Policy Library

9 documents

A Binding Debt Limit: Background and Possible Consequences
Congressional Research Service · 2024-10-04 · Reports · 33,177 words · PDF available
In September 2024, gross federal debt was about $35.3 trillion. Debt limit episodes have been a recurring feature of federal fiscal policy since 2001, when federal budget deficits returned after four ...
Israel and Hamas Conflict In Brief: Overview, U.S. Policy, and Options for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2024-10-04 · Reports · 8,187 words · PDF available
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been at war with the Palestinian Sunni Islamist group Hamas (a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, or FTO), which led an attack that day from the Gaza Str...
Congressional Court Watcher: Circuit Splits from September 2024
Congressional Research Service · 2024-10-04 · Posts · 2,309 words · PDF available
The U.S. Courts of Appeals for the 13 “circuits” issue thousands of precedential decisions each year. Because relatively few of these decisions are ultimately reviewed by the Supreme Court, the U.S. C...
Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024: Electricity Provisions
Congressional Research Service · 2024-10-04 · Posts · 991 words · PDF available
On July 22, 2024, the chair and ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee released draft text for a permitting reform bill; the next day, S. 4753—the Energy Permitting Reform...
Federal Support for Reproductive Health Services: Frequently Asked Questions
Congressional Research Service · 2024-10-04 · Reports · 58,483 words · PDF available
Federal support for reproductive health services—preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services related to reproductive systems, functions, and processes—is administered in different ways, largely bec...
District Court Ruling on DOT Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program
Congressional Research Service · 2024-10-04 · Posts · 982 words · PDF available
Awarding a preliminary injunction, a federal district court ruled in Mid-America Milling Company v. United States Department of Transportation that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Disadvan...
Deferred Maintenance and Repair at Civilian Agencies: Causes, Risks, and Policy Options
Congressional Research Service · 2024-10-04 · Reports · 11,408 words · PDF available
Federal civilian agencies own more than 285,000 buildings and structures, which have been acquired over time to help the government achieve its objectives. As these assets age, their component systems...
Marketing and Pricing in the U.S. Fruit and Vegetable Industry
Congressional Research Service · 2024-10-04 · Reports · 14,799 words · PDF available
Pandemic-era supply chain disruptions and higher input and operating costs have contributed to increased market volatility and higher consumer and producer prices for fruits and vegetables since 2020....
Hurricane Rapid Intensification: In Brief
Congressional Research Service · 2024-10-04 · Reports · 3,383 words · PDF available
Hurricanes and other tropical cyclones cause destruction and fatalities in the United States and around the world. In recent years, the media and meteorologists have concentrated on the phenomenon of ...