Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables
Congress is required by Article I, Section 6, of the Constitution to determine its own pay. In the past, Congress periodically enacted specific legislation to alter its pay; the last time this occurre...
The Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument: Commercial Fishing Interests and Considerations for Congress
Introduction
The Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument (PIHMNM; Figure 1), known as the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument until January 2, 2025, is an area in the Central Pac...
Financial Data Transparency Act: Implementation Status of Data Standards and Related Data Collection Issues
The Financial Data Transparency Act (FDTA, P.L. 117-263 §5801 [136 Stat. 3421]), enacted in 2022, requires agencies that oversee the activities of financial institutions to adopt data standards to gov...
Landslides: Federal Role in Research, Assessment, and Response
Landslide hazards may occur across the United States and its territories, and landslide risks may be increasing. A landslide is a movement of a mass of rock, debris, or soil down a slope. Mountainous,...
Smithsonian Institution: Selected Legislation, 119th 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...
Bureau of Land Management: FY2025 Appropriations
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in the Department of the Interior (DOI), manages 245 million acres of federal land, nearly all in the West. Under its multiple-use mission, BLM manages lands for d...
Metallurgical Coal: Frequently Asked Questions
Metallurgical coal, also called met coal or coking coal, is coal that is used for steel production. It differs from steam coal, which is used to generate electricity, in that it typically has a lower ...
Health Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law
The budget reconciliation law commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21), enacted on July 4, 2025, includes a number of health provisions that impact Medicaid, the State Children’s...
Counterproliferation in U.S. Policy
The United States uses diplomatic, military, law enforcement, intelligence, and financial means to disrupt, preempt, or respond to the acquisition or use of nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons, a...
Overview of FY2026 Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)
This report describes actions to provide FY2026 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) accounts. The annual CJS appropriations act provides funding for the Departmen...
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Related Nutrition Programs in P.L. 119-21: An Overview
Nutrition provisions in the FY2025 budget reconciliation law (sometimes referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act [OBBBA]; P.L. 119-21/H.R. 1), as enacted on July 4, 2025, are estimated to reduce ...
Defense Primer: Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3)
The Department of Defense (DOD) is replacing many elements of the U.S. nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) architecture as part of the United States’ ongoing efforts to recapitalize its...
Overview of FY2025 Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)
This report describes actions to provide FY2025 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) accounts. The annual CJS appropriations act provides funding for the Departmen...