Policy Library

6,587 documents

Flight Training Under the GI Bills: Frequently Asked Questions
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-20 · Reports · 12,941 words · PDF available
Over the past several decades, military veterans have demonstrated interest in pursuing flight training. Flight training provides the instruction and experience required for individuals to meet Federa...
U.S. Farm Policy: USDA-Certified Organic Production
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-20 · Resources · 1,562 words · PDF available
Foods produced using recognized organic farming methods, as certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and bearing the USDA Organic seal (shown here), account for a small but growing share...
FCC Adopts Proposed Net Neutrality Rule
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-19 · Resources · 1,804 words · PDF available
On October 19, 2023, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that proposes to reclassify broadband internet access service (BIAS) as a Title II commo...
FY2024 U.S. Postal Service Appropriations
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-19 · Resources · 1,297 words · PDF available
Overview The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) generates nearly all of its funding—about $78.5 billion annually according to the USPS’s most recent financial report—by charging users of the mail for the cost...
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA): Committee Establishment and Termination
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-19 · Resources · 1,417 words
Federal advisory committees are created by Congress, Presidents, and executive branch agencies to gain expertise and policy advice from individuals outside the federal government. Establishing an advi...
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA): Meeting Requirements
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-19 · Resources · 1,561 words · PDF available
Federal advisory committees are created by Congress, Presidents, and executive branch agencies to gain expertise and policy advice from individuals outside the federal government. Establishing an advi...
Uzbekistan: Background and Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-18 · Reports · 10,364 words
Uzbekistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Because it has the largest population in the region (approximately 36 million) and is the only country that borders all four other Central Asian sta...
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA): Membership
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-18 · Resources · 1,536 words · PDF available
Federal advisory committees are created by Congress, Presidents, and executive branch agencies to gain expertise and policy advice from individuals outside the federal government. Establishing an advi...
Azerbaijan’s Retaking of Nagorno-Karabakh and the Displacement of Karabakh Armenians
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-18 · Posts · 1,053 words · PDF available
On September 20, 2023, Azerbaijan reasserted control over Nagorno-Karabakh (also known in Armenian as Artsakh), a predominantly Armenian-populated region at the center of a dispute between Azerbaijan ...
Hedge Funds: Background and Policy Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-17 · Resources · 1,618 words · PDF available
Hedge funds are asset management vehicles that generally pool accredited investors’ money together and invest it on their behalf for a fee. Hedge funds are often identified by their use of complex inv...
Building Resilience: FEMA’s Building Codes Policies and Considerations for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-17 · Reports · 17,890 words · PDF available
The built environment plays a critical role in determining the severity of a natural hazard’s impact on a community. How many lives are lost, how long a recovery takes, and how many dollars would be n...
Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (October 10, 2023–October 15, 2023)
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-16 · Posts · 2,539 words · PDF available
The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every week in cases involving diverse legal disputes. This Sidebar series selects decisions from the past week that may be of particular interest to fede...
Church Tax Benefits
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-16 · Resources · 1,850 words · PDF available
Under the federal tax system, organizations that qualify as “churches” under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 170(b)(1)(A)(i) receive more favorable tax treatment than other tax-exempt organization...
War Crimes in Ukraine
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-16 · Reports · 20,493 words · PDF available
Some Members of Congress have expressed concern about reports and evidence of war crimes and human rights abuses in Ukraine as a result of Russia’s 2022 invasion. Ukrainian authorities and internation...
Who Regulates Whom? An Overview of the U.S. Financial Regulatory Framework
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-13 · Reports · 14,787 words · PDF available
The financial regulatory system has been described as fragmented, with multiple overlapping regulators and a dual state-federal regulatory system. The system evolved piecemeal, punctuated by major cha...
Legal Authority for Sending Seized Ammunition to Ukraine
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-13 · Posts · 469 words · PDF available
On October 4, 2023, the Administration announced that it had sent to Ukraine over one million rounds of ammunition, seized from a flagless vessel on its way from Iran to Yemen. The announcement did no...
Mass Timber: Overview and Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-12 · Reports · 13,814 words · PDF available
Mass timber is a class of engineered wood products made into structural pieces of much larger sizes and more diverse shapes than can be made with lumber alone. Mass timber is a substitute for conventi...
China Primer: Hong Kong
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-12 · Resources · 1,662 words · PDF available
Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (PRC, or China). The United Kingdom (UK) established Hong Kong as colony in 1841, and administered it until 1997 when the...
Liability for Algorithmic Recommendations
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-12 · Reports · 14,975 words · PDF available
A key feature of many websites and online services is the use of algorithm-based systems to select content that may be of interest to the website’s users (recommendation systems or recommender systems...
Overview of Assisted Living Facilities
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-11 · Resources · 1,632 words · PDF available
Assisted living is a term often applied to community-based residential settings that provide housing and meals (i.e., room and board), as well as various long-term services and supports (LTSS), to old...
Overview of Continuing Appropriations for FY2024 (Division A of P.L. 118-15)
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-11 · Reports · 9,789 words · PDF available
On September 30, 2023, the President signed H.R. 5860 into law as P.L. 118-15. Division A of the act provides continuing appropriations for all 12 of the regular appropriations bills through November ...
Child Soldiers Prevention Act: Security Assistance Restrictions
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-11 · Resources · 1,607 words · PDF available
The recruitment and use of children in armed conflict is broadly viewed as a human rights problem, a form of trafficking in persons, among the worst forms of child labor, and a war crime. The United N...
Snakes on a Plane, in an Apartment, or at the Supermarket? Assistance Animals Under Three Federal Statutes
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-10 · Resources · 1,811 words · PDF available
People with disabilities commonly request permission to be accompanied by an assistance animal at a range of locations, from airplanes to supermarkets to apartment buildings. The legal requirements th...
Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (October 2, 2023–October 9, 2023)
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-10 · Posts · 1,506 words · PDF available
The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every week in cases involving diverse legal disputes. This Sidebar series selects decisions from the past week that may be of particular interest to fede...
The Defense Production Act of 1950: History, Authorities, and Considerations for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-06 · Reports · 16,409 words · PDF available
The Defense Production Act (DPA) of 1950 (P.L. 81-774, 50 U.S.C. §§4501 et seq.), as amended, confers upon the President a broad set of authorities to influence domestic industry in the interest of na...
Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act: Overview and Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-06 · Resources · 1,474 words · PDF available
Overview The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA; 16 U.S.C. §§6801-6814) authorizes five agencies to charge and collect recreation fees on federal recreational lands and waters. The agenci...
Security Clearance Process: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-05 · Reports · 6,495 words · PDF available
This report provides a primer on some of the fundamental aspects of the security clearance process using a “Frequently Asked Questions” format. A security clearance is a determination that an individ...
The Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA)
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-03 · Resources · 1,528 words · PDF available
In 1982, Congress passed the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA; P.L. 97-348; 16 U.S.C. §§3501-3510), which established the Coastal Barrier Resources System (System). It declared the purpose of CBRA ...
Recent Developments in the Federal Multipronged Approach to Solar and Wind Energy
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-03 · Posts · 1,756 words · PDF available
In the opening days of the Biden Administration, the President issued Executive Order 14008, directing the Administration to focus on actions to address climate change. In the wake of this directive, ...
Commonly Used Motions and Requests in the House of Representatives
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-02 · Reports · 6,634 words · PDF available
This report identifies the most commonly used motions and requests available to Members during proceedings in the House of Representatives. It does not identify motions and requests used when the Hous...
The UAW-Automakers Labor Dispute and Taft-Hartley’s National Emergency Provisions
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-02 · Resources · 1,704 words · PDF available
Introduction On September 22, 2023, union workers at 38 General Motors and Stellantis parts warehouses in 20 states walked off their jobs and joined an ongoing strike against the two automakers and Fo...
Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (September 25, 2023–October 1, 2023)
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-02 · Posts · 2,118 words · PDF available
The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every week in cases involving diverse legal disputes. This Sidebar series selects decisions from the past week that may be of particular interest to fede...
Questions of Privilege in the House
Congressional Research Service · 2023-10-02 · Reports · 1,119 words · PDF available
The House of Representatives distinguishes between privileged business and questions of privilege. Privileged business relates to the order or priority of business before the House and is defined in H...
Military Housing
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-29 · Reports · 21,713 words
The Department of Defense (DOD) provides housing to active-duty servicemembers as a component of service agreements and compensation packages. DOD considers housing to be an important quality-of-life ...
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs): Overview and Selected Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-29 · Reports · 17,688 words · PDF available
The Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund was created by the Riegle Community Development Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-325) to promote economic development in distre...
International Agreements (Part II): Examining Tools for Congressional Influence Over International Instruments
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-29 · Posts · 2,199 words · PDF available
This Legal Sidebar examines options for Congress to influence international instruments. It is the second in a three-part series on international agreements in the U.S. legal system. Part I introduces...
Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) FY2023 Appropriations: Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-29 · Reports · 5,963 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...
Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) FY2023 Appropriations: Independent Agencies and General Provisions
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-29 · Reports · 12,868 words · PDF available
The Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) appropriations bill includes funding for more than two dozen independent agencies, including: Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Election ...
The Cancer Moonshot: Overview and Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-29 · Resources · 1,708 words · PDF available
Cancer was the second-leading cause of death in the United States in 2021. For decades, Congress has maintained a sustained interest in reducing cancer mortality, particularly by funding cancer resear...
Allen v. Milligan: Supreme Court Holds That Alabama Redistricting Map Likely Violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-29 · Posts · 2,960 words · PDF available
On June 8, 2023, the Supreme Court in Allen v. Milligan affirmed two federal district court rulings that preliminarily enjoined the State of Alabama from holding elections under its congressional redi...
International Agreements (Part I): Overview and Agreement-Making Process
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-29 · Posts · 1,024 words · PDF available
This Legal Sidebar is the first in a three-part series on international agreements and their relationship with the U.S. legal system. The Constitution vests the power to make treaties with the Preside...
International Agreements (Part III): Transparency Measures
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-29 · Posts · 1,828 words · PDF available
This Legal Sidebar discusses legislative measures to increase transparency into the United States’ international commitments. It is the third installment in a three-part series on international agreem...
Legal Issues in Impeachment Investigations, Part I: Authorization
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-29 · Posts · 2,462 words · PDF available
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy announced on September 12, 2023, that he was directing various House committees to “open a formal impeachment inquiry” into President Joe Biden. The Speaker’s state...
Federal Workforce Statistics Sources: OPM and OMB
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-29 · Reports · 3,111 words · PDF available
This report describes online tools, reports, and data compilations created by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that contain statistics about feder...
Semiconductors and the CHIPS Act: The Global Context
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-28 · Reports · 21,919 words · PDF available
In 2021, Congress enacted legislation in response to its concerns that the United States lacked critical domestic semiconductor production capabilities and, more broadly, was losing its competitive ed...
Restricting TikTok (Part I): Legal History and Background
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-28 · Posts · 1,788 words · PDF available
The video-sharing platform TikTok has experienced a dramatic rise in users in the United States in recent years, while at the same time some Members of Congress and Biden Administration officials have...
Overview of the General Services Administration: Acquisition Services and Real Property Management
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-27 · Reports · 10,331 words · PDF available
The Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (Property Act; P.L. 81-152) established the General Services Administration (GSA) as the mandatory, government-wide source for the procurem...
Bureau of Indian Affairs: Overview of Budget Issues and Options for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-27 · Reports · 11,999 words · PDF available
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), an agency within the Department of the Interior (DOI), plays a leading role in carrying out federal trust, treaty, and other responsibilities to federally recognize...
Estimated ESEA Title I-A FY2023 and FY2024 State Grants Under the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee-Approved Bill
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-27 · Reports · 9,850 words · PDF available
Title I-A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) provides aid to local educational agencies (LEAs) for the education of disadvantaged children. Title I-A grants provide supplementary edu...
Employment Eligibility for Migrants Released from DHS Custody at the Southwest Border
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-27 · Posts · 1,021 words · PDF available
In the past three years, the United States has experienced record-high levels of migration across the U.S.-Mexico border. Generally, migrants who lack authorization to enter the country and present th...