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• Unemployment Insurance: Programs and Benefits [September 19, 2012]

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  "Various benefits may be available to unemployed workers to provide income support. When eligible workers lose their jobs, the Unemployment Compensation (UC) program may provide up to 26 weeks of income support through the payment of regular UC benefits. Unemployment benefits may be extended for up to 47 weeks by the temporarily authorized Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) program. Unemployment benefits may be extended for up to a further 13 or 20 weeks by the permanent Extended Benefit (EB) program under certain state economic conditions. Certain groups of workers who lose their jobs because of international competition may qualify for income support through Trade Adjustment Act (TAA) programs. Unemployed workers may be eligible to receive Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits if they are not eligible for regular UC and if their unemployment may be directly attributed to a declared major disaster. Former U.S. military servicemembers may be eligible for unemployment benefits through the unemployment compensation for ex-servicemembers (UCX) program. The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 1991 (P.L. 102-164) provides that ex-servicemembers be treated the same as other unemployed workers with respect to benefit levels, the waiting period for benefits, and benefit duration."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Whittaker, Julie M.; Isaacs, Katelin P., 1980-

  2012-09-19
• Waiver Authority Under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) [September 25, 2012]

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  "Transportation fuels are required by federal law to contain a minimum amount of renewable fuel each year. This renewable fuel standard (RFS), established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct, P.L. 109-58) and amended by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA, P.L. 110-140), requires that 15.2 billion gallons of renewable fuels be blended into gasoline and other transportation fuels in 2012. Most of this mandate (87% for 2012) will be met using cornbased ethanol. Other biofuels used to meet the remainder of the mandate include cellulosic biofuels, biomass-based diesel fuels, and other advanced biofuels. Questions have been raised over whether the overall mandate diverts enough corn supply from food/feed production to dramatically raise prices in those markets, and whether there is enough feedstock supply and production capacity to meet the carveouts for fuels other than corn ethanol. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the authority to waive the RFS requirements, in whole or in part, if certain conditions outlined in the law are present. In 2008 the governor of Texas requested a waiver of the RFS because of high grain prices, although that waiver request was denied because EPA determined that the RFS requirements alone did not 'severely harm the economy of a State, a region, or the United States,' a standard required by the statute. A similar waiver petition was filed by the governors of Arkansas and North Carolina in August 2012. Under EPAct, the EPA administrator must approve or disapprove the petition within 90 days of receipt. Because the governor of Arkansas submitted a petition letter to EPA on August 13, 2012, EPA must respond by November 11, 2012. EPA requested comments on the petition, and extended that comment period through October 11, 2012. In February 2010, as part of a final rulemaking implementing the RFS as expanded by EISA, EPA waived most of the 2010 cellulosic biofuel carveout--EISA set the mandate at 100 million gallons but EPA only required 6.5 million gallons, more than 90% less than scheduled by EISA. EPA cited a lack of current and expected production capacity, driven largely by a lack of investment in commercial-scale refineries. Further, for 2011 and 2012, EPA has reduced the cellulosic mandate to 6.6 million and 8.65 million gallons, respectively, well below the 250 million and 500 million gallons scheduled in EISA. This report provides a brief overview of the RFS program and discusses the process and criteria for EPA to approve a waiver petition."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Yacobucci, Brent D.

  2012-09-25
• U.S. Offshore Oil and Gas Resources: Prospects and Processes [June 30, 2011]

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  "Access to potential oil and gas resources under the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) continues to be controversial. Moratoria on leasing and development in certain areas were largely eliminated in 2008 and 2009, although a few areas remain legislatively off limits to leasing. The 112th Congress may be unlikely to reinstate broad leasing moratoria, but some Members have expressed interest in protecting areas (e.g., the Georges Bank or Northern California) or establishing protective coastal buffers. Pressure to expand oil and gas supplies and protect coastal environments and communities will likely lead Congress and the Administration to consider carefully which areas to keep open to leasing and which to protect from development. The oil spill that occurred on April 20, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico brought increased attention to offshore drilling risks. Consideration of offshore development for any purpose has raised concerns over the protection of the marine and coastal environment. In addition to the oil spill, historical events associated with offshore oil production, such as the large oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, CA, in 1969, cause both opponents and proponents of offshore development to consider the risks and to weigh those risks against the economic and social benefits of the development. […] The ultimate impact of oil and gas development in offshore areas will depend on oil and gas prices, volumes of resources actually discovered, infrastructure development, and restrictions placed on development, all of which currently carry significant uncertainties."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Humphries, Marc; Pirog, Robert L.; Whitney, Gene

  2011-06-30
• U.S. Foreign Aid to the Palestinians [August 29, 2011]

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  "Since the establishment of limited Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the mid-1990s, the U.S. government has committed over $4 billion in bilateral assistance to the Palestinians, who are among the world's largest per capita recipients of international foreign aid. [...] Since June 2007, these U.S. policy priorities have crystallized around the factional and geographical split between the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. A May 2011 power-sharing agreement between Fatah and Hamas has raised concerns among some Members of Congress about continuing U.S. budgetary and security assistance to a PA government that could be subject to the approval of a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (Hamas) that claims to reserve the right to violently oppose Israel's existence. Prospects for implementation of the power-sharing agreement remain unclear. Some observers question the extent to which Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza are likely to integrate their political decision making and security practices, and also question the credibility of the one-year timeline put forward for PA presidential and legislative elections. Furthermore, some U.S. lawmakers have raised the possibility that U.S. aid to the PA could be affected by Palestinian efforts to seek international recognition of Palestinian statehood outside of negotiations with Israel, particularly at the United Nations in the fall of 2011. [...] Because of congressional concerns that, among other things, funds might be diverted to Palestinian terrorist groups, U.S. aid is subject to a host of vetting and oversight requirements and legislative restrictions. U.S. assistance to the Palestinians is given alongside assistance from other international donors, and U.S. policymakers routinely call for greater or more timely assistance from Arab governments in line with their pledges."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Zanotti, Jim

  2011-08-29
• Uzbekistan: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests [August 31, 2011]

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  "Uzbekistan gained independence at the end of 1991 with the breakup of the Soviet Union. The landlocked country is a potential Central Asian regional power by virtue of its population, the largest in the region, its substantial energy and other resources, and its location at the heart of regional trade and transport networks. The existing president, Islam Karimov, retained his post following the country's independence, and was reelected in 2000 and 2007. He has pursued a policy of cautiously opening the country to economic and political reforms, and many observers have criticized Uzbekistan's human rights record. The United States pursued close ties with Uzbekistan following its independence. After the terrorist attacks on the United States in September 2001, Uzbekistan offered over-flight and basing rights to U.S. and coalition forces. However, U.S. basing rights at Karshi-Khanabad were terminated in 2005 following U.S. criticism and other actions related to the Karimov government's allegedly violent crackdown on unrest in the southern city of Andijon. Since then, the United States has attempted to improve relations, particularly in support of operations in Afghanistan. In 2009, Uzbekistan began to participate in the Northern Distribution Network of land, sea, and air transit routes from Europe through Eurasia for the supply of goods for U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Nichol, James P.

  2011-08-31
• U.S. Energy: Overview and Key Statistics [July 29, 2011]

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  "Energy supplies and prices are major economic factors in the United States, and energy markets are volatile and unpredictable. Thus, energy policy has been a recurring issue for Congress since the first major crisis in the 1970s. As an aid in policy making, this report presents a current and historical view of the supply and consumption of various forms of energy. The historical trends show petroleum as the major source of energy, rising from about 38% in 1950 to 45% in 1975, then declining to about 40% in response to the energy crisis of the 1970s. [...] Natural gas followed a long-term pattern of consumption similar to that of oil, at a lower level. Its share of total energy increased from about 17% in 1950 to more than 30% in 1970, then declined to about 20%. [...] Consumption of coal in 1950 was 35% of the total, almost equal to oil, but it declined to about 20% a decade later and has remained at about that proportion since then. [...] Nuclear power started coming online in significant amounts in the late 1960s. By 1975, in the midst of the oil crisis, it was supplying 9% of total electricity generation. However, increases in capital costs, construction delays, and public opposition to nuclear power following the Three Mile Island accident in 1979 curtailed expansion of the technology, and many construction projects were cancelled. [...] The accident at Japan's Fukushima station following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami raised further questions about future construction of nuclear powerplants. [...] Renewable energy sources (except hydropower) continue to offer more potential than actual energy production, although fuel ethanol has become a significant factor in transportation fuel, and wind power has recently grown rapidly. Conservation and energy efficiency have shown significant gains over the past three decades and offer encouraging potential to relieve some of the dependence on oil imports."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Behrens, Carl E.; Glover, Carol F.

  2011-07-29
• Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present [August 9, 2011]

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  "Almost all borrowing by the federal government is conducted by the Treasury Department, within the restrictions established by a single, statutory limit (ceiling) on the total amount of debt that may be outstanding at any time. By law, the Treasury cannot exceed federal debt limits, so the Treasury periodically has had to ask Congress to enact new debt limits so it can fulfill its financial commitments. Since 1978, the statutory federal debt limit has been changed 52 times by Congress through the enactment of legislation adjusting the federal debt limit, either as stand-alone legislation or as part of legislation dealing with other matters. This report provides roll call vote data identified by the Congressional Research Service for measures to adjust the statutory debt limit. This report will be updated as events warrant."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Murray, Justin

  2011-08-09
• U.S.-Vietnam Relations in 2011: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy [July 26, 2011]

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  "The United States is Vietnam's largest export market and in some years its largest source of foreign direct investment. Bilateral trade in 2010 was over $15 billion, a tenfold increase since the United States extended 'normal trade relations' (NTR) treatment to Vietnam in 2001. Increased trade also has been fostered by Vietnam's market-oriented reforms. From 1987-2007, Vietnam's annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth averaged over 7%. Since then, Vietnam's economy has been buffeted by economic difficulties that have lowered growth rates and raised inflation. Vietnam is one of the largest recipients of U.S. assistance in East Asia; since the late 2000s, annual U.S. aid typically surpasses $100 million, much of it for health-related activities. The United States and Vietnam are two of nine countries negotiating a Trans-Pacific Strategic and Economic Partnership (TPP) regional free trade agreement (FTA). Human rights are the biggest thorn in the side of the relationship. Vietnam is a one-party, authoritarian state ruled by the Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP), which appears to be following a strategy of permitting most forms of personal and religious expression while selectively repressing individuals and organizations that it deems a threat to the party's monopoly on power. Most observers argue that the government, which already had tightened restrictions on dissent and criticism since 2007, intensified its suppression in 2010. In January 2011, the VCP held a Party Congress that selected Nguyen Phu Trong to become the new VCP general secretary. Vietnam's prime minister, Nguyen Tan Dung, was endorsed to continue his tenure, a decision the National Assembly ratified in May. Many Western analysts regard the Congress's results as a sign that steady, incremental improvements in relations with the United States will continue. However, Dung's power base within the VCP appears to have been weakened, which could make bilateral cooperation more difficult on some issues."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Manyin, Mark E.

  2011-07-26
• Unrest in Syria and U.S. Sanctions Against the Asad Regime [August 9, 2011]

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  "This report analyzes the current unrest in Syria and the U.S. response to the Syrian government's crackdown against demonstrators. It also provides background information on U.S. sanctions against the Asad regime and its supporters. A variety of U.S. legislative provisions and executive directives prohibit direct foreign assistance funding to Syria and restrict bilateral trade relations, largely because of the U.S. State Department's designation of Syria as a sponsor of international terrorism. On December 12, 2003, President Bush signed the Syria Accountability Act, P.L. 108-175, which imposed additional economic sanctions against Syria. Syrian individuals and government officials are subject to targeted financial sanctions pursuant to executive orders relating to terrorism, proliferation, and regional security. Successive administrations have designated several Syrian entities as weapons proliferators and sanctioned several Russian companies for alleged weapons of mass destruction or advanced weapons sales to Syria."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Sharp, Jeremy Maxwell

  2011-08-09
• U.S.-South Korea Relations [October 22, 2011]

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  "Since late 2008, relations between the United States and South Korea (known officially as the Republic of Korea, or ROK) have been arguably at their best state in decades. By the middle of 2010, in the view of many in the Obama Administration, South Korea had emerged as the United States' closest ally in East Asia. Of all the issues on the bilateral agenda, Congress has had the most direct role to play in the proposed Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA), the United States' second-largest FTA after the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Approval by both countries' legislatures is necessary for the agreement to go into effect. The agreement was signed in 2007, but both the Bush and Obama Administrations delayed its submission to Congress, in part due to opposition to the deal. In early December 2010, the United States and South Korea announced they had agreed on modifications to the original agreement. South Korea accepted a range of U.S. demands designed to help the U.S. auto industry and received some concessions in return. In the United States, the supplementary deal appears to have changed the minds of many groups and Members of Congress who previously had opposed the FTA. On October 12, 2011, both chambers of Congress voted to approve legislation (H.R. 3080/P.L. 112-41) to implement the KORUS FTA. As of late October, the Korean National Assembly was debating the agreement. The day after Congress passed the KORUS FTA, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak addressed a joint session of Congress. Lee was in Washington for a State Visit to the White House, the fifth since Barack Obama's inauguration. Various aspects of his trip symbolized the close relationship between the two leaders, as well as the close policy coordination the two governments have forged, particularly over how to handle North Korea."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Manyin, Mark E.; Chanlett-Avery, Emma; Nikitin, Mary Beth Dunham

  2011-10-22
• United Arab Emirates (UAE): Issues for U.S. Policy [December 23, 2011]

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  "The UAE's [United Arab Emirates] relatively open borders and economy have won praise from advocates of expanded freedoms in the Middle East while producing financial excesses, social ills such as prostitution and human trafficking, and relatively lax controls on sensitive technologies acquired from the West. The social and economic freedoms do not necessarily translate into rapid political opening; the UAE government remain authoritarian, even as it allows informal citizen participation and traditional consensus-building. Members of the elite (the ruling families of the seven emirates and clans allied with them) routinely make national decisions unilaterally, obtain favored treatment in court cases, and are favored for lucrative business opportunities. However, economic wealth has allowed the UAE to largely, although not entirely, avoid the popular unrest and demands for political change that have erupted elsewhere in the Middle East in 2011. Political reform has been limited and halting. Lacking popular pressure for elections, the UAE long refrained from following other Gulf states' institution of electoral processes. It altered that stance in December 2006 when it instituted a selection process for half the membership of its consultative body, the Federal National Council (FNC). Possibly to try to ward off the unrest confronting other Middle East states, in March 2011 the government significantly expanded the electorate for the September 24, 2011, FNC election process. However, turnout was only about 25%, suggesting that the clamor for democracy in UAE remains limited or that the citizenry perceived the election as unlikely to produce change in UAE. The government has not announced an expansion of the FNC's powers, which some intellectuals seek."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Katzman, Kenneth; Motivans, Mark

  2011-12-23
• Unrest in Syria and U.S. Sanctions Against the Asad Regime [September 22, 2011]

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  "This report analyzes the current unrest in Syria and the U.S. response to the Syrian government's crackdown against demonstrators. It also provides background information on U.S. sanctions against the Asad regime and its supporters. A variety of U.S. legislative provisions and executive directives prohibit direct foreign assistance funding to Syria and restrict bilateral trade relations, largely because of the U.S. State Department's designation of Syria as a sponsor of international terrorism. On December 12, 2003, President George W. Bush signed the Syria Accountability Act, P.L. 108-175, which imposed additional economic sanctions against Syria. Syrian individuals and government officials are subject to targeted financial sanctions pursuant to executive orders relating to terrorism, proliferation, and regional security. Successive administrations have designated several Syrian entities as weapons proliferators and sanctioned several Russian companies for alleged weapons of mass destruction or advanced weapons sales to Syria."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Sharp, Jeremy Maxwell; Blanchard, Christopher M.

  2011-09-22
• United Arab Emirates (UAE): Issues for U.S. Policy [September 15, 2011]

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  "The UAE's [United Arab Emirates] relatively open borders and economy have won praise from advocates of expanded freedoms in the Middle East while producing financial excesses, social ills such as prostitution and human trafficking, and relatively lax controls on sensitive technologies acquired from the West. The UAE government is authoritarian, although it allows substantial informal citizen participation and consensus-building. Its economic wealth has allowed the UAE to largely, although not entirely, avoid the popular unrest that has erupted elsewhere in the Middle East in 2011. Still, there is a public perception that members of the elite (the ruling families of the seven emirates and clans allied with them) routinely make national decisions unilaterally, obtain favored treatment in court cases, and are favored for lucrative business opportunities. [...] For the Obama Administration and many in Congress, there are concerns about the UAE oversight and management of a complex and technically advanced initiative such as a nuclear power program."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Katzman, Kenneth; Motivans, Mark

  2011-09-15
• U.S. Natural Gas Exports: New Opportunities, Uncertain Outcomes [November 4, 2011]

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  "As estimates for the amount of U.S. natural gas resources have grown, so have the prospects of rising U.S. natural gas exports. Projects to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) have been proposed - cumulatively accounting for about 12.5% of current U.S. natural gas production - and are at varying stages of regulatory approval. Projects require federal approval according to Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. §717b) with the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission being the lead authorizing agencies. Pipeline exports, which accounted for 94% of all exports of U.S. produced natural gas in 2010, are also likely to rise. What effect exporting natural gas will have on U.S. prices is the central question in the debate of whether to export or not to export. [...] Electric power generation represents potentially the greatest increase in natural gas consumption in the U.S. economy, primarily for environmental reasons. Natural gas emits much less carbon dioxide and other pollutants than coal when combusted. [...] The possibility of a significant increase in U.S. natural gas exports will factor into ongoing debates on the economy, energy independence, climate change, and energy security. As the proposed projects continue to develop, policymakers are likely to receive more inquiries about these projects."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Parfomak, Paul W.; Luther, Linda G.; Ratner, Michael

  2011-11-04
• U.S. Trade Deficit and the Impact of Changing Oil Price [December 13, 2011]

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  "Petroleum prices rose sharply between September 2010 and June 2011, at times reaching more than $112 per barrel of crude oil. Although this is still below the $140 per barrel price reached in 2008, the rising cost of energy was one factor that helped to dampen the rate of growth in the economy during the first half of 2011. While the price of oil was rising sharply, the volume of oil imports, or the amount of oil imported, decreased slightly. Overall resistance by market demand to changes in oil prices reflects the unique nature of the demand for oil and an increase in economic activity that occurred following the worst part of the economic recession in 2009. Turmoil in the Middle East was an important factor causing petroleum prices to rise sharply in the first four months of 2011, which could add as much as $100 billion to the total U.S. trade deficit in 2011. The increase in energy import prices is pushing up the price of energy to consumers and could spur some elements of the public to pressure the 112th Congress to provide relief to households that are struggling to meet their current expenses. With oil prices rising to over $100 per barrel in early 2011, the International Energy Agency cautioned that the rising price of oil was becoming a threat to the global economic recovery. This report provides an estimate of the initial impact of the changing oil prices on the nation's merchandise trade deficit."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Jackson, James K., 1949-

  2011-12-13
• U.S. Arms Sales: Agreements with and Deliveries to Major Clients, 2003-2010 [December 16, 2011]

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  "This report provides background data on U.S. arms sales agreements with and deliveries to its major purchasers during calendar years 2003-2010, made through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. In a series of data tables, it lists the total dollar values of U.S. government to- government arms sales agreements with its top five purchasers, and the total dollar values of U.S. arms deliveries to those purchasers, in five specific regions of the world for three specific periods: 2003-2006, 2007-2010, and 2010 alone. In addition, the report provides data tables listing the total dollar values of U.S. government-to-government arms agreements with and deliveries to its top 10 purchasers worldwide for the periods 2003-2006, 2007-2010, and for 2010 alone. This report is prepared in conjunction with CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report R42017, Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 2003-2010, by Richard F. Grimmett. That annual report details both U.S. and foreign arms transfer activities globally and provides analysis of arms trade trends. The intent here is to complement that elaborate worldwide treatment of the international arms trade by focusing exclusively on U.S. arms sales and deliveries, and providing the names of the major U.S. arms customers, by region, together with the total dollar values of their arms purchases or deliveries for the calendar years 2003-2006, 2007-2010, and 2010."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Grimmett, Richard F.

  2011-12-16
• Vulnerable Youth: Employment and Job Training Programs [May 11, 2012]

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  "The employment levels for youth under age 25 have declined markedly in recent years, including in the wake of the recession that extended from December 2007 through June 2009. Certain young people in particular--including those from low-income families, high school dropouts, foster youth, and other at-risk populations--face barriers to completing school and entering the workforce. Since the 1960s, federal job training programs and policies have sought to connect these youth to education and employment pathways. Contemporary federal youth employment programs with this same purpose are authorized under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 (P.L. 105-220). These programs provide a range of services and supports to youth. They include the Youth Activities (Youth) formula grant program; Job Corps; YouthBuild; the Reintegration of Ex-Offenders program, which includes a youth component; and the Youth Opportunity Grant (YOG) program. Some of the programs concentrate on specific job trades and/or serve targeted at-risk populations. Based on funding, Job Corps and the Youth program are the largest. This report provides an overview of federal employment programs for vulnerable young people. It begins with a discussion of the current challenges in preparing all youth today for the workforce. The report then provides a chronology of job training and employment programs for at-risk youth that began in the 1930s and were expanded or modified from the 1960s through the 1990s. It goes on to discuss the five youth programs authorized under WIA, and draws comparisons between these programs. Following this section is a detailed discussion of each of the programs."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Fernandes-Alcantara, Adrienne L.

  2012-05-11
• U.S. Trade Remedy Laws and Nonmarket Economies: A Legal Overview [April 23, 2012]

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  "Two major U.S. trade remedies, each set out in Title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930, are antidumping (AD) law, which combats the sale of imported goods at less than their fair market value, and countervailing duty (CVD) law, which is aimed at offsetting foreign government subsidization of imported items. If dumped or subsidized imports are found to cause material injury, or threat, to a domestic industry, and the dumping margin or the net subsidy is not de minimis, antidumping or countervailing duties will be imposed. Both remedies are available when goods are imported from competitor countries that have free market policies. Since 1984, however, only AD law had been applied to goods from nonmarket or other 'transitional' economies. With the continued economic growth of some of these economies, such as China and Vietnam, pressure has increased on the U.S. government to utilize both domestic trade remedies more aggressively against unfair imports from these countries. This report discusses the application of antidumping and countervailing duty law to the goods of nonmarket economy (NME) countries, including the decision of the Department of Commerce (DOC) in 2007 to change its long-standing policy and apply CVD law to such goods; reviews China's successful case in the World Trade Organization (WTO) challenging the U.S. application of CVDs to Chinese products; examines the December 2011 decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in 'GPX Int'l Tire Corp. v. United States' holding that the U.S. CVD law does not authorize DOC to apply CVDs to NME country goods; summarizes the subsequently enacted P.L. 112-99, signed March 13, 2012, a statute authorizing DOC to apply CVDs to such products; discusses recent developments in the GPX litigation; and identifies earlier proposals to expressly include goods from NME countries within the scope of the U.S. countervailing duty statute."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Grimmett, Jeanne J.

  2012-04-23
• Understanding China's Political System [May 10, 2012]

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  "This report is designed to provide Congress with a perspective on the contemporary political system of China, the world's second largest economic power, one of five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and the only Communist Party-led authoritarian state in the G-20 grouping of major economies. By introducing some of the distinct features and governance challenges of China's political culture, the report aims to help Congress understand the ways in which political actors in China interact, or in some cases, fail to interact, with implications for China's relationship with its neighbors and the world. By introducing some of the leading political institutions and political actors in China, the report aims to help Congress understand where Chinese interlocutors sit within the Chinese political system, gauge their relative influence, and judge the authoritativeness of their statements with respect to official policy. Where appropriate, the report also seeks to highlight ways in which China's political culture affects official Chinese interactions with the U.S. government."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Lawrence, Susan V.; Martin, Michael F.

  2012-05-10
• U.S. Sanctions on Burma [April 30, 2012]

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  "Existing U.S. sanctions on Burma are based on various U.S. laws and presidential executive orders. This report provides a brief history of U.S. policy towards Burma and the development of U.S. sanctions, a topical summary of those sanctions, and an examination of additional sanctions that have been considered, but not enacted, by Congress, or that could be imposed under existing law or executive orders. It also discusses waiver provisions under which they could be removed. The report concludes with a discussion of options for Congress."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Martin, Michael F.

  2012-04-30
• United Arab Emirates (UAE): Issues for U.S. Policy [May 9, 2012]

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  "The UAE's [United Arab Emirates'] relatively open borders and economy have won praise from advocates of expanded freedoms in the Middle East while producing financial excesses, social ills such as human trafficking, and relatively lax controls on sensitive technologies acquired from the West. Moreover, the social and economic freedoms have not translated into significant political opening; the UAE government remains under the control of a small circle of leaders, even as it allows informal citizen participation and traditional consensus-building. Members of the elite (the ruling families of the seven emirates and clans allied with them) also routinely obtain favored treatment in court cases and lucrative business opportunities. However, economic wealth-- coupled with some government moves against political activists--have enabled the UAE to avoid widescale popular unrest that have erupted elsewhere in the Middle East since early 2011. [...] For the Obama Administration and many in Congress, there are concerns about the UAE oversight and management of a complex and technically advanced initiative such as a nuclear power program. This was underscored by dissatisfaction among some Members of Congress with a U.S.-UAE civilian nuclear cooperation agreement. The agreement was signed on May 21, 2009, submitted to Congress that day, and entered into force on December 17, 2009. However, expert concerns about potential leakage of U.S. and other advanced technologies through the UAE to Iran, in particular, remain."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Katzman, Kenneth; Motivans, Mark

  2012-05-09
• Violence Against Women Act: Overview, Legislation, and Federal Funding [May 10, 2012]

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  "This report provides a brief legislative history of VAWA [Violence Against Women Act] and an overview of the crimes addressed through VAWA. It then discusses legislation that would reauthorize VAWA and selected issues. The Appendix of this report outlines funding information for VAWA authorized programs from FY2008 through FY2012."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Seghetti, Lisa M.; Bjelopera, Jerome P.

  2012-05-10
• U.S. Assistance Programs in China [May 11, 2012]

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  "This report examines U.S. foreign assistance activities in the People's Republic of China (PRC), including U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) programming, foreign operations appropriations, policy history, and legislative background. International programs supported by U.S. departments and agencies other than the Department of State and USAID are not covered in this report. U.S. foreign assistance efforts in the PRC aim to promote human rights, democracy, the rule of law, and environmental conservation in China and Tibet and to support Tibetan livelihoods and culture. The United States Congress has played a leading role in initiating programs and determining funding levels for these objectives. Congressionally mandated rule of law, civil society, public participation, and related programs together constitute an important component of U.S. human rights policy towards China. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States is the largest provider of 'government and civil society' programming among major bilateral foreign aid donors."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Lum, Thomas G. (Thomas Gong), 1961-

  2012-05-11
• U.S. International Trade: Trends and Forecasts [Updated April 30, 2007]

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  "This report provides an overview of the current status, trends, and forecasts for U.S. international trade. The purpose of this report is to provide current data and brief explanations for the various types of trade flows along with a short discussion of particular trends and points of contention related to trade policy. The United States is now running record level deficits in its trade with other nations. In 2006 the U.S. merchandise trade deficit reached $836 billion on a balance-of-payments basis (BoP) and $818 billion on a Census basis. A surplus in services trade of $72 billion gave a deficit of $764 billion on goods and services for the year -- up $47 billion or 6.5% from the $717 billion deficit in 2005. While U.S. exports are highly competitive in world markets, these sales abroad are overshadowed by the huge demand by Americans for imported products. In 2006, U.S. exports of goods and services totaled $1,438 billion, while U.S. imports reached $2,201 billion. Since 1976, the United States has incurred continual merchandise trade deficits with annual amounts fluctuating around an upward trend. […] In 2006, the deficit on current account rose to $856.7 billion from $791.5 billion in 2005. In trade in advanced technology products, the U.S. balance improved slightly from a deficit of $43.7 billion in 2005 to a deficit of $38.3 billion in 2006. In trade in motor vehicles and parts, the $145 billion U.S. deficit was mainly with Japan, Mexico, Germany, Canada, and South Korea. In crude oil, major sources of the $225 billion in imports were Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Nigeria. This report will be updated periodically."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Nanto, Dick Kazuyuki

  2007-04-30
• U.S. International HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Spending: FY2004-FY2007 [June 19, 2006]

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  "On January 28, 2003, during his State of the Union Address, President George Bush proposed that the United States spend $15 billion over five years to combat HIV/AIDS through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The initiative focuses on 15 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The plan anticipated spending $10 billion of the $15 billion on the 15 focus countries, $4 billion on 108 non-focus countries and international HIV/AIDS research, and $1 billion on contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis [TB], and Malaria. Between FY2004 and FY2008, the initiative was to support care for 10 million people living with AIDS, including children orphaned by AIDS; prevent 7 million new HIV infections; and support efforts to provide antiretroviral medication (ARV) to 2 million HIV-infected people. [...] For FY2007, the President requests about $4.3 billion for global HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria efforts, $3.665 billion of which would be funded through foreign operations appropriations. If Congress fully funds the President's request, the United States will have spent $12.8 billion on fighting the three diseases between FY2004 and FY2007. The House Foreign Operations Appropriations bill (H.R. 5522) proposes spending about $3.62 billion (some $40 million less) on the three diseases than the Administration requests for FY2007. This represents a significant departure from congressional funding trends since the inception of PEPFAR, as Congress has historically surpassed the Administration's requests during this period. The Senate Foreign Operations subcommittee has not yet reported its spending proposal. This report will review U.S. spending on the three diseases between FY2004 and FY2007, and will be updated to include congressional actions."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Salaam-Blyther, Tiaji

  2006-06-19
• U.S. Direct Investment Abroad: Trends and Current Issues [April 20, 2007]

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  "The United States is the largest investor abroad and the largest recipient of direct investment in the world. For some Americans, the national gains attributed to investing overseas are offset by such perceived losses as displaced U.S. workers and lower wages. Some observers believe U.S. firms invest abroad to avoid U.S. labor unions or high U.S. wages, however, 70% of U.S. foreign direct investment is concentrated in high income developed countries. Even more striking is the fact that the share of investment going to developing countries has fallen in recent years. Most economists conclude that direct investment abroad does not lead to fewer jobs or lower incomes overall for Americans and that the majority of jobs lost among U.S. manufacturing firms over the past decade reflect a broad restructuring of U.S. manufacturing industries. This report will be updated as events warrant."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Jackson, James K., 1949-

  2007-04-20
• U.S. Trade Deficit and the Impact of Rising Oil Prices [April 13, 2007]

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  "Petroleum prices have risen sharply since early 2005. At the same time the average amount of imports of energy-related petroleum products has fallen slightly. The combination of sharply rising prices and a slightly lower level of imports of energy-related petroleum products translates into an escalating cost for those imports. This rising cost added an estimated $70 billion to the nation's trade deficit in 2005 and $50 billion in 2006. Imported energy prices moderated in January and February 2007, but began rising again in March and April, following a pattern of rising energy import prices in the spring and summer. This report provides an estimate of the initial impact of the rising oil prices on the nation's merchandise trade deficit. This report will be updated as warranted by events."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Jackson, James K., 1949-

  2007-04-13
• U.S. Forces in Iraq [April 13, 2007]

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  "Varying media estimates of military forces in Iraq have raised concerns about the actual number of troops deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). As interest in troop level deployments continue, recently, President Bush announced 'a new strategy for Iraq' on January 10, 2007, including a planned gradual increase of more than 20,000 U.S. troops on the ground in Baghdad and Anbar province in the coming several months. To accomplish this increase in part, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced on April 11, 2007, that all active-duty Army personnel in the U.S. Central Command area would now serve 15-month tours in the region, up from the previous 12- month rotations. This report provides solely Department of Defense (DOD) statistical information on U.S. forces serving in Iraq. It also provides brief official information on the military units scheduled for the next rotation of duty into Iraq. As of March 1, 2007, according to DOD, the United States had 137,976 troops stationed in Iraq -- 111,911 active component and 26,065 National Guard or Reserves. For security reasons, DOD does not routinely report the composition, size, or specific destination of military forces deployed to the Persian Gulf. This report will be updated upon receipt of new DOD data. For additional information on U.S. forces, see CRS 'Congressional Research Service' Report RL31701, 'Iraq: U.S. Military Operations', by Steve Bowman."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Bryant, JoAnne; Waterhouse, Michael

  2007-04-13
• U.S.-Mexican Security Cooperation: The Mérida Initiative and Beyond [July 22, 2011]

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  "Increasing violence perpetrated by drug trafficking organizations and other criminal groups is threatening citizen security and governance in Mexico. According to Mexican government data, organized crime-related violence claimed more than 34,500 lives in Mexico between January 2007 and December 2010. That toll may now exceed 40,000. Escalating violence has increased U.S. concerns about stability in Mexico, a key political and economic ally, and about the possibility of violence spilling over into the United States. Mexican drug trafficking organizations dominate the U.S. illicit drug market and are now considered the greatest organized crime threat facing the United States. In recent years, U.S.-Mexican security cooperation has increased significantly, largely as a result of the development and implementation of the Mérida Initiative, a counterdrug and anticrime assistance package for Mexico and Central America that was first proposed in October 2007. Between FY2008 and FY2010, Congress provided $1.5 billion for Mérida Initiative programs in Mexico, with an early emphasis on training and equipping Mexican security forces engaged in counterdrug efforts. […] In August 2010, Congress approved $600 million in supplemental funds for border security (P.L. 111-230). Given current budget constraints, Congress may also debate how best to measure the impact of current and future Mérida Initiative programs. Another congressional interest is likely to focus on whether human rights conditions placed on Mérida Initiative funding are appropriate or sufficient. For related information, see CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report R41576, 'Mexico's Drug Trafficking Organizations: Source and Scope of the Rising Violence', by June S. Beittel and CRS Report R41075, 'Southwest Border Violence: Issues in Identifying and Measuring Spillover Violence', coordinated by Kristin M. Finklea."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Seelke, Clare Ribando; Finklea, Kristin M.

  2011-07-22
• U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues [November 8, 2011]

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  "During discussions about the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review, Congress reviewed and discussed the plans for maintaining and modernizing U.S. strategic nuclear forces. Although the United States plans to reduce the number of warheads deployed on its long-range missiles and bombers, consistent with the terms of the New START [Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty] Treaty, it also plans to develop new delivery systems for deployment over the next 20-30 years. As a result, the 112th Congress will continue to review these programs during the annual authorization and appropriations process. During the Cold War, the U.S. nuclear arsenal contained many types of delivery vehicles for nuclear weapons. The longer-range systems, which included long-range missiles based on U.S. territory, long-range missiles based on submarines, and heavy bombers that could threaten Soviet targets from their bases in the United States, are known as strategic nuclear delivery vehicles. At the end of the Cold War, in 1991, the United States deployed more than 10,000 warheads on these delivery vehicles. […] The U.S. fleet of heavy bombers includes 19 B-2 bombers and 94 B-52 bombers. The B-1 bomber is no longer equipped for nuclear missions. The fleet will decline to around 60 aircraft in coming years, as the United States implements New START. The Air Force has also begun to retire the nuclear-armed cruise missiles carried by B-52 bombers, leaving only about half the B- 52 fleet equipped to carry nuclear weapons. The Air Force plans to procure both a new long-range bomber and a new cruise missile over the next 20 years. The Obama Administration recently completed a review of the size and structure of the U.S. nuclear force as a part of the congressionally mandated Nuclear Posture Review. It has also recently signed a New START Treaty with Russia that will limit the number of deployed missiles and warheads in the U.S. strategic force. Congress will review the Administration's plans for U.S. strategic nuclear forces during the annual authorization and appropriations process, and if it assesses the terms of a prospective nuclear arms control treaty with Russia. This report will be updated as needed."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Woolf, Amy F.

  2011-11-08