Servicemember to Veteran Transition
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Information as of December 20, 2024. Prepared by Kristy N. Kamarck, Specialist in Military Personnel; Sidath Viranga Panangala, Specialist
in Veterans Policy; and Jamie Bush, Visual Information Spec...
Indigenous Knowledge and Data: Overview and Issues for Congress
Indigenous peoples have inhabited North America for millennia, developing deep cultural, spiritual, and subsistence ties to the landscape. Due to their historical connections, many Indigenous peoples ...
Electing the Speaker of the House of Representatives: Frequently Asked Questions
Current practice for electing a Speaker, either at the start of a Congress or in the event of a vacancy (e.g., death or resignation), is by roll call vote, during which Members state aloud the name of...
Implementing Agreements Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
For over 40 years, Congress has deliberated, to varying degrees, the potential pros and cons of the 1982 United Nations (UN) Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as it pertains to U.S. ocean poli...
The First Day of a New Congress: A Guide to Proceedings on the Senate Floor
The Constitution mandates that Congress convene at noon on January 3 unless the preceding Congress, by law, designated a different day. P.L. 113-201 set January 6, 2015, as the convening date of the 1...
Elections and Campaign Finance: Policy and Legal Background for Congress
Traditionally, the federal government’s role in campaigns and elections primarily includes regulating campaign finance, protecting voting rights, and supporting states in election administration. Cong...
Employment and Training Services for Noncustodial Parents in the Child Support Program: Background and Summary of Final Rule
All 50 states, the District of Columbia (DC), Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and certain tribal nations operate Child Support Enforcement (CSE) programs pursuant to Title IV-D (§§451-469)...
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Through treaties, acts of Congress, and court decisions, the federal government has recognized a federal trust responsibility—a legal and moral obligation—toward federally recognized Tribes (hereinaft...
The California Cap-and-Trade Program: Overview and Considerations for Congress
California’s cap-and-trade program, launched in 2013, is one example of a market-based, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction policy adopted and implemented in the United States. Insights into the ...
Messages, Petitions, Communications, and Memorials to Congress
The Constitution and the rules of the House of Representatives and Senate identify various means that citizens, other levels of government, and coordinate branches of the national government may use t...
Legislation: Engrossment, Enrollment, and Presentation
Engrossment, enrollment, and presentation of legislation are components of the legislative process that attest to the accuracy of bill texts, confirm House and Senate action, and confirm delivery of t...
Smithsonian Institution: Selected Legislation, 118th Congress
The Smithsonian Institution is a complex of museum, education, research, and revenue-generating entities primarily located in the Washington, DC, region, with additional facilities and activities acro...
The First Day of a New Congress: A Guide to Proceedings on the House Floor
Article 1, Section 2, of the Constitution sets a term of office of two years for all Members of the House. One House ends at the conclusion of each two-year Congress, and the newly elected Representat...
U.S.-China Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement
On January 31, 1979, weeks after the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC, or China) established diplomatic relations, U.S. President Jimmy Carter and PRC leader Deng Xiaoping signed ...
Membership of the 118th Congress: A Profile
This report presents a profile of the membership of the 118th Congress (2023-2024) as of December 12, 2024, or at the beginning of the 118th Congress (January 3, 2023), where noted. Statistical inform...