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Navy-Marine Corps Amphibious and Maritime Prepositioning Ship Programs: Background and Oversight Issues for Congress [August 5, 2004]
From the Summary: "As of the end of FY2003, the Navy operated 36 amphibious ships, and the Military Sealift Command operated 16 maritime prepositioning force (MPF) ships for the Marine Corps. The Navy is currently building a new amphibious assault ship called LHD [landing helicopter dock]-8 and is also procuring new LPD [landing platform/dock]-17 class amphibious ships. A total of 12 LPD-17s are planned; the FY2005 budget requests funding for the seventh. Current Navy plans call for procuring an additional amphibious ship called LHA[landing helicopter assault](R) in FY2008, and for starting procurement of two new types of MPF ships, called MPF(F) and MPF(A), in FY2007 and FY2009, respectively. Two recent developments are causing the Navy to reconsider its current plans for procuring amphibious and maritime prepositioning ships. One is a new concept of operations for conducting expeditionary operations ashore, called enhanced networked sea basing, or sea basing for short. The other is a new concept for crewing and deploying Navy ships called Sea Swap. Navy and Marine Corps officials in recent months have suggested these two developments will affect both the quantities and designs of amphibious and maritime prepositioning ships to be procured in coming years, but have not stated in detail what the resulting changes might be. […] This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2004-08-05
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Exempting Food and Agriculture Products from U.S. Economic Sanctions: Status and Implementation [Updated January 20, 2006]
From the Summary: "Falling agricultural exports and declining commodity prices in the late 1990s led farm groups and agribusiness firms to urge Congress to pass legislation exempting food from U.S. economic sanctions against certain countries. In completing action on the FY2001 agriculture appropriations bill, Congress codified the lifting of unilateral sanctions on commercial sales of food, agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical products to Iran, Libya, North Korea, and Sudan, and extended this policy to apply to Cuba (Title IX of H.R. 5426, as enacted by P.L. [Public Law] 106-387; Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000, or TSRA). Other provisions place financing and licensing conditions on sales to these countries. […] In the 109th Congress, H.R. 719/S. 328, H.R. 1339/S. 634, S.Amdt. 281 and S.Amdt. 282 to S. 600, and identical House and Senate provisions in H.R. 3058 seek to respond to an OFAC [Office of Foreign Assets Control] rule which took effect in March 2005 defining 'payment of cash in advance' as payment that must be received by the U.S. exporter prior to agricultural products being shipped from the U.S. port rather than before title and control is transferred to the Cuban buyer. Fearing lost sales, opposition to this rule by farm groups and some Members has led to ongoing debate on this issue. Responding to congressional pressure, OFAC on July 29, 2005, slightly revised this rule to allow for goods to be shipped from a U.S. port once a third-country bank receives payment for the U.S. exporter from the Cuban purchaser. In legislative action to date, conferees dropped the provision in H.R. 3058 prohibiting implementation of OFAC's initial rule, in light of a presidential veto threat."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jurenas, Remy
2006-01-20
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Budget for Fiscal Year 2009 [March 19, 2008]
From the Summary: "On February 4, 2008, President Bush sent his fiscal year (FY) 2009 budget to Congress. The President's budget predicted a deficit of $407 billion for FY2008 and $410 billion for FY2009, up from $162 billion in FY2007 due to falling federal revenues and rising security expenditures. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the FY2008 deficit would total $396 billion if the President's proposals are enacted, about $39 billion more than the current-law baseline. The projected FY2009 deficit under the President's proposals was $342 billion. Tax rebates and business investment incentives enacted in the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 (P.L. [Public Law] 110-185), which passed in January, will push up the FY2008 deficit by an estimated $152 billion. The on-budget deficit, which excludes Social Security surpluses, for the President's budget proposals, would reach $592 billion in FY2008 and $525 billion in FY2009 according to CBO estimates. […] The revised baseline projection of the FY2009 deficit was $207 billion, much smaller than the $342 billion FY2009 deficit that the President's budget had been projected to generate. [...] This report will be updated as legislative conditions warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Austin, D. Andrew
2008-03-19
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U.S.-Peru Economic Relations and the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement [Updated December 3, 2007]
From the Summary: "On December 7, 2005, the United States and Peru concluded negotiations on the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA). President Bush notified the Congress of the United States' intention to enter into the PTPA on January 6, 2006, and the agreement was signed on April 12, 2006 by U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman and Peruvian Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism Alfredo Ferrero Diez. The PTPA is a comprehensive trade agreement that, if approved by Congress, would eliminate tariffs and other barriers in goods and services trade between the United States and Peru. The approval and implementation of a PTPA is a high priority for the Peruvian government. Peruvian President Alan García has met with President Bush and Members of Congress on several occasions in the United States to stress the importance of the agreement for Peru. […] On June 28, 2006, the Peruvian Congress voted 79 to 14 to approve the agreement. In May 2007, Congress and the Administration reached an agreement on a new bipartisan trade framework that calls for the inclusion of core labor and environmental standards in the text of pending and future trade agreements. The United States reached an agreement with Peru on June 25, 2007, on legally binding amendments to the PTPA on labor, the environment, and other matters to reflect the bipartisan agreement of May 10. On June 27, 2007, Peru's Congress voted 70 to 38 in favor of the amendments to the PTPA. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Villarreal, M. Angeles
2007-12-03
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Drug Trafficking and North Korea: Issues for U.S. Policy [November 27, 2006]
"At least 50 documented incidents in more than 20 countries around the world, many involving arrest or detention of North Korean diplomats, link North Korea to drug trafficking. Such events, in the context of credible, but unproven, allegations of large scale state sponsorship of drug production and trafficking, raise important issues for the United States and its allies in combating international drug trafficking. The challenge to policy makers is how to pursue an effective counter drug policy and comply with U.S. law which may require cutting off aid to North Korea while pursuing other high-priority U.S. foreign policy objectives including (1) limiting possession and production of weapons of mass destruction; (2) limiting ballistic missile production and export; (3) curbing terrorism, counterfeiting, and international crime; and (4) addressing humanitarian needs. Reports that the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea (DPRK) may be limiting some of its food crop production in favor of drug crop production are particularly disturbing given the country's chronic food shortages, though the acreage in question is comparatively small. Another issue of rising concern is the degree to which profits from any North Korean drug trafficking, counterfeiting, and other crime-for-profit enterprises may be used to underwrite the costs of maintaining or expanding North Korean nuclear and missile programs. […] It remains clear, however, that regardless of the mix of DPRK criminal activities at any particular given point in time, income from DPRK criminal activity continues to play a pivotal role in overall DPRK finances."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Perl, Raphael
2006-11-27
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Cruise Missile Defense [Updated October 30, 2006]
From the Summary: "Congress has expressed interest in cruise missile defense for years. Cruise missiles (CMs) are essentially unmanned attack aircraft -- vehicles composed of an airframe, propulsion system, guidance system, and weapons payload. They may possess highly complex navigation and targeting systems and thus have the capability to sustain low, terrain-hugging flight paths as well as strike with great accuracy. CMs can be launched from numerous platforms -- air-, land-, or sea-based -- and they can be outfitted with either conventional weapons or weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The Department of Defense is pursuing several initiatives that seek to improve capabilities against an unpredictable cruise missile threat. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bolkcom, Christopher C.
2006-10-30
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Authorization and Appropriations for FY2005: Defense [Updated November 9, 2004]
From the Summary: "Early on the morning on October 7, 2004, a conference agreement on the FY2005 defense authorization bill (H.R. 4200) was announced. The House approved the conference agreement by a vote of 359-14 on October 8, and the Senate approved it by unanimous consent on October 9. The President signed the bill into law (P.L. [Public Law] 108-375) on October 23. On the key issues, conferees rejected a House provision to delay military base closures; authorized purchases, but not leasing, of Boeing KC- 767 or other refueling aircraft; increased statutory caps on Army and Marine Corps active duty end-strength in FY2005 by 23,000; rejected a House provision that would limit purchases of defense goods from nations that require offsets for purchases of U.S. weapons; and increased benefits for 62-and-older survivors of military retirees. […] The appropriations conference report also resolves a number of major weapons issues. It makes substantial cuts in a few high-profile weapons programs, including the Transformational Communications Satellite and the Space-Based Radar. It also provides funding to begin construction of the Navy DD(X) destroyer and Littoral Combat Ship. One other major defense policy issue remains to be resolved in action on the energy and water appropriations bill. In floor votes on the defense authorization bill, both the House and the Senate rejected amendments to eliminate funds for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator nuclear warhead and new low-yield nuclear weapons development. The House version of the energy and water appropriations bill (H.R. 4614), however, eliminates funds for the programs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Daggett, Stephen; Belasco, Amy
2004-11-09
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Military Housing Privatization Initiative: Background and Issues [July 2, 2001]
"This report describes the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI), a pilot program authorized by Congress in 1996 to encourage privately-funded development of housing for use by members of the U.S. Military Services (including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force). The quality of housing available to members of the Military Services is considered one of the most important components (along with pay and quality of workplace) in defining the military's 'quality of life,' directly influencing the ability of the Military Services to retain personnel on active duty. As part of the Department of Defense (DOD) effort to address its housing problems by a self-imposed deadline of 2010, the MHPI uses private sector alternatives to military housing construction, 'leveraging' appropriated funds by providing federal supports to commercial real estate developers. Congress temporarily granted DOD 12 of these risk-reducing authorities, including the ability to convey or lease public property to private enterprise, to guarantee minimum occupancy rates, or to offer direct loans to real estate developers. While the Office of the Secretary of Defense retains general oversight and approval authority, the individual Military Services are responsible for the execution of projects on military installations. […] Domestic military housing is created through three methods: access to the civilian housing market, traditional military construction using appropriated funds, and MHPI development. More than 66% of Service members stationed within the United States use commercial housing. MHPI housing currently under contract or in solicitation accounts for less than 20% of the remainder, with military construction supplying the rest. DOD intends to resolve its housing shortfalls through a combination of those three alternatives."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Else, Daniel H.
2001-07-02
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Defense Budget for FY2002: Data Summary, Final Version [Updated January 23, 2002]
From the Summary: "This report outlines the amended FY2002 defense budget request from the Bush administration, delivered to the Hill in June 2001. The report presents defense budget data in a manner designed to provide various perspectives on U.S. military spending. Part I presents basic data on the amended Bush Administration FY2002 national defense budget request, including data on budget authority and outlays for the Department of Defense and for the national defense budget function. Part II shows trends in overall defense spending, including figures on the growth and decline of defense spending, on defense outlays as a share of federal expenditures, defense outlays as a share of gross domestic product and foreign military spending. Part III defines key defense budget terms. To illustrate trends in the regular defense program, most of the data included in this report exclude costs of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, which was largely financed by allied contributions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tyszkiewicz, Mary T.
2002-01-23
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Iraq: Elections, Constitution, and Government [December 22, 2006]
"Elections in 2005 for a transition government (January 30, 2005), a permanent constitution (October 15), and a permanent (four year) government (December 15) produced a Shiite-led but broad-based constitutional government inaugurated in May 2006. However, it is now showing signs of fragmentation, it has been unwilling or unable to reduce sectarian violence, and the Bush Administration reportedly has lost some confidence in it. The December 6, 2006, Iraq Study Group report recommends a number of steps to accelerate factional reconciliation. (See CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report RL31339, 'Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security', by Kenneth Katzman.)"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2006-12-22
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Detection of Explosives on Airline Passengers: Recommendation of the 9/11 Commission and Related Issues [January 11, 2007]
"The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, known as the 9/11 Commission, recommended that Congress and the Transportation Security Administration give priority attention to screening airline passengers for explosives. The key issue for Congress is balancing the costs of mandating passenger explosives trace detection against other aviation security needs. Passenger explosives screening technologies have been under development for several years and are now being deployed in selected airports. Their technical capabilities are not fully established, and operational and policy issues have not yet been resolved. Critical factors for implementation in airports include reliability, passenger throughput, and passenger privacy concerns. Presuming the successful development and deployment of this technology, certification standards, operational policy, and screening procedures for federal use will need to be established. This topic continues to be of congressional interest, particularly as the 110th Congress reexamines implementation of the 9/11 Commission's recommendations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Shea, Dana A.; Morgan, Daniel (Daniel L.)
2007-01-11
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Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses [April 11, 1997]
"In 1990 and 1991, approximately 697,000 U.S. troops were deployed in the Persian Gulf during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The United States suffered relatively few casualties during the brief air and ground war against Iraq. Since returning home, however, many veterans have developed illnesses that appear to be related to their military service in the Gulf. Researchers caution that it may be impossible to identify the causes of these illnesses because of the absence of baseline data on the health of military personnel and the lack of reliable exposure data. This report provides concise answers to a series of questions concerning Gulf War veterans' illnesses, based on currently available scientific information."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Redhead, C. Stephen
1997-04-11
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Moldova: Basic Facts [June 26, 2001]
"This short report provides information and analysis on Moldova, including its history, political and economic situation, foreign policy, and U.S. policy toward Moldova. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Woehrel, Steven J.
2001-06-26
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Origins of the COVID-19 Pandemic [Updated June 11, 2021]
From the Document: "In late 2019, a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2], was identified in Wuhan, China. The virus, which causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), has contributed to significant morbidity (illness) and mortality (death), as well as severe public health and economic effects, among other impacts. Several Members of Congress have made public statements and introduced legislation calling for an investigation into the origin of SARS-CoV-2. Determining the origin and pathway by which a zoonotic disease (i.e., one that originated in animals) emerges and is transmitted to humans can help scientists prevent further outbreaks, inform the public health response, and aid in the development of therapeutics and vaccines. Further, such knowledge may guide the development of policies and practices that reduce the potential for the emergence of other zoonotic diseases. Determining the origin of zoonotic diseases can take years, and in some cases, an origin may never be conclusively identified."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Salaam-Blyther, Tiaji; Sheikh, Pervaze A.; Sheikh, Hassan Z. . . .
2021-06-11
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Internet: An Overview of Key Technology Policy Issues Affecting Its Use and Growth [Updated August 20, 2004]
"The growth of the Internet may be affected by a number of issues being debated by Congress. This report summarizes several key technology policy issues. Internet privacy issues encompass concerns about information collected by website operators and by 'spyware,' and separately about the extent to which law enforcement officials or employers monitor an individual's Internet activities. The 2001 USA PATRIOT Act (P.L. 107-56) has raised concerns among privacy advocates because of new authorities granted to law enforcement officials. Broadband Internet access gives users the ability to send and receive data at speeds far greater than current Internet access over traditional telephone lines. With deployment of broadband technologies beginning to accelerate, Congress is seeking to ensure fair competition and timely broadband deployment to all sectors and geographical locations of American society. Since the mid-1990s, commercial transactions on the Internet- called electronic commerce (e-commerce)- have grown substantially. Among the issues facing Congress are encryption procedures to protect e-commerce transactions, extension of the three-year tax moratorium on domestic e-commerce taxation, the impact of the USA PATRIOT Act, and how the policies of the European Union and the World Trade Organization (WTO) may affect U.S. e-commerce activities." This report also addresses the new federal anti-spam law, the administration and governance of the Internet's domain name system, and the evolving role of the Internet in the political economy of the United States.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Moteff, John D.; Smith, Marcia S.; Kruger, Lennard G.
2004-08-20
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Iraq's Trade with the World: Data and Analysis [Updated September 23, 2004]
"Despite concerns over continued insurgent activity and the stability of the interim government that have scared away much foreign investment by major corporations, the Bush Administration officials and others report that Iraq's economy is booming. The U.S. government is engaged in efforts to attract small and medium U.S. businesses to work and invest in the country as subcontractors on U.S. government contracts and in the private sector. The United States has lifted most international trade sanctions with respect to Iraq in keeping with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1483, and has designated Iraq as a beneficiary developing country under the Generalized System of Preferences. This report provides detailed trade statistics on Iraq's trade with the world from 1980 to the present, highlighting its major trading partners and regional trade linkages. Data on U.S. trade with Iraq for 2003 and 2004 to date are also provided. The report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jones, Vivian Catherine
2004-09-23
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Turkey: Update on Selected Issues [Updated August 12, 2004]
"Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) remain popular and have a firm hold on power in Turkey. The AKP is trying to recast itself from an Islamist-rooted party to a centrist 'conservative democratic' party. Although some AKP actions fuel secularist suspicions of a hidden Islamist agenda, the high priority that the party gives to attaining European Union (EU) membership may mitigate fears about its intentions and support its centrist ambitions. The government remains focused on the economy. With the aid of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), it has undertaken major macroeconomic reforms, achieved solid growth, and reduced inflation. The IMF has reviewed the government's economic performance positively and is expected to approve a new three-year stand-by agreement for 2005-2007. The government also has been challenged by terrorism and is dealing with both Kurdish terrorism, a radical religious terrorist threat with possible international links, and remnants of leftist terrorism."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Migdalovitz, Carol
2004-08-12
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Safeguarding Federal Elections from Possible Terrorist Attack: Issues and Options for Congress [October 27, 2004]
"Concerns have arisen that terrorist attacks near the November 2, 2004 federal election might be launched to disrupt voting and affect the outcome. As a result, questions have arisen about what might be done both to prevent such attacks and to respond to any that occur. Deliberations have centered largely around two questions: If a terrorist attack occurs, should the election be postponed, in whole or in part, and if so, by whom and under what authority? What steps should and are being taken to enhance security for the election? Questions about election postponement include who has the constitutional authority, to whom could such power be delegated, and what legal limitations exist. Congressional authority to regulate elections may vary depending on what contest or contests are affected. The executive branch does not currently have authority to set or change the times of elections, a power reserved for Congress under the Constitution, although Congress may be able to delegate such authority. Either Congress or the states might also pass legislation in response to a terrorist attack that would change the timing of any elections that were affected."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Thomas, Kenneth R.; Whitaker, L. Paige; Huckabee, David C. . . .
2004-10-27
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Iraq: Oil-For-Food Program, International Sanctions, and Illicit Trade [Updated August 2, 2004]
"The 'oil-for-food' program was the centerpiece of a long-standing U.N. Security Council effort to alleviate human suffering in Iraq while maintaining key elements of the Gulf war-related sanctions regime. In order to ensure that Iraq remained contained and that only humanitarian needs are served by the program, the program mandated substantial controls on Iraqi oil exports and humanitarian imports. All Iraqi oil revenues earned under the program were held in a U.N.-controlled escrow account and were not accessible to the regime of Saddam Hussein. The program has terminated now that Saddam Hussein's regime has fallen, an Iraqi government assumed sovereignty on June 28, 2004, and Saddam-era United Nations sanctions have been lifted. However, since the fall of the regime, there have been new allegations of misuses of the program, including allegations that politicians and businessmen in numerous countries received illicit proceeds from the program. Several investigations, including one by the United Nations, have been spawned by these allegations. This product will be updated as warranted by major developments. See also CRS Report RL31339, Iraq: U.S. Regime Change Efforts and Post-Saddam Governance."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2004-08-02
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Postponement and Rescheduling of Elections to Federal Office [October 4, 2004]
"Because of the fear of possible terrorist attacks which could be directed at election facilities or voters in the States just prior to or during the elections in a presidential election year, attention has been directed at the possibility/authority to postpone, cancel or reschedule an election for federal office. The United States Constitution does not provide in express language any current authority for a federal official or institution to 'postpone' an election for federal office. While the Constitution does expressly devolve upon the States the primary authority to administer within their respective jurisdictions elections for federal office, there remains within the Constitution a residual and superceding authority in the Congress over most aspects of congressional elections (Article I, Section 5, clause 1), and an express authority in Congress over at least the timing of the selections of presidential electors in the States (Article II, Section 1, clause 4). Under this authority Congress has legislated a uniform date for presidential electors to be chosen in the States, and a uniform date for congressional elections across the country, which are to be on the Tuesday immediately following the first Monday in November in the particular, applicable even-numbered election years. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Maskell, Jack
2004-10-04
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Emergency Communications: Wireless Enhanced 911 Issues Update [Updated August 4, 2004]
"One of the intents of Congress in passing the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-81), and of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in implementing the act, is to make wireless enhanced 911(W-E911) technology universally available throughout the United States. Enhanced 911 provides Automatic Number Identification (ANI) and Automatic Location Identification (ALI) functions for emergency calls to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). A report on technical and operational problems that might be impediments to timely deployment of 911, known as the 'Hatfield Report', recognized the need to upgrade 911 infrastructure nationwide, discussed some of the difficulties encountered by PSAPs, and recommended the creation of a 911 bureau at the Executive Level. Legislation introduced in the Senate on June 12, 2003 (S. 1250) addressed many of the issues raised in the Hatfield Report, such as federal support for emergency call centers (PSAPs); protection of state funds collected as telephone surcharges for 911; and interconnection with other emergency services. The bill would require the head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) at the Department of Commerce to create a Task Force to facilitate coordination with federal, state and local communications. A companion bill (H.R. 2898) was introduced in the House on July 25. Both bills were reported out of committee. An amended version of the House bill that would include the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in a joint program of coordination and funding was passed November 4; the Senate version of the bill has been placed on the calendar for floor action. This report will be updated."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Moore, L. K. S. (Linda K. S.)
2004-08-04
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Iran's Ballistic Missile Capabilities [Updated August 23, 2004]
"Iran's extensive inventory of ballistic missiles is considered by some as its primary means to deliver weapons of mass destruction (WMD) to a variety of potential targets in the region. Recent missile tests and reports that Iran is actively pursuing nuclear weapons have helped to increase regional tensions. This report will be updated as events warrant. Additional information is provided in CRS Report RL30427, Missile Survey: Ballistic and Cruise Missiles of Foreign Countries, CRS Report RL30551, Iran: Arms and Weapons of Mass Destruction Suppliers, and CRS Report RL30699, Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Weapons and Missiles: Status and Trends." This report fully characterizes and details the varied elements of Iran's ballistic missile program, as well as tracking the continuing trends of their ongoing pursuits of such an arsenal.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Feickert, Andrew
2004-08-23
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Prescription Drug Importation and Internet Sales: A Legal Overview [Updated October 4, 2004]
"As prescription drug prices have escalated in recent years, so too has consumer interest in purchasing less costly medications abroad. Meanwhile, in July, 2003, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2427, a bill that would allow wholesalers, pharmacists, and consumers to import certain prescription drugs from 25 different countries, including Canada, where drug prices are often lower than in the United States. Although H.R. 2427 passed the House, the provisions allowing drug importation faced opposition in the Senate and were not included in the conference agreement on Medicare prescription drug benefits. Instead, the final Medicare bill, H.R. 1, modified a provision of existing law that authorizes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow the importation of prescription drugs if the Secretary of Health and Human Services certifies that implementing such a program is safe and reduces costs, a determination that no Secretary has made in the years since a similar certification requirement was established in 2000."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Feder, Jody
2004-10-04
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Proposals for Intelligence Reorganization, 1949-2004 [Updated September 24, 2004]
"Proposals for the reorganization of the United States Intelligence Community have repeatedly emerged from commissions and committees created by either the executive or legislative branches. The heretofore limited authority of Directors of Central Intelligence and the great influence of the Departments of State and Defense have inhibited the emergence of major reorganization plans from within the Intelligence Community itself. Proposals to reorganize the Intelligence Community emerged in the period immediately following passage of the National Security Act of 1947 (P.L. 80-253) that established the position of Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Recommendations have ranged from adjustments in the DCI's budgetary responsibilities to the actual dissolution of the CIA and returning its functions to other departments. The goals underlying such proposals have reflected trends in American foreign policy and the international environment as well as domestic concerns about governmental accountability. This report will be updated as circumstances warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Best, Richard A.
2004-09-24
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European Views and Policies Toward the Middle East [Updated September 14, 2004]
"Managing policy differences on a range of issues emanating from the Middle East poses serious challenges for the United States and its European allies and friends. The most vitriolic dispute has centered on the U.S. decision to use force to oust Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. However, divisions over how best to approach the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, manage Iran, and combat terrorism also persist. The Bush Administration and Members of Congress are concerned that continued disagreements between the two sides of the Atlantic could both constrain U.S. policy choices in the region and erode the broader transatlantic relationship and counterterrorism cooperation over the longer term. The U.S.-initiated Broader Middle East and North Africa partnership project, unveiled at the June 2004 G8 Summit, seeks to encourage reforms in the region and U.S.-European cooperation in tackling Mideast problems. This initiative was welcomed by the 9/11 Commission, which recommended that the United States 'should engage other nations in developing a comprehensive coalition strategy against Islamist terrorism.' How deep and lasting the clash over Iraq and subsequent Middle East policies will be to transatlantic relations will likely depend on several factors, including whether Washington and European capitals can cooperate more robustly to rebuild Iraq; whether Europeans perceive a renewed U.S. commitment to revive the Middle East peace process; and whether differences over Mideast issues spill over into NATO, U.S.-EU trade relations, or impede EU efforts to forge a deeper Union. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Archick, Kristin
2004-09-14
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Homeland Security: Protecting Airliners from Terrorist Missiles [Updated October 22, 2004]
"Recent events have focused attention on the threat that terrorists with shoulder fired surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), referred to as Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS), pose to commercial airliners. Most believe that no single solution exists to effectively mitigate this threat. Instead, a menu of options may be considered, including installing infrared (IR) countermeasures on aircraft; modifying flight operations and air traffic control procedures; improving airport and regional security; and strengthening missile non-proliferation efforts. Equipping aircraft with missile countermeasure systems can protect the aircraft even when operating in areas where ground-based security measures are unavailable or infeasible to implement. However, this option has a relatively high cost, between $1 million and $3 million per aircraft, and the time needed for implementation does not allow for immediate response to the existing terrorist threat. Procedural improvements such as specific flight crew training, altering air traffic procedures to minimize exposure to the threat, and improved security near airports may be less costly than countermeasures and could more immediately help deter domestic terrorist attacks. However, these techniques by themselves cannot completely mitigate the risk of domestic attacks and would not protect U.S. airliners flying to and from foreign airports. This report will be updated as needed. This report will be updated as needed."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bolkcom, Christopher C.; Feickert, Andrew; Elias, Bartholomew
2004-10-22
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Presidential and Vice Presidential Succession: Overview and Current Legislation [Updated September 27, 2004]
"The events of September 11, 2001 raised concerns about continuity in the presidency and succession issues in general. Following establishment of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), legislation to include the DHS secretary in the line of succession has been introduced in the 108th Congress: S. 148, H.R. 1354, and H.R. 2319. All three would include the Secretary of Homeland Security in the line of succession following the Attorney General, while H.R. 2319 also makes further amendments to the Succession Act of 1947. Other measures would make major changes to existing succession law; these include H.R. 2749, S. 2073, S.Res. 419, or propose actions that would not require legislation (H.Res. 775 and S.Con.Res. 89). The Senate Committees on the Judiciary and Rules and Administration held a joint hearing September 16, 2003 to review the Succession Act of 1947 and the question of succession in general. For additional related information, please consult CRS Report RS20827, Presidential and Vice Presidential Terms and Tenure, by Thomas H. Neale, and CRS Report RS20260, Presidential Disability: An Overview, by Thomas H. Neale. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Neale, Thomas H.
2004-09-27
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Consolidating Intelligence Appropriation and Authorization in a Single Committee: 9/11 Commission Recommendation and Alternatives [October 29, 2004]
"On July 22, 2004, the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (also known as the 9/11 Commission) issued its final report on the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Among other findings and recommendations, the commission stated that existing congressional oversight was 'dysfunctional' and recommended two alternative proposals to change the existing intelligence committee structure: (1) replace the existing Senate and House Select Intelligence Committees with a joint committee on intelligence; or (2) consolidate intelligence appropriation and authorization functions in existing intelligence authorization committees. This report discusses the second of these two proposals. Under existing Senate and House rules, intelligence appropriations are under the jurisdiction of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees. Each committee distributes these appropriations among five appropriations subcommittees, predominantly the Defense Appropriations Subcommittees. This action was based on a proposal by the Senate Majority and Minority Whips, the leaders of a bipartisan working group appointed by the Majority and Minority Leaders. This report will be updated."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Streeter, Sandy
2004-10-29
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House Committees: A Framework for Considering Jurisdictional Realignment [November 4, 2004]
"The House has chosen to handle committee jurisdiction in a number of ways. It has chosen to concentrate jurisdiction over an issue in new, existing, and temporary committees. It has chosen to keep jurisdiction over components of an issue distributed among several committees. And, it has chosen to vest in one committee jurisdiction over a narrow subject matter that could just as readily have been considered a component of subject matter within another committee's jurisdiction. Rules relating to referral and the Speaker's referral authority have also been changed to deal with jurisdictional issues. The House is once again studying its committee organization, this time in relation to the policy area of homeland security. This report will not be updated."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Koempel, Michael L.
2004-11-04
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Al Qaeda: Statements and Evolving Ideology [Updated November 30, 2004]
From the Summary: "The release of a new videotape by Osama Bin Laden in late October 2004 rekindled public debate surrounding Al Qaeda's ideology, motives, and future plans to attack the United States. The highly political tone and content of the two most recent statements released by Osama Bin Laden [April and October 2004] have led some terrorism analysts to speculate that the messages may signal a new attempt by Bin Laden to create a lasting political leadership role for himself and Al Qaeda as the vanguard of an international Islamist ideological movement. Others have argued that Al Qaeda's presently limited capabilities have inspired a temporary rhetorical shift and that the group's primary goal remains carrying out terrorist attacks against the United States and its allies around the world, with particular emphasis on targeting economic infrastructure and fomenting unrest in Iraq and Afghanistan. This report reviews Osama Bin Laden's use of public statements from the mid-1990s to the present and analyzes the evolving ideological and political content of those statements. The report will be updated periodically. For background on the Al Qaeda terrorist network, see CRS Report RS21529, 'Al Qaeda after the Iraq Conflict.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Christopher M.
2004-11-30
