H.R. 397 (116th Congress), the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act
In the 116th Congress, H.R. 397, the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act, would provide financial assistance to financially troubled multiemployer defined benefit (DB) pension plans that mee...
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative: Background, Impacts, and Selected Issues
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) was the nation’s first mandatory cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. RGGI currently involves nine states—Connecticut, Delaware, Main...
Federal Highway Traffic Safety Policies: Impacts and Opportunities
In 2017, 37,133 Americans were killed in crashes involving motor vehicles. Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for Americans overall, and the number one cause of death for teenagers. Mi...
UPDATE: Sidewalks, Streets, and Tweets: Is Twitter a Public Forum?
Update: On July 9, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued a decision affirming the trial court’s ruling described below. In its opinion, the appellate court concluded that the P...
Courts Split on Whether Private Individuals Can Sue to Challenge States’ Medicaid Defunding Decisions: Considerations for Congress (Part I of II)
Last December, the Supreme Court declined to review two cases, Andersen v. Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Gee v. Planned Parenthood of Gulf Coast Inc., in which private litigants challenged their re...
Courts Split on Whether Private Individuals Can Sue to Challenge States’ Medicaid Defunding Decisions: Considerations for Congress (Part II of II)
As discussed in Part I of this two-part Legal Sidebar, the Supreme Court recently declined to hear two cases, Anderson v. Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Gee v. Planned Parenthood of Gulf Coast Inc.,...
The Opioid Epidemic: Supply Control and Criminal Justice Policy—Frequently Asked Questions
Over the last several years, lawmakers in the United States have responded to rising drug overdose deaths, which increased four-fold from 1999 to 2017, with a variety of legislation, hearings, and ove...
House Rules Changes Affecting Floor Proceedings in the 116th Congress (2019-2020)
As agreed to in the House, H.Res. 6, a resolution adopting the rules of the House of Representatives, provided amendments to the rules, as well as separate orders, that affect floor procedure in the 1...
Land and Water Conservation Fund: Overview, Funding History, and Issues
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act of 1965 was enacted to help preserve, develop, and ensure access to outdoor recreation facilities to strengthen the health of U.S. citizens. The law cre...
Advance Appropriations, Forward Funding, and Advance Funding: Concepts, Practice, and Budget Process Considerations
Funding in annual appropriations acts is for a designated fiscal year unless otherwise specified. Federal agencies that receive funds in those acts may obligate the funds during a period that starts a...
The Economic Effects of the 2017 Tax Revision: Preliminary Observations
The 2017 tax revision, P.L. 115-97, often referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and referred to subsequently as the Act, substantially revised the U.S. tax system. The Act permanently reduced the ...
FY2019 Supplemental Appropriations for Agriculture
On June 3, 2019, Congress passed H.R. 2157 (FY2019 supplemental), which authorized supplemental appropriations for new and existing agricultural programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), ...
Broadband Deployment: Status and Federal Programs
Broadband—whether delivered via fiber, cable modem, mobile or fixed wireless, copper wire, or satellite—is increasingly the technology underlying telecommunications services such as voice, video, and ...
Biologics and Biosimilars: Background and Key Issues
A biological product, or biologic, is a preparation, such as a drug or a vaccine, that is made from living organisms. Compared with conventional chemical drugs, biologics are relatively large and comp...