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| Date Aug. 18, 2015 |
Report No. R44157 |
Title
The Intelligence Community and Its Use of Contractors: Congressional Oversight Issues L. Elaine Halchin Specialist in American National Government August 18, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44157 The Intelligence Community and Its Use of Contractors: Congressional Oversight Issues Summary Contractors have been and are an integral part of the intelligence community s (IC s) ...
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| Date Aug. 18, 2015 |
Report No. IF10269 |
Title
Updated August 18, 2015 Algal Toxins in Drinking Water: EPA Health Advisories On June 17, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued drinking water health advisories for two algal toxins to help water providers address threats to drinking water supplies from harmful algal blooms (HABs). Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) occur naturally in marine and fresh water and can produce numerous ...
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| Date Aug. 18, 2015 |
Report No. EAGLE |
Title
Legal Sidebar Sentence for Killing a Bald Eagle Found Too Severe and Unauthorized 08/18/2015 Lamar Bertucci pleaded guilty to killing a bald eagle and a rough-legged hawk. The trial court ordered him imprisoned for eight months, to pay $6,500 in restitution, and to undergo anger-management counseling as a condition of his supervised release. The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh ...
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| Date Aug. 17, 2015 |
Report No. R44139 |
Title
Iran Nuclear Agreement: CRS Experts August 17, 2015 (R44139) Introduction Congress is currently in a period of formal review, being conducted on the basis of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (P.L. 114-17), of the "Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action" (JCPOA) nuclear agreement concluded between Iran and six negotiating powers ("P5+1") on July 14. The period for initial congressional review ...
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| Date Aug. 17, 2015 |
Report No. IF10191 |
Title
Updated August 17, 2015 Overview of Farm Safety Net Programs The federal farm safety net provides risk protection and financial support to U.S. farmers. The three components are the permanently authorized federal crop insurance program, farm commodity programs (crop years 2014-2018), and permanently authorized agricultural disaster programs. The 2014 farm bill (the Agricultural Act of 2014; P.L. ...
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| Date Aug. 17, 2015 |
Report No. IN10342 |
Title
China's Currency Devaluation August 17, 2015 (IN10342) | | James K. Jackson, Specialist in International Trade and Finance (jjackson@crs.loc.gov, 7-7751) On Tuesday, August 11, 2015, the People's Bank of China (PBC), China's central bank, surprised global financial markets by lowering the reference rate of the renminbi, effectively depreciating the currency, and adopting a new method for ...
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| Date Aug. 17, 2015 |
Report No. IN10341 |
Title
Gold King Mine Spill: EPA Response and Related Issues August 17, 2015 (IN10341) | | David M. Bearden, Specialist in Environmental Policy (dbearden@crs.loc.gov, 7-2390) Mary Tiemann, Specialist in Environmental Policy (mtiemann@crs.loc.gov, 7-5937) On August 5, 2015, a surge of acid mine drainage (AMD) wastewater spilled from the Gold King Mine site north of Silverton, Colorado, when the ...
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| Date Aug. 14, 2015 |
Report No. R40979 |
Title
California Drought: Hydrological and Regulatory Water Supply Issues Betsy A. Cody Specialist in Natural Resources Policy Peter Folger Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources Policy Cynthia Brown Legislative Attorney August 14, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R40979 California Drought: Hydrological and Regulatory Water Supply Issues Summary California is in its fourth year ...
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| Date Aug. 14, 2015 |
Report No. R44146 |
Title
The Demand for Municipal Bonds: Issues for Congress Darryl E. Getter Specialist in Financial Economics Raj Gnanarajah Analyst in Financial Economics August 14, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44146 The Demand for Municipal Bonds: Issues for Congress Summary Municipal bonds are debt securities issued by states, cities, counties, and other governmentcreated agencies to ...
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| Date Aug. 14, 2015 |
Report No. 98-338 |
Title
House Committee Hearings: Witness Testimony Updated August 14, 2015 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov 98-338 House Committee Hearings: Witness Testimony Witnesses before House committees must generally file advance copies of their written testimony with the committee and then limit their oral testimony to brief summaries (Rule XI, clause 2(g)(5)). A question-and-answer ...
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| Date Aug. 14, 2015 |
Report No. R41933 |
Title
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): Background, Legislation, and Policy Issues Wendy Ginsberg Analyst in American National Government August 14, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R41933 The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): Background, Legislation, and Policy Issues Summary The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA; 5 U.S.C. 552) allows any person individual or corporate, ...
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| Date Aug. 14, 2015 |
Report No. R42887 |
Title
Overview and Issues for Implementation of the Federal Cloud Computing Initiative: Implications for Federal Information Technology Reform Management Patricia Moloney Figliola Specialist in Internet and Telecommunications Policy Eric A. Fischer Senior Specialist in Science and Technology August 14, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R42887 Overview and Issues for Implementation ...
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| Date Aug. 14, 2015 |
Report No. RL32462 |
Title
Foreign Investment in U.S. Securities James K. Jackson Specialist in International Trade and Finance August 14, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL32462 Foreign Investment in U.S. Securities Summary Foreign capital inflows play an important role in the U.S. economy by bridging the gap between domestic supplies of and demand for capital. Such inflows peaked in 2007 in nominal ...
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| Date Aug. 14, 2015 |
Report No. R43733 |
Title
Revision of the Nutrition Facts Label: Proposed Rules Agata Dabrowska Analyst in Health Policy August 14, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R43733 Revision of the Nutrition Facts Label: Proposed Rules Summary High rates of obesity and chronic diseases have prompted federal, state, and local initiatives such as exercise promotion, nutrition education, and food labeling. Nearly ...
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| Date Aug. 14, 2015 |
Report No. RS22637 |
Title
House Committee Hearings: The Minority Witness Rule name redacted Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process August 14, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-.... www.crs.gov RS22637 House Committee Hearings: The Minority Witness Rule Summary House Rule XI gives the minority party members of committees the right to have witnesses of their choosing called to testify on at least one day of any ...
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| Date Aug. 14, 2015 |
Report No. RS22854 |
Title
Filling the Amendment Tree in the Senate Christopher M. Davis Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process August 14, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RS22854 Filling the Amendment Tree in the Senate Summary Amendment trees are charts that illustrate certain principles of precedence that guide the Senate amendment process. When all of the amendments permitted ...
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| Date Aug. 13, 2015 |
Report No. R40532 |
Title
Federal Crop Insurance: Background Dennis A. Shields Specialist in Agricultural Policy August 13, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R40532 Federal Crop Insurance: Background Summary The federal crop insurance program began in 1938 when Congress authorized the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. The current program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture s ...
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| Date Aug. 13, 2015 |
Report No. R44154 |
Title
. Lobbying Congress with Appropriated Funds: Restrictions on Federal Agencies and Officials Jack Maskell Legislative Attorney August 13, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44154 Lobbying Congress with Appropriated Funds: Restrictions on Federal Agencies, Officials . Summary Congress, under its authority to direct and control the use and expenditure of the funds that it ...
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| Date Aug. 11, 2015 |
Report No. R42497 |
Title
Trafficking in Persons: International Dimensions and Foreign Policy Issues for Congress Liana W. Rosen Specialist in International Crime and Narcotics August 11, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R42497 Trafficking in Persons: International Dimensions and Foreign Policy Issues for Congress Summary Trafficking in persons, or human trafficking, refers to the subjection of men, ...
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| Date Aug. 11, 2015 |
Report No. IF10025 |
Title
Updated August 11, 2015 Surface Transportation Funding and Infrastructure Challenges Surface transportation reauthorization acts fund federal highway and public transportation programs. The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21; P.L. 112-141), which originally expired September 31, 2014, has been extended through October 29, 2015, by the Surface Transportation and Veterans ...
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| Date Aug. 11, 2015 |
Report No. EPA-CLEAN |
Title
Legal Sidebar EPA s Clean Power Plan: Likely Legal Challenges Part 1 08/11/2015 Part 2 of this two-part Sidebar on likely legal arguments over the Clean Power Plan may be found here. On August 3, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its controversial Clean Power Plan (CPP) to regulate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from existing fossil-fuel fired power plants, finalizing a ...
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| Date Aug. 11, 2015 |
Report No. OVERTIME |
Title
Legal Sidebar Proposed Regulations Could Result in Overtime for More Workers 08/11/2015 The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the U.S. Department of Labor has proposed new regulations to implement the Fair Labor Standards Act s exemption for bona fide executive, administrative, and professional employees. In general, the proposed regulations would raise the salary threshold that must be met before ...
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| Date Aug. 11, 2015 |
Report No. EEOC |
Title
Legal Sidebar Federal Law Prohibits Sexual Orientation Discrimination, Rules EEOC 08/11/2015 In a case with potentially far-reaching implications, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently ruled that federal law prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The agency based its decision on its interpretation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, a ...
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| Date Aug. 10, 2015 |
Report No. R44071 |
Title
H.R. 6: The 21st Century Cures Act Judith A. Johnson, Coordinator Specialist in Biomedical Policy Susan Thaul, Coordinator Specialist in Drug Safety and Effectiveness Erin Bagalman, Coordinator Analyst in Health Policy August 10, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44071 H.R. 6: The 21st Century Cures Act Summary On July 10, 2015, the House passed H.R. 6, the 21st Century Cures ...
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| Date Aug. 7, 2015 |
Report No. RS22452 |
Title
A Guide to U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: Operation Freedom s Sentinel, Operation Inherent Resolve, Operation New Dawn, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom Hannah Fischer Information Research Specialist August 7, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RS22452 U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: OFS, OIR, OND, OIF, and OEF Summary This report presents ...
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| Date Aug. 7, 2015 |
Report No. R44143 |
Title
Obergefell v. Hodges: Same-Sex Marriage Legalized Rodney M. Perry Legislative Attorney August 7, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44143 Obergefell v. Hodges: Same-Sex Marriage Legalized Summary On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Obergefell v. Hodges requiring states to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and to recognize same-sex marriages ...
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| Date Aug. 7, 2015 |
Report No. IF10274 |
Title
August 7, 2015 Status of the African Lion and Sport Hunting The Killing of Cecil the Lion An American citizen was accused of illegally killing a popular lion named Cecil near the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe in July 2015. The citizen reportedly paid some $50,000 to conduct the hunt. The hunt reportedly was illegal because the owner of the land on which the lion was killed did not have a quota ...
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| Date Aug. 6, 2015 |
Report No. R44142 |
Title
Iran Nuclear Agreement: Selected Issues for Congress Kenneth Katzman, Coordinator Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs Paul K. Kerr, Coordinator Analyst in Nonproliferation August 6, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44142 Iran Nuclear Agreement: Selected Issues for Congress Summary The nuclear agreement between Iran and six negotiating powers ( P5+1: United States, France, ...
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| Date Aug. 6, 2015 |
Report No. RL34584 |
Title
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) Amanda K. Sarata Specialist in Health Policy Jody Feder Legislative Attorney August 6, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL34584 The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) Summary On May 21, 2008, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA), referred to by its sponsors as the first ...
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| Date Aug. 6, 2015 |
Report No. RL33834 |
Title
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) Amanda K. Sarata Specialist in Health Policy Jody Feder Legislative Attorney August 6, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL34584 The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) Summary On May 21, 2008, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA), referred to by its sponsors as the first ...
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| Date Aug. 6, 2015 |
Report No. R40703 |
Title
Guinea: In Brief name redacted Analyst in African Affairs August 6, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-.... www.crs.gov R40703 Guinea: In Brief Summary Guinea is one of three countries most affected by the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which has affected the country s economy, social relations, food security, and politics. A former French colony on West Africa s Atlantic coast with a ...
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| Date Aug. 6, 2015 |
Report No. IF10273 |
Title
August 6, 2015 China s One Belt, One Road A Plan for Economic Connectivity OBOR s Objectives In March 2015, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that his ministry s single key focus in 2015 would be making all-around progress in the Belt and Road Initiative, highlighting the central place that effort has come to occupy in Chinese foreign policy. China envisions boosting economic connectivity ...
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| Date Aug. 6, 2015 |
Report No. R43224 |
Title
. Overview of Management and Restoration Activities in the Lake Tahoe Basin Pervaze A. Sheikh Specialist in Natural Resources Policy Charles V. Stern Specialist in Natural Resources Policy Samuel Kim Research Assistant August 6, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R43224 Overview of Management and Restoration Activities in the Lake Tahoe Basin . Summary The Lake Tahoe Basin ( ...
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| Date Aug. 5, 2015 |
Report No. R44005 |
Title
Questions of the Privileges of the House: An Analysis Megan S. Lynch Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process August 5, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44005 Questions of the Privileges of the House: An Analysis Summary A question of the privileges of the House is a formal declaration by a Member of the House asserting that a situation has arisen affecting the rights ...
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| Date Aug. 5, 2015 |
Report No. IF10271 |
Title
August 5, 2015 th Senate Committee Funding and Process, 114 Congress Overview Funding for Senate committees (except for the Committee on Appropriations and the Select Committee on Ethics) follows a two-step process of authorization and appropriation. Operating budgets for all standing and select committees of the Senate (except for the Committee on Appropriations and the Select Committee on Ethics ...
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| Date Aug. 5, 2015 |
Report No. IF10270 |
Title
August 5, 2015 House Committee Funding and Process, 114th Congress Overview Funding for House committees (except for the Committee on Appropriations) follows a two-step process of authorization and appropriation. Operating budgets for all standing and select committees of the House (except for the Committee on Appropriations) are authorized pursuant to a chamber funding resolution, and funding is ...
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| Date Aug. 5, 2015 |
Report No. R43102 |
Title
Fast Track Legislative Procedures Governing Congressional Consideration of a Defense Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) Commission Report Christopher M. Davis Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process August 5, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R43102 Fast Track Consideration of a BRAC Commission Report Summary In 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995, and 2005, an independent ...
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| Date Aug. 4, 2015 |
Report No. R41775 |
Title
Background and Issues for Congressional Oversight of ARRA Broadband Awards Lennard G. Kruger Specialist in Science and Technology Policy August 4, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R41775 Background and Issues for Congressional Oversight of ARRA Broadband Awards Summary The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, P.L. 111-5) provided an unprecedented level of federal ...
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| Date Aug. 4, 2015 |
Report No. R44134 |
Title
. Access to Unapproved Drugs: FDA Policies on Compassionate Use and Emergency Use Authorization Susan Thaul Specialist in Drug Safety and Effectiveness August 4, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44134 Access to Unapproved Drugs: FDA Policies . Summary The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the U.S. sale of drugs and biological products, basing approval or licensure ...
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| Date Aug. 3, 2015 |
Report No. R42507 |
Title
Cybersecurity: Authoritative Reports and Resources, by Topic Rita Tehan Information Research Specialist August 3, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R42507 Cybersecurity: Authoritative Reports and Resources, by Topic Summary This report provides references to analytical reports on cybersecurity from CRS, other government agencies, trade associations, and interest groups. The ...
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| Date Aug. 3, 2015 |
Report No. R44132 |
Title
Specialty Drugs: Background and Policy Concerns Suzanne M. Kirchhoff Analyst in Health Care Financing August 3, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44132 Specialty Drugs: Background and Policy Concerns Summary Specialty drugs are one of the fastest-growing areas of health care spending. There is no one set definition of specialty drugs, although insurers and other health care ...
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| Date Aug. 3, 2015 |
Report No. R44131 |
Title
History of the Navy UCLASS Program Requirements: In Brief Jeremiah Gertler Specialist in Military Aviation August 3, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44131 History of the Navy UCLASS Program Requirements: In Brief Summary During its development, the U.S. Navy s Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) aircraft and its predecessors have been ...
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| Date Aug. 3, 2015 |
Report No. R42742 |
Title
Federal Tax Benefits for Manufacturing: Current Law and Arguments For and Against Gary Guenther Analyst in Public Finance August 3, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R42742 Federal Tax Benefits for Manufacturing: Current Law and Arguments For and Against Summary Fueled in part by certain policy initiatives advocated by President Obama, a lively debate over whether additional ...
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| Date July 31, 2015 |
Report No. R43471 |
Title
Concurrent Receipt of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Unemployment Insurance (UI): Background and Legislative Proposals William R. Morton Analyst in Income Security July 31, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R43471 Concurrent Receipt of SSDI and UI: Background and Legislative Proposals Summary Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Unemployment ...
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| Date July 31, 2015 |
Report No. RL32593 |
Title
Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations Updated July 31, 2015 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov RL32593 Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations Summary Thailand is a long-time military ally and a significant trade and economic partner for the United States. For many years, Thailand was seen as a model democracy in Southeast Asia, although this image, along with U.S.- ...
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| Date July 31, 2015 |
Report No. IF10268 |
Title
July 31, 2015 FY2015 U.S. Postal Service Appropriations and Budget Request Overview The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) generates nearly all of its funding about $68 billion annually according to the USPS s most recent financial report by charging users of the mail for the costs of the services it provides. Congress, however, does provide an annual appropriation about $70 million to compensate the USPS ...
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| Date July 31, 2015 |
Report No. RS22406 |
Title
National Security Letters in Foreign Intelligence Investigations: A Glimpse at the Legal Background Charles Doyle Senior Specialist in American Public Law July 31, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RS22406 National Security Letters in Foreign Intelligence Investigations: A Glimpse at the Legal Background Summary Five federal statutes authorize intelligence officials to request ...
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| Date July 31, 2015 |
Report No. NLRB |
Title
Legal Sidebar NLRB Weighs In on Insulting Facebook Posts Cases 7/31/2015 In the age of Facebook and Twitter, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board) is trying to adapt the National Labor Relations Act (Act) which was enacted eighty years ago to the contours of employee-employer relations within the social media world. In recent years, the Board has been asked to consider a variety of ...
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| Date July 30, 2015 |
Report No. R44126 |
Title
Mass Murder with Firearms: Incidents and Victims, 1999-2013 William J. Krouse Specialist in Domestic Security and Crime Policy Daniel J. Richardson Research Assistant July 30, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44126 Mass Murder with Firearms: Incidents and Victims, 1999-2013 Summary In the wake of tragedy in Newtown CT, Congress defined mass killings as 3 or more killings in ...
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| Date July 30, 2015 |
Report No. R43916 |
Title
ESEA Reauthorization Proposals in the 114th Congress: Selected Key Issues Rebecca R. Skinner Specialist in Education Policy Jeffrey J. Kuenzi Specialist in Education Policy July 30, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R43916 ESEA Reauthorization Proposals in the 114th Congress: Selected Key Issues Summary The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was last comprehensively ...
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