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Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Federal Civil Service Annuities [October 16, 2017]
"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. All CSRS retirees and survivors receive COLAs. Under FERS, however, nondisabled retirees under the age of 62 do not receive COLAs. Survivors and disabled retirees are eligible for COLAs under FERS regardless of age. CSRS pays a COLA that is equal to the percentage change in the CPI-W during the measurement period, but COLAs under FERS are limited if the rate of inflation is greater than 2.0%. If the rate of inflation during the measurement period is between 2.0% and 3.0%, the COLA under FERS is 2.0%. If inflation is greater than 3.0%, then the COLA for FERS benefits is equal to the CPI-W minus one percentage point."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Isaacs, Katelin P., 1980-
2017-10-16
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Second Treasury Report on Regulatory Relief: Capital Markets [October 19, 2017]
"On October 6, 2017, the Department of the Treasury issued a report, 'A Financial System That Creates Economic Opportunities: Capital Markets,' that primarily examines the regulation of debt, equity, commodities, and derivatives markets. The report is the second of a series written in accordance with Executive Order (E.O.) 13772, which was issued by the President on February 3, 2017. The capital markets report provides 91 policy recommendations, the majority of which could be implemented by the primary regulators of U.S. capital markets: the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), state securities regulators, and Self-Regulatory Organizations (SROs). Notwithstanding the nonbinding nature of the recommendations, both SEC Chairman Jay Clayton and CFTC Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo have publicly applauded the report. The report states that nine of the 91 Treasury recommendations would require congressional action."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Su, Eva
2017-10-19
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Human Trafficking: New Global Estimates of Forced Labor and Modern Slavery [October 18, 2017]
"As part of long-standing congressional interest in global human trafficking, some Members have consistently sought greater fidelity in quantifying human trafficking's prevalence. In September, the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the advocacy organization Walk Free Foundation, in partnership with the International Organization of Migration (IOM), released a new report on the global prevalence of modern slavery (including forced marriage) and forced labor (including sex trafficking and government-imposed forced labor). The report estimated that 40.3 million people were victims of modern slavery in 2016--including 24.9 million people in forced labor and 15.4 million people in forced marriage [...]. The estimate was based on a new methodology, derived from multiple data sources, household surveys, probabilistic modeling, and analytic reviews of secondary sources. Using 2012-2016 as the reference period for the study, it concluded that some 89 million people had experienced modern slavery in the past five years. The report additionally stressed that its estimates are conservative, noting the lack of data due to underreporting--particularly in conflict zones (estimates of child soldiers, for example, were not included)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rosen, Liana W.
2017-10-18
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DOE's Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule [October 13, 2017]
"In U.S. regions with competitive electricity markets, the market price of wholesale electricity has fallen in recent years due to decreased demand, and the increased availability of relatively low-priced natural gas as a fuel. The relatively higher cost of operating and maintaining older, less efficient coal and nuclear plants in particular make it difficult for them to compete with lower cost, more efficient natural gas-fired power plants, or with renewable electricity generation with lower operating costs (and in some cases, tax credits and state mandates). These coal and nuclear power plants may be increasingly faced with closure and eventual retirement if they cannot offer their generation at prices that allow them to sell their electricity into the competitive markets. Competitive electricity markets are administered by independent system operators (ISOs) and regional transmission organizations (RTOs), and account for 60% of the electricity supply in the United States. These entities are under the regulatory authority of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Campbell, Richard J.
2017-10-13
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Army's Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) Program [October 10, 2017]
From the Document: "The WIN-T [Warfighter Information Network-Tactical] program is the Army's high-speed, high-capacity tactical communications network to distribute classified and unclassified information through all echelons of Army command by means of voice, data, and real-time video. WIN-T was being developed and fielded in three increments."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Feickert, Andrew
2017-10-10
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Iran Policy and the European Union [October 18, 2017]
"On October 13, 2017, President Trump announced a new U.S. strategy on Iran. He stated that, under the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (INARA; P.L. 114-17), he would not be certifying that continued Iran sanctions relief is proportionate to the measures taken by Iran to terminate its illicit nuclear program. That and other INARA certification requirements are related to, but separate from, Iran's nuclear obligations under the July 14, 2015, multilateral nuclear agreement (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA). The withholding of INARA certification does not automatically end U.S. participation in the JCPOA, which the UK, France, Germany, the United States, Russia, and China negotiated with Iran. But the President linked continued U.S. participation to congressional and allied action to address deficiencies in the JCPOA that he identified in his October 13 statement [...]."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mix, Derek E.; Katzman, Kenneth
2017-10-18
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U.S. Withdrawal from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) [October 17, 2017]
"On October 12, 2017, the State Department announced that the United States will withdraw from the U.N. Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The department stated that the decision 'reflects U.S. concerns with mounting arrears ... the need for fundamental reform in the organization, and continuing anti-Israel bias of UNESCO.' The United States seeks to 'remain engaged' as a nonmember observer. Generally, observers have participated in selected UNESCO meetings and activities but are not able to vote in some UNESCO bodies or hold leadership positions. Under the terms of the UNESCO constitution, the U.S. withdrawal is expected to take effect on December 31, 2018."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchfield, Luisa
2017-10-17
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Gun Control: 'Bump-Fire' Stocks [October 10, 2017]
"Following the October 1, 2017, Las Vegas, NV, attack, there has been significant congressional interest in 'bump-fire' stocks that can assist a person in firing a semiautomatic rifle repeatedly, sometimes at rates usually associated with fully automatic machineguns. It has been reported that the assailant in this attack had 12 semiautomatic rifles outfitted with 'bump-fire' stocks. The terms 'bump-fire' and 'slide-fire' are often used interchangeably."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Krouse, William J.
2017-10-10
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Defense Primer: Military Pay Raise [October 10, 2017]
"The phrase 'military pay raise,' frequently used in discussions of military compensation, is almost always a reference to the annual increase in basic pay for members of the uniformed services. By law, basic pay is automatically increased at the start of each calendar year by an amount linked to the change in the Employment Cost Index (ECI), although the President or Congress may override this statutory adjustment. [...] The FY2018 President's Budget requested a 2.1% increase in basic pay, lower than the statutory formula of 2.4%. This was in keeping with the Department of Defense plan to limit increases in basic pay through FY2020. On August 31, 2017, President Trump sent a letter to congressional leaders invoking his authority under 37 U.S.C. 1009(e) to set the pay raise at 2.1%."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence
2017-10-10
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Congress Faces Calls to Address Expired Funds for Primary Care [October 18, 2017]
"The Affordable Care Act (ACA, P.L. 111-148, as amended), enacted in March 2010, appropriated billions of dollars of mandatory funds to support two programs that focus on expanding access to primary care services for populations that are typically underserved: the Health Centers program and the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). The Health Centers and NHSC programs are cornerstones of the federal government's efforts to expand access to primary care. The Health Centers program helps support more than 1,400 community-based health centers operating more than 10,400 delivery sites across the country. Health centers provide care to medically underserved populations regardless of their ability to pay. They provide care for more than 24 million people annually, or an average of 1 in 13 Americans. The NHSC program awards scholarships and loan repayment to certain health professionals who agree to practice in shortage areas, often at health centers. The NHSC estimates that the program's clinicians provide care to 11 million people."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Heisler, Elayne J., 1976-; Redhead, C. Stephen
2017-10-18
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Government Assistance for AIG: Summary and Cost [October 13, 2017]
"American International Group (AIG), one of the world's major insurers, was the largest recipient of government financial assistance during the 2007-2009 financial crisis. At the maximum, the Federal Reserve (Fed) and the Treasury committed approximately $182.3 billion in specific extraordinary assistance for AIG and another $15.2 billion through a more widely available lending facility. The amount actually disbursed to assist AIG reached a maximum of $141.8 billion in April 2009. In return, AIG paid interest and dividends on the funding and the U.S. Treasury ultimately received a 92% ownership share in the company. The government assistance for AIG ended in 2013. All Federal Reserve loans have been repaid and the Treasury has sold all of the financial holdings that resulted from the assistance."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Webel, Baird
2017-10-13
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U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Recent Conflicts [October 11, 2017]
"Many wars or conflicts in U.S. history have federally designated 'periods of war,' dates marking their beginning and ending. These dates are important for qualification for certain veterans' pension or disability benefits. Confusion can occur because beginning and ending dates for 'periods of war' in many nonofficial sources are often different from those given in treaties and other official sources of information, and armistice dates can be confused with termination dates. This report lists the beginning and ending dates for 'periods of war' found in Title 38 of the 'Code of Federal Regulations,' dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It also lists and differentiates other beginning dates given in declarations of war, as well as termination of hostilities dates and armistice and ending dates given in proclamations, laws, or treaties. The dates for the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq are included along with the official end date for Operation New Dawn in Iraq on December 15, 2011, and Operation Enduring Freedom on Afghanistan on December 28, 2014. This report will be updated when events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2017-10-11
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Who Earns Pass-Through Business Income? An Analysis of Individual Tax Return Data [October 24, 2017]
"Pass-through businesses--sole proprietorships, partnerships, and S corporations--generate more than half of all business income in the United States. Pass-through income is, in general, taxed only once at the individual income tax rates when it is distributed to its owners. In contrast, the income of C corporations is taxed twice; once at the corporate level according to corporate tax rates, and then a second time at the individual tax rates when shareholders receive dividend payments or realize capital gains. This leads to the so-called 'double taxation' of corporate profits. This report analyzes individual tax return data to determine who earns pass-through business income."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Keightley, Mark P.
2017-10-24
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EPA Proposes to Repeal the Clean Power Plan [October 25, 2017]
"On October 10, 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposal to repeal the Obama Administration's 2015 rule, 'Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units (EGUs)' (commonly referred to as the Clean Power Plan (CPP) rule). [...] The CPP has not gone into effect because the Supreme Court in 2016 stayed the implementation of the rule until the lawsuit challenging its legality is resolved. Upon its review of the CPP and its 2015 legal justification, EPA has now determined that the CPP exceeds its statutory authority based on a change in the agency's legal interpretation of Section 111 of the Clean Air Act (CAA). The proposal formally starts a potentially lengthy process to repeal the CPP and raises questions about whether EPA will replace the CPP with another rule targeting CO2 emissions from existing power plants and how the repeal will affect existing legal challenges to the CPP. This Sidebar will explore these and other questions and the next steps in repealing the CPP."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tsang, Linda
2017-10-25
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Gun Control: Silencers Under the Hearing Protection Act (H.R. 3668) [October 16, 2017]
"Firearm silencers are currently regulated under the 1934 National Firearms Act (NFA) and the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA). Both statutes use the definition of a silencer/muffler included in the GCA. The Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is the lead federal agency that administers those statutes. The Hearing Protection Act (HPA) would remove firearm silencers from regulation under the NFA. Silencers would continue to be regulated under the GCA in a manner similar to the way long guns (rifles and shotguns) are regulated under this law. On September 18, 2017, the House Committee on Natural Resources reported the HPA as part of the Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act (H.R. 3668). This bill was referred to other committees, but they were discharged from further consideration."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Krouse, William J.
2017-10-16
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Iran Sanctions [October 13, 2017]
"The multilateral nuclear accord (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA) provides Iran broad relief from U.S., U.N., and multilateral sanctions on Iran's civilian economic sectors. On January 16, 2016, upon the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) certification that Iran had complied with the stipulated nuclear dismantlement commitments, U.S. Administration waivers of relevant sanctions laws took effect, relevant executive orders (E.O.s) were revoked, and corresponding U.N. and EU sanctions were lifted ('Implementation Day'). Remaining in place have been those secondary sanctions (sanctions on foreign firms) that have been imposed because of Iran's support for terrorism, its human rights abuses, its interference in specified countries in the region, and its missile and advanced conventional weapons programs, as well as sanctions on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and designated commanders, subunits, and affiliates. [...] As part of a shift to assertively counter Iran's regional activities and strategic weapons programs, the Trump Administration has designated for sanctions additional missile and IRGC-related entities. The Administration asserts its steps do not conflict with U.S. commitments under the JCPOA and the Administration has continued to implement the agreement, including renewing waivers of sanctions laws suspended in accordance with the JCPOA. Were the Administration to decide to end U.S. participation in the JCPOA, it could revoke waivers, decline to renew waivers, or trigger a provision of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (P.L. 114-17) under which Congress might act on legislation to reimpose sanctions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2017-10-13
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Comparison of the Bills to Extend State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Funding [October 23, 2017]
"The State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is a means-tested program that provides health coverage to targeted low-income children and pregnant women in families that have annual income above Medicaid eligibility levels but have no health insurance. CHIP is jointly financed by the federal government and the states, and the states are responsible for administering CHIP. In statute, FY2017 is the last year a federal CHIP appropriation is provided. Federal CHIP funding was not extended before the beginning of FY2018. As a result, states do not currently have FY2018 CHIP allotments, and states are funding their CHIP programs with unspent federal CHIP funds from prior years. Some states are expected to exhaust this funding within the first quarter of FY2018. On October 4, 2017, both the Senate Finance Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee had markups on different bills that would extend CHIP federal funding through FY2022, among other provisions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mitchell, Alison; Baumrucker, Evelyne P.; Dabrowska, Agata . . .
2017-10-23
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Opioid Epidemic and Federal Efforts to Address It: Frequently Asked Questions [October 18, 2017]
"Over the last several years, there has been growing concern among the public and lawmakers in the United States about rising drug overdose deaths, which more than tripled from 1999 to 2014. In 2015, more than 52,000 people died from drug overdoses, and approximately 63% of those deaths involved an opioid. Many federal agencies are involved in efforts to combat opioid abuse. The primary federal agency involved in drug enforcement, including diversion control efforts for prescription opioids, is the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The primary agency supporting drug treatment and prevention is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The federal government also has several programs that may be used, or are specifically designed, to address opioid abuse. These range from law enforcement assistance in combatting drug trafficking to assistance for states in developing a coordinated response to address opioid abuse. These programs span across several departments, including (but not limited to) the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Federal and state lawmakers have addressed opioid abuse as a public health concern in enacting legislation that focuses heavily on prevention and treatment. [...] This report answers common questions that have arisen as drug overdose deaths in the United States continue to increase. It does not provide a comprehensive overview of opioid abuse as a public health or criminal justice issue."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sacco, Lisa N.; Bagalman, Erin
2017-10-18
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Executive Order for Review of National Monuments: Background and Data [October 18, 2017]
"The Antiquities Act of 1906 (54 U.S.C. §§320301-320303) authorizes the President to proclaim national monuments on federal lands that contain 'historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest.' Monument proclamations typically seek to provide protections to federal lands and resources. The President is to reserve 'the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected.' [...] In 2017, the Trump Administration reviewed certain national monuments proclaimed by previous Presidents. [...] On August 24, 2017, the Secretary submitted to the President a final report on all 27 monuments reviewed. The report, marked 'draft,' was made public by the news media. It contained recommendations for 10 of the 27 monuments, with between one and six recommendations per monument. The types of recommendations varied. They included amending monument proclamations for specified purposes, changing monument boundaries, agency revision of monument management plans, and seeking authority from Congress for tribal comanagement of cultural areas. The report also contained broader recommendations, including changing the monument designation process, establishing new monuments, and seeking congressional clarification of the limits on executive authority under the Antiquities Act and the intent of Congress regarding land uses of monument areas with other protective designations. Congress continues to face a variety of national monument issues. Congress has broad authority to establish, amend, or abolish national monuments and has done so on numerous occasions, including amending and redesignating monuments proclaimed by Presidents. Congress also oversees presidential exercise of authority to proclaim monuments and has considered measures to alter this authority."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hardy Vincent, Carol; Hanson, Laura A.
2017-10-18
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Reconsidering the Clean Power Plan [October 25, 2017]
"On October 10, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to repeal the Clean Power Plan (CPP), an Obama Administration rule that would limit carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from existing fossil-fuel-fired power plants. Because power plant CO2 emissions account for about 30% of total U.S. anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), the CPP has been seen as the most important U.S. regulation addressing climate change. [...] Members of Congress may have an interest--for legislative and oversight purposes, as potential commenters, and in responding to constituents--in understanding what it is that EPA has proposed to do with regard to the CPP. This report provides background on the CPP and its proposed repeal, describes the administrative steps that are required to repeal or amend a rule, and discusses how the CPP and its proposed repeal fit into the context of recent and projected power sector evolution."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McCarthy, James E.
2017-10-25
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States' Obligations Under Additional Protocols to IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements [October 23, 2017]
"Article III of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) treaty, which entered into force in 1970, requires nonnuclear-weapon states-parties to conclude comprehensive safeguards agreements (CSAs), which are of indefinite duration, with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). These agreements are based on a model described in Information Circular 153 (INFCIRC/153), which states that such agreements 'should provide for the Agency's right and obligation to ensure that safeguards will be applied' to all nuclear material of potential proliferation concern 'in all peaceful nuclear activities within the territory of the State, under its jurisdiction or carried out under its control anywhere, for the exclusive purpose of verifying that such material is not diverted to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.' The scope of a CSA agreement is not limited to nuclear material declared by a state, but includes all nuclear material in all peaceful nuclear activities within that country. This was a change from the pre-NPT version of IAEA safeguards, described in Information Circular 66 (INFCIRC/66), which depended on verifying declared material at specific facilities. Nevertheless, as a practical matter, the IAEA's ability to inspect and monitor nuclear facilities, as well as obtain information, in a particular country pursuant to a CSA is limited to facilities and activities that have been declared by the government. After a CSA enters into force, the government is required to provide the IAEA with lists of all nuclear material in the country and nuclear facilities, along with associated design information. The agency subsequently verifies the correctness and completeness of those declarations using various verification methods."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kerr, Paul K.; Nikitin, Mary Beth Dunham
2017-10-23
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Workers' Compensation: Overview and Issues [October 18, 2017]
"Workers' compensation provides cash and medical benefits to workers who are injured or become ill in the course of their employment and provides benefits to the survivors of workers killed on the job. Benefits are provided without regard to fault and are the exclusive remedy for workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths. Nearly all workers in the United States are covered by workers' compensation. With the exception of federal employees and some small groups of private-sector employees covered by federal law, workers compensation is provided by a network of state programs. In general, employers purchase insurance to provide for workers' compensation benefits. [...] Recently, concerns have been raised over what some allege are cuts to state workers' compensation benefits or policy changes that make it harder for workers to receive benefits. These cuts and policy changes may be shifting some of the costs associated with workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths away from the employer and to the employee or social programs, such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Medicare. There is no federal requirement for states to have workers' compensation systems and no minimum federal standards for state systems. The decentralized nature of workers' compensation led to unsuccessful calls for minimum state standards in the early 1970s and has caused concerns over benefit equity among the states today."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Szymendera, Scott
2017-10-18
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FY2018 Appropriations for the Department of Justice [October 12, 2017]
"The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31) appropriated $28.962 billion for DOJ [Department of Justice]. The act provided $2.713 billion for the U.S. Marshals [USMS], $9.006 billion for the FBI, $2.103 billion for the DEA [Drug Enforcement Administration], $1.259 billion for the ATF [ Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives], and $7.142 billion for the BOP [Bureau of Prisons]. The remaining funding (approximately $6.739 billion) was for DOJ's other offices, such as the U.S. Attorneys offices, the Executive Office for Immigration Review, and the Attorney General's office. The Trump Administration requests $28.205 billion for DOJ for FY2018. This amount is 2.6% less than the FY2017-enacted appropriation. The Administration proposes reductions for several DOJ accounts, including a $232 million (-2.6%) reduction for the FBI, a $340 million (-26.6%) reduction for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance, and a $21 million (-8.3%) reduction for Juvenile Justice Programs. While the Administration's FY2018 budget request includes several reductions for DOJ accounts, it also includes several increases, including an additional $22 million (1.1%) for the Office of the United States Attorneys, an $82 million (5.6%) increase for the USMS's Federal Prisoner Detention account, a $76 million (1.1%) increase for BOP's Salaries and Expenses account, and a $61 million (2.9%) increase for the DEA."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
James, Nathan
2017-10-12
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Individual Mandate for Health Insurance Coverage: In Brief [October 11, 2017]
"Since January 1, 2014, most individuals have had to maintain health insurance coverage or pay a penalty for noncompliance implemented through the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). To comply with this individual mandate, individuals need to maintain minimum essential coverage, which includes most types of public and private health insurance coverage. Some individuals are exempt from the mandate and not subject to its associated penalty. The individual mandate was established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; P.L. 111-148, as amended) and works in conjunction with other ACA provisions. Under the ACA, a number of federal requirements applicable to private health insurance issuers went into effect intending to improve access to private health insurance for sick individuals or those at high risk of becoming ill. The individual mandate works in tandem with the requirements by encouraging healthy individuals to participate in the market so that insurers' risk pools are not entirely composed of individuals who are at high risk of using health care services. This report provides an overview of the individual mandate, its associated penalty, and the exemptions from the mandate. It discusses the ACA reporting requirements designed, in part, to assist individuals in providing evidence of having met the mandate. The report includes some national- and state-level data on the application of the mandate's penalty in tax year (TY) 2014 and TY2015."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mach, Annie L.
2017-10-11
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Federal Lifeline Program: Frequently Asked Questions [October 19, 2017]
"The Federal Lifeline Program, established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1985, is one of four programs supported under the Universal Service Fund. The Program was originally designed to assist eligible low-income households to subsidize the monthly service charges incurred for voice telephone usage and was limited to one fixed line per household. In 2005 the Program was modified to cover the choice between either a fixed line or a mobile/wireless option. Concern over the division between those who use and have access to broadband versus those who do not, known as the digital divide, prompted the FCC to once again modify the Lifeline program to cover access to broadband. On March 31, 2016, the FCC adopted an Order to expand the Lifeline Program to support mobile and fixed broadband Internet access services on a stand-alone basis, or with a bundled voice service. Households must meet a needs-based criteria for eligibility. The program provides assistance to only one line per household in the form of a monthly subsidy of, in most cases, $9.25. This subsidy solely covers costs associated with network access (minutes of use), not the costs associated with devices, and is given not to the subscriber, but to the household-selected service provider. This subsidy is then in turn passed on to the subscriber. The Lifeline program is available to eligible low-income consumers in every state, territory, commonwealth, and on tribal lands."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gilroy, Angele A.
2017-10-19
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Farm Bill Primer Series: A Guide to Omnibus Legislation on Agriculture and Food Programs [October 11, 2017]
"This report constitutes a guide to a series of two-page reports that examine the various programs and policies that comprise periodic omnibus legislation on farm and food policy, commonly known as 'the farm bill.' The current farm bill (P.L. 113-79) was signed into law in February 2014. Many of the programs authorized by the 2014 farm bill are scheduled to expire in 2018 unless Congress provides for an extension, or reauthorizes them. Without congressional action, key commodity support programs would revert to permanently authorized legislation from the 1930s and 1940s."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McMinimy, Mark A.
2017-10-11
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Child and Dependent Care Tax Benefits: How They Work and Who Receives Them [October 26, 2017]
"Two tax provisions subsidize the child and dependent care expenses of working parents: the child and dependent care tax credit (CDCTC) and the exclusion for employer-sponsored child and dependent care. The child and dependent care tax credit is a nonrefundable tax credit that reduces a taxpayer's federal income tax liability based on child and dependent care expenses incurred. The policy objective is to assist taxpayers who work or who are looking for work. A taxpayer must meet a variety of eligibility criteria including incurring qualifying child and dependent care expenses for a qualifying individual and have earned income."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Crandall-Hollick, Margot L.
2017-10-26
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Department of Health and Human Services Halts Cost-Sharing Reduction (CSR) Payments [October 26, 2017]
"Over the past three years, the House of Representatives and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have been adverse parties in a suit challenging HHS's payment of cost-sharing reduction (CSR) subsidies under Section 1402(c)(3) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). CSR payments are made to compensate those insurers that are required by the ACA to reduce out-of-pocket costs (such as co-pays and deductibles) for lower-income enrollees. After the House obtained a judgment against HHS from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in 2016, an appeal has been pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (D.C. Circuit). However, the case, currently captioned House of Representatives v. Hargan, took a sharp turn on October 13, 2017, when HHS informed the D.C. Circuit that the agency would immediately comply with the House's demand and cease cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments to insurers."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Liu, Edward C.; Staman, Jennifer A.
2017-10-26
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Doing Business with Iran: EU-Iran Trade and Investment Relations [October 25, 2017]
"With the easing of nuclear-related sanctions on Iran by the United States, European Union and United Nations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed on July 14, 2015, many foreign firms have begun to resume business with Iran. However, on October 13, 2017, President Trump announced he would not issue the certification that sanctions relief is 'proportionate' to the measures taken by Iran to terminate its nuclear program. This decision has raised questions over the possible reimposition of U.S. economic sanctions. The EU, which views the JCPOA as a binding international commitment, is threatening to take action to protect its firms from reimposed secondary sanctions. No matter the actions of EU governments, EU companies might base their responses on a calculation of their economic interests in Iran versus risks to their position in U.S. markets."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cimino, Cathleen; Katzman, Kenneth
2017-10-25
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Payments for Affordable Care Act (ACA) Cost-Sharing Reductions [October 25, 2017]
"Funding for the cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been the subject of hearings about the individual insurance market, numerous press articles, and analyses from actuaries to consultants. Insurers have warned that they may leave the market or raise premiums without a commitment to sustained funding. On October 13, the Trump Administration filed a notice announcing it would terminate payments for CSRs beginning with the payment that was scheduled for October 18, potentially affecting 2017 and 2018 plan options and premiums. Payment termination may affect not only consumers who receive CSRs and insurers who provide them, but also have secondary effects on the broader individual market, non-CSR consumers, and the federal budget. To understand the concern about funding CSR payments, it is important to understand the context in which CSRs are provided, beginning with premiums."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Fernandez, Bernadette
2017-10-25
