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Appropriations: National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NRIA)
"This document briefly summarizes FY2005 appropriations for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). It also explains the NTIA's mandate and the three major budget components: Salaries and Expenses, the Technology Opportunity Program (TOP), and the Public Telecommunications Facilities, Planning and Construction (PTFPC) program."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McLoughlin, Glenn J.
2004-07-06
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Internet Privacy: Overview and Pending Legislation [Updated July 6, 2004]
"Internet privacy issues generally encompass two types of concerns. One is the
collection of personally identifiable information (PII) by website operators from visitors to government and commercial websites, or by software that is surreptitiously installed on a user's computer ('spyware') and transmits the information to someone else. The other is the monitoring of electronic mail and Web usage by the government or law enforcement officials, employers, or Internet Service Providers. 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. Four spyware bills are pending; one (H.R. 2929) has been ordered reported from committee. Identity theft is not an Internet privacy issue, but is often debated in the context of whether the Internet makes identity theft more prevalent. Thus, it is briefly discussed in this report. 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. For information on wireless privacy issues, see CRS Report RL31636, Wireless Privacy: Availability of Location Information for Telemarketing. This report will be updated."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Smith, Marcia S.
2004-07-06
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Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Weapons and Missiles: Status and Trends [Updated July 2, 2004]
"The United States has long recognized the dangers of nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) weapons, and missiles proliferation. Despite the preeminence of U.S. military power, or perhaps because of it, these weapons continue to pose threats to the United States and its foreign interests. NBC weapons could be delivered by means ranging from simple options (e.g., ships, trucks), to aircraft, cruise or ballistic missiles. The total number of NBC weapons in the world is shrinking as the major powers scale back their inventories through unilateral reductions and arms control, but other countries and groups still try to acquire these weapons. Especially since September 11, 2001, U.S. and allied leaders have debated the nature and extent of the threat, the impact on international stability, and the opportunities terrorists might exploit. The number of nuclear arsenals worldwide is small. There are the established nuclear weapon states (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States), while India, Pakistan and Israel are believed to have nuclear weapon arsenals. North Korea is thought to have separated enough plutonium for at least one or two weapons, and possibly six. Iran is considered by U.S. intelligence to be pursuing a nuclear weapons program, and international inspections have revealed significant strides in its nuclear fuel cycle capabilities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Squassoni, Sharon A.
2004-07-02
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NATO Summit at Istanbul, 2004 [July 2, 2004]
"The NATO allies discussed such issues as Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Balkans at their summit in June 2004. Improved capabilities were a theme touching on a range of issues. The summit occurred at a moment when there is discontent in the alliance over the Bush Administration's handling of Iraq. This report may be updated. See also CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report RL32342, 'NATO and the European Union', by Kristin Archick and Paul Gallis."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gallis, Paul E.
2004-07-02
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Globalizing Cooperative Threat Reduction: A Survey of Options [July 2, 2004]
"Increasingly, Congress and the Administration are looking to utilize
nonproliferation assistance programs, including cooperative threat reduction, to help reduce the risk of terrorist access to weapons of mass destruction (WMD). In the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress authorized the Bush Administration to spend $50 million of unobligated funds from the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program in states outside the former Soviet Union. Thus far, the Bush Administration has proposed that such funds could be used for retraining weapons scientists in Iraq and Libya or for reducing uranium enrichment levels in foreign research nuclear reactors. This report, which will be updated as needed, analyzes the range of possible applications of CTR funds and the kinds of assistance might be supplied, and describes legal, financial, technical, and political constraints on possible assistance. A key underlying issue is whether countries that pose particular risks are prepared to provide adequate cooperation to achieve CTR objectives. As many observers have noted, CTR programs cannot be precisely replicated in other countries. A common factor must be the willingness of such states to cooperate. Across the board, Congress may opt to consider domestic and international legal and political restrictions on cooperation with states outside the nonproliferation regimes, low levels of transparency exhibited by most of the potential recipient states, and the lack of incentives for many of these states to pursue threat reduction measures. In addition, Congress may wish to consider whether potentially expanding the geographic scope of CTR may have a negative effect on existing programs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Squassoni, Sharon A.
2004-07-02
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Wisconsin Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized [July 2, 2004]
"The governor of Wisconsin is responsible for state emergency management activities, and the adjutant general serves as the lead administrator. The adjutant general is authorized to refuse to provide grants to units of local governments until emergency management plans are implemented and updated. Dependents of employees or volunteers who die in service during a state of emergency are eligible for death benefits. 'Responsible persons' (including the federal government) are liable for harm caused by nuclear incidents. 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.
2004-07-02
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U.S. Virgin Islands Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory [July 2, 2004]
"The Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Act was enacted to reduce the vulnerability of the people and communities of the islands to damage, injury, and loss of life and property resulting from natural or man-made catastrophes, riots, or hostile military or paramilitary action. The statute clarifies and strengthens roles of the governor and territorial agencies. It also authorizes activities with regard to the prevention of, preparation for, response to, and recovery from emergencies and provides for coordination with other jurisdictions. Financial assistance derives from federal aid, state emergency response funds and a state contingency fund. The act authorizes agreements with states to assist in the evacuation of all or part of the population of the islands. 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.
2004-07-02
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Homeland Security: Coast Guard Operations - Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 1, 2004]
"The Coast Guard's FY2005 budget request includes $101 million to begin implementing the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) of 2002. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees, in their reports (H.Rept. 108-541 of June 15, 2004 and S.Rept. 108-280 of June 17, 2004) on the FY2005 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill (H.R. 4567/S. 2537) both recommend fully funding this request. A key issue for Congress is whether the Coast Guard's resources are sufficient to adequately perform both its homeland and non-homeland security missions. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2004-07-01
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South Korea-U.S. Economic Relations: Cooperation, Friction, and Future Prospects [Updated July 1, 2004]
"Korea is the U.S.'s seventh-largest trading partner- ahead of Western European countries such as France and Italy- and its sixth-largest export market. Korea has also become a significant investment site for American companies, which have poured nearly $20 billion into the country over the past seven years. In 2003, the U.S. was Korea's largest trading partner, and its second-largest export market, source of imports, and supplier of foreign direct investment (FDI). Increased economic interaction has been accompanied by numerous disagreements over trade policies. The intensity of the disputes has diminished considerably since the late 1980s and early 1990s, in part because South Korea has enacted a set of sweeping market-oriented reforms as a quid pro quo for receiving a $58 billion package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following the near collapse of the South Korean economy in 1997. In recent years, the United States and South Korea appear to have become more adept at managing their trade disputes, so that they tend to be less acrimonious than they were in the 1980s and 1990s. This is due in part to the quarterly, working-level bilateral trade meetings that were first held in early 2001. This report summarizes the main issues in U.S.-South Korean economic relations, including South Korea's economic prospects and economic reforms, and major bilateral economic disputes. The report will be updated periodically."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Manyin, Mark E.
2004-07-01
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Spectrum Policy: Public Safety and Wireless Communications Interference [Updated June 30, 2004]
"Legislation has been introduced, and other legislation may be under consideration, for the 108th Congress regarding possible actions by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to relocate some public safety wireless users to new frequencies. There have been an increasing number of reported incidents of transmission interference with public safety communications, leading the FCC to consider proposals to mitigate certain types of interference. The interference usually takes the form of dropped calls or dead spaces with radio transmissions- primarily to or from first responders- in certain frequencies. Many of the impacted public safety frequency assignments are placed close to commercial frequencies. The predominate user of the frequencies that are interleaved with public safety radio operations is the wireless company Nextel Communications, Inc. The majority of documented incidents of interference have been attributed to Nextel's network. The FCC is considering a plan based on a proposal from Nextel, the objective of which is to reassign frequencies in what is referred to as the 800 MHz band so that public safety users would be grouped together and interference reduced or eliminated. There are a number of policy issues that this plan raises for Congress, including cost issues and spectrum management."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Moore, L. K. S. (Linda K. S.)
2004-06-30
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Serbia: 2004 Presidential Elections [Updated June 29, 2004]
From the Summary: "Serbia, the larger republic within the Serbia and Montenegro union, held presidential elections on June 13 and 27, 2004. While the actual powers of the republican presidency are not very extensive, the election outcome was expected to signal the political direction of Serbia and its prospects for closer relations with the international community. In the first round of voting, Tomislav Nikolic, leader of the extremist Serbian Radical Party, and Boris Tadic, candidate of the opposition Democratic Party, came in first and second place in front of 13 other candidates. In the second round, Tadic defeated Nikolic, 54% to 45%. Calling the results a victory for 'a European future' over radical nationalism, Tadic pledged to guide the country closer to European Union membership. However, Tadic's victory may trigger still more political changes, including early parliamentary elections. A related CRS [Congressional Research Service] product is CRS Report RL30371, 'Serbia and Montenegro: Current Situation and U.S. Policy,' by Steven Woehrel."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kim, Julie
2004-06-29
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Federal Homeland Security Research and Development Funding: Issues of Data Quality [June 28, 2004]
"Section 889 of the Homeland Security Act, P.L. 107-296, requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to report homeland security budget data annually to Congress and to consult with Congress to identify homeland security activities for this purpose. Accurate information is needed in order to set and coordinate priorities and policy for federal homeland security research and development (R&D). P.L. 107-296 gave the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, coordination responsibilities to ensure that federal homeland security R&D serves DHS's internal needs, supports the agencies transferred to DHS, contributes to presidentially defined homeland security missions, and ensures that federal homeland security R&D programs do not duplicate or leave gaps. According to the Under Secretary, federal homeland security R&D will be coordinated by fall 2004. Legislation has been introduced to require DHS to prioritize and consolidate all of its R&D activities that are not now managed by the agency's Science and Technology Directorate (H.R. 4141/S. 2285). OMB data show that federal funding for homeland security R&D was requested at $3.6 billion for FY2005; DHS's R&D programs constitute about one-third of total funding. Other agencies with large homeland security R&D budgets are the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Commerce."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Knezo, Genevieve Johanna
2004-06-28
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Rhode Island Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities [June 24, 2004]
"Rhode Island's emergency management statute sets forth the roles of the governor, state agencies, and local governments in disaster prevention, preparation, response and recovery. The statute authorizes, and provides for, the coordination of emergency management activities by state agencies and officers. A constitutional provision authorizes the General Assembly to provide for succession and to ensure the continuity of government operations. The seat of state and local government may be moved to emergency temporary locations when necessary. 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.
2004-06-24
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Regulation of Broadcast Indecency: Background and Legal Analysis [Updated June 23, 2004]
"Two recent events have placed increased attention on the FCC and its indecency regulations. The airing of the 2003 Golden Globe Awards and the subsequent ruling by the FCC's Enforcement Bureau, coupled with the controversy surrounding the 2004 Super Bowl half-time show, have brought broadcast indecency to the forefront of the congressional agenda. Bills have been introduced to increase the penalties imposed for broadcast indecency (H.R. 3717, S. 2056, and S. 2147) and to prohibit the broadcast of certain words and phrases in any grammatical form (H.R. 3687). One such bill, H.R. 3717, was passed by the House on March 11, 2004. Resolutions have been introduced to express disapproval of the FCC Enforcement Bureau's decision regarding the Golden Globe Awards broadcast: H.Res. 482, H.Res. 500, and S.Res. 283, which the Senate passed on December 9, 2003. In addition, both the House and Senate have held or scheduled hearings on broadcast indecency. This report provides background on the two events in question, discusses the legal evolution of the FCC's indecency regulations, and provides an overview of how the current regulations have been applied. The final section of the report considers whether prohibiting the broadcast of 'indecent' words regardless of context would violate the First Amendment."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cohen, Henry, 1949-; Welborn, Angie A.
2004-06-23
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Small-scale Terrorist Attacks Using Chemical and Biological Agents: An Assessment Framework and Preliminary Comparisons [Updated June 23, 2004]
This report, which will be updated as necessary, presents a means of assessing the relative threat from terrorist-use of individual chemical, biological, and toxin agents. It focuses on small-scale, targeted chemical and biological attacks, rather than mass-casualty attacks. The framework considers the elements of access, public health impact, medical treatment, prophylaxis, and dissemination. Other factors that may affect potential use by terrorists include the range of lethality, covert employment of an agent, and the availability of dual-use technologies. The results of this framework may be useful in addressing the threat these agents pose, for example by indicating priorities for countermeasure funding. Other uses include weighing the potential effectiveness of policy options, assessing threat reduction approaches to specific agents, and serving as a resource for developing other specialized frameworks.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Shea, Dana A.; Gottron, Frank
2004-06-23
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Illicit Drugs and the Terrorist Threat: Causal Links and Implications for Domestic Drug Control Policy [Updated June 22, 2004]
From the Summary: "Different drugs, different trafficking routes, and different organizations have different relationships to terrorist threats. Therefore it might be possible to improve domestic security by targeting drug law enforcement on those drugs, routes, and organizations with the strongest known or potential links to terror. However, doing so would require new analytic capacities and decision-making strategies for all the agencies involved in drug law enforcement and there is no assurance that the policies that best implement the mission of protecting Americans from drug abuse will also perform best in protecting the country from terrorism. Indeed, the interests of ideology-driven terrorists and money-driven drug traders can sometimes diverge, as when increased resources deployed against terrorists adversely affect the activities of drug traders with no ties to terrorists."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kleiman, Mark A.R.
2004-06-22
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Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 108th Congress [Updated June 22, 2004]
"The 108th Congress has considered and is considering legislation on a wide range of immigration issues. Chief among these are the transfer of immigration authorities to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), expedited naturalization through military service, and foreign temporary workers and business personnel. Since passage of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296) and the creation of DHS, Congress has considered legislation to clarify the allocation of immigration authorities between the Secretary of DHS and the Attorney General. P.L. 108-7 amended the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) in an apparent effort to clarify the authority that was to remain with the Attorney General. H.R. 1416, as passed by the House and reported by the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, would further amend the INA to remove certain references to the Attorney General. This report will be updated as legislative developments occur."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wasem, Ruth Ellen; Siskin, Alison; Bruno, Andorra
2004-06-22
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Offshoring (a.k.a. Offshore Outsourcing) and Job Insecurity Among U.S. Workers [Updated June 18, 2004]
"Offshoring or offshore outsourcing is the term now used to describe the nascent practice among companies in the United States of contracting out the jobs of white-collar workers in service sector industries (e.g., computer programmers) to firms located beyond U.S. borders. The term is equally applicable to employers' outsourcing blue-collar workers' manufacturing jobs (e.g., textile production) to other countries. As often is the case with a potential trend, however, few facts are available; instead, anecdotal accounts and varying estimates are trumpeted in the media. No regularly collected series currently provides data on the total number of workers who have lost their jobs to offshore outsourcing. The movement overseas of manufacturing jobs predates by decades the current wave of offshoring service sector jobs. The outsourcing of service sector jobs began in response to the early 1980s recessions: employers increased their focus on the firm's core mission and contracted out peripheral activities to specialized U.S. firms. The 2001 recession prompted employers to achieve further efficiencies by utilizing now widely disseminated technologies that permit low cost, good quality, and high speed transmission of voice and data communications to extend offshore outsourcing beyond blue-collar manufacturing jobs to white-collar services jobs. During the intervening decade of the 1990s events also transpired that enhanced other countries' ability to export services (e.g., information technology services) to the United States."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Levine, Linda (Linda H.)
2004-06-18
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Assistance to Afghan and Iraqi Women: Issues for Congress [June 18, 2004]
"This report reviews the U.S.-sponsored funding and programs directed toward women and children in Afghanistan and Iraq. The national and international response to the plight of Afghan and Iraqi women, even to their most recent experience under the Taliban in Afghanistan or Baathist regime in Iraq, will impact their future role and the long-term developments in each country, such as the implementation of a new constitution, the incorporation of women in local and national governance, the role of Islam and the state, the growth of the economy, the curbing of security concerns, and the role of U.S. and international assistance. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Armanios, Febe, 1974-; Margesson, Rhoda
2004-06-18
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South Dakota Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized [June 18, 2004]
"Two sections of the South Dakota code, chapter 33 ('Emergency Management') of title 33 ('Military Affairs') and chapter 5 ('Disaster Relief Protective Measures') of title 34 ('Public Health and Safety') primarily address disasters and emergencies. The Secretary of Public Safety coordinates the state's emergency management organizations, but only the governor is authorized to declare a disaster. The state reimburses political subdivisions for costs associated with emergency management activities. Funding for emergency requirements is obtained from the special revenue fund; each county must also establish an emergency management revenue fund. In the event of an attack, state officials must plan for the appointment of emergency interim successors. 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
2004-06-18
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South Carolina Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities [June 18, 2004]
"South Carolina's primary emergency management statute, Title 25 of the South Carolina Code, sets out the roles of the governor and the state Emergency Management Agency. The statute also creates a public health emergency plan committee and provides for the negotiation of mutual aid agreements. State emergency management activities are funded by federal allocations, state matching grants, and a state disaster trust fund. The Emergency Interim Legislative Succession Act provides for the succession of powers in emergencies. Other provisions allow the state and local seats of government to be relocated in an emergency. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 modified many portions of state statutes concerning emergency management, emergency health powers, and freedom of information. 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.
2004-06-18
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U.N. Convention Against Torture (CAT): Overview and Application to Interrogation Techniques [June 16, 2004]
"The United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) requires signatory parties to take measures to end torture within their territorial jurisdiction and to criminalize all acts of torture. Unlike many other international agreements and declarations prohibiting torture, CAT provides a general definition of the term. CAT generally defines torture as the infliction of severe physical and/or mental suffering committed under the color of law. CAT allows for no circumstances or emergencies where torture could be permitted. Assuming for the purposes of discussion that a U.S. body had to review a harsh interrogation method to determine whether it constituted torture under either CAT or applicable U.S. law, it might examine international jurisprudence as to whether certain interrogation methods constituted torture. A reviewing body might examine decisions made by both the European Court of Human Rights and the Committee against Torture, the monitoring body of CAT, which have examined interrogation methods including the use of such tactics as sleep deprivation, 'hooding' of detained individuals, and subjecting detainees to loud noise to determine whether such acts constituted torture. Although these decisions are not binding precedent for the United States, they may inform deliberations here. This report will be updated as events require."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Garcia, Michael John
2004-06-16
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Climate Change: Summary and Analysis of the 'Climate Stewardship Act' (S. 139/S.Amdt. 2028, and H.R. 4067) [Updated June 16, 2004]
"The Climate Stewardship Act (S. [Senate bill] 139, S.Amdt. [Senate Amendment] 2028, and H.R. 4067) would substantially reduce emissions of six greenhouse gases from anticipated levels beginning in 2010. Using a flexible, market-based implementation strategy, the bills would require economy-wide reductions, but permit participation in pre-certified international trading systems and in carbon sequestration programs to achieve part of the reduction requirement. The bills exclude residential and agricultural sources of greenhouse gases, along with entities emitting fewer than 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents annually. As introduced, S. 139 required emission reductions in two phases: in the first phase, beginning in 2010, annual greenhouse gas emissions from covered entities would be limited to 2000 levels; in the second phase, beginning in 2016, annual greenhouse gas emissions from covered entities would be further limited to 1990 levels. S.Amdt. 2028 and H.R. 4067 eliminate the second phase; this substantially reduces projected costs. This report will be updated as warranted."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Parker, Larry, 1954-; Yacobucci, Brent D.
2004-06-16
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Sudan: The Crisis in Darfur [June 16, 2004]
"The ongoing crisis in Darfur Province in western Sudan has raised serious concerns about a major humanitarian disaster, with an estimated one million people displaced and more than 140,000 people forced into neighboring Chad. There are no reliable estimates of the number of people killed as a result of the conflict. The government of Sudan has denied or severely restricted access to relief officials in Darfur. Some observers and U.S. officials estimate that between 10,000-30,000 people have been killed over the past twelve months. U.S. officials assert that an estimated 320,000 could die by the end of 2004 irrespective of the international response. This report will be updated as developments warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Dagne, Theodore S.
2004-06-16
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Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy [Updated June 15, 2004]
"Afghanistan is a fragile state that appears to be gradually stabilizing after more than 22 years of warfare, including a U.S.-led war that brought the current government to power. Before the U.S. military campaign against the Taliban began on October 7, 2001, Afghanistan had been mired in conflict since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. The Taliban ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 until its collapse in December 2001 at the hands of a U.S.-led military campaign. Since the defeat of the Taliban, Afghanistan no longer serves as a base of operations for Al Qaeda. […] On May 1, 2003, the United States and the Afghan government declared major U.S.-led combat ended and asserted that U.S.-led forces would henceforth concentrate on stabilization. U.S. stabilization measures focus on strengthening the central government, which has been widely viewed as weak and unable to control many regional and factional leaders. The United States and other countries are building an Afghan National Army; deploying a multinational International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to patrol Kabul and other cities; setting up regional enclaves to create secure conditions for reconstruction (Provincial Reconstruction Teams, PRTs), and disarming militia fighters. To foster reconstruction, the United States is giving Afghanistan a total of about $1.6 billion for FY2004, most of which ($1.2 billion) was provided in a supplemental appropriation (P.L. [Public Law] 108-106). The United Nations and the Bush Administration have lifted sanctions imposed on Afghanistan during Taliban rule. This paper will be updated as warranted by major developments."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2004-06-15
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Energy Policy: The Continuing Debate and Omnibus Energy Legislation [Updated June 14, 2004]
"Energy legislation has been scheduled for floor action in the House on June 15. The floor agenda includes a bill (H.R. 4529) to allow oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and H.R. 4517, which would expedite federal authorization for siting and operation of refineries. Also scheduled is H.R. 4503, which is essentially identical to the conference version of a comprehensive energy bill (H.R. 6) previously passed by the House, and H.R. 4513, to limit environmental reviews of renewable energy projects. The history of omnibus energy legislation in the 108th Congress has been protracted. The House passed the conference version of H.R. 6 on November 18, 2003. On November 21, a cloture motion to limit debate in the Senate on the H.R. 6 conference report failed (57-40). Efforts to bring the bill back to the Senate floor early in the second session were unsuccessful. Some argued that any major changes to the legislation would not be viable because of the careful regional and political compromises that were reached to get a bill out of conference and through the House. The closest consensus was that the cost of the bill had to be reduced."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bamberger, Robert
2004-06-14
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Energy Policy: The Continuing Debate and Omnibus Energy Legislation [Updated October 1, 2004]
"The history of omnibus energy legislation in the 108th Congress has been protracted. The House passed the conference version of H.R. 6 on November 18, 2003. On November 21, a cloture motion to limit debate in the Senate on the H.R. 6 conference report failed (57-40). Some argued that any major changes to the legislation would not be viable because of the careful regional and political compromises that were reached to get a bill out of conference and through the House. The revised bill was described as 'lean' in so far as it was estimated to cost less than $14 billion, in contrast to the $31 billion estimated for H.R. 6. However, S. 2095 dropped what may have been the most contentious provision of H.R. 6- the 'safe harbor' provision to protect MTBE refiners from product liability suits, a provision for which there is strong support in the House. The bill would grant eminent domain authority to the federal government to construct interstate power lines on designated transmission corridors if the states did not act. S. 2095 does not authorize oil exploration, development, and production in the ANWR. The bill would provide $18 billion in loan guarantees for construction of an Alaskan natural gas pipeline. S. 2095 also includes an Alaskan gas price floor. See also CRS Report RL32204, Omnibus Energy Legislation (H.R. 6): Overview of Conference Report Non-Tax Provisions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bamberger, Robert
2004-06-14
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USA Patriot Act Sunset: Provisions that Expire on December 31, 2005 [Updated June 10, 2004]
"Several sections of Title II of the USA PATRIOT Act (the Act) relating to enhanced foreign intelligence and law enforcement surveillance authority expire on December 31, 2005. Thereafter, the authority remains in effect only as it relates to foreign intelligence investigations begun before sunset or to offenses or potential offense begun or occurring before that date. There may be some disagreement of whether a 'potential offense' is a suspected crime, an incomplete crime, or both. The consequences of sunset are not the same for every expiring section. In some instances the temporary provision has been replaced with a permanent one; in some, other provisions have been made temporary by attached to an expiring section; in still others, the apparent impact of termination has been mitigated by related provisions either in the Act or elsewhere… This report is available in an abridged version (without its footnotes, chart, and most of its citations to authority) as CRS Report RS21704, 'USA PATRIOT Act Sunset: A Sketch.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Doyle, Charles
2004-06-10
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Global Climate Change: The Kyoto Protocol [Updated June 10, 2004]
"Negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) were completed December 11, 1997, committing the industrialized nations to specified, legally binding reductions in emissions of six 'greenhouse gases.' This treaty would commit the United States to a target of reducing greenhouse gases by 7% below 1990 levels during a 'commitment period' between 2008-2012. Because of the fact that 'sinks,' which remove and store carbon from the atmosphere, are counted and because of other provisions discussed in this report, the actual reduction of emissions within the United States that would be required to meet the target was estimated to be lower than 7%."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Fletcher, Susan R.
2004-06-10
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Sensitive Security Information and Transportation Security: Issues and Congressional Options [June 9, 2004]
"As a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress passed legislation creating the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The agency was charged with making improvements to the country's transportation security systems and protecting against future terrorist attacks. TSA was also given the authority to establish regulations for protecting certain information from public disclosure. These regulations govern sensitive security information, or SSI…A fundamental issue in this controversy is the tension between securing the nation's transportation systems and keeping the public informed. Democratic governments benefit from an informed citizenry; however, broad openness may provide potential enemies with information that enables attacks on the transportation infrastructure. What level of risk resulting from public access to SSI is acceptable to policymakers and the public? What alternatives are available to the present system, and what are their strengths and weaknesses? This report provides background information on and analysis of issues concerning the SSI regulations. Additionally, it identifies the transportation security and information issues at the heart of this debate. Finally, the report outlines and assesses policy options for Congress, including endorsing current regulations, giving greater specificity to TSA's protection requirements, setting time limits for protection, creating an advisory commission, requiring periodic congressional briefings, or establishing an oversight board. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sollenberger, Mitchel A.
2004-06-09
