The Army Clause, Part 1: Overview and Historical Background
This Legal Sidebar is the first in a five-part series that discusses the U.S. Constitution’s Army Clause, found in Article I, Section 8, clause 12, which authorizes the federal government to raise and...
Israel and Houthis in Yemen: Attacks Highlight Regional Conflict Risks
On July 19, 2024, the Ansar Allah/Houthi movement, an Iran-backed force that controls parts of Yemen, attacked Tel Aviv, Israel (see Figure 1) using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The Israeli gove...
The Army Clause, Part 3: Appropriations, Conscription, and War Materials
This Legal Sidebar is the third in a five-part series that discusses the Constitution’s Army Clause, which allows for the federal government to raise and support armies while also allowing for congres...
The Eighth Amendment and Homelessness: Supreme Court Upholds Camping Ordinances in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson
On June 28, 2024, the Supreme Court released its opinion in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, holding that laws that regulate camping on public property do not violate the Eighth Amendment. The Eighth ...
Harrington v. Purdue Pharma: Supreme Court Holds That a Chapter 11 Reorganization Plan Cannot Include a Nonconsensual Release of Claims Against Non-Debtors
On June 27, 2024, the Supreme Court held in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma that the U.S. Bankruptcy Code does not permit a Chapter 11 reorganization plan to include a release of legal claims against non-...
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Funding Overview
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) works to protect public health by providing leadership, information, and scientific expertise in preventing and controlling diseases, including out...
Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2024 Budget and Appropriations
Each year, Congress considers 12 distinct appropriations measures to fund federal programs and activities. One of these is the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) app...
Disqualification of a Candidate for the Presidency, Part I: Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment as It Applies to the Presidency
On March 4, 2024, the Supreme Court in Trump v. Anderson reversed the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision in Anderson v. Griswold that former President Trump was ineligible to appear on the state’s prim...
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Appropriations: FY2025 President’s Budget Request
Since FY2006, Congress has funded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations acts. For FY2025, the President requested $10.99 bill...
Supreme Court Allows Emergency Abortions in Idaho but Leaves Litigation Unresolved
On June 27, 2024, the Supreme Court, in a one-sentence, unsigned (per curiam) order accompanied by four concurring and/or dissenting opinions, concluded that it had “improvidently granted” review befo...
Northeast Asia: Key to Liquefied Natural Gas Markets
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Northeast Asia—including China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan—is the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) importing region in the world. In 2023, it accounted for approximately 50% of global LNG tra...
From Bill to Law: Stages of the Legislative Process
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Prepared by Valerie Heitshusen (Information as of July 11, 2024. Prepared by Valerie Heitshusen, Specialist on Congress and the Legislative Process, Jennifer E. Manning,
Senior Research Librarian, a...
Fischer v. United States: Supreme Court Reads Federal Obstruction Provision Narrowly in Capitol Breach Prosecution
On June 28, 2024, the Supreme Court issued an opinion in Fischer v. United States, a case concerning whether a federal obstruction of justice statute covers a defendant’s alleged participation in the ...