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| Date Jan. 28, 2008 |
Report No. 97-548 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Credit unions are financial cooperatives organized by people with a common bond; they are the only depository institutions exempt from the federal corporate income tax. As financial cooperatives, credit unions only accept deposits of members and make loans only to members, other credit unions, or credit union organizations. Many Members of Congress ...
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| Date Jan. 28, 2008 |
Report No. RS22704 |
Title
Order Code RS22704 Updated January 28, 2008 The World Bank and Iran Martin A. Weiss and Jonathan E. Sanford Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Summary Several laws restrict U.S. support for World Bank lending to Iran. Despite U.S. opposition, the World Bank has provided loans to Iran on several occasions over the past five years, and disbursements on these loans appears to be increasing. ...
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| Date Jan. 28, 2008 |
Report No. RS21716 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Political organizations have the primary purpose of influencing federal, state, or local elections and conducting similar activities. Those that qualify under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code are taxed only on certain income. Under the Code, 527 organizations are subject to reporting requirements that involve registration, the periodic ...
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| Date Jan. 28, 2008 |
Report No. RL33333 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress One of the major goals of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) is to raise the achievement of students who currently fail to meet grade-level proficiency standards. Since student achievement is believed by many to depend in large part on effective teaching, the law also contains provisions designed to improve teacher quality. These provisions ...
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| Date Jan. 28, 2008 |
Report No. RS22762 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 (CCRAA; P.L. 110-84) establishes a new loan forgiveness provision for borrowers of loans made under the William D. Ford Direct Loan (DL) program who are employed in public service jobs for 10 years during the repayment of their loans. Borrowers who make 120 monthly payments on or after October 2, ...
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| Date Jan. 28, 2008 |
Report No. RL33810 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Hyperlinking, in-line linking, caching, framing, thumbnails. Terms that describe Internet functionality pose interpretative challenges for the courts as they determine how these activities relate to a copyright holder s traditional right to control reproduction, display, and distribution of protected works. At issue is whether basic operation of the ...
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| Date Jan. 25, 2008 |
Report No. RL33400 |
Title
Order Code RL33400 Youth Gangs: Background, Legislation, and Issues Updated January 25, 2008 Celinda Franco Specialist in Social Legislation Domestic Social Policy Division Youth Gangs: Background, Legislation, and Issues Summary Gang activity and related violence threaten public order in a diverse range of communities in the United States today. Congress has long recognized that this problem ...
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| Date Jan. 25, 2008 |
Report No. RL33732 |
Title
Order Code RL33732 Federal White-Collar Pay: FY2008 Salary Adjustments Updated January 25, 2008 Barbara L. Schwemle Analyst in American National Government Government and Finance Division Federal White-Collar Pay: FY2008 Salary Adjustments Summary Federal white-collar employees are intended by law to receive an annual pay adjustment and a locality-based comparability payment, effective in January ...
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| Date Jan. 25, 2008 |
Report No. RL34145 |
Title
Order Code RL34145 International Food Aid and the 2007 Farm Bill Updated January 25, 2008 Charles E. Hanrahan Senior Specialist in Agricultural Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division International Food Aid and the 2007 Farm Bill Summary Legislative authority for international food aid programs in the 2002 farm bill (P.L. 107-171) expires in 2007. The 110th Congress has been considering ...
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| Date Jan. 25, 2008 |
Report No. RL34227 |
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Order Code RL34227 Agricultural Exports and the 2007 Farm Bill Updated January 25, 2008 Charles E. Hanrahan Senior Specialist in Agricultural Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division Agricultural Exports and the 2007 Farm Bill Summary On December 14, 2007, the Senate passed its version of the 2007 farm bill. The House of Representatives passed its version of the 2007 farm bill (H.R. 2419) ...
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| Date Jan. 25, 2008 |
Report No. RS21999 |
Title
Order Code RS21999 Updated January 25, 2008 Farm Commodity Programs and the 2007 Farm Bill Jim Monke Specialist in Agricultural Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division Summary The farm commodity programs are the most visible part of the farm bill. Five crops (corn, wheat, cotton, rice, and soybeans) account for over 90% of government commodity payments to farmers. A new farm bill is ...
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| Date Jan. 25, 2008 |
Report No. RL32294 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Following the first free and fair elections in Haiti s history, Jean-Bertrand Aristide first became Haitian President in February 1991. He was overthrown by a military coup in September 1991. For over three years, the military regime resisted international demands that Aristide be restored to office. In September 1994, after a U.S. military ...
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| Date Jan. 25, 2008 |
Report No. RS21493 |
Title
Order Code RS21493 Updated January 25, 2008 Payment Limits for Farm Commodity Programs: Issues and Proposals Jim Monke Specialist in Agricultural Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division Summary Payment limits both determine eligibility and set a maximum amount of commodity payments per person. Both the House and Senate versions of the 2007 farm bill, H.R. 2419, would tighten some limits ...
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| Date Jan. 25, 2008 |
Report No. RS22794 |
Title
Order Code RS22794 January 25, 2008 Georgia s January 2008 Presidential Election: Outcome and Implications Jim Nichol Specialist in Russian and Eurasian Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Summary This report discusses the campaign and results of Georgia s January 5, 2008, presidential election and implications for Russia and U.S. interests. The election took place after the ...
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| Date Jan. 25, 2008 |
Report No. RS22585 |
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Order Code RS22585 Updated January 25, 2008 WIPO Treaty on the Protection of Broadcasting Organizations Margaret Mikyung Lee Legislative Attorney American Law Division Summary Because existing international agreements relevant to broadcasting protections do not cover advancements in broadcasting technology that were not envisioned when they were concluded, in 1998 the Standing Committee on ...
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| Date Jan. 25, 2008 |
Report No. RS22596 |
Title
Order Code RS22596 Updated January 25, 2008 FY2008 Appropriations for State and Local Homeland Security Shawn Reese Analyst in American National Government Government and Finance Division Summary Congress appropriated $4,228 million for FY2008 Department of Homeland Security assistance programs for states and localities, which is $841 million more than the FY2007 appropriation of $3,387 million. ...
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| Date Jan. 25, 2008 |
Report No. RS21044 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Federal funding of human embryonic stem cell procurement is prohibited by actions of both Congress and the current administration. Similarly, executive branch policy currently regulates the availability of federal funds for research using independently created embryonic stem cell lines. Pursuant to President Bush s August 2001 announcement, federal ...
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| Date Jan. 25, 2008 |
Report No. RL31329 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Supplemental educational services are educational activities provided outside of normal school hours that are designed to augment or enhance the educational services provided during regular periods of instruction, such as tutoring in specific subject areas and preparation for academic achievement tests. The No Child Left Behind Act amended the ...
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| Date Jan. 24, 2008 |
Report No. RL33557 |
Title
Order Code RL33557 Peacekeeping and Related Stability Operations: Issues of U.S. Military Involvement Updated January 24, 2007 Nina M. Serafino Specialist in International Security Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Peacekeeping and Related Stability Operations: Issues of U.S. Military Involvement Summary The 110th Congress may well face several decisions regarding the ...
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| Date Jan. 24, 2008 |
Report No. RL31512 |
Title
Order Code RL31512 Visa Issuances: Policy, Issues, and Legislation Updated January 24, 2008 Ruth Ellen Wasem Specialist in Immigration Policy Domestic Social Policy Division Visa Issuances: Policy, Issues, and Legislation Summary Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, considerable concern has been raised because the 19 terrorists were aliens who apparently entered the United States with ...
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| Date Jan. 24, 2008 |
Report No. RL34335 |
Title
Order Code RL34335 Pakistan s Scheduled 2008 Election: Background January 24, 2008 K. Alan Kronstadt Specialist in South Asian Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Pakistan s Scheduled 2008 Election: Background Summary A stable, democratic, prosperous Pakistan actively working to counter Islamist militancy is considered vital to U.S. interests. Pakistan is a key ally in U.S.-led ...
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| Date Jan. 24, 2008 |
Report No. RS21695 |
Title
Order Code RS21695 Updated January 24, 2008 The Islamic Traditions of Wahhabism and Salafiyya Christopher M. Blanchard Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Summary The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and subsequent discussions of religious extremism have called attention to Islamic puritanical movements known as Wahhabism and Salafiyya. Al Qaeda ...
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| Date Jan. 24, 2008 |
Report No. RL33173 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Hundreds of thousands of families were displaced from their homes by Hurricane Katrina. Many of the displaced families lacked economic means before the storm; others may have become disadvantaged because of the storm. The role of the federal government in helping to meet both the short- and long-term housing needs of displaced families remains under ...
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| Date Jan. 24, 2008 |
Report No. RL32579 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress The Crime Victims Fund (CVF or Fund ) was established in the U.S. Treasury in 1984 (P.L. 98473) by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) to provide funding to state victim compensation and assistance programs. VOCA was amended in 1988 (P.L. 100-690) to, among other things, establish the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) to administer the Fund. The OVC ...
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| Date Jan. 24, 2008 |
Report No. RL34338 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress A conservation easement is a property right whereby a landowner agrees not to develop property. Section 12204 of the Food and Energy Security Act of 2007 (H.R. 2419, as passed by the Senate) would create a new tax credit for taxpayers who agree to protect a qualified species for a specified amount of time under an approved plan. The proposed credit ...
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| Date Jan. 24, 2008 |
Report No. RL34285 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) recently issued a report requesting data to aid in determining whether the so-called 70/70 test for cable market penetration has been met. Under Section 612(g) of the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984, when 70% of households in the United States are able to subscribe to cable services ...
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| Date Jan. 23, 2008 |
Report No. RL33999 |
Title
Order Code RL33999 Defense: FY2008 Authorization and Appropriations Updated January 23, 2008 Pat Towell, Stephen Daggett, and Amy Belasco Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division The annual consideration of appropriations bills (regular, continuing, and supplemental) by Congress is part of a complex set of budget processes that also encompasses the consideration of budget resolutions, revenue ...
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| Date Jan. 23, 2008 |
Report No. RL31623 |
Title
Order Code RL31623 U.S. Nuclear Weapons: Changes in Policy and Force Structure Updated January 23, 2008 Amy F. Woolf Specialist in National Defense Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division U.S. Nuclear Weapons: Changes in Policy and Force Structure Summary The Bush Administration conducted a review of U.S. nuclear weapons force posture during its first year in office. The review sought to ...
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| Date Jan. 23, 2008 |
Report No. RL34031 |
Title
Order Code RL34031 Legislative Branch: FY2008 Appropriations Updated January 23, 2008 Ida A. Brudnick Analyst on the Congress Government and Finance Division The annual consideration of appropriations bills (regular, continuing, and supplemental) by Congress is part of a complex set of budget processes that also encompasses the consideration of budget resolutions, revenue and debt-limit ...
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| Date Jan. 23, 2008 |
Report No. RS21654 |
Title
Order Code RS21654 Updated January 23, 2008 Islamic Religious Schools, Madrasas: Background Christopher M. Blanchard Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Summary Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the Islamic religious schools known as madrasas (or madrassahs) in the Middle East, Central, and Southeast Asia have been of increasing interest ...
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| Date Jan. 23, 2008 |
Report No. RS22793 |
Title
Order Code RS22793 January 23, 2008 What is a Recession, Who Decides When It Starts, and When Do They Decide? Brian W. Cashell Specialist in Macroeconomic Policy Government and Finance Division Summary A recession is one of several discrete phases in the overall business cycle. The term may often be used loosely to describe an economy that is slowing down or characterized by weakness in at least ...
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| Date Jan. 23, 2008 |
Report No. RS22723 |
Title
Order Code RS22723 Updated January 23, 2008 Primary Securities Fraud Liability: Stoneridge Investment v. Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. Michael V. Seitzinger Legislative Attorney American Law Division Summary On January 15, 2008, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Stoneridge Investment Partners v. Scientific-Atlanta, Inc., which was appealed from a decision by the Court of Appeals ...
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| Date Jan. 22, 2008 |
Report No. RL33506 |
Title
Order Code RL33506 School Choice Under the ESEA: Programs and Requirements Updated January 22, 2008 David P. Smole Specialist in Education Policy Domestic Social Policy Division School Choice Under the ESEA: Programs and Requirements Summary The term school choice is often used to describe the practice of parents exercising a role in selecting the schools their children attend. The choices ...
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| Date Jan. 22, 2008 |
Report No. RL34063 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides benefits to veterans who meet certain eligibility rules. Benefits to veterans range from disability compensation and pensions to hospital and medical care. The VA provides these benefits through three major operating units: the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Veterans Benefits Administration ...
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| Date Jan. 22, 2008 |
Report No. RS21171 |
Title
Order Code RS21171 Updated January 22, 2008 The Rate Reduction Tax Credit The Tax Rebate in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001: A Brief Explanation Steven Maguire Specialist in Public Finance Government and Finance Division Summary The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-16) created a rate reduction tax credit (RRTC) for tax year 2001. The ...
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| Date Jan. 22, 2008 |
Report No. RS22759 |
Title
Order Code RS22759 Updated January 22, 2008 Farm Legislation and Taxes in the 110th Congress Donald J. Marples Specialist in Public Finance Government and Finance Division Summary On July 27, 2007, the House passed its version of the omnibus 2007 farm bill (H.R. 2419). The bill s spending provisions are estimated to increase federal spending on agriculture policy above the baseline level allowed ...
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| Date Jan. 22, 2008 |
Report No. RS22791 |
Title
Order Code RS22791 January 22, 2008 Taiwan s Legislative Elections, January 2008: Implications for U.S. Policy Kerry Dumbaugh Specialist in Asian Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Summary On January 12, 2008, Taiwan s ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), suffered a crushing defeat in elections for the Legislative Yuan, the national legislature. The DPP won only ...
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| Date Jan. 22, 2008 |
Report No. 98-305 |
Title
Order Code 98-305 GOV Updated January 22, 2008 Senate Committee Reports: Required Contents Elizabeth Rybicki Analyst on the Congress and Legislative Process Government and Finance Division When a Senate committee reports a measure to the Senate, it usually prepares a written report that describes the purposes and provisions of the measure. Senate rules and statutes specify items that must be ...
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| Date Jan. 22, 2008 |
Report No. RL33750 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress In August 2003, the World Trade Organization (WTO) reached an agreement on the use of compulsory licenses by developing countries without manufacturing capacity to access lifesustaining medicines. This agreement was incorporated as an amendment to Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement on the eve of the Hong Kong ...
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| Date Jan. 21, 2008 |
Report No. RL33784 |
Title
Order Code RL33784 Minimum Wage: Characteristics of Low-Wage Workers and Their Families Updated January 21, 2008 Gerald Mayer Analyst in Public Finance Domestic Social Policy Division Linda Levine Specialist in Labor Economics Domestic Social Policy Division Minimum Wage: Characteristics of Low-Wage Workers and Their Families Summary In May 2007, President George Bush signed a supplemental ...
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| Date Jan. 18, 2008 |
Report No. RL34070 |
Title
Order Code RL34070 Fusion Centers: Issues and Options for Congress Updated January 18, 2008 John Rollins Specialist in Terrorism and International Crime Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Fusion Centers: Issues and Options for Congress Summary Although elements of the information and intelligence fusion function were conducted prior to 9/11, often at state police criminal intelligence ...
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| Date Jan. 18, 2008 |
Report No. RL34333 |
Title
Order Code RL34333 Does the Army Need a Full-Spectrum Force or Specialized Units? Background and Issues for Congress January 18, 2008 Andrew Feickert Specialist in Military Ground Forces Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Does the Army Need a Full-Spectrum Force or Specialized Units? Background and Issues for Congress Summary This report is intended to provide information that might be ...
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| Date Jan. 18, 2008 |
Report No. RL32155 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Reflecting the desire among Members of Congress to help middle-income families pay for the escalating cost of higher education, the Congress has passed and enhanced a variety of tax benefits since 1990. These federal income tax benefits may be categorized in two ways: (1) those intended to encourage taxpayers to save for future postsecondary ...
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| Date Jan. 18, 2008 |
Report No. RL34189 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress North Koreans have been crossing the border into China, many in search of refuge, since the height of North Korea s famine in the 1990s. The State Department estimates that 30,000-50,000 North Korean refugees currently live in China (some non-governmental organizations estimate the number is closer to 300,000) and believes those who are repatriated ...
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| Date Jan. 18, 2008 |
Report No. RS21185 |
Title
Order Code RS21185 Updated January 18, 2008 Trade Policymaking in the European Union: Institutional Framework Raymond J. Ahearn Specialist in International Trade and Finance Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Summary Trade policy in the EU is made in the context of legal provisions provided by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. As part of this treaty, an institutional framework for the making of ...
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| Date Jan. 17, 2008 |
Report No. RL34258 |
Title
Order Code RL34258 North American Oil Sands: History of Development, Prospects for the Future Updated January 17, 2008 Marc Humphries Analyst in Energy Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division North American Oil Sands: History of Development, Prospects for the Future Summary When it comes to future reliable oil supplies, Canada s oil sands will likely account for a greater share of U.S. ...
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| Date Jan. 17, 2008 |
Report No. RL34136 |
Title
Order Code RL34136 Biofuels Provisions in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140), H.R. 3221, and H.R. 6: A Side-by-Side Comparison Updated January 17, 2008 Brent D. Yacobucci Specialist in Energy and Environmental Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division Biofuels Provisions in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140), H.R. 3221, and H.R. 6: A ...
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| Date Jan. 17, 2008 |
Report No. RL33971 |
Title
Order Code RL33971 Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Pipelines for Carbon Sequestration: Emerging Policy Issues Updated January 17, 2008 Paul W. Parfomak Specialist in Energy and Infrastructure Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division Peter Folger Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Pipelines for Carbon Sequestration: Emerging ...
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| Date Jan. 17, 2008 |
Report No. RL32051 |
Title
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress The U.S. government and private firms alike seek high technology solutions to detect and prevent future terrorist attacks, as well as to respond to any future attacks that do occur. Some concerns exist, however, that patents, trade secrets or other intellectual rights may impede the prompt, widespread and cost-effective distribution of innovations ...
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| Date Jan. 16, 2008 |
Report No. RL34022 |
Title
Order Code RL34022 The Department of Housing and Urban Development: FY2008 Appropriations Updated January 16, 2008 Maggie McCarty, Libby Perl, and Bruce E. Foote Domestic Social Policy Division Eugene Boyd Government and Finance Division Meredith Peterson Knowledge Services Group The Department of Housing and Urban Development: FY2008 Appropriations Summary On February 5, 2007, President Bush ...
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