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Intellectual Property in Industrial Designs: Issues in Innovation and Competition

Description: Report that identifies several current issues relating to intellectual property in industrial designs. It describes the different sorts of intellectual property protection that apply to industrial designs, and identifies current issues at the interface between intellectual property and industrial designs.
Date: January 5, 2011
Creator: Thomas, John R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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E-Filing Tax Returns: Penalty Authority and Digitizing More Paper Return Data Could Increase Benefits

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) goal is to receive 80 percent of all major types of tax returns electronically by 2012. Legislation passed in November 2009 supports the 80 percent goal for individual income tax returns by requiring tax return preparers who file more than 10 individual returns per year to file them electronically, or e-file. GAO was asked to review IRS's implementation of this e-fil… more
Date: October 5, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Aviation Safety: Enhanced Oversight and Improved Availability of Risk- Based Data Could Further Improve Safety

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Takeoffs, landings, and movement around the surface areas of airports (the terminal area) are critical to the safe and efficient movement of air traffic. The nation's aviation system is arguably the safest in the world, but close calls involving aircraft or other vehicles at or near airports are common, occurring almost daily. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides oversight of the terminal … more
Date: October 5, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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United States Postal Service: Strategy Needed to Address Aging Delivery Fleet

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The United States Postal Service (USPS) has the world's largest civilian fleet, with many of its delivery vehicles reaching the end of their expected 24-year operational lives. USPS is subject to legislative requirements governing the federal fleet, including a requirement in the Energy Policy Act of 1992, which provides that 75 percent of USPS's vehicle acquisitions be alternative fuel vehicles, capabl… more
Date: May 5, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Infrastructure: The Navy Needs Better Documentation to Support Its Proposed Military Treatment Facilities on Guam

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Navy determined that its current hospital on Guam does not meet modern facility standards. Moreover, the military population on Guam is expected to grow from 15,000 to over 39,000 due to DOD plans to move Marine Corps units from Okinawa, Japan to Guam and expand other on- island capabilities. The Navy plans to construct a new hospital and two outpatient clinics as part of its facility solution to re… more
Date: April 5, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Visa Waiver Program: DHS Has Implemented the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, but Further Steps Needed to Address Potential Program Risks

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows eligible nationals from 36 member countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for 90 days or less without a visa. In 2007, Congress required the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to implement an automated electronic travel authorization system to determine, prior to travel, applicants' eligibility to tra… more
Date: May 5, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Jackson-Vanik Amendment and Candidate Countries for WTO Accession: Issues for Congress

Description: Russia, Kazakhstan, and a number of other former communist states are still subject to the provisions of Title IV of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, including section 402 (the Jackson-Vanik amendment). The Jackson-Vanik Amendment denies country eligibility for normal trade relations (NTR) status as long as the country denies its citizens the right of freedom of emigration. The 112th Congress could face the question of whether to enact legislation to repeal the application of Title IV to all … more
Date: January 5, 2011
Creator: Cooper, William H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Intelligence Issues for Congress

Description: To address the challenges facing the U.S. intelligence community in the 21st century, congressional and executive branch initiatives have sought to improve coordination among the different agencies and to encourage better analysis. In December 2004, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (P.L. 108-458) was signed, providing for a Director of National Intelligence (DNI) with substantial authorities to manage the national intelligence effort. The legislation also established a separ… more
Date: May 5, 2011
Creator: Best, Richard A., Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Osama bin Laden's Death: Implications and Considerations

Description: This report discusses issues and questions related to the killing of Osama bin Laden (OBL), which are multifaceted and may have operational, regional, and policy implications. Operational policy issues include congressional notification, legal considerations, and current and future military activities.
Date: May 5, 2011
Creator: Rollins, John
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Insourcing Functions Performed by Federal Contractors: An Overview of the Legal Issues

Description: Recent Congresses and the Obama Administration have taken numerous actions to promote "insourcing," or the use of government personnel to perform functions that contractors previously performed on behalf of federal agencies. Among other things, the 109th through the 111th Congresses enacted several statutes requiring the development of policies and guidelines to ensure that agencies "consider" using government employees to perform functions previously performed by contractors, as well as any ne… more
Date: May 5, 2011
Creator: Manuel, Kate M. & Maskell, Jack
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Building the Capacity of Partner States Through Security Force Assistance

Description: This report provides the following elements: An overview of the SFA rationale focused primarily on Department of Defense support for and relations with foreign security forces. Description of the possible employment of U.S. conventional forces and platforms in support of the SFA mission. Exploration of current operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Resident training capability in U.S. forces as a tool for geographic combatant commanders. Issues Congress may consider. The report summarizes congress… more
Date: May 5, 2011
Creator: Livingston, Thomas K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance

Description: This report discusses the current political state of Afghanistan, as well as the Afghan government. This report also discusses Afghanistan's relationship with the United States, particularly U.S. efforts to urge President Hamid Karzai, to address corruption within the Afghan government. The report also includes discussion of election fraud and corruption in Afghanistan.
Date: May 5, 2011
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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International Climate Change Financing: Needs, Sources, and Delivery Methods

Description: This report discusses the domestic and international efforts to increase foreign assistance to address climate change. Proponents maintain that such assistance could help promote low-emissions and high-growth economic development in lower-income countries, while simultaneously protecting the more vulnerable countries from the effects of a changing climate. The fundamental dispute concerning international financing for climate change centers upon who should pay for it and how.
Date: May 5, 2011
Creator: Lattanzio, Richard K. & Leggett, Jane A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Offset Amendments to Appropriations Bills: Procedural Considerations

Description: This report is an introduction to selected House rules and practices governing the consideration of offset amendments to appropriations measures considered in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union (or Committee of the Whole).
Date: July 5, 2011
Creator: Streeter, Sandy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Funding for Wildfire Control and Management

Description: This report looks at four issues dominating wildfire funding debates: the high cost of fire management, funding for fuel reduction, the federal role in protecting nonfederal lands, and post-fire rehabilitation. The Forest Service (FS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) are responsible for protecting most federal lands from wildfires, however, many in Congress are concerned that wildfire costs are spiraling upward without a reduction in damages.
Date: July 5, 2011
Creator: Gorte, Ross W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Côte d’Ivoire’s Post-Election Crisis

Description: This report discusses the recent political instability in Côte d'Ivoire, which has surfaced most recently in February 2011, and stems from a contested November 28, 2010 presidential election. This report discusses background information on Côte d'Ivoire's long struggle toward peace, political stability, and democratic governance. It also addresses U.S. interests regarding Côte d'Ivoire's stability and democratic progress.
Date: April 5, 2011
Creator: Cook, Nicolas
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV): Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report includes background on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program, which is is currently being developed by the Army and the Marine Corps as a successor to the 11 different versions of the High Mobility, Multi-Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) that have been in service since 1985. It includes a discussion of recent program activities, foreign participants, budgetary issues, and potential issues for Congress.
Date: April 5, 2011
Creator: Feickert, Andrew
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Japanese Nuclear Incident: Technical Aspects

Description: This report presents scientific and technical aspects of human health issues related to the damage to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) caused by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami of March 2011. It includes an appendix of useful links.
Date: April 5, 2011
Creator: Medalia, Jonathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Effects of Radiation from Fukushima Daiichi on the U.S. Marine Environment

Description: The massive Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011, caused extensive damage in northeastern Japan, including damage to the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power installation, which resulted in the release of radiation. This report discusses concerns about the potential effects of this released radiation on the U.S. marine environment and resources.
Date: April 5, 2011
Creator: Buck, Eugene H.; Upton, Harold F. & Folger, Peter
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Locally Operated Levees: Issues and Federal Programs

Description: The report discusses the role of levees in flood risk reduction, the shared responsibilities for levees in the United States, and the role of three agencies: FEMA, the Corps, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It also discusses federal assistance for levees, describes the debate about whether levees investments have a role in federal flood mitigation programs, and compares Corps, FEMA, and NRCS activities and authorities. Finally… more
Date: April 5, 2011
Creator: Keegan, Natalie; King, Rawle O.; Carter, Nicole T. & Stubbs, Megan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Tax Rates and Economic Growth

Description: No Description Available.
Date: December 5, 2011
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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