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Appropriations for FY2005: Department of Homeland Security [Updated September 20, 2004]
From the Summary: "This report describes the FY2005 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It summarizes the President's FY2005 budget request for DHS programs submitted to Congress February 2, 2004, the amounts provided in H.R. 4567 (approved by the House June 18, 2004), and the amounts provided in H.R. 4567 (approved in the Senate on September 14, 2004 in lieu of S. 2537). The report includes tables that compare the FY2004 appropriations for the programs and activities of DHS, the President's FY2005 request, the congressional response to the request. The President's FY2005 Budget requests total appropriations of $32.6 billion for DHS. This represents a 7.7% increase over the FY2004 enacted amount of $30.3 billion. H.R. 4567 and S. 2567 recommend a total appropriation of $33.1 billion representing an increase of $500 million compared to the request, and a 9.2% increase compared to the FY2004 enacted level."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lake, Jennifer E.; Nunez-Neto, Blas
2004-09-20
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Defense Cleanup and Environmental Programs: Authorization and Appropriations for FY2005 [Updated September 17, 2004]
From the Summary: "The Department of Defense (DOD) administers five environmental programs in response to various requirements under federal environmental laws. These programs include environmental cleanup, environmental compliance, pollution prevention, environmental technology, and conservation. The Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for managing defense nuclear waste and cleaning up contaminated nuclear weapons sites. In the second session of the 108th Congress, the most controversial environmental issues have been: whether to provide further exemptions for military readiness activities from certain air quality and environmental cleanup requirements, and whether to provide DOE with the authority to classify certain high-level radioactive wastes at former nuclear weapons sites in a manner that would permit these wastes to be permanently disposed of on-site in Washington, Idaho, and South Carolina. [...] This report will be updated as developments warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bearden, David M.
2004-09-17
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'Spam': An Overview of Issues Concerning Commercial Electronic Mail [Updated September 16, 2004]
"Spam, also called unsolicited commercial email (UCE) or 'junk email,' aggravates many computer users. Not only can spam be a nuisance, but its cost may be passed on to consumers through higher charges from Internet service providers who must upgrade their systems to handle the traffic. Also, some spam involves fraud, or includes adult-oriented material that offends recipients or that parents want to protect their children from seeing. Proponents of UCE insist it is a legitimate marketing technique that is protected by the First Amendment, and that some consumers want to receive such solicitations. On December 16, 2003, President Bush signed into law the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act, P.L. 108-187. It went into effect on January 1, 2004. The CAN-SPAM Act does not ban UCE. Rather, it allows marketers to send commercial email as long as it conforms with the law, such as including a legitimate opportunity for consumers to 'opt-out' of receiving future commercial emails from that sender...Proponents of the law argue that consumers are most irritated by fraudulent email, and that the law should reduce the volume of such email because of the civil and criminal penalties included therein. Opponents counter that consumers object to unsolicited commercial email, and since the law legitimizes commercial email (as long as it conforms with the law's provisions), consumers actually may receive more, not fewer, UCE messages. Thus, whether or not 'spam' is reduced depends in part on whether it is defined as only fraudulent commercial email, or all unsolicited commercial email."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Smith, Marcia S.
2004-09-16
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Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses [Updated September 15, 2004]
"To date, the Bush Administration has generally continued the Iran policies of previous administrations by attempting to contain Iran while pursuing limited engagement with it. However, some experts believe a crisis is looming over Iran's nuclear program, and the Bush Administration is pushing for U.N. Security Council consideration of economic or other sanctions against the country. Should the Administration not win approval of such measures, or should sanctions fail to curb Iran's nuclear program, there are some indications that the Administration might consider new options, such as regime change or even some form of military action. U.S. sanctions currently in effect ban or strictly limit U.S. trade, aid, and investment in Iran and penalize foreign firms that invest in Iran's energy sector. Unilateral U.S. sanctions do not appear to have significantly slowed Iran's WMD programs to date. Iran was quietly helpful in the U.S. effort to oust Iraq's Saddam Hussein, a longtime Tehran adversary, although Iran reportedly is supporting Shiite Islamic factions there that do not espouse most Western values. There are some indications that Iran might be shifting some of its support to radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al Sadr, whose Mahdi militia has challenged U.S. forces and the Iraqi government since April 2004."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2004-09-15
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Unauthorized Aliens in the United States: Estimates Since 1986 [September 15, 2004]
"This report presents data estimating the number of unauthorized aliens who have been living in the United States since 1986. There have been a variety of estimates of the unauthorized resident alien population over this period, sometimes with substantially different results. This report is limited to data analysis of the Current Population Survey (CPS) conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Labor Statistics so that there is a basic standard of comparison over time."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wasem, Ruth Ellen
2004-09-15
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Paleontological Resources Preservation Act: Proposal for the Management and Protection of Fossil Resources Located on Federal Lands [September 14, 2004]
From the Summary: "Approximately 30% of the land in the United States is under the control of federal land managers. Much of this public land is rich in paleontological [fossil] resources. Concern has been expressed over the management, conservation, and protection of these resources. There is no comprehensive statute or management policy for the protection or management of fossils located on federal lands. Federal authority for the management of such resources may be derived from a number of general statutes relating to the protection of public properties. The applicability of some of these statutes, such as the Antiquities Act and the Archeological Resources Protection Act, is uncertain or limited. General authority for fossil protection also may be derived from general criminal theft statutes dealing with the theft of government property and from certain site-specific statutes. There may also be certain regulatory authority which is provided by the statutes governing each agency's operations. […] Legislative activity concerning the protection of fossils located on federal lands has occurred in both the 107th and 108th Congresses. There have been two types of legislation: one type deals with specific fossil resources at a particular location; the other type provides comprehensive management and protection authority for fossils located on federal lands. In the 108th Congress, the Senate passed S. 546, the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act. The bill has been referred to two House committees. H.R. 2416, a similar bill, has been introduced in the House. The two bills provide a comprehensive approach to the management of fossils on federal lands, providing uniform definitions, public programs, specific prohibitions, permit procedures, and civil and criminal penalties. The bills would not modify the general mining or reclamation laws, or apply to lands other than federal lands."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Weimer, Douglas Reid
2004-09-14
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Internet Privacy: Overview and Pending Legislation [Updated September 14, 2004]
"The debate over website information policies concerns whether industry self regulation or legislation is the best approach to protecting consumer privacy. Congress has considered legislation that would require commercial website operators to follow certain fair information practices, but none has passed. Legislation has passed, however, regarding information practices for federal government websites e.g, the E-Government Act (P.L. 107-347). Meanwhile, controversy is rising about how to protect computer users from spyware without creating unintended consequences. Spyware is not well defined, but generally includes software emplaced on a computer without the user's knowledge that takes control of the computer away from the user, such as by redirecting the computer to unintended websites, causing advertisements to appear, or collecting information and transmitting it to another person. Four spyware bills are pending; two have been reported or ordered reported from committee (H.R. 2929 and H.R. 4661). This report provides an overview of Internet privacy, tracks Internet privacy legislation pending before the 108th Congress, and describes the laws that were enacted in the 107th Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Smith, Marcia S.
2004-09-14
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Genocide: Legal Precedent Surrounding the Definition of the Crime [September 14, 2004]
"The current situation in Darfur, Sudan, and the surrounding debate over whether the Sudanese government's actions constitute genocide or ethnic cleansing provides the impetus for this report. This report presents a brief historical background on the U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention), its ratification and implementation by the United States, and its incorporation into the Rome Statute creating an International Criminal Court (ICC). Decisions from the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and Rwanda (ICTR) are analyzed to help determine when charges of genocide have been found to be legitimate. For legal purposes, genocide is a highly specific offense, and to be liable for it an actor must commit certain acts against a designated group with an intent to destroy the group, in whole or in part. Accordingly, a number of serious human rights atrocities, such as the mass extermination of a civilian population, might not constitute genocidal acts in certain circumstances, though they may nevertheless constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Garcia, Michael John; Derenzo, Judith
2004-09-14
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European Views and Policies Toward the Middle East [Updated September 14, 2004]
"Managing policy differences on a range of issues emanating from the Middle East poses serious challenges for the United States and its European allies and friends. The most vitriolic dispute has centered on the U.S. decision to use force to oust Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. However, divisions over how best to approach the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, manage Iran, and combat terrorism also persist. The Bush Administration and Members of Congress are concerned that continued disagreements between the two sides of the Atlantic could both constrain U.S. policy choices in the region and erode the broader transatlantic relationship and counterterrorism cooperation over the longer term. The U.S.-initiated Broader Middle East and North Africa partnership project, unveiled at the June 2004 G8 Summit, seeks to encourage reforms in the region and U.S.-European cooperation in tackling Mideast problems. This initiative was welcomed by the 9/11 Commission, which recommended that the United States 'should engage other nations in developing a comprehensive coalition strategy against Islamist terrorism.' How deep and lasting the clash over Iraq and subsequent Middle East policies will be to transatlantic relations will likely depend on several factors, including whether Washington and European capitals can cooperate more robustly to rebuild Iraq; whether Europeans perceive a renewed U.S. commitment to revive the Middle East peace process; and whether differences over Mideast issues spill over into NATO, U.S.-EU trade relations, or impede EU efforts to forge a deeper Union. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Archick, Kristin
2004-09-14
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Nonstrategic Nuclear Weapons [September 9, 2004]
"Analysts have identified a number of issues with the continued deployment of U.S. and Russian nonstrategic nuclear weapons. These include questions about the safety and security of Russia's weapons and the possibility that some might be lost, stolen, or sold to another nation or group; questions about the role of these weapons in U.S. and Russian security policy, and the likelihood that either nation might use these weapons in a regional contingency with a non-nuclear nation; questions about the role that these weapons play in NATO policy and whether there is a continuing need for the United States to deploy these weapons at bases overseas; and questions about the relationship between nonstrategic nuclear weapons and U.S. nonproliferation policy, particularly whether a U.S. policy that views these weapons as a militarily useful tool might encourage other nations to acquire their own nuclear weapons, or at least complicate U.S. policy to discourage such acquisition. Some argue that these weapons do not create any problems and the United States should not alter its policy. Others, however argue that the United States should reduce its reliance on these weapons and encourage Russia to do the same. Many have also suggested that the United States and Russia expand their efforts to cooperate on ensuring the safe and secure storage and elimination of these weapons, possibly to include negotiating a formal arms control treaty that would limit these weapons and allow for increased transparency in monitoring their deployment and elimination."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Woolf, Amy F.
2004-09-09
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Federal Government Debt: Its Size and Economic Significance [Updated September 9, 2004]
From the Document: "After being in surplus between FY1998 and FY2001, the federal budget has now registered deficits for the last three fiscal years. The budget, given current policies, is now projected to remain in deficit through FY2014. When the budget was in surplus, the policy issues were whether or not it would be worthwhile to pay off the national debt and whether or not the existence of public debt provided some economic benefits. For the time being, those are no longer issues. Instead, the question is what are the risks associated with a rising federal debt. In the short run, growth in the public debt affects the composition of economic output. Federal government borrowing adds to total credit demand and tends to push up interest rates. Higher interest rates increase the cost of financing new investment in plant and equipment and thus may tend to reduce the stock of productive capital below what it might otherwise have been. Should the federal government be unable to find private sector buyers, the Federal Reserve might buy the securities that otherwise the government would be unable to sell. Should it decide to do so, then the threat is no longer one of government insolvency, but rather of inflation. This report will be updated as warranted."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cashell, Brian
2004-09-09
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Science and Technology Policy: Issues for the 108th Congress, 2nd Session [Updated September 8, 2004]
"Science and technology have a pervasive influence over a wide range of issues confronting the nation. Decisions on how much federal funding to invest in research and development (R&D), and determining what programs have the highest priority, may have implications for homeland security, new high technology industries, government/private sector cooperation in R&D, and myriad other areas. This report provides an overview of key science and technology policy issues pending before Congress, and identifies other CRS reports that treat them in more depth. This report is updated occasionally. Many of the CRS reports cited herein are updated more frequently and should be consulted for timely information. In addition to debating the level of federal funding needed to support R&D (particularly at the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security), the 108th Congress is addressing a wide range of science and technology policy issues, from the funding of cloning and stem cell research, to the deployment of ' broadband' technologies to allow high speed access to the Internet. The role of the federal government in technology development is being debated as well."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Smith, Marcia S.
2004-09-08
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Lawfulness of Interrogation Techniques under the Geneva Conventions [September 8, 2004]
From the Document: "Allegations of abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq have raised questions about the applicability of the law of war to interrogations for military intelligence purposes. Particular issues involve the level of protection to which the detainees are entitled under the Geneva Conventions of 1949, whether as prisoners of war or civilian "protected persons," or under some other status. After photos of prisoner abuse became public, the Defense Department (DoD) released a series of internal documents disclosing policy deliberations about the appropriate techniques for interrogating persons the Administration had deemed to be "unlawful combatants" and who resisted the standard methods of questioning detainees. Investigations related to the allegations at Abu Ghraib revealed that some of the techniques discussed for "unlawful combatants" had come into use in Iraq, although none of the prisoners there was deemed to be an unlawful combatant. This report outlines the provisions of the Conventions as they apply to prisoners of war and to civilians, and the minimum level of protection offered by Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions. There follows an analysis of key terms that set the standards for the treatment of prisoners that are especially relevant to interrogation, including torture, coercion, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, with reference to some historical war crimes cases and cases involving the treatment of persons suspected of engaging in terrorism. Finally, the report discusses and analyzes some of the various interrogation techniques approved or considered for use during interrogations of prisoners at Abu Ghraib."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Elsea, Jennifer
2004-09-08
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Commemorative Observances: A Chronological List [Updated September 7, 2004]
"Historically, national commemorative observances were often recommended by Congress through the legislative process. This practice was for the most part discontinued by the House of Representatives in January 1995, although the Senate continues to issue sense of the Senate resolutions recommending the establishment of commemoratives. It has now become standard practice for special observances to be designated by a proclamation issued by the President. A recent noteworthy departure from current congressional policy is P.L. 107-89, which designates September 11 as Patriot Day and calls upon the President to issue an annual proclamation calling on the American people to commemorate Patriot Day. This report is a chronological list of these proclamations for 2003 and 2004, indicating the proclamation number and its 'Federal Register' citation. This report will be updated periodically during the year."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Fischer, Hannah
2004-09-07
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Border Security: The Role of the U.S. Border Patrol [September 7, 2004]
"The United States Border Patrol (USBP) has a long and storied history as our nation's first line of defense against unauthorized migration. Today, the USBP's primary mission is to detect and prevent the entry of illegal aliens into the country, assist in the detection of possible terrorists, and interdict drug smugglers and other criminals. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 dissolved the Immigration and Naturalization Service and placed the USBP within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Within DHS, the USBP forms a part of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection under the Directorate of Border and Transportation Security. During the last decade, the USBP has seen its budget and manpower more than triple. This expansion was the direct result of Congressional concerns about illegal immigration and the agency's adoption of "Prevention Through Deterrence" as its chief operational strategy in 1994. The strategy calls for placing USBP resources and manpower directly at the areas of greatest illegal immigration in order to detect, deter, and apprehend aliens attempting to cross the border between official points of entry. Post 9/11, the USBP has also refocused its strategy on preventing the entry of terrorists and weapons of mass destruction. In addition to a workforce of over 10,000 agents, the USBP deploys vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, and many different technologies to defend the border."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nunez-Neto, Blas
2004-09-07
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Immigration: A Guide to Internet Sources [Updated September 9, 2004]
"This report identifies selected websites from the Internet on immigration topics in the United States. Selected government, legal, and organizational website addresses are provided. On March 1, 2003, enforcement function and service responsibilities of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) transferred to the newly created Cabinet level Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This report will be updated periodically as new information becomes available and to ensure the currency of the Web addresses as a result of the reorganization and during this time of transition."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
2004-09-04
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Maine Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized [September 3, 2004]
From the Document: "The primary state disaster statute (codified at Maine Rev. Stat. Ann., Title 37-B) delegates powers to the governor, the state emergency management agency, and local emergency management agencies. The statute provides for mutual aid agreements among political subdivisions and with Canadian provinces. Maine has established the Natural Disaster Business Assistance Fund to help businesses affected by disasters; other assistance is obtained primarily from federal aid. The governor and political subdivisions may move seats of government during an emergency related to an enemy attack. This report is one of a series that profiles emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. Congressional readers may wish to conduct further searches for related provisions using the Internet link presented in the last section of this report. The National Conference of State Legislatures provided primary research assistance in the development of these profiles under contract to the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Summary information on all of the profiles is presented in CRS Report RL32287. This report will be updated as developments warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bea, Keith; Runyon, L. Cheryl; Warnock, Kae M.
2004-09-03
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9/11 Commission and a National Counterterrorism Center: Issues and Options for Congress [September 3, 2004]
"The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (hereafter 9/11 Commission) issued its Final Report in July 2004. As one of its 41 recommendations, the 9/11 Commission recommended the creation of a National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). As proposed by the Commission, an NCTC would have two primary functions - intelligence and joint operational planning. The Director of an NCTC would be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, and would report to the Commission's proposed new National Intelligence Director. On August 27, 2004, the President signed an Executive Order establishing the NCTC. Legislatively, a draft 9/11 National Security Protection Act has also proposed codifying an NCTC. The Commission's recommendation would use the existing Terrorist Threat Integration Center (TTIC) as the foundation for an NCTC, a concept incorporated in both the Executive Order and in a draft legislative proposal. The TTIC's primary mission is to fuse, analyze and disseminate terrorism threat intelligence across the U.S. Government."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Masse, Todd
2004-09-03
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Campaign Finance: Constitutional and Legal Issues of Soft Money [September 3, 2004]
"Prior to enactment of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA), P.L. [Public Law] 107-155, the term 'soft money' generally referred to unregulated funds, perceived as resulting from loopholes in the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), 2 U.S.C. §§ 431 'et seq.' The general intent of BCRA, (effective November 6, 2002), which amends FECA, is to restrict the raising and spending of soft money. This Issue Brief discusses constitutional and legal issues surrounding two major types of soft money that BCRA regulates: political party soft money and soft money used for issue advocacy communications. Corporate and labor union soft money, which FECA exempts from regulation and is not addressed by BCRA, is also discussed."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Whitaker, L. Paige
2004-09-03
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Armenia Update [September 3, 2004]
"Armenia has experienced domestic political turmoil since independence. Since political assassinations in October 1999, President Robert Kocharian has outmaneuvered his opponents and secured his March 2003 re-election amid accusations of electoral irregularities. The economy is rebounding, except a majority of the people remain poor. A cease fire holds in the war with Azerbaijan over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. In general, Armenia relies on Russia for security and on the United States for economic aid. Its relations with neighboring Iran are good, but those with Turkey are troubled. Congress has been generous to Armenia. This report will be updated as developments warrant. See also CRS [Congressional Research Service] Issue Brief IB95024, 'Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: Political Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests,' by Jim Nichol, updated regularly."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Migdalovitz, Carol
2004-09-03
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Wyoming Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized [September 3, 2004]
"The Wyoming Emergency Management Act gives the governor authority to assume operational control over state emergency management functions, delegates powers to the state emergency management agency and local emergency management agencies, and provides for mutual aid agreements. The state Emergency Management Advisory Board assists with preparedness and advises the governor. Federal aid constitutes the primary source of emergency management funds. This report is one of a series that profiles emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. Congressional readers may wish to conduct further searches for related provisions using the Internet link presented in the last section of this report. The National Conference of State Legislatures provided primary research assistance in the development of these profiles under contract to the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Summary information on all of the profiles is presented in CRS Report RL32287. This report will be updated as developments warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bea, Keith
2004-09-03
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West Virginia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized [September 3, 2004]
From the Summary: "The emergency management code for West Virginia (chapter 15-5) created a state emergency services agency and authorized creation of local and regional organizations for emergency services. The statute confers emergency powers upon the governor and the executive heads of governing bodies of political subdivisions, and provides for the rendering of mutual aid among the political subdivisions, other states, and with the federal government. The Emergency Interim Legislative Succession Act and Emergency Interim Executive and Judicial Succession Act provide lines of succession for all levels of government. This report is one of a series that profiles emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. Congressional readers may wish to conduct further searches for related provisions using the Internet link presented in the last section of this report. The National Conference of State Legislatures provided primary research assistance in the development of these profiles under contract to the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Summary information on all of the profiles is presented in CRS Report RL32287. This report will be updated as developments warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bea, Keith
2004-09-03
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Maryland Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized [September 3, 2004]
"The primary state emergency management statute (codified at Title 14 of the Public Safety Article of the state code) established the Maryland Emergency Management Agency. The governor has responsibility for emergency management and may exercise broad powers after issuing a disaster declaration. The director of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, appointed by the adjutant general with the governors approval, carries out the state emergency management plan. The governor appoints the director of emergency management for each locality, based on the local governing body's recommendation. The Maryland Security Council coordinates state and local government activities regarding emergency management, and makes recommendations to the legislature. Funds are available to fire departments for equipment purchases; resources are also available from the state Catastrophic Event Account. Continuity of government provisions are included in the state constitution as well as statutes. This report is one of a series that profiles emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. [...] The National Conference of State Legislatures provided primary research assistance in the development of these profiles under contract to the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Summary information on all of the profiles is presented in CRS Report RL32287. This report will be updated as developments warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bea, Keith; Runyon, L. Cheryl; Warnock, Kae M.
2004-09-03
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Puerto Rico Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized [September 3, 2004]
"The Emergency Management Act delegates powers to the emergency management agency for the commonwealth, authorizes hazard mitigation activities, and provides for the establishment of the emergency fund. The Emergency Succession Act provides for lines of succession for all levels of government. Emergency management financial assistance and funding primarily derive from appropriations, federal aid, and certain tax exemptions. Constitutional provisions give the governor certain emergency powers and allow the seat of government to be moved in emergencies. This report is one of a series that profiles emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. Congressional readers may wish to conduct further searches for related provisions using the Internet link presented in the last section of this report. The National Conference of State Legislatures provided primary research assistance in the development of these profiles under contract to the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Summary information on all of the profiles is presented in CRS Report RL32287. This report will be updated as developments warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bea, Keith; Runyon, L. Cheryl; Warnock, Kae M.
2004-09-03
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Risk Management and Critical Infrastructure Protection: Assessing, Integrating, and Managing Threats, Vulnerabilities and Consequences [September 2, 2004]
"The 9/11 Commission recommended that efforts to protect various modes of transportation and allocation of federal assistance to state and local governments should be based on an assessment of risk. In doing so, the Commission was reiterating existing federal policy regarding the protection of all the nation's critical infrastructures. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296) and other Administration documents have assigned the Department of Homeland Security specific duties associated with coordinating the nation's efforts to protect its critical infrastructure, including using a risk management approach to set priorities. Many of these duties have been delegated to the Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection (IA/IP) Directorate...The IA/IP Directorate has accumulated a list of 33,000 infrastructure assets (specific sites and facilities). From this list the Directorate has selected 1,700 assets that have been judged to be critical from a national point of view. The Directorate intends to assess the vulnerability of all 1,700 assets. According to Directorate officials, vulnerability assessments and threat information are considered when determining the risk each asset poses to the nation. This risk assessment is then used to prioritize subsequent additional protection activities. The IA/IP Directorate's efforts to date, however, have raised several concerns, ranging from the process and criteria used to populate its lists of assets, its prioritization strategy, and the extent to which the Directorate is coordinating its efforts with the intelligence community and other agencies both internal and external to the Department. This report will be updated as needed."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Moteff, John D.
2004-09-02
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Requirements for Linguists in Government Agencies [September 2, 2004]
"As part of the war on terrorism, it is widely recognized that the U.S. government has a substantial and growing need for personnel with knowledge of foreign languages and especially languages that may be spoken in limited and remote areas of the world. In 2002, the federal government employed about a thousand translators and interpreters in four agencies responsible for security-related functions. In addition, these agencies employ nearly 20,000 staff in positions that require some foreign language proficiency. Yet there is a widespread consensus that requirements for foreign language qualified personnel are not currently being met. The report issued by the 9/11 Commission in July of 2004 makes several references to this deficiency and suggests corrective action to address it."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kuenzi, Jeffrey J., 1965-
2004-09-02
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Nuclear Energy Policy [Updated September 1, 2004]
"Nuclear energy policy issues facing Congress include questions about radioactive waste management, research and development priorities, power plant safety and regulation, terrorism, and the Price-Anderson Act nuclear liability system. The Bush Administration has stressed the importance of nuclear power in the nation's energy policy. The Administration's FY2005 budget request includes $35 million for a Department of Energy (DOE) effort to develop a new generation of commercial reactors and $9 million for the Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative, a DOE program in which nuclear reactors would produce hydrogen to fuel motor vehicles. Total funding for DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy, Science, and Technology would be $412.6 million, about the same as the FY2004 level. The House-passed Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill for FY2005 (H.R. 4614, H.Rept. 108-554) would provide $463.8 million for the nuclear energy office. A conference agreement reached November 17, 2003, on omnibus energy legislation (H.R. 6) would provide tax credits for electricity generated by new nuclear power plants and authorize funding for a demonstration reactor in Idaho to produce hydrogen. The conference agreement also would extend Price-Anderson coverage for new commercial reactors and new DOE nuclear contracts through the end of 2023."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Holt, Mark; Behrens, Carl E.
2004-09-01
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Membership of the 108th Congress: A Profile [Updated September 1, 2004]
"This report presents a profile of the membership of the 108th Congress. Included is information on numbers of Members, party affiliation, average age and length of service, occupations, religious affiliation, military service, female and minority Members, and foreign-born Members. Currently, in the House, there are 228 Republicans, 210 Democrats (including five Delegates), one Independent, who is aligned with the Democrats, and one vacancy. The Senate has 51 Republicans, 48 Democrats, and one Independent, who is aligned with the Democrats. The average age of Representatives at the beginning of the 108th Congress was 53.9 years; of Senators, 59.5 years; and of both houses, 54.9. An overwhelming majority of Members have a college education. The dominant profession of Members continues to be law, followed by business. Protestants collectively constitute the majority religious affiliation of Members. Roman Catholics account for the largest single religious denomination, and numerous other affiliations are represented. At the beginning of the 108th Congress, the average length of service in the House was about 9 years (4.6 terms); in the Senate, 11.3 years or almost 2 terms. This report will be revised at the commencement of the 109th Congress unless significant changes occur in the 108th Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Amer, Mildred L. (Mildred Lehmann)
2004-09-01
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9/11 Commission Recommendations: New Structures and Organization [Updated September 1, 2004]
"Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the structures and organization of the federal government have been modified, changed, and adjusted in various ways with a view to better achieving domestic security. Among the more visible entities to have been established in this regard are the Office of Homeland Security, the Department of Homeland Security, and two versions of the Homeland Security Council. The final report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 Commission), issued on July 22, 2004, held out the possibility of further developments with several recommendations for new entities and the suggested merger of the functions of the current Homeland Security Council into those of the National Security Council. These proposals, offered to address perceived shortcomings concerning civil liberties protection, intelligence development, intelligence community management, and intelligence expertise, are set out in this report, along with some assessment of their implications, and discussion of efforts to implement them. A chronology of developments regarding the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, including the progress of implementing legislation, is provided at the end of this report, which will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Relyea, Harold
2004-09-01
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Legal Consequences of Efforts to Induce White House Staff to Waive 'Newsman's Source' Protection in Connection with an Investigation of the Disclosure of an Individual's CIA Affiliation, CRS Memo to the House Government Reform Committee, April 30, 2004, transmitted to the White House August 30, 2004
In response to the leak of a CIA agent's identity in a 2003 article written by journalist Bob Novak, the government has taken measures to better control the outward flow of confidential information. This report is a documented correspondence dealing with the issue of privilege concerns with the Fifth Amendment. The attached CRS report covers the legal consequences and concerns thereof over the signing and attachment of confidentiality waivers; better enforcement of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, and the outlawing of the disclosure of intelligence officers, informants, and sources under some circumstances.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
2004-08-30
