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Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: An Overview of the Statutory Framework for Electronic Surveillance [Updated September 18, 2001]
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, 50 U.S.C. § 1801 et seq., provides a statutory framework for electronic surveillance in the context of foreign intelligence gathering. In so doing, the Congress sought to strike a delicate balance between national security interests and personal privacy rights. This report will examine the detailed statutory structure provided by this act and related provisions of E.O. 12333. This report is current through the changes to FISA in P.L. 106-567, Title VI (Dec. 27, 2000).
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bazan, Elizabeth B.
2001-09-18
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National Emergency Powers [Updated September 18, 2001]
"The President of the United States has available certain powers that may be exercised in the event that the nation is threatened by crisis, exigency, or emergency circumstances (other than natural disasters, war, or near-war situations). Such powers may be stated explicitly or implied by the Constitution, assumed by the Chief Executive to be permissible constitutionally, or inferred from or specified by statute. Through legislation, Congress has made a great many delegations of authority in this regard over the past 200 years. There are, however, limits and restraints upon the President in his exercise of emergency powers. With the exception of the habeas corpus clause, the Constitution makes no allowance for the suspension of any of its provisions during a national emergency. Disputes over the constitutionality or legality of the exercise of emergency powers are judicially reviewable. Indeed, both the judiciary and Congress, as co-equal branches, can restrain the executive regarding emergency powers. So can public opinion. Furthermore, since 1976, the President has been subject to certain procedural formalities in utilizing some statutorily delegated emergency authority. The National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601-1651) eliminated or modified some statutory grants of emergency authority, required the President to declare formally the existence of a national emergency and to specify what statutory authority, activated by the declaration, would be used, and provided Congress a means to countermand the President's declaration and the activated authority being sought. The development of this regulatory statute and subsequent declarations of national emergency are reviewed in this report, which is updated as events require."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Relyea, Harold
2001-09-18
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Stock Market's Response to Dramatic Historical Events [September 14, 2001]
"The events of September 11, 2001 have caused speculation that the U.S. stock market may crash when trading resumes. History, however, suggests that there is no uniform pattern in which bad news is followed by a stock market plunge. This report presents data on the stock market response to four episodes: Pearl Harbor, the Kennedy assassination, the October 1987 stock market crash, and the Asian financial crisis of 1997. There is, of course, no guarantee that the market will behave now or in the future as it did then."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jickling, Mark
2001-09-14
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Terrorism: Some Legal Restrictions on Military Assistance to Domestic Authorities Following a Terrorist Attack [September 14, 2001]
From the Summary: "The Constitution empowers to the President to act as Commander in Chief of the armed forces and to see to the execution of federal law; it gives Congress the authority to make federal law including laws for the regulation of the armed forces. The Posse Comitatus Act prohibits use of the armed forces to perform civilian governmental tasks unless explicitly authorized to do so. There are statutory exceptions to ensure continued enforcement of state and federal law, to provide disaster assistance, and to provide technical support for law enforcement. There are constitutional impediments to the use of the military to nationalize an industry, to try civilians, and to compel state officials to perform federally-imposed duties. Unlawful use of the armed forces might result in criminal or civil liability and frustrate prosecution of terrorists. For a more complete discussion, see CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report 95-964, 'The Posse Comitatus Act &Related Matters: The Use of the Military to Execute Civilian Law'."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Doyle, Charles
2001-09-14
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Response to Terrorism: Legal Aspects of the Use of Military Force [September 13, 2001]
From the Summary: "The terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, has precipitated widespread calls for the use of military force in response. Under U.S. and international law a variety of legal considerations attach to such use. This report briefly summarizes several salient aspects with regards to the legal considerations concerning the use of force under U.S. and international law. Legal considerations outlined include (1) acts of war; [...] (2) declaration of war; [...] (3) the President's authority to use military force; [...](4) war powers resolution; [...] and the (5) United Nations charter."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Ackerman, David M.
2001-09-13
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Terrorism: World Trade Center and the Pentagon - Applicable Federal Criminal Law [September 13, 2001]
"The death and destruction associated with the hijacking of four commercial airliners constitute federal crimes that outlaw air piracy, murder, and kidnapping. Relevant statutes carry the death penalty and apply to any accomplices or coconspirators here or abroad. [...] On September 11, 2001, four commercial airliners were hijacked. Two crashed into the World Trade Center towers; one into the Pentagon; and a fourth in Pennsylvania. Casualties number in the thousands. [...] The existence of multiple murder victims; the risk of death of others; the heinous nature of a murder; and the fact a murder occurred during the commission of air piracy, destruction of federal buildings or those whose activities affect interstate commerce, kidnapping, or destruction of commercial aircraft, are all aggravating factors which a jury may consider in determining whether the death penalty should be imposed on those guilty of federal capital offenses."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Doyle, Charles
2001-09-13
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Initial Federal Budget Response to the 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor [September 13, 2001]
"The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, occurred as the federal government was half way through FY1942. Congress and the President immediately responded by enacting into law declarations of war against Japan, Germany, and Italy, in which the President was directed to prosecute the war to its successful conclusion and Congress pledged 'all of the resources of the country' to the effort. [...] President Roosevelt did not seek, and Congress did not provide, a 'blank check' for war spending. Instead, the President made specific requests for funds, which Congress dealt with through the usual annual appropriations process."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Keith, Robert
2001-09-13
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War Powers Resolution: Presidential Compliance [September 11, 2001]
"Two separate but closely related issues confront Congress each time the President introduces armed forces into a situation abroad that conceivably could lead to their involvement in hostilities. One issue concerns the division of war powers between the President and Congress, whether the use of armed forces falls within the purview of the congressional power to declare war and the War Powers Resolution. The other issue is whether Congress concurs in the wisdom of the action. This issue brief does not deal with the substantive merits of using armed forces in specific cases, but rather with the congressional authorization for the action and the application and effectiveness of the War Powers Resolution. The purpose of the War Powers Resolution (P.L. 93-148, passed over President Nixon's veto on November 7, 1973) is to ensure that Congress and the President share in making decisions that may get the U.S. involved in hostilities. Compliance becomes an issue whenever the President introduces U.S. forces abroad in situations that might be construed as hostilities or imminent hostilities. Criteria for compliance include prior consultation with Congress, fulfillment of the reporting requirements, and congressional authorization. [...] A longer-term issue is whether the War Powers Resolution is an appropriate and effective means of assuring congressional participation in actions that might get the United States involved in war. Some observers contend that the War Powers Resolution has not significantly increased congressional participation, while others emphasize that it has promoted consultation and served as leverage. Proposals have been made to strengthen, change, or repeal the resolution. None have been enacted to date."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Grimmett, Richard F.
2001-09-11
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Terrorism: Near Eastern Groups and State Sponsors, 2001 [September 10, 2001]
Signs continue to point to a decline in state sponsorship of terrorism, as well as a rise in the scope of threat posed by the independent network of exiled Saudi dissident Usama bin Ladin. Although Iran continues to actively sponsor terrorist groups, since 1997 some major factions within Iran have sought to change Iran's image to that of a more constructive force in the region. Usama bin Ladin's network, which is independently financed and enjoys safe haven in Afghanistan, poses an increasingly significant threat to U.S. interests in the Near East and perhaps elsewhere. The primary goals of bin Ladin and his cohort are to oust pro-U.S. regimes in the Middle East and gain removal of U.S. troops from the region. U.S. allegations of past plotting by the bin Ladin network suggest that the network wants to strike within the United States itself. The Arab-Israeli peace process is a longstanding major U.S. foreign policy interest, and the Administration and Congress are concerned about any terrorist groups or state sponsors that oppose the Arab-Israeli peace process. There is no consensus on the strategies for countering terrorism in the Near East. The United States, in many cases, differs with its allies on how to deal with state sponsors of terrorism; most allied governments believe that engaging these countries diplomatically might sometimes be more effective than trying to isolate or punish them. The United States is more inclined than its European allies to employ sanctions, military action, and legal pressure to compel state sponsors and groups to abandon terrorism.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2001-09-10
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Farm Labor Shortages and Immigration Policy [Updated September 6, 2001]
"Slightly more than half of today's farmworkers are not legally eligible to hold U.S. jobs. Growers are concerned that if certain federal activities are effective, they could lose a considerable portion of their labor force and hence of their livelihood. These federal actions include increased border enforcement efforts, work eligibility verification pilot programs and audits of employees' work authorization documents to determine their authenticity. In addition, the Social Security Administration has more often been sending letters that notify employers of mismatches between their employees' names/social security numbers and those in SSA's [Social Security Administration] database in order to properly credit earnings to employee records. Growers contend that the sizeable presence of illegal aliens implies a shortage of legal farmworkers. Their advocacy groups argue that growers would rather not employ unauthorized workers because doing so puts them at risk of incurring penalties. Farmworker advocates counter that crop producers prefer illegal to legal employees because the former are in a weaker bargaining position with regard to wages and working conditions. If the supply of illegal workers were curtailed, it is claimed, growers could adjust to a smaller legal workforce by introducing laborefficient technologies and management practices, and by raising wages, which, in turn, would entice more legal workers to become farmworkers. Grower advocates respond that further mechanization would be difficult for some crops and that substantially higher wages would make the U.S. industry uncompetitive in the world marketplace without expanding the legal farm labor force. These remain untested arguments, as perishable crop growers have rarely, if ever, operated without illegal aliens in their workforces."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Levine, Linda (Linda H.)
2001-09-06
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Immigration of Agricultural Guest Workers: Policy, Trends, and Legislative Issues [Updated August 23, 2001]
"Proposals to revise U.S. immigration policy on agricultural guest workers are coming from various perspectives, and several major bills have already been introduced in the 107th Congress. Though bills were debated but not enacted in recent Congresses, now reform appears to have more momentum. President George Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox established a Cabinet-level immigration working group that is expected to offer a guest worker program as part of its package. Although the current mechanism for bringing in agricultural guest workers, the H-2A nonimmigrant visa, has experienced a modest surge in recent years, the 28,560 H-2A nonimmigrants admitted in 1999 comprise only a tiny fraction of the 1.2 million farm workers in the United States. While 61% of farm workers in the United States worked in fruit, nut, or vegetable production, a disproportionate number of H-2A workers -- 42% -- worked in tobacco cultivation. States in the southeastern United States account for more than half of all H-2A job certifications. Agricultural employers argue that the H-2A visa in its current form is insufficiently flexible, entails burdensome regulations, and poses potential litigation expenses for employers. They point out that the growing cycle is the actual deadline and that workers must be available when the crops are ready or food costs will rise. Proponents of this view support extensive changes that they believe would increase the speed with which employers could hire foreign workers and reduce the government's ability to delay or block such employment."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wasem, Ruth Ellen; Collver, Geoffrey K.
2001-08-23
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Immigration Legalization and Status Adjustment Legislation [Updated August 22, 2001]
"Although President George Bush has said he opposes broad legalization for unauthorized migrants, there have been reports that the President will recommend legislation to legalize an estimated 3 million Mexicans working in the United States without legal authorization. President Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox have established a Cabinet-level working group to develop 'an orderly framework for migration that ensures humane treatment and legal security, and dignifies labor conditions.' Initial speculation that the President would unveil a legalization proposal in early September has been tempered by recent reports that he will recommend a more gradual series of proposals. On August 2, Congressional Democrats announced a set of principles that will guide broad immigration legislation they intend to propose, and among those principles is a plan for 'earned legalization.' Their proposal would not be limited to nationals of any one country and would focus on 'longtime, hard-working residents of good moral character, with no criminal problems . . . who are otherwise eligible to become U.S. citizens.' While supporters characterize legalization provisions as fair treatment of aliens who have been living and working here for years as good neighbors and dedicated employees, opponents describe such proposals as an unfair reward to illegal aliens who violated the law to get into the United States."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wasem, Ruth Ellen
2001-08-22
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Airline Passenger Rights Legislation in the 107th Congress [Updated August 17, 2001]
"Congressional advocates of enhanced airline passenger rights have introduced legislation in the 107th Congress that proposes remedies to a variety of consumer complaints. Most of the bills include provisions requiring prompt and truthful disclosure of reasons for delays, cancellations, and diverted flights. Others, found in some of the bills, include: preventing airlines from assessing a fee against, or prohibiting a ticket holder from using, only part of a ticket; requiring airlines to make available information on all fares offered through any media (phone, internet, etc.); and giving passengers the right to exit flights delayed on the ground beyond a certain length of time. Some bills would increase penalties for violating aviation consumer protection law or increase the airlines' liability for mistreatment of passengers."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kirk, Robert S.
2001-08-17
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Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 1993-2000
This report is prepared annually to provide unclassified quantitative data on
conventional arms transfers to developing nations by the United States and foreign
countries for the preceding eight calendar years. Some general data are provided on
worldwide conventional arms transfers, but the principal focus is the level of arms
transfers by major weapons suppliers to nations in the developing world.
Developing nations continue to be the primary focus of foreign arms sales
activity by weapons suppliers. During the years 1993-2000, the value of arms transfer
agreements with developing nations comprised 67.7% of all such agreements
worldwide. More recently, arms transfer agreements with developing nations
constituted 67.6% of all such agreements globally from 1997-2000, and 69% of these
agreements in 2000.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Grimmett, Richard F.
2001-08-16
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Democratic Republic of the Congo: Peace Process and Background [August 14, 2001]
From the Summary: "The Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire, is a vast, resource-rich country of nearly 50 million people. In August 1998, Congo was plunged into its second civil war in 2 years. A peace accord was concluded in Lusaka, Zambia, in July and August 1999, and the United Nations later agreed to send peace monitors and protecting troops, in a force known as MONUC [Mission de l'Organisation des Nations Unies en République démocratique du Congo], to assist in the peace process. Deployment was slow, but the assassination of President Laurent Kabila on January 16, 2001, was followed by progress in the peace process under a new regime headed by Joseph Kabila, Laurent's son. On June 15, 2001, the U.N. Security Council approved plans to expand MONUC to its authorized level of 5,537 personnel. […] Congo was ill-prepared for independence in 1960; its first civil war broke out almost immediately, leading to U.N. intervention. U.S. policymakers took a strong interest in Zaire during the Cold War years because of its resources and central location, but relations with Mobutu cooled in the post-Cold War era. Policymakers initially welcomed Laurent Kabila's pledge of elections in 2 years, but problems in democratization and economic reform complicated relations. A limited aid program focusing on democracy, health, the private sector, and the environment was resumed. Secretary of State Colin Powell has urged all parties to respect the Lusaka agreement and said he is 'cautiously optimistic' about implementation."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Copson, Raymond W.
2001-08-14
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Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Weapons and Missiles: The Current Situation and Trends [Updated August 10, 2001]
Nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons (NBCW) pose the most serious threats to the United States and its foreign interests. Ballistic and cruise missiles, aircraft, covert forces, and terrorist groups are considered possible means of delivering these weapons of mass destruction. U.S. and allied policy makers debate the rate of proliferation and the nature and extent of the threat to the United States and its allies, and the weapons' effects on international stability. The purpose of this paper is to assemble current information on the status of weapons programs around the globe and analyze patterns regarding the threats posed by these weapons.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Shuey, Robert
2001-08-10
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Shib'a Farms Dispute and Its Implications [August 7, 2001]
"Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000 left several small but sensitive territorial issues unresolved, notably, a roughly 10 square mile enclave at the southern edge of the Lebanese-Syrian border known as the Shib'a Farms. Israel did not evacuate this enclave, arguing that it is not Lebanese territory but rather is a part of the Syrian Golan Heights, which Israel occupied in 1967. Lebanon, supported by Syria, asserts that this territory is part of Lebanon and should have been evacuated by Israel when the latter abandoned its self-declared security zone in May 2000. On June 16, 2000, the U.N. Secretary General informed the Security Council that the requirement for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon had been met. The Secretary General pointed out, however, that the U.N. determination does not prejudice the rights of Syria and Lebanon to agree on an international boundary in the future. This obscure enclave has become a focal point for tensions in the Lebanese- Israeli-Syrian border area in the aftermath of Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Neither the Lebanese Armed Forces nor the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has established an effective presence in the border territory vacated by Israel in 2000."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Prados, Alfred B.
2001-08-07
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Trafficking in Women and Children: The U.S. and International Response [Updated August 1, 2001]
The trafficking in people for prostitution and forced labor is one of the fastest
growing areas of international criminal activity and one that is of increasing concern
to the United States and the international community. The overwhelming majority of
those trafficked are women and children. An estimated 700,000 to 2 million people
are trafficked each year worldwide; between 45,000 and 50,000 to the United States.
Trafficking is now considered the third largest source of profits for organized crime,
behind only drugs and weapons, generating billions of dollars annually.
Trafficking affects virtually every country in the world. The largest number of
victims come from Asia, with over 225,000 victims each year from Southeast Asia
and over 150,000 from South Asia. The former Soviet Union is now believed to be
the largest new source of trafficking for prostitution and the sex industry, with over
100,000 trafficked each year from that region. An additional 75,000 or more are
trafficked from Central and Eastern Europe. Over 100,000 come from Latin America
and the Caribbean, and over 50,000 victims are from Africa. Most of the victims are
sent to Asia, the Middle East, Western Europe and North America.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Miko, Francis T.
2001-08-01
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Privacy: An Overview of Federal Statutes Governing Wiretapping and Electronic Eavesdropping [Updated August 1, 2001]
It is a federal crime to wiretap or to use a machine to capture the
communications of others without court approval, unless one of the parties has given their prior consent. It is likewise a federal crime to use or disclose any information acquired by illegal wiretapping or electronic eavesdropping: This report provides an overview of federal law governing wiretapping and electronic eavesdropping. It also surveys state law in the area and contains a bibliography of legal commentary.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Doyle, Charles; Stevens, Gina Marie
2001-08-01
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Suspension of Budget Enforcement Procedures During Hostilities Abroad [Updated July 27, 2001]
"Federal budget policies are enforced by two major statutes-the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. The first act establishes the congressional budget process; the second act establishes discretionary spending limits and a 'pay-as-you-go' (PAYGO) requirement, enforced by sequestration. [...] During the years that these suspension provisions have been available, the United States has been involved in several instances of armed hostilities abroad, including the Persian Gulf War, but budget enforcement procedures were not suspended in any of these instances because no declaration of war was enacted. Congress and the President met the additional spending needs associated with these hostilities largely by using procedures that allow such spending to be declared 'emergency requirements,' thus freeing it from budget enforcement constraints."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Keith, Robert
2001-07-27
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U.S. Prisoners of War and Civilian American Citizens Captured and Interned by Japan in World War II: The Issue of Compensation by Japan [Updated July 27, 2001]
From the Summary: "Of the approximately 130,000 American prisoners of war (POWs) in World War
II (WWII), 27,000 or more were held by Japan. Of the approximately 19,000
American civilian internees held in WWII, close to 14,000 were captured and interned by Japan. After the conclusion of WWII, Congress passed the War Claims Act of 1948, which created a War Claims Commission (WCC) to adjudicate claims and pay out small lump-sum compensation payments from a War Claims Fund consisting of seized Japanese, German, and other Axis assets. Payments to POWs held by either
Germany or Japan were at the rate of $1 to $2.50 per day of imprisonment. The
WCC also paid civilian internees of Japan $60 for each month of internment, and civilians were also eligible for compensation for disability or death. The War Claims Act of 1948 did not authorize compensation for civilian internees held by Germany."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Reynolds, Gary K.
2001-07-27
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Biological Weapons: A Primer [July 24, 2001]
In the past decade, public and congressional concerns over biological weapons (BW), and bioterrorism in particular, have sharply increased. Though the use of living organisms (e.g. bacteria, viruses, fungi) to harm or kill humans, livestock, or plants has never occurred on a large scale, many government officials are viewing a BW attack as a "when, not if" scenario. The United States has both statutes and regulations that govern possession and use of dangerous biological agents, though some have deemed these too loose to maintain effective control of these agents. Though no legislation has been introduced to date in the 107th Congress, legislation considered in the 106th Congress may be reintroduced later in the session. Federal programs intended to deter, respond to, and/or mitigate a BW attack exist in a broad range of government departments and agencies, and have been subject to criticism for lack of coordination.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bowman, Steve
2001-07-24
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Immigration and Naturalization Service Reorganization and Related Legislative Proposals [Updated July 24, 2001]
"The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), with a current annual budget of $5.0 billion, is the primary agency charged with enforcing the nation's immigration law. Regulating immigration can be viewed as having two basic components: stemming illegal immigration (enforcement) and facilitating legal immigration (service). The Bush Administration supports separating service from enforcement. While no legislation has been acted upon in the 107th Congress at this date, restructuring proposals may be considered in the future, since restructuring may necessitate amending existing statutory authorities. Previously, the Clinton Administration had initiated steps to restructure INS internally by separating the agency's enforcement and service functions, but sought to maintain the statutory authority for both functions under a single executive who would integrate immigration policy, standards, and operations. While there is no statutory requirement that the Administration gain Congress's formal approval of any agency reorganization, Congress could choose to mandate legislatively that INS be dismantled or reorganized differently. Indeed, on March 22, 2000, the House Judiciary's Immigration and Claims Subcommittee approved legislation to dismantle INS. Without the support of key Members of Congress, the Clinton Administration did not move forcefully to complete its INS restructuring plan. This report will be updated to reflect legislative action."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Krouse, William J.
2001-07-24
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Uganda: Recent Elections and Current Conditions [July 19, 2001]
From the Summary: "On March 12, 2001, Yoweri Museveni was re-elected president of Uganda after defeating his one- time ally, Kizza Besigye. International and regional election monitors declared the elections relatively free, although the electoral process was marred by mismanagement and sporadic violence. In the legislative elections in late June 2001, more than 50 incumbent members of Parliament were defeated, including 10 ministers. The elections were marred by violence in which an estimated 12 people were killed. Relations between Washington and Kampala are warm. The Clinton Administration championed the Museveni regime, and President Clinton visited Uganda during his 1998 tour of Africa. Relations began to cool when Ugandan troops once again intervened in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 1998. Secretary of State Colin Powell visited Uganda during his four-nation tour of Africa in late May 2001. Powell met with President Museveni and opposition leaders to discuss a wide range of issues, including Sudan and DRC. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Dagne, Theodore S.
2001-07-19
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National Missile Defense and Alaska [Updated July 13, 2001]
"In mid-July 2001, the Bush Administration announced that it would seek funding to develop a Ballistic Missile Test Bed, which would be used to prove various aspects of a national missile defense1 capability. The test bed would be oriented in the Pacific and would make use of early warning radars at Beale Air Force Base (California) and Cobra Dane at Shemya Island, and use the Kodiak Launch Facility in Alaska to launch targets and interceptors. The test bed could also include up to five ground-based silos at Fort Greeley Alaska. If directed, the BMD test bed could provide a basis for a contingency missile defense capability against long-range ballistic missile threats as early as about 2004. The concept for possible deployment of a limited missile defense system was developed previously by the Clinton Administration. The recent proposal already has generated considerable controversy in Congress and overseas. This report will be updated as necessary."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hildreth, Steven A.
2001-07-13
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Colombia: U.S. Assistance and Current Legislation (FY2000-FY2001) [Updated July 5, 2001]
From the Summary: "On February 7, 2000, the Clinton Administration, as part of its annual budget request, asked Congress for FY2000 supplemental appropriations of $954 million for assistance to Colombia and other Andean counternarcotics efforts. FY2000 allocated funding for Colombia, from appropriations made in 1999, already totals some $164.0 million. At the same time, the Administration requested $318 million for FY2001 assistance to Colombia and other regional efforts, in addition to the $150 million that it previously indicated it had planned to allocate to Colombia in FY2001. The Clinton Administration's 'Plan Colombia' program, as it became known, was intended to substantially increase the assistance provided to Colombia. The proposal's centerpiece was funding for the 'Push into Southern Colombia' program, which would include training and equipping two new army CN battalions, and providing funding to purchase new and sustain existing Blackhawk and Huey helicopters to transport them. Other assistance was included for interdiction, resettlement of displaced persons, economic development, and programs to improve Colombian National Police(CNP) eradication capabilities and to support human rights monitors, improve the justice system and strengthen the rule of law."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Serafino, Nina M.
2001-07-05
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Military Housing Privatization Initiative: Background and Issues [July 2, 2001]
"This report describes the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI), a pilot program authorized by Congress in 1996 to encourage privately-funded development of housing for use by members of the U.S. Military Services (including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force). The quality of housing available to members of the Military Services is considered one of the most important components (along with pay and quality of workplace) in defining the military's 'quality of life,' directly influencing the ability of the Military Services to retain personnel on active duty. As part of the Department of Defense (DOD) effort to address its housing problems by a self-imposed deadline of 2010, the MHPI uses private sector alternatives to military housing construction, 'leveraging' appropriated funds by providing federal supports to commercial real estate developers. Congress temporarily granted DOD 12 of these risk-reducing authorities, including the ability to convey or lease public property to private enterprise, to guarantee minimum occupancy rates, or to offer direct loans to real estate developers. While the Office of the Secretary of Defense retains general oversight and approval authority, the individual Military Services are responsible for the execution of projects on military installations. […] Domestic military housing is created through three methods: access to the civilian housing market, traditional military construction using appropriated funds, and MHPI development. More than 66% of Service members stationed within the United States use commercial housing. MHPI housing currently under contract or in solicitation accounts for less than 20% of the remainder, with military construction supplying the rest. DOD intends to resolve its housing shortfalls through a combination of those three alternatives."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Else, Daniel H.
2001-07-02
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Moldova: Basic Facts [June 26, 2001]
"This short report provides information and analysis on Moldova, including its history, political and economic situation, foreign policy, and U.S. policy toward Moldova. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Woehrel, Steven J.
2001-06-26
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Arms Control after START II: Next Steps on the U.S.-Russian Agenda [Updated June 22, 2001]
"The U.S.-Russian arms control process has stalled. The Russian parliament approved the ratification of the second Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START II) in April 2000, shortly after the newly elected president, Vladimir Putin, expressed his support. Russia will not, however, allow START II to enter into force until the United States approves agreements signed in 1997 that would extend the elimination period in START II and clarify the 1972 ABM [Anti-Ballistic Missile] Treaty. The Russian Federal Law on Ratification also said that Russia could consider withdrawing from the START II Treaty if the United States withdraws from the ABM Treaty. This latter provision responds to the U.S. interest in developing and deploying missile defenses that could go beyond the limits in the ABM Treaty and Russian concerns that such a system might eventually undermine Russia's nuclear deterrent. [...] In the future, the United States and Russia could continue to negotiate arms control treaties, reduce their forces through informal agreements, or forgo coordinated arms control and size their forces according to their own economic and security interests. Supporters of this latter path acknowledge that the United States would lose the transparency and predictability of formal arms control, but believe the formal arms control process has become less important in the post-Cold War era. Others argue that, regardless of the changes in the international security environment, it would be politically unwise to abandon the formal arms control process at this time. Many in Russia mayprefer to continue with arms control, to ensure reductions in U.S. offensive forces, to retain limits on U.S. defenses, and to garner favorable opinions in the international community. But, if the United States continues to pursue limited defenses, Russia, too, may have to pursue alternatives to the formal arms control process."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Woolf, Amy F.; Goldman, Stuart D. (Stuart Douglas), 1943-
2001-06-22
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Peru: Recovery from Crisis [Updated June 22, 2001]
From the Summary: "The United States and Peru have enjoyed generally friendly relations over the past decade, although the recurring political crises of the Fujimori government strained those relations. The primary U.S. interest in Peru has been the reduction of illicit narcotics production and trafficking. Other stated goals of U.S. assistance are: broader citizen participation and more responsive government; increased incomes for Peru's poor; improved health of high risk populations; and improved environmental conditions. The United States pressed the Fujimori government to improve respect for human rights; for much of his term Fujimori's regime had the worst human rights record in the hemisphere. The United States has been concerned about security in Peru and in the Andean region as a whole. The U.S. Congress has expressed concern about the development of democratic institutions in Peru, and has conditioned aid on the respect for those institutions, and for human rights, and the holding of free and fair elections. Congress has also expressed concern about the case of Lori Berenson, an American prisoner in Peru; the relationship between U.S. agencies and Peru's spy chief, Vladimiro Montesinos; and whether to resume a joint aerial drug-interdiction program that was suspended after the accidental shooting of an American missionary plane."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Taft-Morales, Maureen
2001-06-22
