Clean Water Act Section 401: Overview and Recent Developments
Congress established the Clean Water Act (CWA) to “restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s Waters.” Under CWA Section 401, any applicant for a federal lic...
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Executive Order: Early Implementation
On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order (E.O.) titled “Establishing and Implementing the President’s Department of Government Efficiency’” (DOGE), which reorganized an en...
Executive Orders and U.S. LNG Exports: Frequently Asked Questions
On January 20, 2025, Inauguration Day, President Trump signed a number of executive orders related to energy, including natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. One of the objectives of Ex...
Data Centers and Cloud Computing: Information Technology Infrastructure for Artificial Intelligence
The advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), a “critical and emerging technology,” presents policy considerations for U.S. leadership, with implications for economic competitiveness and national s...
OMB Releases OPEN Government Data Act Guidance
On January 15, 2025, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released Memorandum M-25-05, which contains long-awaited implementation guidance for the Open, Public, Electronic, and Necessary Governme...
U.S. Efforts to Combat Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Other Illicit Financial Threats
The United States maintains a multifaceted policy regime for tackling anti-money laundering (AML), combating the financing of terrorism (CFT), and countering illicit financial threats. The 119th Congr...
No More Deference: Sixth Circuit Relies on Loper Bright to Strike Down Net Neutrality Rules
On January 2, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (Sixth Circuit) vacated the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) most recent net neutrality rules. The court held that, under...
U.S. Petroleum Trade: Crude Oil Imports from Canada and Mexico and Potential Tariffs
The United States engages in petroleum trade with Canada and Mexico, including imports and exports of crude oil and petroleum products (e.g., gasoline and diesel fuel). Generally, this trade is motiva...
Imports and the Section 321 (De Minimis) Exemption: Origins, Evolution, and Use
In 1938, Congress enacted Section 321(a)(2)(C) of the Tariff Act of 1930, (codified as amended at 19 U.S.C. §1321(a)(2)(C)) to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to waive or reduce certain duties...
Fishery Disaster Assistance
Oceanic conditions, climate, human activities, and weather events can affect fishery resources and commercial infrastructure, such as boats, shoreside processing, and ports. Congress authorized the Se...
Federal Individual Income Tax Brackets, Standard Deduction, and Personal Exemption: 1988 to 2025
This report tracks changes in federal individual income tax brackets, the standard deduction, and the personal exemption since 1988. All three tax items have been indexed for inflation since 1981. The...
Mexico: Political Overview and U.S.-Mexican Relations
On October 1, 2024, Mexico—a top U.S. partner in trade, security, and migration matters—inaugurated Claudia Sheinbaum for a single, six-year presidential term. Sheinbaum—Mexico’s first female presiden...
Prevailing Wage Requirements for H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 Workers in Specialty Occupations
Introduction
The H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 visa programs allow for the temporary employment of foreign workers in specialty occupations in the United States. A specialty occupation is one that requires the...
Midair Collision in Washington, DC, Focuses National Attention on Aviation Safety
On the night of January 29, 2025, a crash involving a Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet 700 (CRJ-700) and a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter occurred over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washi...