Policy Library

6,587 documents

Semiconductors, CHIPS for America, and Appropriations in the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S. 1260)
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-13 · Resources · 1,490 words · PDF available
Global Landscape for Semiconductor Fabrication Semiconductors, or computer chips, enable nearly all industrial activities, including systems that undergird U.S. industrial competitiveness and national...
International Food Assistance and Agricultural Cargo Preference
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-13 · Resources · 1,428 words · PDF available
The United States is the largest provider of international food assistance globally. Approximately 40% of funding for such assistance in FY2020 (the most recent year for which comprehensive data are a...
The Modes of Constitutional Analysis: Historical Practices (Part 8)
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-13 · Posts · 868 words · PDF available
This Legal Sidebar Post is the eighth in a nine-part series that discusses certain “methods” or “modes” of analysis that the Supreme Court has employed to determine the meaning of a provision within t...
Military Families and Financial Readiness
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-12 · Reports · 12,047 words · PDF available
DOD identifies financial readiness as one of the major components of military family readiness and, ultimately, operational readiness. It has been defined as, “the state in which successful management...
Economic Growth Approaches in U.S. Foreign Assistance
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-12 · Reports · 18,883 words · PDF available
U.S. assistance for economic growth has declined as a share of total foreign assistance for international development over the course of the 21st century. However, several high-profile foreign aid ini...
FBI v. Fazaga: Supreme Court Examines Interplay of State Secrets Privilege and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-12 · Posts · 1,747 words · PDF available
On November 8, 2021, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) v. Fazaga, a case that explores the circumstances in which a federal court may examine classified i...
The Alien Tort Statute: A Primer
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-11 · Reports · 16,134 words · PDF available
Passed by the First Congress as part of the Judiciary Act of 1789, the Alien Tort Statute (ATS), in its current form, provides the following: “The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of a...
Law Enforcement and Technology: Using Social Media
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-11 · Reports · 6,134 words · PDF available
As the ways in which individuals interact continue to evolve, social media has had an increasing role in facilitating communication and the sharing of content online—including moderated and unmoderate...
Social Security Retirement Earnings Test Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-11 · Resources · 1,624 words · PDF available
Background Social Security is a work-related, federal insurance program that provides monthly cash benefits to workers and their eligible family members in the event of the worker’s retirement, disabi...
Foreign Assistance: An Introduction to U.S. Programs and Policy
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-10 · Reports · 15,323 words
Foreign assistance is the largest component of the international affairs budget and is viewed by many Members of Congress as an essential instrument of U.S. foreign policy. On the basis of national se...
U.S. International Development Finance Corporation: Overview and Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-10 · Reports · 19,559 words · PDF available
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is the U.S. government’s development finance institution (DFI). It is authorized by the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Develo...
Treasury Securities Market Disruptions and Policy Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-10 · Resources · 1,673 words · PDF available
The U.S. Treasury securities market is considered one of the most important financial markets in the world. The market provides a low-risk (backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government) ...
The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021, S. 4 (117th Congress): Legal Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-10 · Resources · 1,658 words · PDF available
The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021, S. 4 (117th Congress), currently pending in the Senate, would primarily amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA). In part, S. 4 appears to res...
The Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund: Issues and Legislation in the 117th Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-07 · Resources · 1,746 words · PDF available
Coal mining and production in the United States in the 20th century contributed to the nation meeting its energy requirements and left a legacy of unreclaimed lands. As amended, Title IV of the Surfac...
Tax Havens: International Tax Avoidance and Evasion
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-06 · Reports · 22,680 words
Addressing tax evasion and avoidance through use of tax havens has been the subject of a number of proposals in Congress and by the President. Actions by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and ...
Indian Health Service (IHS) FY2022 Budget Request and Funding History: In Brief
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-06 · Reports · 3,430 words · PDF available
The Indian Health Service (IHS), within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the lead federal agency charged with improving the health of American Indians and Alaska Natives. IHS prov...
U.S. Restrictions on Huawei Technologies: National Security, Foreign Policy, and Economic Interests
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-05 · Reports · 23,127 words · PDF available
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., is a China-based company that designs, manufactures, and sells telecommunications network equipment and devices. Founded in 1987, the company has grown from a small rese...
Special Authorities for Veterans’ Educational Assistance Programs During the COVID-19 Emergency
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-05 · Resources · 1,610 words · PDF available
On January 31, 2020, the Secretary of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency (COVID-19 emergency) under Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. §247d). The Depart...
Federal Grants to States and Local Governments Under Continuing Resolutions
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-05 · Resources · 1,385 words · PDF available
Introduction Congress uses an annual appropriations process to fund the routine activities of most federal agencies. This process anticipates the enactment of 12 regular appropriations bills before th...
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA): Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-04 · Reports · 10,968 words · PDF available
In recent years, multiple events have increased attention to the condition of the nation’s local drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and the financial challenges that communities confront in...
Corporate Income Taxation in a Global Economy
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-04 · Reports · 11,666 words · PDF available
The taxation of corporate income in a global economy is arguably the most complex area of U.S. tax policy. The United States’ increasing interconnection with the rest of the world through trade and fi...
Money Laundering in the U.S. Real Estate Sector
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-04 · Resources · 1,654 words · PDF available
Global Trends and Domestic Concerns Money laundering and other financial crimes in the real estate sector take many forms and continue to challenge real estate, financial institution, law enforcement,...
1994 Land-Grant Universities: Background and Selected Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2022-01-04 · Resources · 1,487 words · PDF available
The 1994 Institutions are the Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) that belong to the U.S. land-grant university (LGU) system. As such, they receive federal funds for agricultural research, educati...
The Modes of Constitutional Analysis: Judicial Precedent (Part 4)
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-30 · Posts · 828 words · PDF available
This Legal Sidebar Post is the fourth in a nine-part series that discusses certain “methods” or “modes” of analysis that the Supreme Court has employed to determine the meaning of a provision within t...
The Modes of Constitutional Analysis: Pragmatism (Part 5)
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-30 · Posts · 677 words · PDF available
This Legal Sidebar Post is the fifth in a nine-part series that discusses certain “methods” or “modes” of analysis that the Supreme Court has employed to determine the meaning of a provision within th...
Federal Locality-Based Comparability Payments for General Schedule Employees
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-30 · Resources · 1,622 words · PDF available
The Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990 (FEPCA) authorizes locality-based comparability payments for General Schedule (GS) employees. (See 5 U.S.C. §§5304, 5304a.) Locality pay implementat...
The Modes of Constitutional Analysis: An Introduction (Part 1)
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-29 · Posts · 941 words · PDF available
This Legal Sidebar Post is the first in a nine-part series that discusses certain “methods” or “modes” of analysis that the Supreme Court has employed to determine the meaning of a provision within th...
The Modes of Constitutional Analysis: Textualism (Part 2)
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-29 · Posts · 945 words · PDF available
This Legal Sidebar Post is the second in a nine-part series that discusses certain “methods” or “modes” of analysis that the Supreme Court has employed to determine the meaning of a provision within t...
The Modes of Constitutional Analysis: Original Meaning (Part 3)
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-29 · Posts · 862 words · PDF available
This Legal Sidebar Post is the third in a nine-part series that discusses certain “methods” or “modes” of analysis that the Supreme Court has employed to determine the meaning of a provision within th...
Presidential Appointee Positions Requiring Senate Confirmation and Committees Handling Nominations
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-28 · Reports · 17,144 words · PDF available
As part of the process of making an appointment to an advice and consent position, the President submits a nomination to the Senate. Most nominations are referred to the appropriate Senate committee o...
Private-Sector Pensions in 2019: Number of Plans, Participants, and Amount of Assets
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-27 · Resources · 1,094 words · PDF available
Introduction A pension is a voluntary benefit offered by employers to assist employees in providing for their financial security in retirement. Many employers in both the public sector (federal, state...
A Visual Depiction of the Shift from Defined Benefit (DB) to Defined Contribution (DC) Pension Plans in the Private Sector
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-27 · Resources · 1,126 words · PDF available
Background One of the notable trends in the U.S. retirement system over the past five decades is that private-sector employees have become less likely to be covered by defined benefit (DB) pension pla...
The Child Tax Credit: Legislative History
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-23 · Reports · 8,585 words · PDF available
When the child tax credit was initially enacted in 1997, it was a relatively modest nonrefundable tax credit for middle-income families with children. Through successive legislative changes, eligibili...
Alaska Native Lands and the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA): Overview and Selected Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-22 · Reports · 11,664 words · PDF available
At the time of its passage in 1971, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA; P.L. 92-203) was the largest land claims settlement in U.S. history. ANCSA extinguished claims by Alaska Natives to ...
Immigration: Apprehensions and Expulsions at the Southwest Border
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-22 · Reports · 9,155 words · PDF available
In FY2021, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded 1,659,206 border enforcement encounters with foreign nationals (aliens), the highest number in the...
Federal Resources for State and Local Economic Development
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-22 · Reports · 19,551 words · PDF available
Congress has authorized over 130 economic development programs administered by over 20 departments and agencies. These programs support efforts to improve job opportunities, tax bases, individual or c...
Social Security: Raising or Eliminating the Taxable Earnings Base
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-22 · Reports · 13,855 words
Social Security taxes are levied on covered earnings up to a maximum level set each year. In 2022, this maximum—formally called the contribution and benefit base, and commonly referred to as the taxab...
Federal Student Aid: Need Analysis Formulas and Expected Family Contribution
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-21 · Reports · 16,219 words
This report describes the need analysis formulas used to calculate the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) for federal student aid applicants. The formulas are codified in Title IV of the Higher Educat...
Proposals for a COVID-19 Congressional Advisory Commission in the 117th Congress: A Comparative Analysis
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-20 · Reports · 10,637 words · PDF available
Historically, Congress creates temporary advisory commissions to assist in the development of public policy. Among other contexts, Congress has created commissions following a crisis, including the Se...
The Housing Trust Fund: An Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-20 · Reports · 10,038 words
The Housing Trust Fund (HTF) was established by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA, P.L. 110-289) to provide funds to states to use for affordable housing activities, with a primary f...
Congressional Oversight of the State Department: Review of Selected Organizational Reform Efforts
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-20 · Reports · 12,503 words · PDF available
Over the past several decades, Members of Congress, former and current senior State Department officials, academics and think-tank analysts, and other stakeholders have proposed numerous initiatives t...
Migrant Smuggling: Background and Selected Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-20 · Resources · 1,519 words · PDF available
Migrant smuggling, also known as human smuggling, refers to the voluntary transportation of an individual across international borders, in violation of one or more countries’ laws. Smugglers facilitat...
National Forest System Planning: Legal Considerations
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-20 · Resources · 1,682 words · PDF available
The United States Forest Service (FS) within the Department of Agriculture administers the National Forest System (NFS) and regulates activities on its 193 million acres of land, including 154 nationa...
Veterans Affairs Asset and Infrastructure Review Act: Timeline and Funding
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-17 · Reports · 5,230 words · PDF available
In the early 2000s, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) undertook a review of its health care infrastructure through the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) initiative. In 2004...
The Peace Corps: Overview and Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-17 · Reports · 9,386 words
Founded in 1961, the Peace Corps pursues a legislative mandate of promoting world peace and friendship by sending American volunteers to serve at the grassroots level in all corners of the world. In S...
General State and Local Fiscal Assistance and COVID-19: Eligible Purposes, Allocations, and Use Data
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-16 · Reports · 6,124 words · PDF available
The sudden decline in economic output following the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has significantly altered the fiscal outlook for state and local governments, which generally balance t...
U.S. Forest Ownership and Management
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-16 · Resources · 1,018 words · PDF available
The United States contains 765 million acres of forestland. The potential scope of congressional involvement in U.S. forest resources varies, based primarily on ownership. The majority (69%) of U.S. f...
Issues in International Corporate Taxation: The 2017 Revision (P.L. 115-97)
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-16 · Reports · 30,125 words · PDF available
One of the major motivations for the 2017 tax revision (P.L. 115-97) was concern about the international tax system. Issues associated with these rules involved the allocation of investment between th...
Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and U.S. Trade Agreements Timeline
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-13 · Infographics · 180 words · PDF available
TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY TPA AND U.S. TRADE AGREEMENTS OMNIBUS TRADE & COMPETITIVENESS ACT OF 1988 TRADE ACT OF 1974 TRADE PRIORITIES & ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2015 TRADE ACT OF 1979 TRADE ACT OF 2002...
Texas Heartbeat Act (S.B. 8) Litigation: Supreme Court Identifies Narrow Path for Challenges to Texas Abortion Law
Congressional Research Service · 2021-12-13 · Posts · 3,113 words · PDF available
On December 10, 2021, the Supreme Court issued decisions in United States v. Texas and Whole Woman's Health v. Jackson. Both cases involved challenges to the Texas Heartbeat Act, also known as S.B. 8,...