WASHINGTON, April 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following fact sheet on the Muslim holidays (No. R45003) on April 13, 2023, by Maya V. Thomas, reference and digital services librarian: * * * Introduction Islam is one of the three major Abrahamic faiths, alongside Judaism and Christianity. Islam, considered by the Pew Research Center to be the world's fastest-growing religion, has approximately 1.8 billion followers worldwide, of whom some 3.45 million live in the United  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the 45F tax credit for employer-provided child care (No. IF12379) on April 12, 2023, by social policy analyst Conor F. Boyle and public finance specialist Margot L. Crandall-Hollick: * * * The 45F Tax Credit for Employer-Provided Child Care Introduction Many working families across the country struggle to find affordable child care. Employer-provided child care is one model that could ali more PR

WASHINGTON, April 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the capital markets (No. IF11062) on April 12, 2023, by financial economics analyst Eva Su. Here are excerpts: * * * Introduction to Financial Services: Capital Markets This In Focus provides an overview of U.S. capital markets, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulation, and related policy issues. Market Composition Capital markets are where securities such as stocks and bonds more PR

WASHINGTON, April 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the Creating Advanced Streamlined Electronic Services for Constituents Act of 2019 (No. IF12382) on April 13, 2023, by American national government specialist R. Eric Petersen: * * * The CASES Act: Implementation Challenges The Creating Advanced Streamlined Electronic Services for Constituents Act of 2019, or the CASES Act (P.L. 116-50, 5 U.S.C. 101 note), is designed to improve access to,  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (No. IF12377) on April 10, 2023, by foreign affairs analyst Michael A. Weber. Here are excerpts: * * * Global Human Rights: The Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices Introduction The State Department's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices are an annual U.S. government account of human rights more PR

WASHINGTON, April 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the economic development conveyances for Base Realignment and Closure properties (No. IF12381) on April 13, 2023, by economic development policy analyst Adam G. Levin. Here are excerpts: * * * Economic Development Conveyances for BRAC Properties Congress has approved five rounds of military base realignments and closures under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process: in 1988, 1991 more PR

WASHINGTON, April 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the FDIC's systemic risk exception (No. IF12378) on April 11, 2023, by macroeconomic policy specialist Marc Labonte: * * * Bank Failures: The FDIC's Systemic Risk Exception When Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank failed, the Treasury Secretary, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Federal Reserve (Fed) announced on March 12, 2023, that the FDIC would guarantee more PR

WASHINGTON, April 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the federal tax gap (No. IF11887) on April 13, 2023, by public finance analyst Gary Guenther. Here are excerpts: * * * Federal Tax Gap: Size, Contributing Factors, and the Debate over Reducing It Federal Tax Gap The federal tax gap is a measure of taxpayer noncompliance. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides two estimates of the gap: a gross measure and a net measure. The former is  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the fiscal 2024 budget request for the Military Health System (No. IF12377) on April 10, 2023, by Bryce H. P. Mendez, defense health care policy analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2024 Budget Request for the Military Health System On March 9, 2023, President Joseph R. Biden submitted his Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget request to Congress. Discretionary funding in the Department of Defense  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on Indonesia (No. IF10247) on April 13, 2023, by Asian affairs specialist Ben Dolven. Here are excerpts: * * * Indonesia Overview With over 270 million citizens, Indonesia is the most populous country in Southeast Asia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, and the world's third-largest democracy (after India and the United States). It has the world's 16th largest economy and the more PR

WASHINGTON, April 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the international religious freedom policy (No. IF10803) on April 10, 2023, by foreign affairs analyst Michael A. Weber. Here are excerpts: * * * Global Human Rights: International Religious Freedom Policy For decades, U.S. policymakers have sought to promote religious freedom abroad, reflective both of a general interest in promoting human rights through U.S. foreign policy, as well as t more PR

WASHINGTON, April 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the Internal Revenue Service appropriations, fiscal 2023 (No. IF12098) on April 10, 2023, by public finance analyst Gary Guenther. Here are excerpts: * * * Internal Revenue Service Appropriations, FY2023 Overview of the IRS Budget The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has two primary responsibilities: (1) collecting most of the revenue to fund federal government agencies and programs, and (2 more PR

WASHINGTON, April 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the Justice for U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act (No. IF10341) on April 11, 2023, by legislative attorney Jennifer K. Elsea: * * * Justice for United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act: Eligibility and Funding Since 1996, the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA; 28 U.S.C. Sec.Sec. 1602-11) has authorized U.S. courts to order state sponsors of terrorism - namely, more PR

WASHINGTON, April 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper on the election worker safety and privacy (No. IN11831) on April 10, 2023, by American national government analysts Sarah J. Eckman and Karen L. Shanton: * * * Election Worker Safety and Privacy Concerns about election workers' safety and privacy have been reported since the 2020 election, in news reports and testimony before House and Senate committees. Some election workers have raised concer more PR

WASHINGTON, April 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper on the federal small business contracting goals (No. IN12018) on April 13, 2023, by R. Corinne Blackford, small business and economic development policy analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Federal Small Business Contracting Goals Origins Since 1988, the federal government has maintained annual goals for small and small "disadvantaged" business participation in federal contracting. At that time, more PR

WASHINGTON, April 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper on the HSA@20 Episode Companion - cybersecurity (No. IN12142) on April 10, 2023, by William L. Painter, homeland security and appropriations specialist, and Chris Jaikaran, cybersecurity policy specialist: * * * HSA@20 Episode Companion: Cybersecurity This Insight accompanies the "Cybersecurity" episode of The Homeland Security Act at 20 podcast series and includes background information on the more PR

WASHINGTON, April 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper on the security for the federal judiciary (No. IN12143) on April 11, 2023, by American national government analyst Barry J. McMillion: * * * Security for the Federal Judiciary: Recent Developments Chief Justice John Roberts, in his year-end report for 2022, stated that the "law requires every judge to swear an oath to perform his or her work without fear or favor" and that, in order to perform  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper on the recent appellate decisions of interest to lawmakers, April 3-April 7, 2023 (No. LSB10947) on April 11, 2023, by legislative attorneys Dave S. Sidhu and Madeline W. Donley: * * * Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (April 3-April 7, 2023) The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every week in cases involving diverse legal disputes.  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47504) on April 12, 2023, entitled "Asylum Process in Immigration Courts and Selected Trends" by immigration policy analyst Holly Straut-Eppsteiner. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Individuals who reside unlawfully in the United States, who arrive in the United States at a port of entry and are inadmissible, or who cross into the United States illegally between ports of entry may be charged with an  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47499) on April 4, 2023, entitled "Data on State and Local Public Sector Employment Not Covered Under Social Security" by social policy analyst Zhe Li and research assistant Paul D. Romero. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Social Security is a work-based federal insurance program that provides cash benefits to workers and their eligible family members in the event of the worker's retirement, disabilit more PR

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47497) on April 4, 2023, entitled "Drought and Glen Canyon Dam: Potential Effects on Water Deliveries and Hydropower" by natural resources policy specialist Charles V. Stern and energy policy analyst Ashley J. Lawson. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) owns and operates the Glen Canyon Unit (near Page, AZ) as part of the federal Colorado River Storage Project. The more PR

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47499) on April 4, 2023, entitled "Dynamic Scoring for Tax Legislation: A Review of Models" by economic policy senior specialist Jane G. Gravelle. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Dynamic scoring (or revenue estimating) for tax legislation has been discussed for more than two decades. Beginning in 2003, House Rule 13 required that the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) provide a macroeconomic impact an more PR

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47499) on April 4, 2023, entitled "Dynamic Scoring for Tax Legislation - A Review of Models:" (Continued from Part 1 of 3) * * * Special Issues Associated with Revenue-Neutral Income Tax Reform Some argue tax reform should be revenue neutral. Others believe that it should raise revenue. A revenue neutral, or largely revenue neutral, tax reform that lowers the rate and broadens the base is unlikely to more PR

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47499) on April 4, 2023, entitled "Dynamic Scoring for Tax Legislation - A Review of Models:" (Continued from Part 2 of 3) * * * Are Explicit or Implicit Responses Used in Supply Side Models Consistent With Empirical Evidence? Even in the same model, projections can differ depending on the parameters or elasticities of the model. Before examining the effects in models, a brief review of the empirical more PR

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R45622) on April 3, 2023, entitled "Judicial Nomination Statistics and Analysis: U.S. Circuit and District Courts, 1977-2022" by American national government analyst Barry J. McMillion. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY In recent decades, the process for appointing judges to the U.S. circuit courts of appeals and the U.S. district courts has been of continuing Senate interest. The President and the Sena more PR

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R45622) on April 3, 2023, entitled "Judicial Nomination Statistics and Analysis: U.S. Circuit and District Courts, 1977-2022:" (Continued from Part 1 of 3) * * * Nominees Whose Nominations Were Returned at the End of a Congress Table 6 provides data related to the number of U.S. circuit and district court nominees whose nominations were returned by the Senate to the President at the end of each Congre more PR

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R45622) on April 3, 2023, entitled "Judicial Nomination Statistics and Analysis: U.S. Circuit and District Courts, 1977-2022:" (Continued from Part 2 of 3) * * * Ratings by the American Bar Association for Confirmed Nominees Since 1953, every presidential Administration, except those of George W. Bush, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden, has sought prenomination evaluations of its candidates for district and more PR

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47499) on April 6, 2023, entitled "Science and Technology Issues for the 118th Congress." The report was written by acting section research manager Frank Gottron, section research manager Jason A. Gallo, environmental policy specialists Elena H. Humphreys, Laura Gatz, Jonathan D. Haskett and Angela C. Jones, natural resources policy specialists Caitlin Keating-Bitonti, Nicole T. Carter, Eva Lipiec and L more PR

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47499) on April 6, 2023, entitled "Science and Technology Issues for the 118th Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 5) * * * Agriculture The federal government funds billions of dollars of agricultural research annually. The 118th Congress may wish to consider issues related to funding this research, as well as specific issues related to climate change science at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (U more PR

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47499) on April 6, 2023, entitled "Science and Technology Issues for the 118th Congress:" (Continued from Part 2 of 5) * * * Defense S&T play an important role in national defense. DOD relies on a robust R&D effort to develop new military systems and improve existing systems. Issues that may come before the 118th Congress regarding DOD's S&T activities include budgetary concerns, the effectiveness of more PR

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47499) on April 6, 2023, entitled "Science and Technology Issues for the 118th Congress:" (Continued from Part 3 of 5) * * * Information Technology and Social Media Rapid advancements in information technologies present several issues for congressional policymakers, including those related to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, social media platforms, big tech and online platforms, immersive tech more PR

WASHINGTON, April 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47499) on April 6, 2023, entitled "Science and Technology Issues for the 118th Congress:" (Continued from Part 4 of 5) * * * Telecommunications Telecommunication technologies present several issues for policymakers in the 118th Congress, including those related to 5G technologies, broadband deployment and the digital divide, undersea cables, federal spectrum auctions and allocations, and FCC and NTIA more PR