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Administrative Appeals in the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service
This report describes Congressional interest in the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) appeal process due to rumors that it affects the BLM's capacity to handle various resources. Moreover, the report defines what an administrative appeal is, and describes the process required to undertake one. The report also lists the various types of administrative appeals.
Date:
March 28, 2012
Creator:
Alexander, Katrina
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Northern Ireland: The Peace Process
Since 1969, over 3,500 people have died as a result of political violence in Northern Ireland, which is a part of the United Kingdom. The British and Irish governments as well as the Northern Ireland political parties participating in the peace talks announced an agreement, the Good Friday Agreement (also known as the Belfast Agreement), which called for devolved government in which unionist and nationalist parties would share power. U.S. administrations and many Members of Congress have actively supported the Northern Ireland peace process. For decades, the United States has provided development aid through the International Fund for Ireland (IFI). In recent years, congressional hearings have focused on the peace process, police reforms, and the status of public inquiries into several murders in Northern Ireland in which collusion between the security forces and paramilitary groups is suspected. Many such issues related to Northern Ireland may continue to be of interest in the 112th Congress.
Date:
March 6, 2012
Creator:
Archick, Kristin
System:
The UNT Digital Library
The U.S. Congress and the European Parliament: Evolving Transatlantic Legislative Cooperation
This report provides background on the Congress-EP relationship and the role of the TLD. It also explores potential future options should an effort to strengthen ties between the two bodies gain momentum.
Date:
March 20, 2012
Creator:
Archick, Kristin & Morelli, Vincent
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Mandatory Spending Since 1962
Federal spending is divided into three broad categories: discretionary spending, mandatory spending, and net interest. Federal spending has outrun federal revenues for the last 10 fiscal years. In the long term, projections suggest that if current policies remain unchanged, the United States faces a major fiscal imbalance, largely due to rising health care costs and impending Baby Boomer retirements. Because discretionary spending is a smaller proportion of total federal outlays compared to mandatory spending, some budget experts contend that any significant reductions in federal spending must include cuts in entitlement spending. Other budget and social policy experts contend that cuts in entitlement spending could compromise their goals: the economic security of the elderly and the poor.
Date:
March 23, 2012
Creator:
Austin, D. Andrew & Levit, Mindy R.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
The Federal Excise Tax on Gasoline and the Highway Trust Fund: A Short History
A history and overview of current issues relating to the gasoline excise tax.
Date:
March 9, 2012
Creator:
Bickley, James M.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Libya: Transition and U.S. Policy
This report discusses the revolution and current conflict in Libya. The current crisis was triggered in mid-February 2011 by a chain of events in Benghazi and other eastern cities that quickly spiraled out of Qadhafi's control. Although Libyan opposition groups had called for a so-called "day of rage" on February 17 to commemorate protests that had occurred five years earlier, localized violence erupted prior to the planned national protests. As of April 25, U.S. and coalition officials stated that coalition military operations had destroyed the ability of the Libyan military to control Libyan airspace and had reduced the capability of Libyan ground forces by roughly 30%-40%.
Date:
March 28, 2012
Creator:
Blanchard, Christopher M.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Change in the Middle East: Implications for U.S. Policy
This report assesses some of the policy implications of recent and ongoing events in the Middle East region, provides an overview of U.S. responses to date, and explores select case studies to illustrate some key questions and dilemmas that Congress and the executive branch may face with regard to these issues and others in the future.
Date:
March 7, 2012
Creator:
Blanchard, Christopher M.; Arieff, Alexis; Danon, Zoe; Katzman, Kenneth; Sharp, Jeremy M. & Zanotti, Jim
System:
The UNT Digital Library
International Family Planning Programs: Issues for Congress
This report looks at how the debate over family planning within the U.S. is spilling over to U.S.-funded family planning programs abroad.
Date:
March 16, 2012
Creator:
Blanchfield, Luisa
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Community Development Block Grants: Funding Issues in the 112th Congress and Recent Funding History
The FY 2013 budget debate will take place within the context of growing concerns about the need to address federal budget deficits, the national debt, and a sluggish economic recovery following the longest and deepest recession since the Great Depression. This report contains information on FY 2013 appropriations, FY 2012 appropriations, FY 2011 appropriations, Congressional action, and related topics.
Date:
March 23, 2012
Creator:
Boyd, Eugene
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Economic Development Administration: Reauthorization and Funding Issues in the 112th Congress
The 112th Congress may consider legislation to reauthorize and amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act (PWEDA), whose statutory authority expired on September 30, 2008. As part of those deliberations, Congress may consider a number of changes in the structure of Economic Development Administration (EDA) assistance programs.
Date:
March 1, 2012
Creator:
Boyd, Eugene
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Wildfire Damages to Homes and Resources: Understanding Causes and Reducing Losses
Wildfires are getting more severe, with more acres and houses burned and more people at risk. This results from excess biomass in the forests, due to past logging and grazing and a century of fire suppression, combined with an expanding wild land-urban interface-more people and houses in and near the forests-and climate change, exacerbating drought and insect and disease problems. This report looks at the causes of wildfires, and the pros and cons of their treatment.
Date:
March 12, 2012
Creator:
Bracmort, Kelsi
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Biomass: Comparison of Definitions in Legislation Through the 111th Congress
The use of biomass as an energy feedstock is emerging as a potentially viable alternative to address U.S. energy security concerns, foreign oil dependence, rural economic development, and diminishing sources of conventional energy. Biomass (organic matter that can be converted into energy) may include food crops, crops for energy, crop residues, wood waste and byproducts, and animal manure. Most legislation involving biomass has focused on encouraging the production of liquid fuels from corn. For over 30 years, the term biomass has been a part of legislation enacted by Congress for various programs, indicating some interest by the general public and policymakers in expanding its use. To aid understanding of why U.S. consumers, utility groups, refinery managers, and others have not fully adopted biomass as an energy resource, this report investigates the characterization of biomass in legislation.
Date:
March 7, 2012
Creator:
Bracmort, Kelsi & Gorte, Ross W.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Statutory Language and Recent Issues
This report consists of the Americans with disabilities act (ADA): statutory language and recent issues.
Date:
March 22, 2012
Creator:
Brougher, Cynthia
System:
The UNT Digital Library
The Ministerial Exception and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Employment Discrimination and Religious Organizations
None
Date:
March 27, 2012
Creator:
Brougher, Cynthia
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Religious Exemptions for Mandatory Health Care Programs: A Legal Analysis
None
Date:
March 1, 2012
Creator:
Brougher, Cynthia
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Immigration of Temporary Lower-Skilled Workers: Current Policy and Related Issues
U.S. employers in various industries argue that they need to hire foreign workers to perform lower-skilled jobs, while others maintain that many of these positions could be filled by U.S. workers. While the discussion of current guest worker programs in this report focuses on the H-2A and H- 2B visas, it also covers the Summer Work Travel (SWT) program, the largest of several programs under the J-1 visa for participants in work- and study-based exchange visitor programs. The SWT program is particularly relevant because participants work largely in unskilled jobs, including H-2B-like seasonal jobs at resorts and amusement parks.
Date:
March 20, 2012
Creator:
Bruno, Andorra
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy
Typically, the annual number of refugees that can be admitted into the United States, known as the refugee ceiling, and the allocation of these numbers by region are set by the President after consultation with Congress at the start of each fiscal year. For FY2012, the worldwide refugee ceiling is 76,000, with 73,000 admissions numbers allocated among the regions of the world and 3,000 numbers comprising an unallocated reserve. Overseas processing of refugees is conducted through a system of three priorities for admission. Priority 1 comprises cases involving persons facing compelling security concerns. Priority 2 comprises cases involving persons from specific groups of special humanitarian concern to the United States (e.g., Iranian religious minorities). Priority 3 comprises family reunification cases involving close relatives of persons admitted as refugees or granted asylum. Special legislative provisions facilitate relief for certain refugee groups.
Date:
March 7, 2012
Creator:
Bruno, Andorra
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Unauthorized Alien Students: Issues and "DREAM Act" Legislation
The 109th and 110th Congresses considered, but did not enact, comprehensive immigration reform legislation that included large-scale legalization programs for unauthorized aliens. In the aftermath of these unsuccessful efforts, some interested parties have urged the President and Congress to pursue more limited legislation to address the status of unauthorized alien students. Such legislation is commonly referred to as the "DREAM Act."
Date:
March 21, 2012
Creator:
Bruno, Andorra
System:
The UNT Digital Library
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the 112th Congress: Conflicting Values and Difficult Choices
None
Date:
March 15, 2012
Creator:
Buck, Eugene H.; Corn, M. Lynne; Alexander, Kristina; Sheikh, Pervaze A. & Meltz, Robert
System:
The UNT Digital Library
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:
March 21, 2012
Creator:
Chesser, Susan G.
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Veterans' Benefits: The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment for veterans (VR&E) is an entitlement program that provides job training and related services to veterans with service-connected disabilities. In cases where a disabled veteran is not able to work, the VR&E program provides independent living services to help the veteran achieve the highest possible quality of life. The VR&E program is administered by the Veterans Benefit Administration, part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In FY2012, the VA estimates that VR&E benefits will cost $516 million, subsistence allowances for eligible veterans will be an additional $433 million, and administrative costs will total $204 million.
Date:
March 26, 2012
Creator:
Collins, Benjamin
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Mountaintop Mining: Background on Current Controversies
This report provides background on regulatory requirements, controversies and legal challenges to mountaintop mining, and recent Administration actions. Congressional interest in these issues also is discussed, including legislation in the 111th Congress seeking to restrict the practice of mountaintop mining and other legislation intended to block the Obama Administration’s regulatory actions. Attention to EPA’s veto of the West Virginia mining permit and other federal agency actions has increased in the 112th Congress.
Date:
March 29, 2012
Creator:
Copeland, Claudia
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies
This list of about 150 congressional liaison offices is intended to help congressional offices in placing telephone calls and addressing correspondence to government agencies. Entries are arranged alphabetically in four sections: legislative branch; judicial branch; executive branch; and agencies, boards, and commissions.
Date:
March 21, 2012
Creator:
Crane-Hirsch, Audrey Celeste
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies
This list of about 150 congressional liaison offices is intended to help congressional offices in placing telephone calls and addressing correspondence to government agencies. Entries are arranged alphabetically in four sections: legislative branch; judicial branch; executive branch; and agencies, boards, and commissions.
Date:
March 21, 2012
Creator:
Crane-Hirsch, Audrey Celeste
System:
The UNT Digital Library