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Tunisia: Recent Developments and Policy Issues

Description: Report that discusses Tunisia's "Jasmine Revolution," the common term for President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's flight from the country following weeks of mounting anti-government protests. This report discusses how the Jasmine Revolution appears to have added momentum to anti-government sentiment in Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and other countries. This report discusses Tunisia's pro-democracy movement; concerns over potential instability in a previously secure, pro-Western area; U.S.-Tunisian relations… more
Date: January 18, 2011
Creator: Arieff, Alexis
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Army's Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) and Early Infantry Brigade Combat Team (E-IBCT) Programs: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: Report that looks at budget requests for the Army's Future Combat System (FCS) program, Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) program, and brigade combat teams (BCTs). It ends with a discussion of potential issues for Congress.
Date: January 18, 2011
Creator: Feickert, Andrew
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Northern Ireland: The Peace Process

Description: For years, the British and Irish governments sought to facilitate a peaceful settlement to the conflict in Northern Ireland. This report provides a brief overview of the continuing peace talks and efforts in Northern Ireland, including the deal reached in February 2010 between the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The report also discusses the United States' active support of the Northern Ireland peace process, including the fu… more
Date: February 18, 2011
Creator: Archick, Kristin
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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What's the Difference?-Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data

Description: This paper examines the differences in trade data from the United States and China in two ways. First, it compares the trade figures at the two digit level using the Harmonized System to discern any patterns in the discrepancies between the U.S. and Chinese data. The second approach to examining the differing trade data involves a review of the existing literature on the technical and non-technical sources of the trade data discrepancies, including an October 2009 joint China-U.S. report on sta… more
Date: February 18, 2011
Creator: Martin, Michael F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Guam: U.S. Defense Deployments

Description: This report provides a basic overview of the island of Guam, including population and location, as well as the strategic significance of Guam for boosting U.S. deterrence and power projection in Asia.
Date: February 18, 2011
Creator: Kan, Shirley A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Libya: Unrest and U.S. Policy

Description: This report discusses the recent unrest in Libya, triggered by political change in neighboring Tunisia and Egypt, as well as related U.S. policy.
Date: March 18, 2011
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Earthquakes: Risk, Detection, Warning, and Research

Description: This report discusses the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP), a program under which the federal government supports efforts to assess and monitor earthquake hazards and risk in the United States. This report also discusses earthquake hazards and risk in the United States; federal programs that support earthquake monitoring; the U.S. capability to detect earthquakes and issue notifications and warnings; and federally supported research to improve the fundamental scientific und… more
Date: March 18, 2011
Creator: Folger, Peter
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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No-Fly Zones: Strategic, Operational, and Legal Considerations for Congress

Description: The ongoing uprising in Libya against the government of Muammar al Qadhafi has been the subject of ongoing domestic and international debate about potential international military intervention, including the proposed establishment of a no-fly zone over Libya. This report discusses several related issues for Congress surrounding the strategy, international authorization, congressional authorization, operations, and costs of establishing and maintaining no-fly zones.
Date: March 18, 2011
Creator: Gertler, Jeremiah; Blanchard, Christopher M.; Daggett, Stephen; Dale, Catherine; Elsea, Jennifer K. & Grimmett, Richard F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

FY2011 Appropriations: A Side-by-Side Comparison of Key Proposals

Description: FY2011 funding levels were not enacted in the 111th Congress. Thus, the debate over FY2011 appropriations has continued into the 112th Congress. This report is intended to facilitate comparison of three key spending proposals for FY2011-the Administration's budget request, H.R. 1, and S.Amdt. 149 to H.R. 1-to FY2010 enacted funding levels. The report begins with a brief analysis of how each proposal may impact the federal budget deficit. The bulk of the report consists of a funding table that d… more
Date: March 18, 2011
Creator: Hatch, Garrett & Lawson, Marian Leonardo
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Women in the United States Congress: 1917-2011

Description: This report identifies the names, committee assignments, dates of service, and (for Representatives) congressional districts of the 274 women who have served in Congress.
Date: March 18, 2011
Creator: Manning, Jennifer E.; Shogan, Colleen J. & Smelcer, Susan Navarro
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Tsunami Programs: A Brief Overview

Description: This report discusses U.S. warning systems and related disaster management programs in place to prepare for and react to tsunamis. This issue is discussed in relation to the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan.
Date: March 18, 2011
Creator: Folger, Peter
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and potential issues for Congress on the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), a relatively inexpensive Navy surface combatant equipped with modular "plug-and-fight" mission packages. The Navy's proposed FY2012 budget requests funding for the procurement of four LCSs. Current issues for Congress concerning the LCS program include changes or potential changes to the composition of LCS mission modules announced by the Navy in January 2011, the combat survivabilit… more
Date: March 18, 2011
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Iraq: Politics, Governance, and Human Rights

Description: Iraq's political system is increasingly characterized by peaceful competition and formation of cross-sectarian alliances. However, ethnic and sectarian political and sometimes violent infighting continues, often involving the questionable use of key levers of power and legal institutions. This infighting-and the belief that holding political power may mean the difference between life and death for the various political communities-significantly delayed agreement on a new government that was to … more
Date: May 18, 2011
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Issues and Challenges for Federal Geospatial Information

Description: The report discusses issues that may be of interest to Congress-managing, sharing, and coordinating geospatial information-and includes examples of legislation. The report also summarizes a diverse set of recommendations and proposals from different non-governmental organizations for how to improve the coordination and management of geospatial information at the federal and state levels.
Date: May 18, 2011
Creator: Folger, Peter
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Text and Multimedia Messaging: Emerging Issues for Congress

Description: The increasing use of text and multimedia messaging has raised several policy issues: distracted driving, SMS spam, the inability of consumers to disable text messaging, text messaging price fixing, carrier blocking of common short code messages, deceptive and misleading common short code programs, protecting children from inappropriate content on wireless devices, "sexting," mobile cyberbullying, privacy of text messages, and using SMS to support law enforcement and emergency response.
Date: May 18, 2011
Creator: Stevens, Gina
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Dispute Settlement Under the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement: An Overview

Description: This report discusses the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) and the two types of formal dispute settlement it contains: 1) State-State and 2) investor-State. The report also discusses how the PTPA differs from earlier U.S. Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).
Date: May 18, 2011
Creator: Grimmett, Jeanne J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses Special Operations Forces (SOFs), which are elite military units with special training and equipment that can infiltrate hostile territory through land, sea, or air to conduct a variety of operations, many of them classified.
Date: May 18, 2011
Creator: Feickert, Andrew & Livingston, Thomas K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Gun Control Legislation

Description: In the wake of the tragic shootings in Tuscon, AZ, which resulted in the hospitalization of Representative Gabrielle Giffords, as well as 6 fatalities and 13 wounded, the 112th Congress could reexamine certain issues and legislation related to gun control and firearms. This report provides basic firearms-related statistics, an overview of federal firearms law, and a summary of legislative action in the 111th Congress.
Date: April 18, 2011
Creator: Krouse, William J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Kaesong North-South Korean Industrial Complex

Description: This purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the role, purposes, and results of the Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC) in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea) and examine U.S. interests, policy issues, options, and legislation.
Date: April 18, 2011
Creator: Manyin, Mark E. & Nanto, Dick K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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FEMA's Disaster Declaration Process: A Primer

Description: The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (referred to as the Stafford Act - 42 U.S.C. 5721 et seq.) authorizes the President to issue "major disaster" or "emergency" declarations before or after catastrophes occur. Emergency declarations trigger aid that protects property, public health, and safety and lessens or averts the threat of an incident becoming a catastrophic event. A major disaster declaration, issued after catastrophes occur, constitutes broader authority … more
Date: May 18, 2011
Creator: McCarthy, Francis X.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Geospatial Information and Geographic Information Systems (GIS): An Overview for Congress

Description: The report discusses issues that may be of interest to Congress-managing, sharing, and coordinating geospatial information-and includes examples of legislation. The report also summarizes a diverse set of recommendations and proposals from different non-governmental organizations for how to improve the coordination and management of geospatial information at the federal and state levels.
Date: May 18, 2011
Creator: Folger, Peter
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Army Corps Fiscal Challenges: Frequently Asked Questions

Description: This report looks at issues in funding all of the Army Corps requests for the fiscal year. The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for much of the federal water resources infrastructure in the United States. The Corps is faced with more demands for building and maintaining its projects than available federal funding allows. At issue for Congress is deciding how to tackle Corps fiscal challenges during a tight fiscal climate and under earmark moratoriums.
Date: August 18, 2011
Creator: Carter, Nicole T. & Stern, Charles V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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