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E.O. 14005: Bolstering Federal Government Purchase of American Products and Services [February 2, 2021]
From the Document: "On January 25, 2021, President Joe Biden issued Executive Order (E.O.) 14005 to advance the policy that the U.S. government should 'use terms and conditions of Federal financial assistance awards and Federal procurements to maximize the use of goods, products, and materials produced, and services offered in, the United States.' Although the E.O. has broad applicability, this Insight focuses exclusively on the Buy American Act (BAA) as applied to federal procurement and discusses selected provisions of the E.O. As may occur during a presidential transition, E.O. 14005 revoked two executive orders and superseded a third that also promoted Buy American policies and were issued by President Biden's immediate predecessor."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Halchin, L. Elaine
2021-02-02
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U.S.-Japan Relations [Updated February 2, 2021]
From the Overview: "Japan, a U.S. treaty ally since 1951, is a significant partner of the United States in several foreign policy areas, particularly security and trade. Shared security goals range from meeting the challenge of an increasingly powerful China to countering threats from North Korea. The U.S.-Japan mutual defense treaty grants the United States the right to base U.S. troops--currently numbering around 50,000--and other military assets on Japanese territory in return for a U.S. pledge to protect Japan's security. The two countries collaborate through multiple bilateral and multilateral institutions on issues such as science and technology, global health, energy, and agriculture. Japan is the fourth largest U.S. trading partner and largest source of foreign direct investment into the United States, and its investors are the largest foreign holders of U.S. Treasury securities. The U.S.-Japan relationship remains strong, and recent leadership transitions in both capitals could smooth relations and deepen cooperation across a greater set of issues. Whereas alliance relations under former President Trump and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe relied heavily on personal rapport between leaders, President Biden and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga may revert to a more traditional partnership that relies more on institutionalized ties. [...] In the short term, the countries will confront the expiration of their existing cost-sharing agreement for hosting the U.S. military in Japan."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Chanlett-Avery, Emma; Manyin, Mark E.; Williams, Brock R. . . .
2021-02-02
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South Korea: Background and U.S. Relations [Updated February 2, 2021]
From the Overview: "South Korea (officially the Republic of Korea, or ROK) is one of the United States' most important strategic and economic partners in Asia. The U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty, signed in 1953 at the end of the Korean War, commits the United States to help South Korea defend itself, particularly from North Korea (officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK). The alliance also helps the United States promote its interests in East Asia and around the globe, including by deploying ROK troops to U.S.-led military conflicts in the Middle East. Approximately 28,500 U.S. troops are based in the ROK. [...] Policy cooperation between the United States and South Korea was inconsistent under the administrations of Donald Trump and Moon Jae-in. President Moon, a progressive, was elected in May 2017 after a decade of conservative rule. President Biden has called for reinvigorating the alliance, suggesting he would abandon President Trump's repeated use of punitive tariffs against allies like Seoul and his demand for a five-fold increase in South Korea's payments for the costs of hosting U.S. troops. Unlike Trump, Biden has not signaled an interest in demanding new concessions in the KORUS FTA [U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement] or withdrawing U.S. troops from South Korea. Bilateral difficulties could surface, however, over North Korea policy. Moon's government favors easing sanctions against Pyongyang, a stance that could create tensions with Washington."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Manyin, Mark E.; Chanlett-Avery, Emma; Williams, Brock R.
2021-02-02
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Trump Administration's 'Zero Tolerance' Immigration Enforcement Policy [Updated February 2, 2021]
From the Introduction: "In recent years, Central American migrant families have been arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in relatively large numbers, many seeking asylum. While some request asylum at U.S. ports of entry, others do so after attempting to enter the United States illegally between U.S. ports of entry. On May 7, 2018, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Department of Justice (DOJ) implemented a 'zero tolerance' policy toward illegal border crossing, both to discourage illegal migration into the United States and to reduce the burden of processing asylum claims that Trump Administration officials contended are often fraudulent. Under the zero tolerance policy, DOJ prosecuted 100% of adult aliens apprehended crossing the border illegally, making no exceptions for whether they were asylum seekers or accompanied by minor children. [...] This report briefly reviews the statutory authority for prosecuting persons who enter the United States illegally and the policies and procedures for processing apprehended illegal border entrants and any accompanying children. It explains enforcement policies under past administrations and then discusses the Trump Administration's zero tolerance policy on illegal border crossers and the attendant family separations. The report concludes by presenting varied policy perspectives on the zero tolerance policy and briefly reviews recent related congressional activity."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kandel, William
2021-02-02
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National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS): Benefits and Issues [February 1, 2021]
From the Summary: "Since 1930, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI's) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program has collected and published nationwide crime statistics. State and local law enforcement agencies, as well as federal agencies, voluntarily submit data on reported crimes that occur in their jurisdictions to UCR. UCR then compiles and publishes the data, and provides datasets and some trend analyses in a standardized format that legislators, researchers, and law enforcement agencies can access to better understand and address crime in the United States. The UCR program previously collected crime data from federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement through the older Summary Reporting System (SRS) and the more recently introduced National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). On January 1, 2021, the FBI retired the SRS program and will only collect data using NIBRS. This report provides background on the development and adoption of NIBRS as well as details about both the benefits and potential issues related to this change."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hanson, Emily J.
2021-02-01
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Resources for Tracking Federal COVID-19 Spending [Updated February 1, 2021]
From the Summary: "Congress has responded to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with supplemental appropriations measures providing relief and assistance to individuals and families, state and local governments, businesses, health care providers, and other entities. [...] This report provides selected sources for tracking COVID-19 relief and assistance spending. It includes links to and information on government sources detailing spending amounts at various levels, including consolidated spending by multiple government agencies, spending by individual government agencies, and spending to specific recipients and geographies. The sources themselves are large government databases, individual agencies, oversight entities, and selected nongovernmental entities that attempt to repackage information on spending amounts obtained from available government sources."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kreiser, Maria; Teefy, Jennifer
2021-02-01
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African Elections in 2021 [Updated February 1, 2021]
This report is a consolidated snapshot of election schedules for various countries in Africa. From the Document: "Seventeen African countries are slated to hold presidential and/or legislative polls in 2021. Scheduled election dates are listed below; some may be subject to change due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic or other factors."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Collins, Sarah R.
2021-02-01
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Section 307 and U.S. Imports of Products of Forced Labor: Overview and Issues for Congress [Updated February 1, 2021]
From the Summary: "The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that as of 2016, nearly 25 million adults and children worked in forced labor, also known as labor trafficking. Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. §1307) prohibits U.S. imports of any product that was mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part by forced labor, including forced or indentured child labor. Amid concerns in recent decades over the statute's lack of use and increasing interest in combatting human trafficking, Congress amended Section 307 in 2015 to make it easier to block the entry of products of forced labor by removing the 'consumptive demand' exception. This exception had permitted imports of goods that were not domestically produced in such quantities as to meet U.S. consumption needs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cimino-Isaacs, Cathleen D.; Casey, Christopher A.; O'Regan, Katarina C.
2021-02-01
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Resolutions to Censure the President: Procedure and History [Updated February 1, 2021]
From the Summary: "Censure is a reprimand adopted by one or both chambers of Congress against a Member of Congress, President, federal judge, or other government official. While Member censure is a disciplinary measure that is sanctioned by the Constitution (Article 1, Section 5), 'non'-Member censure is not. Rather, it is a formal expression or 'sense of' one or both houses of Congress. Censure resolutions targeting non-Members have utilized a range of statements to highlight conduct deemed by the resolutions' sponsors to be inappropriate or unauthorized. Before the Nixon Administration, such resolutions included variations of the words or phrases 'unconstitutional', 'usurpation', 'reproof', and 'abuse of power'. Beginning in 1972, the most clearly 'censorious' resolutions have contained the word 'censure' in the text."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hudiburg, Jane A.; Davis, Christopher M., 1966-
2021-02-01
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Lebanese Hezbollah [Updated February 1, 2021]
From the Overview: "Hezbollah ('Party of God') is an Iran-backed Lebanese Shi'a militia and U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Formed in 1982, in the wake of the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon, the group has described itself as the leader of Islamic resistance to Israel and has conducted numerous attacks against Israeli and Western targets. Hezbollah currently operates regionally as a militia force, while also playing a powerful role as a Lebanese political party and provider of social services."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humud, Carla E.
2021-02-01
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Court Rules Dakota Access Pipeline Needs Further Environmental Review [Updated February 1, 2021]
From the Document: "The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), a crude oil pipeline developed by Energy Transfer Partners, carries crude oil from the Bakken fields in northwest North Dakota to southern Illinois. As discussed in this Legal Sidebar, the DAPL has been the subject of extensive debate and media attention, as well as prolonged litigation. Much of the attention on the DAPL centers on the portion of the pipeline route that is near or runs under Lake Oahe in North Dakota, a lake that has particular significance to Native Americans in the region. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (D.C. District Court) recently held that this controversial portion of the route needs further environmental review."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Vann, Adam
2021-02-01
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Fiscal Policy and Recovery from the COVID-19 Recession [Updated February 1, 2021]
From the Summary: "The economic contraction that began in February 2020 differs from previous contractions, including the Great Depression of the 1930s and the Great Recession of 2007-2009. It was caused in large part by concerns about the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and government policies aimed at limiting person-to-person contact. The health concerns of the public and the stay-at-home and shutdown orders designed to limit contact reduced cash flow to businesses and increased the number of unemployed workers."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gravelle, Jane; Marples, Donald
2021-02-01
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Dispute Settlement in the WTO and U.S. Trade Agreements [Updated February 1, 2021]
From the Document: "The United States traditionally has championed the use of effective and reciprocal dispute settlement (DS) mechanisms to enforce commitments in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in U.S. free trade agreements (FTAs). While effective and enforceable DS has been a long-standing U.S. trade negotiating objective, its use has become controversial following some adverse decisions, particularly with regard to U.S. trade remedy law. The WTO was established in 1995 after eight years of trade negotiations in the Uruguay Round among members of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)--the predecessor to the WTO during 1947-1994. The WTO administers a system of agreements promoting trade liberalization, including rules for trade in goods, services and intellectual property rights. Through its Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU), the WTO provides an enforceable means to settle disputes regarding obligations under these agreements. [...] Congress may seek to address the new DS mechanisms under USMCA [United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement] and the demise or potential reform of the AB [Appellate Body] in its oversight of U.S. trade policy or in a possible future debate on Trade Promotion Authority."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Fergusson, Ian F.
2021-02-01
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U.S.-Proposed Missile Technology Control Regime Changes [Updated February 1, 2021]
From the Introduction: "Beginning in 2017, the United States has submitted a series of proposals to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) partners that would relax the regime's export guidelines for certain Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). Advocates of altering the guidelines to ease such exports argue that increasing competition from foreign UAS manufacturers is undermining the competitive advantage of their U.S. counterparts. Other observers have emphasized the need to maintain the MTCR's standards, which are widely regarded as effective. [...] The MTCR, according to its website, 'seeks to limit the risks of proliferation of' nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons (NBC weapons) 'by controlling exports of goods and technologies that could make a contribution to delivery systems (other than manned aircraft) for such weapons.' [...] The MTCR guidelines apply to both armed and unarmed UAS. According to the MTCR, Category I items are the most sensitive and include complete UAS 'capable of delivering a payload of at least 500 kg to a range of at least 300 km, their major complete subsystems … and related software and technology,' as well as 'specially designed' production facilities for these UAS and subsystems. Partner governments should have 'a strong presumption to deny' such transfers, regardless of their purpose, but may transfer such items on 'rare occasions.' [...] Regime partners have greater flexibility with respect to authorizing exports of Category II items, which include less sensitive and dual-use missile related components."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kerr, Paul K.
2021-02-01
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Section 307 and Imports Produced by Forced Labor [Updated February 1, 2021]
From the Document: "Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. §1307) prohibits importing any product that was mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part by forced labor, including forced or indentured child labor. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforces the prohibition. U.S. customs law has prohibited importing goods produced by certain categories of labor since the end of the nineteenth century. Beginning in 1890, the United States prohibited imports of goods manufactured with convict labor. In 1930, Congress expanded this prohibition in Section 307 of the Tariff Act to include any (not just manufactured) products of forced labor. Although a few Members of Congress brought up humanitarian concerns during debate, the central legislative concern was with protecting domestic producers from competing with products made with forced labor. As such, Section 307 allowed the admission of products of forced labor if it could be shown that no comparable product was made in the United States or the level of domestic production did not meet domestic demand ('consumptive demand' clause). Over the decades, lawmakers and civil society became increasingly concerned about forced labor in the context of human trafficking. The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Prevention Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-386), for example, included forced labor in its definition of human trafficking. Similarly, Congress removed the 'consumptive demand' clause, as part of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act (P.L. 114-125) in 2015."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Casey, Christopher A.; Cimino-Isaacs, Cathleen D.; O'Regan, Katarina C.
2021-02-01
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Offshore Energy Agency Appropriations, FY2021 [February 1, 2021]
From the Document: "Three entities in the Department of the Interior (DOI) share responsibility for managing the nation's ocean energy resources on almost 2.5 billion acres of the U.S. outer continental shelf (OCS). The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) administers offshore energy leasing and mineral development, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) oversees offshore operational safety and environmental protection, and the Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) manages public revenues from federally regulated offshore and onshore energy and natural resource projects. BOEM, BSEE, and ONRR receive appropriations in the annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Issues include determining the aggregate and program-level appropriations for each entity and considering related legislative proposals by the Administration. P.L. 116-260, enacted on December 27, 2020, contained FY2021 appropriations for BOEM, BSEE, and ONRR."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Comay, Laura B.
2021-02-01
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Rejoining the World Health Organization (WHO): Reform and Related Issues [February 1, 2021]
From the Document: "The Biden Administration is working to restore U.S. involvement in the World Health Organization (WHO). On January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden sent a letter to United Nation (U.N.) Secretary-General Antόnio Guterres indicating that the United States would remain a member of WHO. The letter retracted a July 6, 2020, decision by the Trump Administration to withdraw the United States from WHO effective July 6, 2021. The withdrawal determination followed assertions by the Trump Administration that WHO failed 'to independently investigate' reports conflicting with Chinese government's accounts of the pandemic and repeated 'grossly inaccurate' or 'misleading' claims made by Chinese authorities about Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). On January 21, 2021, U.S. officials announced a resumption of regular engagement with WHO and an end to the drawdown of U.S. staff seconded to WHO. The White House also issued a directive, which among other things, directed the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs to make recommendations for reforming and strengthening WHO. The unprecedented attempt to withdraw the United States from WHO raised questions about congressional authority to inform the withdrawal process. It also reignited calls for reforming WHO, some of which conflated shortcomings of WHO with limitations of the International Health Regulations [IHR (2005)]--the rules governing responses by WHO and Member States to public health emergencies of international concern (PHEIC)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Salaam-Blyther, Tiaji
2021-02-01
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Vietnam's Economy and U.S. Trade: Key Issues in 2021 [February 1, 2021]
From the Document: "Over the last decade, Vietnam has emerged as a major manufacturing center in Asia, and has risen to become one of the top 10 trading partners for the United States. The expansion of Vietnam's export-oriented manufacturing sector contributed to Vietnam experiencing rapid economic growth during most of the decade. Vietnam's rise to be a major U.S. trading partner was stimulated in part by shifts in regional supply chains, driven by rising production costs in the People's Republic of China (China, or PRC), as well as trade tensions between the PRC and the United States. The expansion of bilateral trade has resulted in a major increase in the U.S. merchandise trade deficit with Vietnam. The growth in trade also contributed to other forms of trade friction. The Trump Administration accused Vietnam of unfair trade practices, including an allegation of currency manipulation. Vietnam has claimed that the U.S. government has utilized unwarranted trade restrictions and regulations to block Vietnamese exports to the United States, particularly exports of catfish."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Martin, Michael F.
2021-02-01
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Lying in State or Honor in the U.S. Capitol by Non-Members of Congress [Updated February 1, 2021]
From the Document: "On February 2, 2021, United States Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick, who died on January 7, 2021, from injuries sustained during the events at the United States Capitol on January 6, will lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol. In a press release, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that 'due to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, the [Congressional Tribute] ceremony will be open to invited guests only,' with specific times set aside for viewing by members of the Capitol Police and Members of Congress. Officer Sicknick will be the 36th individual to have lain in state or honor in the Capitol Rotunda or National Statuary Hall. The most recent to lie in state was Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on September 25, 2020. The most recent to lie in honor was the Reverend Billy Graham on February 28 and March 1, 2018."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Straus, Jacob R.
2021-02-01
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Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated February 1, 2021]
From the Summary: "The diminishment of Arctic sea ice has led to increased human activities in the Arctic, and has heightened interest in, and concerns about, the region's future. The United States, by virtue of Alaska, is an Arctic country and has substantial interests in the region. The seven other Arctic states are Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark (by virtue of Greenland), and Russia. [...] The Arctic Council, created in 1996, is the leading international forum for addressing issues relating to the Arctic. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) sets forth a comprehensive regime of law and order in the world's oceans, including the Arctic Ocean. The United States is not a party to UNCLOS. Record low extents of Arctic sea ice over the past decade have focused scientific and policy attention on links to global climate change and projected ice-free seasons in the Arctic within decades. These changes have potential consequences for weather in the United States, access to mineral and biological resources in the Arctic, the economies and cultures of peoples in the region, and national security."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald; Leggett, Jane A.; Comay, Laura B. . . .
2021-02-01
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Insurrection Bar to Office: Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment [January 29, 2021]
From the Document: "In the aftermath of the events of January 6 in and around the Capitol, there have been calls for accountability for those who participated, as well as leaders who may have helped instigate it. The breach of the Capitol resulted in numerous injuries, multiple deaths, and significant property damage. It also delayed the Congress's constitutional duty of certifying electoral votes for President-Elect Joseph Biden and caused Capitol Police and other law enforcement personnel to evacuate the Vice President and Members of Congress from the House and Senate floors to safer locations. Some observers, historians, and other commentators are wondering whether the Disqualification Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment might provide a mechanism to disqualify from holding office individuals who participated in or encouraged the siege, including former and sitting government officials. Invocation of the Disqualification Clause could raise a number of novel legal questions involving the activities that could trigger disqualification, the offices to which disqualification might apply, and mechanisms by which disqualification could be enforced. The Clause has been seldom used, and the few times it has mainly arose out of the Civil War--a very different context from the events of January 6. It is therefore unclear how much past precedents provide useful guidance for its application to the events of January 6. This Legal Sidebar describes the Disqualification Clause, explains to whom it might apply and what activities could incur a bar on holding office, and discusses possible mechanisms to implement it."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Elsea, Jennifer
2021-01-29
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Possible U.S. Return to Iran Nuclear Agreement: Frequently Asked Questions [January 29, 2021]
From the Document: "President Joseph Biden and members of his Administration have expressed an intention to reverse various Trump Administration policies toward Iran, particularly the Trump Administration's decision to end its participation in the 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement known as the 'Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action' (JCPOA). This report provides background and analysis on the agreement, the conditions under which the United States might re-enter it, and potential legal, congressional, and regional implications. The JCPOA, which was finalized on July 14, 2015, by Iran and the United States and five other powers (Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany), exchanged relief from international sanctions for restrictions on Iran's nuclear program."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth; Kerr, Paul K.; Elsea, Jennifer . . .
2021-01-29
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Illicit Fentanyl and China's Role [Updated January 29, 2021]
From the Document: "Addressing illicit fentanyl in the context of the ongoing opioid crisis is both a domestic and foreign policy issue for the 117th Congress. According to U.S. estimates, synthetic opioids, including predominantly foreign-sourced fentanyl and fentanyl-related compounds (analogues), killed more Americans in the past 12 months than any other type of opioid. In addressing the international dimensions of the problem, policymakers have faced challenges in stopping fentanyl, fentanyl-related substances, and emerging synthetic opioids from entering the United States. In recent years, counternarcotics attention has focused on reducing fentanyl flows from China."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rosen, Liana W.; Lawrence, Susan V.
2021-01-29
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Return of Nominations to the President Under Senate Rule XXXI [January 29, 2021]
From the Summary: "Nominations that have been neither confirmed nor rejected by the Senate at the time the Senate adjourns sine die or for a period of more than 30 days are returned to the President pursuant to Senate Rule XXXI, clause 6. 'Pro forma' sessions held during a recess of the Senate count as days in session and can prevent what would otherwise be a greater than 30-day recess that would trigger the return of nominations under the rule. The use of 'pro forma' sessions in modern Senate practice means that the need to suspend Rule XXXI usually only occurs at the end of the 1st session of a Congress. The Senate routinely holds over at least some nominations between sessions of Congress or recesses lasting more than 30 days. Nominations can be held over if the Senate agrees, by unanimous consent, to suspend the rule. [...] Nominations chosen to be held over are typically negotiated by party and committee leaders[.] [...] Nominations for which the rule has been suspended remain in status quo, meaning they continue to be pending on the 'Executive Calendar' instead of being returned to the President as required under Senate rules. The Senate returns all nominations at the end of a Congress. If a nomination is returned to the President, it is no longer eligible for consideration by the Senate. The President may submit a new nomination, either for the previously returned nominee or for a new candidate."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Greene, Michael
2021-01-29
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United States Rejoins the Paris Agreement on Climate Change: Options for Congress [January 29, 2021]
From the Document: "On January 20, 2020, President Joe Biden accepted, on behalf of the United States, the Paris Agreement (PA), an international accord to address climate change for decades to come. The acceptance takes effect on February 19, 2021--77 days after the United States' withdrawal took effect under the Trump Administration. The withdrawal took effect exactly four years after the United States first became a Party to the PA under the Obama Administration. Congress may consider implications of U.S. participation in the PA along several dimensions, including foreign policy, economic, environmental, and legal. Although the President holds constitutional authority for U.S. foreign policy, the Senate may provide advice and consent, should the President submit the PA to be a treaty under U.S. law. Congress, by virtue of its own constitutional authorities, has options for shaping, funding, and conducting oversight of strategies--international and domestic--associated with U.S. PA commitments. Congress may seek to consult with the Administration on climate change and foreign policy, among other objectives."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Leggett, Jane A.
2021-01-29
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State Innovation Waivers: Frequently Asked Questions [Updated January 29, 2021]
From the Summary: "Section 1332 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; P.L. 111-148, as amended) provides states with the option to waive specified requirements of the ACA. In the absence of these requirements, a state is to implement its own plan to provide health insurance coverage to state residents that meets the ACA's terms. Under a state innovation waiver, a state can apply to waive ACA requirements related to qualified health plans, health insurance exchanges, premium tax credits, cost-sharing subsidies, the individual mandate, and the employer mandate. The state can apply to waive any or all of these requirements, in part or in their entirety. [...] The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Secretary of the Treasury share responsibility for reviewing state innovation waiver applications and deciding whether to approve applications. State innovation waivers cannot extend longer than five years, unless a state requests continuation and the appropriate Secretary does not deny such request. The earliest a state innovation waiver could have gone into effect was January 1, 2017."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rosso, Ryan J.; Mach, Annie L.
2021-01-29
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Use of DNA by the Criminal Justice System and the Federal Role: Background, Current Law, and Grants [Updated January 29, 2021]
From the Summary: "Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is the fundamental building block for an individual's entire genetic makeup. DNA is a powerful tool for law enforcement investigations because each person's DNA is different from that of every other individual (except for identical twins). DNA can be extracted from many sources, such as hair, bone, teeth, saliva, and blood. DNA samples can be collected at crime scenes, from people who might have been present when the crime occurred, and from crime victims. The information obtained from these samples is then compared with other DNA profiles to both eliminate and identify suspects in a criminal investigation. In the 1980s, states began enacting laws that required the collection of DNA samples from offenders convicted of certain sexual and other violent crimes. The samples are analyzed and their profiles are entered into state databases. In the late 1980s, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Laboratory convened a working group of federal, state, and local forensic scientists to establish guidelines for the use of forensic DNA analysis in laboratories."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hanson, Emily J.
2021-01-29
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Global Refugee Resettlement: Selected Issues and Questions [Updated January 29, 2021]
From the Document: "Congress has demonstrated a continued interest in refugee 'resettlement', although such opportunities are available to only a small percentage of the global refugee population. (For more information on the refugee 'admissions' process to the United States, see CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report RL31269, 'Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy'.) Due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) travel bans, on March 17, 2020, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced the suspension of global resettlement travel for refugees. On June 18, 2020, they announced the resumption of resettlement departures for refugees, although many travel restrictions remain in place."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Margesson, Rhoda
2021-01-29
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Yemen: Recent Terrorism Designations [January 29, 2021]
From the Overview: "On January 19, 2021, the Trump Administration designated the Yemeni group 'Ansar Allah' (Arabic for 'the Partisans of God'), commonly referred to as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). In notifying Congress, (per 8 U.S.C. §1189), then Secretary of State Michael Pompeo identified that the Houthis were closely linked to Iran and that the designations were intended to hold the Houthis accountable for terrorist acts. The designations reportedly had been under consideration for months, though aid organizations repeatedly cautioned that designations would exacerbate what the United Nations presently considers the world's worst humanitarian crisis."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sharp, Jeremy Maxwell; Margesson, Rhoda; Rennack, Dianne E. . . .
2021-01-29
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COVID-19 International Responses: Resources for the 117th Congress [January 28, 2021]
From the Document: "Numerous international organizations, educational institutions, and private research firms have compiled information and are tracking international responses to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). This Insight presents selected resources and CRS [Congressional Research Service] products that may be useful for Congress in tracking and understanding different countries' approaches to addressing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Fischer, Hannah; Tharakan, Sara M.
2021-01-28
