Policy Library

7,020 documents

Google Fined for Violation of EU Data Protection Law
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-22 · Posts · 1,544 words · PDF available
In a decision testing what it means to give informed consent to online data collection, a French regulatory body recently fined Google LLC (Google) 50 million euro (approximately 56 million U.S. dolla...
Are Excessive Fines Fundamentally Unfair?
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-20 · Posts · 733 words
UPDATE 2/20/2019: Today, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Timbs v. Indiana that the Eighth Amendment’s Excessive Fines Clause is incorporated in the Due Process Clause of the Fourth Amendment and is the...
Department of Education Funding: Key Concepts and FAQ
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-19 · Reports · 10,981 words · PDF available
Like most federal agencies, the Department of Education (ED) receives funds in support of its mission through various federal budget and appropriations processes. While not unique, the mechanisms by w...
Can the Department of Defense Build the Border Wall?
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-18 · Posts · 3,616 words · PDF available
UPDATE: On February 15, 2019, President Trump issued a proclamation declaring a national emergency at the southern border of the United States, and invoking, among other authorities, the military cons...
The Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) Program
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-15 · Reports · 7,262 words · PDF available
The Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program, administered by the Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau, provides long-term, low-interest loans and other ...
Challenges and Solutions: Access to Banking Services for Cannabis-Related Businesses
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-13 · Testimony · 6,570 words · PDF available
Controlled Substances Act (CSA); Bank Secrecy Act; Anti-Money Laundering Laws; SAFE Banking Act; money laundering; BSA/AML; controlled substances; asset forfeiture; asset forfeiture proceedings; crimi...
Receipt of $4.7 Billion Is Not Always a Benefit
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-12 · Posts · 1,572 words
According to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (First Circuit) in United States v. Bravo-Fernández, evidence that Puerto Rico received $4.7 billion in federal assistance is not ...
Salton Sea Management and Restoration Efforts
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-12 · Resources · 1,598 words
The Salton Sea in Southern California is the state’s largest inland body of water. The Salton Sea was created when a canal gate broke in 1905, allowing Colorado River water into the basin. It is now s...
Mail and Wire Fraud: A Brief Overview of Federal Criminal Law
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-11 · Reports · 21,356 words · PDF available
The mail and wire fraud statutes are exceptionally broad. Their scope has occasionally given the courts pause. Nevertheless, prosecutions in their name have brought to an end schemes that have bilked ...
Mail and Wire Fraud: An Abbreviated Overview of Federal Criminal Law
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-11 · Reports · 6,038 words
The mail and wire fraud statutes are exceptionally broad. Their scope has occasionally given the courts pause. Nevertheless, prosecutions in their name have brought to an end schemes that have bilked ...
Transportation Security: Issues for the 116th Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-11 · Reports · 11,816 words · PDF available
The nation’s air, land, and marine transportation systems are designed for accessibility and efficiency, two characteristics that make them vulnerable to terrorist attack. While hardening the transpor...
President Encourages Agencies to Buy American-Produced Goods & Materials
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-08 · Posts · 1,467 words
On January 31, 2019, the President signed the Strengthening Buy-American Preferences for Infrastructure Projects, Executive Order 13858 (EO 13858), which is designed to encourage federal agencies to u...
House Offset Amendments to Appropriations Bills: Procedural Considerations
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-06 · Reports · 7,500 words · PDF available
One of the most common methods for changing spending priorities in appropriations bills on the House floor is through offset amendments. House offset amendments may generally change spending prioritie...
Title Transfer for Bureau of Reclamation Facilities
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-06 · Resources · 1,620 words
The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), an agency within the Department of the Interior (DOI), was established to implement the Reclamation Act of 1902. As amended, this act authorizes the constructi...
Science and Technology Issues in the 116th Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-06 · Reports · 23,914 words
Science and technology (S&T) have a pervasive influence over a wide range of issues confronting the nation. Public and private research and development spur scientific and technological advancement. S...
LNG as a Maritime Fuel: Prospects and Policy
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-05 · Reports · 12,744 words · PDF available
The combination of growing liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies and new requirements for less polluting fuels in the maritime shipping industry has heightened interest in LNG as a maritime fuel. The u...
Foodborne Illnesses and Outbreaks from Fresh Produce
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-04 · Resources · 1,613 words · PDF available
The produce industry continues to be associated with a series of foodborne illness outbreaks across multiple U.S. states and Canada, resulting in hundreds of illnesses and hospitalizations, as well as...
2018 Farm Bill Primer: Veteran Farmers and Ranchers
Congressional Research Service · 2019-02-04 · Resources · 1,659 words
The enacted 2018 farm bill (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, P.L. 115-334) provides additional support for U.S. military veterans transitioning into agriculture by expanding on programs authorized...
“Affirmative Action” and Equal Protection in Higher Education
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-31 · Reports · 30,634 words · PDF available
When federal courts have analyzed and addressed “affirmative action” in higher education, they have done so in two distinct but related senses, both under the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of “equa...
Fifth-Generation (5G) Telecommunications Technologies: Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-30 · Reports · 16,213 words
Since the first mobile phones were made available in the 1980s, telecommunication providers have been investing in mobile networks to expand coverage, improve services, and attract more users. First-g...
2018 Farm Bill Primer: Hemp Cultivation and Processing
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-30 · Resources · 1,827 words
The enacted 2018 farm bill (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, P.L. 115-334) includes a number of provisions that facilitate the commercial cultivation, processing, marketing, and sale of industrial...
The Role of the House Minority Leader: An Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-25 · Reports · 6,920 words · PDF available
The House minority leader, the head of the “loyal opposition,” is elected every two years by secret ballot of his or her party caucus or conference. The minority leader occupies a number of important ...
Economics of Federal User Fees
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-22 · Reports · 6,093 words · PDF available
The federal government collects various fees from businesses and households. Choosing to raise public funds via user fees, as opposed to other means such as taxes, has important administrative and eco...
FDA and Drug Prices: Facilitating Access to Generic Drugs
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-17 · Resources · 1,862 words · PDF available
A variety of proposals to address high drug prices have been introduced in legislation and by the Trump Administration in its blueprint to lower drug prices. According to a Food and Drug Administratio...
Freight Issues in Surface Transportation Reauthorization
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-16 · Reports · 8,311 words · PDF available
Economic growth and expanded global trade have led to substantial increases in goods movement over the past few decades. The growth in freight transportation demand, along with growing passenger deman...
Are DACA Recipients Eligible for Federal Employment?
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-15 · Posts · 1,300 words
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) prohibits employers, including federal agencies, from knowingly hiring non-U.S. nationals (aliens) who are not authorized to work in the United States. By sta...
Federal Crop Insurance: Specialty Crops
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-14 · Reports · 11,177 words · PDF available
The federal crop insurance program offers subsidized crop insurance policies to farmers. Farmers can purchase policies that pay indemnities when their yields or revenues fall below guaranteed levels. ...
How a Government Shutdown Affects Government Contracts
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-10 · Posts · 1,347 words · PDF available
On December 22, 2018, funding lapsed on annual appropriations for certain government agencies, causing a partial government shutdown. This has prompted questions about how the FY2019 partial governmen...
Federal Grand Jury Secrecy: Legal Principles and Implications for Congressional Oversight
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-10 · Reports · 32,168 words · PDF available
The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that “[n]o person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury.” This p...
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) FY2018 Audit Opinion
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-10 · Resources · 1,512 words
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the cabinet-level federal agency responsible for national housing and community development policy and programs. As required by the Chief Finan...
China’s Status as a Nonmarket Economy (NME)
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-10 · Resources · 1,735 words · PDF available
When China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, it agreed to allow other WTO members to continue to use an alternative (surrogate country) methodology for assessing prices and costs on p...
Defense Primer: FY2018 Department of Defense Audit Results
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-09 · Resources · 1,535 words · PDF available
The Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 (CFO Act, P.L. 101-576) requires annual audits of financial statements for federal agencies. Under the CFO Act, audits of federal agencies are the responsibili...
The Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) Employer Shared Responsibility Provisions (ESRP)
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-09 · Reports · 9,022 words · PDF available
The employer shared responsibility provisions (ESRP), which often are referred to as the employer mandate, generally incentivize large employers to offer adequate and affordable health insurance cover...
2019 Tax Filing Season (2018 Tax Year): The Mortgage Interest Deduction
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-08 · Resources · 1,206 words
P.L. 115-97, often referred to as “The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” (the “act” for this In Focus), changed how homeowners can treat mortgage interest for tax purposes starting in tax year 2018. While the mo...
D.C. Circuit Affirms Joint Employer Standard in End-of-Year Decision
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-07 · Posts · 1,615 words
In one of its final opinions for 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed the joint employer standard established for collective bargaining purposes by the Nationa...
U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions in the Electricity Sector: Factors, Trends, and Projections
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-07 · Reports · 6,539 words · PDF available
International negotiations and domestic policy developments continue to generate congressional interest in current and projected U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emission levels. In December 2015, delegation...
The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (P.L.115-271): Medicare Provisions
Congressional Research Service · 2019-01-02 · Reports · 19,725 words · PDF available
On October 24, 2018, President Trump signed into law the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention That Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT Act; P.L. 115-271). The...
Wading Into the “Waters of the United States”
Congressional Research Service · 2018-12-28 · Posts · 1,498 words
The Trump Administration recently unveiled a proposed rule that would redefine the jurisdictional reach of the Clean Water Act. The principal federal law restricting pollution of the nation’s surface ...
Federal Support for Graduate Medical Education: An Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2018-12-27 · Reports · 18,658 words · PDF available
Access to health care is, in part, determined by the availability of physicians, a function of the physician supply. Policymakers have demonstrated a long-standing interest in access to care, both in ...
Drug Shortages: Causes, FDA Authority, and Policy Options
Congressional Research Service · 2018-12-27 · Resources · 1,586 words · PDF available
Drug shortages have remained a serious and persistent public health concern, despite the prevention and mitigation efforts of Congress, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and health care provider...
The Opioid Epidemic and the Food and Drug Administration: Legal Authorities and Recent Agency Action
Congressional Research Service · 2018-12-27 · Reports · 8,521 words · PDF available
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the annual number of drug overdose deaths in the United States involving opioids has more than quadrupled since 1999. CDC estimates t...
Protecting Consumers and Businesses from Fraudulent Robocalls
Congressional Research Service · 2018-12-21 · Reports · 12,314 words · PDF available
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (TCPA) regulates robocalls. A robocall, also known as “voice broadcasting,” is any telephone call that delivers a prerecorded message using an automatic (...
Introduction to Bank Regulation: Supervision
Congressional Research Service · 2018-12-20 · Resources · 1,673 words
To identity and mitigate risks, bank regulators have the authority to monitor bank activities and, if necessary, direct a bank to change its behavior. Bank supervision creates certain benefits (e.g., ...
Cable and Satellite Television Issues in the 116th Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2018-12-20 · Resources · 1,584 words
More than 119 million U.S. households watch television. Of those, more than three-quarters receive television signals via cable, telephone lines, or direct broadcast satellite. Federal laws govern wh...
Essential Air Service (EAS)
Congressional Research Service · 2018-12-19 · Reports · 7,761 words · PDF available
The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 gave airlines almost total freedom to determine which domestic markets to serve and what airfares to charge. This raised the concern that communities with relative...
Distribution Problems: Volcker Rule Exemption Raises Ambiguity
Congressional Research Service · 2018-12-17 · Posts · 2,702 words
According to a recent report, some large banks are contemplating a legal challenge to a regulation commonly referred to as the Volcker Rule, which (subject to certain exceptions) prohibits federally i...
Medicaid Supplemental Payments
Congressional Research Service · 2018-12-17 · Reports · 8,845 words · PDF available
Medicaid is a means-tested entitlement program that finances the delivery of primary and acute medical services, as well as long-term services and supports. Medicaid is a federal and state partnership...
Introduction to Bank Regulation: Credit Unions and Community Banks: A Comparison
Congressional Research Service · 2018-12-14 · Resources · 1,460 words
Depository institutions—specifically, credit unions and banks—provide financial services to savers (via accepting checking and savings deposits) and borrowers (via providing consumer and business loan...
Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act: Bureau of Reclamation and California Water Provisions
Congressional Research Service · 2018-12-14 · Reports · 14,435 words · PDF available
Most of the provisions in the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN Act; P.L. 114-322), enacted on December 16, 2016, relate to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. However, the WIIN...
Title IX: Who Determines the Legal Meaning of “Sex”?
Congressional Research Service · 2018-12-12 · Posts · 2,838 words
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) generally prohibits discrimination “on the basis of sex” in educational programs or activities that receive federal funding. Whether the statute...