Medicare: Financing the Part A Hospital Insurance Program (open access)

Medicare: Financing the Part A Hospital Insurance Program

This report discusses Medicare, which consists of two distinct parts — Part A (Hospital Insurance (HI)) and Part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI)). Part A is financed primarily through payroll taxes levied on current workers and their employers. Income from these taxes is credited to the HI trust fund. Part B is financed through a combination of monthly premiums paid by current enrollees and general revenues. Income from these sources is credited to the SMI trust fund.
Date: May 5, 1998
Creator: O'Sullivan, Jennifer
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Farm Promotion ("Check-off") Programs (open access)

Federal Farm Promotion ("Check-off") Programs

This report discusses legislation establishing national generic promotion ("check-off') programs for 20 specified farm commodities. Thirteen of the 20 authorized programs are now in effect.
Date: May 3, 1996
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wheat, Feed Grains, Cotton, Rice, and Oilseeds Provisions of the Enacted 1996 Farm Bill (open access)

Wheat, Feed Grains, Cotton, Rice, and Oilseeds Provisions of the Enacted 1996 Farm Bill

None
Date: May 20, 1996
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Grazing Fees: An Overview (open access)

Grazing Fees: An Overview

This report briefly discusses charging fees for grazing private livestock on federal lands, which is a long-standing but contentious practice. Generally, livestock producers who use federal lands want to keep fees low, while conservation groups and others believe fees should be raised to approximate "fair market value."
Date: May 21, 1996
Creator: Cody, Betsy A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tobacco Issues: National Public Opinion (open access)

Tobacco Issues: National Public Opinion

None
Date: May 14, 1998
Creator: Coleman, Kevin J.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tobacco Marketing and Advertising Restrictions in S. 1415, 105th Congress: First Amendment Issues (open access)

Tobacco Marketing and Advertising Restrictions in S. 1415, 105th Congress: First Amendment Issues

None
Date: May 15, 1998
Creator: Cohen, Henry
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate: Marine Mammal Issues (open access)

Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate: Marine Mammal Issues

After global warming became a concern in the mid-1950s, researchers proposed measuring deep ocean temperatures to reveal any significant trends in core ocean warming. Acoustic thermometry can detect changes in ocean temperature by receiving low-frequency sounds transmitted across an ocean basin because the speed of sound is proportional to water temperature. Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate, or ATOC, is an international program involving 11 institutions in seven nations. It is designed as a 30-month "proof-of-concept" project to provide data on possible global climate change, with funding provided by the U.S. Department of Defense. A debate has arisen over ATOC's impact on marine mammals versus the benefits of better global warming information derived from ATOC. This report dicusses the ATOC program and related concerns.
Date: May 12, 1995
Creator: Buck, Eugene H.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Global Climate Change: A Concise History of Negotiations and Chronology of Major Activities Preceding the 1992 U.N. Framework Convention (open access)

Global Climate Change: A Concise History of Negotiations and Chronology of Major Activities Preceding the 1992 U.N. Framework Convention

This report discusses the ongoing international policy debate regarding Global Climate Change and U.S. involvement in the issue of global climate change.The report provides an historical context of the current debate, which is important in understanding the fundamental issues about global climate change.
Date: May 5, 1998
Creator: Morrissey, Wayne A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Wildlife Restoration Projects Fund (open access)

Wildlife Restoration Projects Fund

Since 1937, a cooperative program between the federal and state governments has existed for wildlife restoration. This program provides federal grants-in-aid to state agencies for conservation through land and water management for wild birds and mammals. While up to 8% of the collected revenues from excise taxes dedicated to the program may be retained by the federal government for administration, all remaining funds are apportioned to the states and territories for use either in wildlife restoration or hunter safety and education programs. Wildlife restoration programs receive all funds generated from the excise tax on firearms other than pistols and revolvers and all funds collected from shells and cartridges. Additionally, one-half of the excise taxes collected from pistols, revolvers, and archery equipment goes for wildlife restoration purposes. Hunter safety and education programs are funded from the remaining half of excise taxes collected on pistols, revolvers, and archery equipment. The states have been authorized by law to use hunter safety and education funds for wildlife restoration projects.
Date: May 2, 1997
Creator: Talley, Louis Alan
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Non-Indigenous Species: Government Response to the Brown Tree Snake and Issues for Congress (open access)

Non-Indigenous Species: Government Response to the Brown Tree Snake and Issues for Congress

Species found abundantly outside of their normal range can represent an ecological and economic hazard as great or greater than the most far-reaching efforts to protect an endangered species.
Date: May 2, 1997
Creator: Corn, M. Lynne
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Crime Control Assistance Through the Byrne Programs (open access)

Crime Control Assistance Through the Byrne Programs

The statute provides that states receive and distribute block grant funds and that the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) of the U.S. Department of Justice awards discretionary grants for specified activities. Allocated largely on the basis of population, block grant funds are used for personnel, equipment, training, technical assistance, and information systems to improve criminal justice systems.
Date: May 20, 1998
Creator: Laney, Garrine P.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Supplemental Appropriations and Rescissions for FY1998 (open access)

Supplemental Appropriations and Rescissions for FY1998

None
Date: May 4, 1998
Creator: Nowels, Larry
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Debt-Limit Legislation in the Congressional Budget Process (open access)

Debt-Limit Legislation in the Congressional Budget Process

The gross federal debt consists of the debt held by the public plus the debt held by government accounts. Almost all of the gross federal debt is subject to a public debt limit, as set forth in statute (31 U.S.C. 3101).This report considers legislation needed to change the public debt limit.
Date: May 8, 1998
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Consideration of the Budget Resolution (open access)

Consideration of the Budget Resolution

Consideration of a concurrent budget resolution is governed by special procedures in the House and Senate. Although the procedures of each chamber differ, they serve generally to expedite consideration of the budget resolution.
Date: May 29, 1998
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Budget Reconciliation Legislation: Development and Consideration (open access)

Budget Reconciliation Legislation: Development and Consideration

Budget reconciliation is an optional two-step process Congress may use to assure compliance with the direct spending, revenue, and debt-limit levels set forth in budget resolutions.
Date: May 30, 1998
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Role of Departments and Agencies in Budget Development (open access)

The Role of Departments and Agencies in Budget Development

Federal departments and agencies play an integral role in the development of the President's budget. The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 requires the President to prepare and submit a comprehensive federal budget to Congress each year. Due to the size and complexity of the federal budget, however, the President relies on departments and agencies to bear the primary responsibility for formulating their budget requests.
Date: May 17, 1999
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Competitiveness: Economic Issue or Illusion? (open access)

Competitiveness: Economic Issue or Illusion?

While "competitiveness" has a clear meaning when applied to a baseball team, or a firm or industry, it is of limited usefulness when applied to a country's overall economic performance. Moreover, focussing on competitiveness can lead to questionable economic policies.
Date: May 5, 1994
Creator: Elwell, Craig K.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Proposed Tobacco Settlement: Effects on Prices, Smoking Behavior, and Income Distribution (open access)

The Proposed Tobacco Settlement: Effects on Prices, Smoking Behavior, and Income Distribution

None
Date: May 5, 1998
Creator: Gravelle, Jane G.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Juveniles in the Adult Criminal Justice System: An Overview (open access)

Juveniles in the Adult Criminal Justice System: An Overview

None
Date: May 8, 1998
Creator: Cavanagh, M. Suzanne & Teasley, David
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tobacco Advertising: Whether the FDA's Restrictions Violate Freedom of Speech (open access)

Tobacco Advertising: Whether the FDA's Restrictions Violate Freedom of Speech

None
Date: May 23, 1997
Creator: Cohen, Henry
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Religious Freedom Amendment: H.J. Res. 78, As Reported by the House Judiciary Committee (open access)

The Religious Freedom Amendment: H.J. Res. 78, As Reported by the House Judiciary Committee

This report details the legislative, political, and legal contexts of H.J.Res 78 (Religious Freedom Amendment) and analyzes its legal effect.
Date: May 28, 1998
Creator: Ackerman, David M. & Sayler, James
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Committee System in the U.S. Congress (open access)

The Committee System in the U.S. Congress

Due to the high volume and complexity of its work, Congress divides its tasks among approximately 44 committees with 154 subcommittees. The House and Senate each has its own committee systems, which are similar. Within chamber guidelines, however, each committee adopts its own rules; thus, there is considerable variation among panels.
Date: May 10, 1995
Creator: Hardy-Vincent, Carol
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Legislative Powers of Congress: A Brief Reference Guide (open access)

Legislative Powers of Congress: A Brief Reference Guide

None
Date: May 13, 1998
Creator: Costello, George
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Special Rules and Waivers of House Rules (open access)

Special Rules and Waivers of House Rules

To the extent that a special rule is silent with respect to the terms for considering a measure, the standing rules of the House apply. The standing rules impose various limitations on consideration; however, it is not always in the interest of the House to observe these limitations. Therefore, special rules may sometimes include exemptions from one or more provisions of the standing rules, which appear in the form of waivers of those provisions.
Date: May 5, 1998
Creator: Saturno, James V.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library