional Responses

This report discusses instances of violence against Members of Congress and their staffs, and provides brief descriptions of a selected list of incidents and previous legislation passed to increase security after attacks. It also includes a list of current legislative proposals in response to the June 14, 2017 attack on Republican Members of Congress at a Congressional baseball game practice in Alexandria, Virginia.
Date: August 17, 2017
Creator: Petersen, R. Eric & Manning, Jennifer E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP): Issues in Brief (open access)

The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP): Issues in Brief

This report discusses the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program which is made up of four agencies (FEMA, The National Science Foundation, USGS, and National Institute of Standards and Technology) who are responsible for monitoring, reporting, and studying earthquakes and increasing resiliency to earthquakes through means such as stronger infrastructure, early warning systems, and recovery plans.
Date: October 12, 2017
Creator: Folger, Peter
System: The UNT Digital Library
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF): Program Overview and Issues (open access)

Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF): Program Overview and Issues

This report discusses the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) which is administered by the EPA and assists communities in building or restoring public water supply infrastructure to comply with federal standards for clean drinking water and public health safety. The report outlines the funding levels and sources for the program and recent appropriations to it. Proposals for funding for the DWSRF in the 115th Congress are also discussed.
Date: May 3, 2017
Creator: Tiemann, Mary
System: The UNT Digital Library
Field Hearings: Fact Sheet on Purposes, Rules, Regulations, and Guidelines (open access)

Field Hearings: Fact Sheet on Purposes, Rules, Regulations, and Guidelines

This report outlines the basic facts on what a Congressional field hearing is and the rules authorizing and regulating them along with current examples of field hearings from the 115th Congress.
Date: September 18, 2017
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie & Petersen, R. Eric
System: The UNT Digital Library
Insurance Regulation: Legislation in the 115th Congress (open access)

Insurance Regulation: Legislation in the 115th Congress

This report discusses insurance related legislation in the 115th Congress including H.R. 10, Title XI, which would merge and revamp the FIO and the independent insurance expert position on FSOC; S. 1463/H.R. 3110 which would alter the term of the FSOC independent insurance expert; H.R. 3363 which would add insurance claims adjusters to the National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers licensing structure created by Congress in P.L. 114-1; and S. 1360 which would respond to the development of international standards by the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS).
Date: September 20, 2017
Creator: Webel, Baird
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wildfire Suppression Spending: Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 115th Congress (open access)

Wildfire Suppression Spending: Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 115th Congress

This report provides background information and analysis of federal funding for wildfire suppression operations on federal lands or for fires that began on federal land. The report provides a discussion of the issues facing Congress and concludes by summarizing several legislative proposals under consideration by the 115th Congress.
Date: October 5, 2017
Creator: Hoover, Katie & Lindsay, Bruce R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cuba: U.S. Policy in the 115th Congress (open access)

Cuba: U.S. Policy in the 115th Congress

This report discusses the recent developments in the Cuba's political and economic environment. It also discusses the U.S. - Cuba relations and U.S. policy toward Cuba.
Date: July 26, 2017
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Venezuela: Background and U.S. Policy (open access)

Venezuela: Background and U.S. Policy

This report discusses the ongoing political, economic, and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela under President Nicolás Maduro and U.S. responses to it. It provides an overview of the political, economic, and social challenges Venezuela faces and analyzes U.S. policy concerns and actions regarding democracy and human rights, drug trafficking and money laundering, terrorism, and energy issues in Venezuela. The section on democracy and human rights includes U.S. support for OAS efforts regarding Venezuela. Proposals in the 115th Congress regarding Venezuela are also discussed.
Date: October 18, 2017
Creator: Seelke, Clare Ribando & Nelson, Rebecca M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Financial CHOICE Act in the 115th Congress: Selected Policy Issues (open access)

The Financial CHOICE Act in the 115th Congress: Selected Policy Issues

This report highlights major proposals included in the Financial CHOICE Act (FCA) but is not a comprehensive summary. In general, the bill proposes changes that can be divided into two categories: (1) changes to financial policies and regulations and (2) changes to the regulatory structure and rulemaking process. Major policy-related changes proposed by the FCA include the following: Leverage Ratio, Regulatory Relief, To Big To Fail, Funding, Rulemaking, Judicial Review, Enforcement, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the Federal Reserve.
Date: September 8, 2017
Creator: Labonte, Marc; Carpenter, David H.; Davis, Christopher M.; Perkins, David W.; Shorter, Gary & Webel, Baird
System: The UNT Digital Library
Clean Air Act Issues in the 115th Congress: In Brief (open access)

Clean Air Act Issues in the 115th Congress: In Brief

This report discusses the reviews of EPA policies regarding new rules created in 2015 regarding emission of greenhouse gases and ozone air pollution. The new regulations were put in force through authority given to the EPA in the Clean Air Acts of 1970, 1977, and 1990. Some Congressional members would like to revoke some of the authority of the EPA to change existing emission regulations and instead require Congressional approval for changes which along with the new presidential administration has prompted a review of environmental policies and EPA powers.
Date: August 16, 2017
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
System: The UNT Digital Library