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• State of Campaign Finance Policy: Recent Developments and Issues for Congress [December 21, 2010

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  "Campaign finance policy is arguably at a crossroads. For decades, Congress, regulatory agencies, and courts have emphasized the need to reduce potential corruption by providing public disclosure of information about campaign contributions and expenditures. Preventing corruption and enhancing transparency remain prominent themes in campaign finance policy, but what those goals mean and how they should be accomplished appears to be in flux. [...] As Congress decides how or whether to revisit law surrounding political campaigns, it may be appropriate to take stock of the current landscape and to examine what has changed, what has not, and what policy options might be relevant. This report provides a starting point for doing so. It includes an overview of selected historical and recent developments. It also provides comments on how those events might affect future policy considerations. This report will be updated as events warrant."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Garrett, R. Sam, 1977-

  2010-12-21
• STOCK Act, Insider Trading, and Public Financial Reporting by Federal Officials [April 12, 2013]

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  "The STOCK Act (Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012) was signed into law on April 4, 2012. It affirms and makes explicit the fact that there is no exemption from the 'insider trading' laws and regulations for Members of Congress, congressional employees, or any federal officials. The law also expressly affirms that all federal officials have a 'duty' of trust and confidentiality with respect to nonpublic, material information which they may receive in the course of their official duties, and a duty not to use such information to make a private profit. The STOCK Act, as part of the law's regulation of securities transactions by public officials, now requires expedited, periodic public disclosure of covered 'financial transactions' by all officials in the executive and legislative branches of the federal government who are covered by the public reporting provisions of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, as amended. The act thus works to require not only 'annual' public reporting of such transactions (which reporting has been required since 1978), but also now requires public reporting within 30 days of receipt of a notice of a covered financial transaction (but in no event more than 45 days after such transaction). These periodic reports are filed with reference to any financial transactions of $1,000 or more in securities, but are not required for transactions in mutual funds or income-producing real property."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Maskell, Jack

  2013-04-12
• Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990 [March 3, 2014]

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  "This CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report discusses U.S. security assistance for Taiwan, formally called the Republic of China (ROC), particularly policy issues for Congress. It also lists sales of major defense articles and services to Taiwan, as approved by the President and notified to Congress since 1990. This report uses a variety of unclassified consultations and citations in the United States and Taiwan."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Kan, Shirley

  2014-03-03
• Syria: Overview of the Humanitarian Response [March 13, 2014]

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  "The ongoing conflict that began in March 2011 in Syria has created one of the most pressing humanitarian crises in the world. Three years later, as of early March 2014, an estimated 9.3 million people inside Syria, nearly half the population, have been affected by the conflict. It is estimated that there are 6.5 million displaced persons inside Syria and 2.5 million Syrians displaced as refugees, with 97% fleeing to countries in the immediate surrounding region, including Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and other parts of North Africa. The situation is fluid and continues to worsen, while humanitarian needs are immense and increase daily. While internationally supervised disarmament of chemical weapons in Syria is proceeding, albeit with some difficulty, U.S. and international diplomatic efforts to negotiate a political end to the fighting in Syria opened on January 22, 2014, in Montreux, Switzerland. The 'Geneva II' talks include some members of the Syrian opposition, representatives of the Syrian government, and other government leaders. The first round of talks came to an end on January 31 and resumed February 10-15, but ended with little progress in efforts to end the civil war. The parties reportedly agreed to an agenda for a third round of talks. Many experts and observers hoped that a lasting agreement would have been reached on 'humanitarian pauses' to allow access and relief to thousands of civilians blockaded in towns and cities in Syria. On February 22, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2139 (2014) to increase humanitarian access and aid delivery in Syria."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Margesson, Rhoda; Chesser, Susan G.

  2014-03-13
• Syria: Overview of the Humanitarian Response [February 25, 2014]

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  "The ongoing conflict in Syria that began in March 2011 has created one of the most pressing humanitarian crises in the world. As of early February 2014, an estimated 9.3 million people in Syria, nearly half the population, have been affected by the conflict. This figure includes estimates of between 6.5 million displaced inside Syria and 2.4 million Syrians displaced as refugees, with 97% fleeing to countries in the immediate surrounding region, including Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and other parts of North Africa. The situation is fluid and continues to worsen, while humanitarian needs are immense and increase daily. While internationally supervised disarmament of chemical weapons in Syria is proceeding, albeit with some difficulty, U.S. and international diplomatic efforts to negotiate a political end to the fighting in Syria opened on January 22, 2014, in Montreux, Switzerland. The 'Geneva II' talks include some members of the Syrian opposition, representatives of the Syrian government, and other government leaders. The talks came to an end on January 31 and resumed February 10-15, 2014, but ended with little progress in efforts to end the civil war. The parties reportedly agreed to an agenda for the next round of talks. Many experts and observers hoped that a lasting agreement would have been reached on 'humanitarian pauses' to allow access and relief to thousands of civilians blockaded in towns and cities in Syria. On February 22, 2014, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2139 (2014) to increase humanitarian access and aid delivery in Syria."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Margesson, Rhoda; Chesser, Susan G.

  2014-02-25
• Tax Reform in the 113th Congress: An Overview of Proposals [March 24, 2014]

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  "Many agree that the U.S. tax system is in need of substantial reforms. The 113th Congress continues to explore ways to make the U.S. tax system simpler, fairer, and more efficient. Identifying and enacting policies that will result in a simpler, fairer, and more efficient tax system remains a challenge. On February 26, 2014, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp released a comprehensive tax reform discussion draft, the Tax Reform Act of 2014. This draft proposes substantial changes to both the individual and corporate income tax systems, reducing statutory tax rates for many taxpayers, while repealing dozens of credits, deductions, and other tax preferences. The Tax Reform Act of 2014 builds on previously released discussion drafts related to international tax, financial products, and small business. Earlier in the 113th Congress, former Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus released several tax reform discussion drafts, addressing international tax, cost recovery, tax administration, and energy tax policy."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Sherlock, Molly F.

  2014-03-24
• Status of the WTO Brazil-U.S. Cotton Case [February 21, 2014]

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  "This report provides a description and status report on Brazil's challenge to certain aspects of the U.S. cotton program under the rules of the World Trade Organization's (WTO's) dispute settlement process in case DS267. The 'Brazil-U.S. cotton case' had its WTO origins in 2002 and has since evolved into a sprawling legal dispute that is still ongoing as of early 2014. For a detailed description of the case's origin and progress through the WTO dispute settlement process to the point in April 2011 when Brazil and the United States reached a temporary agreement to avoid trade retaliation (referred to as the U.S.-Brazil framework agreement), readers may refer to archived CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report RL32571, 'Brazil's WTO Case Against the U.S. Cotton Program'. This report focuses on developments in the cotton case since 2011; in particular, on three aspects of the WTO cotton case: [1] the nature and calculation of Brazil's authority to retaliate (in an Appendix); [2] changes to U.S. agricultural policy that have occurred as a direct result of the WTO cotton case; and [3] the current status of efforts to resolve the WTO trade dispute. Each of these case aspects remains highly germane to U.S. farm policy and programs, as Brazil still retains the WTO-granted authority to impose millions of dollars of trade retaliation against U.S. goods and services. In addition, with the world closely watching the resolution of the Brazil- U.S. cotton case, the final terms and circumstances of such a resolution--were it to occur--could serve either as catalyst or as precedent for future trade disputes related to the agricultural sector, and/or as progenitor of new, more restrictive WTO rules for domestic cotton support programs."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  2014-02-21
• Sugar Program: The Basics [April 1, 2014]

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  "The sugar program provides a price guarantee to the processors of sugarcane and sugar beets, and in turn, to the producers of both crops. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also is directed to administer the program at no budgetary cost to the federal government by limiting the amount of sugar supplied for food use in the U.S. market. To achieve both objectives, USDA uses four tools--as reauthorized without change by the 2014 farm bill to be in effect through crop year 2018 and found in long-standing trade law--to keep domestic market prices above guaranteed levels. These are: [1] price support loans at specified levels--the basis for the price guarantee, [2] marketing allotments to limit the amount of sugar that each processor can sell, [3] import quotas to restrict the amount of sugar allowed to enter the U.S. market, and [4] a sugar-to-ethanol (feedstock flexibility) backstop--available if marketing allotments and import quotas fail to prevent a sugar surplus from developing (i.e., fail to keep market prices above guaranteed levels). For background on sugar policy debate, see CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report R42551, 'Sugar Provisions of the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79).'"

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Jurenas, Remy

  2014-04-01
• Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990 [September 15, 2011]

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  "This report, updated as warranted, discusses U.S. security assistance to Taiwan, or Republic of China (ROC), including policy issues for Congress and legislation. Congress has oversight of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), P.L. 96-8, which has governed arms sales to Taiwan since 1979, when the United States recognized the People's Republic of China (PRC) instead of the ROC. Two other relevant parts of the 'one China' policy are the August 17, 1982, U.S.-PRC Joint Communique and the 'Six Assurances' to Taiwan. U.S. arms sales to Taiwan have been significant. The United States also expanded military ties with Taiwan after the PRC's missile firings in 1995-1996. However, the U.S.-ROC Mutual Defense Treaty terminated in 1979. […] Like Bush, President Obama did not notify the submarine design program (the only one pending from decisions in 2001) and has not accepted Taiwan's formal request for F-16C/D fighters (pending since 2006). Defense Secretary Robert Gates submitted to Congress in February 2010 an unclassified assessment of Taiwan's air defense forces, including its F-16 fighters, finding that Taiwan faced diminished ability to deny the PRC air superiority. Legislation in the 112th Congress includes H.Con.Res. 39 (Andrews), H.R. 2583 (Ros-Lehtinen), S. 1539 (Cornyn), and H.R. 2918 (Ros-Lehtinen). Among other congressional actions, on July 21, Senator Cornyn lifted his hold on a nomination to urge for the pending report on Taiwan's air defense and decisions on the F-16s, promised by October 1. On August 1, 181 Members of the House sent a letter to President Obama to urge him to sell F-16C/D fighters."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Kan, Shirley

  2011-09-15
• Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990 [July 23, 2013]

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  "This report, updated as warranted, discusses U.S. security assistance to Taiwan, or Republic of China (ROC), including policy issues for Congress and legislation. Congress has oversight of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), P.L. [Public Law] 96-8, which has governed arms sales to Taiwan since 1979, when the United States recognized the People's Republic of China (PRC) instead of the ROC. Two other relevant parts of the 'one China' policy are the August 17, 1982, U.S.-PRC Joint Communique and the 'Six Assurances' to Taiwan. U.S. arms sales to Taiwan have been significant. The United States also expanded military ties with Taiwan after the PRC's missile firings in 1995-1996. However, the U.S.-ROC Mutual Defense Treaty terminated in 1979."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Kan, Shirley

  2013-07-23
• Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990 [July 3, 2013]

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  "This CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report discusses U.S. security assistance for Taiwan, formally called the Republic of China (ROC), particularly policy issues for Congress. It also lists sales of major defense articles and services to Taiwan, as approved by the President and notified to Congress since 1990. This report uses a variety of unclassified consultations and citations in the United States and Taiwan."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Kan, Shirley

  2013-07-03
• State of Campaign Finance Policy: Recent Developments and Issues for Congress [September 20, 2013 ]

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  "Minor and major changes have occurred in campaign finance policy since 2002, when Congress substantially amended campaign finance law via the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA). The Supreme Court's 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. FEC [Federal Election Commission] and a related lower-court decision, SpeechNow.org v. FEC, arguably represent the most fundamental changes to campaign finance law in decades. Citizens United lifted a previous ban on corporate (and union) independent expenditures advocating election or defeat of candidates. SpeechNow permitted unlimited contributions to such expenditures and facilitated the advent of super PACs [Political Action Committee]. Although campaign finance policy remains the subject of intense debate and public interest, there have been few legislative or regulatory changes to respond to the 2010 court rulings. This report considers these and other developments in campaign finance policy and comments on areas of potential conflict and consensus."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Garrett, R. Sam, 1977-

  2013-09-20
• Syria: Overview of the Humanitarian Response [September 16, 2013]

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  "The use of chemical weapons in Syria on August 21, 2013, triggered an intense debate over possible U.S. military intervention. Chemical weapons use and limited military strikes in response have the potential to impact an already dire humanitarian situation. The ongoing conflict in Syria that began in March 2011 has created one of the most pressing humanitarian crises in the world. An estimated 6.8 million people in Syria, almost one-third of the population, have been affected by the conflict, including estimates of between 4.2 million and 5 million displaced inside Syria. On September 3, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that the number of Syrians displaced as refugees exceeded 2 million, with 97% fleeing to countries in the immediate surrounding region, including Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and other parts of North Africa. The situation is fluid and continues to worsen, while humanitarian needs are immense and increase daily. […] The United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance and is part of the massive, international humanitarian operation in parts of Syria and in neighboring countries. In FY2012 and as of mid-September 2013, the United States has allocated more than $1 billion to meet humanitarian needs using existing funding from global humanitarian accounts and some reprogrammed funding. U.S. humanitarian policy is guided by concerns about humanitarian access and protection within Syria; the large refugee flows out of the country that strain the resources of neighboring countries (and could negatively impact the overall stability of the region); and an already escalating and protracted humanitarian emergency."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Margesson, Rhoda; Chesser, Susan G.

  2013-09-16
• State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2014 Budget and Appropriations [October 23, 2013]

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  "On April 10, 2013, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2014. The request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs totals $51.84 billion, which is about 0.8% below the FY2013 post-sequester estimated funding level of $52.24 billion. Within this total, $3.81 billion is designated as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding, which is 68% below FY2013 estimated OCO funding of $11.91 billion. Of the total request, $16.88 billion is for State Department Operations and related agencies, a 4.5% decline from the FY2013 funding estimate. About $35.1 billion is for Foreign Operations, a 1.6% increase from the FY2013 estimate. This report provides a brief overview of the FY2014 State Department, Foreign Operations and Related Programs funding request, as well as top-line analysis of House and Senate State-Foreign Operations appropriations proposals and enacted continuing resolutions. It does not provide information or analysis on specific provisions in the House and Senate legislation. A table in the Appendix provides side-by-side account-level funding data for FY2012, FY2013, the FY2014 request, and the pending FY2014 House and Senate proposals. The FY2013 funding data used as a point of comparison throughout this report represent post-sequestration estimates provided by the Department of State and reflect across-the-board rescissions. These data are not yet available for all accounts, or for country allocations. The funding table in the Appendix will be updated as more information becomes available."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Epstein, Susan B.; Tiersky, Alex L.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo

  2013-10-23
• Strategic Petroleum Reserve [Updated September 24, 2004]

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  "The price of crude oil and gasoline has risen steeply during 2004, with crude approaching $50/barrel during September after a reported drop of 9.1 million barrels of U.S. crude oil stocks for the week ending September 17, 2004. Some have attributed a large measure of the decline in crude stocks to Hurricane Ivan, which interrupted deliveries of crude to the Gulf Coast. On September 23, the Administration agreed to a request placed to the Department of Energy from a couple of refineries seeking to borrow crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), to be replaced within a short period of time. The volume of oil returned would be greater than the volume borrowed, in keeping with the mechanics of a 'swap' of oil conducted in 2002 under comparable circumstances. Such a limited and focused swap of less than 2 million barrels is highly unlikely to affect prices in world markets; however, the decision has led to fresh criticism of the Bush Administration' s continued firm reluctance to initiate a drawdown of the SPR, and its insistence on continuing to fill the SPR with royalty-in-kind (RIK) crude from production on federal off-shore leases."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bamberger, Robert

  2004-09-24
• Syria: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues [March 13, 2006]

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  "Syria, governed by President Hafiz al-Asad from 1970 until his death in June 2000, is a prominent player in the Middle East scene. Within the region, a number of border disputes, problems of resource allocation, and political rivalries have caused frequent tensions between Syria and its neighbors. In particular, the Syrian Golan Heights territory, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has been one of the most intractable issues in the Arab-Israeli dispute. […] On December 12, 2003, President Bush signed the Syria Accountability Act, H.R. 1828, as P.L. 108-175. This act imposes additional sanctions against Syria unless it halts support for terrorism, withdraws troops from Lebanon, ends its occupation of Lebanon, ceases development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and ceases support for terrorist activity in Iraq. Subsequently, on May 11, 2004, the President issued Executive Order 13338 to implement the provisions of this law, and on May 5, 2005, he extended the order for another year. The Foreign Operations Appropriations Act, FY2006, signed by the President as P.L. 109-102, on November 14, 2005, repeats previous bans on U.S. aid to Syria but contains a provision authorizing at least $6,550,000 for programs to support democracy in Syria and Iran."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Prados, Alfred B.

  2006-03-13
• Syria: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues [February 11, 2005]

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  "Syria, governed by President Hafiz al-Asad from 1970 until his death in June 2000, is a prominent player in the Middle East scene. Within the region, a number of border disputes, problems of resource allocation, and political rivalries have caused frequent tensions between Syria and its neighbors. In particular, the Syrian Golan Heights territory, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has been one of the most intractable issues in the Arab-Israeli dispute. […] On December 12, 2003, President Bush signed the Syria Accountability Act, H.R. 1828, as P.L. 108-175. This act imposes additional sanctions against Syria unless it halts support for terrorism, withdraws troops from Lebanon, ends its occupation of Lebanon, ceases development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and ceases support for terrorist activity in Iraq. Subsequently, on May 11, 2004, the President issued Executive Order 13338 to implement the provisions of this law. The conference report (H.Rept. 108-792) to the Foreign Operations Appropriations Act (Division D of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005) contains a provision making funds available for democracy, human rights, and rule of law programs for Syria, but does not set a dollar amount for these programs in the case of Syria. President Bush signed the bill as P.L. 108-447 on December 8, 2004."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Prados, Alfred B.

  2005-02-11
• Syria: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues [Updated October 7, 2002]

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  "U.S.-Syrian relations, frequently strained by longstanding disagreements over regional and international policy, have warmed somewhat as a result of several developments: the collapse of the Soviet Union, Syria's participation in the allied coalition against Iraq in 1990-91, and Syrian agreement to participate in Arab-Israeli peace talks. This thaw in bilateral relations led some Members of Congress to inquire whether U.S. Administrations had made any private commitments to Syria, such as an undertaking to relax economic sanctions, in return for Syrian support on regional issues. Several legislative proposals have sought to condition relaxation of aid and trade restrictions on further changes in Syrian policy. Recent U.S. Administrations, though not inclined to lift sanctions on Syria at this time, tend to believe it is in U.S. interests to encourage Syria to play a positive role in the Arab-Israeli peace process. The issue for U.S. policy makers is the degree to which the United States should work for better relations with Syria in an effort to enlist Syrian cooperation on regional issues."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Prados, Alfred B.

  2002-10-07
• Syria: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues [Updated December 24, 2002]

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  "U.S.-Syrian relations, frequently strained by longstanding disagreements over regional and international policy, have warmed somewhat as a result of several developments: the collapse of the Soviet Union, Syria's participation in the allied coalition against Iraq in 1990-91, and Syrian agreement to participate in Arab-Israeli peace talks. This thaw in bilateral relations led some Members of Congress to inquire whether U.S. Administrations had made any private commitments to Syria, such as an undertaking to relax economic sanctions, in return for Syrian support on regional issues. Several legislative proposals have sought to condition relaxation of aid and trade restrictions on further changes in Syrian policy. Recent U.S. Administrations, though not inclined to lift sanctions on Syria at this time, tend to believe it is in U.S. interests to encourage Syria to play a positive role in the Arab-Israeli peace process. The issue for U.S. policy makers is the degree to which the United States should work for better relations with Syria in an effort to enlist Syrian cooperation on regional issues."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Prados, Alfred B.

  2002-12-24
• Syria: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues [Updated August 6, 2002]

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  "U.S.-Syrian relations, frequently strained by longstanding disagreements over regional and international policy, have warmed somewhat as a result of several developments: the collapse of the Soviet Union, Syria's participation in the allied coalition against Iraq in 1990-91, and Syrian agreement to participate in Arab-Israeli peace talks. This thaw in bilateral relations led some Members of Congress to inquire whether U.S. Administrations had made any private commitments to Syria, such as an undertaking to relax economic sanctions, in return for Syrian support on regional issues. Several legislative proposals have sought to condition relaxation of aid and trade restrictions on further changes in Syrian policy. Recent U.S. Administrations, though not inclined to lift sanctions on Syria at this time, tend to believe it is in U.S. interests to encourage Syria to play a positive role in the Arab-Israeli peace process. The issue for U.S. policy makers is the degree to which the United States should work for better relations with Syria in an effort to enlist Syrian cooperation on regional issues."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Prados, Alfred B.

  2002-08-06
• Syria: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues [Updated September 13, 2002]

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  "U.S.-Syrian relations, frequently strained by longstanding disagreements over regional and international policy, have warmed somewhat as a result of several developments: the collapse of the Soviet Union, Syria's participation in the allied coalition against Iraq in 1990-91, and Syrian agreement to participate in Arab-Israeli peace talks. This thaw in bilateral relations led some Members of Congress to inquire whether U.S. Administrations had made any private commitments to Syria, such as an undertaking to relax economic sanctions, in return for Syrian support on regional issues. Several legislative proposals have sought to condition relaxation of aid and trade restrictions on further changes in Syrian policy. Recent U.S. Administrations, though not inclined to lift sanctions on Syria at this time, tend to believe it is in U.S. interests to encourage Syria to play a positive role in the Arab-Israeli peace process. The issue for U.S. policy makers is the degree to which the United States should work for better relations with Syria in an effort to enlist Syrian cooperation on regional issues."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Prados, Alfred B.

  2002-09-13
• Syria: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues [Updated November 15, 2002]

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  "U.S.-Syrian relations, frequently strained by longstanding disagreements over regional and international policy, have warmed somewhat as a result of several developments: the collapse of the Soviet Union, Syria's participation in the allied coalition against Iraq in 1990-91, and Syrian agreement to participate in Arab-Israeli peace talks. This thaw in bilateral relations led some Members of Congress to inquire whether U.S. Administrations had made any private commitments to Syria, such as an undertaking to relax economic sanctions, in return for Syrian support on regional issues. Several legislative proposals have sought to condition relaxation of aid and trade restrictions on further changes in Syrian policy. Recent U.S. Administrations, though not inclined to lift sanctions on Syria at this time, tend to believe it is in U.S. interests to encourage Syria to play a positive role in the Arab-Israeli peace process. The issue for U.S. policy makers is the degree to which the United States should work for better relations with Syria in an effort to enlist Syrian cooperation on regional issues."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Prados, Alfred B.

  2002-11-15
• Syria: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues [Updated August 18, 2006]

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  "An array of bilateral issues continues to affect relations between the United States and Syria: the course of Arab-Israeli talks; questions of arms proliferation; Syrian connections with terrorist activity; Syria's role in Lebanon; and Syria's opposition to the U.S. occupation in Iraq. A variety of U.S. legislative provisions and executive directives prohibit direct aid to Syria and restrict bilateral trade relations between the two countries, largely because of Syria's designation by the U.S. State Department as a sponsor of international terrorism. Syria has reportedly cooperated with the United States in investigating Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda organization in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks but has been unwilling to sever connections with some other terrorist organizations. Also, after Operation Iraqi Freedom began in March 2003, senior U.S. officials warned Syria to stop permitting transit of military supplies and volunteer fighters through Syria to Iraq. Syria has denied these allegations and cited measures it has taken to tighten its borders. Since the outbreak of fighting between Israeli military forces and the militant Lebanese Shi'ite Hezbollah organization on July 12, 2006, U.S. officials have increased their criticism of Syria's political and logistical support for Hezbollah. After the passage of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, the leaders of Syria and Iran claimed a victory, maintaining that their protege, Hezbollah, had compelled Israel to accept a partial withdrawal from southern Lebanon. This report supersedes Issue Brief IB92075, Syria: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues, and will be updated as significant developments occur."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Prados, Alfred B.

  2006-08-18
• Syria: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues [Updated July 3, 2002]

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  "U.S.-Syrian relations, frequently strained by longstanding disagreements over regional and international policy, have warmed somewhat as a result of several developments: the collapse of the Soviet Union, Syria's participation in the allied coalition against Iraq in 1990-91, and Syrian agreement to participate in Arab-Israeli peace talks. This thaw in bilateral relations led some Members of Congress to inquire whether U.S. Administrations had made any private commitments to Syria, such as an undertaking to relax economic sanctions, in return for Syrian support on regional issues. Several legislative proposals have sought to condition relaxation of aid and trade restrictions on further changes in Syrian policy. Recent U.S. Administrations, though not inclined to lift sanctions on Syria at this time, tend to believe it is in U.S. interests to encourage Syria to play a positive role in the Arab-Israeli peace process. The issue for U.S. policy makers is the degree to which the United States should work for better relations with Syria in an effort to enlist Syrian cooperation on regional issues."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Prados, Alfred B.

  2002-07-03
• Tax Reform in the 113th Congress: An Overview of Proposals [December 17, 2013]

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  "Presently, the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Finance are actively engaged in tax reform deliberations. The Committee on Ways and Means has released several discussion drafts outlining options for various components of tax reform, and has also formed tax reform working groups to further consider tax reform as it relates to different issue areas. The Committee on Finance has also released several tax reform discussion drafts in addition to the earlier options papers, which had provided a broad spectrum of tax reform ideas and proposals. Legislation has been introduced in the 113th Congress that would fundamentally change the U.S. federal tax system. The Fair Tax Act of 2013 (H.R. 25/S. 122) would replace most current federal taxes with a 23% national retail sales tax. Other proposals would establish a flat tax, where individuals would be taxed on wages and businesses taxed on cash flows […]. The Tax Code Termination Act (H.R. 352) would effectively repeal the current Internal Revenue Code, requiring Congress to write a new tax code that would achieve certain stated objectives. The prevailing framework for evaluating tax policy considers equity (or fairness), efficiency, and simplicity. Equity examines the distribution of the tax burden across different groups. This information can then be used to assess the 'fairness' of the tax system. A tax system that is economically efficient generally provides neutral treatment, minimizing economic distortions and maximizing output. A tax system that is simple reduces administrative and compliance costs while also promoting transparency."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Sherlock, Molly F.

  2013-12-17
• State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2014 Budget and Appropriations [January 3, 2014]

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  "On April 10, 2013, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2014. The request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs totals $51.84 billion, which is about 0.8% below the FY2013 post-sequester estimated funding level of $52.24 billion. Within this total, $3.81 billion is designated as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding, which is 68% below FY2013 estimated OCO funding of $11.91 billion. Of the total request, $16.88 billion is for State Department Operations and related agencies, a 4.5% decline from the FY2013 funding estimate. About $35.1 billion is for Foreign Operations, a 1.6% increase from the FY2013 estimate. This report provides a brief overview of the FY2014 State Department, Foreign Operations and Related Programs funding request, as well as top-line analysis of House and Senate State-Foreign Operations appropriations proposals and enacted continuing resolutions. It does not provide information or analysis on specific provisions in the House and Senate legislation. A table in the Appendix provides side-by-side account-level funding data for FY2012, FY2013, the FY2014 request, and the pending FY2014 House and Senate proposals. The FY2013 funding data used as a point of comparison throughout this report represent post-sequestration estimates provided by the Department of State and reflect across-the-board rescissions. These data are not yet available for all accounts, or for country allocations. The funding table in the Appendix will be updated as more information becomes available."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Epstein, Susan B.; Tiersky, Alex L.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo

  2014-01-03
• State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2014 Budget and Appropriations [January 16, 2014]

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  "On April 10, 2013, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2014. The request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs totals $51.84 billion, which is about 0.8% below the FY2013 post-sequester estimated funding level of $52.24 billion. Within this total, $3.81 billion is designated as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding, which is 68% below FY2013 estimated OCO funding of $11.91 billion. Of the total request, $16.88 billion is for State Department Operations and related agencies, a 4.5% decline from the FY2013 funding estimate. About $35.1 billion is for Foreign Operations, a 1.6% increase from the FY2013 estimate. After enacting appropriations for FY2014 with continuing resolutions in late 2013-early 2014, Congress was completing action on a consolidated appropriations bill (H.R. 3547) in mid-January 2014. […] This report provides a brief overview of the FY2014 State Department, Foreign Operations and Related Programs funding request, as well as top-line analysis of House and Senate State-Foreign Operations appropriations proposals and enacted continuing resolutions. It does not provide information or analysis on specific provisions in the House and Senate legislation. A full update of the report will be completed after final action on FY2014 appropriations. A table in the 'Appendix' provides side-by-side account-level funding data for FY2013, the FY2014 request, and pending FY2014 proposals, including the Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 3547). The FY2013 funding data used as a point of comparison throughout this report represent post-sequestration estimates provided by the Department of State and reflect across-the-board rescissions. These data are not yet available for all accounts, or for country allocations. The funding table in the Appendix will be updated as more information becomes available."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Epstein, Susan B.; Tiersky, Alex L.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo

  2014-01-16
• Tax Provisions Expiring in 2013 ('Tax Extenders') [December 31, 2013]

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  "Dozens of temporary tax provisions are scheduled to expire at the end of 2013 under current law. Most of the provisions set to expire in 2013 have been part of past temporary tax extension legislation. Most recently, many temporary tax provisions were extended as part of the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA; P.L. 112-240). Collectively, temporary tax provisions that are regularly extended by Congress--often for one to two years--rather than being allowed to expire as scheduled are often referred to as 'tax extenders.' […] There are several reasons why Congress may choose to enact tax provisions on a temporary basis. Enacting provisions on a temporary basis provides legislators with an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of tax policies prior to expiration or extension. Temporary tax provisions may also be used to provide temporary economic stimulus or disaster relief. Congress may also choose to enact tax provisions on a temporary rather than permanent basis due to budgetary considerations, as the foregone revenue from a temporary provision will generally be less than if it was permanent. The provisions that are scheduled to expire in 2013 are diverse in purpose, including provisions for individuals, businesses, the charitable sector, energy, community assistance, and disaster relief. Among the individual provisions scheduled to expire are deductions for teachers' out-of-pocket expenses, state and local sales taxes, qualified tuition and related expenses, and mortgage insurance premiums."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Sherlock, Molly F.

  2013-12-31
• Status of the WTO Brazil-U.S. Cotton Case [December 12, 2013]

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  "The so-called 'Brazil cotton case' is a long-running World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement case (DS267) initiated by Brazil--a major cotton export competitor--in 2002 against specific provisions of the U.S. cotton program. In September 2004, a WTO dispute settlement panel ruled that (1) certain U.S. agricultural support payments for cotton distorted international agricultural markets and should be either withdrawn or modified to end the market distortions; and (2) U.S. Step-2 payments and agricultural export credit guarantees for cotton and other unscheduled commodities were prohibited under WTO rules and should be withdrawn. […] Both Brazil and the United States have hoped that the WTO cotton dispute would be resolved definitively within the context of the next U.S. farm bill. In this regard, both the Senate-passed (S. 954) and House-passed (H.R. 2642) 2013 farm bills are in agreement over proposed changes to U.S. cotton support programs--cotton would no longer be included as a major program commodity, thus losing eligibility for certain price and income support programs proposed in Title I of the farm bill. Instead, those programs would be replaced by a new cotton program comprised of a stand-alone, county-based revenue insurance policy called the Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX). The House- and Senate-passed farm bills are presently in conference to resolve differences. While a new farm bill might address issues related to the WTO Brazil-U.S. cotton case from a U.S. perspective, Brazil still retains substantial authority in making a final determination regarding the compliance of any policy changes to U.S. cotton support programs."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2013-12-12
• Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990 [December 2, 2009]

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  "This CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report discusses U.S. security assistance for Taiwan, formally called the Republic of China (ROC), particularly policy issues for Congress. It also lists sales of major defense articles and services to Taiwan, as approved by the President and notified to Congress since 1990. This report uses a variety of unclassified consultations and citations in the United States and Taiwan."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Kan, Shirley

  2009-12-02