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Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

Description: The Navy is procuring a new type of surface combatant called the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). The Navy wants to procure a total of 55 LCSs. This report details the 2007 restructuring of the LCS program, as well as various financial information relating to the program. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's plans for the LCS program. The LCS program raises potential oversight issues for Congress relating to various aspects of the program, all of which are explo… more
Date: May 5, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Leave Benefits in the United States

Description: This report begins by reviewing the federal statutes that pertain directly or indirectly to employer provision of leave benefits for any purpose, including a discussion of the California and New Jersey family leave insurance programs. The report than examines the incidence of different types of paid leave that U.S. employers voluntarily provide as part of an employee's total compensation (wages and benefits). The report closes with results from a federal government survey of the average direct … more
Date: June 5, 2009
Creator: Levine, Linda
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Afghanistan: Government Formation and Performance

Description: This report discusses the current Afghan government, which is rife with corruption and very limited in power, hence the continued presence of the Taliban and general worldwide pessimism about Afghanistan stabilization efforts. This report addresses issues such as ethnic diputes, President Hamid Karzai's re-election bid for August 2009, and the U.S.-Afghanistan relationship in particular. The Obama Administration is currently promoting, among other Afghanistan stabilization efforts, a "civilian … more
Date: June 5, 2009
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Same-Sex Marriages: Legal Issues

Description: Report that discusses Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and legal challenges to it. It reviews legal principles applied to determine the validity of a marriage contracted in another state and surveys the various approaches employed by states to address same-sex marriage. It also examines previous Congressional resolutions proposing a constitutional amendment and limiting federal courts' jurisdiction to hear or determine any question pertaining to the interpretation of DOMA.
Date: November 5, 2012
Creator: Smith, Alison M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses

Description: Report that discusses the effects of economic sanctions against Iran, support to the Iranian democracy movement, opposition against Iranian human rights violations, and Iranian support for Syrian human rights violations.
Date: September 5, 2012
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Taxes: A Description of Current Law

Description: This report contains an explanation of the major provisions of the federal estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes. The discussion divides the federal estate tax into three components: the gross estate, deductions from the gross estate, and computation of the tax, including allowable tax credits. The federal estate tax is computed through a series of adjustments and modifications of a tax base known as the "gross estate." Certain allowable deductions reduce the gross estate to the … more
Date: January 5, 2008
Creator: Luckey, John R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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FY2009 Spring Supplemental Appropriations for Overseas Contingency Operations

Description: This report discusses the White House's request for supplemental appropriations that include funding for defense, foreign affairs, and domestic fire fighting. The report details the different programs and areas that the appropriations would fund, including operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, preparedness and emergency management measures relating to the swine flu outbreak, border security between the United States and Mexico, benchmark assessment in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and other general d… more
Date: May 5, 2009
Creator: Daggett, Stephen; Epstein, Susan B.; Margesson, Rhoda; Nakamura, Kennon H.; Tarnoff, Curt; Kronstadt, K. Alan et al.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Radio and Television Broadcasting to Cuba: Background and Current Issues

Description: This report provides a legislative history and funding levels for Cuba Broadcasting. It discusses specific concerns some lawmakers have had with Radio and TV Marti over the years, and presents the Panel's recommendations and the USIA Director's response and determinations, as required by the FYI994 appropriations act.
Date: August 5, 1994
Creator: Epstein, Susan B. & Sullivan, Mark P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

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
open access

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
open access

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
open access

Tear Gas for Riot Control

Description: The purpose of this study is to present the technical aspects of the official use in civil disorders of chemical lacrimtor agents ("tear gas") as a deterrent system of intermediate force.
Date: March 5, 1968
Creator: Huddle, Franklin P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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FEMA's Firefighter Assistance Grants: Reauthorization or Sunset?

Description: This report discuses FEMA's (Federal Emergency Management Agency's) Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program (AFG) and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response program (SAFER) and the reauthorization process in Congress. Unless legislation is passed by both the House and Senate by January 8, 2018, sunset provisions will come into effect for the programs.
Date: December 5, 2017
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Child and Dependent Care Credit: Impact of Selected Policy Options

Description: This report first briefly summarizes key components of the child and dependent care tax credit (CDCTC), including reviewing eligibility requirements and how the credit is calculated. It also provides an overview of some characteristics of recipients and analyzes four potential selected policy changes: (1) making the current credit refundable, (2) converting the credit to a deduction, (3) increasing the credit rate, and (4) increasing the amount of qualifying expenses.
Date: December 5, 2017
Creator: Crandall-Hollick, Margot L. & Falk, Gene
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Small Business Afministration 504/CDC Loan Guaranty Program

Description: This report examines the rationale provided for the Small Business Administration's 504/CDC program, its borrower and lender eligibility standards, operating requirements, and performance statistics, including loan volume, loss rates, proceeds usage, borrower satisfaction, and borrower demographics. This report also discusses congressional action taken to help small businesses gain greater access to capital, including enactment of P.L. 111-5, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (… more
Date: December 5, 2017
Creator: Dilger, Robert Jay
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Protecting Consumers and Businesses from Fraudulent Robocalls

Description: This report discusses efforts by Congress and the Federal Communications Commision (FCC) to combat robocall scams and prevent them from reaching consumers. It includes an overview of what robocallls are, their legitimate uses, regulation, and complaint procedures for consumers.
Date: January 5, 2018
Creator: Figliola, Patricia Moloney
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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