Several dairy issues that were debated during the 108th Congress are expected to continue as issues of interest in the 109th Congress. Separate bills were introduced in the 108th Congress to extend authority for both the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) Program and the dairy forward pricing pilot program, and to address dairy producer concerns about the importation of milk protein concentrates.

None

None

None

None

None

This report identifies the main recommendations of the 9/11 Commission with respect to the intelligence budget. This report also describes the intelligence budget process under current law to explain the effect of these recommendations and presents the current budget authorities of the Director of Central Intelligence, as well as budget provisions in two bills, S. 2774 and H.R. 5040, that include all Commission recommendations.

The Administration's FY2005 request for international HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria programs totals about $2.8 billion, as compared with $2.4 billion appropriated for FY2004. The FY2005 request includes a large increase for the bilateral Global AIDS Initiative, headquartered at the Department of State, while the request for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria is $200 million, compared with $546.7 million appropriated in FY2004.

None

Trade remedies are government measures to minimize the adverse impact of imports on domestic industries. Antidumping duties are used to counter the effects of importssold at unfairly low prices on the domestic market. Countervailing duties are used to counter the price effects of imports that benefit from government subsidies in the exporting countries. Safeguard remedies (also called Section 201 and escape clause remedies) are used to reduce the injurious impact of surges in fairly trade imports.

None

Crises in public order, both real and potential, often evoke comments concerning a resort to martial law. While some ambiguity exists regarding the conditions of a martial law setting, such a prospect, nonetheless, is disturbing to many Americans who cherish their liberties, expect civilian law enforcement to prevail, and support civilian control of the military authority. An overview of the concept of, the exercise of, and authority underlying martial law is provided in this report, which will be updated as events warrant.

Currently, in most parts of the United States, timepieces are moved forward one hour in the spring and back one hour in the fall to provide an extended daylight period during the summer months. This is known as Daylight Saving Time (DST). Much debate and many changes led to this present practice. This report provides a brief history of the issues surrounding DST, an outline of the legislation that created and modified it, and a list of references to more discussions.

This report provides information about the Presidential Declarations, Eligible Activities, and Funding on Federal Stafford Act Disaster Assistance. Congress appropriates money to DRF for disaster assistance authorized by the Stafford Act, which is administered by FEMA.

None

This report mainly focuses on the General Services Administration Federal Facilities Affected by Hurricane Katrina where Katrina struck the Golf of coast on August 2005 causing wide spread flooding and significant infrastructure damage to various federal facilities.

This report discusses the Employment Standards Administration (ESA) attempt to assist Hurricane Katrina relief efforts by having federal contract agencies use an affirmative action program that is imposed on companies by E.O. 11246. This would require contractors to "refrain from discrimination and to take affirmative action with respect to the employment of racial and ethnic minorities, women, and religious adherents (Summary)."

S. 147/H.R. 309, companion bills introduced in the 109th Congress, represent an effort to accord to Native Hawaiians a means of forming a governmental entity that could enter into government-to-government relations with the United States. This report describes the provisions of the reported version of S. 147; outlines some federal statutes and recent cases which might be relevant to the issue of federal recognition of a Native Hawaiian entity; and recounts some legal arguments that have been presented in the debate on this legislation. It includes a brief outline of the provisions of a substitute amendment expected to be offered in lieu of the reported version of S. 147, when Senate debate, which was interrupted by the filing of a cloture motion on July 29, resumes.

None

None

None

None

"Secret" or "closed door" sessions of the House of Representatives and Seante are held periodically to discuss business, including impeachment deliberations, deemed to require confidentiality and secrecy. Authority for the two chambers to hold these sessions is implied by Article I, Section 5, of the Constitution. National Security is the principal reason for such sessions in recent years. This report provides a historical background of such sessions, as well as relevant regulations and expectations for Members of Congress during such sessions.

For years, the British and Irish governments have sought to facilitate a peaceful settlement to the conflict in Northern Ireland. After many ups and downs, the two government and the parties participating in the peace talks announced an agreement on April 10, 1998. The implementation of the resulting Good Friday Agreement continues to be difficult. A political stalemate in Northern Ireland since 2002 has halted the peace process and forced London to suspend the devolved government and to resume governance of the province. British and Irish leaders have set a November 24, 2006, deadline to revive talks on governance in Northern Ireland.