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An Analysis of STEM Education Funding at the NSF: Trends and Policy Discussion

Description: This report analyzes National Science Foundation funding trends and selected closely-related STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education policy issues to provide fiscal and policy context. It concludes with an analysis of potential policy options.
Date: January 31, 2014
Creator: Gonzalez, Heather B.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Membership of the 113th Congress: A Profile

Description: This report presents a profile of the membership of the 113th Congress (2013-2014). Statistical information is included on selected characteristics of Members, including data on party affiliation, average age, occupation, education, length of congressional service, religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity, foreign births, and military service.
Date: October 31, 2013
Creator: Manning, Jennifer E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Iran Sanctions

Description: This report discusses the recent development regarding the negotiations with Iran about its nuclear program. It provides background information on Iranian nuclear program and debates the November 24 Joint Plan of Action Elements.
Date: January 31, 2014
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Palestinians: Background and U.S. Relations

Description: This report provides an overview of current issues in U.S.-Palestinian relations. It also contains an overview of Palestinian society and politics and descriptions of key Palestinian individuals and groups--chiefly the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the Palestinian Authority (PA), Fatah, Hamas, and the Palestinian refugee population.
Date: January 31, 2014
Creator: Zanotti, Jim
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Categorical Eligibility

Description: This report discusses categorical eligibility and some of the issues raised by it. It first describes the three different types of categorical eligibility: traditional categorical eligibility conveyed through receipt of need-based cash assistance, and the newer "narrow" and "broad-based" categorical eligibilities conveyed via TANF "noncash" benefits. It also provides recent information on current state practices with regard to categorical eligibility. Finally, the report discusses proposals to … more
Date: December 31, 2013
Creator: Falk, Gene & Aussenberg, Randy Alison
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: Report that provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Coast Guard's programs for procuring eight National Security Cutters (NSCs), 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), and 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRCs).
Date: October 31, 2012
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Immigration Detainers: Legal Issues

Description: Report that surveys the various authorities governing immigration detainers, including the standard detainer form (Form I-247) sent by ICE to other law enforcement agencies. The report also discusses key legal issues raised by immigration detainers.
Date: August 31, 2012
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Regulation of Fertilizers: Ammonium Nitrate and Anhydrous Ammonia

Description: This report will focus on some of the federal regulatory programs overseeing storage of ammonium nitrate and anhydrous ammonia by retailers. The report will not address federal regulation of material in transport. It will discuss federal occupational safety, environmental, and security statutes and regulations applicable to each chemical. Select policy issues regarding these federal regulatory programs will be highlighted. It does not address various law enforcement activities related to tracki… more
Date: July 31, 2013
Creator: Shea, Dana A.; Schierow, Linda-Jo & Szymendera, Scott D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA): Resources for Frequently Asked Questions

Description: The report provides basic consumer sources, including broad overviews of the ACA law. The next sections focus on health coverage: the individual mandate, private health insurance, and exchanges, as well as public health care programs, such as Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicare, Indian health care, and veterans' and military health care. The report then lists sources on employer-sponsored coverage, including sources on employer penalties, small businesses… more
Date: October 31, 2013
Creator: Napili, Angela
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Reform of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Courts: A Brief Overview

Description: This report discusses the recent disclosures of various National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance and data collection programs that have prompted increased attention on the government's collection of foreign intelligence.
Date: March 31, 2014
Creator: Cole, Jared P. & Nolan, Andrew
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Russian Political, Economic, and Security Issues and U.S. Interests

Description: This report discusses the current political and economic conditions in Russia, focusing on the impact of Vladimir Putin's leadership and the leadership of his successor/protégé, Dmitriy Medvedev, both of which have steered Russia away from progress toward democratization. The report also discusses the state of the economy since the Soviet collapse in 1999, how the recent global economic downturn has affected Russia, the state of Russia's military, and the current relationship between Russia and… more
Date: March 31, 2014
Creator: Nichol, Jim
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Workforce Investment Act: Strategies Needed to Improve Certain Training Outcome Data

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Of the more than two million total participants in the Workforce Investment Act's (WIA) Adult and Dislocated Worker Programs, about 11 percent and 16 percent, respectively, received training in program year 2011, and about two-thirds of the training participants in each program attained a credential. Little is known, however, about how many participants got jobs related to their training. From program y… more
Date: January 31, 2014
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Tax Preparer Regulation: IRS Needs a Documented Framework to Achieve Goal of Improving Taxpayer Compliance

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Paid preparers prepare about 60 percent of all tax returns filed, and their actions significantly affect the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) ability to administer tax laws. Previously, GAO found that some preparers made significant errors in preparing tax returns and proposed stricter regulation of preparers. IRS is implementing new requirements for paid preparers that it believes will increase tax com… more
Date: March 31, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Border Security: DHS's Visa Security Program Needs to Improve Performance Evaluation and Better Address Visa Risk Worldwide

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since 2003, the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Visa Security Program (VSP) has participated in the visa process by reviewing applications at some embassies and consulates, with the intention of preventing individuals who pose a threat from entering the United States. The attempted bombing of an airline on December 25, 2009, renewed concerns about the security of the visa process and the effecti… more
Date: March 31, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Tax Administration: Expanded Information Reporting Could Help IRS Address Compliance Challenges with Forgiven Mortgage Debt

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "To assist the growing number of taxpayers facing foreclosure or mortgage restructuring, the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, and its 3-year extension as part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, allows taxpayers to generally exclude from taxable income forgiven mortgage debt used to buy, build, or substantially improve a principal residence. Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT)… more
Date: August 31, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Maritime Security: DHS Could Benefit from Tracking Progress in Implementing the Small Vessel Security Strategy

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its components--such as the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection (CBP)--have started or completed initiatives to address small vessel security risks, but DHS is not tracking the progress being made to address action items in the Small Vessel Security Strategy (SVSS) Implementation Plan. "Small vessels" are characterized as any watercraft--regar… more
Date: October 31, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Inspectors General: HUD Office of Inspector General Resources and Results

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "During the 5-year period from fiscal year 2007 through 2011, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Inspector General (OIG) had budget and staffing resources that were consistent with other OIGs, and a monetary return for each budget dollar which exceeded the average return for Cabinet-level OIGs. During the 5-year period, the HUD OIG had total budgetary resources ranging from… more
Date: May 31, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Anthrax: DHS Faces Challenges in Validating Methods for Sample Collection and Analysis

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "A workgroup—led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and made up of DHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)—has attempted to address GAO’s recommendations to (1) validate environmental sampling methods for detecting Bacillu… more
Date: July 31, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Refugee Assistance: Little Is Known about the Effectiveness of Different Approaches for Improving Refugees' Employment Outcomes

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In fiscal year 2009, the United States resettled close to 70,000 refugees fleeing persecution in their homelands. To assist in their transition to the United States and help them attain employment, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) provides temporary cash, medical, and other assistance through four different assistance programs. The economic downturn and an… more
Date: March 31, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

VA Drug Formulary: Drug Review Process Is Standardized at the National Level, but Actions Are Needed to Ensure Timely Adjudication of Nonformulary Drug Requests

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2009, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) spent nearly $4 billion on prescriptions for veterans. In general, VA provides drugs on its national formulary. However, all VA medical centers must have a nonformulary drug request process that is overseen by their regional Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN). This report responds to a House Committee on Appropriations report directing GAO to revi… more
Date: August 31, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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