Advanced search Help
Resource Type or Special Collection is CRS Reports
Clear all search criteria
Only 2/3! You are seeing results from the Public Collection, not the complete Full Collection. Sign in to search everything (see eligibility).
-
Gun Control: National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Operations and Related Legislation [October 17, 2019]
From the Document: "The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) administers a computer system of systems that is used to query federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial criminal history record information (CHRI) and other records to determine an individual's firearms transfer/receipt and possession eligibility. This FBI-administered system is the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). NICS, or parallel state systems, must be checked and the pending transfer approved by the FBI or state point of contact before a federally licensed gun dealer may transfer a firearm to any customer who is not also a federally licensed gun dealer. Current federal law does not require background checks for intrastate (same state), private-party firearms transactions between nondealers, though such checks are required under several state laws. In the 116th Congress, the House of Representatives passed three bills that would expand federal firearms background check requirements and firearms transfer/receipt and possession ineligibility criteria related to domestic violence."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Krouse, William J.
2019-10-17
-
Iran's Nuclear Program: Tehran's Compliance with International Obligations [Updated October 17, 2019]
From the Summary: "This report provides a brief overview of Iran's nuclear program and describes the legal basis for the actions taken by the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] board and the Security Council. It will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kerr, Paul K.
2019-10-17
-
Limits on TRICARE for Reservists: Frequently Asked Questions [October 17, 2019]
From the Background: "The Department of Defense (DOD) operates a Military Health System (MHS) that delivers certain health entitlements under Chapter 55 of Title 10, U.S. Code. The Defense Health Agency (DHA)--a component of the MHS--administers the TRICARE program, which offers health care services to approximately 9.5 million beneficiaries, composed of military personnel, retirees, and their families. [...] This report answers frequently asked questions about TRICARE health plan options tailored for certain reservists, retired reservists, and their families (i.e., TRICARE Reserve Select and TRICARE Retired Reserve) and certain statutory prohibitions that limit their participation in the plans."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mendez, Bryce H. P.; Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2019-10-17
-
Defense Primer: Military Commissaries and Exchanges [Updated October 17, 2019]
From the Document: "The Department of Defense (DOD) offers certain 'quality-of-life' benefits to military members, their families, and retirees. The general purpose of these benefits is to attract, retain, and support morale and readiness for military servicemembers. One of these benefits is world-wide access to grocery and retail stores--called 'commissaries' and 'exchanges'--typically located on military installations. Commissaries provide subsidized groceries and household goods to eligible patrons. Exchanges sell goods for profit, similar to a department or specialty store, but use some of this profit to fund various Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) activities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kamarck, Kristy N.; Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2019-10-17
-
Oman: Politics, Security, and U.S. Policy [Updated October 17, 2019]
From the Summary: "The Sultanate of Oman has been a strategic partner of the United States since 1980, when it became the first Persian Gulf state to sign a formal accord permitting the U.S. military to use its facilities. Oman has hosted U.S. forces during every U.S. military operation in the region since then, and it is a partner in U.S. efforts to counter terrorist groups and related regional threats. Oman's ties to the United States are unlikely to loosen even after its ailing leader, Sultan Qaboos bin Sa'id Al Said, leaves the scene. Qaboos' frail appearance in public appearance has fueled speculation about succession, but he does continue to meet with visiting leaders. He received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on October 25, 2018, for the first such visit by Israeli leadership to Oman in more than 20 years."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2019-10-17
-
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) [October 17, 2019]
From the Document: "The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) provides cash benefits to certain persons whose health may have been affected by exposure to debris or toxic substances in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, and the terrorist-related aircraft crash at Shanksville, PA. Congress created the original VCF shortly after the 2001 terrorist attacks to provide compensation to persons injured and the families of persons killed in the attacks and their immediate aftermath. [...] All VCF claims must be filed by October 1, 2090. Since its reopening, the VCF has awarded more than $5.5 billion to more than 23,000 claimants. There is no cap on the total VCF award amount, but there are limits on the amounts of individual awards for economic and noneconomic losses claimants suffered. The 2019 reauthorization legislation provides all necessary appropriations for VCF awards and administrative expenses through the end of FY2092."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Szymendera, Scott
2019-10-17
-
Resources for Grantseekers [Updated October 17, 2019]
From the Summary: "This report describes key sources of information on government and private funding, and outlines eligibility for federal grants. Federal grants are intended to accomplish public purposes through projects benefiting states and communities. Individuals may be eligible for other kinds of benefits or assistance, and small businesses or students may be eligible for loans. [...] Once a program has been identified, eligible grantseekers may apply electronically for grants at the website Grants.gov through a uniform process for many agencies. Through Grants.gov, grantseekers may identify when federal funding notices and deadlines for a program become available, sign up for email notification of funding opportunities, and track the progress of submitted applications. Because government funds may be limited, the report also discusses sources of private and corporate foundation funding. The Foundation Center is a clearinghouse for information about private, corporate, and community foundations, with publicly-accessible collections of resources in every state."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kreiser, Maria
2019-10-17
-
'The Strategic Petroleum Reserve,' Statement of Phillip Brown Specialist in Energy Policy Before Committee on Energy and Natural Resources U.S. Senate [October 17, 2019]
From the Document: "In response to the 1973 Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) embargo on oil shipments to the United States, an event that contributed to rapidly escalating oil prices and petroleum product scarcity, the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA, P.L. 94-163) was enacted in December 1975. EPCA authorized the creation of the SPR [Strategic Petroleum Reserve] to hold reserves of up to 1 billion barrels of petroleum products, among other provisions. [...] With relatively little SPR utilization in response to emergency global supply disruptions (for example, in response to instability and oil supply disruptions in Libya in 2011); limited, although more frequent, oil exchanges in response to domestic supply disruptions due to hurricanes and other circumstances (most recently in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey); and decreasing U.S. net petroleum (crude oil and products) imports, Congress has recently enacted legislation that requires SPR oil to be sold in order to fund other legislative priorities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brown, Phillip
2019-10-17
-
Georgia: Background and U.S. Policy [Updated October 17, 2019]
From the Document: "Georgia is one of the United States' closest partners among the states that gained their independence after the USSR collapsed in 1991. With a history of strong economic aid and security cooperation, the United States has deepened its strategic partnership with Georgia since Russia's 2008 invasion of Georgia and 2014 invasion of Ukraine. U.S. policy expressly supports Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and Georgia is a leading recipient of U.S. aid to Europe and Eurasia. Many observers consider Georgia to be one of the most democratic states in the post-Soviet region, even as the country faces ongoing governance challenges. The center-left Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party (GD) holds a dominant political position, with about 70% of seats in parliament. Although Georgia faces high rates of poverty and underemployment, its economy has performed better since 2017 than it did in the previous four years."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Welt, Cory
2019-10-17
-
Impact of the Federal Income Tax on Poverty: Before and After the 2017 Tax Revision ('TCJA'; P.L. 115-97) [October 17, 2019]
From the Introduction: "This report is structured to first provide a brief overview of the major federal income tax provisions that affect lower-income individuals and families, including a comparison of how these provisions changed under the TCJA [Tax Cuts and Jobs Act]. The report then provides an analysis of how the pre-TCJA federal income tax affected poverty, followed by a comparison of how the post-TCJA federal income tax affected poverty. The report concludes with some observations on the benefits and limitations of the federal income tax system and refundable tax credits in reducing poverty."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Crandall-Hollick, Margot L.; Falk, Gene; Carter, Jameson A.
2019-10-17
-
Drug Testing Unemployment Compensation Applicants & the Fourth Amendment [October 17, 2019]
From the Document: "This Sidebar begins with a general overview of the Fourth Amendment and then reviews three Supreme Court opinions addressing the constitutionality of drug testing programs in the employment context, as well as two lower court cases involving similar state laws that conditioned the receipt of federal benefits on passing drug tests. The post concludes with an assessment of factors that might affect the constitutionality of a UC [unemployment compensation] drug testing program in light of the Fourth Amendment."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Carpenter, David Hatcher
2019-10-17
-
Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress [October 16, 2019]
From the Summary: "The current and planned size and composition of the Navy, the rate of Navy ship procurement, and the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans have been oversight matters for the congressional defense committees for many years. On December 15, 2016, the Navy released a force-structure goal that calls for achieving and maintaining a fleet of 355 ships of certain types and numbers. The 355-ship force-level goal is the result of a Force Structure Assessment (FSA) conducted by the Navy in 2016. The Navy states that a new FSA is now underway as the successor to the 2016 FSA. This new FSA, Navy officials state, is to be completed by the end of 2019."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2019-10-16
-
Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress [Updated October 16, 2019]
From the Summary: "Names for Navy ships traditionally have been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the Navy, under the direction of the President and in accordance with rules prescribed by Congress. Rules for giving certain types of names to certain types of Navy ships have evolved over time. There have been exceptions to the Navy's ship-naming rules, particularly for the purpose of naming a ship for a person when the rule for that type of ship would have called for it to be named for something else. Some observers have perceived a breakdown in, or corruption of, the rules for naming Navy ships. On July 13, 2012, the Navy submitted to Congress a 73-page report on the Navy's policies and practices for naming ships."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2019-10-16
-
CFIUS: New Foreign Investment Review Regulations [October 16, 2019]
From the Overview: "On September 17, 2019, the Department of the Treasury proposed regulations for public notice and comment to implement key parts of the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA) (Title XVII, P.L. 115-232), which 'strengthens and modernizes' the national security review of foreign direct investment (FDI) transactions by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) (under P.L. 110-49). CFIUS is an interagency body comprising nine Cabinet members and others as appointed. The draft regulations initiate provisions that would affect how certain real estate and noncontrolling investments will be scrutinized. These regulations were widely anticipated by various stakeholders for clarifying key aspects of FIRRMA."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cimino-Isaacs, Cathleen D.; Jackson, James K.
2019-10-16
-
Venezuela: Overview of U.S. Sanctions [Updated October 16, 2019]
From the Document: "For more than a decade, the United States has employed sanctions as a policy tool in response to activities of the Venezuelan government and Venezuelan individuals. As Venezuela's political and economic crisis under the leadership of Nicolás Maduro has deepened, the Trump Administration has significantly expanded sanctions. The Treasury Department has sanctions on at least 132 Venezuelan or Venezuelan-connected individuals and the State Department has revoked the visas of hundreds of individuals. The Trump Administration also has imposed sanctions on Venezuela's state oil company (Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., or PdVSA), government, and central bank. Sanctions have increased pressure on the Maduro government, including accelerating the decline in Venezuela's oil production. However, sanctions have not yet led to a political transition. Maduro remains in power, even though it has been nearly 10 months since the United States recognized Juan Guidó, the head of Venezuela's National Assembly, as the country's interim president and ceased to recognize Maduro as the president of Venezuela."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Seelke, Clare Ribando
2019-10-16
-
Parliamentary Rights of the Delegates and Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico [Updated October 16, 2019]
From the Summary: "As officers who represent territories and properties possessed or administered by the United States but not admitted to statehood, the five House delegates and the resident commissioner from Puerto Rico do not enjoy all the same parliamentary rights as Members of the House. They may vote and otherwise act similarly to Members in legislative committee. They may not vote on the House floor but may participate in debate and make most motions there. Under the rules of the 116th Congress (2017-2018), the delegates and resident commissioner may preside over the Committee of the Whole and may vote in the committee--subject to an automatic revote in the House in cases in which their votes were decisive. Delegates and the resident commissioner may not vote in, or preside over, the House."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Davis, Christopher M., 1966-
2019-10-16
-
Public Transit Ridership Continues to Decline [October 16, 2019]
From the Document: "Despite suggestions that ridership on the nation's public transportation systems is beginning to grow again, available evidence suggests this optimism is premature. According to data from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), 2018 marked the fourth straight year of declining ridership, falling by about 2.5% from the year before. [...] Two major federal transit policies related to these issues are the general funding of public transportation, distributed mainly by formula, and the discretionary funding of new large capital projects such as rail and bus rapid transit systems through the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program, also known as New Starts. [...] Congress may consider options to address public transit ridership trends as it weighs reauthorization of federal surface transportation programs. The current authorization expires at the end of FY2020."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mallett, William J.
2019-10-16
-
Broadband Data and Mapping: Background and Issues for the 116th Congress [October 16, 2019]
From the Introduction: "Mapping broadband availability, which means graphically displaying where broadband is and is not available on a map, is complex and depends on data--with the accuracy of the map depending on the accuracy of the data used to compose the map. Congress has an interest in accurate broadband mapping data, because accurate data can help ensure that federal broadband programs target areas of the country that are most in need of assistance. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-104) requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to determine annually whether broadband is being deployed to all Americans on a timely basis, and the FCC relies on broadband mapping data to make this determination. Additionally, the FCC uses broadband mapping data to direct billions of dollars per year to deploy broadband in unserved or underserved areas. Congress has also taken an interest in broadband mapping due to concerns from constituents that certain areas, especially rural areas, remain underserved or unserved."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rachfal, Colby Leigh
2019-10-16
-
Bahamas: An Overview [Updated October 16, 2019]
From the Document: "The Bahamas, a Caribbean nation of some 700 islands off the southeast coast of the United States, has been a stable parliamentary democracy since its independence from the United Kingdom (UK) in 1973. The country's bicameral legislature has a 39-seat House of Assembly directly elected for five-year terms and a 16-member appointed Senate. Since independence, the political scene has been dominated by two political parties, the center-left Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the center-right Free National Movement (FNM)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.
2019-10-16
-
Congressional Budget Office: Appointment and Tenure of the Director and Deputy Director [Updated October 16, 2019]
From the Background: "CBO's [Congressional Budget Office] mission is to support the House and Senate in the federal budget process by providing budgetary analysis and information in an objective and nonpartisan manner. Specific duties are placed on CBO by various provisions in law, particularly Titles II, III, and IV of the 1974 Congressional Budget Act, as amended. CBO prepares annual reports on the economic and budget outlook and on the President's budget proposals and provides cost estimates of legislation, scorekeeping reports, assessments of unfunded mandates, and products and testimony relating to other budgetary matters. In addition to statutory duties, CBO is subject to directives included in annual budget resolutions and chamber rules. Ten persons so far have served as CBO director: Alice Rivlin, Rudolph Penner, Robert Reischauer, June O'Neill, Dan Crippen, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Peter R. Orszag, Douglas Elmendorf, Keith Hall, and Phillip Swagel. The current director, Phillip Swagel, began serving as director on June 3, 2019. Twelve persons have served as deputy director; five of them also served as the acting director (for periods amounting in total to about three years). The current deputy director, Mark Hadley, was appointed to the position in June 2016."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2019-10-16
-
The Emoluments Clauses of the U.S. Constitution [Updated October 16, 2019]
From the Document: "Recent litigation involving President Trump has raised a number of legal issues concerning formerly obscure constitutional provisions that prohibit the acceptance or receipt of 'emoluments' in certain circumstances. This In Focus provides an overview of these constitutional provisions, highlighting several unsettled legal areas concerning their meaning and scope, and reviewing the status of ongoing litigation against President Trump based on alleged violations of the Emoluments Clauses."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hickey, Kevin J.; Foster, Michael A.
2019-10-16
-
DNS Over HTTPS--What is it and Why Do People Care? [October 16, 2019]
From the Document: "Many call DNS [Domain Name System] the 'phonebook of the internet': it takes the user-readable web address and sends that information to a 'DNS resolver.' The resolver retrieves the internet protocol (IP) address of the website (i.e., the network address of the server that hosts the website) and returns that information to users' computers. Knowing where to go, the browser then retrieves the website. Most users receive DNS resolver services from their internet service provider (ISP), but some choose to use another service. For instance, some businesses choose to use a resolver that provides additional security or filtering services. Today, DNS queries are generally sent unencrypted. This allows any party between the browser and the resolver to discover which website users want to visit. Such parties can already monitor the IP address with which the browser is communicating, but monitoring DNS queries can identify which specific website users seek. As more services move to cloud computing infrastructure, this distinction becomes increasingly important, because multiple websites may be consolidated under a few IP addresses, rather than each having a unique IP address."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jaikaran, Chris; Figliola, Patricia Moloney
2019-10-16
-
'Sense of' Resolutions and Provisions [Updated October 16, 2019]
From the Document: "One or both houses of Congress may formally express opinions about subjects of current national interest through freestanding simple or concurrent resolutions (called generically 'sense of the House,' 'sense of the Senate,' or 'sense of the Congress' resolutions). These opinions expressing the views of one or both chambers may also be included in other legislation upon introduction or subsequently added by amendment. This report identifies the various forms these expressions may take and the procedures governing such actions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Davis, Christopher M., 1966-
2019-10-16
-
Kosovo's Election: Early Results May Signal Major Changes [October 16, 2019]
From the Document: "On October 6, 2019, Kosovo held its fourth parliamentary election since declaring independence from Serbia in 2008 (Serbia does not recognize Kosovo's independence). Opposition parties' strong performance may result in the most consequential government turnover since independence, with implications for the future direction of the European Union (EU)-facilitated dialogue to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia. The United States has long supported Kosovo's political and economic development, and U.S. officials and many Members of Congress support and have closely followed the dialogue."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Garding, Sarah E.
2019-10-16
-
FY2020 Mandatory Sequester Reduces Medicare $15.3 Billion, Other Mandatory Spending $5.39 Billion [October 15, 2019]
From the Document: "On October 1, 2019, the first day of FY2020, the FY2020 mandatory sequester order became effective. 'Sequestration' is a budgetary mechanism that requires automatic cancellation of budgetary authority--the legal authority Congress grants agencies to enter into financial obligations. The FY2020 mandatory sequester order reduced Medicare payments by $15.31 billion and other (nonexempt) mandatory spending by $5.392 billion. The reductions are required by the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA; P.L. 112-25). The BCA, as amended, requires similar reductions on the first day of each fiscal year through FY2029."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Konigsberg, Charles S.
2019-10-15
-
Comparing DHS Component Funding, FY2020: In Brief [October 15, 2019]
From the Document: "The homeland security appropriations bill includes all annual appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), providing resources to every departmental component. This report reviews the budget authority provided to DHS for FY2019 and requested by the Trump Administration for FY2020, as well as the funding levels proposed by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees in their reported legislation for FY2020. In the process, it also includes information on DHS funding from two enacted FY2019 supplemental appropriations measures: P.L. 116-20, a disaster relief supplemental; and P.L. 116-26, a supplemental appropriations bill funding humanitarian and security operations at the U.S.-Mexico border. The report provides a look at the resources available to DHS components that are described in appropriations committee reports, and examines 'net discretionary annual appropriations' for DHS--a perspective on the net impact of legislation funding DHS on congressionally tracked budget totals."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Painter, William L.
2019-10-15
-
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program [October 15, 2019]
From the Background: "Family reunification and the admission of immigrants with needed skills are two of the major principles underlying U.S. immigration policy. As a result, current law weights the allocation of immigrant visas heavily toward individuals with close family in the United States and, to a lesser extent, toward individuals who meet particular employment needs. The diversity immigrant category was added to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by the Immigration Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-649) to stimulate 'new seed' immigration (i.e., to foster new, more varied migration from other parts of the world). Diversity visas are allocated to natives of countries from which the combination of immediate relatives, family preference, and employment preference immigrant admissions were lower than a total of 50,000 over the preceding five years combined."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wilson, Jill H.
2019-10-15
-
Restitution in Federal Criminal Cases: A Sketch [Updated October 15, 2019]
From the Introduction: "Federal courts may not order a defendant to pay restitution to the victims of his or her crimes unless empowered to do so by statute. Two general statutes vest the courts with authority to order restitution. One, 18 U.S.C. § 3663, permits it for certain crimes. The second, 18 U.S.C. § 3663A, requires it for other crimes. In addition, several individual restitution statutes authorize awards for particular offenses, i.e.: (1) animal enterprise terrorism; (2) failure to provide child support; (3) human trafficking; (4) sexual abuse; (5) sexual exploitation of children; (6) stalking or domestic violence; (7) copyright infringement; (8) telemarketing fraud; (9) amphetamine or methamphetamine offenses; (10) reckless disregard of sex trafficking; and (11) transportation or travel for unlawful sexual purposes. Federal courts also may order restitution pursuant to a plea bargain or as a condition of probation or supervised release, even where it is not otherwise authorized. Section 3664 supplies the procedure under which the restitution order is ordinarily imposed."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Doyle, Charles
2019-10-15
-
Restitution in Federal Criminal Cases [Updated October 15, 2019]
From the Summary: "Restitution in federal criminal cases is a matter of statute. A handful of statutes identify the victims who are eligible to receive restitution; what criminal convictions may trigger an obligation to pay restitution; the losses for which victims may be compensated; and the procedure by which restitution is ordered and enforced. [...] The Department of Justice, acting on behalf of a victim, may enforce a restitution order in the manner it uses to collect fines or by 'all other available and reasonable means.' Victims may secure a lien in their own names against the defendant's property in order to secure restitution, and they may bring other civil actions in their own names against the defendant. The courts do not agree on whether the abatement doctrine cuts off unfulfilled obligations under a restitution order. The abatement doctrine provides that when a defendant dies while his or her appeal is still pending the law treats the defendant's indictment and conviction as though they had never happened. The conviction is vacated and the indictment dismissed."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Doyle, Charles
2019-10-15
-
Deep Fakes and National Security [October 14, 2019]
From the Document: "'Deep fakes'--a term that first emerged in 2017 to describe realistic photo, audio, video, and other forgeries generated with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies--could present a variety of national security challenges in the years to come. As these technologies continue to mature, they could hold significant implications for congressional oversight, U.S. defense authorizations and appropriations, and the regulation of social media platforms."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sayler, Kelley M.; Harris, Laurie A.
2019-10-14
