The Insurrection Bar to Holding Office: Appeals Court Issues Decision on Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment
On May 24, 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued a decision in Cawthorn v. Amalfi, a case involving Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment (Section 3). That constitutional provi...
2022 Invocation of the Defense Production Act for Large-Capacity Batteries: In Brief
On March 31, 2022, President Joseph R. Biden issued Presidential Determination No. 2022-11, invoking authorities under Section 303 of the Defense Production Act (DPA) and directing the Department of D...
Small Business Administration Trade and Export Promotion Programs
Approximately 166,384 small businesses in the United States currently export, accounting for about 26% of all U.S. exports ($341 billion of $1.32 trillion) and about 96% of all exporters (166,384 of 1...
Guides and Outfitters on Federal Lands: Background and Permitting Processes
Commercial guides and outfitters provide visitors to federal lands with a wide range of outdoor recreational and educational opportunities, such as river rafting, horseback trips, and hiking excursion...
Overview of the SEC Climate Risk Disclosure Proposed Rule
On March 21, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted 3-1 to issue sweeping proposed climate-related disclosure rules for public companies. In issuing the proposed rules, the SEC cited...
Bureau of Land Management: FY2022 Appropriations
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in the Department of the Interior (DOI), manages 244 million acres of federal land, nearly all in the West. Under its multiple-use mission, BLM manages lands for d...
“Hacktivists” and the Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Legal Considerations
Since Russia’s February 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine, a growing number of nongovernmental hackers motivated by social or political objectives—so-called “hacktivists”—have conducted offensive cyberspa...
Introduction to Budget Authority
Under the U.S. Constitution, Congress exercises the “power of the purse.” This power is expressed through the application of several provisions, particularly Article I, Section 9, which states that fu...
Overview of FY2022 Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)
This report describes actions taken to provide FY2022 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) accounts. The annual CJS appropriations act provides funding for the Dep...
Federal Crop Insurance: Fruits, Vegetables and Specialty Crops
For decades, Congress has sought to expand federal crop insurance coverage for fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops—starting with changes enacted in the 1990s through farm bill legislation in...