Policy Library

7,020 documents

Overview of the Truth in Lending Act
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-19 · Resources · 1,532 words · PDF available
The Truth in Lending Act (TILA; 15 U.S.C. §§1601 et seq.) requires creditors to disclose standardized information for various financing products and offers additional consumer protections. TILA applie...
Trends in CDBG Program Funding and Grantee Participation
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-19 · Posts · 976 words · PDF available
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program was established under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, P.L. 93-383. Administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Deve...
SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program: Structure and Current Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-19 · Reports · 12,340 words · PDF available
To address discriminatory barriers in federal procurement markets for certain business owners, Congress has sought to help small “socially and economically disadvantaged” businesses through the 8(a) B...
Continuity of Congress: Preparing for the Future by Learning from the Past
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-18 · Testimony · 11,466 words · PDF available
Continuity of Government Continuity of Congress U.S. Congress House of Representatives Senate Members of Congress Congressional Administration Representation Emergency Preparedness
Immigration Consequences of Unlawful Voting by Aliens
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-18 · Resources · 1,836 words · PDF available
Federal immigration laws provide that aliens who have illegally voted in the United States may be either denied admission to or removed from the country. They may also, depending upon their immigratio...
Agency Budgetary Discretion: Transfers and Reprogramming
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-18 · Infographics · 528 words · PDF available
/ Agency Budgetary Discretion Transfers and Reprogramming Congress typically appropriates funds to federal agencies in the form of separate accounts, each of which may include one or more related pro...
Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) FY2025 Appropriations: Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-18 · Reports · 4,058 words · PDF available
The Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) appropriations bill includes funding for the Department of the Treasury, the Executive Office of the President, the judiciary, the District of Colu...
Worker Participation in Employer-Sponsored Pensions: Data in Brief and Recent Trends
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-18 · Reports · 3,451 words · PDF available
This report provides data on the percentage of U.S. workers who have access to, and who participate in, employer-sponsored pension plans. The data are from the National Compensation Survey (NCS), cond...
Memorials and Commemorative Works Outside Washington, DC: Background, Federal Role, and Options for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-18 · Reports · 8,038 words · PDF available
Congress frequently faces questions about whether and how to commemorate people and events that have influenced the nation’s history. Congress sometimes has chosen to do so by establishing national me...
Religious Discrimination at School: Application of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-17 · Posts · 2,951 words · PDF available
Since the beginning of armed hostilities between Israel and Hamas on October 7, 2023, Congress has focused significant attention on the reaction of students and schools, colleges, and universities to ...
Social Security Administration (SSA): Trends in the Annual Limitation on Administrative Expenses (LAE) Appropriation
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-17 · Reports · 22,125 words · PDF available
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is responsible for administering two federal entitlement programs that provide income support to qualified individuals: Social Security and Supplemental Securi...
U.S. Arms Transfer Restrictions and AUKUS Cooperation
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-17 · Resources · 1,634 words · PDF available
On September 15, 2021, Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States announced an “enhanced trilateral security partnership,” named AUKUS after the participating countries. The partnership...
Citizenship and Immigration Statuses of the U.S. Foreign-Born Population
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-17 · Resources · 1,317 words · PDF available
The U.S. foreign-born population consists of individuals living in the United States who were not U.S. citizens at birth. In 2023, according to the American Community Survey (ACS), an estimated 47.8 m...
Legal Effect of Marijuana Rescheduling on FDA’s Regulation of Cannabis
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-16 · Posts · 3,228 words · PDF available
Cannabis and its derivatives are regulated under various federal laws, depending on the particular characteristics and uses of the substance or product. Currently, unless an exception applies, cannabi...
SEC v. Jarkesy: Constitutionality of Administrative Enforcement Actions
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-16 · Posts · 3,161 words · PDF available
Congress frequently delegates to agencies the power to take enforcement actions against parties who do not comply with applicable statutes or regulations that the agencies administer. For decades, Con...
The June 2024 European Parliament Elections: Outcome and Implications
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-16 · Posts · 1,063 words · PDF available
The 27 member states of the European Union (EU) held elections for the 720 members of the European Parliament (EP) between June 6 and 9, 2024. The only directly elected EU institution, the EP represen...
Judicial Review Under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA)
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-16 · Posts · 2,953 words · PDF available
Federal agencies administer a wide range of areas by adopting rules, adjudicating disputes and claims, and providing guidance on matters within their purview. Given the potential impact of these agenc...
Federal Courts Split on Legality of the FTC’s NonCompete Rule
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-16 · Posts · 3,973 words · PDF available
In April 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a rule prohibiting most employers from entering into or enforcing non-compete agreements with workers, subject to exceptions for the sale of a ...
An Introduction to Poverty Measurement
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-16 · Reports · 10,866 words · PDF available
Poverty measures convey the number or percentage of people falling below given income amounts, which are intended to represent a level of economic privation and are computed using some factually based...
Defense Production for Ukraine: Background and Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-16 · Reports · 17,965 words · PDF available
Since the commencement of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. government has engaged in efforts to organize and expand the production of defense equipment for Ukraine-re...
Preliminary Data on the IRA Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-16 · Posts · 1,300 words · PDF available
In August 2024, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released preliminary 2023 data on the residential clean energy credit (RCEC) and the energy efficient home improvement credit (EEHIC). The credits we...
Preliminary Data on the IRA Residential Clean Energy Credit
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-16 · Posts · 1,380 words · PDF available
In August 2024, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released preliminary 2023 data on the residential clean energy credit (RCEC) and the energy efficient home improvement credit (EEHIC). The credits we...
SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program: Legislative and Program History
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-16 · Reports · 11,357 words · PDF available
The 8(a) Business Development Program provides participating small business owners with training, technical assistance, and contracting opportunities in the form of contract set-aside and sole-source ...
Freedom of Speech: An Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-13 · Reports · 15,213 words · PDF available
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects “the freedom of speech,” but that protection is not absolute. The Free Speech Clause principally constrains government regulation of private speec...
Class Action Lawsuits: An Introduction
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-13 · Resources · 1,773 words · PDF available
The general rule in American litigation is that lawsuits are brought only on behalf of the named parties. The class action mechanism is an exception to that rule that permits one or more “named plaint...
Early Voting and Mail Voting: Overview & Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-13 · Resources · 1,783 words · PDF available
Although voting in person at a polling place on Election Day is the most widespread voting practice, states and localities also offer some or all eligible voters opportunities to vote without going to...
The Federal Arbitration Act and Class Action Waivers
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-13 · Resources · 1,897 words · PDF available
Arbitration agreements have become ubiquitous and are used in a wide range of contexts, including business-to-business contracts, employment contracts, collective bargaining agreements, and consumer c...
Supreme Court Term October 2023: A Review of Selected Major Rulings
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-13 · Reports · 25,934 words · PDF available
The Supreme Court issued a number of opinions of interest to Congress in the term that began on October 2, 2023. Over the course of the term, the Court decided cases addressing high-profile issues inc...
Turkey (Türkiye)-U.S. Relations: Timeline and Brief Historical Context
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-13 · Resources · 1,322 words · PDF available
This timeline tracks major developments from the beginning of close U.S.-Turkey (Türkiye) ties after World War II to the present. The information provides context for lawmakers assessing the tenor and...
Commercial Real Estate and the Banking Sector
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-12 · Reports · 8,341 words · PDF available
Relatively high interest rates and increased telework opportunities have had significant effects on the commercial real estate (CRE) sector, specifically office buildings. High inflation in the years ...
Sports Gambling and Consumer Finance
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-12 · Resources · 1,619 words · PDF available
Sports gambling is a common form of gambling where bettors wager on the results of athletic events. Before 2018, sports gambling was illegal in most states. In 2018, the Supreme Court held in Murphy v...
Components of Federal Criminal Law
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-12 · Reports · 40,279 words · PDF available
Congress has enacted many federal criminal laws covering topics as diverse as drug trafficking, immigration, assault, computer hacking, bribery, and wildlife trafficking, among others. Congress’s cont...
Alcohol Excise Taxes: An Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-12 · Reports · 14,335 words · PDF available
The federal excise tax on alcoholic beverages is imposed at the manufacturer and importer level, based on the per unit production or importation of alcoholic beverages (e.g., distilled spirits, wine, ...
DOL Final Rule Addressing H-2A Worker Protections and Pending Litigation
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-12 · Posts · 2,351 words · PDF available
On April 29, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published the final rule “Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States” (the “Farmworker Protection...
Equal Protection and Race- or Sex-Conscious Government Action: Case Developments
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-12 · Posts · 3,304 words · PDF available
A number of federal lawsuits have alleged that certain race- or sex-conscious federal programs are unconstitutional on equal protection grounds. Challenged programs include COVID-19 relief programs, a...
Analyzing Constitutionality Under the First Amendment's Free Speech Clause
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-12 · Infographics · 426 words · PDF available
/ Information as of September 12, 2024. Prepared by Victoria L. Killion, Legislative Attorney, and Jamie L. Bush, Visual Information Specialist. For more information, see CRS Report R47986, Freedom of...
Moody v. NetChoice, LLC: The Supreme Court Addresses Facial Challenges to State Social Media Laws
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-11 · Posts · 2,730 words · PDF available
On July 1, 2024, the Supreme Court vacated the judgments in two consolidated First Amendment challenges to state laws that regulate certain online platforms’ moderation of user-posted content and rema...
U.S. Counterspace Capabilities
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-11 · Posts · 1,086 words · PDF available
What Is Counterspace? Counterspace operations can be either offensive or defensive. Offensive counterspace operations aim to deceive an adversary, disrupt the use of a space system (such as a satellit...
Klamath River Dam Removal and Restoration
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-11 · Resources · 1,496 words · PDF available
The Klamath River Basin (Figure 1)—a 12,000 square mile area on the California-Oregon border—is a focal point for discussions on water allocation and species protection. These issues have generated co...
The United Nations System: Frequently Asked Questions
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-10 · Reports · 11,816 words · PDF available
The United Nations (UN) system is a group of interconnected entities that includes the United Nations itself, UN specialized agencies, UN peacekeeping operations, UN funds and programs, and other rela...
Joint Employment and the National Labor Relations Act
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-10 · Reports · 5,158 words · PDF available
The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) recognizes the right of most private sector employees to engage in collective bargaining through their chosen representatives. By “encouraging the practice and ...
Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability: Frequently Asked Questions
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-10 · Reports · 5,263 words · PDF available
Congress determined that because military service in Iraq and Afghanistan following September 11, 2001, was particularly challenging, servicemembers from that era deserved a veterans educational assis...
The HIPAA Privacy Rule: Overview and Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-10 · Resources · 1,756 words · PDF available
The final HIPAA Privacy Rule (the Rule) was first issued in December 2000, and a final modified rule was issued in August of 2002, pursuant to authority in the Health Insurance Portability and Account...
Regulating Contaminants Under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-10 · Reports · 13,693 words · PDF available
Detections of contaminants in public water supplies in numerous states have raised questions about drinking water quality and have increased congressional interest in the Environmental Protection Agen...
Iraq: Attacks and U.S. Strikes Reopen Discussion of U.S. Military Presence
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-10 · Posts · 1,031 words · PDF available
After a months-long pause (Figure 1), recurrent attacks on facilities in Iraq hosting U.S. personnel and U.S. defensive measures could affect U.S.-Iraqi talks on the future of U.S. forces in Iraq. Ira...
The FY2025 President’s Budget in Historical Context
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-10 · Posts · 1,391 words · PDF available
On March 11, 2024, the Biden Administration submitted its budget for FY2025, which proposes increased federal revenues, continued growth in mandatory outlays, and decreased discretionary outlays relat...
Macroeconomic Theory for Policymakers: An Illustrated Guide
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-10 · Reports · 2,462 words · PDF available
This report serves as a visual guide to macroeconomic theory, and includes graphics related to economic growth, aggregate supply and aggregate demand, fiscal policy, monetary policy, the dollar, excha...
Election Worker Safety and Privacy
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-09 · Posts · 1,078 words · PDF available
Concerns about election workers’ safety and privacy have been reported in surveys, news articles, and congressional hearings from the 2020 elections through the current election cycle. Those concerns,...
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Exemption for Executive, Administrative, and Professional (EAP) Employees
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-09 · Resources · 1,706 words · PDF available
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes a federal minimum wage for most private and public sector employees and generally requires overtime compensation at a rate of one and one-half times an ...
Medicare Coverage of GLP-1 Drugs
Congressional Research Service · 2024-09-09 · Resources · 1,650 words · PDF available
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, marketed under brand names such as Wegovy and Ozempic, are a class of medications used primarily in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)....