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Confirmation of U.S. Circuit and District Court Nominations During Presidential Election Years: Frequently Asked Questions [September 18, 2020]
From the Document: "This report provides data and analysis related to frequently asked questions about the confirmation of U.S. circuit and district court nominations during presidential election years. Senators with different political views have at different times have spoken of their expectations of a potential drop-off in the confirmation of lower federal court nominees occurring earlier in presidential election years than in other years (and, consequently, the expectation that fewer such nominees would be confirmed in presidential election years). There is, however, no written Senate or Judiciary Committee rule concerning the processing of judicial nominations during presidential election years, and the volume and timing of the processing of such nominations has varied over time. [...] The report includes data from presidential election years and other years during the period 1977 to 2016 (i.e., from the Carter presidency through the Obama presidency).When relevant, data are also presented for the 2017 to 2020 period. Analysis of past data is not presented as being predictive of future activity by the Senate on judicial nominations during presidential election years or other years."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McMillion, Barry J.
2020-09-18
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COVID-19 Health Care Provider Relief Fund [Updated September 18, 2020]
From the Document: "In response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, some health care providers limited in-person visits and cancelled elective procedures to reduce the spread of COVID-19, prepare for COVID-19 patients, and conserve personal protective equipment. As a consequence, some providers reported forgone revenue and/or significant financial challenges, making it difficult to sustain services. To address these concerns, Congress established the Provider Relief Fund (PRF, or the Fund) in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136) and appropriated $100 billion 'to reimburse, through grants or other mechanisms, eligible health care providers for health care related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to coronavirus.' The Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (PPPHCEA, P.L. 116-139) added an additional $75 billion to the Fund."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Heisler, Elayne J., 1976-
2020-09-18
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Criminal Records Expungement and the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act of 2019 [September 18, 2020]
From the Document: "The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act of 2019 (H.R. 3884; S. 2227) would expunge the criminal records of convictions for qualifying federal marijuana offenses and all related arrests for individuals no longer serving a criminal justice sentence. Most of these offenses fall under the Controlled Substances Act, but Section 2 of both the House and Senate bills references other federal marijuana offenses in Title 16 and Title 18 of the U.S. Code. The bills would require each federal district court, within one year of enactment of the bill, to issue an order expunging records of convictions or adjudications for juvenile delinquency and related arrests for federal marijuana offenses entered into, on, or after May 1, 1971, up until the day the bill is enacted. Also, the bills would allow anyone who has been convicted or adjudicated delinquent for a marijuana offense and is not currently serving a sentence to petition the court for expungement, which would allow for convictions and associated arrests to be expunged before the end of the one-year review period. [...] The MORE Act would allow those currently serving a sentence for a federal marijuana offense to petition a court for resentencing as if the penalty for their marijuana offense was not in effect at the time of their initial sentencing."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
James, Nathan; Sacco, Lisa N.
2020-09-18
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Nigeria: Current Issues and U.S. Policy [Updated September 18, 2020]
From the Overview: "Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, largest economy, and leading oil producer. Successive U.S. Administrations have described the U.S.-Nigeria relationship as among the most important in sub-Saharan Africa: the country is the United States' second-largest trading partner and third-largest destination for U.S. foreign direct investment in the region, and it routinely ranks among the top annual recipients of U.S. foreign aid globally. Nigeria plays a major political and economic role in Africa and wields influence regionally. Nigerians make up the largest African-born population in the United States, generating billions of dollars in annual remittance outflows."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Husted, Tomas F.; Blanchard, Lauren Ploch
2020-09-18
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Overview of the Global Humanitarian and Displacement Crisis [Updated September 18, 2020]
From the Document: "Even before the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the global humanitarian and displacement crisis was unprecedented. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) anticipated that in 2020 more than 168 million people worldwide would require humanitarian assistance and protection due to conflict and disaster. The United States is the single largest donor, consistently providing nearly one-third (more than $9.5 billion in FY2020) of total humanitarian and emergency food assistance through global accounts."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Margesson, Rhoda
2020-09-18
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CARES Act (P.L. 116-136): Provisions Designed to Help Banks and Credit Unions [Updated September 18, 2020]
From the Document: "The economic effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may cause numerous borrowers to miss loan repayments, potentially leading to distress at banks and credit unions. Because of the importance of banking to the economy, federal depository regulators have implemented 'safety and soundness' regulations, including lending, capital, and liquidity rules. Regulators also have the authority to supervise banks, which includes requiring banks to report financial information. As part of Congress's response to COVID-19, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act; P.L. 116-136) includes four sections--4011, 4012, 4013, and 4014--that temporarily relax some of the regulations banks face. Section 4016 expands access to the Central Liquidity Facility (CLF), which is a liquidity facility for credit unions that exists at the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). This Insight examines those sections."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Perkins, David W.; Getter, Darryl E.; Gnanarajah, Raj
2020-09-18
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Elections Grant Funding for States: Recent Appropriations and Legislative Proposals [September 18, 2020]
From the Document: "The emergence of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and reports of attempted election interference have introduced new challenges for election administration that are ongoing, difficult for states and localities to manage alone, or both. Election security threats evolve, for example, and election officials' defenses have to evolve with them. Securing election systems against potential interference and protecting voters and election workers against a pandemic may involve significant changes to election processes and correspondingly significant financial investments. Congress has responded to such challenges, in part, with funding for elections grant programs. As of this writing, Congress has appropriated more than $1.2 billion to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for grant funding for states, territories, and the District of Columbia (DC) since FY2018 and considered proposals that would authorize or fund further grant programs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Shanton, Karen L.
2020-09-18
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Resurgence of Chemical Weapons Use: Issues for Congress [Updated September 18, 2020]
From the Document: "With increasing numbers of incidents, the use of chemical weapons (CW) has become a growing international concern two decades after the international community decided to ban them under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Syrian government forces have used the nerve agent sarin and chlorine bombs dozens of times since 2013 in that country's civil war. [...] Prior to the Syrian civil war, there had been no major recent use of chemical weapons since the 1995 terror attack by the Aum Shinrikyo in Tokyo and by Iraq in the 1980s during its war with Iran. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), originally established to oversee the destruction of chemical weapons stocks under the CWC and promote the safe and peaceful use of chemicals, now has additional challenges and responsibilities. States may request OPCW assistance in investigating cases of CW use. CWC states may also request challenge inspections at facilities in member states suspected to be in violation of the convention. To date, the CWC challenge inspection provision has never been invoked."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nikitin, Mary Beth Dunham
2020-09-18
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SBA Veterans Assistance Programs: An Analysis of Contemporary Issues [Updated September 18, 2020]
From the Summary: "This report opens with an examination of the economic circumstances of veteran-owned businesses. It then provides a brief overview of veterans' employment experiences, comparing unemployment and labor force participation rates for veterans, veterans who have left the military since September 2001, and nonveterans. The report also describes employment assistance programs offered by several federal agencies to assist veterans in their transition from the military to the civilian labor force and examines, in greater detail, the SBA's [Small Business Administration] veteran business development programs, the SBA's efforts to assist veterans' access to capital, and the SBA's veteran contracting programs. It also discusses the SBA's Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and P.L. 114-38, the Veterans Entrepreneurship Act of 2015, which authorized and made permanent, under specified circumstances, the SBA's recent practice of waiving the SBAExpress loan program's one time, up-front loan guarantee fee for veterans (and their spouse)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Dilger, Robert Jay, 1954-; Lowry, Sean
2020-09-18
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Net Neutrality Debate: Access to Broadband Networks [Updated September 18, 2020]
From the Introduction: "As congressional policymakers continue to debate telecommunications reform, a major discussion point revolves around what approach should be taken to ensure unfettered access to the internet. The move to place restrictions on the owners of the networks that compose and provide access to the internet, to ensure equal access and nondiscriminatory treatment, is referred to as 'net neutrality.' There is no single accepted definition of 'net neutrality.' However, most agree that any such definition should include the general principles that owners of the networks that compose and provide access to the internet should not control how consumers lawfully use that network, and they should not be able to discriminate against content provider access to that network. A major focus in the debate is concern over whether the regulatory framework as delineated in the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC's) 2015 Open Internet Order is the appropriate approach to ensure access to the internet for content, services, and applications providers, as well as consumers, or whether a less regulatory approach contained in the 2017 Order is more suitable. [...] Whether Congress will take broader action to amend existing law to provide guidance and more stability to FCC authority over broadband access remains to be seen."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gilroy, Angele A.
2020-09-18
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Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated September 18, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program, a program carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy that gives Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers a capability for conducting BMD operations. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify Department of Defense (DOD) acquisition strategies and proposed funding levels for the Aegis BMD program. Congress's decisions on the Aegis BMD program could significantly affect U.S. BMD capabilities and funding requirements, and the BMD-related industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-09-18
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FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues [Updated September 18, 2020]
From the Introduction: "Each year, the House and Senate armed services committees take up national defense authorization bills. The House of Representatives passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (NDAA; H.R. 2500) on July 12, 2019. The Senate passed its version of the NDAA (S. 1790) on June 27, 2019. These bills contain numerous provisions that affect military personnel, retirees, and their family members. Provisions in one version may not be included in the other, may be treated differently, or may be identical to those in the other versions. Following passage of each chamber's bill, a conference committee typically convenes to resolve the differences between the respective chambers' versions of the bill. The House passed the FY2020 NDAA conference report on December 11, 2019, and the Senate passed the report on December 17, 2019. On December 20, 2019, President Donald J. Trump signed the bill into law (P.L. 116-92). This report highlights selected personnel-related issues that may generate high levels of congressional and constituent interest. Related CRS [Congressional Research Service] products are identified in each section to provide more detailed background information and analysis of the issues."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mendez, Bryce H. P.; Ott, Alan; Kamarck, Kristy N. . . .
2020-09-18
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Crisis in Mali [Updated September 18, 2020]
From the Background: "Mali has been mired in crisis since 2012, when state institutions nearly collapsed in the face of a northern separatist rebellion, a military coup, and an Islamist insurgent advance. After junior military officers seized power from an elected president, northern rebels--fueled by arms from Libya and bolstered by fighters with ties to Algerian-led Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)-- declared an independent state of 'Azawad.' By mid-2012, AQIM and two loosely aligned groups had outmaneuvered the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) to assert control over most of the north. France intervened militarily against the Islamists in early 2013, at which point the MNLA and other factions (re-)asserted control in some areas. MINUSMA deployed in mid-2013, and Kéïta won elections later that year, marking the end of Mali's post-coup political transition. The 2012 coup leader, Capt. Amadou Haya Sanogo, faces charges for the murder of rival soldiers, but his trial has been delayed repeatedly."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Arieff, Alexis
2020-09-18
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Iran's Nuclear Program and U.N. Sanctions Reimposition [Updated September 18, 2020]
From the Document: "U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), which the council adopted on July 20, 2015, implements the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and contains other provisions concerning Iran's nuclear program, Tehran's development of missiles, and arms transfers to and from Iran. The United States has threatened to invoke the resolution's 'snapback' mechanism, which requires the Security Council to reimpose U.N. sanctions lifted pursuant to Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA. The JCPOA, finalized in July 2015 by Iran and China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States (collectively known as the P5+1), requires Iran to implement constraints on its uranium enrichment and heavy water nuclear reactor programs, as well as allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to monitor Tehran's compliance with the agreement. Prior to the JCPOA, these programs caused international concern because they could both have produced fissile material for use in nuclear weapons."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kerr, Paul K.
2020-09-18
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Worker Rights Provisions in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) [Updated September 18, 2020]
From the Overview: "Worker rights are a prominent issue in U.S. FTA [Free Trade Agreement] negotiations. Some stakeholders believe worker rights provisions are necessary to protect U.S. workers from perceived unfair competition and to raise labor standards abroad. Others believe these rights are more appropriately addressed at the International Labor Organization (ILO) or through cooperative efforts and capacity building. Since 1988, Congress has included worker rights as a principal negotiating objective in Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation. The United States has been in the forefront of using FTAs to promote core internationally recognized worker rights. Labor provisions have evolved significantly since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), moving from side agreements to integral chapters within FTA texts, with more provisions subject to enforcement. The conclusion of NAFTA renegotiations resulted in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which replaces NAFTA and has a new labor chapter and enforcement mechanism. USMCA entered into force in July 2020."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Villarreal, M. Angeles; Cimino-Isaacs, Cathleen D.
2020-09-18
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Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress [September 17, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report presents background information and issues for Congress concerning the Navy's force structure and shipbuilding plans. The current and planned size and composition of the Navy, the annual rate of Navy ship procurement, the capacity of the naval shipbuilding industry, and the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans have been oversight matters for the congressional defense committees for many years. [...] The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's proposed FY2021 shipbuilding program and the Navy's longer-term shipbuilding plans. Decisions that Congress makes on this issue can substantially affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-09-17
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Judicial Review of Actions Legally Committed to an Agency's Discretion [September 17, 2020]
From the Document: "Individuals and entities affected by a federal agency's action sometimes may be able to challenge that action in federal court. In some cases, an agency's governing statute specifically authorizes affected parties to bring suit challenging a particular agency action. But even when specific statutory authority is unavailable, a person generally can challenge an agency's action in federal district court under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). On review, the APA empowers courts to set aside agency action that is, among other things, 'arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law.' The Supreme Court has explained that the APA 'embodies the basic presumption of judicial review' of agency action, meaning that judicial review under the APA generally will be available to a party. But not every legal challenge of an agency's action is reviewable. Constitutional and prudential considerations may limit when a court will entertain such a suit. Jurisdictional requirements must also be satisfied."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sheffner, Daniel J.
2020-09-17
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Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot Program (DCIP): FY2020 Funding and Approved Projects [September 17, 2020]
From the Document: "Investment in infrastructure near military installations that supports servicemembers and their families is of continued importance to many Members of Congress and other elected officials. Congress legislated the 'Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot Program' (DCIP) to help address deficiencies in this type of infrastructure."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Herrera, G. James
2020-09-17
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Marijuana and Restrictions on Immigration [September 17, 2020]
From the Document: "Marijuana is listed as a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), and has been on Schedule I since the CSA was enacted in 1970 (P.L. 91-513). The Schedule I status of marijuana means that it is strictly regulated by federal authorities, regardless of state regulations and laws, and its growth, distribution, and possession (regardless of recreational or medicinal purposes) are prohibited under federal law aside from activities related to lawful research. Over the last several decades, states and territories have established a range of laws and policies regarding marijuana's medical and recreational use. Most states and territories have deviated from across-the-board prohibition of marijuana, and now have laws and policies allowing for some cultivation, sale, distribution, and possession of marijuana, while some states continue to prohibit any marijuana activity aside from lawful research. These developments have spurred a number of questions regarding potential implications for federal law enforcement activities as well as consequences for individuals who may be acting in accordance with state law but are in violation of federal drug laws and policies. There are many consequences of marijuana-related activity in the United States. This Insight focuses on the immigration consequences for noncitizens (referred to as 'aliens' in immigration law)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kolker, Abigail F.; Sacco, Lisa N.
2020-09-17
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South Africa: Current Issues, Economy, and U.S. Relations [Updated September 17, 2020]
From the Summary: "South Africa, a majority black, multiracial country of nearly 60 million people, has cordial relations with the United States, notwithstanding periodic strains, and is the largest U.S. trade partner in Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa took office in 2018, after a series of corruption scandals under the administration of his predecessor, Jacob Zuma. Zuma, elected in 2009, resigned under intense pressure in early 2018, shortly after then-Vice President Ramaphosa was elected to replace Zuma as leader of the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's dominant party. The ANC has held a parliamentary majority since the first universal suffrage elections in 1994, which marked the end of apartheid, a system of codified state racial bias favoring whites, but is facing headwinds. In the last general elections, in May 2019, it earned 57.5% of the vote--its lowest margin ever."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cook, Nicolas
2020-09-17
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Intellectual Property Violations and China: Legal Remedies [September 17, 2020]
From the Document: "[T]he United States continues to raise concerns about IP [intellectual property] theft by Chinese entities, including recent criminal allegations of Chinese state-sponsored hacking of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccine research. [...] This report seeks to place these developments into a broader legal context by reviewing the various legal options available to address IP violations by Chinese entities. First, it describes various forms that 'IP theft' by Chinese entities may take, depending on the form of IP at issue (e.g., patents, copyrights, trademarks, or trade secrets) and the nature of the violation. These distinctions are significant because the remedies available to the U.S. government and individual rights holders will depend on the nature and circumstances of the IP violations. Second, the report reviews the scope and requirements of the legal remedies available under U.S. and international laws. These remedies fall into two broad categories: (1) remedies for systemic IP violations, which are initiated by the U.S. executive branch to target widespread IP violations by foreign actors by relying on trade or international law; and (2) remedies for individual IP violations, which seek to redress discrete IP violations by particular entities by relying on domestic civil, administrative, and criminal processes."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hickey, Kevin J.; Murrill, Brandon J.; Hart, Nina M. . . .
2020-09-17
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Navy Large Unmanned Surface and Undersea Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated September 17, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and potential issues for Congress for three types of large unmanned vehicles (UVs) that the Navy wants to develop and procure in FY2021 and beyond: [1] Large Unmanned Surface Vehicles (LUSVs); [2] Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicles (MUSVs); and [3] Extra-large Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (XLUUVs). [...] The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's acquisition strategies and FY2021 funding requests for these large UVs. The Navy's proposals for developing and procuring them pose a number of oversight issues for Congress. Congress's decisions on these issues could substantially affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the shipbuilding and UV industrial bases."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-09-17
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Methane and Other Air Pollution Issues in Natural Gas Systems [Updated September 17, 2020]
From the Summary: "This report provides information on the natural gas industry and the types and sources of air pollutants in the sector. It examines the role of the federal government in regulating these emissions, including the provisions in the Clean Air Act and other statutes, and EPA's and other agencies' regulatory activities. It concludes with a brief discussion of a number of issues under debate, including [1] defining the roles of industry and local, state, and federal governments; [2] establishing comprehensive emissions data; [3] determining the proper control of pollutants and sources; [4] understanding the human health and environmental impacts of emissions; and [5] estimating the costs of pollution abatement."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lattanzio, Richard K.
2020-09-17
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WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) [September 17, 2020]
From the Document: "During the past 50 years, the United States has played a prominent role in developing international trade rules on government procurement. All U.S. free trade agreements, except with Jordan, include government procurement obligations. The most notable international procurement agreement to which the United States is a party is the World Trade Organization (WTO)'s Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA). The GPA has opened many procurement opportunities around the world to foreign competition, worth trillions of U.S. dollars annually. It also requires parties to establish transparent and nondiscriminatory rules for covered procurement. In particular, the agreement enables U.S. businesses to bid for certain government contracts in the markets of other GPA parties. Likewise, it allows foreign businesses to bid for contracts tendered by U.S. procuring entities in areas where federal and state governments have agreed to open up their procurement markets. The WTO estimates the size of the procurement market covered by the GPA at $1.7 trillion; data limitations make it difficult to quantify accurately the extent to which governments acquire goods and services from suppliers of other GPA parties."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Schwarzenberg, Andres B.
2020-09-17
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World Bank [Updated September 17, 2020]
From the Document: "The World Bank, the oldest and largest multilateral development bank, provides financial assistance to developing countries to promote economic development. Established in 1945, the Bank initially focused on providing financing for large infrastructure projects. During the past 75 years, its role has broadened to include poverty reduction efforts through social projects (such as education and health) and policy-based loans. The World Bank is currently focused on helping developing countries respond to the health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nelson, Rebecca M.
2020-09-17
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Federal Offshore Oil and Gas Revenues During the COVID-19 Pandemic [September 16, 2020]
From the Document: "Since March 2020, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID19) pandemic and accompanying recession have reduced demand for oil and natural gas, resulting in lower prices and decreased production. These changes affect revenues paid to the federal government from oil and gas leasing on the U.S. outer continental shelf (OCS). Federal revenues from OCS oil and gas include bonus bids from lease sales, rents paid prior to production on leases, royalties collected during production, and other fees. A portion of federal offshore oil and gas revenue is shared with coastal states under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA; 43 U.S.C. §§1331-1356b) and the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (GOMESA; 43 U.S.C. §1331 note). The revenues also fund multiple federal programs and contribute to the General Fund of the Treasury."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Comay, Laura B.
2020-09-16
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Burmese Soldiers Confess to Slaughtering Rohingya Civilians [September 16, 2020]
From the Document: "Two former Burmese soldiers have confessed on video to indiscriminately killing Rohingya civilians in 2017 under the direct orders of their commanding officers. The soldiers' accounts are consistent with descriptions provided by Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. The confessions emerge at a time of growing pressure on the United States and other governments to state officially that the Burmese military's assault on Rohingya villages in Burma's Rakhine State in August 2017 constitutes an act of genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes under international law. In November 2017, then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson referred to the attacks as 'ethnic cleansing,' a concept that is not recognized as a crime under international law. Since then, the Trump Administration has not changed that characterization despite some congressional pressure for a determination on the issue of genocide."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Martin, Michael F.
2020-09-16
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Police Reform and the 116th Congress: Selected Legal Issues [September 16, 2020]
From the Document: "Nationwide protests during the spring and summer of 2020 related to police use of force have prompted calls for increased congressional regulation of federal, state, and local law enforcement. While the regulation of state and municipal law enforcement is an area that the Constitution generally entrusts to the states, Congress possesses some authority and has exercised that authority to regulate local law enforcement matters. [...] This report provides an overview of legal issues related to federal regulation of law enforcement by first discussing Congress's constitutional authority to regulate law enforcement agencies and officers. The report then summarizes current federal law related to police regulation and oversight, including enforcement by the U.S. Department of Justice and laws that impose criminal and civil liability for unlawful conduct by government actors, such as law enforcement officers. Finally, the report concludes by discussing recent legislative proposals related to police reform and relevant considerations for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Anderson, April J.; Novak, Whitney K.; Lampe, Joanna R.
2020-09-16
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Patent Law: A Handbook for Congress [September 16, 2020]
From the Document: "As patent law continues to be an area of congressional interest, this report provides background and descriptions of several key patent law doctrines. The report first describes the various parts of a patent, including the specification (which describes the invention) and the claims (which set out the legal boundaries of the patent owner's exclusive rights). Next, the report provides detail on the basic doctrines governing patentability, enforcement, and patent validity. [...] The report then explains how the rights granted by a patent are enforced, including issues relating to patent infringement (such as direct infringement, infringement under the doctrine of equivalents, induced infringement, and contributory infringement). Also addressed are issues relating to litigation in federal district court and before the International Trade Commission (ITC), including the specialized dispute procedures governed by the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984 (Hatch-Waxman Act) and the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 (BPCIA). Finally, the report explains how a patent owner may lose their patent. This includes discussions of ex parte reexamination, post-grant review, inter partes review, and covered business method review."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Richards, Kevin T.
2020-09-16
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Russian Private Military Companies (PMCs) [September 16, 2020]
From the Document: "Over the last decade, Russian private military companies (PMCs) have appeared globally in various conflicts. Observers believe the Russian government is increasingly using PMCs to project power cheaply and deniably. Russian PMCs often operate alongside local militias, volunteers, criminal groups, and other non-state actors. In many cases, such PMCs appear closely connected to and controlled by the Russian government; in other cases, the extent of government control is uncertain. Members of Congress may be interested in examining the scope of Russian PMC operations to understand the full range of Russian tactics and operations when evaluating Russia's efforts to advance its foreign policy."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bowen, Andrew S.
2020-09-16
