Policy Library

23 documents

Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Resources · 1,918 words · PDF available
Title III of the Trade Act of 1974 (Sections 301-310, 19 U.S.C. §§2411-2420), titled “Relief from Unfair Trade Practices,” is often collectively referred to as “Section 301.” Under Section 301, Congre...
Latin America and the Caribbean: Fact Sheet on Leaders and Elections
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Reports · 1,726 words · PDF available
This fact sheet tracks current heads of government in Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. It provides dates of the last and next elections for the head of government and the national...
Past Government Shutdowns: Key Resources
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Reports · 6,137 words · PDF available
When federal government agencies and programs lack budget authority after the expiration of either full-year or interim appropriations, they experience a “funding gap.” Under the Antideficiency Act (3...
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations for FY2026
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Reports · 13,930 words · PDF available
The House and the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittees are charged with providing annual appropriations for the U.S. Departmen...
Dismissals of Members of Puerto Rico’s Financial Oversight and Management Board
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Posts · 1,330 words · PDF available
On Friday, August 1, 2025, President Trump dismissed five of the seven members of Puerto Rico’s Financial Oversight and Management Board (FOMB or Oversight Board): Arthur J. Gonzalez, Cameron McKenzie...
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS): Living Resources Provisions
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Reports · 11,140 words · PDF available
The United Nations (UN) Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) established a comprehensive international legal framework to govern activities related to the global oceans. UNCLOS often is referred ...
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA): Overview and Ongoing Role in Election Administration Policy
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Reports · 17,278 words · PDF available
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) was enacted in response to issues with the administration of the 2000 elections. The highest-profile issues in those elections were in Florida—where disputes a...
National Park Service: FY2025 Appropriations
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Resources · 1,378 words · PDF available
The National Park Service (NPS) administers the National Park System, which includes 433 units valued for their natural, cultural, and recreational importance. System lands cover 81 million federal ac...
Democratic Primary Voters Still Touch Grass
Third Way · 2025-09-30 · Memo · 2,320 words
The 2028 primary is still a long way away, but countless hopefuls are already floating trial balloons, and gallons of ink has already been spilled profiling potential 2028 candidates, including their ...
Crypto Legislation: An Overview of H.R. 3633, the CLARITY Act
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Posts · 1,027 words · PDF available
On June 23, 2025, the House Committees on Financial Services and Agriculture reported H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 (or the CLARITY Act). The bill would give the Commodity Fu...
National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A): A Summary
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Resources · 1,653 words · PDF available
The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) is a 23-million-acre area in northern Alaska owned and administered by the federal government. Originally designated as an emergency oil reserve for th...
DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Appropriations, FY2026
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Resources · 1,264 words · PDF available
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is responsible for renewable energy and end-use energy efficiency technology development. Other activiti...
Access to Consumer Financial Data: Open Banking and the CFPB’s Section 1033 Rule
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Resources · 1,701 words · PDF available
Open banking refers to a relationship among consumers, financial services providers, and authorized third parties that enables consumers to transfer their information electronically from one firm to a...
U.S.-Russian Nuclear Arms Control: Overview and Potential Considerations for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Resources · 1,632 words · PDF available
The United States has periodically sought to advance its national security interests through the negotiation and conclusion of nuclear arms control agreements with its adversaries. Throughout 2025, Pr...
Congress, Trump steamroll towards a shutdown
Substack Newsletters · 2025-09-30 · Newsletter Article · 89 words
Trump uses fake AI video to mock top Democrats
Armed Forces Compensation During a Lapse in Appropriations
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Posts · 1,036 words · PDF available
Compensation for members of the Armed Forces (i.e., Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard) is funded through annual appropriations to personnel-related line items in accoun...
Government Shutdowns and Legislative Branch Operations: Frequently Asked Questions
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Posts · 1,054 words · PDF available
This Insight provides brief answers to selected questions related to legislative branch operations during a lapse in appropriations. For a general explanation of the Antideficiency Act, including Tit...
Iran’s Program and U.N. Sanctions Reimposition
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Resources · 1,730 words · PDF available
U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), which the council adopted on July 20, 2015, implements the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and contains other provisions concerning Iran’s nucl...
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA): An Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Resources · 1,658 words · PDF available
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA; P.L. 107-252; 52 U.S.C. §§20901-21145) is perhaps the closest thing in federal law to a general election administration statute. It is (1) more wide-ranging in...
FY2025 NDAA: Reserve Component End-Strength
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Posts · 948 words · PDF available
Background Under 10 U.S.C. §115(a) Congress sets the maximum size (i.e., end-strength) of the active and reserve components of the Armed Forces annually, typically in a National Defense Authorization ...
FY2025 NDAA: Active Component End-Strength
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Posts · 979 words · PDF available
Background Under 10 U.S.C. §115(a), Congress sets the maximum size of the active component of the Armed Forces annually, typically in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The active componen...
Section 232 National Security Tariffs on Copper Imports
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Posts · 1,082 words · PDF available
Congress has constitutional authority over foreign commerce and tariffs. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. §1862, as amended) authorizes the President to take action if the Sec...
Realignment of DOD’s Chief Digital and AI Officer (CDAO)
Congressional Research Service · 2025-09-30 · Posts · 1,028 words · PDF available
On August 14, 2025, Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg, who is now using “Deputy Secretary of War” as a “secondary title” under Executive Order 14347 dated September 5, 2025, issued a memo “[d...