Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act: Data Integration and Individual Rights
Computers and information technologies have increased the amount of data that can be collected, stored, and processed. Computers make it easier to exchange, share, and match data on individuals across...
Equity in Innovation: Trends in U.S. Patenting and Inventor Diversity
Scholars, policymakers, and administrators have expressed interest in who participates in America’s innovation ecosystem—the constellation of people, institutions, and enterprises engaged in research ...
Ukrainian Eligibility for Selected Benefits Based on Immigration Status: In Brief
This short report outlines eligibility for selected benefits based on certain immigration statuses that are available or could possibly become available for Ukrainians, including refugee, asylee, paro...
Natural Gas Markets Going Global: Changes in Consumption
The future of natural gas as a fuel for the global economy depends on many factors, including supply, consumption, prices, transportation, and policies. In 2020, natural gas made up approximately 25% ...
Agricultural Research: Background and Issues
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area funds billions of dollars annually for biological, physical, and social science research that is related...
Expiration of the Discretionary Spending Limits: Frequently Asked Questions
In 2011, during a period in which many Members of Congress expressed concern over rising budget deficits, the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA, P.L. 112-25) established legal limits on the amount of di...
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (P.L. 117159): Section-by-Section Summary
On June 25, 2022, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA, P.L. 117-159) was signed into law. The BSCA was enacted in the aftermath of mass shootings in Uvalde, TX, and Buffalo, NY. The law include...
The Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act: Background and Implementation
In 2016, Congress took action to address long-standing obstacles to the timely disposal of unneeded federal buildings, land, and structures. The Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act of 2016 (FASTA; P....
Congressional Redistricting: Key Legal and Policy Issues
Following each decennial census, the 435 seats in the House are apportioned—or divided up—among the 50 states (U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2, cl. 1; 2 U.S.C. § 2a(a)). Accordingly, to comport with the c...
Social Security: The Trust Funds and Interest Income
Background
The Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program, or Social Security, is a self-financing social insurance program that protects workers and their families against loss of i...