Medicare's Skilled Nursing Facility Benefit (open access)

Medicare's Skilled Nursing Facility Benefit

None
Date: April 16, 2001
Creator: Yacker, Heidi G.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Animal Agriculture: Current Issues (open access)

Animal Agriculture: Current Issues

A variety of animal agriculture issues, including low livestock prices, the impact of consolidation in the meat packing industry, trade, and the environmental impacts of large feedlots, generated interest in the 106th and 107th Congresses. This report addresses this issues in detail.
Date: April 16, 2001
Creator: Heykoop, Jerry & Segarra, Alejandro E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Sugar Policy Issues (open access)

Sugar Policy Issues

None
Date: September 16, 2002
Creator: Jurenas, Remy
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Soil and Water Conservation Issues (open access)

Soil and Water Conservation Issues

None
Date: September 16, 2004
Creator: Zinn, Jeffrey A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Agricultural Export and Food Aid Programs (open access)

Agricultural Export and Food Aid Programs

This report discusses projected agricultural imports and exports for FY2003, as well as legislation that deals with federal programs in support of agricultural exports and federal aid dedicated to farms and agricultural reform.
Date: September 16, 2002
Creator: Hanrahan, Charles E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Global Climate Change (open access)

Global Climate Change

This report discusses the effect of human activities on global climate change. Human activities, particularly burning of fossil fuels, have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and other trace gases, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), methane, and nitrous oxide.
Date: July 16, 2003
Creator: Justus, John R. & Fletcher, Susan R.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Global Climate Change: Market-Based Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gases (open access)

Global Climate Change: Market-Based Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gases

This report discusses global climate change and the market-based strategies to reduce greenhouse gases.
Date: December 16, 2002
Creator: Parker, Larry
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Endangered Species Act and "Sound Science" (open access)

The Endangered Species Act and "Sound Science"

This report provides a context for evaluating legislative proposals through examples of how science has been used in selected cases, a discussion of the nature and role of science in general, and its role in the Endangered Species Act (ESA) process in particular, together with general and agency information quality requirements and policies, and a review of how the courts have viewed agency use of science.
Date: July 16, 2002
Creator: Baldwin, Pamela & Corn, M. Lynne
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Environmental Protection Agency's FY2003 Budget (open access)

The Environmental Protection Agency's FY2003 Budget

In the 107th Congress, S. 2797 (S.Rept. 107-222) would have provided $8.30 billion for EPA in FY2003. H.R. 5605 (H.Rept. 107- 740) would have provide $8.20 billion. Both bills would restore much of the water infrastructure funding but there was no final action by the end of Congress. Continuing resolutions funded at the same level as in FY2002. In the 108th Congress, P.L. 108-7 (H.J.Res. 2) provides EPA with $8.08 billion for FY2003.
Date: June 16, 2003
Creator: Lee, Martin R.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Paying Down the Federal Debt: A Discussion of Methods (open access)

Paying Down the Federal Debt: A Discussion of Methods

None
Date: March 16, 2001
Creator: Bickley, James M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Debt Limit: Why It Rose After Four Years of Surpluses and the Debt Changes Since (open access)

The Debt Limit: Why It Rose After Four Years of Surpluses and the Debt Changes Since

In December 2002, the Administration began warning Congress that the debt limit ($6.4 trillion) would be reached in the first half of 2002. As the limit was approached in February 2003, the Administration resorted to suspension of certain internal fund investments to avoid a default. The adoption of the budget resolution (H.Con.Res. 95; April 11, 2003) for FY2004 generated legislation (H.J.Res. 51) — deemed passed by the House — that would increase the debt limit to $7.4 trillion.
Date: May 16, 2003
Creator: Winters, Philip D.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Child Care Issues in the 108th Congress (open access)

Child Care Issues in the 108th Congress

This report includes recent developments in federal child care programs and tax provisions. The report discusses several federal programs that support child care or related services, primarily for low-income working families. In addition, the tax code includes provisions specifically targeted to assist families with child care expenses. The report presents the legislative activity in the 108th Congress in regard to child care legislature and provisions.
Date: September 16, 2003
Creator: Gish, Melinda
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Child Welfare Waiver Demonstrations (open access)

Child Welfare Waiver Demonstrations

This report provides background information on the child welfare waivers and a description of the progress states have made on these demonstration projects. Waiver projects must be cost neutral to the federal government; may be conducted for no longer than 5 years (though HHS may grant an extension of up to 5 years); and must include an evaluation comparing the existing state program to the waiver project.
Date: June 16, 2003
Creator: Shuman, Matthew
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Freedom of Speech and Press: Exceptions to the First Amendment (open access)

Freedom of Speech and Press: Exceptions to the First Amendment

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that “Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press....” This language restricts government both more and less than it would if it were applied literally. It restricts government more in that it applies not only to Congress, but to all branches of the federal government, and to all branches of state and local government. It restricts government less in that it provides no protection to some types of speech and only limited protection to others. This report provides an overview of the major exceptions to the First Amendment — of the ways that the Supreme Court has interpreted the guarantee of freedom of speech and press to provide no protection or only limited protection for some types of speech.
Date: May 16, 2002
Creator: Cohen, Henry
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Privacy Protection for Customer Financial Information (open access)

Privacy Protection for Customer Financial Information

None
Date: April 16, 2003
Creator: Murphy, M. Maureen
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Guide to Major Congressional and Presidential Awards (open access)

A Guide to Major Congressional and Presidential Awards

This report is designed to help congressional offices obtain information about major awards given by Congress and the President. It lists details about the establishment, criteria, selection process, and presentation of each of the major presidential and congressional awards: Congressional Award, Congressional Gold Medal, Medal of Honor, Presidential Citizens Medal, and Presidential Medal of Freedom. Brief entries are provided for additional awards made by the President including two new military medals for service in the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT): the GWOT Expeditionary Medal and the GWOT Service Medal. Contact information is provided for the organization responsible for making the award and for more data about an award. References to CRS products on awards are also given. This report will be updated as necessary.
Date: December 16, 2003
Creator: Salazar, Barbara A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Voting and Quorum Procedures in the Senate (open access)

Voting and Quorum Procedures in the Senate

None
Date: June 16, 2003
Creator: Palmer, Betsy & Bach, Stanley
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Guide to Individuals Seated on the Senate Dais (open access)

Guide to Individuals Seated on the Senate Dais

This report is a brief summary of House and Senate procedures for reaching agreement on legislation. It discusses the provisions of House Rule XXII and Senate Rule XXVIII as well as other applicable rules, precedents, and practices. The report focuses on the most common and customary procedures.
Date: July 16, 2003
Creator: Amer, Mildred L.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
"Sense of" Resolutions and Provisions (open access)

"Sense of" Resolutions and Provisions

One or both houses of Congress may formally express opinions about subjects of current national interest through freestanding simple or concurrent resolutions (called generically “sense of the House,” “sense of the Senate,” or “sense of the Congress” resolutions). These opinions may also be added to pending legislative measures by amendments expressing the views of one or both chambers. This fact sheet identifies the various forms such expressions may take and the procedures governing such actions.
Date: July 16, 2003
Creator: Rundquist, Paul S.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Flow of Business: Typical Day on the Senate Floor (open access)

Flow of Business: Typical Day on the Senate Floor

Several authorities govern the daily chamber work of the Senate: the standing rules, the “standing orders,” unanimous consent agreements, precedent, and tradition. Because these authorities have different influence at certain times, no Senate session day is truly typical. This report discusses procedures and business that usually occur every session day, and refers to certain business items that may occur less frequently.
Date: July 16, 2003
Creator: Rundquist, Paul S.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Trade Promotion Authority (Fast-Track Authority for Trade Agreements): Background and Developments in the 107th Congress (open access)

Trade Promotion Authority (Fast-Track Authority for Trade Agreements): Background and Developments in the 107th Congress

None
Date: November 16, 2001
Creator: Sek, Lenore
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Expulsion, Censure, Reprimand, and Fine: Legislative Discipline in the House of Representatives (open access)

Expulsion, Censure, Reprimand, and Fine: Legislative Discipline in the House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is expressly authorized within the United States Constitution (Article I, Section 5, clause 2) to discipline or “punish” its own Members. This authority of the institution of the House to discipline a Member for “disorderly Behaviour” is in addition to any criminal or civil liability that a Member of the House may incur for particular misconduct, and is a device or procedure designed not so much as merely a punishment of the individual Member, but rather ultimately as a measure to protect the institutional integrity of the House of Representatives, its proceedings and its reputation.
Date: April 16, 2002
Creator: Maskell, Jack
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Congressional Budget Actions in 2003 (open access)

Congressional Budget Actions in 2003

During the first session of the 108th Congress, the House and Senate will consider many different budgetary measures. Most measures will pertain to fiscal year (FY) 2004 (which will begin on October 1, 2003) and beyond. Some also will pertain to the budget for FY2003. As the session progresses, this report will describe House and Senate action on major budgetary legislation within the framework of the congressional budget process and other procedural requirements.
Date: April 16, 2003
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Congressional Authority Over the Federal Courts (open access)

Congressional Authority Over the Federal Courts

This report examines Congress' legislative authority with respect to the Judicial Branch. While Congress has broad power to regulate the structure, administration and jurisdiction of the courts, its powers are limited by precepts of due process, equal protection and separation of powers. This report addresses the constitutional foundation of the federal courts, and the explicit and general authorities of Congress to regulate the courts. It then addresses Congress’ ability to limit the jurisdiction of the courts over particular issues, sometimes referred to as “court-stripping.” The report then analyzes Congress’ authority to regulate the availability of certain judicial processes and remedies for litigants. Congressional power to legislate regarding specific judicial decisions is also discussed.
Date: May 16, 2005
Creator: Bazan, Elizabeth B.; Killian, Johnny & Thomas, Kenneth R.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library