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Congressional Nominations to U.S. Service Academies: An Overview and Resources for Outreach and Management

Description: This report describes statutory requirements for allocating congressional nominations to service academies. It also identifies the qualifications that must be met by potential nominees, as established by statute and each academy. Finally, sample documents that could be used by congressional offices at various stages of the nomination selection process are included. These documents provide basic information and can be customized to fit the specific needs of individual office policies.
Date: April 13, 2017
Creator: Petersen, R. Eric & Eckman, Sarah J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Turkey: Erdogan's Referendum Victory Delivers "Presidential System"

Description: This report discuses the Turkish referendum results regarding creating a presidential system through the abolishment of the position of prime minister and a strengthening of the power of the presidency. Possible irregularities, reactions of other countries to the results, and possible effects of the changes on Turkish government and President Erdogan's power are also discussed.
Date: April 20, 2017
Creator: Zanotti, Jim & Thomas, Clayton
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Strike on Syrian Airbase: Legal Under International Law?

Description: This report discusses whether the U.S. airstrike on a Syrian airbase in retaliation for Syria's use of chemical weapons was legal under international laws as outlined in the U.N. Charter.
Date: April 17, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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France's 2017 Presidential Election: In Brief

Description: This report discusses the French presidential election of 2017 and includes brief descriptions of the main candidates and current poll leaders, major campaign issues, and possible implications of the results of the French election for American-French relations and for their role in Europe and the EU. This report was written before the election which was won by Emmanuel Macron.
Date: April 13, 2017
Creator: Belkin, Paul
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Presidential Permit Review for Cross-Border Pipelines and Electric Transmission

Description: This report discusses the Presidential Permit review processes for cross-border energy infrastructure as implemented by these agencies: The Department of State for pipelines and similar facilities that transport liquids such as petroleum, petroleum products, and other hazardous liquids; The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for natural gas pipelines and associated facilities; and The Department of Energy (DOE) for electricity transmission lines and associated facilities. This report c… more
Date: April 19, 2017
Creator: Luther, Linda & Parfomak, Paul W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Advanced Gene Editing: CRISPR-Cas9

Description: This report describes a new gene editing technology, known as CRISPR-Cas9, with the potential to revolutionize genetic engineering and the biotechnology industry. The report then provides information on the potential economic benefits of the technology and identifies some issues for congressional consideration, including the regulation of current and future products, national security concerns, and ethical and societal issues surrounding the use of the technology.
Date: April 28, 2017
Creator: Gallo, Marcy E.; Sargent, John F., Jr.; Sarata, Amanda K. & Cowan, Tadlock
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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FirstNet's Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network Moves Forward

Description: This report discusses FirstNet's announcement of a partnership with AT&T to build a dedicated wireless broadband network for use by public safety agencies which will allow first responders during an emergency to share information with other public safety departments and have a dedicated internet connection for emergency communication.
Date: April 4, 2017
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Constitutional Points of Order in the Senate

Description: This report identifies 17 constitutional points of order that have been raised and received a Senate vote since 1989. Eleven of these cases were disposed of negatively.
Date: April 24, 2017
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Dressed to the Nines: What's Next for the Nine-Justice Supreme Court?

Description: This report discusses the confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch as a Supreme Court Justice and the effects he may have on current and upcoming cases as the ninth member of the Supreme Court.
Date: April 10, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Disaster Assistance: The National Flood Insurance Program and Other Federal Disaster Assistance Programs Available to Individuals and Households After a Flood

Description: This report provides an overview of the government assistance available to individuals and households following a flood and provides links to more comprehensive guidance on both flood insurance and disaster assistance.
Date: April 6, 2017
Creator: Horn, Diane P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military Pay: Key Questions and Answers

Description: This report uses a question and answer format to highlight key aspects of the military compensation system and to address topics of recurring congressional interest, including the following: compensation elements and rates, statutory formulas for increasing compensation elements, historical increases in basic pay, comparability with civilian pay, and additional compensation for those serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Date: April 3, 2017
Creator: Kapp, Lawrence & Torreon, Barbara Salazar
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Senate's "Executive Calendar"

Description: This report explains what the Senate's "executive calendar" is and how it is laid out. The "executive calendar" includes all treaties and confirmations that the Senate is planning to consider.
Date: April 21, 2017
Creator: Rybicki, Elizabeth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Temporarily Filling Presidentially Appointed, Senate-Confirmed Positions

Description: This report discusses methods of temporarily filling presidentially appointed positions which require the advice and consent of the Senate through the use of special hiring rules for vacancies under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, recess appointments, consultants, or interim appointments of personnel who were the next level down from the vacant position.
Date: April 18, 2017
Creator: Hogue, Henry B.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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OSHA State Plans: In Brief, with Examples from California and Arizona

Description: This report discusses the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requirements for state created plans that are used instead of the general federal requirements. A state plan from California that exceeds the federal requirements and a proposed state plan from Arizona that does not meet federal requirements are discussed as examples of different types of state plans.
Date: April 18, 2017
Creator: Szymendara, Scott D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Introduction to the Legislative Process in the U.S. Congress

Description: This report introduces the main steps through which a bill (or other item of business) may travel in the legislative process--from introduction to committee and floor consideration to possible presidential consideration. However, the process by which a bill can become law is rarely predictable and can vary significantly from bill to bill. In fact, for many bills, the process will not follow the sequence of congressional stages that are often understood to make up the legislative process.This re… more
Date: April 7, 2017
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Congressional Arts Caucus and the Congressional Art Competition: History and Current Practice

Description: This report provides a brief history of the Congressional Arts Caucus and the Congressional Art Competition which is an art competition for high school students. It also provides a history of sponsorship and support for the caucus and the annual competition. The report includes copies of the original correspondence establishing the competition, a sample competition announcement, sample guidelines and required forms for the competition, and a chronological list of congressional co-chairs.
Date: April 21, 2017
Creator: Mansfield, Jerry W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Roll Call Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline

Description: This report provides roll call vote data on Keystone XL Pipeline legislation identified by CRS using CQ.com's Roll Call Vote Report database as well as the Congress.gov legislative database. Roll call votes listed in the tables are broken down by chamber, Congress, and type of legislation--substantive votes (i.e., votes on amendments or passage of bills) versus procedural votes (e.g., votes to recommit the bill to a committee or to provide for the consideration of a bill). Votes are also listed… more
Date: April 4, 2017
Creator: Cunningham, Lynn J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA): Workers' Compensation for Federal Employees

Description: This report discusses the Federal Workers Compensation Act (FECA) which governs disability and death benefits for federal employees who are injured, become ill, or are killed on the job. Key policy issues facing the program, including the disproportionate share of claims and program costs attributed to postal workers, the payment of FECA benefits after retirement age, the overall level of FECA disability benefits as compared with those offered by the states, the administration of the FECA prog… more
Date: April 26, 2017
Creator: Szymendara, Scott D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Climate Change Regulation and Litigation: Selected Legal Issues

Description: This report provides a brief history of U.S. climate change regulation, reviews the different types of regulation and legal actions that have been pursued in the national debate over greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, examines selected legal issues and next steps in related litigation, and addresses what these legal and regulatory developments mean for Congress. President Trump's Executive Order of March 28, 2017 requiring agencies to reconsider their policies related to climate change is also dis… more
Date: April 3, 2017
Creator: Tsang, Linda
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Invoking Cloture in the Senate

Description: This report describes what the cloture process is and how it is used. Cloture is a method used by the Senate to end a debate without rejecting the bill or amendment.
Date: April 6, 2017
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): A Brief Legislative History

Description: This report first provides a general overview of the current Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) credit. The report then summarizes the key legislative changes to the credit and provides analysis of some of the congressional intentions behind these changes. An overview of the current structure of the EITC can be found in Appendix A at the end of this report.
Date: April 26, 2017
Creator: Crandall-Hollick, Margot L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Update to "Smith v. Obama": A Servicemember's Legal Challenge to the Campaign Against the Islamic State

Description: This report discusses a case which was brought by Army Captain Nathan Smith against President Barack Obama in 2016, arguing that President Obama had no authority to be conducting the campaign against the Islamic State because no Congressional approval had been given. The case was dismissed in Nov. 2016 but he has appealed the dismissal of the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Date: April 4, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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