Congressional or Federal Charters: Overview and Current Issues (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised April 19, 2013 |
| Report Number |
RS22230 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Kevin R. Kosar, Analyst in American National Government |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
A congressional or federal charter is a federal statute that establishes a corporation. Congress has issued charters since 1791, although most charters were issued after the start of the 20th century. Congress has used charters to create a variety of corporate entities, such as banks, government-sponsored enterprises, commercial corporations, venture capital funds, and quasi governmental entities. Congressionally chartered corporations have raised diverse issues for Congress, including (1) Title 36 corporations' membership practices; (2) prohibitions on Title 36 corporations engaging in "political activities"; (3) confusion over which corporations are governmental and which are private; and (4) federal management of these corporations. This report will be updated annually.
Readers seeking additional information about congressionally chartered organizations may consult:
CRS Report RL30365, Federal Government Corporations: An Overview, by Kevin R. Kosar;
CRS Report RL30533, The Quasi Government: Hybrid Organizations with Both Government and Private Sector Legal Characteristics, by Kevin R. Kosar; and
CRS Report RL30340, Congressionally Chartered Nonprofit Organizations ("Title 36 Corporations"): What They Are and How Congress Treats Them, by Kevin R. Kosar.
