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Canada's October 2019 Elections [October 11, 2019]
From the Document: "Canada is to hold parliamentary elections on October 21, 2019. Polls suggest a close race, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party struggling to hold onto the majority they won in 2015. The outcome of the election could have implications for the United States, which is closely bound to Canada by a 5,500-mile border, extensive commercial ties, and mutual defense commitments."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Meyer, Peter J.; Fergusson, Ian F.
2019-10-11
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Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Program [October 11, 2019]
From the Document: "Emissions from diesel engines--especially particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides, and air toxics--have been shown to contribute to air pollution that adversely impacts public health and welfare in the United States. Since 1970, the Clean Air Act (CAA, 42 U.S.C. §7401 et seq.) has required the federal government to limit these emissions, among others, from new stationary (industrial) sources and new mobile sources. In the decades since, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promulgated emission standards for a variety of source categories, including new heavy duty highway and nonroad diesel engines."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lattanzio, Richard K.; Esworthy, Robert
2019-10-11
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Capital Markets: Asset Management and Related Policy Issues [October 11, 2019]
From the Introduction: "The asset management industry operates in a complex system with many components. Asset management companies have two major product categories--public funds and private funds. [...] The first part of this report provides an overview of the asset management industry and its regulation. [...] The second part of this report considers current trends and policy issues, including (1) whether the asset management industry affects the financial stability of the United States; (2) whether regulation of the asset management industry provides sufficient protection for the retail investors who invest money in the industry; and (3) the impact of financial technology, or 'fintech,' on the industry, and whether the current regulatory framework is adequate to address these new technologies."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Su, Eva
2019-10-11
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CFPB Proposes New Payday Lending Rule, Reversing Recently Finalized Regulation [Updated October 11, 2019]
From the Document: "On February 6, 2019, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB) released a new Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Payday, Vehicle Title, and Certain High-Cost Installment Loans. The proposal would rescind a significant part of a 2017 final rule that requires small-dollar, short-term lenders to determine a consumer's ability to repay before issuing a new loan. This new, controversial proposal has received congressional support and opposition. This Insight begins with an overview of payday loans and then briefly summarizes the 2017 final rule and major changes proposed by the CFPB now. It also reviews the data and analysis supporting these rules, and the different conclusions each version of the rule reached using this same evidence. Although the CFPB's rule covers other small-dollar markets (e.g., auto title loans and other installment loans), this Insight focuses on payday loans, currently the largest market covered by the rule."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cooper, Cheryl R.
2019-10-11
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CFPB Proposes New Debt Collection Regulation [Updated October 11, 2019]
From the Document: "On May 21, 2019, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to implement the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA; 15 U.S.C. §1692). Congress passed the FDCPA in 1977 to 'eliminate abusive debt collection practices by debt collectors.' The CFPB's proposal would clarify how certain debt collectors may communicate with consumers and what information they must disclose. This Insight begins with an overview of the debt collection market and its regulation. It then analyzes major parts of the CFPB's proposed rule and reactions to the proposal by various stakeholders."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cooper, Cheryl R.
2019-10-11
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Turkish Incursion into Syria: U.S. Policy Implications [October 11, 2019]
From the Document: "On October 9, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of 'Operation Peace Spring,' which he stated would target both Kurdish and Islamic State (IS, aka ISIL/ISIS) fighters in northern Syria. Turkey then launched an air and ground assault against Kurdish forces. Turkey's foreign minister has stated that Turkish forces plan to go 18 miles into Syrian territory, and eventually to occupy a corridor along the border. The commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had stated that the SDF would resist, and fighting has escalated. The launch of the operation followed an October 6 call between President Donald Trump and Erdogan, after which the White House announced that Turkey would 'soon be moving forward with its long-planned operation into Northern Syria,' and that U.S. forces would 'no longer be in the immediate area.' Some Members of Congress then argued that a 'precipitous withdrawal' of U.S. forces would benefit Russia, Iran, the Islamic State, and the Syrian regime."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humud, Carla E.; Thomas, Clayton; Zanotti, Jim
2019-10-11
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Overtime Exemptions in the Fair Labor Standards Act for White-Collar Employees: Frequently Asked Questions [Updated October 11, 2019]
From the Document; "The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), enacted in 1938, is the main federal law that establishes general wage and hour standards for most, but not all, private and public sector employees. Among other protections, the FLSA establishes that covered nonexempt employees must be compensated at one-and-a-half times their regular rate of pay for each hour worked over 40 hours in a workweek. [...] This report answers frequently asked questions about the overtime provisions of the FLSA, the EAP [employee assistance program] exemptions, and the 2019 final rule that defines and delimits the EAP exemptions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bradley, David H.
2019-10-11
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Open Skies Treaty: Background and Issues [Updated October 11, 2019]
From the Document: "The United States, Canada, and 22 European nations signed the Treaty on Open Skies on March 24, 1992. It entered into force on January 1, 2002, and now has 34 members. Each participant must permit unarmed observation aircraft to fly over its entire territory to observe military forces and activities. The treaty is designed to increase transparency, build confidence, and encourage cooperation among European nations. The parties to the Open Skies Treaty have conducted 1,500 flights through early October 2019. Some parties provide their own aircraft, but the parties can also join on overflights on aircraft provided by other nations. Both the observing nation and observed nation have access to the data from each flight; other parties can purchase copies of the data, so all can share information collected during all flights. The United States and Russia have both conducted numerous observation flights over the other's territory, although, according to the State Department, the United States conducted nearly three times as many flights over Russia as Russia did over the United States. Further, the parties can invite flights over their territories in special circumstances, as Ukraine did in 2014, when Open Skies flights helped monitor activities along the Ukraine-Russian border."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Woolf, Amy F.
2019-10-11
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Supreme Court Considers Sex Discrimination Claims by Gay and Transgender Workers [October 11, 2019]
From the Document: "On October 8, 2019, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in 'Altitude Express, Inc. v. Zarda, Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia', and 'R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes, Inc. (Harris Homes) v. EEOC', a trio of cases in which the Court is considering for the first time whether the prohibition of employment discrimination 'because of . . . sex' in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) encompasses discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. This Sidebar provides an overview of 'Altitude Express, Bostock, and Harris Homes' for Congress. The Sidebar first outlines select Supreme Court precedent interpreting Title VII's prohibition on sex-based discrimination, then summarizes the facts and arguments in the current cases. The Sidebar concludes by discussing the potential implications of the cases, including key considerations for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lampe, Joanna R.
2019-10-11
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Apportionment and Redistricting Process for the U.S. House of Representatives [October 10, 2019]
From the Document: "The census, apportionment, and redistricting are interrelated activities that affect representation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressional apportionment (or reapportionment) is the process of dividing seats for the House among the 50 states following the decennial census. Redistricting refers to the process that follows, in which states create new congressional districts or redraw existing district boundaries to adjust for population changes and/or changes in the number of House seats for the state. At times, Congress has passed or considered legislation addressing apportionment and redistricting processes under its broad authority to make law affecting House elections under Article I, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution. These processes are all rooted in provisions in Article I, Section 2 (as amended by Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Eckman, Sarah J.
2019-10-10
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Army's Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated October 10, 2019]
From the Document: "In June 2018, in part due to congressional concerns, the Army announced a new modernization strategy and designated the Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) as the program to replace the M-2 Bradley. In October 2018, Army leadership decided to redesignate the NGCV as the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) and to add additional vehicle programs to what would be called the NGCV Program. The M-2 Bradley, which has been in service since 1981, is an Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) used to transport infantry on the battlefield and provide fire support to dismounted troops and suppress or destroy enemy fighting vehicles. Updated numerous times since its introduction, the M-2 Bradley is widely considered to have reached the technological limits of its capacity to accommodate new electronics, armor, and defense systems. Two past efforts to replace the M-2 Bradley--the Future Combat System (FCS) Program and the Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) Program--were cancelled for programmatic and cost-associated reasons."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Feickert, Andrew
2019-10-10
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Argentina's Economic Crisis [Updated October 10, 2019]
From the Document: "Argentina is grappling with a serious economic crisis. Its currency, the peso, has lost two-thirds of its value since 2018; inflation is hovering around 30%; and since 2015 the economy has contracted by about 4% and its external debt has increased by 60%. In June 2018, the Argentine government turned to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for support and currently has a $57 billion IMF program, the largest program (in dollar terms) in IMF history. Despite these resources, the government in late August and early September 2019 postponed payments on some of its debts and imposed currency controls. The outcome of the presidential election on October 27, 2019, which pits current center-right President Mauricio Macri against the center-left Peronist ticket of Alberto Fernández for president and former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner for vice president, will shape Argentina's policy response to the economic crisis."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nelson, Rebecca M.
2019-10-10
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Caribbean Basin Security Initiative [Updated October 10, 2019]
From the Document: "In 2009, the United States developed the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), a regional U.S. foreign assistance program, through a process of dialogue with Caribbean countries. The initiative seeks to reduce illicit trafficking in the region, advance public safety and security, and promote social justice. Because of their geographic location, many Caribbean nations are vulnerable to being used as transit countries for illicit drugs from South America destined for the U.S. and European markets. Strengthened U.S. counternarcotics cooperation with Mexico and Central America--through the Mérida Initiative and the Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI)--led U.S. policymakers to anticipate a potential increase in narcotics trafficking through the Caribbean. Many Caribbean countries have also suffered high rates of violent crime, including murder, often associated with drug trafficking activities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.
2019-10-10
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Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated October 10, 2019]
From the Summary: "The Navy began procuring Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class destroyers, also known as Aegis destroyers, in FY1985, and a total of 82 have been procured through FY2019. The Navy's proposed FY2020 budget requests funding for the procurement of three more DDG-51s, which would be the 83rd, 84th, and 85th ships in the class. DDG-51s planned for procurement in FY2018-FY2022 are being procured under a multiyear procurement (MYP) contract that Congress approved as part of its action on the Navy's FY2018 budget. DDG-51s procured in FY2017 and subsequent years are being built to a new design (the Flight III DDG-51 design), which incorporates a new and more capable radar called the Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) or SPY-6 radar."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2019-10-10
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Impeachment Process in the House of Representatives [Updated October 10, 2019]
From the Document: "Under the U.S. Constitution, the House of Representatives has the power to formally charge a federal officer with wrongdoing, a process known as impeachment. The House impeaches an individual when a majority agrees to a House resolution containing explanations of the charges. The explanations in the resolution are referred to as 'articles of impeachment.' After the House agrees to impeach an officer, the role of the Senate is to conduct a trial to determine whether the charged individual should be removed from office. Removal requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate. The House impeachment process generally proceeds in three phases: (1) initiation of the impeachment process; (2) Judiciary Committee investigation, hearings, and markup of articles of impeachment; and (3) full House consideration of the articles of impeachment."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rybicki, Elizabeth; Greene, Michael
2019-10-10
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U.S. Offshore Aquaculture Regulation and Development [October 10, 2019]
From the Introduction: "This report examines issues and challenges related to the development of offshore aquaculture in federal waters. It introduces the topic with background information that covers aquaculture production and methods, federal agencies involved in aquaculture, and potential congressional interest in the topic. It then focuses on three of the main challenges faced by the industry, including the current regulatory framework, environmental concerns, and economic viability. The report concludes with issues related to regulatory and institutional development that have been identified by researchers and stakeholders, potential issues for Congress, and a summary of legislation that has been introduced in recent Congresses."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Upton, Harold F. (Harold Frank)
2019-10-10
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Global Trends in HIV/AIDS [Updated October 10, 2019]
From the Document: "According to the Joint U.N. Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), more than 75 million people have been infected with the HIV virus since 1996, when the pandemic began. At the end of 2018, 38 million people were living with HIV/AIDS, including 2.1 million children younger than 15 years. The same year, 770,000 people died of HIV-related illnesses, and 1.7 million people were newly infected with HIV. Globally, an estimated one out of four people infected with HIV do not know they have it. In 2018, an estimated 79% of people living with HIV knew their status."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tharakan, Sara M.
2019-10-10
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Health Care for Veterans: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions [Updated October 10, 2019]
From the Document: "The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), operates one of the nation's largest integrated health care delivery systems. The VHA estimates that, in FY2020, it would provide care to about 6.29 million unique veteran patients, employing a staff of about 343,000 full-time equivalent employees, with an appropriation request of approximately $80.93 billion. VA health care is a discretionary program; therefore, the provision of health care is dependent on available appropriations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Panangala, Sidath Viranga; Sussman, Jared S.
2019-10-10
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'Mathena v. Malvo'--A Challenge to Life Without Parole for the Juvenile D.C. Sniper [October 10, 2019]
From the Document: "On October 16, 2019, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral argument in 'Mathena v. Malvo.' 'Mathena' may be of general interest in the D.C. area because it involves a challenge to the criminal sentence of Lee Boyd Malvo, one of the Beltway snipers. But the case also raises a novel legal question concerning the scope of 'Miller v. Alabama' and 'Montgomery v. Louisiana,' in which the Supreme Court held that the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment limits the circumstances where juvenile offenders may be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. This Sidebar first surveys key Eighth Amendment jurisprudence relevant to 'Mathena,' before providing background on the case and outlining the parties' arguments before the Supreme Court. The Sidebar concludes by discussing possible outcomes in the case and their implications for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lampe, Joanna R.
2019-10-10
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Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Federal Civil Service Annuities [Updated October 10, 2019]
From the Summary: "Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) are based on the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). COLAs for both CSRS and FERS are determined by the average monthly CPI-W during the third quarter (July to September) of the current calendar year and the third quarter of the base year, which is the last previous year in which a COLA was applied. The 'effective date' for COLAs is December, but they first appear in the benefits issued during the following January."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Isaacs, Katelin P., 1980-
2019-10-10
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Navy Frigate (FFG[X]) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated October 10, 2019]
From the Summary: "The FFG(X) [multimission guided-missile frigate] program is a Navy program to build a class of 20 guided-missile frigates (FFGs). The Navy wants to procure the first FFG(X) in FY2020, the next 18 at a rate of two per year in FY2021-FY2029, and the 20th in FY2030. The Navy's proposed FY2020 budget requests $1,281.2 million for the procurement of the first FFG(X). The Navy's FY2020 budget submission shows that subsequent ships in the class are estimated by the Navy to cost roughly $900 million each in then-year dollars."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2019-10-10
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Navy LPD-17 Flight II and LHA Amphibious Ship Programs: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated October 10, 2019]
From the Summary: "The Navy wants to procure a total of 13 LPD-17 [USS San Antonio] Flight II amphibious ships. LPD-17 Flight II ships cost roughly $1.8 billion each to procure. The first LPD-17 Flight II ship, LPD-30, was procured in FY2018. As part of its action on the Navy's proposed FY2019 budget, Congress provided $350 million in unrequested advance procurement (AP) funding for a second LPD-17 Flight II ship, LPD-31, to be procured in FY2020. This was consistent with the Navy's FY2019 budget submission, under which LPD-31 was planned for procurement in FY2020 and the remainder of its procurement cost was to be requested in FY2020. The Navy's FY2020 budget submission, however, proposes deferring the procurement of LPD-31 by one year, to FY2021, and the Navy's proposed FY2020 budget, rather than requesting the remainder of LPD-31's procurement cost, instead requests $247.1 million in AP funding for the ship."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2019-10-10
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Nepal [Updated October 10, 2019]
From the Overview: "Nepal faces many challenges as it seeks to develop its economy while consolidating its relatively new democracy. Nepal's status as a poor, relatively small, landlocked buffer state between China and India largely defines the context of its foreign policy. U.S. policy objectives with respect to Nepal include supporting democratic institutions, promoting regional stability and security, alleviating poverty, promoting human rights and sustainable economic growth, and helping build resilience to deal with climate change and natural disasters."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Vaughn, Bruce, 1963-
2019-10-10
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Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress [October 9, 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, or possibly sooner."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2019-10-09
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Controlled Substances Act (CSA): A Legal Overview for the 116th Congress [October 9, 2019]
From the Document: "The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) imposes a unified legal framework to regulate certain drugs--whether medical or recreational, legally or illicitly distributed--that are deemed to pose a risk of abuse and dependence. The CSA does not apply to all drugs. Rather, it applies to specific substances and categories of substances that have been designated for control by Congress or through administrative proceedings. The statute also applies to controlled substance analogues that are intended to mimic the effects of controlled substances and certain precursor chemicals commonly used in the manufacturing of controlled substances. Controlled substances subject to the CSA are divided into categories known as Schedules I through V based on their medical utility and their potential for abuse and dependence. Substances considered to present the greatest risk to the public health and safety are subject to the most stringent controls and sanctions. A lower schedule number corresponds to greater restrictions, so substances in Schedule I are subject to the strictest controls, while substances in Schedule V are subject to the least strict. Most substances subject to the CSA are also subject to other federal or state regulations, including the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lampe, Joanna R.
2019-10-09
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Defense Primer: Ballistic Missile Defense [Updated October 9, 2019]
From the Document: "The United States has been developing and deploying ballistic missile defenses (BMD) to defend against enemy missiles continuously since the late 1940s. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the United States deployed a limited nuclear-tipped BMD system to protect a portion of its U.S. land-based nuclear ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) force in order to preserve a strategic deterrent against a Soviet nuclear attack on the Homeland. That system became active in 1975 but shut down in 1976 because of concerns over cost and effectiveness. In the FY1975 budget, the Army began funding research into hit-to-kill or kinetic energy interceptors as an alternative--the type of interceptor technology dominates U.S. BMD systems today."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McCall, Stephen M.
2019-10-09
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Iran's Nuclear Program: Status [Updated October 9, 2019]
From the Summary: "Iran's nuclear program began during the 1950s. The United States has expressed concern since the mid-1970s that Tehran might develop nuclear weapons. Iran's construction of gas centrifuge uranium enrichment facilities is currently the main source of proliferation concern. Gas centrifuges can produce both low-enriched uranium (LEU), which can be used in nuclear power reactors, and weapons-grade highly enriched uranium (HEU), which is one of the two types of fissile material used in nuclear weapons."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kerr, Paul K.
2019-10-09
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Navy Columbia (SSBN-826) Class Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated October 9, 2019]
From the Summary: "The Columbia (SSBN-826) class program is a program to design and build a class of 12 new ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to replace the Navy's current force of 14 aging Ohio-class SSBNs. The Navy has identified the Columbia-class program as the Navy's top priority program. The Navy wants to procure the first Columbia-class boat in FY2021. Research and development work on the program has been underway for several years, and advance procurement (AP) funding for the program began in FY2017. The Navy's proposed FY2020 budget requests $1,698.9 million in advance procurement (AP) funding and $533.1 million in research and development funding for the program."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2019-10-09
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National Flood Insurance Program Borrowing Authority [Updated October 9, 2019]
From the Document: "This Insight evaluates the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) borrowing authority to receive loans from the Treasury and the current financial situation of the NFIP."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Horn, Diane P.
2019-10-09
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Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated October 9, 2019]
From the Summary: "CVN-78, CVN-79, CVN-80, and CVN-81 are the first four ships in the Navy's new 'Gerald R. Ford' (CVN-78) class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs). CVN-78 ('Gerald R. Ford') was procured in FY2008. The Navy's proposed FY2020 budget estimates the ship's procurement cost at $13,084.0 million (i.e., about $13.1 billion) in then-year dollars. The ship received advance procurement (AP) funding in FY2001-FY2007 and was fully funded in FY2008-FY2011 using congressionally authorized four-year incremental funding. To help cover cost growth on the ship, the ship received an additional $1,394.9 million in FY2014- FY2016 and FY2018 cost-to-complete procurement funding. The ship was delivered to the Navy on May 31, 2017, and was commissioned into service on July 22, 2017. The Navy is currently working to complete construction, testing, and certification of the ship's 11 weapons elevators."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2019-10-09
