Immigration-Related Provisions of Selected Bills on Religious Persecution (open access)

Immigration-Related Provisions of Selected Bills on Religious Persecution

This report analyzes immigration-related provisions of H.R. 2431, the “Freedom from Religious Persecution Act,” as passed by the House on May 14, 1998, and S. 1868, the “International Religious Freedom Act,” as introduced in the Senate.
Date: June 4, 1998
Creator: Eig, Larry M. & Vialet, Joyce
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Law of Church and State: The Proposed Religious Freedom Amendment, H.J. Res. 78 (open access)

The Law of Church and State: The Proposed Religious Freedom Amendment, H.J. Res. 78

This report summarizes legislative developments on the proposal and briefly analyzes its likely legal effect if added to the Constitution.
Date: April 20, 1998
Creator: Ackerman, David M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Property Rights Implementation Act of 1998 (open access)

The Property Rights Implementation Act of 1998

On July 7, 1998, Senator Hatch introduced S. 2271, the "Property Rights Implementation Act of 1998." The bill appears to be the likely replacement on the Senate floor for H.R. 1534 as reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. S. 2271 retains the basic "process" approach of its predecessor, but makes numerous changes. Among these are a restriction of H.R. 1534's takings-ripeness provisions to real property rather than all types of property, a new definition of "futility," different restrictions on district court abstention, and new provisions as to attorneys fees and prior notice applicable to parties suing local governments for takings under 42 U.S.C. sec. 1983.
Date: July 10, 1998
Creator: Meltz, Robert
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
Sex Discrimination in Education: Overview of Title IX (open access)

Sex Discrimination in Education: Overview of Title IX

Congressional Research Service (CRS) report entailing an overview of title IX in regards to sex discrimination in education. Topics include, a history of IX, changes attributed to title IX, continuing controversies, etc..
Date: January 14, 1998
Creator: Gladstone, Leslie W. & Galemore, Gary L.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Commemorative Observances 1997 and 1998: A Chronological List (open access)

Commemorative Observances 1997 and 1998: A Chronological List

Historically, national commemorative observances were recommended by Congress through the legislative process. This practice was discontinued by the House of Representatives in January 1995, although the Senate continues to issue sense of the Senate resolutions recommending the establishment of commemoratives. It has now become standard practice for special observances to be designated by a proclamation issued by the President. This report is a chronological list of these proclamations for 1997 and 1998, indicating the proclamation number and its Federal Register citation
Date: August 13, 1998
Creator: Richardson, Glenda
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (open access)

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

This report discusses controversial issues regarding the creation of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah. Issues include the President's use of the Antiquities Act of 1906 to create the Monument; the Monument's general effect on land uses; the implications for development of minerals and school trust lands; and the bearing on the designation of wilderness.
Date: December 21, 1998
Creator: Hardy-Vincent, Carol
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Advertising Law: An Overview (open access)

Federal Advertising Law: An Overview

This report provides a brief overview of federal law with respect to five selected advertising issues: alcohol advertising, tobacco advertising, the Federal Trade Commission Act, advertising by mail, and advertising by telephone. There are numerous federal statutes regulating advertising that do not fit within any of these categories; as random examples, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires disclosures in advertisements for prescription drugs ; the Truth in Lending Act governs the advertising of consumer credit ; and a federal criminal statute makes it illegal falsely to convey in an advertisement that a business is connected with a federal agency.
Date: February 9, 1998
Creator: Cohen, Henry
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Speechwriting in Perspective: A Brief Guide to Effective and Persuasive Communication (open access)

Speechwriting in Perspective: A Brief Guide to Effective and Persuasive Communication

“Rhetoric,” wrote Aristotle, “is the power of determining in a particular case what are the available means of persuasion.” This report reviews some effective means for the rhetoric of persuasive communication in speeches written by congressional staff for Senators and Representatives.
Date: February 25, 1998
Creator: Neale, Thomas H.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Term Limits for Members of Congress: State Activity (open access)

Term Limits for Members of Congress: State Activity

None
Date: June 4, 1998
Creator: Richardson, Sula P.
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
Fast-Track Trade Negotiating Authority: A Comparison of 105th Congress Legislative Proposals (open access)

Fast-Track Trade Negotiating Authority: A Comparison of 105th Congress Legislative Proposals

This report provides a side-by-side comparison of H.R. 2621 and S. 2400, as reported, 105th Congress bills that would provide the President with trade negotiating authority and accord certain resulting agreements and implementing bills expedited -- or "fast-track" -- legislative consideration.
Date: September 15, 1998
Creator: Grimmett, Jeanne J.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fast-Track Trade Negotiating Authority: A Comparison of 105th Congress Legislative Proposals (open access)

Fast-Track Trade Negotiating Authority: A Comparison of 105th Congress Legislative Proposals

This report provides a side-by-side comparison of the reported versions of H.R. 2621 and S. 1269, 105 Congress bills that would provide the President with trade negotiating authority and accord certain resulting agreements and implementing bills expedited -- or “fast-track” -- legislative consideration.
Date: July 2, 1998
Creator: Grimmett, Jeanne J.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Procedural Distinctions Between the House and the Committee of the Whole (open access)

Procedural Distinctions Between the House and the Committee of the Whole

None
Date: February 19, 1998
Creator: Saturno, James V.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Points of Order, Rulings, and Appeals in the House of Representatives (open access)

Points of Order, Rulings, and Appeals in the House of Representatives

None
Date: March 30, 1998
Creator: Bach, Stanley
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Privileged Business on the House Floor (open access)

Privileged Business on the House Floor

Privileged business is the legislative business of the House that Members have a right to call up for consideration on the floor when the House is not engaged in considering some other matter. Privileged business consists of various kinds of bills, resolutions, and other matters
Date: March 30, 1998
Creator: Bach, Stanley
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Questions of Privilege in the House (open access)

Questions of Privilege in the House

The House of Representatives distinguishes between privileged business and questions of privilege. Privileged business consists of those bills, resolutions, and other matters that Members can bring up for consideration on the House floor. These matters are privileged to interrupt the regular order of business that is defined in the House's rules. Questions of privilege constitute one form of privileged business. Clause 1 of House Rule IX recognizes two kinds of questions of privilege: questions of the privileges of the House, and questions of personal privilege.
Date: April 28, 1998
Creator: Bach, Stanley
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
Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies (open access)

Congressional Liaison Offices of Selected Federal Agencies

This is a directory of approximately 150 government agencies designed to assist congressional staff in contacting agencies of the legislative branch, cabinet departments and other executive branch agencies and boards and commissions. This directory contains names of congressional liaison officers, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and occasionally e-mail addresses. It is regularly updated each spring.
Date: June 23, 1998
Creator: Kay, Kendra C. & Coleman, Mary F.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tracking Current Federal Legislation and Regulations: A Guide to Basic Sources (open access)

Tracking Current Federal Legislation and Regulations: A Guide to Basic Sources

This report is a guide to basic sources useful in tracking federal legislation and regulations. It has been prepared primarily for the use of constituents who wish to follow the federal government's legislative or regulatory activities at the local level. Brief annotations for the selected printed, telephone, electronic, and related sources describe their scope, focus, and frequency, include publisher contact information, and provide Internet addresses where available.
Date: May 7, 1998
Creator: Davis, Carol D.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Revenue Legislation in the Congressional Budget Process (open access)

Revenue Legislation in the Congressional Budget Process

Most of the laws establishing the federal government's revenue sources are permanent and continue year after year without any additional legislative action. Congress, however, typically enacts revenue legislation, changing some portion of the existing tax system, every year. Revenue legislation may include changes to individual and corporate income taxes, social insurance taxes, excise taxes, or tariffs and duties. Congressional consideration of revenue legislation is governed by various constitutional provisions and procedural rules.
Date: May 18, 1998
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Congressional Budget Process Timetable (open access)

The Congressional Budget Process Timetable

The Congressional Budget Act (CBA) of 1974 (P.L. 93-344), as amended, establishes the congressional budget process, which coordinates the legislative activities on the budget resolution, appropriations bills, reconciliation legislation, revenue measures, and other budgetary legislation. Section 300 of this act provides a timetable (see Table 1) so that Congress may complete its work on the budget by the start of the fiscal year on October 1.
Date: May 18, 1998
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The House Amendment Tree (open access)

The House Amendment Tree

This report discusses the House amendment tree, a chart that depicts the maximum number and types of amendments.
Date: September 15, 1998
Creator: Oleszek, Walter J.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Censure of the President by the Congress (open access)

Censure of the President by the Congress

Exploring a possible compromise between an impeachment and taking no congressional action, certain Members of Congress and congressional commentators have suggested a congressional “censure” of the President to express the Congress’ disapproval of the President’s conduct which has been the subject of an ongoing independent counsel investigation. This report provides and overview and discussion of the legal basis and congressional precedents regarding a congressional “censure” of the President.
Date: September 9, 1998
Creator: Maskell, Jack
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library