Category «Legislation»

The Big Bank Theory: Breaking Down the Breakup Arguments

“The 2008 financial crisis threw into sharp relief the issue of “too-big-to-fail” (TBTF)—the challenge posed by financial institutions that were bailed out on concerns that their failure would cause damage to the rest of the financial system and the overall economy. Since then, policymakers and regulators have wrestled with how to address this problem. The …

Subjects: Congress, Economy, Financial System, Legislation

Engel, Smith Offer Bill to Improve Culture Preservation, Curb ISIL Funding

“Representative Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), the leading Democrat on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), chair of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations today announced that they have introduced legislation to improve American efforts to preserve cultural property around the world and cut off …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Education, Knowledge Management, Legislation

Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations

CRS – Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Kate M. Manuel, Legislative Attorney; Erika K. Lunder, Legislative Attorney. November 7, 2014. “Recent reports that certain entities continued to receive federal government contracts after reincorporating overseas have prompted questions about current and proposed restrictions on contracting with “inverted domestic corporations.” These questions are shaped, in part, by …

Subjects: Congress, Economy, Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation

Berlin Weighs Possible Hit to U.S. Tech Firms

WSJ – “German politicians are debating a new Internet-security law that could exclude U.S. technology companies from Germany’s digital economy, a sign Berlin is beginning to press its commercial advantage after revelations of spying by the NSA. The draft law, which is still being hammered out, envisions new requirements like revealing source code or other proprietary …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, EU Data Protection, Government Documents, Legislation, Privacy

Largest Clean Air Act Settlement in History

Settlement with Hyundai and Kia protects consumers and ensures greenhouse gas emissions reductions “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice today announced an historic settlement with the automakers Hyundai and Kia that will resolve alleged Clean Air Act violations based on their sale of close to 1.2 million vehicles that …

Subjects: Congress, Energy, Environmental Law, Legal Research, Legislation, Transportation

New GAO Report – Government Efficiency and Effectiveness

GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS: Inconsistent Definitions and Information Limit the Usefulness of Federal Program Inventories, GAO-15-83: Published: Oct 31, 2014. Publicly Released: Oct 31, 2014. “GAO’s reports over the past 4 years have found more than 90 areas where opportunities exist for the executive branch or Congress to better manage, reduce, or eliminate fragmentation, overlap, and duplication. …

Subjects: Congress, Government Documents, Knowledge Management, Legislation

H.R.5490 – Wall Street Accountability through Sustainable Funding Act

Summary: H.R.5490 — 113th Congress (2013-2014) All Bill Information (Except Text). There is one summary for this bill. Bill summaries are authored by CRS. Shown Here: Introduced in House (09/16/2014) Wall Street Accountability Through Sustainable Funding Act – Amends the Commodity Exchange Act to require the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to impose fees to recover the cost …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System, Legal Research, Legislation

New GAO Report – Combatting Terrorism

Strategy to Counter Iran in the Western Hemisphere Has Gaps That State Department Should Address, GAO-14-834: Published: Sep 29, 2014. Publicly Released: Oct 21, 2014. “The activities of Iranian government elements, such as a 2011 attempt to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador in the United States, could pose a threat to U.S. national security. Congress enacted the …

Subjects: Congress, Defense, Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation

Conflict Minerals and Resource Extraction: Dodd-Frank, SEC Regulations, and Legal Challenges

Conflict Minerals and Resource Extraction: Dodd-Frank, SEC Regulations, and Legal Challenges. Michael V. Seitzinger, Legislative Attorney; Kathleen Ann Ruane, Legislative Attorney. October 15, 2014. “Two sections of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) require that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC or Commission) issue regulations to make public the involvement of U.S. companies in conflict minerals and in …

Subjects: Congress, Economy, Energy, Financial System, Free Speech, Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation, Securities Law

Cybercrime: An Overview of the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Statute and Related Federal Criminal Laws

CRS – Cybercrime: An Overview of the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Statute and Related Federal Criminal Laws. Charles Doyle, Senior Specialist in American Public Law. October 15, 2014. “The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), 18 U.S.C. 1030, outlaws conduct that victimizes  computer systems. It is a cyber security law. It protects federal computers, bank computers, and computers …

Subjects: Congress, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, ID Theft, Internet, Legal Research, Legislation

CRS – Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA): Resources for Frequently Asked Questions, Angela Napili, Information Research Specialist, October 10, 2014. “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; P.L. 111-148, as amended) has numerous provisions affecting private health insurance and public health coverage programs. Many of these provisions take effect in 2014. This report provides resources to help congressional …

Subjects: Congress, Health Care, Legal Research, Legislation

Al Qaeda-Affiliated Groups: Middle East and Africa

CRS: Al Qaeda-Affiliated Groups: Middle East and Africa, October 10, 2014. “After more than a decade of combating Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the United States now faces an increasingly diverse threat from Al Qaeda affiliates in the Middle East and Africa and from emerging groups that have adopted aspects of Al Qaeda’s ideology …

Subjects: Congress, Defense, Government Documents, Legislation