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War Powers Resolution: Concepts and Practice [Updated December 11, 2018]
"Under the Constitution, the war powers are divided between Congress and the President. Among other relevant grants, Congress has the power to declare war and raise and support the armed forces (Article I, Section 8), while the President is Commander in Chief (Article II, Section 2). It is generally agreed that the Commander-in-Chief role gives the President power to utilize the armed forces to repel attacks against the United States, but there has long been controversy over whether he is constitutionally authorized to send forces into hostile situations abroad without a declaration of war or other congressional authorization. [...] This report examines the provisions of the War Powers Resolution, actual experience in its use from its enactment in 1973 through March 2015, and proposed amendments to it. Appendix A lists instances which Presidents have reported to Congress under the War Powers Resolution, and Appendix B lists certain instances of the use of U.S. armed forces that were not reported."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Weed, Matthew C.
2018-12-11
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Heroin Trafficking in the United States [December 11, 2018]
"Over the past several years, the nation has seen an uptick in the use and abuse of opioids--both prescription opioids and non-prescription opioids such as heroin. In 2016, there were an estimated 948,000 individuals (0.4% of the 12 and older population) who reported using heroin within the past year--up from 0.2% to 0.3% of this population reporting use in the previous decade. In addition to an increase in heroin use over the past several years, there has been a simultaneous increase in its availability in the United States. The increase in availability has been fueled by a number of factors, including increased production and trafficking of heroin--principally by Mexican criminal networks. Mexican transnational criminal organizations are the major suppliers and key producers of most illegal drugs smuggled into the United States. They have been increasing their share of the U.S. drug market--particularly with respect to heroin--even though the United States still receives some heroin from South America and, to a lesser extent, Southwest Asia. To facilitate the distribution and sale of drugs in the United States, Mexican drug traffickers have formed relationships with U.S. gangs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Finklea, Kristin
2018-12-11
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Iran's Foreign and Defense Policies [Updated December 11, 2018]
"Successive Administrations have identified Iran as a key national security challenge, citing Iran's nuclear and missile programs as well as its long-standing attempts to counter many U.S. objectives in the region. The Trump Administration has defined Iran and its regime as a particularly significant threat to U.S. national security, accusing the regime of 'destructive behavior at home and abroad.' Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, in his February 13, 2018, annual worldwide threat assessment testimony before Congress, assessed that 'Iran will seek to expand its influence in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, where it sees conflicts generally trending in Tehran's favor' and 'Iran will develop military capabilities that threaten U.S. forces and allies in the region.' Successive National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAAs) have required an annual report on Iran's military power, which has in recent years contained assessments of Iran similar to those presented publicly by the intelligence community."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2018-12-11
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State Minimum Wage Ballot Measures: In Brief [Updated December 11, 2018]
"On November 6, 2018, voters in two states--Arkansas and Missouri--approved ballot measures to increase state minimum wage rates. These and previous ballot measures provide states one way of establishing minimum wage provisions different from those required by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA; P.L. 75-718). [...] The FLSA, enacted in 1938, is the federal legislation that establishes the general minimum wage that must be paid to all covered workers. The Department of Labor (DOL) estimates that more than 130 million workers are subject to the provisions of the FLSA. Since the FLSA established a minimum wage of $0.25 per hour in 1938, Congress has amended the act numerous times, typically to expand coverage or raise the wage rate. Since its establishment, the minimum wage rate has been raised 22 separate times, most recently in 2007, when it was increased from $5.15 per hour to its current rate of $7.25 per hour in three steps (the final step occurring in 2009)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bradley, David H.; Overbay, Abigail R.
2018-12-11
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Public Law 115-307: National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2018
From the Document: "An Act [t]o reauthorize and amend the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, and for other purposes."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2018-12-11
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Public Law 115-300: Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018
From the Document: "An Act [t]o provide relief for victims of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes who are members of religious and ethnic minority groups in Iraq and Syria, for accountability for perpetrators of these crimes, and for other purposes."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2018-12-11
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Federal Protective Service Has Not Managed Overtime Effectively
"After analyzing FPS [Federal Protective Service] inspectors' duties and comparing those duties against criteria in the 'Fair Labor Standards Act' (FLSA) and applicable regulations, we determined that FPS inspectors were appropriately classified as non-exempt, and therefore, their FLSA overtime pay is not subject to the biweekly premium cap. Although properly classified as non-exempt, inspectors' excessive use of overtime does raise significant concerns. Specifically, 11 of the 19 inspectors reviewed frequently worked multiple 17- to 21-hour shifts with no days off in between. This kind of extensive overtime allowed seven inspectors to earn more than the most senior executives in the Federal Government, with three earning more than the Vice President of the United States. Furthermore, FPS' increasing use of overtime contributed to a projected budget shortfall for fiscal year 2018, potentially putting the FPS mission at risk. The inspectors were able to accumulate the extensive overtime because of poor internal controls, such as management not monitoring the use of overtime. Additionally, inspectors and supervisors did not follow NPPD [National Protection and Programs Directorate] and FPS guidance on submitting and approving overtime. Although FPS released new requirements in December 2017 and the use of overtime has declined, FPS needs to develop more detailed overtime guidance and communicate it to the workforce more effectively."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2018-12-11
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S. Rept. 115-428: Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act, Report to Accompany S. 569, Congressional Budget Office, December 11, 2018
"The purpose of S. 569 is to amend title 54, United States Code, to provide consistent and reliable authority for, and for the funding of, the Land and Water Conservation Fund to maximize the effectiveness of the Fund for future generations."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2018-12-11
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S. Rept. 115-430: Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act, Report to Accompany S. 2773, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, December 11, 2018
"The purpose of S. 2773 is to phase out the U.S. West Coast large-scale driftnet fishery, which primarily targets swordfish, and to implement a program to help the affected fishers transition to alternative gear types."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2018-12-11
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H. Rept. 115-1074: Providing for Consideration of the Conference Report to Accompany the Bill (H.R. 2) to Provide for the Reform and Continuation of Agricultural and Other Programs of the Department of Agriculture Through Fiscal Year 2023, and for Other Purposes, Report to Accompany H. Res. 1176, December 11, 2018
"The resolution provides for consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 2, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. The resolution waives all points of order against the conference report and against its consideration. The resolution provides that the conference report shall be considered as read. The resolution provides that the previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervention of any motion except one hour of debate and one motion to recommit if applicable."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2018-12-11
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Trade Related Agencies: FY2019 Appropriations, Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) [Updated December 10, 2018]
"On February 12, 2018, the Trump Administration submitted its FY2019 budget request to Congress. The proposal includes a total of $590.8 million for three trade-related agencies-- the International Trade Administration (ITA), the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), and the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). This is 8.9% less than the FY2018 total appropriated amounts for these agencies. The Administration requests reducing funding for all three trade-related agencies. For FY2019, the request includes $440.1 million in direct funding for ITA (an 8.7% decrease from the FY2018 appropriation), $87.6 million for USITC (a 6.5% decrease), and $63.0 million for USTR (a 13.2% decrease)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hammond, Keigh E.; Villarreal, M. Angeles
2018-12-10
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Lifting the Earmark Moratorium: Frequently Asked Questions [December 10, 2018]
From the Document: "While the term 'earmark' has been used historically to describe various types of congressional spending actions, since the 110th Congress (2007-2008) House and Senate rules have defined an earmark as any congressionally directed spending, tax benefit, or tariff benefit that would benefit an entity or a specific state, locality, or congressional district. In the 112th Congress (2011-2012), the House and Senate began observing what has been referred to as an earmark moratorium or earmark ban. The moratorium does not exist in House or Senate chamber rules, however, and therefore is not enforced by points of order. Instead, the moratorium has been established by party rules and committee protocols and is enforced by chamber and committee leadership through their agenda-setting power."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2018-12-10
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Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (Polar Icebreaker) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 10, 2018]
"The Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (PSC) program, previously known as the polar icebreaker (PIB) program, is a program to acquire three new heavy polar icebreakers, to be followed years from now by the acquisition of up to three new medium polar icebreakers. The Coast Guard wants to begin construction of the first new heavy polar icebreaker in FY2019 and have it enter service in 2023. The PSC program has received about $359.6 million in acquisition funding through FY2018, including $300 million provided through the Navy's shipbuilding account and $59.6 million provided through the Coast Guard's acquisition account. The Coast Guard's proposed FY2019 budget requests $750 million in Coast Guard acquisition funding for the program."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2018-12-10
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Shutdown of the Federal Government: Causes, Processes, and Effects [December 10, 2018]
"When federal agencies and programs lack funding after the expiration of full-year or interim appropriations, the agencies and programs experience a funding gap. If funding does not resume in time to continue government operations, then, under the Antideficiency Act, an agency must cease operations, except in certain situations when law authorizes continued activity. Funding gaps are distinct from shutdowns, and the criteria that flow from the Antideficiency Act for determining which activities are affected by a shutdown are complex. Failure of the President and Congress to reach agreement on full-year or interim funding measures occasionally has caused shutdowns of affected federal government activities. The longest such shutdown lasted 21 full days during FY1996, from December 16, 1995, to January 6, 1996. More recently, a relatively long funding gap commenced on October 1, 2013, the first day of FY2014, after funding for the previous fiscal year expired. Because funding did not resume on October 1, affected agencies began to cease operations and furlough personnel that day. A 16-full-day shutdown ensued, the first to occur in over 17 years. Subsequently, two comparatively brief shutdowns occurred during FY2018, in January and February 2018, respectively."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brass, Clinton T.; Brudnick, Ida A.; Keegan, Natalie . . .
2018-12-10
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Indian Health Service: Spending Levels and Characteristics of IHS and Three Other Federal Health Care Programs
From the Document: "The Indian Health Service's (IHS) mission is to provide health care services to American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people who are members or descendants of federally recognized tribes, consistent with federal law. Congress has declared that it is federal policy, in fulfillment of special trust responsibilities and legal obligations to Indians, to ensure the highest possible health status for AI/AN people. IHS, within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides health care to approximately 1.6 million AI/AN people annually."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2018-12-10
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Security Controls at DOD Facilities for Protecting Ballistic Missile Defense System Technical Information [Redacted]
"(U) We determined whether DoD Components implemented security controls and processes at DoD facilities to protect ballistic missile defense system (BMDS) technical information on classified networks from insider and external cyber threats. (U) We conducted this audit in response to a congressional requirement to audit the controls in place to protect BMDS technical information, whether managed by cleared Defense contractors, or by the Government. Cleared contractors are entities granted clearance by the DoD to access, obtain, or store classified information, to bid on contracts, or conduct activities in support of DoD programs. (U) We analyzed only classified networks because BMDS technical information was not managed on unclassified networks. The classified networks processed, stored, and transmitted both classified and unclassified BMDS technical information. This is the second of two audits to determine whether the DoD protected BMDS technical information from unauthorized access and disclosure. On March 29, 2018, we issued a report on the effectiveness of logical and physical access controls in place to protect BMDS technical information at Missile Defense Agency (MDA) contractor locations. The report identified systemic weaknesses at the contractor locations concerning network access, vulnerability management, and the review of system audit logs."
United States. Department of Defense. Office of the Inspector General
2018-12-10
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H. Rept. 115-1070: Securing Our Borders and Wilderness Act, Report Together with Dissenting Views to Accompany H.R. 3593, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, December 10, 2018
"The purpose of H.R. 3593 is to amend the Wilderness Act to authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection to conduct certain activities to secure the international land borders of the United States."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2018-12-10
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H. Rept. 115-1071: Emery County Public Land Management Act of 2018, Report Together with Dissenting Views to Accompany H.R. 5727, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, December 10, 2018
"The purpose of H.R. 5727, as ordered reported, is to establish the San Rafael Swell Western Heritage and Historic Mining Recreation Areas in the State of Utah, to designate wilderness areas in the State, and to provide for certain land conveyances."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2018-12-10
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H. Rept. 115-1069: Secret Service Overtime Pay Extension Act, Report to Accompany H.R. 6893, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, December 10, 2018
"H.R. 6893, the Secret Service Overtime Pay Extension Act extends a waiver of the annual pay cap for basic and premium overtime pay for the U.S. Secret Service until the end of calendar year 2020. Congress first authorized this waiver in the Overtime Pay for Protective Services Act of 2016 (P.L. 114-311), and extended it in the Secret Service Recruitment and Retention Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-160). Lifting the pay cap allows Secret Service personnel to be partially compensated for overtime hours that result in owed compensation above the cap. The additional premium overtime pay will not be creditable toward the retirement annuity or annual leave calculations."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2018-12-10
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Disaster Relief Fund: Monthly Report as of November 30, 2018 (Fiscal Year 2019 Report to Congress)
"P.L. 115-72 requires that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator submit to the Appropriations Committees a report for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, not later than 5 days after the first day of the month beginning in the month after enactment, and to publish on the Web site the estimate or, if available, actual amount, of categories of spending for public assistance, individual assistance, operations, mitigation, administrative, and any other relevant category (including emergency measures and disaster resources) not later than 10 days after the first day of each such month. P.L. 115-141 requires that the FEMA Administrator provide a report by the fifth business day of each month on the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) that includes a funding summary, a table delineating the DRF funding activities each month by state and event, a summary of the funding for the catastrophic events, and the funds exhaust date, or end-of-fiscal-year balance."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2018-12-10
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Military Benefits for Former Spouses: Legislation and Policy Issues [Updated December 10, 2018]
"This report provides a general discussion of legislative provisions and proposals relating to the military benefits for former spouses. It is not designed to answer detailed questions about specific issues arising in individual cases. Thus, it does not deal with case law nor does it apply legal or judicial interpretations of enacted statutes to specific situations. Questions that this report seeks to answer include the following: [1] What benefits can former spouses of members or retirees of the uniformed services receive under law? [2] What role do the services play in facilitating delivery of those benefits? What practical problems arise in the implementation of and service involvement in claims on those benefits? [3] How does the current system for a divorce-related division of military retired pay work?"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kamarck, Kristy N.
2018-12-10
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FEMA Daily Operations Briefings, December 9 - 15, 2018
This document is a compilation of all the FEMA Daily Operations Briefings from December 9 - 15, 2018. The FEMA Daily Operations Briefing provides an overview of the current emergency management situation nationwide and includes a summary of current significant events, weather activity, recent emergency declarations and projections for the coming week.
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2018-12-09?
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Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress [December 7, 2018]
"This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Coast Guard's programs for procuring 8 National Security Cutters (NSCs), 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), and 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRCs). The Coast Guard's proposed FY2019 budget requests a total of $705 million in acquisition funding for the NSC, OPC, and FRC programs. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Coast Guard's funding requests and acquisition strategies for the NSC, OPC, and FRC programs. Congress's decisions on these three programs could substantially affect Coast Guard capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2018-12-07
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Buprenorphine and the Opioid Crisis: A Primer for Congress [December 7, 2018]
"Buprenorphine is one of three medications currently used in medication-assisted treatment of opioid use disorders. As such, buprenorphine's effectiveness, safety, and availability are of considerable interest to policymakers seeking to address the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States. During the 115th Congress, committees held hearings on opioid-related topics such as implementation of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (CARA, P.L. 114-198), the effects of the opioid crisis on families, and opioid use among veterans. Members have introduced more than 150 bills related to opioids. On October 24, 2018, President Trump signed into law H.R. 6, the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (the SUPPORT Act; P.L. 115-271), a broad measure designed to address widespread over prescribing and abuse of opioids in the United States. Congressional actions taken in recent years to address the opioid crisis, including the SUPPORT Act, have included attempts to increase access to buprenorphine."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Duff, Johnathan H.
2018-12-07
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Cryptocurrency: The Economics of Money and Selected Policy Issues [December 7, 2018]
"In 2008, an unknown computer programmer or group of programmers using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto created a computer platform that would allow users to make valid transfers of digital representations of value. The system, called Bitcoin, is the first known cryptocurrency. A cryptocurrency is digital money in an electronic payment system in which payments are validated by a decentralized network of system users and cryptographic protocols instead of by a centralized intermediary (such as a bank). Since 2009, cryptocurrencies have gone from little-known, niche technological curiosities to rapidly proliferating financial instruments that are the subject of intense public interest. Recently, they have been incorporated into a variety of other financial transactions and products. For example, cryptocurrencies have been sold to investors to raise funding through initial coin offerings (ICOs), and the terms of certain derivatives are now based on cryptocurrencies. Some government central banks have examined the possibility of issuing cryptocurrencies or other digital currency. Media coverage of cryptocurrencies has been widespread, and various observers have characterized cryptocurrencies as either the future of monetary and payment systems that will displace government-backed currencies or a fad with little real value."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Perkins, David W.
2018-12-07
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Energy Resilience Through Grid Modernization and Renewables Integration [presentation]
This is a presentation on "Energy Resilience Through Grid Modernization and Renewables" delivered at the Critical Infrastructure Resilience Workshop in Washington, D.C., on December 7, 2018.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (U.S.)
Torres, Juan; Laws, Nick
2018-12-07
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 2315, Over-the-Counter Drug Safety, Innovation, and Reform Act
From the Summary: "S. 2315 would change the oversight of the commercial marketing of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The bill would authorize the collection and spending of fees through 2023 to cover the costs of expediting the FDA's administrative procedures for certain regulatory activities relating to OTC products. Such fees could be collected and made available for obligation only to the extent and in the amounts provided in advance in appropriation acts. Assuming appropriation actions consistent with the bill, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that implementing S. 2315 would increase fee collections and related spending. Over the 2019-2023 period, spending would lag collections by $10 million."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2018-12-07
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 6511, Strategic Petroleum Reserve Reform Act
"H.R. 6511 would authorize the Department of Energy (DOE) to lease certain facilities at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to the private sector, subject to certain conditions. The act would direct DOE to implement a pilot program for leasing storage capacity for up to 200 million barrels of crude oil and authorize the department to use funds appropriated to the Energy Security and Infrastructure Modernization Fund (ESIMF) to make any capital improvements necessary for commercial use. Finally, DOE would be required to charge fees sufficient to fully compensate the government for costs incurred for commercial leasing activities. DOE would be allowed to spend any such proceeds on operating expenses without further appropriation."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2018-12-07
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Cybersecurity Strategy Report
"In today's connected world, where nearly all devices--from the phones in our pockets, to the refrigerators in our kitchens, to the multi-million-dollar equipment that runs our electric grid--are linked together through the Internet, cybersecurity has at once become a household term and one of the most complicated, difficult issues facing society. Once a topic seen mostly as a nuisance, requiring the occasional password reset or new credit card, cybersecurity now regularly makes headlines as the Internet and connected technologies have become not only economic, diplomatic, and military tools, but integral parts of our daily lives. However, even as the Internet has rapidly developed to become a vital part of modern society, it appears that the integration of effective cybersecurity has not kept pace. Recognizing this reality, the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee has spent the past several years analyzing certain cybersecurity issues with impacts across the Energy and Commerce Committee's broad jurisdiction. Several patterns have emerged from the Subcommittee's work. Regardless of industry, size, or sophistication, the cybersecurity challenges organizations face are largely the same. Further, traditional information technology (IT) strategies seem largely ineffective at stemming the growing tide of cybersecurity incidents--which now range from ransomware attacks that can hold an entire company hostage to hackers' exploitation of a security vulnerability in the latest cellphone model."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Energy and Commerce
2018-12-07
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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, December 7, 2018
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This issue of MMWR contains the following: "Uterine Cancer Incidence and Mortality -- United States, 1999-2016"; "Public Health Response to an Avian Influenza A(H7N8) Virus Outbreak in Commercial Turkey Flocks - Indiana, 2016"; "Exposure to Secondhand Smoke Among Nonsmokers -- United States, 1988-2014"; "Outbreak of Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis Caused by Human Adenovirus Type D53 in an Eye Care Clinic -- Los Angeles County, 2017"; "Notes from the Field: An Outbreak of Salmonella Agbeni Infections Linked to Turtle Exposure --United States, 2017"; and "QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged 20-64 Years With a Blood Cholesterol Check by a Health Professional During the Past 12 Months, by Poverty Status -- National Health Interview Survey, 2012 and 2017."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2018-12-07
