Texas Register, Volume 37, Number 5, Pages 425-552, February 03, 2012 (open access)

Texas Register, Volume 37, Number 5, Pages 425-552, February 03, 2012

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.
Date: February 3, 2012
Creator: Texas. Secretary of State.
Object Type: Journal/Magazine/Newsletter
System: The Portal to Texas History
Texas Register, Volume 37, Number 6, Pages 553-814, February 10, 2012 (open access)

Texas Register, Volume 37, Number 6, Pages 553-814, February 10, 2012

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.
Date: February 10, 2012
Creator: Texas. Secretary of State.
Object Type: Journal/Magazine/Newsletter
System: The Portal to Texas History
Texas Register, Volume 37, Number 7, Pages 815-1030, February 17, 2012 (open access)

Texas Register, Volume 37, Number 7, Pages 815-1030, February 17, 2012

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: Texas. Secretary of State.
Object Type: Journal/Magazine/Newsletter
System: The Portal to Texas History
Texas Register, Volume 37, Number 8, Pages 1031-1430, February 24, 2012 (open access)

Texas Register, Volume 37, Number 8, Pages 1031-1430, February 24, 2012

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.
Date: February 24, 2012
Creator: Texas. Secretary of State.
Object Type: Journal/Magazine/Newsletter
System: The Portal to Texas History
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 modernization of the Coast Guard's polar icebreaker fleet, which performs a variety of missions supporting U.S. interests in polar regions.
Date: February 24, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress

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. The United States, by virtue of Alaska, is an Arctic country and has substantial interests in the region. The Arctic has increasingly become a subject of discussion among political leaders of the nations in the region. In varying degrees, the Arctic coastal states have indicated a willingness to establish and maintain a military presence in the high north. U.S. military forces, particularly the Navy and Coast Guard, have begun to pay more attention to the region.
Date: February 27, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Extraterritorial Application of American Criminal Law (open access)

Extraterritorial Application of American Criminal Law

Crime is ordinarily proscribed, tried, and punished according to the laws of the place where it occurs. American criminal law applies beyond the geographical confines of the United States, however, under certain limited circumstances. A surprising number of federal criminal statutes have extraterritorial application, but prosecutions have been few. This may be because when extraterritorial criminal jurisdiction does exist, practical and legal complications, and sometimes diplomatic considerations, may counsel against its exercise.
Date: February 15, 2012
Creator: Doyle, Charles
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy (open access)

Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy

This report discusses the current state of Bahrain, which has undergone substantial political reforms since the late 1990s, but which still suffers from tension between the Shiite majority and the Sunni-led government. This report focuses particularly on Bahrain's relationship with the United States and with regional issues.
Date: February 21, 2012
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction (open access)

The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction

Congress annually considers several appropriations measures, which provide funding for numerous activities, for example, national defense, education, and homeland security, as well as general government operations. Congress has developed certain rules and practices for the consideration of appropriations measures, referred to as the congressional appropriations process. This report looks at this process as well as the three types of appropriates measures: regular appropriations bills, continuing resolutions, and supplemental appropriations bills.
Date: February 23, 2012
Creator: Tollestrup, Jessica
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Internet Domain Names: Background and Policy Issues (open access)

Internet Domain Names: Background and Policy Issues

The Domain Name System (DNS) is the distributed set of databases residing in computers around the world that contain address numbers mapped to corresponding domain names, making it possible to send and receive messages and to access information from computers anywhere on the Internet. Many of the technical, operational, and management decisions regarding the DNS can have significant impacts on Internet-related policy issues such as intellectual property, privacy, ecommerce, and cybersecurity. The expiration of the JPA (Joint Project Agreement), the implementation of the Affirmation of Commitments, and the continuing U.S. authority over the DNS root zone remain issues of interest to the 112th Congress, the Administration, foreign governments, and other Internet stakeholders worldwide.
Date: February 3, 2012
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Employees' Retirement System: Benefits and Financing (open access)

Federal Employees' Retirement System: Benefits and Financing

Most civilian federal employees who were hired before 1984 are covered by the Civil Service Retirement System, and contribute 7.0% of their pay to a retirement fund. Federal employees hired in 1984 or later are covered by the Federal Employees' Retirement System and contribute 0.8% of their pay to a retirement fund. Both require participants to contribute toward the cost of their pensions through a payroll tax. The taxable wage base is $110,100 in 2012. This report discusses both retirement funds.
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Isaacs, Katelin P.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Unrest in Syria and U.S. Sanctions Against the Asad Regime (open access)

Unrest in Syria and U.S. Sanctions Against the Asad Regime

This report analyzes the current unrest in Syria and the U.S. response to the Syrian government's crackdown against demonstrators. It also provides background information on U.S. sanctions against the Asad regime and its supporters.
Date: February 16, 2012
Creator: Sharp, Jeremy M. & Blanchard, Christopher M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Senegal: Background and U.S. Relations (open access)

Senegal: Background and U.S. Relations

Some concerns regarding Senegal include the running of the current Senegalese President for a third term and U.S. financial assistance. The United States has viewed Senegal as an anchor of regional stability and a potential partner in combating transnational security threats, such as terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and maritime piracy. Senegal is a significant contributor of troops to international peacekeeping missions, and thousands of Senegalese peacekeepers have received U.S. training through the State Department's Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA) program. Congress plays a role in guiding U.S. policy toward Senegal through its authorization, appropriation, and oversight of foreign assistance and executive branch policies.
Date: February 20, 2012
Creator: Arieff, Alexis
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Bosnia: Current Issues and U.S. Policy (open access)

Bosnia: Current Issues and U.S. Policy

In recent years, many analysts have expressed concern that the international community's efforts over the past 15 years to stabilize Bosnia are failing. This report discusses the U.S. and European Union's roles in trying to stabilize the area.
Date: February 29, 2012
Creator: Woehrel, Steven
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Identity Theft: Trends and Issues (open access)

Identity Theft: Trends and Issues

In 2010, about 8.1 million Americans were reportedly victims of identity fraud, and the average identity fraud victim incurred a mean of $631 in costs as a result of the fraud—the highest level since 2007. Identity theft is often committed to facilitate other crimes such as credit card fraud, document fraud, or employment fraud, which in turn can affect not only the nation's economy but its security. Consequently, in securing the nation and its economic health, policy makers are also tasked with reducing identity theft and its impact.
Date: February 15, 2012
Creator: Finklea, Kristin M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Afghanistan Casualties: Military Forces and Civilians (open access)

Afghanistan Casualties: Military Forces and Civilians

This report collects statistics from a variety of sources on casualties sustained during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), which began on October 7, 2001, and is ongoing. OEF actions take place primarily in Afghanistan; however, OEF casualties also include American casualties in Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Guantanamo Bay (Cuba), Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines, Seychelles, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Yemen.
Date: February 29, 2012
Creator: Chesser, Susan G.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The New START Treaty: Central Limits and Key Provisions (open access)

The New START Treaty: Central Limits and Key Provisions

The United States and Russia signed a new strategic arms reduction treaty - known as New START - on April 8, 2010. This treaty is designed to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty (START), which expired, after 15 years of implementation, on December 5, 2009. This report provides an overview of New START, including a comparison to the original START Treaty, the belief of the Obama Administration and outside analysts that New START will enhance U.S. national security, and the criticisms of those who say that New START (and, indeed, the entire issue of U.S.-Russian arms control) is a distraction from more important items on the nonproliferation agenda.
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Sanctions on Burma (open access)

U.S. Sanctions on Burma

This report provides a brief history of U.S. policy towards Burma and the development of U.S. sanctions, a topical summary of those sanctions, and an examination of additional sanctions that have been considered, but not enacted, by Congress, or that could be imposed under existing law or executive orders. The report concludes with a discussion of options for Congress.
Date: February 7, 2012
Creator: Martin, Michael F.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Sovereign Debt in Advanced Economies: Overview and Issues for Congress (open access)

Sovereign Debt in Advanced Economies: Overview and Issues for Congress

Sovereign debt, also called public debt or government debt, refers to debt incurred by governments. Since the global financial crisis of 2008-2009, public debt in advanced economies has increased substantially. A number of factors related to the financial crisis have fueled the increase, including fiscal stimulus packages, the nationalization of private-sector debt, and lower tax revenue. Even if economic growth reverses some of these trends, such as by boosting tax receipts and reducing spending on government programs, aging populations in advanced economies are expected to strain government debt levels in coming years.
Date: February 29, 2012
Creator: Nelson, Rebecca M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Energy and Water Development: FY2012 Appropriations (open access)

Energy and Water Development: FY2012 Appropriations

This report discusses the FY2012 budget for energy and water development as approved by Congress, including what the funding will be used for.
Date: February 6, 2012
Creator: Behrens, Carl E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Interplay of Borders, Turf, Cyberspace, and Jurisdiction: Issues Confronting U.S. Law Enforcement (open access)

The Interplay of Borders, Turf, Cyberspace, and Jurisdiction: Issues Confronting U.S. Law Enforcement

Globalization and technological innovation have fostered the expansion of both legitimate and criminal operations across physical borders as well as throughout cyberspace. U.S. law enforcement has increasingly relied on intelligence-led policing, enhanced interagency cooperation, and technological implementation to confront 21st century crime. Issues for Congress are how it can leverage its legislative and oversight roles to bolster U.S. law enforcement's abilities to confront modern-day crime. It may also examine whether federal law enforcement is utilizing existing mechanisms to effectively coordinate investigations and share information.
Date: February 15, 2012
Creator: Finklea, Kristin M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Latin America and the Caribbean: U.S. Policy and Key Issues for Congress in 2012 (open access)

Latin America and the Caribbean: U.S. Policy and Key Issues for Congress in 2012

This report provides an overview of U.S. policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean, including the Obama Administration's priorities for U.S. policy and a brief comparison of policies under the Obama and Bush Administrations. It then examines congressional interest in Latin America, first providing an overview, and then looking at selected countries and regional issues and identifying key policy issues facing Congress in 2012. The final section of the report analyzes several upcoming events in the region in 2012 that could have an impact on developments in several countries or on U.S. relations with the region.
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P.; Beittel, June S.; Leland, Anne; Meyer, Peter J.; Ribando Seelke, Clare & Taft-Morales, Maureen
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Highlighted Activities (open access)

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Highlighted Activities

A look at legislative reforms that have been passed and are in process in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on April 20, 2010.
Date: February 23, 2012
Creator: Ramseur, Jonathan L.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Issues in International Trade Law: Restricting Exports of Electronic Waste (open access)

Issues in International Trade Law: Restricting Exports of Electronic Waste

Electronic waste (e-waste) is a term that loosely refers to obsolete, broken, or irreparable electronic devices. Because e-waste is generated in high volumes in the United States and contains hazardous materials, it is a growing area of domestic concern. Currently, e-waste is essentially unregulated at the federal level and can be disposed of with common household garbage in municipal solid waste landfills or incinerators. Recently, momentum has developed for domestic legislation restricting U.S. e-waste exports. These restrictions could take many forms, including a partial or total ban on e-waste exports, an e-waste export licensing system, or a quota on e-waste exports. This report looks at how such legislation could affect and work with prior US disposal laws.
Date: February 24, 2012
Creator: Barbour, Emily C.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library