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Resolving Legislative Differences in Congress: Conference Committees and Amendments Between the Houses

Description: This report summarizes the procedures the two houses of Congress use most frequently to resolve their legislative differences. It is based upon an interpretation of the rules and published precedents of the House and Senate, and an analysis of the application of these rules and precedents in recent practice. It bears emphasizing that this report is not exhaustive nor is it in any way an official statement of House or Senate procedures. It may serve as a useful introduction or general guide, but… more
Date: November 26, 2008
Creator: Rybicki, Elizabeth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Canada-U.S. Relations

Description: This report provides a short overview of Canada's political scene, its economic conditions, and its recent security and foreign policy, focusing particularly on issues that may be relevant to U.S. policymakers. This brief country survey is followed by several summaries of current bilateral issues in the political, trade, and environmental arenas.
Date: May 12, 2008
Creator: Ek, Carl; Fergusson, Ian F.; Nuñez-Neto, Blas; Clarke, Stephen F.; Abel, Amy; Sheikh, Pervaze et al.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Congress

Description: Asian Pacific Americans have served in both houses of Congress representing California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Oregon, Virginia, American Samoa, and Guam. They have served in leadership positions, including committee and subcommittee chairmanships. This report presents information on Senators, Representatives, and Delegates, including party affiliations, length and dates of service, and committee assignments.
Date: June 23, 2008
Creator: Tong, Lorraine H.
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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U.S. Global Climate Change Policy: Evolving Views on Cost, Competitiveness, and Comprehensiveness

Description: This report discusses the evolving views on cost, competitiveness, and comprehensiveness regarding the U.S. global climate change policy. The report starts out with the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It discusses the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT), and negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol, which established mandatory limits on emissions for developed countries.
Date: January 28, 2008
Creator: Parker, Larry B. & Blodgett, John E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Safe Drinking Water Act: A Summary of the Act and Its Major Requirements

Description: This report summarizes the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and its major programs and regulatory requirements. It excerpts, with several additions, the SDWA chapter of CRS Report RL30798, Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statues Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which provides summaries of the principal environmental statutes administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This report includes the drinking water security provisions added to the SDWA by t… more
Date: May 21, 2008
Creator: Tiemann, Mary
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Endangered Species Act and Claims of Property Rights “Takings

Description: This report discusses Endangered Species Act (ESA) that has long been one of the major flash points in the “property rights” debate. This report first outlines the ESA provisions most relevant to the act's impacts on private property, then surveys the major ESA-relevant principles of Fifth Amendment takings law, and finally discusses the court decisions adjudicating whether government measures based on the ESA effect a taking of property under the Fifth Amendment.
Date: January 14, 2008
Creator: Meltz, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Energy: Selected Facts and Numbers

Description: This report discusses the energy policy that has been a recurring issue for Congress since the first major crisis in the 1970s. The report offers a general view of energy consumption trends, Table 1 shows consumption by economic sector — residential, commercial, transportation, and industry — from 1950 to the present.
Date: August 8, 2008
Creator: Glover, Carol & Behrens, Carl E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): Program and Funding

Description: This report describes appropriations of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP) funds for FY2008 and FY2007. It also discusses current issues and legislation related to LIHEAP. The report also discusses LIHEAP rules, including household eligibility and how funds may be used, and presents the most recent data available from HHS regarding household characteristics and benefit levels. Finally, the last section discusses how each category of LIHEAP funds is distributed to states, as well… more
Date: September 18, 2008
Creator: Perl, Libby
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Army Corps of Engineers Water Resources Projects: Authorization and Appropriations

Description: This report explains how the congressional authorization and appropriations process overlays the Corps' project development process. Special attention is given to initiating a water resources study, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) process, civil works appropriations, and emergency response activities.
Date: May 1, 2008
Creator: Carter, Nicole T. & Hughes, H. S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Infrastructure Security: Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides an overview of industry and federal activities related to LNG security. The report describes U.S. LNG infrastructure, the industry's safety record and security risks, and the industry's security initiatives since September 11, 2001. It summarizes recent changes in federal LNG and maritime security law and related changes in the security roles of federal agencies. The report discusses several policy concerns related to federal LNG security efforts: 1) public costs of marine … more
Date: May 13, 2008
Creator: Parfomak, Paul W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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China's Currency: Economic Issues and Options for U.S. Trade Policy

Description: This report starts out by describing China's policy of pegging its currency to the U.S. dollar at an exchange rate of roughly 8.28 yuan to the dollar. As a result, the exchange rate between the yuan and the dollar basically stayed the same. The report discusses most significant events concerning China's currency policy and its impact on U.S. trade deficit.
Date: May 22, 2008
Creator: Morrison, Wayne M. & Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Import Terminals: Siting, Safety, and Regulation

Description: This report provides an overview of recent industry proposals for new LNG import terminals. The report summarizes LNG hazards and the industry's safety record. It discusses federal laws and regulations related to LNG terminal siting with a focus on the authorities of key federal agencies and safety provisions in the permitting of onshore facilities. The report reviews controversial safety issues in recent LNG siting proceedings, such as safety zones, marine hazards, hazard modeling, and remote … more
Date: May 15, 2008
Creator: Parfomak, Paul W. & Vann, Adam S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Brief Summaries of Federal Animal Protection Statutes

Description: This report contains brief summaries of federal animal protection statutes, listed alphabetically. It includes statutes that allow the disabled to use service animals, statutes aimed at acts of animal rights advocates (the Animal Enterprise Protection Act of 1992, and the Recreational Hunting Safety and Preservation Act of 1994), as well as other statutes concerning animal protection and conservation.
Date: August 15, 2008
Creator: Cohen, Henry
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and All-Hazard Warnings

Description: This report gives an overview of issues and legislation relating to the Emergency Alert System (EAS). It includes a discussion of the EAS administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radios, all-hazard warning technology, proposals and programs, the executive order regarding the public alert and warning system and legislation from the 109th and 110th Congresses.
Date: August 25, 2008
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape

Description: The report discusses the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)-Related Congressional Actions in the 112th Congress. The policymakers, including some in Congress, have long called for varying degrees and types of reform to the FCC. Most proposals fall into two categories: (1) procedural changes made within the FCC or through congressional action that would affect the agency's operations or (2) substantive policy changes requiring congressional action that would affect how the agency regulates … more
Date: April 11, 2008
Creator: Moloney Figliola, Patricia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Wind Energy: Offshore Permitting

Description: This report discusses the disputes over Corps jurisdiction prior to enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 as well as the current law applicable to siting offshore wind facilities.
Date: January 29, 2008
Creator: Vann, Adam
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Wind Energy: Offshore Permitting

Description: This report discusses the disputes over Corps jurisdiction prior to enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 as well as the current law applicable to siting offshore wind facilities.
Date: May 1, 2008
Creator: Vann, Adam
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA): A Summary

Description: This report summarizes the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to- Know Act (EPCRA) and the major regulatory programs that mandate reporting by industrial facilities of releases of hazardous chemicals to the environment, as well as local planning to respond in the event of significant, accidental releases.
Date: March 19, 2008
Creator: Schierow, Linda-Jo
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Open Ocean Aquaculture

Description: This report discusses four general areas: (1) operational and business-related challenges; (2) potential economic impacts; (3) potential environmental impacts; and (4) the legal and regulatory environment. It summarizes recent executive and legislative branch actions.
Date: June 12, 2008
Creator: Upton, Harold F. & Buck, Eugene H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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