Policy Library

6,587 documents

Establishing and Funding Elections Grant Programs: Policy Options
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-30 · Resources · 1,380 words · PDF available
Recent congressional activity on elections issues has often taken the form of action on grant programs or funding. One type of action Members have increasingly explored in recent legislative proposals...
El Salvador: Current Issues and U.S. Relations
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-30 · Resources · 1,706 words · PDF available
El Salvador is a small, densely populated country in the “Northern Triangle” region of Central America (see Figure 1) that has deep historical, migratory, and economic ties to the United States. The 1...
Measuring the Impacts of the H-2B Visa Program on U.S. Labor Markets: Three Recent Quasi-Experimental Studies
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-30 · Resources · 1,778 words · PDF available
The H-2B visa program allows U.S. employers to hire temporary foreign workers in nonagricultural industries if no U.S. workers can be found to fill these jobs and other requirements are met. H-2B posi...
Conditioning Federal Funding on Elections Policies: Options and Considerations for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-30 · Resources · 1,579 words · PDF available
Congress has broad authority to regulate many aspects of the administration of federal elections. Members might sometimes wish to influence state or local policy on aspects of election administration ...
Colombia: Background and U.S. Relations
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-30 · Reports · 13,285 words · PDF available
Colombia has been a key U.S. security and economic partner in South America for decades, although bilateral relations have grown tense over the past two years. Colombia has been among the top recipien...
How FEMA Individual Assistance Works
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-29 · Infographics · 994 words · PDF available
/ How FEMA Individual Assistance Works FEMA's Individual Assistance (IA) program provides financial and direct assistance and services o disaster survivors when the President authorizes such assi...
United Nations Issues: Overview of the United Nations System
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-29 · Resources · 1,616 words · PDF available
The United Nations (UN) system comprises interconnected entities including the United Nations, specialized agencies, peacekeeping operations, funds and programs, and other entities. Congress has gener...
Taxation of Tip Income
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-29 · Resources · 1,779 words · PDF available
Federal law generally requires workers to pay individual income taxes and the payroll taxes on their tip income, as on other compensation. Lawmakers are considering making some tip income exempt from ...
Tribal Spectrum and Broadband Access: Background and Considerations for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-29 · Resources · 1,708 words · PDF available
Congress has recognized a need to expand broadband services on tribal lands (i.e., areas associated with federally recognized Tribes, or Tribes), as access to broadband can spur economic development a...
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS)
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-29 · Resources · 1,769 words · PDF available
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is an interagency body chaired by the Secretary of the Treasury. It serves the President in overseeing the potential national security ...
U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel: Overview and Developments since October 7, 2023
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-28 · Reports · 36,452 words · PDF available
Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II. Successive Administrations, working with Congress, have provided Israel with assistance reflective of robust d...
Russian Military Performance and Outlook
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-28 · Resources · 1,624 words · PDF available
Despite the advantages of a larger recruitment base and defense industrial capacity, the Russian military has not been able to decisively defeat the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) since Russia’s Februar...
Supreme Court Considers Whether Federal Courts May Certify Class Actions When Some Proposed Class Members Are Uninjured
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-27 · Posts · 2,381 words · PDF available
On April 29, 2025, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings v. Davis (Labcorp v. Davis) about whether federal courts may certify class action lawsuits seekin...
Excess Military Infrastructure and the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Process
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-27 · Reports · 4,356 words · PDF available
The Department of Defense (DOD) has maintained excess infrastructure for decades, which some defense officials and Members of Congress have said is fiscally inefficient and results in increased operat...
Retaliatory Tariffs on U.S. Agriculture and USDA’s Responses: Frequently Asked Questions
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-27 · Reports · 16,205 words · PDF available
In 2025, the Trump Administration imposed several rounds of tariffs against trading partners under the under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Section 232 of the Trade Expans...
U.S. Prosecution of Overseas Torture
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-27 · Posts · 843 words · PDF available
On April 15, 2025, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the conviction of Michael Sang Correa by a federal court in Colorado for torture committed in the African country of The Gamb...
Enforcing the Antidiscrimination Mandates of Title VI and Title IX: Executive Agency Options and Procedures
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-27 · Posts · 3,449 words · PDF available
A number of federal civil rights laws condition the receipt of federal funding on recipients’ compliance with certain nondiscrimination obligations. Two well-known examples are Title VI of the Civil R...
Judiciary Budget Request, FY2026
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-27 · Resources · 1,234 words · PDF available
Overview The federal judiciary’s FY2026 budget request was made public by the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts on April 25, 2025. The request seeks $9.4 billion in discretionary funding (an increa...
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA): Overview and Major Responsibilities
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-27 · Reports · 11,313 words · PDF available
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) is an entity within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). OIRA was created by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1980, which restructured...
Tax Provisions in H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act: House-Passed Version
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-27 · Reports · 29,859 words · PDF available
On May 22, 2025, the House passed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. That act provides for reconciliation pursuant to Title II of H.Con.Res. 14, the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY2025...
The Philippines
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-27 · Resources · 1,665 words · PDF available
Overview and Recent Developments The United States and the Republic of the Philippines maintain a relationship that includes a bilateral security alliance, extensive military cooperation, close people...
Appellate Courts Divided Over School Employee Discrimination Lawsuits and Title IX
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-23 · Posts · 3,341 words · PDF available
Federal appellate courts have split over how two federal laws that bar sex discrimination in certain settings and programs relate to one another. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) ...
Transportation Security: Background and Issues for the 119th Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-23 · Reports · 19,072 words · PDF available
The nation’s aviation, mass transit, passenger and freight rail, maritime, and pipeline transportation systems are geographically dispersed and designed for accessibility and efficiency. These charact...
The ACA Preventive Services Coverage Requirement
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-23 · Resources · 1,529 words · PDF available
Per the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; P.L. 111-148, as amended), most private health insurance plans are required to cover specified preventive services and items without consumer c...
Foreign Holdings of Federal Debt
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-23 · Reports · 4,092 words · PDF available
This report presents current data on ownership of U.S. Treasury securities and major holders of federal debt by country. Federal debt represents the accumulated balance of borrowing by the federal gov...
Overview of Public and Private School Choice Options
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-23 · Resources · 1,753 words · PDF available
School choice generally refers to the opportunity for parents to select an elementary or secondary school for their child that differs from the assigned school that the child would otherwise attend ba...
SBA Disaster Loan Program: Frequently Asked Questions
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-23 · Reports · 3,979 words · PDF available
This report responds to frequently asked questions about the Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Program. The SBA Disaster Loan Program provides direct loans to help businesses, nonprofi...
Rental Housing
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Resources · 897 words · PDF available
There are over 48 million rental housing units in the United States. About one-third of households in the United States rent their housing. Rental housing prices have increased faster than prices for ...
The Executive Budget Process: An Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Reports · 16,086 words · PDF available
The Constitution vests Congress with the power of the purse, with several provisions referring to congressional authority to levy taxes, authorize the issuance of debt, and make appropriations to fund...
Iran: Background and U.S. Policy
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Reports · 14,363 words · PDF available
Dynamics between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran have shifted in the past year: after Iran faced significant military and strategic setbacks in 2024, largely at the hands of Israel ...
Russia’s Nuclear Weapons
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Resources · 1,709 words · PDF available
Russia presents an “acute threat” to the United States and its allies, according to the 2022 National Defense Strategy. The 2022 Nuclear Posture Review, a Biden Administration review of U.S. nuclear p...
Interest Rate Caps on Credit Cards
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Resources · 1,614 words · PDF available
Congress has paid attention to the costs associated with credit cards, one of the most popular payment options for consumers today. For example, the 118th Congress debated whether to reform the way cr...
Executive Agency Justification of the President’s Budget: In Brief
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Reports · 2,301 words · PDF available
The Constitution vests Congress with the power of the purse, with provisions that refer to congressional authority to levy taxes, authorize the issuance of debt, and make appropriations to fund the fe...
The Role of Executive Agencies in Budget Development: In Brief
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Reports · 2,575 words · PDF available
The Constitution vests Congress with the power of the purse, with provisions that refer to congressional authority to levy taxes, authorize the issuance of debt, and make appropriations to fund the fe...
The Role of the President in Budget Development: In Brief
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Reports · 2,952 words · PDF available
The Constitution vests Congress with the power of the purse, with provisions that refer to congressional authority to levy taxes, authorize the issuance of debt, and make appropriations to fund the fe...
One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Title V, Provisions Related to CFPB Funding
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Posts · 1,039 words · PDF available
On May 22, 2025, the House passed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, providing for budget reconciliation pursuant to H.Con.Res. 14, the budget resolution for FY2025. Title V (House Committee on F...
One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Title V, House Committee on Financial Services
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Posts · 1,044 words · PDF available
On May 22, 2025, the House passed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, providing for budget reconciliation pursuant to H.Con.Res. 14, the budget resolution for FY2025. Title V (House Committee on F...
Secretary of the Interior’s Federal Land Withdrawal Authority Under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA)
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Resources · 1,784 words · PDF available
Introduction Withdrawals preclude specified uses of federal land and are made for a variety of purposes. For example, some withdrawals prevent particular federal lands from being used for certain deve...
Libya and U.S. Policy
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Resources · 1,661 words · PDF available
Over a decade after a 2011 uprising and U.S.-backed military intervention that toppled longtime authoritarian leader Muammar al Qadhafi, Libya has yet to make a transition to stable governing arrangem...
The Executive Budget Process Timeline: In Brief
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Reports · 2,106 words · PDF available
The Constitution vests Congress with the power of the purse, with provisions that refer to congressional authority to levy taxes, authorize the issuance of debt, and make appropriations to fund the fe...
The Role of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in Budget Development: In Brief
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Reports · 1,957 words · PDF available
The Constitution vests Congress with the power of the purse, with provisions that refer to congressional authority to levy taxes, authorize the issuance of debt, and make appropriations to fund the fe...
The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR): Statutory Authorities and Responsibilities
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Resources · 1,670 words · PDF available
The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is a public health agency primarily responsible for summarizing toxicity information on chemicals most commonly present at contaminate...
Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-22 · Reports · 6,997 words · PDF available
Many interns serve in various congressional offices, assisting individual Members, committees, and other offices or support services. Interns serve the House or Senate in a temporary capacity, primari...
Organization of American States: In Brief
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-21 · Reports · 7,762 words · PDF available
The Organization of American States (OAS) is a regional multilateral organization that comprises 34 of the 35 independent countries of the Western Hemisphere, including the United States; Nicaragua wi...
Regulation of Commercial Human Spaceflight Safety: Overview and Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-21 · Reports · 11,026 words · PDF available
Commercial human spaceflight is a nascent but growing industry, and that is reflected in how the safety of the industry is regulated. Customers for commercial human spaceflight include national space ...
Individual Federal Income Tax and Overtime Compensation
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-21 · Resources · 1,757 words · PDF available
Introduction The individual federal income tax applies to “all income from whatever source derived” unless exempted by law. Some lawmakers have introduced bills in the 119th Congress to exempt overtim...
The United Arab Emirates (UAE): Issues for U.S. Policy
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-21 · Reports · 8,175 words · PDF available
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven principalities or “emirates.” Its population is 10 million, of which nearly 90% are expatriates from within and outside the region who work in i...
Cryptocurrency Investment Scams
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-21 · Resources · 1,786 words · PDF available
Law enforcement, policymakers, victims, and the general public have expressed concern over technology-enabled scams affecting individuals’ finances. These scams come in many forms, ranging from phishi...
Who Is an Astronaut? Safety Implications for Commercial Human Spaceflight
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-21 · Posts · 1,023 words · PDF available
On April 14, 2025, the company Blue Origin launched its New Shepard rocket with six women on board to the edge of space. This mission (NS-31) was the company’s 11th mission with humans on board, and B...
Connecting Constituents with Federal Assistance for Businesses
Congressional Research Service · 2025-05-21 · Resources · 1,250 words · PDF available
Federal agencies assist businesses through a number of credit and technical assistance programs. With few exceptions, the federal government typically does not award grants for starting or expanding a...