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Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) and COVID-19 [Updated January 28, 2021]
From the Summary: "The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not currently have a specific standard that protects health care or other workers from airborne or aerosol transmission of disease or diseases transmitted by airborne droplets. Some in Congress, and some groups representing health care, meat and poultry processing, and other workers, are calling on OSHA to promulgate an emergency temporary standard (ETS) to protect workers from exposure to SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2], the virus that causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) gives OSHA the ability to promulgate an ETS that would remain in effect for up to six months without going through the normal review and comment process of rulemaking. OSHA, however, has rarely used this authority in the past--not since the courts struck down its ETS on asbestos in 1983."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Szymendera, Scott
2021-01-28
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Tracking COVID-19 Vaccines: U.S. Data Systems and Related Issues [January 28, 2021]
From the Document: "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for two Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, sponsored by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, and millions of vaccine doses are being distributed nationwide. Both vaccines require two doses, which are generally not interchangeable. Key to this effort, several existing and new data systems are in use to track, specifically [1] where the vaccines supply is: for example, whether vaccines are in a storage center or at a provider site, through the Vaccine Tracking System (VTrckS); [2] who has received a vaccine: that is, recipients who have received one or both doses of which vaccine, through jurisdiction-based Immunization Information Systems (IIS); and [3] if any new safety issues occur: several monitoring systems aim to identify new safety issues and inform public health recommendations or FDA actions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sekar, Kavya
2021-01-28
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Executive Order 13927 on Economic Recovery from the COVID-19 Emergency and the Endangered Species Act [Updated January 28, 2021]
From the Document: "On June 4, 2020, President Trump issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13927 on 'Accelerating the Nation's Economic Recovery from the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Emergency by Expediting Infrastructure Investments and Other Activities.' The President declared the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency that threatens national security on March 13, 2020 (Proclamation 9994). The E.O. seeks to facilitate the nation's economic recovery from the national emergency by directing selected federal departments and agencies to use emergency and other authorities to expedite regulatory compliance for infrastructure and other projects."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Crafton, R. Eliot; Sheikh, Pervaze A.; Ward, Erin H.
2021-01-28
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Defense Primer: Reserve Forces [Updated January 28, 2021]
From the Document: "The term reserve component (RC) refers collectively to the seven individual reserve components of the Armed Forces. Congress exercises authority over the reserve components under its constitutional authority 'to raise and support Armies,' 'to provide and maintain a Navy,' and 'to provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia.... ' There are seven reserve components: [1] Army National Guard [2] Army Reserve [3] Navy Reserve [4] Marine Corps Reserve [5] Air National Guard [6] Air Force Reserve [7] Coast Guard Reserve[.] The purpose of these seven reserve components, as codified in law, is to 'provide trained units and qualified persons available for active duty in the armed forces, in time of war or national emergency, and at such other times as the national security may require, to fill the needs of the armed forces whenever more units and persons are needed than are in the regular components.' The Army National Guard and the Air National Guard also have an important role under state authority, responding to various emergencies such as disasters and civil disorders."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence
2021-01-28
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Defense Primer: Active Duty Enlisted Recruiting [Updated January 28, 2021]
From the Document: "The Constitution provides Congress with broad powers over the Armed Forces, including the power 'To raise and support Armies' and 'To provide and maintain a Navy.' In the exercise of this authority, Congress has historically shown great interest in military recruiting, which is critical to maintaining a fully manned and capable military workforce. Congress exercises a powerful influence on recruiting through its establishment of personnel end-strength levels for the Active Components and Reserve Components. Higher end-strengths generally require a greater number of new recruits, higher rates of retention among current servicemembers, or some combination of the two. Through its oversight powers, Congress monitors the performance of the executive branch in managing the size and quality of the military workforce. Congress influences the achievement of recruiting goals by the services in a number of ways: [1] authorizing military compensation packages that are competitive with civilian employers (e.g., basic pay, recruiting bonuses, educational and health care benefits); [2] establishing criteria that affect eligibility for enlistment such as age, cognitive, behavioral, and citizenship requirements; and [3] funding recruiting programs that provide for dedicated recruiters, market research, advertising, and military entrance processing stations. The policy levers most commonly used to manage recruiting include varying the number of recruiters, funding for advertising, and funding for enlistment incentives. When recruiting shortfalls occur, or are anticipated, Congress may elect to apply additional resources to these mechanisms. Likewise, when recruiting is expected to be strong, Congress may elect to shift resources away from these areas."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence
2021-01-28
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Palestinians: Overview and Key Issues for U.S. Policy [Updated January 28, 2021]
From the Document: "The Palestinians and their ongoing disputes and interactions with Israel raise significant issues for U.S. policy (see 'Key U.S. Policy Issues' below). After a serious rupture in U.S.- Palestinian relations during the Trump Administration, the Biden Administration has shared intentions to reengage with the Palestinian people and their leaders, resume economic development and humanitarian aid, and preserve the viability of a negotiated two-state solution. However, near-term prospects for diplomatic progress toward Israeli=Palestinian peace reportedly remain dim. Palestinian leaders have lamented some Arab states' normalization of relations with Israel because it could undermine past Arab efforts to link such improvements with addressing Palestinian negotiating demands. Within a complicated legal and political context, U.S. aid to the Palestinians was reduced in 2018 and suspended in early 2019; its future is unclear."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Zanotti, Jim
2021-01-28
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Bolivia: An Overview [Updated January 28, 2021]
From the Document: "Bolivia is a landlocked South American nation of 11.7 million people. From 2006 to 2018, Bolivia became more stable and prosperous under President Evo Morales, its first indigenous president. Bolivia also experienced backsliding in measurements of governance. In November 2019, Morales resigned after an election marred by irregularities and sustained protests. Luis Arce, Morales's former finance minister, took office a year later, after winning 55% of the vote in October 2020 elections in which his Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) also maintained a legislative majority. President Arce faces many challenges, including how to address the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and how to manage relations with the United States. [...] Members of the 116th Congress expressed concerns about the situation in Bolivia in resolutions and letters to the Administration. The Senate approved S.Res. 35 in April 2019, expressing support for democratic principles in Bolivia. S.Res. 447, agreed to in the Senate in January 2020, expressed support for the prompt convening of new elections. [...] Some Members of Congress have congratulated Arce on his victory and expressed hope for improved bilateral relations; others have concerns about the return of a socialist government in Bolivia."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Seelke, Clare Ribando
2021-01-28
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Senior Executive Service: An Overview [January 28, 2021]
From the Document: "The Senior Executive Service (SES) was established by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-454) to provide a government-wide cadre of high-level managers within federal agencies. The SES comprises mostly career appointees who are chosen through a merit staffing process and serve in policy, supervisory, and managerial positions above grade 15 of the General Schedule (GS). Most agencies have SES members, but some agencies are exempted by statute, including government corporations and certain intelligence and financial regulatory agencies. The SES was intended to create a link between the politically appointed leadership of agencies and career civil servants. The SES was to be the solution to frictions caused by sometimes differing objectives that each of these two groups may have, with the focus of political appointees often on instituting programmatic changes in line with the President's policy goals and the focus of career civil servants more on the technical details of program execution. In addition, the creation of the SES was partly intended to ease the transition period for new Presidents and their political appointees by providing incoming administrations with a flexible, responsive set of experienced leaders who could ensure that agencies were running smoothly through the change in leadership and beyond. This In Focus provides a brief overview of the SES, including types of positions, the process for and types of appointments to the SES, and compensation."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Carey, Maeve P.
2021-01-28
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State Minimum Wage Ballot Measures: In Brief [Updated January 28, 2021]
From the Document: "Since 2016, voters in eight states approved ballot measures to increase state minimum wage rates. These and previous ballot measures provide states one way of establishing minimum wage provisions different from those required by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA; P.L. 75-718). The FLSA, enacted in 1938, is the federal legislation that establishes the general minimum wage that must be paid to all covered workers. The Department of Labor (DOL) estimates that more than 130 million workers are subject to the provisions of the FLSA. Since the FLSA established a minimum wage of $0.25 per hour in 1938, Congress has amended the act numerous times, typically to expand coverage or raise the wage rate. Since its establishment, the federal minimum wage rate has been raised 22 separate times, most recently in 2007, when it was increased from $5.15 per hour to its current rate of $7.25 per hour in three steps (the final step occurring in 2009). [...] States generally have three options in setting their minimum wage policies 1. they can set their own minimum wage provisions that differ from those in the FLSA, 2. they can explicitly tie their minimum wage provisions to the FLSA, or 3. they can include no specific minimum wage provisions in state law."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bradley, David H.; Overbay, Abigail R.
2021-01-28
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Submission of the President's Budget in Transition Years [Updated January 28, 2021]
From the Summary: "At the time of a presidential transition, one question commonly asked is whether the outgoing or incoming President submits the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Under past practices, and prior to more recent statutory changes, outgoing Presidents in transition years submitted a budget to Congress just prior to leaving office, and incoming Presidents usually revised them. Six incoming Presidents--Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan--revised their predecessors' budgets shortly after taking office. Two Presidents during this period, Lyndon Johnson and George H. W. Bush, chose not to do so. The deadline for submission of the President's budget, which has been changed several times over the years, was most recently set in 1990 as 'on or after the first Monday in January but not later than the first Monday in February of each year.' The change made it possible for an outgoing President, whose term ends on January 20, to leave the annual budget submission to his successor. The five outgoing Presidents since the 1990 change--George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump--exercised this option. Accordingly, the budget was submitted in 1993, 2001, 2009, and 2017 by the four incoming Presidents (Bill Clinton for FY1994, George W. Bush for FY2002, Barack Obama for FY2010, and Donald Trump for FY2018). As of this writing, President Joe Biden has not yet reached the statutory deadline for submission of the FY2022 budget."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Christensen, Michelle D.
2021-01-28
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Emoluments Clauses of the U.S. Constitution [Updated January 27, 2021]
From the Document: "Litigation during the Trump Administration 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 litigation against former President Donald Trump based on his alleged violations of the Emoluments Clauses."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hickey, Kevin J.; Foster, Michael A. (Legislative attorney)
2021-01-27
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European Parliament and U.S. Interests [Updated January 27, 2021]
From the Document: "The European Parliament (EP) is the only directly elected institution of the 27-country European Union (EU). The EP's 705 members represent the EU's roughly 445 million citizens. The most recent EP elections were in May 2019. The EP has accumulated more power over time as part of EU efforts to improve democratic accountability and transparency in EU policymaking. Enhanced powers since the 2009 Lisbon Treaty have made the EP a more important actor on several issues of U.S. concern, including trade, data privacy, and counterterrorism. Congress-EP ties are long-standing, and Congress may be interested in EP activities given the EP's potential to influence key aspects of U.S.-EU relations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Archick, Kristin
2021-01-27
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Renewed Great Power Competition: Implications for Defense--issues for Congress [Updated January 27, 2021]
From the Summary: "The renewal of great power competition was acknowledged alongside other considerations in the Obama Administration's June 2015 National Military Strategy, and was placed at the center of the Trump Administration's December 2017 National Security Strategy (NSS) and January 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS). The December 2017 NSS and January 2018 NDS formally reoriented U.S. national security strategy and U.S. defense strategy toward an explicit primary focus on great power competition with China and Russia. Department of Defense (DOD) officials subsequently identified countering China's military capabilities as DOD's top priority."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2021-01-27
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China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities--Background and Issues for Congress [Updated January 27, 2021]
From the Summary: "In an era of renewed great power competition, China's military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort, has become the top focus of U.S. defense planning and budgeting. China's navy, which China has been steadily modernizing for more than 25 years, since the early to mid-1990s, has become a formidable military force within China's near-seas region[.] [...] The U.S. Navy in recent years has taken a number of actions to counter China's naval modernization effort. Among other things, the U.S. Navy has shifted a greater percentage of its fleet to the Pacific; assigned its most-capable new ships and aircraft and its best personnel to the Pacific; maintained or increased general presence operations, training and developmental exercises, and engagement and cooperation with allied and other navies in the Indo-Pacific; increased the planned future size of the Navy; initiated, increased, or accelerated numerous programs for developing new military technologies and acquiring new ships, aircraft, unmanned vehicles, and weapons; begun development of new operational concepts [...] for countering Chinese maritime A2/AD [anti-access/area denial] forces; and signaled that the Navy in coming years will shift to a more-distributed fleet architecture that will feature a smaller portion of larger ships, a larger portion of smaller ships, and a substantially greater use of unmanned vehicles. The issue for Congress is whether the U.S. Navy is responding appropriately to China's naval modernization effort."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2021-01-27
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Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies: History, Membership, and Inaugural Activities [Updated January 27, 2021]
From the Summary: "Every four years, at noon on January 20, the President-elect is sworn in as President of the United States. The year before the inauguration, Congress establishes the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. The Joint Inaugural Committee is responsible for the planning and execution of the swearing-in ceremony and hosting an inaugural luncheon for the President and Vice President at the U.S. Capitol. In recent years, the inaugural ceremony has been held at the U.S. Capitol, with the swearing-in ceremony on the West Front Steps and special events typically held in the Rotunda and Emancipation Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center. The tradition of authorizing a Joint Inaugural Committee dates to 1901 for the inauguration of President William McKinley. At that time, the House and Senate authorized that inaugural expenses be paid by the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate and created a committee of three Representatives and three Senators appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House. Since 1901, the Joint Inaugural Committee has been authorized quadrennially. [...] This report provides historical information on the Joint Inaugural Committee, including the committee's origin, membership, leadership, staffing, and inaugural activities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Straus, Jacob R.
2021-01-27
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Biden Administration Extends the Pause on Federal Student Loan Payments: Legal Considerations for Congress [January 27, 2021]
From the Document: "Last year, both the Trump Administration and the 116th Congress granted temporary relief to certain student loan borrowers in response to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. On the first day of his presidency, President Joe Biden requested that the Department of Education (ED) extend the duration of this relief. This Legal Sidebar analyzes the asserted statutory bases for these relief measures and identifies pertinent legal considerations for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lewis, Kevin M.; Liu, Edward C.
2021-01-27
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Federal Building and Facility Security: Frequently Asked Questions [Updated January 27, 2021]
From the Summary: "The security of federal government buildings and facilities affects not only the daily operations of the federal government but also the health, well-being, and safety of federal employees and the public. The approach to federal building and facility security is decentralized and numerous federal entities are involved. The federal government is tasked with securing over 113,000 buildings or facilities daily. The recent breach of U.S. Capitol security on January 6, 2021, has refocused the federal government's attention on building security activities. This renewed attention has raised a number of frequently asked questions. This report answers the six most common questions regarding federal building and facility security: [1] What is federal facility security? [2] Who is responsible for federal facility security? [3] Is there a national standard for federal facility security? [4] What are the types of threats to federal facilities, employees, and the visiting public? [5] How is threat information communicated among federal facility security stakeholders? [6] What are the potential congressional issues associated with federal facility security? Currently, Congress and federal law enforcement entities are conducting investigations into the breach of the U.S. Capitol security on January 6, 2021. Congress has previously taken an interest in federal facility security following the September 2001 terrorist attacks, the September 2013 Washington Navy Yard shootings, and the April 2014 Fort Hood shootings."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Reese, Shawn
2021-01-27
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Use of the Capitol Rotunda, Capitol Grounds, and Emancipation Hall: Concurrent Resolutions, 101st to 116th Congresses [Updated January 27, 2021]
From the Document: "The Capitol Rotunda and the Capitol Grounds have been used as the setting for a variety of events, ranging from memorial ceremonies and the reception of foreign dignitaries to the presentation of awards and the hosting of public competitions. This report identifies and categorizes uses of the Capitol Rotunda and Capitol Grounds authorized by concurrent resolutions since the 101st Congress. In most cases, use of the Capitol Rotunda requires a concurrent resolution agreed to by both the House and Senate. A concurrent resolution for the use of the Rotunda typically identifies the event and date for which use is authorized. Often, the resolution also directs physical preparations to be carried out under the supervision of the Architect of the Capitol."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Straus, Jacob R.
2021-01-27
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Venezuela: Political Crisis and U.S. Policy [Updated January 27, 2021]
From the Document: "Venezuela remains in a deep crisis under the authoritarian rule of Nicolás Maduro of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Maduro, narrowly elected in 2013 after the death of President Hugo Chávez (1999-2013), began a second term in January 2019 that is widely considered illegitimate. Despite U.S. and international pressure to leave office, Maduro remains firmly in power. His party now controls a de facto National Assembly seated on January 5, 2021. Since January 2019, the United States has recognized Juan Guaidó, president of the democratically elected, opposition controlled National Assembly elected in December 2015, as interim president. Guaidó, once recognized as Venezuela's leader by more than 55 countries, has been losing international and Venezuelan domestic support. Although the Biden Administration and many in Congress support Guaidó, some are calling for a new strategy for Venezuela."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Seelke, Clare Ribando
2021-01-27
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U.S. International Investment Agreements (IIAs) [Updated January 27, 2021]
From the Background: "The United States, a major source of, and destination for, foreign direct investment (FDI), is party to binding international investment agreements (IIAs) with over 50 countries. Taking the form of bilateral investment treaties (BITs) and investment chapters in free trade agreements (FTAs), these IIAs reduce FDI restrictions, ensure nondiscriminatory treatment of both investors and investment, and balance investment protections against other policy interests (such as safeguarding a host government's right to regulate in the public interest). While some World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements address investment issues in a limited manner, IIAs have been the primary tools for promoting investment and protecting investors. As of January 2021, more than 3,300 IIAs were concluded globally--forming a complex, overlapping network of investment rules."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Weiss, Martin A.; Akhtar, Shayerah Ilias
2021-01-27
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Social Media: Misinformation and Content Moderation Issues for Congress [January 27, 2021]
From the Summary: "Some Members of Congress are concerned about the spread of misinformation (i.e., incorrect or inaccurate information) on social media platforms and are exploring how it can be addressed by companies that operate social media sites. Other Members are concerned that social media operators' content moderation practices may suppress speech. Both perspectives have focused on Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. §230), enacted as part of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which broadly protects operators of 'interactive computer services' from liability for publishing, removing, or restricting access to another's content. [...] Social media operators may moderate the content posted on their sites by allowing certain posts and not others. [...] However, operators' content moderation practices have created unease that these companies play an outsized role in determining what speech is allowed on their sites, with some commentators stating that operators are infringing on users' First Amendment rights by censoring speech. [...] Congress may wish to consider the roles of the public and private sector in addressing misinformation, including who defines what constitutes misinformation. If Congress determines that action to address the spread of misinformation through social media is necessary, its options may be limited by the reality that regulation, policies, or incentives to affect one category of information may affect others. Congress may consider the First Amendment implications of potential legislative actions. Any effort to address this issue may have unintended legal, social, and economic consequences that may be difficult to foresee."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gallo, Jason A.; Cho, Clare Y.
2021-01-27
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Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and Its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape [Updated January 27, 2021]
From the Summary: "The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent federal agency established by the Communications Act of 1934 (1934 Act, or 'Communications Act'). The agency is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. The mission of the FCC is to make available for all people of the United States, 'without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex, a rapid, efficient, Nationwide, and worldwide wire and radio communication service with adequate facilities at reasonable charges.' The FCC operates under a public interest mandate first laid out in the 1927 Radio Act (P.L. 632, 69th Congress), but how this mandate is applied depends on how 'the public interest' is interpreted. Some regulators seek to protect and benefit the public at large through regulation, while others seek to achieve the same goals through the promotion of market efficiency. Additionally, Congress granted the FCC wide latitude and flexibility to revise its interpretation of the public interest standard to reflect changing circumstances and the agency has not defined it in more concrete terms. These circumstances, paired with changes in FCC leadership, have led to significant changes over time in how the FCC regulates the broadcast and telecommunications industries."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Figliola, Patricia Moloney
2021-01-27
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Too Small to Collect Big Data: Financial Inclusion Implications [January 27, 2021]
From the Document: "Congress has demonstrated an ongoing interest in promoting financial inclusion (i.e., increasing the access of traditionally underserved populations and markets to affordable financial services and products). The concept of financial inclusion has evolved to include the adoption of digital technologies, which can enhance the effectiveness of 'regtech'--the use of technology by both regulators and regulated entities to facilitate compliance with applicable regulations and policy objectives. While regtech can be used to monitor prudential financial (e.g., credit, liquidity, interest rate) risks, it can also be deployed to analyze the circulation of financial products and services, thus monitoring the breadth of inclusiveness. Regtech relies upon collecting and organizing digital data, which may be costly for certain institutions--especially those that serve predominantly customers facing appreciable financial challenges."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Getter, Darryl E.
2021-01-27
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Is Mandatory Detention of Unlawful Entrants Seeking Asylum Constitutional? [Updated January 27, 2021]
From the Document: "Non-U.S. nationals (aliens) apprehended by immigration authorities when attempting to unlawfully enter the United States are generally subject to a streamlined, expedited removal process, but may be placed in 'formal' removal proceedings and pursue asylum claims if found to have a credible fear of persecution. In 2019, Attorney General (AG) William Barr, who had power to review adjudicatory decisions of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), the highest administrative body responsible for interpreting immigration laws, concluded in 'Matter of M-S-' that federal law requires the continued detention of aliens screened for expedited removal who are transferred to formal removal proceedings pending adjudication of their asylum claims. (Additional discussion of the AG's decision can be found here.) Later that year, a federal district court held in 'Padilla v. ICE [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]' that this mandatory detention scheme 'violates the U.S. Constitution' because it denies aliens who have entered the United States the opportunity to seek their release on bond. This ruling was largely affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in March 2020, but the reasoning of these decisions--at least when applied to aliens apprehended shortly after arriving in the United States--may be in tension with the Supreme Court's ruling in 'DHS v. Thuraissigiam', decided a few months later. In 'Thuraissigiam', the Court recognized that aliens seeking initial entry to the United States, including those apprehended just within the border, have limited constitutional protections. Ultimately, in the 'Padilla' case, the Supreme Court vacated the Ninth Circuit's decision and remanded the case for further consideration in light of 'Thuraissigiam'. As a result, immigration authorities may, for the time being, detain unlawful entrants transferred to formal removal proceedings for consideration of their asylum applications without a bond hearing."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Smith, Hillel R.
2021-01-27
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Israel: Background and U.S. Relations in Brief [Updated January 27, 2021]
From the Introduction: "Israel [...] has forged close bilateral cooperation with the United States in many areas; issues with significant implications for U.S.-Israel relations include the following. [1] Israeli domestic political issues, including an election scheduled for March 2021 and an ongoing criminal trial against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. [2] Israel's security cooperation with the United States. [3] Israeli-Palestinian issues and Israel's normalization of relations with various Arab states. [4] Concerns about Iran's nuclear program and regional influence, including with Lebanon-based Hezbollah, Syria, and Iraq. [5] Chinese investment in Israeli companies and infrastructure, and U.S. concerns about implications for U.S. national security."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Zanotti, Jim
2021-01-27
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Unemployment Insurance: Legislative Issues in the 116th Congress [Updated January 27, 2021]
From the Summary: "Responding to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting economic recession, the 116th Congress created several new temporary unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for workers unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as temporarily modified permanent UI programs. On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed P.L. 116-127 (H.R. 6201), the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The UI provisions provided various types of assistance to states, including up to $1 billion in emergency administrative grant funding in calendar year 2020. This law also provided federal funding for the first week of Unemployment Compensation (UC) through December 2020, if the state suspended or does not have a waiting week in its regular UC program."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Whittaker, Julie M.; Isaacs, Katelin P., 1980-
2021-01-27
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Federal Eviction Moratoriums in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic [Updated January 26, 2021]
From the Document: "On September 4, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) imposed a nationwide temporary federal moratorium on residential evictions due to nonpayment of rent. The stated purpose of the order is preventing the further spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), specifically by preventing homelessness and overcrowded housing conditions resulting from eviction. The action, which followed an Executive Order directing the CDC to consider such a measure, is unprecedented, both in terms of the federal reach into what is traditionally state and local governance of landlord-tenant law and its use of a public health authority for this purpose. The national eviction moratorium took effect less than two weeks after the expiration of a different and narrower set of eviction protections established by the CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act (§4024). This Insight compares the two eviction moratoriums across several key features and ends with a review of implementation issues raised by the CDC moratorium."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McCarty, Maggie; Perl, Libby
2021-01-26
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Latin America and the Caribbean: U.S. Policy Overview [Updated January 26, 2021]
From the Document: "U.S. interests in Latin America and the Caribbean are diverse and include economic, political, security, and humanitarian concerns. Geographic proximity has ensured strong economic linkages between the United States and the region, with the United States a major trading partner and source of foreign investment for many countries. Free-trade agreements (FTAs) have augmented U.S. economic relations with 11 countries in the region. The Western Hemisphere is a large source of U.S. immigration, both legal and illegal; with proximity and economic and security conditions the major factors driving migration trends."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.
2021-01-26
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Navy DDG(X) Future Large Surface Combatant Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated January 26, 2021]
From the Introduction: "The Navy's DDG(X) program, also known as the Future Large Surface Combatant program or DDG Next program, envisages procuring a class of next-generation guided-missile destroyers (DDGs) to replace the Navy's aging Ticonderoga (CG-47) class Aegis cruisers. The Navy wants to procure the first DDG(X) around FY2028, although that date could change. The Navy's proposed FY2021 budget requested $46.5 million in research and development (R&D) funding for the program in one R&D line item and some additional funding for the program in another R&D line item. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's FY2022 funding request and emerging acquisition strategy for the program. Congress's decisions on this issue could affect future Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2021-01-26
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Nonimmigrant and Immigrant Visa Categories: Data Brief Updated [January 26, 2021]
From the Introduction: "Congress has expressed interest in the visa categories by which foreign nationals may enter or be present in the United States. U.S. immigration policy is governed largely by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which was first codified in 1952 and has been amended significantly several times since. The United States has long distinguished temporary immigration from permanent immigration. Temporary immigration occurs through the admission of visitors for specific purposes and limited periods of time, and encompasses two dozen categories (which are commonly referred to by the letter and numeral that denote their subparagraph in the INA). Permanent immigration occurs through family- and employer -sponsored categories, the diversity immigrant visa lottery, and refugee and asylee admissions. This brief report provides the following information: [1] a list of nonimmigrant (i.e., temporary) visa categories and lawful permanent resident (LPR) categories, [2] a description of each category, [3] the allowed duration of stay in the United States for each nonimmigrant visa category, [4] the annual numeric limit (or 'cap') for each nonimmigrant and LPR category, and [5] the number of visas that were issued/individuals obtaining LPR status for each category in the most recent year for which data are available."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wilson, Jill, 1974-
2021-01-26
