Policy Library

6,587 documents

Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC): Structure and Activities
Congressional Research Service · 2018-02-12 · Reports · 6,828 words · PDF available
The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) and its Office of Financial Research (OFR) were established by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (P.L. 111-203) to address ...
Association Health Plans: Some Key Aspects of the Labor Department’s Proposed Rule
Congressional Research Service · 2018-02-09 · Posts · 1,656 words
Association health plans (AHPs) are in the spotlight due to a recent Labor Department proposed rule that aims to broaden access to this type of health insurance coverage. The proposed rule responds to...
Enforcement of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act: Select Legal Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2018-02-09 · Reports · 12,336 words · PDF available
In an increasingly interconnected world, public health concerns and crises have domestic and international implications. In the United States, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 (FD&C Ac...
Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA)
Congressional Research Service · 2018-02-09 · Posts · 1,032 words
The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) was enacted as part of Division E of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (H.R. 1892). Among other changes, FFPSA expands federal support for services to ...
Digital Currencies: Sanctions Evasion Risks
Congressional Research Service · 2018-02-08 · Resources · 1,475 words
Introduction As the market for digital currencies evolves, one area on which Congress has focused is the potential use of digital currencies for sanctions evasion. Digital currencies face an uneven in...
Addressing Sexual Harassment by Modifying the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995: A Look at Key Provisions in H.R. 4924
Congressional Research Service · 2018-02-07 · Posts · 1,802 words
On February 6, 2018, H.R. 4924 passed the House by a voice vote. This Sidebar was originally written in reference to H.R. 4924’s predecessor bill, H.R. 4822. The two bills are nearly identical, with m...
Criminal Prohibitions on Disclosing the Identities of Covert Intelligence Assets
Congressional Research Service · 2018-02-06 · Posts · 841 words
The recent arrest of a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer with knowledge of human intelligence operations targeting China that reportedly have been compromised raises questions regarding...
Social Security Benefits and Unauthorized Alien Workers
Congressional Research Service · 2018-02-06 · Resources · 1,794 words · PDF available
“Are unauthorized alien workers eligible for Social Security benefits?” This In Focus addresses the frequently asked question in a summary format. A more detailed discussion is provided in CRS Report ...
Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Ways of Funding Government: Exploring the Cost to Taxpayers of Spending Uncertainty Caused by Governing Through Continuing Resolutions, Giant Omnibus Spending Bills, and Shutdown Crises
Congressional Research Service · 2018-02-06 · Testimony · 5,507 words
continuing resolution, CR, continuing resolutions, CRs, interim CR, shutdown, funding gap, funding lapse, budget process
The 2017 Tax Revision (P.L. 115-97): Comparison to 2017 Tax Law
Congressional Research Service · 2018-02-06 · Reports · 20,640 words · PDF available
A tax revision enacted late in 2017 substantively changed the federal income tax system (P.L. 115-97). Broadly, for individuals, the act temporarily modifies income tax rates. Some deductions, credits...
Clean Water Rule Challenges Must Begin in Federal District Courts, Supreme Court Holds
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-31 · Posts · 1,263 words
In National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) v. Department of Defense, the Supreme Court held that legal challenges to the 2015 Clean Water Rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a...
Elementary and Secondary Education Act: Overview of Title IA Academic Accountability Provisions
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-31 · Resources · 1,602 words
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was comprehensively reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA; P.L. 114-95) on December 10, 2015. The ESSA made numerous changes to the sta...
Financial Reform: Savings Associations or “Thrifts”
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-29 · Resources · 1,596 words
The degree to which the regulatory regime facing federal savings associations—also called “thrifts”—and banks should differ is a prominent policy issue in the 115th Congress. For example, S. 2155 and ...
AT&T-Time Warner Merger Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-26 · Resources · 1,371 words
On October 22, 2016, AT&T Inc. and Time Warner Inc. announced that they had entered into an agreement under which AT&T will merge with Time Warner. As of September 30, 2017, the total transaction valu...
Federal Research and Development Funding: FY2018
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-25 · Reports · 31,312 words
President Trump’s budget request for FY2018 includes $117.697 billion for research and development (R&D). This represents a $30.605 billion (20.6%) decrease from the FY2016 actual level of $148.302 bi...
Amateur Strip-Club Arrests: Probable Cause & Qualified Immunity
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-24 · Posts · 888 words
The Supreme Court overturned a lower court decision that had found a lack of probable cause, and had denied police officers qualified immunity for arrest of participants in a late-night, strip-club-li...
Disney-Fox Transaction
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-19 · Resources · 1,533 words
On December 14, 2017, the Walt Disney Company (Disney) and 21st Century Fox Inc. (Fox) announced that they have entered into an agreement under which Disney will acquire Fox for $66.1 billion. The pri...
Standards of Identity for Foods and Plant-Based Food Products
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-18 · Resources · 1,786 words
Foods are often subject to federal regulations or established standards regarding how they are formulated or ingredients they may contain. Given this regulatory framework, as the market for plant-base...
Financial Reform: Custody Banks and the Supplementary Leverage Ratio
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-18 · Resources · 1,730 words
What Do Custody Banks Do? Custody banks engage in the safekeeping and servicing of assets owned by others. Custody banks may also perform services such as the settlement, holding, and reporting of cu...
America’s Water Resources Infrastructure: Approaches to Enhanced Project Delivery
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-18 · Testimony · 6,198 words
water resource; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; public-private partnerships; P3; p4; USACE; WIFIA; Section 408 permission; alternative project delivery; advanced funding; innovative finance
Emergency Alerting—False Alarm in Hawaii
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-17 · Resources · 1,321 words
Background On Saturday, January 13, 2018, at 8:07 a.m., an emergency alert was issued by Hawaii’s Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) warning residents and visitors in Hawaii of an incoming ballistic...
Marbury v. Madison Returns! The Supreme Court Considers the Scope of “Judicial” Power
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-16 · Posts · 1,781 words · PDF available
Every first-year law student learns about Marbury v. Madison. In the landmark 1803 opinion by Chief Justice John Marshall, the Supreme Court established the basis for judicial review and set out the l...
Animal Drug User Fee Programs
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-12 · Reports · 8,871 words · PDF available
The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) review of brand-name and generic animal drug applications is funded through a combination of annual discretionary appropriations from Congress and user fees ...
Bureau of Reclamation Project Authorization and Financing
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-11 · Resources · 1,558 words
The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), an agency within the Department of the Interior (DOI), is responsible for the construction and maintenance of the majority of the large dams and water diversio...
Attorney General’s Memorandum on Federal Marijuana Enforcement: Possible Impacts
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-10 · Posts · 1,201 words
On January 4, 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions sent a memorandum on federal marijuana enforcement policy (Sessions Memorandum) to all U.S. Attorneys that immediately rescinds guidance documents sp...
Financial Reform: Muni Bonds and the LCR
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-10 · Resources · 1,724 words
This In Focus reviews legislative proposals to require regulators to allow large banks to use municipal (muni) bonds to meet the requirements of the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR). Municipal bonds are...
Water Infrastructure Needs and Challenges
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-10 · Testimony · 2,210 words
Water Resources Development Act, WRDA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, WRRDA 2014, Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN), Chief ...
Supreme Court to Hear Voter Roll Case: What Are the Implications?
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-09 · Posts · 1,685 words
In what has been called a “potentially major case on voting rights,” on January 10, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court is to hear oral argument in Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute. Husted involves th...
Congress Considers Reform to Queries of FISA Information as Reauthorization Deadline Approaches
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-08 · Posts · 1,083 words
UPDATE: The House Rules Committee has announced a meeting to consider H.R. 4478 on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 (as an amendment in the nature of a substitute to S. 139). The text of the original post fol...
Drug Compounding: FDA Authority and Possible Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2018-01-05 · Reports · 10,478 words · PDF available
Drug compounding is a process by which a pharmacist or physician combines, mixes, or alters various drug ingredients to create a drug to meet the unique needs of an individual patient for whom an appr...
Agricultural Trade Balances Under NAFTA
Congressional Research Service · 2017-12-29 · Resources · 1,336 words
A focus on trade deficits has emerged as an important fixture of the Trump Administration’s trade policy, including its ongoing review of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Merchandise t...
Comparing Key Elements of H.R. 1 to 2017 Tax Law
Congressional Research Service · 2017-12-22 · Resources · 778 words
H.R. 1 was passed in both the House and the Senate on December 20, 2017 (before the final version was passed, this bill was called the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act). The act substantively changes the federal...
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1): Conference Agreement
Congressional Research Service · 2017-12-19 · Resources · 1,750 words
The Tax Cut and Jobs Act (H.R. 1) was released by the conference committee on December 15, 2017. The bill contains some elements of the House tax reform blueprint, the “Better Way,” released in 2016. ...
The Application of the “One Central Reason” Standard in Asylum and Withholding of Removal Cases
Congressional Research Service · 2017-12-18 · Posts · 1,244 words
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), a non-U.S. national (alien) who fears persecution in his native country may be eligible for asylum or withholding of removal, two forms of relief from ...
Supreme Court Declines to Take Up Military Commission Challenges – Al Bahlul and Al-Nashiri
Congressional Research Service · 2017-12-12 · Posts · 1,310 words
A version of this Sidebar originally appeared June 14, 2017. Update: The Supreme Court denied certiorari in both cases in October 2017. Two detainees at Guantanamo Bay earlier this year petitioned the...
Tax Reform: The Alternative Minimum Tax
Congressional Research Service · 2017-12-04 · Resources · 1,287 words
The U.S. federal income tax has both a personal and a corporate alternative minimum tax (AMT). Both the corporate and individual AMTs operate alongside the regular income tax. They require taxpayers t...
Tax Reform: Repatriation of Foreign Earnings
Congressional Research Service · 2017-12-04 · Resources · 1,471 words
A 2016 report released by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, Citizens for Tax Justice, and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimated that Fortune 500 companies held nearly $2.5 tri...
Killing Endangered Species: What’s Reasonable Self-Defense?
Congressional Research Service · 2017-11-29 · Posts · 458 words
In United States v. Wallen, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Ninth Circuit) recently held that a defendant charged with killing a grizzly bear cub in violation the Endangered ...
Fibbing to Get a Lawyer: Circuits Split on Punishment
Congressional Research Service · 2017-11-27 · Posts · 621 words
The lower federal appellate courts do not agree on whether a defendant’s sentence may be increased because he lied in order to become eligible for a court-appointed attorney. The United States Court o...
The Federal Government’s Plenary Immigration Power Collides with the Constitutional Right to an Abortion (Part I)
Congressional Research Service · 2017-11-27 · Posts · 1,784 words
This Sidebar is the first in a two-part series discussing Garza v. Hargan, a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit involving a detained unaccompanied alien minor and the right to ...
The Federal Government’s Plenary Immigration Power Collides with the Constitutional Right to an Abortion (Part II)
Congressional Research Service · 2017-11-27 · Posts · 1,329 words
This Sidebar is the second in a two-part series discussing the en banc decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (D.C. Circuit) in Garza v. Hargan, affirming a district court’s order ...
Tax Reform: Estate and Gift Tax
Congressional Research Service · 2017-11-17 · Resources · 1,254 words
The estate and gift tax is a unified tax, so that assets transferred as gifts during a person’s lifetime are combined with those transferred at death (bequests) and subject to a single rate schedule. ...
Office of Compliance: Background Information
Congressional Research Service · 2017-11-16 · Resources · 1,300 words
Establishment and Organization The Office of Compliance (OOC) was established by the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA), which was the first bill enacted in the 104th Congress. It was intr...
Joint Employment and the Save Local Business Act
Congressional Research Service · 2017-11-15 · Posts · 1,090 words
Note: H.R. 3441, the Save Local Business Act, was passed by the House of Representatives on November 7, 2017 by a vote of 242-181. Since it was decided in 2015, the National Labor Relations Board’s (N...
Can Congress Limit the President’s Power to Launch Nuclear Weapons?
Congressional Research Service · 2017-11-09 · Posts · 398 words
Recent legislation proposed in the 115th Congress intended to limit the President’s ability to launch nuclear weapons has prompted heightened attention on Congress’s constitutional power to control th...
Out of Office: Vacancies, Acting Officers, and Day 301
Congressional Research Service · 2017-11-01 · Posts · 1,305 words
Across the executive branch, acting officers are currently serving in vacant advice and consent positions, temporarily filling these offices until a permanent officer is nominated by the President and...
Federal Agencies Disagree Whether Sexual Orientation Discrimination Is Prohibited by Title VII
Congressional Research Service · 2017-11-01 · Posts · 1,234 words
If an employer fires an employee because of sexual orientation, is that a form of unlawful discrimination “because of sex” under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act? After hearing oral argument on Septe...
Media Ownership Rules, Diversity, and Sinclair-Tribune Merger
Congressional Research Service · 2017-10-31 · Resources · 1,637 words
On November 16, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to vote on whether to retain, relax, and/or repeal regulations that restrict the number of media outlets that a single ent...
Treasury Proposes Rule That Could Deliver a “Death Sentence” to Chinese Bank
Congressional Research Service · 2017-10-30 · Posts · 1,191 words
In June, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to invoke the “Fifth Special Measure”—a legal tool sometimes characterize...
Department of Health and Human Services Halts Cost-Sharing Reduction (CSR) Payments
Congressional Research Service · 2017-10-26 · Posts · 1,788 words
Over the past three years, the House of Representatives and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have been adverse parties in a suit challenging HHS’s payment of cost-sharing reduction (C...