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| Date July 30, 2015 |
Report No. R43157 |
Title
The Federal Tax Treatment of Married SameSex Couples Margot L. Crandall-Hollick Analyst in Public Finance Carol A. Pettit Legislative Attorney Molly F. Sherlock Coordinator of Division Research and Specialist July 30, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R43157 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress The Federal Tax Treatment of Married Same-Sex ...
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| Date July 30, 2015 |
Report No. RL33320 |
Title
National Security Letters in Foreign Intelligence Investigations: Legal Background Charles Doyle Senior Specialist in American Public Law July 30, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL33320 National Security Letters in Foreign Intelligence Investigations: Legal Background Summary Five federal statutes authorize intelligence officials to request certain business record ...
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| Date July 30, 2015 |
Report No. IN10332 |
Title
CRS Insights Defense Health Program Funding Shortfall for Fiscal Year 2015 Pat Towell, Coordinator, Specialist in U.S. Defense Policy and Budget (ptowell@crs.loc.gov, 7-2122) Don J. Jansen, Specialist in Defense Health Care Policy (djansen@crs.loc.gov, 7-4769) July 30, 2015 (IN10332) As reported in an online article (behind subscription wall) dated July 27, 2015, by Austin Wright in Politico and a ...
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| Date July 29, 2015 |
Report No. IN10333 |
Title
CRS Insights The 2015 National Military Strategy: Background and Questions for Congress Kathleen J. McInnis, Analyst in International Security (kmcinnis@crs.loc.gov, 7-1416) July 29, 2015 (IN10333) In June 2015, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff issued the most recent United States National Military Strategy (NMS). This NMS argues that "revisionist states" seeking to change the existing ...
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| Date July 29, 2015 |
Report No. LICENSE |
Title
Legal Sidebar License Plates and Public Signs: Government First Amendment Speech 7/29/2015 On June 18, 2015, the Supreme Court issued two First Amendment opinions, Walker v. Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and Reed v. Town of Gilbert, which at first glance may seem contradictory. While the 9-0 Reed decision limits the state s power to regulate signs based on content, the 5-4 Walker ...
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| Date July 29, 2015 |
Report No. LS_2015-07-29_01 |
Title
Legal Sidebar License Plates and Public Signs: Government First Amendment Speech 7/29/2015 On June 18, 2015, the Supreme Court issued two First Amendment opinions, Walker v. Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and Reed v. Town of Gilbert, which at first glance may seem contradictory. While the 9-0 Reed decision limits the state s power to regulate signs based on content, the 5-4 Walker ...
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| Date July 28, 2015 |
Report No. RL32809 |
Title
Agricultural Biotechnology: Background, Regulation, and Policy Issues Tadlock Cowan Analyst in Natural Resources and Rural Development July 28, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL32809 Agricultural Biotechnology: Background, Regulation, and Policy Issues Summary Biotechnology refers primarily to the use of recombinant DNA techniques to genetically modify or bioengineer plants ...
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| Date July 28, 2015 |
Report No. RS21297 |
Title
Older Americans Act: Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Kirsten J. Colello Specialist in Health and Aging Policy July 28, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RS21297 Older Americans Act: Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Summary Quality of care in long-term care settings has been, and continues to be, a concern for federal policymakers. The Long-Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman Program is ...
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| Date July 28, 2015 |
Report No. IN10331 |
Title
CRS Insights Expansion of WTO Information Technology Agreement Targets December Conclusion Rachel F. Fefer, Analyst in International Trade and Finance (rfefer@crs.loc.gov, 7-1804) July 28, 2015 (IN10331) On July 24, 2015, the United States and 80 other World Trade Organization (WTO) members reached tentative agreement to expand the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and eliminate tariffs on ...
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| Date July 28, 2015 |
Report No. IN10329 |
Title
CRS Insights Filling the Senate "Amendment Tree" Christopher M. Davis, Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process (cmdavis@crs.loc.gov, 7-0656) July 28, 2015 (IN10329) Observers of the legislative process on the Senate floor have heard Senators of both parties talk a lot in recent years about "amendment trees." "Amendment trees" are diagrams that have developed over decades of Senate practice ...
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| Date July 27, 2015 |
Report No. R43880 |
Title
The America COMPETES Acts: An Overview Heather B. Gonzalez Specialist in Science and Technology Policy July 27, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R43880 The America COMPETES Acts: An Overview Summary Scientific and technological advancement played a central role in ensuring U.S. prosperity and power in the 20th century. From the first flight of the Wright brothers in 1903 to ...
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| Date July 27, 2015 |
Report No. R40484 |
Title
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Luisa Blanchfield Specialist in International Relations July 27, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R40484 The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Summary U.S. ratification of the United Nations (U.N.) Convention on the Rights of the Child (hereinafter referred to as CRC or the Convention) may be a key ...
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| Date July 27, 2015 |
Report No. R43483 |
Title
Who Pays for Long-Term Services and Supports? A Fact Sheet Kirsten J. Colello Specialist in Health and Aging Policy Scott R. Talaga Analyst in Health Care Financing July 27, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R43483 Who Pays for Long-Term Services and Supports? A Fact Sheet L ong-term services and supports (LTSS) refer to a broad range of health and health-related services and ...
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| Date July 27, 2015 |
Report No. IF10179 |
Title
Updated July 27, 2015 Rwanda: Current Issues Overview Figure 1. Rwanda at a Glance Under the leadership of President Paul Kagame, Rwanda has become known for its rapid development and security gains since the devastating 1994 genocide, in which over 800,000 people were killed. The minority ethnic Tutsi community was targeted in the genocide, along with politically moderate members of the Hutu ...
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| Date July 24, 2015 |
Report No. R44122 |
Title
Charter-Time Warner Cable-Bright House Networks Mergers: Overview and Issues Dana A. Scherer Analyst in Telecommunications July 24, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44122 Charter-Time Warner Cable-Bright House Networks Mergers: Overview and Issues Summary In May 2015, Charter Communications, Inc. announced that it reached agreements with Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC) to merge ...
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| Date July 24, 2015 |
Report No. IN10327 |
Title
CRS Insights OPM Data Breach: Personnel Security Background Investigation Data Michelle D. Christensen, Analyst in Government Organization and Management (mchristensen@crs.loc.gov, 70764) July 24, 2015 (IN10327) In a July 9, 2015, news release on the cyber-intrusions of its systems, OPM "concluded with high confidence that sensitive information, including the Social Security Numbers (SSNs) of 21.5 ...
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| Date July 23, 2015 |
Report No. R40750 |
Title
The U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): Issues in the U.S. Ratification Debate Luisa Blanchfield Specialist in International Relations July 23, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R40750 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress CEDAW: Issues in the U.S. Ratification Debate Summary The Senate may ...
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| Date July 23, 2015 |
Report No. IN10303 |
Title
CRS Insights Crisis in Greece: Political Implications Paul Belkin, Analyst in European Affairs (pbelkin@crs.loc.gov, 7-0220) July 23, 2015 (IN10303) Overview What began as a debt crisis in Greece in late 2009 has evolved into a broader political crisis in Europe that many analysts believe could result in the most significant setback in over 60 years of European integration. Since 2009, Greece, its ...
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| Date July 23, 2015 |
Report No. R42967 |
Title
U.S.-Kenya Relations: Current Political and Security Issues Lauren Ploch Blanchard Specialist in African Affairs July 23, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R42967 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress U.S.-Kenya Relations: Current Political and Security Issues Contents ...
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| Date July 23, 2015 |
Report No. IN10321 |
Title
Labeling Genetically Engineered Foods: The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 Updated July 23, 2015 As approved by the House Agriculture Committee on July 14, 2015, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 (H.R. 1599) would create a national voluntary program governing pre-market review and labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods and would preempt current and future state ...
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| Date July 23, 2015 |
Report No. IF10263 |
Title
July 23, 2015 Balance Billing in Private Health Insurance Plans What is balance billing? Balance billing is when a health care provider bills a consumer for charges (other than cost sharing) that exceed the health insurance plan s payment for a covered service. Key Terms Charge: The dollar amount a provider sets for services rendered before negotiating any discounts. Negotiated Payment: The ...
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| Date July 22, 2015 |
Report No. R44067 |
Title
War Funding and the Budget Control Act: In Brief Amy Belasco Specialist in U.S. Defense Policy and Budget July 22, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44067 War Funding and the Budget Control Act: In Brief Summary In the FY2016 debate on the level of defense spending, Congress is considering how to stay within the spending limits, or caps, set by the Budget Control Act (BCA). ...
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| Date July 22, 2015 |
Report No. R42741 |
Title
Laws Affecting the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program Kirstin B. Blom Analyst in Health Care Financing Ada S. Cornell Information Research Specialist July 22, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R42741 Laws Affecting the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program Summary For more than 50 years, the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program has been ...
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| Date July 21, 2015 |
Report No. R40227 |
Title
GAO Bid Protests: Trends and Analysis Moshe Schwartz Specialist in Defense Acquisition Kate M. Manuel Legislative Attorney July 21, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R40227 GAO Bid Protests: Trends and Analysis Summary Bid protests on federal government contracts filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) have received congressional scrutiny due to protests of high- ...
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| Date July 21, 2015 |
Report No. R44117 |
Title
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): Background, Operations, and Issues Curt Tarnoff Specialist in Foreign Affairs July 21, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44117 U.S. Agency for International Development: Background, Operations, and Issues Summary This report provides background information on the institutional makeup and operations of the U.S. Agency for ...
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| Date July 20, 2015 |
Report No. R43626 |
Title
The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Background and Overview Kevin J. Coleman Analyst in Elections July 20, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R43626 The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Background and Overview Summary The Voting Rights Act (VRA) was successfully challenged in a June 2013 case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder. The suit challenged the ...
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| Date July 20, 2015 |
Report No. R44114 |
Title
Update on the Highly-Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreak of 2014-2015 Joel L. Greene Analyst in Agricultural Policy July 20, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44114 Update on the Highly-Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreak of 2014-2015 Summary The U.S. poultry industry is experiencing a severe outbreak of highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The U.S. Department of ...
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| Date July 20, 2015 |
Report No. 97-122 |
Title
Takings Decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court: A Chronology Robert Meltz Legislative Attorney July 20, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov 97-122 Takings Decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court: A Chronology Summary This report is a reverse chronological listing of U.S. Supreme Court decisions addressing claims that a government entity has taken private property, as that term is used ...
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| Date July 20, 2015 |
Report No. IN10319 |
Title
CRS Insights Microbeads: An Emerging Water Quality Issue Claudia Copeland, Specialist in Resources and Environmental Policy (ccopeland@crs.loc.gov, 7-7227) July 20, 2015 (IN10319) For decades, water quality professionals have faced the challenge of controlling a variety of conventional and nonconventional pollutants (e.g., nutrients and suspended solids, oil and grease) and toxic chemical ...
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| Date July 17, 2015 |
Report No. R44111 |
Title
Cyber Intrusion into U.S. Office of Personnel Management: In Brief Kristin Finklea, Coordinator Specialist in Domestic Security Michelle D. Christensen Analyst in Government Organization and Management Eric A. Fischer Senior Specialist in Science and Technology Susan V. Lawrence Specialist in Asian Affairs Catherine A. Theohary Specialist in National Security Policy and Information Operations July ...
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| Date July 17, 2015 |
Report No. IN10312 |
Title
CRS Insights Reestablishment of Diplomatic Relations with Cuba Mark P. Sullivan, Specialist in Latin American Affairs (msullivan@crs.loc.gov, 7-7689) Alex Tiersky, Analyst in Foreign Affairs (atiersky@crs.loc.gov, 7-7367) July 17, 2015 (IN10312) On July 1, 2015, President Obama announced that the United States and Cuba agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations, effective July 20, and to reopen ...
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| Date July 17, 2015 |
Report No. IN10318 |
Title
CRS Insights Can Military Servicemembers Carry Firearms for Personal Protection on Duty? Kristy N. Kamarck, Analyst in Military Manpower (kkamarck@crs.loc.gov, 7-7783) Heidi M. Peters, Information Research Specialist (hpeters@crs.loc.gov, 7-0702) July 17, 2015 (IN10318) On July 16, 2015, an armed shooter attacked a Marine Corps recruiting center and U.S. Naval Reserve Center in Chattanooga, ...
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| Date July 16, 2015 |
Report No. R44109 |
Title
. Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions in Independent and Other Agencies During the 113th Congress Jared C. Nagel Information Research Specialist Michael Greene Information Research Specialist July 16, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44109 Presidential Appointments to Independent and Other Agencies, 113th Congress . Summary The President makes appointments to ...
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| Date July 15, 2015 |
Report No. R44107 |
Title
. Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions in Executive Departments During the 113th Congress Michael Greene Information Research Specialist Jared C. Nagel Information Research Specialist July 15, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44107 Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions in Executive Departments . Summary The President makes appointments to positions ...
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| Date July 15, 2015 |
Report No. R44108 |
Title
U.S. Command and Control and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Aircraft Jeffrey Nelson US Air Force Fellow July 15, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44108 U.S. Command and Control and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Aircraft Summary The fleet of manned aircraft accomplishing the Department of Defense s (DOD s) Command and Control (C2) and ...
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| Date July 15, 2015 |
Report No. R44105 |
Title
. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Proposed Rule on Medicaid Managed Care: Frequently Asked Questions Kirstin B. Blom Analyst in Health Care Financing July 15, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44105 CMS Proposed Rule on Medicaid Managed Care: Frequently Asked Questions . Summary On May 26, 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a ...
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| Date July 15, 2015 |
Report No. R44106 |
Title
Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order: Questions and Answers Kate M. Manuel Legislative Attorney Rodney M. Perry Legislative Attorney July 15, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44106 Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order: Questions and Answers Summary On July 31, 2014, President Obama issued Executive Order 13673, Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces, with the stated ...
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| Date July 15, 2015 |
Report No. IN10317 |
Title
CRS Insights The Dominican Republic: Tensions with Haiti over Citizenship and Migration Issues Clare Ribando Seelke, Specialist in Latin American Affairs (cseelke@crs.loc.gov, 7-5229) Rhoda Margesson, Specialist in International Humanitarian Policy (rmargesson@crs.loc.gov, 7-0425) Maureen Taft-Morales, Specialist in Latin American Affairs (mtmorales@crs.loc.gov, 7-7659) July 15, 2015 (IN10317) A ...
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| Date July 15, 2015 |
Report No. IN10264 |
Title
CRS Insights What are the Department of Defense (DOD) Policies on Transgender Service? Kristy N. Kamarck, Analyst in Military Manpower (kkamarck@crs.loc.gov, 7-7783) July 15, 2015 (IN10264) Background On July 13, 2015, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced that DOD will review its policies on transgender service. As part of this announcement he issued two directives: 1. DOD will create a ...
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| Date July 15, 2015 |
Report No. REMEDY |
Title
Legal Sidebar Is There a Judicial Remedy for Victims of Federal Data Breaches? 7/15/2015 The scope of information believed to have been compromised by a series of cyber-intrusions at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) continues to grow. OPM recently announced that further investigation of the initial breach affecting 4.2 million current and former federal employees has led officials to ...
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| Date July 15, 2015 |
Report No. LS_2015-07-15_01 |
Title
Legal Sidebar Is There a Judicial Remedy for Victims of Federal Data Breaches? 7/15/2015 The scope of information believed to have been compromised by a series of cyber-intrusions at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) continues to grow. OPM recently announced that further investigation of the initial breach affecting 4.2 million current and former federal employees has led officials to ...
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| Date July 15, 2015 |
Report No. IF10258 |
Title
July 15, 2015 Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Order: Answers to Questions On July 31, 2014, President Obama issued Executive Order 13673, Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces, with the stated intent of increasing efficiency and cost savings by ensuring that executive branch procurement contractors understand and comply with labor laws. What does the order require? The order requires that contractors and ...
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| Date July 14, 2015 |
Report No. RL33947 |
Title
Juvenile Justice: Legislative History and Current Legislative Issues Updated July 14, 2015 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov RL33947 Juvenile Justice: Legislative History and Current Legislative Issues Summary Juvenile justice in the United States has predominantly been the province of the states and their localities. The first juvenile court in America was founded in ...
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| Date July 14, 2015 |
Report No. IF10257 |
Title
July 14, 2015 The U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED): Economic Outcomes and Issues From June 22-24, 2015, U.S. and Chinese officials held the seventh round of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED), a forum that was established in 2009 by President Obama and then-Chinese President Hu Jintao to address long-term economic and strategic issues. The S&ED is a continuation ...
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| Date July 13, 2015 |
Report No. IN10316 |
Title
CRS Insights DRIVE Act Would Increase Highway Funding Faster than Projected Inflation Robert S. Kirk, Specialist in Transportation Policy (rkirk@crs.loc.gov, 7-7769) July 13, 2015 (IN10316) On June 22, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) ordered reported favorably the highway title of a six-year surface transportation reauthorization bill. The EPW bill, called the Developing a ...
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| Date July 13, 2015 |
Report No. R41760 |
Title
Hydraulic Fracturing and Safe Drinking Water Act Regulatory Issues Mary Tiemann Specialist in Environmental Policy Adam Vann Legislative Attorney July 13, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R41760 Hydraulic Fracturing and Safe Drinking Water Act Regulatory Issues Summary Hydraulic fracturing is a technique developed initially to stimulate oil production from wells in declining ...
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| Date July 13, 2015 |
Report No. IN10314 |
Title
CRS Insights Charleston, SC, Mass Shooter Might Have Been Denied a Handgun If Not for Possible Recordkeeping Oversights William J. Krouse, Specialist in Domestic Security and Crime Policy (wkrouse@crs.loc.gov, 7-2225) July 13, 2015 (IN10314) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey announced on Friday, July 10, 2015, that the alleged assailant in the Charleston, SC, mass murder/ ...
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| Date July 10, 2015 |
Report No. R43457 |
Title
State and Local Sanctuary Policies Limiting Participation in Immigration Enforcement Michael John Garcia Legislative Attorney Kate M. Manuel Legislative Attorney July 10, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R43457 State and Local Sanctuary Policies Limiting Participation in Immigration Enforcement Summary While the power to prescribe rules as to which aliens may enter the United ...
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| Date July 9, 2015 |
Report No. R44102 |
Title
Hunting and Fishing: Analysis of S. 556 and S. 659 M. Lynne Corn Specialist in Natural Resources Policy July 9, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44102 Hunting and Fishing: Analysis of S. 556 and S. 659 Summary Hunting, fishing, trapping, and recreational shooting, particularly on federal lands, have been the subjects of various bills for several Congresses. In general, ...
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| Date July 9, 2015 |
Report No. R43781 |
Title
The Tibetan Policy Act of 2002: Background and Implementation (name redacted) Specialist in Asian Affairs July 9, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-.... www.crs.gov R43781 The Tibetan Policy Act of 2002: Background and Implementation Summary The Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (TPA) is a core legislative measure guiding U.S. policy toward Tibet. Its stated purpose is to support the aspirations of ...
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