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Afghanistan: Issues for Congress and Legislation 2017-2020 [Updated August 19, 2020]
From the Summary: "For nearly two decades, Congress has helped shape the U.S. approach to Afghanistan and the ongoing conflict there. This product provides a summary of legislative proposals considered in the 115th and 116th Congresses that relate to U.S. policy in Afghanistan. These address a number of issues, including the following: [1] The size of, and legal authorization for, the U.S. military presence in the country. [2] Executive branch transparency and regular reporting requirements. [3] The purposes for U.S. aid, and conditions under which it can be obligated. [4] The role of women in Afghan society, government, and the military."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Thomas, Clayton (Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs)
2020-08-19
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Analysis of Military Court Protective Order Provision in H.R. 6395 [August 19, 2020]
From the Background: "From the early 2000s, Congress has intensified its efforts to support victims of military-connected sex-related and domestic violence offenses. These efforts include enacting over 100 provisions and providing resources intended to address such offenses and related misconduct. Department of Defense (DOD) implementation of these legislative initiatives includes making military leaders responsible for the safety of such victims. Commanders are also required to coordinate the military response to domestic violence involving servicemembers with the local community."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Ott, Alan
2020-08-19
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Applications for Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness (LIRF): Fact Sheet [August 19, 2020]
From the Document: "Over the years, Congress has passed legislation to provide access to lawful permanent resident (LPR) status to certain groups of foreign nationals living in the United States without permanent status. The 116th Congress passed a measure of this type entitled Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness (LRIF). LRIF provides an opportunity for Liberians who have been continuously present in the United States since November 2014 and their family members to obtain LPR status. Enacted as part of the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 116-92, §7611), it gives individuals until December 20, 2020, to apply for LPR status. This fact sheet presents data on applications received by the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) under LRIF during the first four months of the application period. It will be updated as application data covering the remainder of the application period are made available."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wilson, Jill, 1974-
2020-08-19
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Cuba: U.S. Policy Overview [Updated August 19, 2020]
From the Document: "Since the early 1960s, when the United States imposed a trade embargo on Cuba, the centerpiece of U.S. policy toward Cuba has consisted of economic sanctions aimed at isolating the government. In 2014, the Obama Administration initiated a policy shift moving away from sanctions toward engagement and the normalization of relations.Changes included the rescission of Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of international terrorism (May 2015); the restoration of diplomatic relations (July 2015); and an easing of restrictions on travel, remittances, trade, telecommunications, and banking and financial services (2015 and 2016, accomplished through amendments to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, administered by the Treasury Department, and the Export Administration Regulations, administered by the Commerce Department). The restoration of relations led to increased government-to-government engagement, with over 20 bilateral agreements and numerous bilateral dialogues."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.
2020-08-19
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Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) and Public Safety Officers' Educational Assistance (PSOEA) Programs [Updated August 19, 2020]
From the Summary: "The Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program provides cash benefits to federal, state, and local law enforcement officers; firefighters; employees of emergency management agencies; and members of emergency medical services agencies who are killed or permanently and totally disabled as the result of personal injuries sustained in the line of duty. The Public Safety Officers' Educational Assistance (PSOEA) program, a component of the PSOB program, provides higher-education assistance to the children and spouses of public safety officers killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. [...] Public safety officers who contract Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the line of duty may be eligible for PSOB benefits."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Szymendera, Scott
2020-08-19
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Emoluments Clauses of the U.S. Constitution [Updated August 19, 2020]
From the Document: "Recent litigation involving President Trump has raised a number of legal issues concerning formerly obscure constitutional provisions that prohibit the acceptance or receipt of 'emoluments' in certain circumstances. This In Focus provides an overview of these constitutional provisions, highlighting several unsettled legal areas concerning their meaning and scope, and reviewing the status of ongoing litigation against President Trump based on alleged violations of the Emoluments Clauses."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hickey, Kevin J.; Foster, Michael A. (Legislative attorney)
2020-08-19
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Taiwan: Select Political and Security Issues [Updated August 19, 2020]
From the Document: "Taiwan, which officially calls itself the Republic of China (ROC), is an island democracy of 23.6 million people located across the Taiwan Strait from mainland China. U.S.-Taiwan relations have been unofficial since January 1, 1979, when the Carter Administration established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and broke formal diplomatic ties with self-ruled Taiwan, over which the PRC claims sovereignty. The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA, P.L. 96-8; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), enacted on April 10, 1979, provides a legal basis for this unofficial bilateral relationship. It also includes commitments related to Taiwan's security."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lawrence, Susan V.
2020-08-19
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Israel-UAE Normalization and Suspension of West Bank Annexation [August 19, 2020]
From the Document:"President Trump issued a joint statement on August 13, 2020, with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayid, announcing that Israel and the UAE have agreed to fully normalize their relations, and that Israel is suspending plans to annex parts of the West Bank. In the coming weeks, Israeli and UAE officials are expected to begin talks aimed at reaching bilateral agreement on Coronavirus Disease 2019 research, direct airline flights, establishing reciprocal embassies, and other matters. These agreements could significantly boost both countries' trade and investment in high-tech and other sectors, and have implications for the region and U.S. policy."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Zanotti, Jim; Katzman, Kenneth
2020-08-19
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Saudi Arabia [Updated August 19, 2020]
From the Document: "The kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ruled by the Al Saud family since its founding in 1932, wields significant global influence through its administration of the birthplace of the Islamic faith and by virtue of its large oil reserves. Saudi leaders' domestic and foreign policy decisions have been fueling calls from some U.S. leaders for a reassessment of long-standing bilateral ties. The Al Saud have sought protection, advice, technology, and armaments from the United States, along with support in developing their country's natural and human resources and in facing national security threats. U.S. leaders have valued Saudi cooperation in security and counterterrorism matters and have sought to preserve the secure, apolitical flow of the kingdom's energy resources and capital to global markets. The Trump Administration seeks to strengthen U.S.-Saudi ties as the kingdom implements new domestic and foreign policy initiatives, while some in Congress call for change."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Christopher M.
2020-08-19
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U.N. Ban on Iran Arms Transfers [Updated August 19, 2020]
From the Overview: "A 2015 multilateral Iran nuclear agreement (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA), provides for limits on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. The accord, endorsed by U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 (July 17, 2015), contains Annex B that provides for a ban on the transfer of arms to or from Iran until October 18, 2020. The Trump Administration, with the support of many in Congress, seeks to extend the ban in order to prevent Iran from acquiring new conventional weaponry, particularly advanced combat aircraft. However, on August 14, the U.N. Security Council, including two key potential arms suppliers of Iran--Russia and China--voted down a U.S. draft to extend the arms transfer ban. Members of the Council, including the European parties to the JCPOA, also oppose a U.S. plan to implement its longstanding threat to invoke the provision of Resolution 2231 that would snap back all U.N. sanctions on Iran--if the Council does not extend the arms transfer ban."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2020-08-19
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Export Controls and National Security Strategy in the 21st Century
From the Document: "This ACIS [Arms Control and International Security] Paper reprints the full text that Assistant Secretary Ford prepared for his presentation to the Center for a New American Security [CNAS] on August 19, 2020, as part of CNAS' new Project on Export Controls and National Security."
United States. Office of the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security
Ford, Christopher A., 1967-
2020-08-19
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 5273, Securing America's Ports Act, As Passed by the House of Representatives on February 10, 2020
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as passed by the House of Representatives on February 10, 2020. From the Document: "At land ports of entry to the United States, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) uses scanning technology capable of producing an image of the contents of commercial and passenger vehicles as they pass through inspection areas. Those systems, known as large-scale nonintrusive inspection (LS NII) systems, allow for scanning of higher volumes of vehicles and cargo compared to physical inspection. In 2020, the Congress appropriated $59 million for CBP to procure and deploy such systems. H.R. 5273 would require CBP to produce a plan to increase the use of LS NII systems to 100 percent at land ports of entry. The plan would include benchmarks for measuring scanning rates and estimates of costs to acquire, operate, and maintain those systems."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2020-08-18
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 5273, Securing America's Ports Act
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on March 11, 2020. From the Document: "At land ports of entry to the United States, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) uses scanning technology capable of producing an image of the contents of commercial and passenger vehicles as they pass through inspection areas. Those systems, known as large-scale nonintrusive inspection (LS NII) systems, allow for scanning of higher volumes of vehicles and cargo compared to physical inspection. In 2020, the Congress appropriated $59 million for CBP to procure and deploy such systems. H.R. 5273 would require CBP to produce a plan to increase the use of LS NII systems to 100 percent at land ports of entry. The plan would include benchmarks for measuring scanning rates and estimates of costs to acquire, operate, and maintain those systems."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2020-08-18
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State of the Nation: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey: Report #11: Perceptions of School Reopening Safety in the United States
From the Document: "Parents of school-age children thus confront difficult decisions about their children's education - decisions that will hinge on whether they believe schools can be made safe. We surveyed 19,058 adults in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia for 2 weeks beginning July 10 and ending July 26, asking about their perception of the safety of returning to school. We also asked a subset of respondents whether they support reopening schools for in-person classes in the fall. We further aimed to understand whether these comfort levels vary depending on rates of infection in their community, and on other attitudes about COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]."
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Harvard Medical School; Rutgers University . . .
Lazer, David; Ognyanova, Katherine; Baum, Matthew A., 1965- . . .
2020-08-18
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Digital Contact Tracing Technologies in Epidemics: A Rapid Review (Review)
From the Abstract: "Reducing the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a global priority. Contact tracing identifies people who were recently in contact with an infected individual, in order to isolate them and reduce further transmission. Digital technology could be implemented to augment and accelerate manual contact tracing. Digital tools for contact tracing may be grouped into three areas: 1) outbreak response; 2) proximity tracing; and 3) symptom tracking. We conducted a rapid review on the effectiveness of digital solutions to contact tracing during infectious disease outbreaks. [...] [The objective of this report is to] assess the benefits, harms, and acceptability of personal digital contact tracing solutions for identifying contacts of an identified positive case of an infectious disease."
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Anglemyer, Andrew; Moore, Theresa HM; Parker, Lisa . . .
2020-08-18
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Testing for the Pathogen During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Future Ones
From the Introduction: "The United States has failed to deploy adequate testing for the presence of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] during the Covid-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic and has been unable to avoid continued spread of the virus. In this report, we explain why such testing is an essential factor in efforts to control the pandemic, why adequate testing has been difficult to achieve, and why the United States has not met the challenge. We conclude by recommending ways to provide more extensive testing in this and future epidemics."
OPCAST Ad-Hoc Pandemic Response Group
2020-08-18
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Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers: LumiraDx UK Ltd.; LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Antigen (Ag) Test
From the Document: "This Fact Sheet informs you of the significant known and potential risks and benefits of the emergency use of the LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] Antigen (Ag) Test. The LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test is authorized for use using nasal swab specimens collected from individuals who are suspected of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] by their healthcare provider within the first twelve days of the onset of symptoms."
United States. Food and Drug Administration
2020-08-18
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Monitoring and Evaluation Action Guide: Wearing Masks as a COVID-19 Community Mitigation Strategy Mask Wearing Evaluation
From the Document: "This action guide is developed to help evaluators, program implementers, and policy makers monitor and evaluate wearing masks as a community mitigation strategy. This is not meant for healthcare settings. This guide provides practical considerations and examples of evaluation questions, indicators, and data sources."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2020-08-18
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Operational Considerations for Community Isolation Centers for COVID-19 in Low-Resource Settings
From the Document: "The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has presented numerous challenges to health systems, including large numbers of patients with COVID-19 that can overwhelm health facilities and staff. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 80% of people with COVID-19 have mild or moderate symptoms. Treatment for mildly to moderately ill patients may not require hospitalization, but some people may not be able to isolate safely at home, putting household contacts and, in turn, community members at risk of COVID-19. Isolation shelters, or community isolation centers (CICs), can provide people with mild to moderate symptoms, who are not at increased risk for severe disease, with a safe space to voluntarily isolate until they are no longer considered infectious according to Ministry of Health guidelines. Such centers can reduce household transmission and reserve health facility resources for more seriously ill patients."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2020-08-18
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H. Rept. 116-478: State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act, Report to Accompany H.R. 5823, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, August 18, 2020
From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 5823, the 'State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act' seeks to foster a stronger partnership between the Federal government and State and local governments to defend their State and local networks against the cyberattacks from sophisticated foreign adversaries or cyber criminals."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2020-08-18
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Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables [Updated August 18, 2020]
From the Summary: "Congress is required by Article I, Section 6, of the Constitution to determine its own pay. In the past, Congress periodically enacted specific legislation to alter its pay; the last time this occurred affected pay in 1991. More recently, pay has been determined pursuant to laws establishing formulas for automatic adjustments."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brudnick, Ida A.
2020-08-18
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China's Foreign Ministry Statements Signal Heightened Concern About U.S. Actions in the 116th Congress [August 18, 2020]
From the Introduction: "With the relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China (PRC or China) strained on multiple fronts, the two governments have been publicly trading accusations and engaging in sometimes tit-for-tat moves against each other's interests. Amid all the charges and counter-charges, what issues matter most to each side? In the case of China, the government has been using a traditional tool for diplomatic signaling--rare statements in the name of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs--to call attention to a handful of U.S. actions that China appears to view with particular concern. In the quarter century since 1995, China has issued 27 Foreign Ministry statements. Reflecting the high level of current tension in the U.S.-China relationship, China has issued four of those statements since November 2019, all related to the United States. Three statements condemned laws passed by the 116th Congress related to China's northwest region of Xinjiang and China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and one denounced a May 19, 2020, public statement by Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo congratulating Taiwan's president on the start of her second term. Since 1995, China has only once issued four Foreign Ministry statements in a shorter timeframe, in 2016. Since 1995, it has never before issued more than two consecutive Foreign Ministry statements related to a single country. Including a 2018 statement, China has now issued five Foreign Ministry statements in a row related to the United States. The implications of the recent statements are unclear. Some earlier statements preceded sustained Chinese campaigns of military or economic coercion."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lawrence, Susan V.
2020-08-18
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DOD Domestic School System: Background and Issues [Updated August 18, 2020]
From the Document: "The Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) manages a federal school system that provides prekindergarten through grade 12 education, primarily for the children of military servicemembers. According to the Department of Defense (DOD), in 2020, DODEA operated 160 schools globally, including 50 domestic schools across states and one virtual school. These schools employ nearly 12,000 staff, for a student population of about 70,000. DODEA also has arrangements with local education authorities (LEAs) that operate civilian-managed schools on military installations. This report focuses only on DODEA's domestic school system."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kamarck, Kristy N.
2020-08-18
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Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2020 [Updated August 18, 2020]
From the Introduction: "The automatic annual adjustment for Members of Congress is determined by a formula using a component of the Employment Cost Index (ECI), which measures rate of change in private sector pay. The adjustment automatically takes effect unless (1) Congress statutorily prohibits the adjustment; (2) Congress statutorily revises the adjustment; or (3) the annual base pay adjustment of General Schedule (GS) federal employees is established at a rate less than the scheduled increase for Members, in which case the percentage adjustment for Member pay is automatically lowered to match the percentage adjustment in GS base pay. Under the ECI formula, Members may not receive an annual pay adjustment greater than 5%. In the past, Member pay has been frozen statutorily in two ways: (1) directly, through legislation that freezes salaries for Members but not other federal employees, and (2) indirectly, through broader pay freeze legislation that covers Members and other specified categories of federal employees. This adjustment formula was established by the Ethics Reform Act of 1989. Votes potentially related to the annual adjustments since the implementation of this act are contained in this report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brudnick, Ida A.
2020-08-18
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Understanding Federal Legislation: A Section-By-Section Guide to Key Legal Considerations [August 18, 2020]
From the Summary: "Federal bills are increasingly complex, making them difficult to understand for the average reader and the seasoned practitioner alike. What a congressional drafter understands to be the import of a given provision could later be discussed and interpreted in committee or on the floor of the House or the Senate. If the bill is enacted, federal agencies may then consider its meaning, either behind the scenes when evaluating their own compliance with the law or through guidance, rules, or agency orders governing third parties. If a litigant challenges an agency's interpretation of the law, a court may need to resolve the law's meaning. Although the court's ultimate goal is to effectuate Congress's intent, judges may draw on different philosophies or tools to arrive at their conclusions about what the law means. A basic awareness of the rules and presumptions that apply when construing different components of a bill can help Members and congressional staff identify potential issues with the help of legislative counsel when formulating legislation or avoid interpretive pitfalls when reviewing bills proposed by other offices."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Killion, Victoria L.
2020-08-18
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Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Incentives: A Summary of Federal Programs [Updated August 18, 2020]
From the Summary: "Energy is crucial to operating a modern industrial and services economy. Concerns about the availability and cost of energy and about environmental impacts of fossil energy use have led to a wide variety of federal incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency. These incentives aim to implement renewable energy and energy efficiency measures and to develop and commercialize renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. Many of the existing energy efficiency and renewable energy programs have authorizations tracing back to the 1970s. Many programs have been reauthorized and redesigned repeatedly to meet changing economic factors. The programs apply broadly to sectors ranging from industry to academia and from state and local governments to rural communities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cunningham, Lynn J.
2020-08-18
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Spain and Its Relations with the United States: In Brief [Updated August 18, 2020]
From the Summary: "The United States and Spain have extensive cultural ties and a mutually beneficial economic relationship, and the two countries cooperate closely on numerous diplomatic and security issues. Spain has been a member of NATO since 1982 and a member of the European Union (EU) since 1986. Given its role as a close U.S. ally and partner, Spain's internal situation and relations with the United States are of continuing interest to the U.S. Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mix, Derek E.
2020-08-18
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Managed Trade and Quantitative Restrictions: Issues for Congress [Updated August 18, 2020]
From the Background: "Congress plays a prominent role in shaping U.S. trade policy, due in part to trade policy's impact on the overall health of the U.S. economy and specific sectors, the success of U.S. businesses and workers, and Americans' standard of living. The Trump Administration and some Members of Congress contend that past trade negotiations and agreements have failed to address effectively foreign protectionist practices and enhance reciprocal market access for U.S. firms and workers. They cite as evidence the disruption of some U.S. industries, difficulties of U.S. firms in penetrating some foreign markets, and large U.S. merchandise trade deficits--even with countries with which the United States has a free trade agreement. They argue that the main goals of U.S. trade policy should be to achieve 'fair' and 'balanced' trade and to place more emphasis on measurable results (e.g., increased exports and market share abroad)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Schwarzenberg, Andres B.
2020-08-18
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Iran's Nuclear Program and U.N. Sanctions Reimposition [Updated August 17, 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."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kerr, Paul K.
2020-08-17
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Public Health Interim Guidance for Pre-K-12 Schools and Day Care Programs for Addressing COVID-19
This document provides information for schools and day care programs regarding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The following topics are addressed: [1] Procedures for Students, Faculty and Support Staff who Test Positive; [2] Procedures for Students, Faculty and Support Staff who are Close Contacts to a Confirmed COVID-19 Case; [3] Procedures for Students, Teachers, and Support Staff who Become Sick at School/Day Care; [4] Procedures for Contact Tracing and Quarantining Persons Exposed to a Confirmed COVID-19 Case; [5] Procedures for Temporary Closure and Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection when a Confirmed or Possible Case of COVID-19 is Identified in a School/Day Care; and [6] Procedures for Outbreak Response and Consideration for Closure.
Illinois. Department of Public Health
2020-08-17
