527 Political Organizations: Legislation in the 109th Congress (open access)

527 Political Organizations: Legislation in the 109th Congress

The 109th Congress examined the role of groups organized under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code(IRC) that are involved in federal elections but are operating under the requirements and restrictions of federal election law.
Date: January 24, 2007
Creator: Cantor, Joseph E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
S. 1893/H.R. 976: The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (open access)

S. 1893/H.R. 976: The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007

This report tracks the Children's Health Reauthorization of Act of 2007 in both the Senate and the House, while also providing a summary of the bill. The report lists each title of the bill. what they do, and their implications. The report also examines costs by analyzing the immediate outlay and future outlay, starting at 28.6 billion and potentially increasing to 35.2 billion over time.
Date: August 14, 2007
Creator: Baumrucker, Evelyne; Fernandez, Bernadette; Grady, April; Herz, Elicia; Peterson, Chris & Rimkunas, Richard
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2006 Increase in U.S. Motor Vehicle Imports from Japan (open access)

The 2006 Increase in U.S. Motor Vehicle Imports from Japan

This report examines the increased imports of Japanese vehicles in context of a policy by the Japanese government to reduce the exchange rate of the yen. The report also examines other reasons for the increase in Japanese vehicle imports such as U.S. manufacturers not building the type of car primarily bought by consumers.
Date: March 13, 2007
Creator: Cooney, Stephen
System: The UNT Digital Library
Abortion Law Development: A Brief Overview (open access)

Abortion Law Development: A Brief Overview

This report summarizes the history of legislation on abortion. Moreover, the report discusses the conflict that surrounds the history of the court cases and how it has effected legislation passed since Roe v. Wade. The report also covers how Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton did not cover a variety of issues that have since been raised by states seeking to restrict abortion.
Date: June 12, 2007
Creator: Jon, Shimbukuro O. & Lewis, Karen J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Abortion: Legislative Response (open access)

Abortion: Legislative Response

The primary focus of this issue brief is legislative action with respect to abortion. However, discussion of those legislative proposals necessarily involves a brief discussion of the leading U.S. Supreme Court decisions concerning a woman’s right to choose whether to terminate her pregnancy. For a more detailed discussion of the relevant case law, see CRS Report 95-724, Abortion Law Development: A Brief Overview.
Date: June 12, 2007
Creator: Lewis, Karen J. & Jon, Shimbukuro O.
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Abridged Sketch of Extradition To and From the United States (open access)

An Abridged Sketch of Extradition To and From the United States

Abridged synopsis of information about treaties and procedures followed by the United States related to extradition requests (originating in the U.S. or from a foreign country) to surrender a person for prosecution or punishment in another country.
Date: August 6, 2007
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Abu Sayyaf: Target of Philippine-U.S. Anti-Terrorism Cooperation (open access)

Abu Sayyaf: Target of Philippine-U.S. Anti-Terrorism Cooperation

This report summarizes the history of the military relationship between the U.S. and the Philippines. The report connects this to the terrorist actions of Abu Sayyaf and his relationship to Al Qaeda specifically. Finally, the report discusses the military pressure the Philippine government has put on Abu Sayyaf and the challenges these operations face.
Date: July 26, 2007
Creator: Niksch, Larry A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Abu Sayyaf: Target of Philippine-U.S. Anti-Terrorism Cooperation (open access)

Abu Sayyaf: Target of Philippine-U.S. Anti-Terrorism Cooperation

This report summarizes the history of the military relationship between the U.S. and the Philippines. The report connects this to the terrorist actions of Abu Sayyaf and his relationship to Al Qaeda specifically. Finally, the report discusses the military pressure the Philippine government has put on Abu Sayyaf and the challenges these operations face.
Date: January 24, 2007
Creator: Niksch, Larry
System: The UNT Digital Library
Acceptance of Gifts by Members and Employees of the House of Representatives Under New Ethics Rules of the 110th Congress (open access)

Acceptance of Gifts by Members and Employees of the House of Representatives Under New Ethics Rules of the 110th Congress

This report discusses the new rules the 110th Congress adopted for the House of Representatives in regard to the receipt of gifts from lobbyists, foreign agents, and most of their private clients. There were also new rules placed on travel paid by outside private sources. These rules are designed to provide further transparency in the House.
Date: January 9, 2007
Creator: Maskell, Jack
System: The UNT Digital Library
Access to Broadband Networks (open access)

Access to Broadband Networks

The purpose of this report is to provide a more concrete discussion of access to wireline broadband networks. To that end, this report provides a discussion of what broadband networks look like; how both consumers and independent applications providers gain access to these networks; and the parameters available to network providers (such as their choices about network architecture, overall bandwidth capacity, bandwidth reserved for their own use, traffic prioritization, the terms and rates for access to their networks and for their retail services) that can affect end users’ and independent applications providers’ access to those networks.
Date: March 14, 2007
Creator: Goldfarb, Charles B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Access to Broadband Networks (open access)

Access to Broadband Networks

The purpose of this report is to provide a more concrete discussion of access to wireline broadband networks. To that end, this report provides a discussion of what broadband networks look like; how both consumers and independent applications providers gain access to these networks; and the parameters available to network providers (such as their choices about network architecture, overall bandwidth capacity, bandwidth reserved for their own use, traffic prioritization, the terms and rates for access to their networks and for their retail services) that can affect end users’ and independent applications providers’ access to those networks.
Date: June 6, 2007
Creator: Goldfarb, Charles B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Access to Government Information In the United States (open access)

Access to Government Information In the United States

The Constitution of the United States makes no specific allowance for any one of the co-equal branches to have access to information held by the others and contains no provision expressly establishing a procedure for, or a right of, public access to government information. Nonetheless, Congress has legislated various public access laws. These include two records access statutes — the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act — and two meetings access statutes — the Federal Advisory Committee Act and the Government in the Sunshine Act. This report provides background on the issue of government transparency and examines relevant litigation.
Date: April 23, 2007
Creator: Relyea, Harold C. & Kolakowski, Michael W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Access to Government Information In the United States (open access)

Access to Government Information In the United States

The Constitution of the United States makes no specific allowance for any one of the co-equal branches to have access to information held by the others and contains no provision expressly establishing a procedure for, or a right of, public access to government information. Nonetheless, Congress has legislated various public access laws. These include two records access statutes — the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act — and two meetings access statutes — the Federal Advisory Committee Act and the Government in the Sunshine Act. This report provides background on the issue of government transparency and examines relevant litigation.
Date: December 5, 2007
Creator: Relyea, Harold C. & Kolakowski, Michael W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Accounting and Management Problems at Freddie Mac (open access)

Accounting and Management Problems at Freddie Mac

This report summarizes the extent of accounting and management problems at Freddie Mac. The report highlights the issues of selecting policies to report constant earnings, and undertaking certain transactions for the sake of creating a facade of reported earnings. Finally, the report discusses the consequences of these problems by stating that many of the Freddie Mac's executives have been replaced, fines were issued, and a lawsuit occurred.
Date: November 7, 2007
Creator: Jickling, Mark
System: The UNT Digital Library
Accreditation and the Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (open access)

Accreditation and the Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act

This report summarizes the issues with reauthorizing the Higher Education Act (HEA) and highlights accreditation in particular. One consideration the report contains is the possibility of Congress changing the role accreditation plays in reference to financial aid for students. Moreover, the report considers the place of accreditation in reference to the overall quality of an academic institution.
Date: January 25, 2007
Creator: Skinner, Rebecca R. & Feder, Jody
System: The UNT Digital Library
Acquisition Services Reorganization at the General Services Administration (open access)

Acquisition Services Reorganization at the General Services Administration

This report discusses the reorganization of the General Services Administration (GSA) after the GSA's Inspector General discovered that funds were acquired in a manner not consistent with congressionally authorized procedures. Congressional approval was required for this reorganization due to the replacement of the congressionally authorized fund with a new one.
Date: December 4, 2007
Creator: Smith, Stephanie
System: The UNT Digital Library
Across-the-Board Spending Cuts in End-of Session Appropriations Acts (open access)

Across-the-Board Spending Cuts in End-of Session Appropriations Acts

This report examines the use of across-the-board spending cuts in the end-of-session appropriations acts for FY2000-FY2006 identified above, assessing the budgetary context leading to the spending cut, recounting the legislative action on the spending cut provision, and reviewing the provision’s design and implementation.
Date: December 13, 2007
Creator: Keith, Robert
System: The UNT Digital Library
Active Military Sonar and Marine Mammals: Events and References (open access)

Active Military Sonar and Marine Mammals: Events and References

This report summarizes legal and political events related to active sonar and marine mammals since 1994. The report discusses the deployment of active sonar by the U.S. Navy and its potential impacts on marine mammals has been an ongoing issue of intense debate; regulatory, legislative, and judicial activity; and international concern.
Date: February 12, 2007
Creator: Buck, Eugene H. & Calvert, Kori
System: The UNT Digital Library
Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act: A Legal Analysis (open access)

Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act: A Legal Analysis

This report summarizes and describes the history of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. Moreover, this report divides the act into four categories: a revised sex offender registration system, child and sex related amendments to federal criminal procedure, child protective grant programs, and punitive initiatives against sex offenders. The report examines each of these provisions of the bill to effectively summarize it, and gives the reader the information to find an available abridged version.
Date: April 6, 2007
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act: A Sketch (open access)

Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act: A Sketch

This report briefly summarizes the Adam Walsh Child Protection Act. The report specifically notes the four intentions the law has such as reformulating the federal standards for sex offender registration, and amending criminal law and procedure at the federal level. Finally, the report calls for the creation of the National Child Abuse Registry which will provide regulation on child safety.
Date: April 17, 2007
Creator: Doyle, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP): Growth Models Under the No Child Left Behind Act (open access)

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP): Growth Models Under the No Child Left Behind Act

This report highlights the adequate yearly progress (AYP) concept of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The AYP is the standard of eligibility for grants, of which states must implement AYP policies in all public schools and local education agencies (LEAs). The standard primarily utilizes state test scores to measure the school's eligibility for funding, schools that do not meet AYP standard for two or more consecutive years face consequences. Finally, the report tackles the idea of growth models in reference to the AYP.
Date: August 2, 2007
Creator: Riddle, Wayne C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP): Implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act (open access)

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP): Implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act

This report is intended to provide an overview of the Adequate Yearly Process (AYP) concept and several related issues, a description of the AYP provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act, and an analysis of the implementation of these provisions by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the states. It will be updated when major administrative actions are taken by ED, or substantial new data on state implementation become available.
Date: August 2, 2007
Creator: Riddle, Wayne C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Adjusting Federal Benefits for Geographic Differences in the Cost of Living (open access)

Adjusting Federal Benefits for Geographic Differences in the Cost of Living

This report discusses the indexing provisions in relation to geographic location. Moreover, the report further summarizes how the consumer price index does not cover interarea cost of living comparisons.
Date: August 20, 2007
Creator: Cashell, Brian W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Adult Education and Literacy: Overview and Reauthorization Proposals of the 109th Congress (open access)

Adult Education and Literacy: Overview and Reauthorization Proposals of the 109th Congress

This report discusses the reauthorization of federal adult education and literacy programs being considered by the 109th Congress. The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) authorized these programs through FY2003. The General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) provided a one-year extension of authorization through FY2004, and annual appropriations have continued AEFLA programs since.
Date: January 23, 2007
Creator: Irwin, Paul M.
System: The UNT Digital Library