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CRS – Researching Current Federal Legislation and Regulations: A Guide to Resources for Congressional Staff, Jerry W. Mansfield, Lead Information Services Coordinator. November 9, 2015. “This report is designed to introduce congressional staff to selected governmental and nongovernmental sources that are useful in tracking and obtaining information on federal legislation and regulations. It includes governmental …
ACLU: “Location records can reveal an enormous of information about a person, especially with the proliferation of smartphones that constantly track our whereabouts. Because privacy laws haven’t kept up with advances in technology, police have long claimed the authority to access this information from cell phone companies without warrants. That’s changing. While Congress and the …
“In fiscal year 2015, which ended on September 30, the federal budget deficit totaled $439 billion—$44 billion less than the shortfall in 2014. Fiscal year 2015 was the sixth consecutive year in which the deficit declined as a share of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). The deficit peaked at 9.8 percent of GDP in …
CRS – Speakers of the House: Elections, 1913-2015. Richard S. Beth – Specialist on Congress and the Legislative Process, Valerie Heitshusen, Specialist on Congress and the Legislative Process. November 3, 2015. “Each new House elects a Speaker by roll call vote when it first convenes. Customarily, the conference of each major party nominates a candidate …
CRS – U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues, updated November 3, 2015. “Even though the United States plans to reduce the number of warheads deployed on its long-range missiles and bombers, consistent with the terms of the New START Treaty, it also plans todevelop new delivery systems for deployment over the next 20-30 …
Legislative Actions to Repeal, Defund, or Delay the Affordable Care Act. C. Stephen Redhead, Specialist in Health Policy. Janet Kinzer, Information Research Specialist. October 22, 2015. “Congress remains deeply divided over implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), the health reform law enacted in March 2010. Since the ACA’s enactment, lawmakers opposed …
The Open Government Partnership – Third Open Government National Action Plan for the United States. October 27, 2015 “Open government has long been a cornerstone of democracy in the United States. Principles of transparency and an accountable, responsive government are embedded in Federal law and the U.S. Constitution, and the United States was one of …
Impeachment and Removal, Jared P. Cole, Legislative Attorney. Todd Garvey, Legislative Attorney. October 29, 2015. “The impeachment process provides a mechanism for removal of the President, Vice President, and other “civil Officers of the United States” found to have engaged in “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” The Constitution places the responsibility and …
Is Violent Crime in the United States Increasing? Nathan James, Analyst in Crime Policy, October 29, 2015. “On August 31, 2015, the New York Times ran an article with the headline “Murder Rates Rising Sharply in Many U.S. Cities.” The story highlighted double-digit percent age increases in homicide rates in several cities, and came on …
Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, October 30, 2015. “As of March 31, 2015, approximately $110 billion had been appropriated for Afghanistan relief and reconstruction since 2002. These funds are used to build the Afghan National Security Forces, promote good governance, conduct development assistance, and engage in counter-narcotics …
“Five federal agencies have issued a final rule to establish capital and margin requirements for swap dealers, major swap participants, security-based swap dealers, and major security-based swap participants regulated by one of the agencies (“covered swap entities”), as required by the Dodd-Frank Act. The final rule, issued by the Farm Credit Administration (FCA), the Federal …
CRS Report – The Federal Advisory Committee Act: Analysis of Operations and Costs, Wendy Ginsberg, Analyst in American National Government. October 27, 2015. “Federal advisory committees are established to allow experts from outside the federal government to provide advice and recommendations to executive branch agencies or the President. Federal advisory committees can be created either by …
