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India: Chronology of Recent Events [Updated July 13, 2005]
"This report provides a reverse chronology of recent events involving India and India-U.S. relations. Sources include, but are not limited to, the U.S. Department of State, 'New York Times', 'Washington Post', 'Hindu' (Madras), 'Hindustan Times' (Delhi), 'Indian Express' (Bombay), and major newswires. For a substantive review, see CRS [Congressional Research Service] Issue Brief IB93097, India-U.S. Relations. This report will be updated regularly."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kronstadt, K. Alan
2005-07-13
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India: Chronology of Recent Events [Updated May 17, 2005]
"This report provides a reverse chronology of recent events involving India and India-U.S. relations. Sources include, but are not limited to, the U.S. Department of State, 'New York Times', 'Washington Post', 'Hindu' (Madras), 'Hindustan Times'(Delhi), 'Indian Express' (Bombay), and major newswires. This report will be updated regularly."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kronstadt, K. Alan
2005-05-17
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Cyprus: Reunification Proving Elusive [March 5, 2013]
"As 2013 opened, the Republic of Cyprus had just concluded what many agreed was a highly successful six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) that began on July 1, 2012. During that same six-month period, the republic continued to experience banking and fiscal crises not unlike what was taking place in Greece and elsewhere throughout Europe, resulting in the beginning of a prolonged negotiation with the EU for financial assistance and the implementation of a tough economic austerity program. The republic, at the beginning of 2013, also entered a period of national elections for a new government. Lost in the conduct of the EU presidency, the trauma of the fiscal crisis, and the beginning of the electoral season was the negotiations with the Turkish Cypriots to try to resolve the political division of Cyprus and set reunification into motion. By May 2012, the U.N.-sponsored talks, which had endured two years (2010-2012) of intense negotiations including regular leadership meetings, technical level discussions, and five meetings with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Kimoon, had essentially reached a stalemate and were suspended. Republic of Cyprus President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu were simply unable to find common ground or make enough necessary concessions on the difficult issues of governance, security, property rights, territory, and citizenship (mostly involving mainland Turks who had 'settled' in the north), to craft a final settlement. [...] Legislation (H.Res. [House Resolution] 676 and S.Con.Res. [Senate Concurrent Resolution] 47) had been introduced during the 112th Congress calling for support for the republic. The Congress will likely continue to maintain its interest in a resolution of the Cyprus issue during the 113th Congress. This report provides a brief overview of the history of the negotiations, a more detailed review of the negotiations since 2008, and a description of some of the issues involved in the talks."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Morelli, Vincent L.
2013-03-05
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House Office of Congressional Ethics: History, Authority, and Procedures [March 8, 2013]
"The House Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) was established on March 11, 2008, with the passage of H.Res. [House Resolution] 895. It was reauthorized by the House as part of the rules package (H.Res. 5) adopted by the 113th Congress on January 3, 2013. This action followed years of efforts by groups within and outside Congress to create an independent entity to investigate allegations of misconduct by members, officers, and employees of Congress. During the 110th Congress (2007-2008), Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader John Boehner created the bipartisan Special Task Force on Ethics Enforcement, chaired by Representative Michael Capuano, to consider whether the House should create an 'outside' ethics-enforcement entity. The task force worked for nearly a year before issuing its recommendations for the creation of the OCE. The mandate of the OCE, which has jurisdiction only in the House, is to review information, and when appropriate, refer findings of fact to the House Committee on Ethics. Only this committee, pursuant to House rules, has the authority to recommend House discipline of members and staff. Information of alleged wrongdoing by members, officers, and employees of the House may be accepted by the OCE from the general public, but only the OCE board can initiate a review. [...] This report describes the history and rationale behind the creation of the OCE, its operations, and its relationship with the House Committee on Ethics, and options potentially available for Congress if further amendments to the House ethics process are desired."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Straus, Jacob R.
2013-03-08
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House Committee on Ethics: A Brief History of Its Evolution and Jurisdiction [March 7, 2013]
"The 'United States Constitution' (Article 1, Section 5, clause 1) provides each House of Congress with the sole authority to establish rules, judge membership requirements, and punish and expel Members. From 1789 to 1967, the House of Representatives dealt with disciplinary action against Members on a case-by-case basis, often forming ad-hoc committees to investigate and make recommendations when acts of wrongdoing were brought to the chamber's attention. Events of the 1960's, including the investigation of Representative Adam Clayton Powell for alleged misuse of Education and Labor Committee funds, prompted the creation of a permanent ethics committee and the writing of a Code of Conduct for Members, officers, and staff of the House. Begun as a select committee in the 89th Congress (1965-1966), the House created a 12-member panel to 'recommend to the House … such … rules or regulations … necessary or desirable to insure proper standards of conduct by Members of the House and by officers and employees of the House, in the performance of their duties and the discharge of their responsibilities.' Acting on the select committee's recommendations, the House created a permanent Committee on Standards of Official Conduct in the 90th Congress (1967-1968). In the 112th Congress (2011- 2012), the committee was renamed the Committee on Ethics. This report briefly outlines the background of ethics enforcement in the House of Representatives, including the creation of both the Select Committee on Ethics and the Committee on Ethics. The report also focuses on various jurisdictional and procedural changes that the committee has experienced since 1967 and discusses the committee's current jurisdiction and procedures."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Straus, Jacob R.
2013-03-07
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Argentina's Defaulted Sovereign Debt: Dealing with the 'Holdouts' [March 7, 2013]
"In December 2001, Argentina suffered a severe financial crisis, leading to the largest sovereign debt default in history. In 2005, after prolonged, contentious, and unsuccessful attempts to restructure the debt, Argentina abandoned the negotiation process and made a unilateral offer. The terms were highly unfavorable to creditors, but $62.3 billion of the $81.8 billion in principal owed was exchanged. A diverse group of 'holdouts' representing $18.6 billion did not tender their bonds, and some have opted to litigate instead. These actions resulted in attachment orders against Argentine assets, leaving the country unable to access the international credit markets and mired in litigation. Holdout creditors also lobbied against Argentina's debt policy, which has triggered actions by the U.S. government and legislation in previous Congresses. […] The Argentine government filed its final papers before the appellate court on February 1, 2013, arguing that it would not be able to fulfill a court order requiring full payment to litigant holdouts. It did, however, suggest that to meet the concern over equal treatment it could arrange to reopen the previous bond exchange to allow those who did not participate in it to reconsider their position. Some holdouts have suggested that this may be an acceptable option. The issue remains unresolved pending outcome from the February 27, 2013, court proceedings. This report reviews Argentina's financial crisis, the bond exchanges of 2005 and 2010, ongoing litigation, prospects for a final solution, related U.S. legislation, and broader policy issues. These include lessons on the effectiveness and cost of Argentina's default strategy, the ability to force sovereigns to meet their debt obligations, and options for avoiding future defaults like Argentina's."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hornbeck, J. F. (John F.)
2013-03-07
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'Sense of' Resolutions and Provisions [March 11, 2013]
"One or both houses of Congress may formally express opinions about subjects of current national interest through freestanding simple or concurrent resolutions (called generically 'sense of the House,' 'sense of the Senate,' or 'sense of the Congress' resolutions). These opinions may also be added to pending legislative measures by amendments expressing the views of one or both chambers. This report identifies the various forms these expressions may take and the procedures governing such actions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Davis, Christopher M., 1966-
2013-03-11
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Latin America and the Caribbean: Fact Sheet on Leaders and Elections [March 12, 2013]
"This fact sheet tracks the current heads of government in Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. It provides the dates of the last and next elections for the head of government and the national independence date for each country. "
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2013-03-12
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Direct Overt U.S. Aid and Military Reimbursements to Pakistan, FY2002-FY2011 [February 16, 2010]
This fact sheet from the Congressional Research Service provides a table describing the "Direct Overt U.S. Aid and Military Reimbursements to Pakistan" from FY2002 to FY2011.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kronstadt, K. Alan
2010-02-16
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Kuwait: Security, Reform, and U.S. Policy [August 23, 2012]
"Kuwait has been pivotal to two decades of U.S. efforts to end a strategic threat posed by Iraq, because of its location, its role as the object of past Iraqi aggression, and it close cooperation with the United States. Kuwait is central to U.S. efforts to remain engaged in the northern Persian Gulf region now that all U.S. forces have left Iraq. Kuwait's relations with the post-Saddam government in Iraq have been hampered by long-standing territorial, economic, and political issues unresolved from the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, but those issues have been narrowed significantly since 2011. Kuwait is increasingly suspicious of Iranian intentions in the Gulf, aligning Kuwait with U.S. efforts to contain Iranian power in the Gulf and prevent Iran from exerting undue influence in post-withdrawal Iraq. Still, Kuwait maintains relatively normal economic and political relations with Iran so as not to provoke Iran militarily or prompt it to try to empower pro-Iranian elements in Kuwait."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2012-08-23
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Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs [September 7, 2012]
"The 'digital divide' is a term that has been used to characterize a gap between 'information haves and have-nots,' or in other words, between those Americans who use or have access to telecommunications and information technologies and those who do not. One important subset of the digital divide debate concerns high-speed Internet access and advanced telecommunications services, also known as broadband. Broadband is provided by a series of technologies (e.g., cable, telephone wire, fiber, satellite, wireless) that give users the ability to send and receive data at volumes and speeds far greater than traditional 'dial-up' Internet access over telephone lines. Broadband technologies are currently being deployed primarily by the private sector throughout the United States. While the numbers of new broadband subscribers continue to grow, studies and data suggest that the rate of broadband deployment in urban/suburban and high income areas is outpacing deployment in rural and low-income areas. Some policymakers, believing that disparities in broadband access across American society could have adverse economic and social consequences on those left behind, assert that the federal government should play a more active role to avoid a 'digital divide' in broadband access."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kruger, Lennard G.; Gilroy, Angele A.
2012-09-07
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Egypt: Background and U.S. Relations [September 13, 2012]
"This report provides a brief overview of the key issues for Congress related to Egypt and information on U.S. foreign aid to Egypt. The United States has provided significant military and economic assistance to Egypt since the late 1970s. U.S. policy makers have routinely justified aid to Egypt as an investment in regional stability, built primarily on long-running military cooperation and on sustaining the March 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty. Successive U.S. Administrations have viewed Egypt's government as generally influencing developments in the Middle East in line with U.S. interests. U.S. policy makers are now grappling with complex questions about the future of U.S.-Egypt relations, and these debates and events in Egypt are shaping consideration of appropriations and authorization legislation in the 112th Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sharp, Jeremy Maxwell
2012-09-13
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Taxes and the Economy: An Economic Analysis of the Top Tax Rates Since 1945 [September 14, 2012]
"Income tax rates have been at the center of recent policy debates over taxes. Some policymakers have argued that raising tax rates, especially on higher income taxpayers, to increase tax revenues is part of the solution for long-term debt reduction. For example, the Senate recently passed the Middle Class Tax Cut (S. 3412), which would allow the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts to expire for taxpayers with income over $250,000 ($200,000 for single taxpayers). The Senate recently considered legislation, the Paying a Fair Share Act of 2012 (S. 2230), that would implement the 'Buffett rule' by raising the tax rate on millionaires. Other recent budget and deficit reduction proposals would reduce tax rates. The President's 2010 Fiscal Commission recommended reducing the budget deficit and tax rates by broadening the tax base--the additional revenues from broadening the tax base would be used for deficit reduction and tax rate reductions. The plan advocated by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan that is embodied in the House Budget Resolution (H.Con.Res. 112), the 'Path to Prosperity,' also proposes to reduce income tax rates by broadening the tax base. Both plans would broaden the tax base by reducing or eliminating tax expenditures."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hungerford, Thomas L.
2012-09-14
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Food Price Inflation: Causes and Impacts
"U.S. food prices rose 4% in 2007 and are expected to gain 3.5% to 4.5% in 2008. Higher farm commodity prices and energy costs are the leading factors behind higher food prices. Farm commodity prices have surged because (1) demand for corn for ethanol is competing with food and feed for acreage; (2) global food grain and oilseed supplies are low due to poor harvests; (3) rising incomes in large, rapidly emerging economies have changed eating habits; and (4) the weak dollar has increased U.S. exports. In addition, higher energy costs increase transportation, processing, and retail costs. Although the cost of commodities such as corn or wheat are a small part of the final retail price of most food products, they have risen enough to have an impact on retail prices. Generally, price changes at the farm level have a diminished impact on retail prices, especially for highly processed products. The impact of higher food prices on U.S. households varies according to income. Lower-income households spend a greater portion of their income on food and feel price hikes more acutely than high-income families. Higher food costs impact domestic food assistance efforts in numerous ways depending on whether benefits are indexed, enrollments are limited, or additional funds are made available. Higher food and transportation costs also reduce the impact of U.S. contributions of food aid under current budget constraints."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Capehart, Tom; Richardson, Joe
2008-04-10
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Libya: Transition and U.S. Policy [September 14, 2012]
"Libya's post-conflict transition is underway, as Libyans work to consolidate change from the 40- year dictatorship of Muammar al Qadhafi to a representative government based on democratic and Islamic principles. On July 7, 2012, Libyan voters chose 200 members of a General National Congress (GNC) in the country's first nationwide election in nearly 50 years. The GNC will oversee national government affairs, appoint a new cabinet, and determine the method for selecting members of a drafting committee to prepare a new constitution. If voters approve a constitution in a national referendum, then new elections are to be held by mid-2013, bringing a nearly two-year transition process to a close. […] The shift from an appointed interim government to elected leaders may provide the government more democratic legitimacy and better enable it to make decisions in key areas, such as security, fiscal affairs, and post-conflict justice and reconciliation. Libyans are debating the proper balance of local, regional, and national authority and the proper role for Islam in political and social life. […] As of August 2012, the United States government has provided more than $200 million in assistance to Libya since the start of the uprising in 2011, including $89 million in humanitarian assistance, $40 million for weapons abatement, and $25 million in nonlethal assistance from Department of Defense stockpiles. As Libyans work to shape their future, Congress and the Administration have the first opportunity since the 1960s to fully redefine U.S.-Libyan relations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Christopher M.
2012-09-14
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Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) [September 26, 2012]
"The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is comprised of nine members, two ex officio members, and other members as appointed by the President representing major departments and agencies within the federal Executive Branch. While the group generally has operated in relative obscurity, the proposed acquisition of commercial operations at six U.S. ports by Dubai Ports World in 2006 placed the group's operations under intense scrutiny by Members of Congress and the public. Prompted by this case, some Members of the 109th and 110th Congresses questioned the ability of Congress to exercise its oversight responsibilities given the general view that CFIUS's operations lack transparency. Other Members revisited concerns about the linkage between national security and the role of foreign investment in the U.S. economy. Some Members of Congress and others argued that the nation's security and economic concerns have changed since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and that these concerns were not being reflected sufficiently in the Committee's deliberations. In addition, anecdotal evidence seemed to indicate that the CFIUS process was not market neutral. Instead, a CFIUS investigation of an investment transaction may have been perceived by some firms and by some in the financial markets as a negative factor that added to uncertainty and may have spurred firms to engage in behavior that may not have been optimal for the economy as a whole. In the 112th Congress, some Members expressed their concerns to the Obama Administration over the national security implications of a proposed acquisition of U.S. technology company by the Chinese-owned Huawei Technologies."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jackson, James K., 1949-
2012-09-26
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Dairy Policy Proposals in the 2012 Farm Bill [September 18, 2012]
From the Introduction: "This report describes proposed changes to existing dairy programs and the new margin-based support and stabilization programs. The report first briefly describes existing U.S. dairy programs. Then it focuses on the dairy programs proposed under both the Senate-passed and House Agriculture Committee-reported farm bills. In addition to describing the major features of the proposed new programs, this report also covers differences between the two bills, as well as cost estimates of historical program outlays compared with recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projections of the proposed new dairy programs. In addition, several examples of how these proposed dairy programs might operate for an individual dairy operation are provided in the text."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-
2012-09-18
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Financial Services and General Government: FY2013 Appropriations [September 14, 2012]
"The Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill provides funding for the Department of the Treasury, the Executive Office of the President (EOP), the judiciary, the District of Columbia, and more than two dozen independent agencies. Among those independent agencies are the General Services Administration (GSA), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the United States Postal Service (USPS). The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is funded in the House through the Agriculture appropriations bill and in the Senate through the FSGG bill. CFTC funding is included in all FSGG funding tables in this report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hatch, Garrett Leigh
2012-09-14
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Carbon Tax: Deficit Reduction and Other Considerations [September 17, 2012]
"The federal budget deficit has exceeded $1 trillion annually in each fiscal year since 2009, and deficits are projected to continue. Over time, unsustainable deficits can lead to reduced savings for investment, higher interest rates, and higher levels of inflation. Restoring fiscal balance would require spending reductions, revenue increases, or some combination of the two. Policymakers have considered a number of options for raising additional federal revenues, including a carbon tax. A carbon tax could apply directly to carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, or to the inputs (e.g., fossil fuels) that lead to the emissions. Unlike a tax on the energy content of each fuel (e.g., Btu tax), a carbon tax would vary with a fuel's carbon content, as there is a direct correlation between a fuel's carbon content and its CO2 emissions. Carbon taxes have been proposed for many years by economists and some Members of Congress, including in the 112th Congress. If Congress were to establish a carbon tax, policymakers would face several implementation decisions, including the point and rate of taxation. Although the point of taxation does not necessarily reveal who bears the cost of the tax, this decision involves trade-offs, such as comprehensiveness versus administrative complexity."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Ramseur, Jonathan L.; Leggett, Jane A.; Sherlock, Molly F.
2012-09-17
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Online Video Distributors and the Current Statutory and Regulatory Framework: Issues for Congress [September 11, 2012]
"Digital and Internet protocol technologies have spawned a number of online video distributors (OVDs) whose 'over-the-top' video services are in some ways akin to, and in some ways different from, traditional cable and satellite video programming distribution services. However, most of the statutory and regulatory framework for video predates the commercial Internet and was developed within a policy debate that could not consider digital technology and online services. As a result, many statutory provisions apply only to cable companies or satellite carriers, or only to 'multichannel video programming distributors' (MVPDs)--a category that includes cable and satellite operators, but as currently interpreted by the Federal Communications Commission excludes online video distributors. Congress has begun to consider this issue. At both the June 27, 2012, House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing on 'The Future of Video' and the July 24, 2012, Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing on 'The Cable Act at 20,' questions were posed about which of the existing statutory provisions and regulatory rules, if any, should be applied to the new service providers, which provisions and rules should be modified in light of the new technologies and new market realities, and even whether changed circumstances are so great that major statutory reform is needed."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Goldfarb, Charles B.; Ruane, Kathleen Ann
2012-09-11
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Length of Time from Nomination to Confirmation for 'Uncontroversial' U.S. Circuit and District Court Nominees: Detailed Analysis [September 18, 2012]
From the Document: "In recent years, a recurring subject of debate in the Senate has been the length of time taken for lower court nominations to receive Senate confirmation. During the 111th and 112th Congresses, this debate has focused, in part, on President Obama's uncontroversial nominees to U.S. circuit and district court judgeships--and on whether, or to what extent, such nominees have waited longer to receive Senate confirmation than the uncontroversial judicial nominees of other recent Presidents. To more fully inform this debate, the following report provides a statistical overview, from Presidents Reagan to Obama, of the waiting times from nomination to confirmation of uncontroversial U.S. circuit and district court nominees approved by the Senate from 1981 to September 14, 2012. For the purposes of this report, an uncontroversial judicial nominee is a nominee (1) whose nomination was reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee by voice vote or, if a roll call vote was held, the nomination was unanimously reported favorably by the committee to the full Senate, and (2) whose nomination was approved by voice vote when confirmed by the Senate or, if a roll call vote was held, received 5 or fewer nay votes."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McMillion, Barry J.
2012-09-18
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Federal Excise Tax on Gasoline and the Highway Trust Fund: A Short History [September 7, 2012]
"Excise taxes have long been a part of our country's revenue history. In the field of gasoline taxation, the states led the way with Oregon enacting the first tax on motor fuels in 1919. By 1932, all states and the District of Columbia had followed suit with tax rates that ranged between two and seven cents per gallon. The federal government first imposed its excise tax on gasoline at a one-cent per gallon rate in 1932. The gas tax was enacted to correct a federal budgetary imbalance. It continued to support general revenue during World War II and the Korean War. Economists know the gasoline excise tax as a 'manufacturer's excise tax' because the government imposes it at production (i.e., the producer, refiner, or importer) for efficiency in collection. Particularly in the short run, when the demand for gasoline is relatively inelastic, economists recognize that any increase in the gasoline tax ultimately falls on the consumer."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bickley, James M.
2012-09-07
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Iraq: Politics, Governance, and Human Rights [October 2, 2012]
"During the 2003-2011 presence of U.S. forces, Iraq completed a transition from the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein to a plural political system in which varying sects and ideological and political factions compete in elections. A series of elections began in 2005, after a one-year occupation period and a subsequent seven-month interim period of Iraqi self-governance. There has been a consensus among Iraqi elites since 2005 to give each community a share of power and prestige to promote cooperation and unity. Still, disputes over the relative claim of each community on power and economic resources permeated almost every issue in Iraq and were never fully resolved. The constant infighting among the major factions over their perceived share of power and resources has interfered with the basic functions of governing and produced popular frustration over a failure of government to deliver services."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2012-10-02
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Farm Safety Net Provisions in a 2012 Farm Bill: S. 3240 and H.R. 6083 [September 28, 2012]
"The farm commodity provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (P.L. 110- 246, the 2008 farm bill) expire with the 2012 crop year. Consequently, the 112th Congress has been considering an omnibus farm bill that would establish the direction of agricultural policy for the next five years. The Senate passed its version of the new farm bill (S. 3240) on June 21, 2012, by a vote of 64-35. The House Committee on Agriculture passed its version (H.R. 6083) on July 11, 2012, by a vote of 35-11. This report compares the so-called 'farm safety net' provisions in the two bills. The broader farming community uses the term farm safety net to refer to the combination of (1) farm commodity price and income support programs in the 2008 farm bill, (2) federal crop insurance (permanently authorized) under the Federal Crop Insurance Act of 1980, and (3) five disaster assistance programs in the 2008 farm bill, which expired on September 30, 2011. Title I of both versions of the farm bill contains commodity and disaster program provisions, and Title XI modifies the current crop insurance program. Both bills would reshape the structure of farm commodity support, reauthorize several disaster programs, and expand crop insurance coverage. Additional background on proposals and issues that shaped the two bills appears in CRS [Congressional Research Report] Report R42040, 'Farm Safety Net Proposals in the 112th Congress.' That report also describes current farm safety net programs authorized under the 2008 farm bill."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-; Shields, Dennis A.
2012-09-28
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Sequestration: A Review of Estimates of Potential Job Losses [October 1, 2012]
"Policymakers and economists have expressed concern that spending cuts and tax increases (commonly referred to as the 'fiscal cliff') may push a slowly growing economy into recession in 2013. In summer 2012, policymakers particularly focused on how sequestration as delineated in the Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011 (P.L. 112-25) might affect employment in the near term. (Sequestration refers to an automatic cancellation of a portion of federal agencies' budgetary resources.) Effective on January 2, 2013, the BCA imposes across-the-board spending cuts split about equally (in dollar terms) between the budgets of non-exempt defense and nondefense discretionary and mandatory programs, a 2% limit is placed on cuts to Medicare's budget as well. This report reviews several studies that have estimated the potential effect of the sequestration process on employment. Their findings indicate that reduced federal spending would create or maintain fewer jobs than otherwise would have existed, and that cuts in the budgets of different agencies affect the pattern of job loss by occupation, industry, and state. These results suggest that achieving deficit reduction by means other than the BCA's about equal split of automatic budget reductions between non-exempt defense and nondefense programs might alter the composition of employers and employees most adversely affected, but the impact on total U.S. employment may be similar."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Levine, Linda (Linda H.)
2012-10-01
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Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): An Overview [September 28, 2012]
From the Document: "The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), as amended, is intended to help employees balance work and family life. The act provides eligible employees with two types of job-protected leave: regular leave and military family leave. In turn, military family leave consists of qualifying exigency leave and military caregiver leave."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mayer, Gerald
2012-09-28
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Sudan and South Sudan: Current Issues for Congress and U.S. Policy [October 5, 2012]
"Congress has played an active role in U.S. policy toward Sudan for more than three decades. Efforts to support an end to the country's myriad conflicts and human rights abuses have dominated the agenda, as have counterterrorism concerns. When unified (1956-2011), Sudan was Africa's largest nation, bordering nine countries and stretching from the northern borders of Kenya and Uganda to the southern borders of Egypt and Libya. Strategically located along the Nile River and the Red Sea, Sudan was historically described as a crossroads between the Arab world and Africa. Domestic and international efforts to unite its ethnically, racially, religiously, and culturally diverse population under a common national identity fell short, however. In 2011, after decades of civil war and a 6.5 year transitional period, Sudan split in two. Mistrust between the two Sudans--Sudan and South Sudan--lingers, and unresolved disputes and related security issues still threaten to pull the two countries back to war. […] U.S. relations with South Sudan, which are rooted in years of American activism and disaster relief to the south during the civil war, remain close, though there have been signs of strain in 2012. The United States is the country's largest bilateral donor, but the Administration has expressed concern over certain actions taken by leaders in Juba that have, in its view, further aggravated the relationship between the Sudans and the economic situation in both countries. This report examines the shared interests and outstanding disputes between the Sudans after separation, and gives an overview of political, economic, and humanitarian conditions in the two countries, with a focus on possible implications for U.S. policy and congressional engagement."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Lauren Ploch
2012-10-05
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Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances [Updated May 3, 2007]
"Restrictions on travel to Cuba have been a key and often contentious component in U.S. efforts to isolate the communist government of Fidel Castro for much of the past 40 years. Over time, there have been numerous changes to the restrictions, and for five years, from 1977 until 1982, there were no restrictions on travel to Cuba. Under the Bush Administration, enforcement of U.S. restrictions on Cuba travel has increased, and restrictions on travel and on private remittances to Cuba have been tightened. In March 2003, the Administration eliminated travel for people-to-people educational exchanges unrelated to academic coursework. In June 2004, the Administration further restricted family and educational travel, eliminated the category of fully-hosted travel, and restricted remittances so that they could only be sent to the remitter's immediate family. In 2005, the Administration further restricted religious travel to Cuba by changing licensing guidelines for such travel."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.
2007-05-03
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India: Chronology of Recent Events [Updated February 22, 2005]
"This report provides a reverse chronology of recent events involving India and India-U.S. relations. Sources include, but are not limited to, the U.S. Department of State, 'New York Times', 'Washington Post', 'Hindu' (Madras), 'Hindustan Times'(Delhi), 'Indian Express' (Bombay), and major newswires. This report will be updated regularly."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kronstadt, K. Alan
2005-02-22
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India: Chronology of Recent Events [Updated November 1, 2004]
"This report provides a reverse chronology of recent events involving India and India-U.S. relations. Sources include, but are not limited to, the U.S. Department of State Washington File, 'New York Times', 'Washington Post', 'Hindu' (Madras), 'Hindustan Times' (Delhi), 'Indian Express' (Bombay), and major newswires. See also CRS [Congressional Research Service] Issue Brief IB93097, India-U.S. Relations. This report will be updated regularly."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kronstadt, K. Alan
2004-11-01
