Policy Library

6,587 documents

Legal Standards for Government Dismissal of Qui Tam Cases Under the False Claims Act
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-27 · Posts · 2,192 words · PDF available
The False Claims Act (FCA) subjects a person to civil penalties and triple damages if he or she submits “a false or fraudulent claim” seeking payment from the federal government. The Attorney General ...
The Strategic National Stockpile: Overview and Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-26 · Reports · 8,264 words · PDF available
The Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) consists of drugs, vaccines, medical products, and ancillary supplies that can be deployed at the request of state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) health ...
Private Funding for Election Administration
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-26 · Resources · 1,792 words · PDF available
State and local election offices sometimes receive private donations of money, goods, or services to help them carry out their work. Following the onset of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pand...
Federal Management of Sea Lampreys in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-25 · Resources · 1,378 words · PDF available
The sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), sometimes known as the vampire fish (Figure 1), is a parasitic fish species native to the northern Atlantic Ocean and the waters of eastern United States and west...
Major Functions of the U.S. Department of Labor
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-25 · Resources · 1,573 words · PDF available
Creation of the Department of Labor The Department of Labor (DOL) was created in 1913 by “An Act to create a Department of Labor” (P.L. 62-426). Its purpose was “to foster, promote, and develop the we...
Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (September 18, 2023–September 24, 2023)
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-25 · Posts · 1,141 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 Pillar 2 Global Minimum Tax: Implications for U.S. Tax Policy
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-22 · Reports · 8,461 words · PDF available
In response to concerns about multinational corporations shifting profits to low-tax countries, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the G20, through an inclusive fram...
China Primer: Uyghurs
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-22 · Resources · 1,682 words · PDF available
Uyghurs (also spelled “Uighurs”) are a Muslim ethnic minority group living primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in the far northwest of the People’s Republic of China (PRC or Chin...
The Biden Administration’s Final Rule on Arriving Aliens Seeking Asylum (Part One)
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-21 · Posts · 2,071 words · PDF available
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a final rule in May 2023 that would, for at least a two-year period, make some aliens ineligible for asylum if they arr...
Congressional Rules Pertaining to Changes in Mandatory Program Spending in Appropriations Bills (CHIMPs)
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-21 · Reports · 5,638 words · PDF available
When Congress considers legislation, it takes into account the proposal’s potential budgetary effects. This helps Members to weigh the legislation’s merits and to consider whether it complies with the...
The Biden Administration’s Final Rule on Arriving Aliens Seeking Asylum (Part Two)
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-21 · Posts · 2,028 words · PDF available
In May 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a final rule that would, for at least a two-year period, make some aliens ineligible for asylum if they ar...
The Legality of DACA: Recent Litigation Developments
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-20 · Posts · 1,828 words · PDF available
On September 13, 2023, a federal district court held that a 2022 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule that seeks “to preserve and fortify” the agency’s long-standing Deferred Action for Childhoo...
Breaking the Logjam Part 3: Restoring Transparency and Accountability in the Accommodation Process
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-20 · Testimony · 9,258 words · PDF available
Breaking the Logjam Part 3: Restoring Transparency and Accountability in the Accommodation Process
U.S. Retirement Assets: Data in Brief
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-20 · Reports · 1,697 words · PDF available
The Federal Reserve’s Financial Accounts of the United States provides data on the amount of retirement assets in the United States. Retirement assets are held in pension plans sponsored by employers ...
A Bar Too High: Concerns with CEQ’s Proposed Regulatory Hurdle for Federal Contracting
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-20 · Testimony · 10,000 words · PDF available
Private nondelegation doctrine, major questions doctrine, greenhouse gas emissions, CEQ, Council on Environmental Quality, climate-related financial risk, Federal Acquisition Regulation, FAR
Environmental Reviews and the 118th Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-19 · Resources · 1,437 words · PDF available
Overview of the Review Process Under the National Environmental Policy Act The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq.) mandates environmental review of many agency actions. ...
Cell-Cultivated Meat: An Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-19 · Reports · 8,362 words · PDF available
Cell-cultivated meat is developed in a lab, grown from a sample of animal cells that does not require the slaughter of animals. Developing cell-cultivated meat involves five steps: (1) taking a biopsy...
The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) in Social Security: Proposals for a New Proportional Formula
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-19 · Resources · 1,657 words · PDF available
Background Social Security is a work-based federal insurance program that provides monthly cash benefits to workers and their eligible family members in the event of a worker’s retirement, disability,...
International Financial Institutions: FY2024 Budget Request
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-19 · Resources · 1,398 words · PDF available
For FY2024, the Biden Administration is requesting $4.04 billion for the international financial institutions (IFIs). These include the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the multilateral development ...
ESEA Title I-A Formulas: A Primer
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-19 · Reports · 6,185 words · PDF available
Title I-A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) authorizes aid to local educational agencies (LEAs) for the education of disadvantaged children. Title I-A grants provide supplementary e...
Semiconductors and Artificial Intelligence
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-18 · Resources · 1,707 words · PDF available
The increasing popularity of artificial intelligence (AI) has drawn congressional attention, and many Members are considering proposals to regulate the quickly evolving landscape. Technical progress i...
Foreign Investment in Real Property Act (FIRPTA)
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-18 · Resources · 1,538 words · PDF available
In general, a foreign person or corporation is not taxed on U.S.-source capital gains income unless it is associated with operating a trade or business. However, under the Foreign Investment in Real P...
Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (September 11, 2023–September 17, 2023)
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-18 · Posts · 1,862 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...
D.C. Circuit Finds Mandatory Copyright Deposit Requirement an Unconstitutional Taking
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-18 · Posts · 2,271 words · PDF available
U.S. copyright law has long required copyright owners to send the U.S. Copyright Office one or two copies of their works, which may be used to build the collections of the Library of Congress. (Both t...
National Hispanic Heritage Month: Fact Sheet
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-18 · Reports · 1,375 words · PDF available
This fact sheet is designed to assist congressional offices with work related to National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is observed from September 15 to October 15. It contains links to census and de...
Conflict of Interest in Investment Advice Within Retirement Plans: An Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-15 · Resources · 1,485 words · PDF available
Introduction A pension is a voluntary benefit offered by employers to assist employees in preparing for retirement. Pension plans can be classified along several dimensions, such as whether the plan i...
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs)
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-15 · Resources · 1,323 words · PDF available
Since the 1960s, when Congress authorized the first federal grants to establish outpatient mental health clinics, the federal government has supported states’ provision of community-based behavioral h...
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-15 · Reports · 9,684 words · PDF available
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), there are five categories of employment-based (EB) visas in the permanent immigration system. Congress created the fifth category (EB-5), the immigrant...
Uniform Date Labeling of Food May Address Food Waste
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-15 · Resources · 1,911 words · PDF available
In the United States, 30%-40% of the food that is produced is unsold and uneaten, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Confusion regarding how consumers interpret food date labels i...
Policy Issues Involving Food Loss and Waste
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-15 · Resources · 1,564 words · PDF available
The 118th Congress has continued to introduce legislation addressing food loss and waste, building on enacted provisions in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-334, 2018 farm bill). The ...
SBA as a Vehicle for Crisis Relief: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-14 · Reports · 17,821 words · PDF available
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated responses caused significant financial damage to many small businesses. To help address this, Congress authorized new financial relief p...
Does Losing a Motion to Suppress Bar a Sentencing Reduction for Admitting Guilt? Federal Courts Are Split
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-14 · Posts · 2,317 words · PDF available
The U.S. Sentencing Commission may soon address an issue that has divided the federal courts of appeals impacting the lengths of sentences for some criminal defendants who plead guilty after challengi...
Russia’s War in Ukraine: Military and Intelligence Aspects
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-14 · Reports · 20,067 words · PDF available
Russia’s renewed invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February 2022 marked the start of Europe’s deadliest armed conflict in decades. After a steady buildup of military forces along Ukraine’s borders si...
Corporate Acquisitions and Divisions: Tax Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-14 · Reports · 12,471 words · PDF available
Corporate reorganizations (mergers and divisions) are eligible in some cases for nonrecognition of gains for tax purposes both at the corporate level and the shareholder level. The purpose of these pr...
Multilateral Development Banks: Overview and Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-13 · Reports · 7,455 words · PDF available
Multilateral development banks (MDBs) provide financial assistance to developing countries in order to promote economic and social development. The United States is a member and donor to five major MD...
U.S. Offshore Wind Energy Development: Overview and Issues for the 118th Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-13 · Reports · 15,450 words · PDF available
Offshore wind continues to be of interest as a potentially significant renewable energy resource for the United States. Offshore wind power relies on turbines constructed in bodies of water, which use...
China-Russia Relations
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-13 · Resources · 1,756 words · PDF available
The People’s Republic of China (PRC or China) and the Russian Federation (Russia) maintain a strategic and multifaceted relationship with extensive military, diplomatic, and economic connections. Alth...
NIST Update on Champlain Towers Collapse Investigation
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-13 · Resources · 1,397 words · PDF available
Overview On June 24, 2021, part of the Champlain Towers South, a 12-story residential building, collapsed in Surfside, FL, killing 98 people. On June 25, the National Institute of Standards and Techno...
The Federal Communications Commission’s Spectrum Auction Authority: History and Options for Reinstatement
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-12 · Reports · 5,388 words · PDF available
Radio spectrum (“spectrum”) is the continuum of frequencies used to provide wireless services, such as radio broadcasting, mobile communications, and satellite services. It is a finite and valuable re...
Vessel Construction for Offshore Wind Power Generation
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-12 · Resources · 1,879 words · PDF available
Introduction The Biden Administration’s goal of having 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power generation installed by 2030 will require construction of at least 2,100 wind turbines, according to the Depa...
Preventive Services Access on the Docket in Braidwood v. Becerra
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-12 · Posts · 1,804 words · PDF available
Preventive care benefits for millions of privately insured individuals may be impacted by Braidwood Management Inc. et al. v. Becerra (Braidwood), an ongoing legal challenge to a federal requirement f...
Supreme Court Term October 2022: A Review of Selected Major Rulings
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-12 · Reports · 26,991 words · PDF available
The Supreme Court issued a number of opinions of interest to Congress in the term that began on October 3, 2022. Over the course of the term, the Court decided cases addressing issues including affirm...
U.S.-South Korea Alliance: Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-12 · Resources · 1,666 words · PDF available
Background South Korea (officially the Republic of Korea, or ROK) is one of the United States’ most important military and economic partners in Asia. The U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty, signed in 1953...
Naloxone for Opioid Overdose: Considerations for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-11 · Resources · 1,380 words · PDF available
Opioids, such as heroin, fentanyl, and some prescription pain medications (including morphine and oxycodone), are substances that act on receptors in the body important in regulating pain and emotion....
Third Circuit Decision Highlights Significance of Whether Tax Filing Deadlines In Tax Litigation Are Jurisdictional
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-11 · Posts · 2,174 words · PDF available
On July 19, the Third Circuit held in Culp v. Commissioner that the filing deadline in 26 U.S.C. § 6213(a) is nonjurisdictional and can be extended under certain circumstances. Section 6213(a) gives m...
Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (September 5, 2023–September 10, 2023)
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-11 · Posts · 1,755 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...
Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs), the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and FIU Operational Independence
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-08 · Resources · 1,511 words · PDF available
As Congress considers anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) policy options, one factor may include their effect on Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) “operational in...
Election Administration: Overview of FY2024 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-08 · Resources · 1,549 words · PDF available
States and localities have primary responsibility for administering elections in the United States, but the federal government supports and shapes their efforts. One way it does so is through appropri...
Export Controls—International Coordination: Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-08 · Reports · 23,414 words · PDF available
Since the 1940s, the United States has maintained a regime of peacetime controls on exports for national security, foreign policy, and economic purposes. During that time, Congress has increasingly em...
Gene-Edited Plants: Regulation and Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2023-09-07 · Reports · 9,028 words · PDF available
Throughout history, farmers and plant breeders have employed selective breeding techniques to develop desirable traits in crops. This has involved crossing plants with desired characteristics and sele...