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Assessing Commercial Disclosure Requirements Under the First Amendment [April 23, 2019]
From the Introduction: "Disclosure provisions that require commercial actors to convey specified information to consumers occupy an uneasy and shifting space in First Amendment jurisprudence. The First Amendment's Free Speech Clause protects the right to speak as well as the right 'not' to speak, and at least outside the context of commercial speech, courts generally disfavor any government action that compels speech. Indeed, the Supreme Court in 1943 described the First Amendment's protection against compelled speech as a 'fixed star in our constitutional constellation.' Accordingly, government actions mandating speech are generally subject to strict scrutiny by courts, and will be upheld 'only if the government proves that they are narrowly tailored to serve compelling state interests.' However, the Court has also long accepted a variety of laws that require commercial actors to make certain disclosures to consumers, confirming that Congress can compel certain disclosures, even those involving protected speech, without running afoul of the First Amendment. [...] This report begins with a short background on how courts generally view commercial speech under the First Amendment, then reviews in more detail the possible legal frameworks for analyzing the constitutionality of commercial disclosure requirements."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brannon, Valerie C.
2019-04-23
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Liability for Content Hosts: An Overview of the Communication Decency Act's Section 230 [June 6, 2019]
From the Document: Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934, enacted as part of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 (CDA), broadly protects online service providers like social media companies from being held liable for transmitting or taking down user-generated content. In part because of this broad immunity, social media platforms and other online content hosts have largely operated without outside regulation, resulting in a mostly self-policing industry. However, while the immunity created by Section 230 is significant, it is not absolute. For example, courts have said that if a service provider 'passively displays content that is created entirely by third parties,' Section 230 immunity will apply; but if the service provider helps to develop the problematic content, it may be subject to liability. Commentators and regulators have questioned in recent years whether Section 230 goes too far in immunizing service providers. In 2018, Congress created a new exception to Section 230 in the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017, commonly known as FOSTA. Post-FOSTA, Section 230 immunity will not apply to bar claims alleging violations of certain sex trafficking laws. Some have argued that Congress should further narrow Section 230 immunity--or even repeal it entirely. This Sidebar provides background information on Section 230, reviewing its history, text, and interpretation in the courts."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brannon, Valerie C.
2019-06-06
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Supreme Court October Term 2019: A Review of Selected Major Rulings [September 4, 2020]
From the Summary: "The Supreme Court term that began on October 7, 2019 was one of the most eventful in recent history. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic colored much of the Court's work, leading the Court to close its building to the public indefinitely, postpone oral arguments originally scheduled for March and April of 2020, and, for the first time in history, telephonically conduct oral arguments in roughly a dozen cases over two weeks in May 2020. The Court, which typically recesses for the summer in late June, continued to issue opinions through the second week of July 2020 because of delays caused by the pandemic. And substantively, the October 2019 Term included the Court issuing several orders concerning litigation over various state-government responses to the pandemic. Beyond the effects of the pandemic, the October 2019 Term was notable because the Court issued a host of significant decisions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brannon, Valerie C.; Cole, Jared P.; Garvey, Todd . . .
2020-09-04
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Illicit Drug Smuggling Between Ports of Entry and Border Barriers [February 7, 2020]
From the Document: "Policy discussions around border security often involve questions about how illicit drugs flow into the United States. These include questions about the smugglers, types and quantities of illicit drugs crossing U.S. borders, primary entry points, and methods by which drugs are smuggled. Further, these discussions often center on the shared U.S.-Mexico border, as it is a major conduit through which illicit drugs flow. There are no comprehensive data on the total quantity of foreign-produced illicit drugs smuggled into the United States at or between official ports of entry (POEs) because these are drugs that have generally evaded seizure by border officials. In lieu of these data, officials, policymakers, and analysts sometimes rely on certain drug seizure data to help understand how and where illicit drugs are crossing U.S. borders. Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicate that, by weight, more marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl were seized at POEs than between them in FY2019. While available indicators suggest that drug seizures are more concentrated at POEs, it is the flow of drugs 'between' them that have been a primary topic of recent policy discussions around border security."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Finklea, Kristin M.
2020-02-07
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COVID-19: Cybercrime Opportunities and Law Enforcement Response [March 19, 2020]
From the Document: "Opportunistic criminals and other malicious actors exploit the internet and rapidly evolving technology to their advantage. Criminals can compromise financial assets; hacktivists can flood websites with traffic, effectively shutting them down; and spies can steal intellectual property and government secrets. And, they capitalize on ever changing world events. Federal officials have cautioned about scams relating to the outbreak of disease caused by a previously unidentified strain of coronavirus, designated Coronavirus Disease 2019, or COVID-19. They have noted that '[c]yber actors may send emails with malicious attachments or links to fraudulent websites to trick victims into revealing sensitive information or donating to fraudulent charities or causes.' Indeed, analysts and officials have reported criminals using public interest in COVID-19 to their advantage. For instance, the Department of Justice (DOJ) cites 'reports of individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud, reports of phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and reports of malware being inserted onto mobile apps designed to track the spread of the virus.' In one scheme reported by security experts, hackers sold a malware infection kit that used an interactive map of coronavirus infections produced by Johns Hopkins University. The kit was designed to spread malware to steal passwords."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Finklea, Kristin M.
2020-03-19
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Programs to Collect Data on Law Enforcement Activities: Overview and Issues [Updated March 11, 2021]
From the Summary: "The death of George Floyd in May 2020, in Minneapolis, MN, while he was in the custody of law enforcement, and several other recent high-profile deaths of African Americans at the hands of police, have generated interest in legislation to reform policing practices. Law enforcement reform legislation--the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act of 2021 (JIPA; H.R. 1280)--has been introduced in the 117th Congress. The House passed JIPA on March 3, 2021. Similar legislation passed the House in the 116th Congress; it was not taken up by the Senate. JIPA would establish programs for law enforcement agencies to collect data on a variety of activities, such as the use of force, racial profiling, and in-custody deaths."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
James, Nathan; Finklea, Kristin M.
2021-03-11
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Proposals for Systems of Records on Decertified Officers and Police Misconduct [Updated March 2, 2021]
From the Document: "The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 (JIPA, H.R. 1280) would attempt to reform a range of law enforcement practices, especially practices that are considered to be biased against people of color. The bill would, among other things, promote the use of body-worn cameras, expand de-escalation training, reduce racial profiling and require state and local governments to report data on the use of force, In addition, the legislation would also attempt to curb so-called 'wandering officers' (i.e., law enforcement officers who are fired or resign under threat of termination but are later hired by another law enforcement agency, often in another state). There are a litany of stories about law enforcement officers who are alleged or found to have engaged in misconduct, including the use of excessive force, being hired at other law enforcement agencies that are unaware of the officers' full employment history. There is disagreement over how common the wandering officer phenomenon is and to what extent these officers may be a threat to the public."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
James, Nathan; Finklea, Kristin M.
2021-03-02
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U.S. Agricultural Aid in Response to COVID-19 [Updated March 2, 2021]
From the Introduction: "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first confirmed in the United States in mid-January 2020. In addition to the catastrophic health crisis it created, the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to substantial economic upheaval across the U.S. economy, including the agricultural sector. This In Focus summarizes the major COVID-19-related agricultural programs, the types of support they provide, and their implementation period, funding levels, outlays to date, and underlying authorities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rosch, Stephanie; Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-
2021-03-02
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Tabulating COVID-19-Related Fraud and Financial Loss [March 31, 2021]
From the Document: "Fraudsters have leveraged [hyperlink] the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to take advantage of both individuals and organizations. Their schemes [hyperlink] range from posing as representatives of a charitable organization or government agency and tricking individuals into providing money or personally identifiable information (PII), to selling bogus or counterfeit treatments or vaccines for COVID-19 or protective equipment and medical devices, that may or may not be delivered after victims submit payment. Scammers have also tried to use stolen PII to gain access to and steal unemployment benefits and economic impact payments provided pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act; P.L. 116-136) and other legislation aimed at providing COVID-19-related relief and recovery. While the pandemic has created new opportunities for fraudsters, they still rely upon a number of tried-and-true tools to scam victims [hyperlink] or gain access to information, accounts, and resources. For instance, they continue to make robocalls, phish [hyperlink] for information through emails and social media, install malware on unsuspecting users' devices, and exploit technology vulnerabilities. In addition, criminals leverage both the surface web and dark web [hyperlink] to facilitate these schemes. In conducting oversight over federal law enforcement's efforts [hyperlink] to investigate COVID-19-related fraud and the associated financial losses, policymakers may look to available data surrounding these scams to aid them with their work."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Finklea, Kristin M.
2021-03-31
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U.S. Agricultural Aid in Response to COVID-19 [Updated April 1, 2021]
From the Introduction: "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first confirmed in the United States in mid-January 2020. In addition to the catastrophic health crisis it created, the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to substantial economic upheaval across the U.S. economy, including the agricultural sector. This In Focus summarizes the major COVID-19-related agricultural programs, the types of support they provide, and their implementation period, funding levels, outlays to date, and underlying authorities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rosch, Stephanie; Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-
2021-04-01
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U.S. Farm Income Outlook: February 2021 Forecast [February 24, 2021]
From the Document: "As the 117th Congress considers spending measures, such as through reconcilation, [sic] the health of the U.S. farm economy may be a part of the debate. In particular, Congress may consider the increased role in recent years of large government payments in supporting farm income. Is such intervention sustainable? In addition, is it neutral to the farm decisionmaking process, or does it confer any regional or commodity-specific advantages that might conflict with market forces?"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-; Rosch, Stephanie
2021-02-24
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Supreme Court October Term 2018: A Review of Selected Major Rulings [August 23, 2019]
From the Document: "The Supreme Court term that began on October 1, 2018, was a term of transition, with the Court issuing a number of rulings that, at times, suggested but did not fully adopt broader transformations in its jurisprudence. The term followed the retirement of Justice Kennedy, who was a critical vote on the Court for much of his 30-year tenure and who had been widely viewed as the Court's median or 'swing' Justice. As a result, the question looming over the October 2018 Term was how the replacement of Justice Kennedy with Justice Kavanaugh would alter the Court's jurisprudence going forward. Notwithstanding the alteration in the Court's makeup, observers have generally agreed that the October 2018 Term largely did not produce broad changes to the Court's jurisprudence. Although a number of cases presented the Court with the opportunity to rethink various areas of law, the Court largely declined those invitations. In other cases, a majority of the Justices did not resolve potentially far-reaching questions, resulting in the Court either issuing more narrow rulings or simply not issuing an opinion in a given case. Nonetheless, much of the low-key nature of the October 2018 Term was a product of the Court's decisions to not hear certain matters. And for a number of closely watched cases that it did agree to hear, the Court opted to schedule arguments for the next term."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nolan, Andrew; Brannon, Valerie C.; Hayes, Benjamin . . .
2019-08-23
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Regulating Big Tech: Legal Implications [Updated September 11, 2019]
From the Document: "Amidst growing debate over the legal framework governing social media sites and other technology companies, several Members of Congress have expressed interest in expanding current regulations of the major American technology companies, often referred to as 'Big Tech.' This Legal Sidebar provides a high-level overview of the current regulatory framework governing Big Tech, several proposed changes to that framework, and the legal issues those proposals may implicate. The Sidebar also contains a list of additional resources that may be helpful for a more detailed evaluation of any given regulatory proposal."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brannon, Valerie C.
2019-09-11
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Federal Crop Insurance: A Primer [February 18, 2021]
From the Introduction: "The federal crop insurance program (FCIP) provides insurance coverage for the production of most U.S. agricultural commodities against financial losses caused by adverse growing and market conditions. This insurance coverage helps stabilize farm business incomes, which can help farmers to repay debt, reduce farm bankruptcies, and thus avoid disruptions to food, livestock feed, and other markets for agriculture commodities, including export markets. The FCIP supplies insurance coverage that is not otherwise available from the private sector and is a central component of the federal farm safety net, a collection of programs that provide risk protection and financial support to farmers in times of low farm prices and natural disasters. Farmers can choose from a variety of insurance coverage options to customize the coverage to the specific needs of their farm businesses. The federal government subsidizes the policy premiums to encourage participation. [...] This report provides an overview of the FCIP and of how farmers use federal crop insurance policies to manage financial risk. It discusses legal authorities and annual appropriations for the program, key milestones in the program's history, and how the FCIP relates to the broader U.S. agricultural policy framework. The report also reviews the rationale for providing crop insurance by the public sector and outlines several issues Congress may consider related to program expansion, reform, and oversight."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rosch, Stephanie
2021-02-18
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U.S. Farm Income Outlook: December 2020 Forecast [February 9, 2021]
From the Introduction: "This report discusses the results of the third of three official USDA national farm income outlook forecasts released for 2020 (see box 'ERS's Annual Farm Income Forecasts' in the 'Appendix') by USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS). This release of December 2, 2020, provided the most comprehensive view of annual net farm income for the year because harvests were close to completion for most crops, and a substantial share of the harvested crops already had been sold. However, USDA will continue to fine-tune farm income estimates for 2020 as more and better data become available through 2021. This report's 'Appendix' has a discussion of how the December forecast aligns with prior forecasts from earlier in 2020."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-; Rosch, Stephanie
2021-02-09
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U.S. Agricultural Aid in Response to COVID-19 [February 19, 2021]
From the Introduction: "This In Focus summarizes the major COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]-related agricultural programs, the types of support they provide (Table 2), and their implementation period, funding levels, outlays to date, and underlying authorities (Table 3). Relevant CRS [Congressional Research Service] reports on COVID-19-related programs for agriculture and other areas, such as for nutrition assistance programs, are identified in Table 1."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-; Rosch, Stephanie
2021-02-19
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Public Health and Other Related Provisions in P.L 115-271, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act [December 3, 2018]
"On October 24, 2018, President Donald J. Trump signed into law H.R. 6, the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (P.L. 115-271; SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, or the SUPPORT Act). The final agreement on the bill was approved by the House 393-8 on September 28, 2018, and cleared by the Senate by a vote of 98-1 on October 3, 2018. Over the past several years, there has been growing concern among the public and lawmakers in the United States about rising drug overdose deaths. Opioid overdose deaths, in particular, have increased significantly in the past 15 years. In 2015, an estimated 33,091 Americans died of opioid-related overdoses. Provisional data for 2017 estimate 49,068 deaths involving opioids, representing a fourfold increase over 2002 during the beginning of the epidemic. In October of 2017, President Trump declared the opioid epidemic a national public health emergency."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Heisler, Elayne J., 1976-; Duff, Johnathan H.; Bradley, David H. . . .
2018-12-03
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Selected Homeland Security Issues in the 116th Congress [Updated November 26, 2019]
From the Document: "In 2001, in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 'homeland security' went from being a concept discussed among a relatively small cadre of policymakers and strategic thinkers to one broadly discussed among policymakers, including a broad swath of those in Congress. Debates over how to implement coordinated homeland security policy led to the passage of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296), the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and extensive legislative activity in the ensuing years. Initially, homeland security was largely seen as counterterrorism activities. Today, homeland security is a broad and complex network of interrelated issues, in policymaking terms. For example, in its executive summary, the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review issued in 2014 delineated the missions of the homeland security enterprise as follows: prevent terrorism and enhance security; secure and manage the borders; enforce and administer immigration laws; safeguard and secure cyberspace; and strengthen national preparedness and resilience. This report compiles a series of Insights by CRS [Congressional Research Services] experts across an array of homeland security issues that may come before the 116th Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Painter, William L.; DeVine, Michael E.; Finklea, Kristin M. . . .
2019-11-26
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'Espinoza v. Montana' and the Refusal to Provide Public Funds to Religious Schools [January 21, 2020]
From the Document: "Can a state refuse to extend public aid to religious schools? The Supreme Court may consider this question in 'Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue,' a case in which oral arguments are scheduled for January 22, 2020. The Montana Supreme Court previously ruled that a state tax credit program that indirectly supported religious schools violated a provision of the Montana constitution prohibiting the state from giving public funds to any religious school. Parents of students that attend religious schools appealed this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the state decision violates the U.S. Constitution by impermissibly discriminating against religion. The case presents significant questions relating to whether these so called 'no-aid' clauses in state constitutions may violate the federal Free Exercise Clause. More generally, the case raises questions about how federal and state governments may structure public aid programs. This Legal Sidebar discusses the legal principles at issue in this appeal--and explains why the Court might not resolve these broader questions, given the somewhat complicated background of this case."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brannon, Valerie C.
2020-01-21
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Appeals Court Says First Amendment Limits Regulation of Online Political Advertising: Implications for Congress [January 10, 2020]
From the Document: "The proliferation of online political advertising has sparked a national conversation about its perceived harms. Some have argued that online political ads are more likely than their offline counterparts to include false claims and facilitate foreign influence in U.S. elections. These criticisms have led to calls for more government regulation of online political advertising, and some government officials have responded to that call. For example, in June, the chair of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), the federal entity that generally regulates political campaign communications, advanced a rule proposal that would require certain online political advertisements to contain attribution statements, known as 'disclaimers.' Another example is the Honest Ads Act, which would extend federal campaign finance law disclosure and disclaimer requirements to online platforms for paid internet and paid digital communications and would require online platforms to maintain a publicly available file of requests to purchase certain political advertising. That bill was incorporated into H.R. 1 (116th Cong.), which passed the House in March 2019, and has been reintroduced as a stand-alone bill in both the House and the Senate. While there have been few, if any, enacted federal laws focusing on online political advertisements, a number of states have passed legislation on this front."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brannon, Valerie C.; Whitaker, L. Paige
2020-01-10
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Illicit Drug Flows and Seizures in the United States: In Focus [August 1, 2019]
From the Document: "Policy discussions around issues such as border security, drug trafficking, and the opioid epidemic include questions about illicit drug flows into the United States. While there are numerous data points involved in understanding the trafficking of illicit drugs into the country, these data are often estimated, incomplete, imperfect, or lack nuance."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Finklea, Kristin M.
2019-08-01
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Justice Department's Role in Cyber Incident Response [Updated December 18, 2020]
From the Document: "Criminals and other malicious actors rely on the internet and evolving technology to further their operations. They exploit cyberspace, where they can mask their identities and motivations. In this domain, criminals can compromise financial assets, hacktivists can flood websites with traffic--effectively shutting them down, and spies can steal intellectual property and government secrets. When such cyber incidents occur, a number of questions arise, including how the federal government will react and which agencies will respond. These questions have been raised following a number of high-profile breaches such as those against the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the Democratic National Committee, as well as intrusions into a number of federal agencies and other organizations via network management software produced by SolarWinds. Federal law enforcement has taken the lead in investigating cyber incidents, attributing certain malicious activities to specific perpetrators, and prosecuting cyber threat actors. This report outlines the federal framework for cyber incident response, highlighting the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) role in this response. It also discusses challenges for federal law enforcement and potential policy issues for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Finklea, Kristin M.
2020-12-18
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Public Trust and Law Enforcement-- A Discussion for Policymakers [Updated December 13, 2018]
"Several high-profile incidents where the police have apparently used excessive force against citizens have generated interest in what role Congress could play in facilitating efforts to build trust between the police and the people they serve. This report provides a brief overview of the federal government's role in police-community relations. Public confidence in the police declined in 2014 and 2015 after several high-profile incidents in which men of color were killed during confrontations with the police. Confidence in the police has rebounded in recent years and is now back to the historical average. However, certain groups, such as Hispanics, blacks, people under the age of 35, and individuals with liberal political leanings say they have less confidence in the police than whites, people over the age of 35, and people with conservative political leanings."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
James, Nathan; Finklea, Kristin M.; Keegan, Natalie . . .
2018-12-13
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Effects of Vacancies at the Merit Systems Protection Board, Statement of Valerie C. Brannon, Legislative Attorney, Before Committee on Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations U.S. House of Representatives [February 28, 2019]
"The MSPB [Merit Systems Protection Board] is principally tasked with 'review[ing] certain serious personnel actions against federal employees.' The President appoints Board members with the advice and consent of the Senate. The term for a Board member seat is seven years, but because terms are tied to the calendar year, running from the date of the expiration of the prior term rather than the date of the new member's appointment, the actual duration of a member's service may be slightly shorter. However, sitting members may potentially remain on the Board for up to a year beyond the seven-year term while awaiting the appointment of a successor."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brannon, Valerie C.
2019-02-28
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Heroin Trafficking in the United States [Updated February 14, 2019]
"Over the past several years, the nation has seen an uptick in the use and abuse of opioids--both prescription opioids and non-prescription opioids such as heroin. In 2016, there were an estimated 948,000 individuals (0.4% of the 12 and older population) who reported using heroin within the past year--up from 0.2% to 0.3% of this population reporting use in the previous decade. In addition to an increase in heroin use over the past several years, there has been a simultaneous increase in its availability in the United States. The increase in availability has been fueled by a number of factors, including increased production and trafficking of heroin--principally by Mexican criminal networks. Mexican transnational criminal organizations are the major suppliers and key producers of most illegal drugs smuggled into the United States. They have been increasing their share of the U.S. drug market--particularly with respect to heroin--even though the United States still receives some heroin from South America and, to a lesser extent, Southwest Asia. To facilitate the distribution and sale of drugs in the United States, Mexican drug traffickers have formed relationships with U.S. gangs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Finklea, Kristin M.
2019-02-14
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Public Trust and Law Enforcement-- A Discussion for Policymakers [Updated July 13, 2020]
From the Summary: "Several high-profile incidents where there have been complaints of the use of excessive force against individuals and subsequent backlash in the form of civil unrest have generated interest in what role Congress could play in facilitating efforts to build trust between the police and the people they serve. This report provides an overview of the federal government's role in local police-community relations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
James, Nathan; Finklea, Kristin M.; Novak, Whitney K. . . .
2020-07-13
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Programs to Collect Data on Law Enforcement Activities: Overview and Issues [July 6, 2020]
From the Summary: "The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN,while he was in the custody of law enforcement, and several other recent high-profile deaths of African Americans at the hands of police, have generated interest in legislation to reform policing practices. Two major pieces of legislation that contain police reform proposals are before Congress: H.R. 7120, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020--passed by the House on June 25, 2020--and S. 3985, the Just and Unifying Solutions to Invigorate Communities Everywhere (JUSTICE) Act. Each bill would establish programs to collect data on a variety of policing activities, such as the use of force, racial profiling, the use of no-knock warrants, and in-custody deaths. In some cases, state and local law enforcement agencies would report these data directly to the Department of Justice (DOJ). In other instances, states would be required to establish systems for collecting required data and reporting them to DOJ. Both pieces of legislation would provide incentives for state and local governments to report data by attaching conditions to the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) or the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) programs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
James, Nathan; Finklea, Kristin M.
2020-07-06
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COVID-19: Department of Justice Enforcement Against Scams [July 20, 2020]
From the Document: "Criminals and other malicious actors often seek to capitalize on world events for their gain. Some criminals are leveraging heightened interest in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to take advantage of individuals and organizations. [...] This report provides a brief overview of the types of scams criminals may use to steal money and PII [personally identifiable information] from individuals and businesses. The report also discusses federal law enforcement's role-- specifically, DOJ's [Department of Justice] role--in investigating and prosecuting these scams. Congress, in examining DOJ's priorities going forward, may look to the resources DOJ has placed toward countering fraud more broadly, and toward specific nefarious activity capitalizing on the COVID-19 pandemic."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Finklea, Kristin M.
2020-07-20
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Free Speech and the Regulation of Social Media Content [March 27, 2019]
From the Document: "As the Supreme Court has recognized, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have become important venues for users to exercise free speech rights protected under the First Amendment. Commentators and legislators, however, have questioned whether these social media platforms are living up to their reputation as digital public forums. Some have expressed concern that these sites are not doing enough to counter violent or false speech. At the same time, many argue that the platforms are unfairly banning and restricting access to potentially valuable speech."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brannon, Valerie C.
2019-03-27
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Congressional Review Act: Determining Which 'Rules' Must Be Submitted to Congress [Updated March 6, 2019]
From the Document: "The Congressional Review Act (CRA) allows Congress to review certain types of federal agency actions that fall under the statutory category of 'rules.' The CRA requires that agencies report their rules to Congress and provides special procedures under which Congress can consider legislation to overturn those rules. A joint resolution of disapproval will become effective once both houses of Congress pass a joint resolution and it is signed by the President, or if Congress overrides the President's veto."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brannon, Valerie C.; Carey, Maeve P.
2019-03-06
