Private-Sector Pensions in 2019: Number of Plans, Participants, and Amount of Assets
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...
Immigration: Apprehensions and Expulsions at the Southwest Border
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...
Proposals for a COVID-19 Congressional Advisory Commission in the 117th Congress: A Comparative Analysis
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...
Congressional Oversight of the State Department: Review of Selected Organizational Reform Efforts
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...
General State and Local Fiscal Assistance and COVID-19: Eligible Purposes, Allocations, and Use Data
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...
Texas Heartbeat Act (S.B. 8) Litigation: Supreme Court Identifies Narrow Path for Challenges to Texas Abortion Law
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,...
FDA Regulation of Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drugs: Overview and Issues for Congress
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), regulates the safety and effectiveness of nonprescription (over-the-counter, or OTC) drugs sold in the U...
Bank Custody, Trust Banks, and Cryptocurrency
Congress, the White House, and several financial regulators have demonstrated a recent interest in the intersection of banking regulation and cryptocurrency. This interest is underpinned by the trend ...
Build Back Better Act: Universal Comprehensive Paid Leave
The Build Back Better Act (BBBA; H.R. 5376), passed by the House on November 19, 2021, proposes a new federal cash benefit for eligible individuals engaged in certain types of family and medical careg...
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA): Funding for USDA Broadband, Watershed, and Bioproduct Programs
On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L. 117-58). The act provides funding for the nation’s infrastructure, including roads, highway...
FY2022 Reconciliation: Title IV, House Financial Services Committee Provisions
On November 19, 2021, the House approved the Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376), a FY2022 reconciliation measure. Title IV of the bill includes a modified version of the provisions approved by the Hous...
The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act: Scope, Implementation, and Considerations for Congress
The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, enacted in December 2016, authorizes the President to impose economic sanctions on, and deny entry into the United States to, foreign individuals ...
Corporate Tax Reform: Issues for Congress
In 2017, the corporate tax rate was cut from 35% to 21%, major changes were made in the international tax system, and changes were made in other corporate provisions, including allowing expensing (an ...
Bank Use of Cloud Technology
The banking industry has been a prominent, if sometimes skeptical, adopter of cloud technology. Proponents promise scalability, flexibility, and cost savings, among other benefits. However, the techno...