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Greece Update [Updated October 16, 2007]
From the Summary: "The conservative New Democracy party won reelection in September 2007. Kostas Karamanlis, its leader, remained prime minister and pledged to continue free-market economic reforms to enhance growth and create jobs. The government's foreign policy focuses on the European Union (EU), relations with Turkey, reunifying Cyprus, resolving a dispute with Macedonia over its name, other Balkan issues, and relations with the United States. Greece has assisted with the war on terrorism, but is not a member of the coalition in Iraq. This report will be updated if developments warrant. See also CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report RL33497, 'Cyprus: Status of U.N. Negotiations and Related Issues', by Carol Migdalovitz."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Migdalovitz, Carol
2007-10-16
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Iraq: Government Formation and Benchmarks [Updated October 25, 2007]
From the Summary: "Elections in 2005 produced a permanent constitution and a broad-based but Shiite-led government that has been unwilling or unable to reduce Sunni popular resentment and is showing signs of fragmentation. The lack of progress on national reconciliation is assessed in Administration and GAO [Government Accountability Office] reports required by an FY2007 supplemental appropriation (P.L. [Public Law] 110-28), but Administration officials maintain there is emerging 'bottom-up' reconciliation among local leaders and groups. See CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report RL31339, 'Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security', by Kenneth Katzman."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2007-10-25
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Cuba: Issues for the 109th Congress [Updated May 8, 2006]
From the Summary: "Cuba under Fidel Castro remains a hard-line communist state with a poor record on human rights -- a record that has worsened since 2003. Since the early 1960s, U.S. policy toward Cuba has consisted largely of isolating the island nation through comprehensive economic sanctions. Another component of U.S. policy consists of support measures for the Cuban people, including private humanitarian donations and U.S.-sponsored radio and television broadcasting to Cuba. The Bush Administration has further tightened restrictions on travel, on sending private humanitarian assistance to Cuba, and on the payment process for U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba. While there appears to be broad agreement on the overall objective of U.S. policy toward Cuba -- to help bring democracy and respect for human rights to the island -- there are several schools of thought on how to achieve that objective. Some advocate maximum pressure on the Cuban government until reforms are enacted; others argue for lifting some U.S. sanctions that they believe are hurting the Cuban people. Still others call for a swift normalization of U.S.-Cuban relations. […] For additional information, see CRS [Congressional Research Services] Report RL31139, 'Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances'; CRS Issue Brief IB10061, 'Exempting Food and Agriculture Products from U.S. Economic Sanctions: Status and Implementation'; and CRS Report RS22228, 'Cuba after Fidel Castro: Issues for U.S. Policy.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.
2006-05-08
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'National Collegiate Athletic Association V. Alston' and the Debate Over Student Athlete Compensation [June 21, 2021]
From the Document: "Against the backdrop of the national debate [hyperlink] on student athlete compensation, the Supreme Court issued its decision in 'National Collegiate Athletic Association v. Alston' [hyperlink] on June 21, 2021. In 'Alston,' the Court was asked to determine [hyperlink] whether the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA's) rules capping compensation for student athletes violate Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act (Sherman Act). The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Ninth Circuit) affirmed [hyperlink] a lower court decision that held that the NCAA's current rules read together were 'more restrictive than necessary' [hyperlink] under antitrust law. As a result, the Ninth Circuit held [hyperlink] that the NCAA could no longer limit education-related compensation or benefits for student athletes playing Division I football and basketball. In a unanimous decision [hyperlink], the Supreme Court affirmed the Ninth Circuit's decision. This Legal Sidebar discusses the background leading up to the Court's decision, the Court's reasoning, and the implications the decision may have on the overall debate surrounding student athlete compensation."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Novak, Whitney K.
2021-06-21
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U.S. COVID-19 Global Response and Recovery Framework
From the Executive Summary: "More than 600,000 of our fellow Americans, and nearly 4 million people globally, have died due to COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. The devastating impact of the pandemic has been felt at home and abroad, triggering health and economic crises. Globally, we are witnessing the first wide scale increase in extreme poverty in more than twenty years, the loss of decades of development progress, increases in gender-based violence, rising food insecurity, and increased unemployment--particularly among young people and women. Even as we gain confidence in United States (U.S.) domestic COVID-19 vaccination coverage, none of us are safe until all of us are safe. The risk of emergent, dangerous variants where COVID-19 transmission remains high poses a risk to us all. This disease knows no borders. [...] On January 21, 2021, President Biden released the 'National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness,' [hyperlink] including Goal 7, which details the Biden-Harris Administration's comprehensive plan restore U.S. leadership globally and build better preparedness for future threats; re-engage with the World Health Organization (WHO) and seek to strengthen and reform it; urge the international COVID-19 public health and humanitarian response; restore U.S. leadership to the international COVID-19 response and advance global health security and diplomacy; and build better biopreparedness and expand resilience for biological threats. In support of that strategy, the 'U.S. COVID-19 Global Response and Recovery Framework' provides a focused set of objectives and lines of effort under which U.S. departments of agencies are executing a whole-of-government response."
United States. White House Office
2021-07-01
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Implementing International Agreements on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs): Proposed Amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act [March 28, 2006]
From the Summary: "Between 1998 and 2001, the United States signed two international treaties and one executive agreement to reduce production and use, and regulate trade and disposal, of certain 'persistent organic pollutants' (POPs) and other chemicals that (for the most part) are strictly regulated in U.S. commerce. POPs are chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the pesticide DDT [dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane] that do not break down easily in the environment, tend to accumulate as they move up the food chain, and may be harmful to people and wildlife. The President signed and has submitted the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent to the Senate for advice and consent. If the Senate consents by a two-thirds majority, and the Congress passes legislation that is needed to implement the two treaties (as well as the executive agreement, the POPs Protocol to the Aarhus Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution), then the treaties can be ratified and the agreements would take effect domestically. […] H.R. 4800 would provide clear authority to regulate in accord with amendments to the international agreements and prescribe chemical regulations that protect against 'significant adverse human health and environmental effects.' Key bill provisions are summarized in 'Table 1.' This report will be updated as warranted by legislative action and interest."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Schierow, Linda-Jo
2006-03-28
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Foreign Policy Budget Trends: A Thirty-Year Review [June 20, 2006]
From the Summary: "There have been sharp debates over the past three decades concerning the appropriate level of funding for U.S. foreign policy programs, and it is likely that these debates will continue as Congress reviews the President's FY2007 budget proposal. The past 30 years have witnessed wide swings in the amounts of U.S. resources committed to advancing foreign policy and national security interests, reflecting changes in global challenges faced by the United States. Efforts to promote peace in the Middle East, to confront Soviet influence, to support new democracies in the post-Cold War era, to fight poverty and disease affecting poor nations, to combat global terrorism, and to stabilize fragile or failed states have had a substantial impact on levels of foreign policy resources. […] This report will be updated as new data become available."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nowels, Larry Q.
2006-06-20
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Contract 'Bundling' Under the Small Business Act: Existing Law and Proposed Amendments [June 11, 2012]
From the Introduction: "'Bundling' refers to the consolidation of two or more requirements for goods or services previously provided or performed under separate smaller contracts into a solicitation for a single contract that is likely to be unsuitable for award to a small business because of its size or scope. Although bundling can potentially reduce costs or improve performance for federal agencies, it can also limit opportunities for small businesses to receive federal prime contracts. For this reason, Congress amended the Small Business Act in 1997 to require that procuring activities comply with certain procedures before issuing a bundled solicitation. Specifically, the 1997 amendments require that procuring activities (1) conduct market research to justify acquisition strategies that could lead to bundled contracts, (2) provide advance notice of bundled solicitations to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and incumbent small business contractors, and (3) implement certain procurement strategies when solicitations involve 'substantial bundling.' These steps are intended to ensure that any bundling is 'necessary and justified.' Only 'unnecessary and unjustified' bundling is prohibited under the 1997 and subsequent amendments. [...] This report provides an overview of the existing law regarding bundling and consolidation of requirements under the Small Business Act, as well as proposed amendments thereto. It does not address limitations that the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA) of 1984 or other legislation imposes on 'consolidation' of requirements. Agency actions that constitute improper bundling under the Small Business Act can constitute improper consolidation under CICA or other provisions of law."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Manuel, Kate
2012-06-11
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Federal Government Corporations: An Overview [Updated March 23, 2006]
From the Summary: "This report provides an overview of federal government corporations, a category currently consisting of some 18 corporate agencies performing functions assigned to them in law. A government corporation, as defined in this report, is an agency of government, established by Congress to provide a market-oriented public service and intended to produce revenues that meet or approximate its expenditures. Corporations cover the spectrum in size and function from large, well-known entities, such as the U.S. Postal Service and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, to small, low-visibility corporate bodies, such as the Federal Financing Bank in the Department of the Treasury and Federal Prison Industries (UNICOR) in the Department of Justice. […] Within the executive branch, there is little central management agency oversight or supervision of government corporations as a class of agency. Congress, at present, does not conduct comprehensive management oversight of government corporations by a single committee, preferring instead that oversight be performed by subject-field committees on a corporate-specific basis. The need for the executive branch and Congress to develop new organizational structures that take into account both the public law requirements of governmental status, and the flexibility that properly accompanies corporate bodies dependent upon revenues for services, will probably increase, rather than diminish, thereby ensuring the continuing attraction of the government corporation option. This report will be updated annually."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Moe, Ronald C.; Kosar, Kevin R.
2006-03-23
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Central Asia: Regional Developments and Implication for U.S. Interests [Updated March 29, 2006]
From the Summary: "After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the United States recognized the independence of all the former Central Asian republics, supported their admission into Western organizations, and elicited Turkish support to counter Iranian influence in the region. Congress was at the forefront in urging the formation of coherent U.S. policies for aiding these and other Eurasian states of the former Soviet Union. Soon after the terrorist attacks on America on September 11, 2001, all the Central Asian states offered overflight and other support to coalition anti-terrorist efforts in Afghanistan. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan hosted coalition troops and provided access to airbases. In 2003, Uzbekistan endorsed coalition military action in Iraq and Kazakhstan provided about two dozen troops for rebuilding. […] Foreign Operations Appropriations for FY2006 was signed into law on November 14, 2005 (H.R. 3057; P.L. [Public Law] 109-102). The conferees (H.Rept. 109-265) call for $25 million in Freedom Support Act aid to Kazakhstan, $25 million to Kyrgyzstan, $24 million to Tajikistan, $5 million to Turkmenistan, and $20 million to Uzbekistan. The law continues prior year language conditioning aid to the governments of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on progress in democratization and respect for human rights, and adds that the Uzbek government should permit an international investigation of the mid-2005 violence against civilians in Andijon."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nichol, James P.
2006-03-29
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El Salvador: Political, Economic, and Social Conditions and Relations with the United States [Updated April 3, 2006]
From the Summary: "Tony Saca, a businessman from the conservative National Republican Alliance (ARENA) party, was inaugurated as president for a five-year term in June 2004. President Saca is seeking to restart the country's stagnating economy, pass legislation in a polarized political environment, and combat gang violence. His legislative agenda should face continuing opposition from the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), which recovered seats it had lost due to defections in 2005 in the March 12, 2006, legislative elections. ARENA also increased its representation in the legislature, but lacks a majority and will continue to have to rely on support from small parties to enact President Saca's agenda. In 2005, despite its tough anti-gang legislation, El Salvador posted a murder rate of 15 people per day, the highest in the hemisphere. In February 2006, the Bush Administration extended the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of eligible Salvadoran migrants living in the United States until September 9, 2007. On March 1, 2006, El Salvador became the first country in the region to implement the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) with the United States. This report will be updated periodically."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Seelke, Clare Ribando
2006-04-03
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Detection of Explosives on Airline Passengers: Recommendation of the 9/11 Commission and Related Issues [Updated October 2, 2006]
From the Summary: "The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, known as the 9/11 Commission, recommended that Congress and the Transportation Security Administration give priority attention to screening airline passengers for explosives. The key issue for Congress is balancing the costs of mandating passenger explosives trace detection against other aviation security needs. Passenger explosives screening technologies have been under development for several years and are now being deployed in selected airports. Their technical capabilities are not fully established, and operational and policy issues have not yet been resolved. Critical factors for implementation in airports include reliability, passenger throughput, and passenger privacy concerns. Presuming the successful development and deployment of this technology, certification standards, operational policy, and screening procedures for federal use will need to be established. This topic, which was addressed by Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (P.L. [Public Law] 108-458), continues to be of congressional interest in the 109th Congress. This report will not be updated."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Shea, Dana A.; Morgan, Daniel (Daniel L.)
2006-10-02
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Military Base Closures: Highlights of the 2005 BRAC Commission Report and Its Additional Proposed Legislation [October 26, 2006]
From the Summary: "The 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (commonly referred to as the BRAC Commission) submitted to the President its report on domestic military base closures and realignments on September 8, 2005. The President approved the list and forwarded it to Congress on September 15. This report summarizes some of the report's highlights and examines in detail the Commission's proposed legislation for the conduct of a potential future BRAC round. It will not be updated."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Else, Daniel H.; Lockwood, David E.
2006-10-26
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Free Mail for Troops Overseas [Updated October 19, 2006]
From the Summary: "Members of the armed forces on duty in designated combat areas can send personal correspondence, free of postage, to addresses in the United States. There has never been a comparable provision of free postage for letters or packages sent from family members in the United States to loved ones in wartime service overseas. Two bills (H.R. 923 and H.R. 2874) were introduced in the 109th Congress that would have allowed family members and, in the case of H.R. 2874, certain charities to send letters and packages to servicemen and women in combat zones free of postage. In a markup on September 29, 2005, the House Committee on Government Reform reported H.R. 923 in amended form as a bill that would have allowed service members overseas to send vouchers to family or loved ones that would have been redeemable for the postage expenses of one letter or 15-pound package per month. The text of H.R. 923 later passed the House as sections 575, 576, and 577 of H.R. 5122, the FY2007 defense authorization act. The version of H.R. 5122 that passed the Senate on June 22, 2006, did not contain the provision relating to mail for service members overseas. Ultimately, the free mail for troops provision was not included in either the FY2007 defense authorization act (P.L. [Public Law] 109-364) or the FY2007 defense appropriations act (P.L. 109- 289). This report originally was authored by Nye Stevens, who has retired from CRS. Readers may contact Kevin R. Kosar with questions on postal issues. This report will be updated should free-mail-for-troops legislation be introduced in a future Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kosar, Kevin R.
2006-10-19
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Iraq: Summary of U.S. Casualties [Updated August 31, 2006]
From the Summary: "The following casualty data was compiled by the Department of Defense (DOD), as tallied from the agency's press releases. 'Table 1' provides statistics on fatalities during Operation Iraqi Freedom, which began on March 19, 2003, and is ongoing, as well as on the number of fatalities since May 1, 2003, plus statistics on those wounded, but not killed, since March 19, 2003. Statistics may be revised as circumstances are investigated and as all records are processed through the U.S. military's casualty system. More frequent updates are available at DOD's website at [http://www.defenselink.mil/ news/] under 'OIF/OEF [Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom] Casualty Update.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Bryant, JoAnne
2006-08-31
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Foreign Investment in U.S. Securities [Updated June 14, 2006]
From the Summary: "Foreign capital inflows are playing an important role in the U.S. economy by bridging the gap between domestic supplies of and demand for capital. Foreign investors now hold more than 55% of the publicly-held and -traded U.S. Treasury securities. The large foreign accumulation of U.S. securities has spurred some observers to argue that this large foreign presence in U.S. financial markets increases the risk of a financial crisis, whether as a result of the uncoordinated actions of market participants or by a coordinated withdrawal from U.S. financial markets by foreign investors for economic or political reasons. […] To date, the world economy has benefitted from the stimulus provided by the nation's combination of fiscal and monetary policies and trade deficit. Over the long run, however, concerns are growing that U.S. economic policies and the accompanying large deficit in its international trade accounts could have a negative impact on global economic developments, especially for developing countries. This report relies on a comprehensive set of data on capital flows, represented by purchases and sales of U.S. government securities and U.S. and foreign corporate stocks, bonds, into and out of the United States, that is reported by the Treasury Department on a monthly basis. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jackson, James K., 1949-
2006-06-14
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Foreign Investment in U.S. Securities [Updated April 24, 2006]
From the Summary: "Foreign capital inflows are playing an important role in the U.S. economy by bridging the gap between domestic supplies of and demand for capital. Foreign investors now hold more than 55% of the publicly-held and -traded U.S. Treasury securities. The large foreign accumulation of U.S. securities has spurred some observers to argue that this large foreign presence in U.S. financial markets increases the risk of a financial crisis should foreign investors decide to stage a coordinated withdrawal from U.S. financial markets for economic or political reasons. […] To date, the world economy has benefitted from the stimulus provided by the nation's combination of fiscal and monetary policies and trade deficit. Over the long run, however, concerns are growing that U.S. economic policies and the accompanying large deficit in its international trade accounts could have a negative impact on global economic developments, especially for developing countries. This report relies on a comprehensive set of data on capital flows, represented by purchases and sales of U.S. government securities and U.S. and foreign corporate stocks, bonds, into and out of the United States, that is reported by the Treasury Department on a monthly basis. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jackson, James K., 1949-
2006-04-24
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Flag Protection: A Brief History and Summary of Recent Supreme Court Decisions and Proposed Constitutional Amendment [Updated June 28, 2006]
From the Summary: "Many Members of Congress see continued tension between 'free speech' decisions of the Supreme Court, which protect flag desecration as expressive conduct under the First Amendment, and the symbolic importance of the United States flag. Consequently, every Congress that has convened since those decisions were issued has considered proposals that would permit punishment of those who engage in flag desecration. The 106th Congress narrowly failed to send a constitutional amendment to allow punishment of flag desecration to the states. In the 107th and 108th Congresses, such proposals were passed by the House. This report is divided into two parts. The first gives a brief history of the flag protection issue, from the enactment of the Flag Protection Act in 1968 through current consideration of a constitutional amendment. The second part briefly summarizes the two decisions of the United States Supreme Court, 'Texas v. Johnson' and 'United States v. Eichman', that struck down the state and federal flag protection statutes as applied in the context punishing expressive conduct. […] Congress, recognizing that 'Johnson' and 'Eichman' had left little hope of an anti-desecration statute being upheld, has considered in each Congress subsequent to these decisions a constitutional amendment to empower Congress to protect the physical integrity of the flag. In the 109th Congress, H.J.Res. 5, H.J.Res.10, and S.J.Res. 12 would authorize Congress to prohibit and penalize desecration of the flag of the United States. H.J.Res. 5 would also authorize the states to prohibit and penalize desecration. On June 22, 2005, the House passed H.J.Res. 10 by a vote of 286 to 130. On June 27, 2006, the Senate failed to pass S.J.Res. 12 by a vote of 66 to 34 (one vote short of the necessary two-thirds required for passage)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Luckey, John R.
2006-06-28
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Algeria: Current Issues [Updated April 24, 2006]
From the Summary: "The situation in Algeria is generally good. President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was reelected in 2004 with some manipulation of the political process but without blatant fraud, suggesting modest progress toward democratization. The voice of the military, the most significant political force since independence, has been muted. Domestic terrorism has decreased after a decade of civil conflict, yet Algerians continue to be linked to terror abroad. The U.S. State Departments lists the two Algerian groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). Terrorism provides a rationale for Algeria's uneven human rights record. Growing oil revenues have spurred economic growth and social investment. Bouteflika has energized foreign policy and broadened cooperation with the United States. This report will be updated if warranted. See also CRS [Congressional Research Services] Report RS20962, 'Western Sahara: The United Nations Shifts Course.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Migdalovitz, Carol
2006-04-24
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Iran's Nuclear Program: Recent Developments [Updated April 12, 2006]
From the Summary: "International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections since 2003 have revealed almost two decades' worth of undeclared nuclear activities in Iran, including uranium enrichment and plutonium separation efforts. Iran agreed in 2003 to suspend its enrichment and reprocessing activities in exchange for promises of assistance from Germany, France, and the UK (EU-3), but negotiations broke down in August 2005. On September 24, 2005, the IAEA Board of Governors found Iran to be in noncompliance with its Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) safeguards agreement (GOV/2005/77) and voted (GOV/2006/14) on February 4 to report Iran to the U.N. Security Council. The Security Council issued a presidential statement on March 29 that called upon Iran to reinstitute its voluntary suspension of enrichment and reprocessing and asked the IAEA to report on Iran's compliance by April 28. On April 11, Iranian officials announced that they had enriched some uranium to 3.5% enrichment (fuel-grade). This report will be updated as needed."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Squassoni, Sharon A.
2006-04-12
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Navy DDG-1000 (DD(X)) and CG(X) Programs: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated April 21, 2006]
From the Summary: "The Navy wants to procure 7 DDG-1000 (formerly DD(X)) destroyers and 19 CG(X) cruisers. The first two DDG-1000s are to be procured in FY2007, with each ship being split-funded (i.e., incrementally funded) across FY2007 and FY2008. The estimated cost of each of the first two ships is $3,291 million, for a total of $6,582 million. The two ships have received a total of $1,010 million in FY2005 and FY2006 advance procurement funding. The FY2007 budget requests an additional $2,568 million in procurement funding for the two ships. The final $3,004 million in procurement funding for the two ships is to be requested in FY2008. The Navy estimates that the next three DDG-1000s will cost an average of roughly $2.5 billion each. The first CG(X) is to be procured in FY2011. The DDG-1000/CG(X) program poses several issues for Congress, the most prominent perhaps being the affordability of the DDG-1000/CG(X) design. For a longer discussion of the DDG-1000 and CG(X), see CRS [Congressional Research Services] Report RL32109, 'Navy DDG-1000 (DD(X)), CG(X), and LCS Ship Acquisition Programs: Oversight Issues and Options for Congress', by Ronald O'Rourke. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2006-04-21
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Direct Assaults Against Presidents, Presidents-Elect, and Candidates [Updated April 5, 2006]
From the Summary: "Direct assaults against Presidents, Presidents-elect, and candidates have occurred on 15 separate occasions, with five resulting in death. Ten incumbents (about 24% of the 42 individuals to serve in the office), including four of the past six Presidents, have been victims or targets. Four of the ten (and one candidate) died as a result of the attacks. This report identifies these incidents and provides information about what happened, when, where, and, if known, why. The report will be updated and revised if developments require."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kaiser, Frederick M.
2006-04-05
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Immigration Statistics on the Web [April 19, 2006]
From the Summary: "As immigration legislation is considered by Congress, the need for accurate information relating to immigration and immigrants has increased. This report identifies selected websites that provide general and statistical information on immigration topics. Selected government and organizational website addresses are included. As with all statistics, it is important to note the source and methodology when consulting immigration statistics, taking into account any organizational bias. This report will be updated periodically as new information becomes available and to ensure the currency of the Web addresses."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mangan, LaVonne
2006-04-19
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Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Programs [Updated June 21, 2021]
From the Introduction: "This report analyzes the SIV [special immigrant visa] classifications for Iraqis and Afghans within the context of both the larger INA [Immigration and Nationality Act] special immigrant category and selected other permanent admissions categories. It discusses the legislative changes to the individual Iraqi and Afghan special immigrant programs since their initial authorization, provides statistics on visa issuances, and considers challenges the programs have faced."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2021-06-21
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Cuba: U.S. Policy Overview [Updated June 25, 2021]
From the Document: "Since the early 1960s, when the United States imposed a trade embargo on Cuba, the centerpiece of U.S. policy toward Cuba has consisted of economic sanctions aimed at isolating the Cuban government. [...] The Biden Administration maintains that it is conducting a review of policy toward Cuba; currently, sanctions imposed during the Trump Administration remain in place. During the U.S. election campaign, Biden said he would reverse Trump Administration policies that harmed the Cuban people without advancing democracy and human rights. The White House press secretary said on March 9 that although a Cuba policy shift was not among the President's top priorities, the Administration was 'committed to making human rights a core pillar' of policy and 'to carefully reviewing policy decisions made in the prior administration, including the decision to designate Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism.' On June 23, the Biden Administration opposed a U.N. General Assembly resolution (approved by vote of 184 to 2, with 3 abstentions) urging the United States to end its embargo on Cuba; the Obama Administration had abstained on the annual resolution in 2016."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.
2021-06-25
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Belarus: An Overview [Updated June 25, 2021]
From the Document: "In 2020, protests against allegedly widespread electoral fraud and a brutal crackdown on protesters led to the rise of a mass opposition movement in Belarus, on a scale unseen since the country became independent in 1991 (Belarus previously was part of the Soviet Union).The protests emerged in the wake of Belarus's August 2020 presidential election, during which opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya mounted an unexpectedly strong campaign against Aleksandr Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus for more than 26 years. Since August 2020, about 35,000 Belarusians reportedly have been detained or imprisoned. More than 500, including 62 women, are considered political prisoners. Several individuals have been killed or have died under suspicious circumstances. The United States, the European Union (EU), and others have called for an end to the crackdown and for the government to hold free and fair presidential elections."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Welt, Cory
2021-06-25
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Controlling Lead in Public Drinking Water Supplies [Updated June 22, 2021]
From the Document: "Communities may face a range of issues associated with aging water infrastructure, including elevated lead levels in tap water. Because of lead's toxicity, even at low levels, reducing lead exposures from drinking water and other sources remains a public health priority. Other sources of lead exposure include lead-based paint and contaminated soil and dust from deteriorated lead-based paint. Nationally, the phaseouts of leaded gasoline and lead-based paint, along with regulatory controls and technical changes, have reduced lead exposures. Since the late 1970s, overall blood lead levels in children (ages one to five) have declined an estimated 94%."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphreys, Elena H.
2021-06-22
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Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19 [Updated June 24, 2021]
From the Document: "The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is having widespread economic, social, and political effects on Latin America and the Caribbean. As of June 22, 2021, the region had over 36million confirmed cases(20% of cases worldwide) and over 1.2 million deaths(32% of deaths worldwide). Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, and Argentina hadthe highest numbers of deathsin the region. Looking at mortality (death) rates per 100,000 population, Peru had the highest recorded COVID-19 mortality rate in the region, followed by Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and Mexico."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.; Meyer, Peter J.
2021-06-24
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Texts Don't Nudge: An Adaptive Trial to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 in India
From the Abstract: "We conduct an adaptive randomized controlled trial to evaluate the impact of a SMS-[short message service] based information campaign on the adoption of social distancing and handwashing in rural Bihar, India, six months into the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. We test 10 arms that vary in delivery timing and message framing, changing content to highlight gains or losses for either one's own family or community. We identify the optimal treatment separately for each targeted behavior by adaptively allocating shares across arms over 10 experimental rounds using exploration sampling (Kasy and Sautmann, 2021). Based on phone surveys with nearly 4,000 households and using several elicitation methods, we do not find evidence of impact on knowledge or adoption of preventive health behavior, and our confidence intervals cannot rule out positive effects as large as 5.5 percentage points, or 16 percent. Our results suggest that SMS-based information campaigns may have limited efficacy after the initial phase of a pandemic."
Center for Global Development
Bahety, Girija; Bauhoff, Sebastian; Patel, Dev . . .
2021-06
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State of the Cities 2021
From the Introduction: "While the dust has not yet settled after a turbulent year, rapid vaccination and slow reopening indicate that 2021 will indeed be an inflection period in our pandemic history. This year, the State of the Cities analysis of survey data and of mayoral state of the city speeches from over 600 cities reveals that mayors from small towns to large urban cores are prioritizing infrastructure, budgets and public safety this year. The State of the Cities 2021 takes stock of how different types of communities have fared through the pandemic and investigates how city leaders are positioning their communities for the future. We find that experiences and impacts related to COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] are multifaceted. While some striking similarities exist from city to city, important differences also emerged. In particular, survey respondents indicate that clean water access and public spaces have contributed most to community resilience in the face of the pandemic. On housing issues, while home property values increased, affordable housing supply dwindled across most communities. The consequences of these converging trends demonstrate a growing urban-rural divide not only in housing but also resident financial security."
National League of Cities
McFarland, Christiana K.; Rainwater, Brooks; Grabowski, Erica . . .
2021
