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'Better Way' House Tax Plan: An Economic Analysis [August 03, 2017]
"On June 24, 2016, House Speaker Paul Ryan released the Better Way Tax Reform Task Force Blueprint, which provides a revision of federal income taxes. For the individual income tax, the plan would broaden the base, lower the rates (with a top rate of 33%), and alter some of the elements related to family size and structure by eliminating personal exemptions, allowing a larger standard deduction, and adding a dependent credit. For business income, the current income tax would be replaced by a cash-flow tax rebated on exports and imposed on imports, with a top rate of 20% for corporations and 25% for individuals. The cash-flow tax would be border-adjusted (imports taxed and exports excluded), making domestic consumption the tax base, although a recent announcement from congressional leaders has indicated that a border adjustment would be dropped in any future tax plan. The system would also move to a territorial tax in which foreign source income (except for easily abused income) would not be taxed. In addition, the proposal would repeal estate and gift taxes. Although the Affordable Care Act (ACA) taxes are not repealed in the Better Way tax reform proposal, ACA taxes are repealed in the Healthcare Task Force proposals."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gravelle, Jane
2017-08-03
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Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's (ACA's) Transitional Reinsurance Program [August 23, 2017]
"Section 1341 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; P.L. 111-148, as amended) establishes a transitional reinsurance program that is designed to provide payment to nongrandfathered, non-group market health plans (also known as individual market health plans) that enrolled high-risk enrollees for 2014 through 2016. Under the program, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) collected reinsurance contributions from health insurers and from third-party administrators on behalf of group health plans. The Secretary then used those contributions to make reinsurance payments to health insurers who enrolled highcost enrollees (statutes required the HHS Secretary to determine how high-risk enrollees are identified, and the Secretary in turn defined high-risk enrollees as high-cost enrollees) in their non-group market plans both inside and outside of the exchanges (also known as marketplaces, where individuals can shop for and purchase private health insurance coverage)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Uberoi, Namrata K.; Liu, Edward C.
2017-08-23
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DHS Appropriations FY2017: Departmental Management and Operation [August 24, 2017]
From the Summary: "This report is part of a suite of reports that discuss appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for FY2017. It specifically discusses appropriations for the components of DHS included in the first title of the homeland security appropriations bill--the Office of the Secretary and Executive Management, the Office of the Under Secretary for Management, the DHS headquarters consolidation project, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, the Office of the Chief Information Officer, Analysis and Operations, and the Office of Inspector General for the department. Collectively, Congress has labeled these components in recent years as 'Departmental Management and Operations,' although this year, the House Appropriations Committee chose to rename the title 'Departmental Management, Operations, Intelligence, and Oversight'--a name change that was carried forward in the FY2017 act."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Painter, William L.; Schwemle, Barbara L.; Bjelopera, Jerome P.
2017-08-24
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Remedies for Patent Infringement [July 18, 2017]
"Some Members of Congress have expressed interest in the judicial award of remedies for patent infringement for more than a decade. Several bills introduced in previous sessions of Congress proposed reforms to damages and injunctions principles in patent law. These bills were not enacted, however, and the changes made by the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA), P.L. 112-29, were more limited. Still, concerns over the availability of remedies for patent infringement remain, as evidenced by the introduction of legislation in the 115th Congress addressing the award of injunctions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Thomas, John R.
2017-07-18
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Labor Day Speech Resources: Fact Sheet [August 23, 2017]
From the Document: "Labor Day is a federal holiday celebrating the achievements of American workers. Labor Day also symbolically marks the end of summer and the beginning of the school year. This guide is designed to assist congressional offices with work-related Labor Day celebrations. It contains a brief history and selected resources for additional historical and legislative information, CRS reports, sample speeches and recognitions from the legislative branch, presidential proclamations, statistical information on the U.S. labor force, and cultural resources on celebrating the holiday."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cervantes, Valerie S.
2017-08-23
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Hurricanes Irma and Maria: Impact on Caribbean Countries and Foreign Territories
"In addition to causing massive destruction to the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean, Hurricanes Irma and Maria severely affected several Caribbean countries and foreign territories. Between September 5 and 9, 2017, Hurricane Irma caused widespread damage to Barbuda, part of the independent country of Antigua and Barbuda; the island of St. Martin/St. Maarten, split between French and Dutch rule (St. Martin is a French overseas collectivity while St. Maarten is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands); several southeastern and northwestern islands of the Bahamas; and the northern coast of Cuba. Other islands severely affected were the French overseas collectivity of St. Barthélemy and the British overseas territories of Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. On September 18 and 19, respectively, Hurricane Maria severely damaged the country of Dominica and the French department of Guadeloupe with direct hits, while St. Kitts and Nevis experienced lesser damage as the hurricane passed south of the country. On September 21, the hurricane passed close to the Dominican Republic and Haiti, which experienced limited impact, largely caused by flooding, and the Turks and Caicos Islands were battered once again as the storm passed nearby on September 22. Reconstruction costs are not yet known, but will likely be high for several of these islands, many of which depend on tourism."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.
2017-09-28
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Economic Impact of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma
"In recent weeks, multiple southern states and U.S. territories have experienced significant property damage and loss of life as a result of severe hurricanes, including Harvey, Irma, and Maria. This Insight will focus on the economic impact of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, as the impact of Hurricane Maria is still unfolding in Puerto Rico. Hurricane Harvey first made landfall in Texas on August 25 as a category 4 storm, before stalling for a number of days above south and southeast Texas delivering torrential downpours. Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a category 4 storm on September 10 after sweeping through the Caribbean, impacting multiple other countries and U.S. territories. A combination of strong winds and widespread flooding, resulting from strong rains and storm surges, have disrupted large communities in the South and South East and resulted in widespread property damage."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Stupak, Jeffrey M.
2017-10-02
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President Trump's Proclamation on Enhanced Vetting of Foreign Nationals from Designated Countries [September 29, 2017]
"On September 24, 2017, President Donald Trump issued a presidential proclamation entitled 'Enhancing Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats' (the proclamation) that suspends and/or restricts U.S. entry of foreign nationals from eight countries. The proclamation replaces aspects of Executive Order (E.O.) 13780 issued on March 6, 2017, and entitled 'Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States,' portions of which federal courts had blocked. E.O. 13780 revoked and replaced E.O. 13769 issued on January 27, 2017, which federal courts had also blocked. The proclamation describes what occurred following President Trump's issuance of E.O. 13780. That executive order imposed certain travel restrictions on nationals of six countries and refugees. It also mandated that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State (DOS) and the Director of National Intelligence, determine whether, and if so what, additional information would be needed from each foreign country to assess whether its nationals seeking to enter the United States posed a security or safety threat."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kandel, William
2017-09-29
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2017 Hurricanes and Army Corps of Engineers: Background for Flood Response and Recovery [September 27, 2017]
"In addition to damage from high winds, hurricanes can produce damaging storm surge and flooding from rainfall. This Insight summarizes flood-management activities of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE, or Corps) related to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. USACE has three roles relevant to hurricanes: emergency responder with flood-fighting and post-disaster recovery, owner and operator of flood-risk-reduction projects, and provider of assistance to repair certain nonfederal flood-control infrastructure. Congress may have interest in these roles as it responds to hurricane-related flooding and recovery."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Carter, Nicole T.; Stern, Charles V.
2017-09-27
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Pesticide Registration Fees: Reauthorization and Proposed Amendments
"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) capacity to evaluate pesticide registrations within statutory time frames is generally dependent on sufficient resources and requisite scientific information to inform evaluations. Pursuant to the Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act of 2012 (PRIA 3, P.L. 112-177), Congress reauthorized EPA to collect two categories of fees to support the agency's pesticide regulatory program and related activities through September 30, 2017. The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018, and Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-56), enacted September 8, 2017, extends to December 8, 2017, EPA's authority to collect and expend one of these fees--pesticide maintenance fees. The authority to collect the other fees --pesticide registration service fees--is also extended to December 8, 2017, before phasing out unless further extended. If authority to collect pesticide registration service fees were to expire, EPA would no longer be required to complete the evaluation of applications within statutory time frames. On March 20, 2017, the House passed the Pesticide Registration Enhancement Act of 2017 (H.R. 1029, H.Rept. 11549), which would reauthorize the collection of both fees and amend how EPA obligates monies derived from fee collections. On June 29, 2017, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry reported an amendment to H.R. 1029, renamed the Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act of 2017. Both versions of H.R. 1029 are discussed below."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Yen, Jerry H.; Esworthy, Robert
2017-09-27
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Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy [October 2, 2017]
"The United States, partner countries, and the Afghan government are attempting to reverse recent gains made by the resilient Taliban-led insurgency since the December 2014 transition to a smaller international mission consisting primarily of training and advising the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). The Afghan government has come under increasing domestic criticism not only for failing to prevent insurgent gains but also for its internal divisions that have spurred the establishment of new political opposition coalitions. In September 2014, the United States brokered a compromise to address a dispute over the 2014 presidential election, but a September 2016 deadline was not met for enacting election reforms and deciding whether to elevate the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position to a prime ministership. The Afghan government has made some measurable progress in reducing corruption and implementing its budgetary and other commitments. It has adopted measures that would enable it to proceed with new parliamentary elections, but no election date has been set."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth; Thomas, Clayton (Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs)
2017-10-02
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Libya: Transition and U.S. Policy [October 2, 2017]
"Libya's political transition has been disrupted by armed nonstate groups and threatened by the indecision and infighting of interim leaders. After an armed uprising ended the 40-plus-year rule of Muammar al Qadhafi in late 2011, interim authorities proved unable to form a stable government, address pressing security issues, reshape the country's public finances, or create a viable framework for post-conflict justice and reconciliation. Elections for legislative bodies and a constitutional drafting assembly were held and transparently administered in 2012 and 2014, but were marred by declining rates of participation, threats to candidates and voters, and zero-sum political competition. Insecurity remained prevalent in Libya following the 2011 conflict and deepened in 2014, driven by overlapping ideological, personal, financial, and transnational rivalries. Issues of dispute have included governance, military command, national finances, and control of oil infrastructure. Resulting conflicts involving Libyans in different parts of the country drove the political transition off course. At present, armed militia groups and locally organized political leaders remain the most powerful arbiters of public affairs. Criminals and violent Islamist extremists have exploited these conditions, and the latter remain active inside Libya and threaten Libya's neighbors. The 2017 U.S. AFRICOM Posture Statement states that 'the instability in Libya and North Africa may be the most significant, near-term threat to U.S. and allies' interests' in Africa."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Christopher M.
2017-10-02
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Amtrak: Overview
"Amtrak is the nation's primary provider of intercity passenger rail service. It was created by Congress in 1970 to preserve some level of intercity passenger rail service while enabling private rail companies to exit the money-losing passenger rail business. It is a quasi-governmental entity, a corporation whose stock is almost entirely owned by the federal government. It runs a deficit each year, and relies on congressional appropriations to continue operations. Amtrak was last authorized in the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015 (Title XI of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST Act; P.L. 114-94). That authorization expires at the end of FY2020. Amtrak's annual appropriations do not rely on separate authorization legislation, but authorization legislation does allow Congress to set multiyear Amtrak funding goals and federal intercity passenger rail policies. Since Amtrak's inception, Congress has been divided on the question of whether it should even exist. Amtrak is regularly criticized for failing to cover its costs. The need for federal financial support is often cited as evidence that passenger rail service is not financially viable, or that Amtrak should yield to private companies that would find ways to provide rail service profitably. Yet it is not clear that a private company could perform the same range of activities better than Amtrak does. Indeed, Amtrak was created because private-sector railroad companies in the United States lost money for decades operating intercity passenger rail service and wished to be relieved of the obligation to do so."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Peterman, David Randall
2017-09-28
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Pre-Merger Review and Challenges Under the Clayton Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act
"Preserving competition is an overarching purpose of federal laws governing business mergers. Though other federal laws, including the Sherman Act, seek to address anticompetitive behavior relating to monopolization, two federal statutes, in particular, address harms that may result from proposed mergers. Section 7 of the Clayton Act prohibits mergers 'in any line of commerce or in any activity affecting commerce' that may substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly. Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act) prohibits unfair methods of competition, which includes any activity that violates Section 7 of the Clayton Act. Pursuant to the Clayton and FTC Acts, Congress authorized the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to determine whether a proposed merger would substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly. Title II of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act (HSR Act) requires transacting parties, which exceed certain sizes, to report significant planned mergers and acquisitions to the FTC and DOJ so that the agencies may determine whether the proposed transactions raise anticompetitive concerns. If the FTC or DOJ determines that such concerns exist, the agencies may commence administrative or judicial proceedings to block the proposed transaction. Reviewing courts and administrative law judges consider a variety of factors when determining whether a proposed merged complies with federal antitrust laws. This report examines the primary statutes and processes that govern federal pre-merger review and merger challenges."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Ruane, Kathleen Ann
2017-09-27
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Ethics Pledges and Other Executive Branch Appointee Restrictions Since 1993: Historical Perspective, Current Practices, and Options for Change
"On January 28, 2017, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13770 on ethics and lobbying. E.O. 13770 created an ethics pledge for executive branch appointees, provided for the administration and enforcement of the pledge, and revoked President Barack Obama's executive order ethics pledge that covered his Administration (E.O. 13490). President Trump's executive order shares some features with President Obama's executive order and a previous executive order issued by President Bill Clinton. Executive order ethics pledges are one of several tools, along with laws and administrative guidance, available to influence the interactions and relationships between the public and the executive branch. The ability of private citizens to contact government officials is protected by the Constitution. As such, the restrictions placed by executive order ethics pledges, laws, and administrative guidance are designed to provide transparency and address enforcement of existing 'revolving door' (when federal employees leave government for employment in the private sector) and lobbying laws. The report begins with an overview of the relationship between the public and the executive branch, including the use of laws, executive orders, and other guidance and Administration policy to regulate interactions. A brief summary of recent executive orders is then provided, including a side-by-side analysis of ethics pledges from the Clinton, Obama, and Trump Administrations. This analysis is followed by observations about the similarities and differences among the three pledges."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Straus, Jacob R.
2017-09-29
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Kurds in Iraq Propose Controversial Referendum on Independence [September 18, 2017]
From the Document: "The question of self-determination for the Kurds of Iraq and neighboring countries has remained unresolved since the delineation of national borders in the Middle East in the wake of World War I. U.S. intervention in Iraq since the 1990s has contributed to the emergence and protection of autonomous political institutions in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and the development of the region's economy and security forces. At the same time, tensions between Kurds in Iraq and Iraq's national government have complicated U.S. efforts to assist Iraqis in securing and stabilizing their country. Successive U.S. Administrations have used diplomacy and military partnership initiatives to lower the risk of conflict between Kurds and other Iraqis, with mixed results. Recent U.S. partnerships with Kurds in Iraq in efforts to combat the Islamic State have further enmeshed the United States in the question of Kurdish security and relations between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Baghdad. Kurds and other Iraqis differ among themselves over the desirability and feasibility of Kurdish independence, and Iraq's neighbors warily monitor related developments and the aspirations of their own Kurdish citizens."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Christopher M.
2017-09-18
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Taylor Force Act: Palestinian Terrorism-Related Payments and U.S. Aid [September 12, 2017]
"Some Members of Congress have increased their scrutiny of the Palestinian practice of providing payments to some Palestinians (and/or their families) who have been imprisoned for or accused of terrorism by Israel. Critics have asserted that because money is fungible, any aid that directly benefits the Palestinian Authority (PA) could indirectly support such payments. Congress may consider legislation--most of the bills are known as the Taylor Force Act--that could supersede existing provisions on the subject in annual appropriations legislation. The impact that the legislation could have on overarching U.S. priorities on Israeli-Palestinian matters is unclear."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Zanotti, Jim; Sharp, Jeremy Maxwell
2017-09-12
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Resolutions Censuring the President: History and Context, 1st-114th Congresses [September 14, 2017]
"Censure is a reprimand adopted by one or both chambers of Congress against a Member of Congress, President, federal judge, or government official. Censure against a sitting Member involves a formal process that is sanctioned by the Constitution (Article 1, Section 5). Non-Member censure, however, is not an enforceable action and has no uniform language. Instead, non-Member censure resolutions may use a variety of terms to highlight conduct deemed by the House or Senate to be inappropriate or unauthorized. Since 1800, the House and Senate have introduced numerous resolutions to censure or condemn the President. Aside from the exceptions noted below, these resolutions have failed in committee or during floor consideration. Nevertheless, presidential censure attempts have become more frequent since the Watergate era. The most recent censure resolution was introduced on August 18, 2017, as H.Res. 496 (115th Congress). It uses the phrase censure and condemn in reference to the current President."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hudiburg, Jane A.
2017-09-14
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Implementation Date Nears for HHS Emergency Preparedness (EP) Rule [September 15, 2017]
"On November 16, 2017, many U.S. health care entities will be expected to fully comply with new federal emergency preparedness requirements. Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers (the 'EP Rule'), issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), became effective November 16, 2016. In the 2013 proposed rule, CMS said it had concluded that 'the current regulatory patchwork of federal, state, and local laws and guidelines, combined with the various accrediting organization emergency preparedness standards, falls far short of what is needed to require that health care providers and suppliers be adequately prepared for a disaster.' Where federal requirements apply, they may be outmoded, lack sufficient depth, or be inconsistent across facility types."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lister, Sarah A.
2017-09-15
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2017 Hurricanes and Army Corps of Engineers: Background for Flood Response and Recovery [September 15, 2017]
In addition to damage from high winds, hurricanes can produce damaging storm surge and flooding from rainfall. This Insight summarizes flood-management activities of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE, or Corps) related to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. USACE has three primary roles relevant to hurricanes: emergency responder with flood-fighting and post-disaster recovery, owner and operator of flood-risk-reduction projects, and provider of assistance to repair certain nonfederal flood-control infrastructure. Congress may have interest in each of these roles as it responds to hurricane-related flooding and recovery.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Carter, Nicole T.; Stern, Charles V.
2017-09-15
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Election in Germany [September 18, 2017]
"Chancellor Angela Merkel is seeking a fourth term in Germany's parliamentary election scheduled for September 24, 2017. Merkel has led Europe's largest and most prosperous country for 12 years and is widely viewed as the most influential political leader in Europe. Opinion polls suggest she will be reelected comfortably. Merkel's campaign has stressed the value of continuity and predictability during a time of flux in Europe and beyond. While presiding over a period of economic prosperity in Germany, Merkel has been confronted with crises such as significant migration and refugee flows, Russian aggression in Ukraine, the Greek debt crisis, the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union (EU), and a rise in terrorism."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Belkin, Paul
2017-09-18
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Federal Agricultural Recovery Resources for Hurricane-Related Losses [September 08, 2017]
"Following the destruction of Hurricane Harvey, which hit the Texas coast on August 25, 2017, many in the agriculture industry are facing large-scale production losses as well as extensive damage to land and facilities. Hurricane Irma now poses a similar threat to Florida, other southeastern states, and several U.S. territories. Crops such as rice, cotton, soybeans, and cattle appear to be among the hardest hit areas of agricultural production from Hurricane Harvey. However, to date no official loss estimates have been released. Sugar, citrus, cotton, specialty crops, and livestock are just a few of the crops that could face production losses from Hurricane Irma depending on the path and severity of the storm."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Stubbs, Megan
2017-09-08
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Unauthorized Childhood Arrivals: Legislative Options [September 14, 2017]
"In 2012, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began granting deferred action through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to certain individuals without lawful immigration status who had arrived in the United States as children and met other requirements. The requirements included initial entry into the United States before age 16, continuous U.S. residence since June 15, 2007, and being under age 31 as of June 15, 2012. Deferred action provides protection against removal from the United States. Individuals granted deferred action also may receive work authorization. Initial grants of deferred action under DACA were for two years and could be renewed in two-year increments. As of March 31, 2017, DHS had approved 787,580 initial requests for DACA from applicants residing in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. territories"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2017-09-14
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Executive Branch Legislative Proposals Affecting Veterans Benefits in the FY2018 Budget [September 12, 2017]
From the Document: "The FY2018 Budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) contains two legislative proposals which, if enacted, would affect disability and other types of cash benefits payable by the VA to certain veterans. These proposals would affect both current and future beneficiaries. The proposal to restrict eligibility for Individual Unemployability (IU) would reduce the monthly benefits of affected veterans and the proposed changed to the calculation of the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) would reduce the annual growth in benefits. Savings from both proposals would be used to partially offset costs associated with the Veterans Choice Program."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Szymendera, Scott
2017-09-12
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Iran Sanctions [September 15, 2017]
"U.S. sanctions--and U.S. attempts to achieve imposition of multilateral and international sanctions on Iran--have been a significant component of U.S. Iran policy for several decades. In the 1980s and 1990s, U.S. sanctions were intended to try to compel Iran to cease supporting acts of terrorism and to limit Iran's strategic power in the Middle East more generally. Since the mid2000s, U.S. sanctions have focused on ensuring that Iran's nuclear program is for purely civilian uses and, since 2010, the international community has cooperated with a U.S.-led and U.N.authorized sanctions regime in pursuit of that goal. Still, sanctions against Iran have multiple objectives and address multiple perceived threats from Iran simultaneously."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2017-09-15
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Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress [September 14, 2017]
"This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the sustainment and modernization of the Coast Guard's polar icebreaker fleet. The Coast Guard's proposed FY2018 budget requests $19 million in acquisition funding for a new polar icebreaker that the Coast Guard wants to begin building in FY2019. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Administration's FY2018 acquisition funding request for a new polar icebreaker, and, more generally, whether to approve, reject, or modify the Coast Guard's overall plan for sustaining and modernizing the polar icebreaking fleet. Congress's decisions on this issue could affect Coast Guard funding requirements, the Coast Guard's ability to perform its polar missions, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2017-09-14
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China's Economic Rise: History, Trends, Challenges, and Implications for the United States [September 15, 2017]
"Prior to the initiation of economic reforms and trade liberalization 36 years ago, China maintained policies that kept the economy very poor, stagnant, centrally-controlled, vastly inefficient, and relatively isolated from the global economy. Since opening up to foreign trade and investment and implementing free market reforms in 1979, China has been among the world's fastest-growing economies, with real annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth averaging nearly 10% through 2016. In recent years, China has emerged as a major global economic power. It is now the world's largest economy (on a purchasing power parity basis), manufacturer, merchandise trader, and holder of foreign exchange reserves."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Morrison, Wayne M.
2017-09-15
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Oil Spills: Background and Governance [September 15, 2017]
"Oil is a dominant source of energy in the United States, accounting for approximately 37% of total energy consumption in 2016. Its use is widespread, providing fuel for the transportation, industrial, and residential sectors. Vast quantities of oil continuously enter the country via vessel or pipeline. Vast quantities continually move throughout the country to various destinations. With such widespread use and nonstop movement, it is inevitable that some number of spills will occur. This report provides background information regarding oil spills and identifies the legal authorities and processes for oil spill prevention, response, liability, and compensation. The first section highlights background issues, including oil spill statistics and potential environmental impacts. The second section discusses the legal and regulatory framework that governs oil spill prevention and response."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Ramseur, Jonathan L.
2017-09-15
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Federal Funding Gaps: A Brief Overview [September 13, 2017]
From the Introduction: "The routine activities of most federal agencies are funded annually by one or more of the regular appropriations acts. When action on the regular appropriations acts is delayed, a continuing appropriations act, also sometimes referred to as a continuing resolution or CR, may be used to provide interim budget authority. Since FY1952, all of the regular appropriations acts have been enacted by the beginning of the fiscal year in only four instances (FY1977, FY1989, FY1995, and FY1997). No CRs were enacted for three of these fiscal years, but CRs were enacted for FY1977 to fund certain unauthorized programs whose funding had been dropped from the regular appropriations acts. Further, no CRs were enacted for FY1953, even though all but one of the regular appropriations was enacted after the start of the fiscal year."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Saturno, James
2017-09-13
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China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities- Background and Issues for Congress [November 01, 2017]
"This report provides background information and issues for Congress on China's naval modernization effort and its implications for U.S. Navy capabilities. The question of how the United States should respond to China's military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort, is a key issue in U.S. defense planning and budgeting. Many U.S. military programs for countering improving Chinese military forces (particularly its naval forces) fall within the U.S. Navy's budget. The issue for Congress is how the U.S. Navy should respond to China's military modernization effort, particularly its naval modernization effort. Decisions that Congress reaches on this issue could affect U.S. Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the U.S. defense industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2017-11-01
