Policy Library

6,587 documents

2018 Farm Bill Primer: Specialty Crops and Organic Agriculture
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-23 · Resources · 1,580 words · PDF available
The 2018 farm bill (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, P.L. 115-334) reauthorized and expanded existing programs and policies administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) supporting fru...
The Endangered Species Act and Climate Change: Selected Legal Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-20 · Reports · 11,730 words · PDF available
For more than a decade, federal agencies have grappled with how to address climate change effects when implementing the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). The ESA aims to protect threatened and end...
The Coast Guard’s Need for Experienced Marine Safety Personnel
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-19 · Reports · 10,000 words · PDF available
For at least four decades, Congress has been concerned about the Coast Guard’s ability to maintain an adequate staff of experienced marine safety personnel to ensure that vessels meet federal safety s...
The Designation of Election Systems as Critical Infrastructure
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-18 · Resources · 1,516 words · PDF available
Prior to the 2016 federal election, a series of cyberattacks occurred on information systems of state and local election jurisdictions. Subsequently, in January 2017 the Department of Homeland Securit...
Federal and State Regulation of Student Loan Servicers: A Legal Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-17 · Reports · 21,400 words · PDF available
As the federal government’s role in the student loan industry has expanded over time, the United States has contracted with student loan servicers to help it administer its growing student loan portfo...
Holocaust-Era Insurance Claims
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-17 · Testimony · 5,940 words · PDF available
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Immigration Detention: A Legal Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-16 · Reports · 41,544 words · PDF available
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) authorizes—and in some cases requires—the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain non-U.S. nationals (aliens) arrested for immigration violations that...
The TIGER/BUILD Program at 10 Years: An Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-16 · Reports · 6,713 words · PDF available
The Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program is a discretionary program providing grants to surface transportation projects on a competitive basis, with recipients...
Household Debt Among Older Americans, 1989-2016
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-11 · Reports · 9,699 words · PDF available
In the past three decades, debt has grown substantially among older Americans. The increase in debt among older Americans has raised concerns about financial security for people near or during retirem...
Immigration: Nonimmigrant (Temporary) Admissions to the United States
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-10 · Reports · 13,810 words · PDF available
U.S. law provides for the temporary admission of foreign nationals. Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals who are admitted for a designated period of time and a specific purpose. There are 24 major noni...
Climate-Related Risk Disclosure Under U.S. Securities Laws
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-10 · Resources · 1,551 words · PDF available
In light of public concern over climate change, some stakeholders have asked to what extent publicly traded companies should disclose their climate-related risks. The Securities and Exchange Commissio...
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) FY2019 Appropriations
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-09 · Resources · 1,557 words · PDF available
Enacted February 15, 2019, Division E of P.L. 116-6, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY2019, provided funding for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, including a to...
Why Subsidize Homeownership? A Review of the Rationales
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-06 · Resources · 1,711 words · PDF available
Homeownership is frequently argued to produce a number of benefits for individuals and society. As a result, subsidies for homeownership—tens of billions of dollars annually—are popular among policyma...
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Appropriations: FY2020 President’s Budget Request
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-06 · Resources · 1,252 words · PDF available
Since FY2006, Congress has funded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bills. Including amendments submitted to Congress May...
Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2019
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-04 · Reports · 14,690 words · PDF available
This report briefly describes current responsibilities and selection mechanisms for 15 House and Senate party leadership posts and provides tables with historical data, including service dates, party ...
Counting Regulations: An Overview of Rulemaking, Types of Federal Regulations, and Pages in the Federal Register
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-03 · Reports · 11,866 words · PDF available
Federal rulemaking is an important mechanism through which the federal government implements policy. Federal agencies issue regulations pursuant to statutory authority granted by Congress. Therefore, ...
Climate Change and the America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019 (S. 2302)
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-03 · Resources · 1,425 words · PDF available
Highway, public transportation, and rail programs are authorized through FY2020 by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (P.L. 114-94). In August 2019, the Senate Committee on Environ...
Recent Recommendations by the Judicial Conference for New U.S. Circuit and District Court Judgeships: Overview and Analysis
Congressional Research Service · 2019-09-03 · Reports · 11,066 words · PDF available
Congress determines through legislative action both the size and structure of the federal judiciary. Consequently, the creation of any new permanent or temporary U.S. circuit and district court judges...
The International Joint Commission (IJC)
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-30 · Resources · 1,395 words · PDF available
The International Joint Commission (IJC) was established under the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty between the United States and Canada. The treaty directs the IJC to aid in the resolution and prevention ...
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Funding: A Primer
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-29 · Reports · 14,172 words · PDF available
Since the enactment of P.L. 94-142, the predecessor legislation to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), in 1975, the federal government has played a prominent role in encouraging th...
Wild and Scenic Rivers: Designation, Management, and Funding
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-28 · Reports · 8,212 words · PDF available
Congress established the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (NWSRS) in 1968 through the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (WSRA; P.L. 90-542) to preserve free-flowing rivers for the benefit and enjoyment...
Domestic Food Assistance: Summary of Programs
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-27 · Reports · 8,134 words · PDF available
Over the years, Congress has authorized and the federal government has administered programs to provide food to the hungry and to other vulnerable populations in this country. This report offers a bri...
State and Local Financing of Public Schools
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-26 · Reports · 11,960 words · PDF available
The funding of public elementary and secondary schools in the United States involves a combination of local, state, and federal government revenues, in proportions that vary substantially both across ...
Supreme Court October Term 2018: A Review of Selected Major Rulings
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-23 · Reports · 29,156 words · PDF available
The Supreme Court term that began on October 1, 2018, was a term of transition, with the Court issuing a number of rulings that, at times, suggested but did not fully adopt broader transformations in ...
A Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment: Background and Congressional Options
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-22 · Reports · 20,234 words · PDF available
One of the most persistent political issues facing Congress in recent decades is whether to require that the budget of the United States be in balance. Although a balanced federal budget has long been...
U.S. Dollar Intervention: Options and Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-21 · Resources · 1,810 words · PDF available
After falling to its lowest value since the introduction of floating currencies in 1973, the U.S. dollar has appreciated by 25% between July 2011 and July 2019—its highest value since the early 2000s....
Harris Funeral Homes: Implications for Gender Identity and Athletics under Title IX
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-19 · Posts · 2,806 words
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the Department of Education (ED) has opened an investigation into a complaint recently filed by several female high school athletes, through their parents, challen...
Retroactive Legislation: A Primer for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-15 · Resources · 1,853 words · PDF available
Black’s Law Dictionary defines a retroactive law as a law “that looks backward or contemplates the past, affecting acts or facts that existed before the act came into effect.” While Congress often con...
Words Taken Down: Calling Members to Order for Disorderly Language in the House
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-13 · Reports · 11,894 words · PDF available
Rule XVII, clause 4, of the standing rules of the House of Representatives describes a parliamentary mechanism whereby a Member may call another Member to order for the use of disorderly language. Dis...
Convergence of Cyberspace Operations and Electronic Warfare
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-13 · Resources · 1,440 words · PDF available
Over the past two decades, cyberspace operations have become an important element in military operations. Electronic warfare (EW) has been a component of military operations since the advent of the ra...
Is the Indian Child Welfare Act Constitutional?
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-12 · Posts · 2,997 words
Update: After this Sidebar was originally published, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (Fifth Circuit) reviewed a district court decision that held the Indian Chil...
Domestic Terrorism: Some Considerations
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-12 · Posts · 1,295 words
Introduction Mass shootings and other recent events have led to suggestions for (1) making domestic terrorism a separate federal crime; (2) affording law enforcement agencies authority comparable to t...
Federal Communications Commission: Progress Protecting Consumers from Illegal Robocalls
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-12 · Resources · 1,547 words · PDF available
Robocalls are the top complaint received by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and a consistent congressional concern. In 2016, the FCC received 150,000 robocall-related complaints; in 2018, ...
2018 Farm Bill Primer: Support for Indian Tribes
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-12 · Resources · 1,723 words · PDF available
The 2018 farm bill (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, P.L. 115-334) expanded existing programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support production, economic and communit...
Bitcoin, Blockchain, and the Energy Sector
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-09 · Reports · 14,529 words · PDF available
The popularity of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and the underlying blockchain technology presents both challenges and opportunities to the energy sector. As interest in Bitcoin and other cryptocurr...
Facebook’s $5 Billion Privacy Settlement with the Federal Trade Commission
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-08 · Posts · 2,721 words
On July 24, 2019, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a “record-breaking” settlement with the social media company Facebook. The settlement order (2019 Order) is still subject to court approv...
Human Fetal Tissue Research: Frequently Asked Questions
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-08 · Reports · 8,874 words · PDF available
This report provides answers to frequently asked questions concerning the regulation and use of fetal tissue in research, including a description of what constitutes fetal tissue research, uses of fet...
Election Security: Voter Registration System Policy Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-07 · Resources · 1,793 words · PDF available
Discussions about federal election security often focus on protecting voting machines and ensuring the integrity of election results, but voter registration processes may also be vulnerable to interfe...
Minimum Wages and the Raise the Wage Act (H.R. 582)
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-05 · Resources · 1,678 words · PDF available
Federal Minimum Wage Law Since 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA, 29 U.S.C. §206) has required that certain workers be paid a minimum wage. Since then, Congress has raised the minimum wage rate...
3D Printing: Overview, Impacts, and the Federal Role
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-02 · Reports · 7,357 words · PDF available
Three-dimensional (3D) printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a highly flexible manufacturing process that has been used in product development and production for the past 30 years. Greate...
Nonprofit Donor Information Disclosure
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-01 · Posts · 1,591 words · PDF available
UPDATE: On July 30, 2019, the United States District Court for the District of Montana set-aside as unlawful IRS Revenue Procedure 2018-38, which is the subject of this post. The Revenue Procedure wou...
Illicit Drug Flows and Seizures in the United States: In Focus
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-01 · Resources · 1,416 words · PDF available
Policy discussions around issues such as border security, drug trafficking, and the opioid epidemic include questions about illicit drug flows into the United States. While there are numerous data poi...
Trends in the U.S. Poverty Rate after Recessions
Congressional Research Service · 2019-08-01 · Reports · 1,645 words · PDF available
poverty, poverty rate, recession, expansion, recovery, business cycle
The Clery Act: Requirements and Legal Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2019-07-31 · Resources · 1,708 words · PDF available
Colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education (IHEs) face several federal legal requirements that pertain to the safety and security of students. One statute that addresses such i...
Examining Regulatory Frameworks for Digital Currencies and Blockchain
Congressional Research Service · 2019-07-30 · Testimony · 7,795 words · PDF available
Cryptocurrency, cryptocurrencies, digital currency, digital currencies, virtual currency, virtual currencies, currency, exchange rates, Financial Stability Board, central banks, Bitcoin, libra, fiat c...
Supreme Court Stays Injunction That Had Blocked a Portion of the Administration’s Border Wall Funding
Congressional Research Service · 2019-07-29 · Posts · 2,762 words · PDF available
UPDATE: On July 26, 2019, the Supreme Court in a divided decision stayed a June 28 injunction issued by a federal district court in California that had permanently prohibited the Trump Administration ...
The Front End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Current Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2019-07-29 · Reports · 12,866 words · PDF available
Nuclear power contributes roughly 20% of the electrical generation in the United States. Uranium is the fundamental element in fuel used for nuclear power production. The nuclear fuel cycle is the cra...
Federal Indian Law: Judicial Developments in the October 2018 Supreme Court Term
Congressional Research Service · 2019-07-29 · Reports · 13,323 words · PDF available
Each term, the Supreme Court typically hears arguments in one or more cases concerning the rights and status of Indian tribes and their members. Prominent issues addressed by the Supreme Court in rece...
Congressional Commissions: Funding and Expenditures
Congressional Research Service · 2019-07-24 · Reports · 8,851 words · PDF available
Congressional commissions have been established for a variety of purposes, and can help serve a critical role by informing Congress, providing expert advice on complex or controversial issues, and gen...
Is the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act a Help or Hindrance to Main Street?
Congressional Research Service · 2019-07-24 · Testimony · 4,816 words · PDF available
Tax, small business