Policy Library

7,020 documents

Nuclear Energy Policy
Congressional Research Service · 2014-10-15 · Reports · 21,348 words
Nuclear energy issues facing Congress include reactor safety and regulation, radioactive waste management, research and development priorities, federal incentives for new commercial reactors, nuclear ...
Phased Retirement: In Brief
Congressional Research Service · 2014-10-08 · Reports · 5,193 words
On July 6, 2012, P.L. 112-141, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), was signed into law. Section 100121 of P.L. 112-141 provides authority for a new phased retirement option...
Federal Pollution Control Laws: How Are They Enforced?
Congressional Research Service · 2014-10-07 · Reports · 24,569 words · PDF available
As a result of enforcement actions and settlements for noncompliance with federal pollution control requirements, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that, during FY2013, regulated...
U.S. Exports of Crude Oil and Natural Gas: The Case of Alaska
Congressional Research Service · 2014-10-01 · Reports · 9,120 words
Recent growth in U.S. natural gas and crude oil production has fundamentally shifted the energy supply and demand balance in key U.S. energy markets. Many analysts and energy producers argue that ther...
Extending Unemployment Compensation Benefits During Recessions
Congressional Research Service · 2014-10-01 · Reports · 13,297 words
This report describes the history of temporary federal extensions to unemployment benefits from 1980 to the present. Among these extensions is the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) program c...
Public Transportation Program and Funding Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2014-09-26 · Reports · 8,157 words
The federal public transportation program, administered by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), is the primary means by which the federal government funds and regulates public transportation, suc...
Dark Pools in Equity Trading: Policy Concerns and Recent Developments
Congressional Research Service · 2014-09-26 · Reports · 7,400 words
The term “dark pools” generally refers to electronic stock trading platforms in which pre-trade bids and offers are not published and price information about the trade is only made public after the tr...
Federal Labor Relations Statutes: An Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2014-09-05 · Reports · 22,056 words · PDF available
Since 1926, Congress has enacted three major laws that govern labor-management relations for private sector and federal employees. An issue for Congress is the effect of these laws on employers, worke...
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): Status and Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2014-08-29 · Reports · 8,970 words
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides payments to agricultural producers to take highly erodible and environmentally sensitive land out of production and install resource conserving practice...
Summary Report: FY2014 Supplemental Appropriations
Congressional Research Service · 2014-08-28 · Reports · 2,354 words
On July 8, 2014, the Administration requested $4,346 million in FY2014 supplemental appropriations to address two issues: the surge in both unaccompanied and escorted children illegally crossing the s...
Overview of the Relationship between Federal Student Aid and Increases in College Prices
Congressional Research Service · 2014-08-22 · Reports · 0 words
College affordability is an issue that has received considerable attention from federal policy makers in recent years as concerns have arisen that a college education may be out of reach for an increa...
Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP): Implementation and Status
Congressional Research Service · 2014-08-21 · Reports · 11,858 words
The Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) was created by the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA; P.L. 110-343) in October 2008. EESA was enacted to address an ongoing financial crisis that reac...
Social Networking and Constituent Communications: Members’ Use of Vine in Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2014-08-21 · Reports · 3,524 words
In the past 10 years, the rise of social media has expanded the number of options available for communication between Members of Congress and their constituents. Virtually all Members, including all 1...
Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08): Status of Benefits Prior to Expiration
Congressional Research Service · 2014-08-11 · Reports · 5,501 words
Until its expiration at the end of December 2013, the temporary Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) program provided additional federal unemployment insurance benefits to eligible individuals ...
The Military Commissions Act of 2009 (MCA 2009): Overview and Legal Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2014-08-04 · Reports · 31,294 words
On November 13, 2001, President Bush issued a Military Order (M.O.) pertaining to the detention, treatment, and trial of certain non-citizens in the war against terrorism. Military commissions pursuan...
Nominations to Cabinet Positions During Inter-Term Transitions Since 1984
Congressional Research Service · 2014-07-30 · Reports · 7,971 words
Under the Constitution, high-level leadership positions in the executive branch are filled through appointment by the President “by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate.” These posts include ...
“Black Boxes” in Passenger Vehicles: Policy Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2014-07-22 · Reports · 8,981 words
An event data recorder (EDR) is an electronic sensor installed in a motor vehicle that records certain technical information about a vehicle’s operational performance for a few seconds immediately pri...
Funding for the Impact Aid Program: Options for Budget Year Appropriations, Forward Funding, and Advance Appropriations
Congressional Research Service · 2014-07-22 · Reports · 7,679 words
Administered by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), the Impact Aid program is one of the oldest federal education programs, dating from 1950. Impact Aid, authorized under Title VIII of the Elementa...
Shipping U.S. Crude Oil by Water: Vessel Flag Requirements and Safety Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2014-07-21 · Reports · 14,374 words
New sources of crude oil from North Dakota, Texas, and western Canada have induced new routes for shipping crude oil to U.S. and Canadian refineries. While pipelines have traditionally been the prefer...
Shale Energy Technology Assessment: Current and Emerging Water Practices
Congressional Research Service · 2014-07-14 · Reports · 17,670 words
Shale oil and gas (collectively referred to as shale energy), long considered “unconventional” hydrocarbon resources, are now being developed rapidly. Economic extraction of shale energy resources typ...
Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014: Comparison of Select Provisions
Congressional Research Service · 2014-07-14 · Reports · 25,941 words
The Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA 2014, P.L. 113-121) became law on June 10, 2014. The conference report, H.Rept. 113-449, resolved differences between H.R. 3080, the Water...
U.S. Shale Gas Development: Production, Infrastructure, and Market Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2014-07-14 · Reports · 6,583 words
The United States is in the process of discovering the true extent of its unconventional natural gas resources primarily derived from shale, with estimates rising every year. Natural gas has become an...
Fruits, Vegetables, and Other Specialty Crops: Selected Farm Bill and Federal Programs
Congressional Research Service · 2014-07-11 · Reports · 25,779 words · PDF available
U.S. farmers grow more than 350 types of fruit, vegetable, tree nut, flower, nursery, and other horticultural crops in addition to the major bulk commodity crops. Specialty crop producers are ineligib...
Specialty Crop Provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79)
Congressional Research Service · 2014-07-10 · Reports · 11,781 words
U.S. farmers grow more than 350 types of fruit, vegetable, tree nut, flower, nursery, and other horticultural crops in addition to the major bulk commodity crops. Specialty crops, defined in statute a...
Monetary Policy and the Taylor Rule
Congressional Research Service · 2014-07-09 · Resources · 1,715 words
Overview Some Members of Congress, dissatisfied with the Federal Reserve’s (Fed’s) conduct of monetary policy, have looked for alternatives to the current regime. H.R. 5018 would trigger congressional...
Hydraulic Fracturing and Water Use in California
Congressional Research Service · 2014-07-02 · Resources · 1,606 words
Hydraulic fracturing (sometimes referred to as fracking) is a technique that uses water, sand, and chemicals under pressure to enable or enhance the production of natural gas and crude oil from format...
U.S. Energy: Overview and Key Statistics
Congressional Research Service · 2014-06-27 · Reports · 10,156 words
Energy policy has been a recurring issue for Congress since the first major crises in the 1970s. As an aid in policymaking, this report presents a current and historical view of the supply and consump...
Inland Waterways: Recent Proposals and Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2014-06-26 · Reports · 12,985 words
Inland waterways are a significant part of the nation’s transportation system. Because of the national economic benefits of maritime transport, the federal government has invested in navigation infras...
Bond v. United States: Validity and Construction of the Federal Chemical Weapons Statute
Congressional Research Service · 2014-06-20 · Reports · 5,281 words
The Chemical Weapons Convention obligates the United States to outlaw the use, production, and retention of weapons consisting of toxic chemicals. The Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act ou...
High-Frequency Trading: Background, Concerns, and Regulatory Developments
Congressional Research Service · 2014-06-19 · Reports · 24,750 words
High-frequency trading (HFT) is a broad term without a precise legal or regulatory definition. It is used to describe what many characterize as a subset of algorithmic trading that involves very rapid...
The Project BioShield Act: Issues for the 113th Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2014-06-18 · Reports · 8,619 words
In 2004, Congress passed the Project BioShield Act (P.L. 108-276) to provide the federal government with new authorities related to the development, procurement, and use of medical countermeasures aga...
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD): FY2015 Appropriations
Congressional Research Service · 2014-06-16 · Reports · 11,314 words
The House and Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) appropriations subcommittees are charged with providing annual appropriations for the Department of Tran...
U.S. Circuit and District Court Nominations: Senate Rejections and Committee Votes Other Than to Report Favorably, 1939-2013
Congressional Research Service · 2014-05-29 · Reports · 6,568 words
Once a nomination to a U.S. circuit court of appeals or district court judgeship is submitted to the Senate by the President, the Senate almost invariably refers it to the Senate Judiciary Committee. ...
Fish and Wildlife Service: Compensation to Local Governments
Congressional Research Service · 2014-05-21 · Reports · 7,003 words
Many counties are compensated for the presence of federal lands within their boundaries because these lands are exempt from local taxes. Counties with lands under the primary jurisdiction of the Fish ...
S. 2262, Shaheen-Portman Bill 2014: Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act
Congressional Research Service · 2014-05-14 · Reports · 8,006 words
S. 2262 has four energy efficiency titles, which address buildings, industry, federal agencies, and certain regulatory measures. Title V would provide a budgetary offset for bill authorizations. The b...
U.S. Circuit Court Judges: Profile of Professional Experiences Prior to Appointment
Congressional Research Service · 2014-05-09 · Reports · 5,149 words
This report provides an analysis of the professional qualifications and experiences of U.S. circuit court judges who are currently serving on the federal bench. Interest in the professional qualificat...
Provisions in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 as an Alternative to a Traditional Budget Resolution
Congressional Research Service · 2014-05-08 · Reports · 6,086 words
The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (P.L. 113-67) included as Title I, Subtitle B, a section titled, “Establishing a Congressional Budget” designed to serve as a substitute for a traditional congression...
SNAP and Related Nutrition Provisions of the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79)
Congressional Research Service · 2014-04-24 · Reports · 24,515 words
After action to reauthorize the 2008 farm bill in both the 112th and 113th Congresses, the Agriculture Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-79; “2014 farm bill”) was enacted on February 7, 2014. In addition to farm ...
Conservation Provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79)
Congressional Research Service · 2014-04-24 · Reports · 17,119 words
The Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 farm bill, P.L. 113-79) was enacted on February 7, 2014. After years of debate and deliberation, the enacted 2014 farm bill included a number of changes to the Conse...
Obstruction of Justice: An Overview of Some of the Federal Statutes That Prohibit Interference with Judicial, Executive, or Legislative Activities
Congressional Research Service · 2014-04-17 · Reports · 59,247 words
Obstruction of justice is the impediment of governmental activities. There are a host of federal criminal laws that prohibit obstructions of justice. The six most general outlaw obstruction of judicia...
Obstruction of Justice: An Abridged Overview of Related Federal Criminal Laws
Congressional Research Service · 2014-04-17 · Reports · 3,831 words
Obstruction of justice is the frustration of governmental purposes by violence, corruption, destruction of evidence, or deceit. It is a federal crime. In fact, it is several crimes. Obstruction prosec...
Returning to Full Employment: What Do the Indicators Tell Us?
Congressional Research Service · 2014-04-15 · Reports · 9,111 words
Until recently, the economy and labor market were experiencing an unusually slow recovery from the longest and deepest recession since the Great Depression compared to other expansions since World War...
The DHS S&T Directorate: Selected Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2014-04-14 · Reports · 16,919 words
Policy makers generally believe that science and technology can and will play significant roles in improving homeland security. When Congress established the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), thr...
Congressional Adoption of Vine
Congressional Research Service · 2014-04-10 · Resources · 1,107 words · PDF available
Overview What Is Vine? Vine is a social media mobile video sharing service that allows users to create six second videos that can be short snippets of conversation, a series of still shots, or a movin...
Budget Issues That Shaped the 2014 Farm Bill
Congressional Research Service · 2014-04-10 · Reports · 17,157 words
Congress returns to the “farm bill” about every five years to establish an omnibus policy for food and agriculture. Deficit reduction influenced the Agricultural Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-79; 2014 farm bi...
Analysis of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)
Congressional Research Service · 2014-04-08 · Reports · 6,563 words
The federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was established in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) and significantly expanded in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). The RFS requir...
Retirement and Survivor Annuities for Former Spouses of Federal Employees
Congressional Research Service · 2014-04-07 · Reports · 3,113 words
A former spouse of a federal employee may be entitled to a share of the employee’s retirement annuity under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS...
Economy Added 189,000 Jobs According to Alternative Seasonal Adjustments
Brookings Institution · 2014-04-04 · Article · 375 words
Jonathan Wright's alternative approach to seasonal adjustment of Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs data found that the economy added 189,000 jobs in March 2014.
Federal Support for Streetcars: Frequently Asked Questions
Congressional Research Service · 2014-04-03 · Reports · 3,627 words
Streetcars, a type of rail public transportation, are experiencing a revival in the United States. Also known as trolleys, streetcars were widespread in the early decades of the 20th century, but almo...
Survivor Benefits for Families of Civilian Federal Employees and Retirees
Congressional Research Service · 2014-04-02 · Reports · 3,671 words
Federal employees with permanent appointments may be eligible for retirement and disability benefits under either the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System ...