WASHINGTON, April 29 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10789) on the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative on April 28, 2023, by Latin American affairs analyst Karla I. Rios. Here are excerpts: * * * Caribbean Basin Security Initiative The United States developed the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), a regional U.S. foreign assistance program, in 2009 through a process of dialogue with Caribbean countries. The initiative seeks to r more PR

WASHINGTON, April 27 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11911) on connecting constituents with federal programs for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects on April 26, 2023, by research librarian Claire M. Jordan: * * * Connecting Constituents with Federal Programs for Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Projects Congress has established programs to assist constituents - including individuals, organizations, and local more PR

WASHINGTON, April 27 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10292) on the debt limit on April 26, 2023, by public finance specialist Grant A. Driessen. Here are excerpts: * * * The Debt Limit Overview The debt limit places a statutory constraint on the amount of money that Treasury may borrow to fund federal operations. Federal debt reached its current debt limit of $31.38 trillion in January 2023, and Treasury is currently implementing "extra more PR

WASHINGTON, April 25 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on defining final agency action for the Administrative Procedure Act and the Congressional Review Act review (No. IF12386) on April 24, 2023, by legislative attorney Valerie C. Brannon: * * * Defining Final Agency Action for APA and CRA Review Executive branch action may be subject to both judicial and congressional review. Two federal statutes authorizing such review are the Administrative P more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10335) on the Department of Defense domestic school system on April 28, 2023, by military manpower analyst Kristy N. Kamarck. Here are excerpts: * * * DOD Domestic School System: Background and Issues The Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) manages a federal school system that provides prekindergarten through grade 12 education, primarily for the children of active duty s more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10335) on the Dominican Republic on April 28, 2023, by Latin American affairs specialists Clare Ribando Seelke and Ramon Miro. Here are excerpts: * * * Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two-thirds of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti. The Dominican Republic is a key U.S. partner in the Caribbean due to its comparatively large si more PR

WASHINGTON, April 25 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the Department of Transportation Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (No. IF12055) on April 24, 2023, by R. Corinne Blackford, small business and economic development policy analyst: * * * The U.S. DOT Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program The Department of Transportation (DOT) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program seeks to offer small disadvantaged businesses a fair oppo more PR

WASHINGTON, April 26 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (No. IF12386) on April 25, 2023, by environmental policy specialist Richard K. Lattanzio: * * * EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed H.R. 5376 (P.L. 117-169), a budget reconciliation measure commonly referred to as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). IRA contains eight more PR

WASHINGTON, April 25 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the federal disaster assistance for agriculture (No. IF10565) on April 21, 2023, by Megan Stubbs, agricultural conservation and natural resources policy specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Federal Disaster Assistance for Agriculture A number of federal assistance programs are designed to address agricultural losses following a natural disaster, including insurance, direct payments for lo more PR

WASHINGTON, April 27 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12388) on the First Amendment limitations on disclosure requirements on April 26, 2023. The white paper was written by legislative attorneys Valerie C. Brannon, Victoria L. Killion, Whitney K. Novak and L. Paige Whitaker: * * * First Amendment Limitations on Disclosure Requirements The government often requires regulated entities to make disclaimer statements or disclose information.  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 28 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11902) on the international financial institutions' fiscal 2024 budget request on April 27, 2023, by Rebecca M. Nelson and Martin A. Weiss, international trade and finance specialists. Here are excerpts: * * * International Financial Institutions: FY2024 Budget Request For FY2024, the Biden Administration is requesting $4.04 billion for the international financial institutions (IFIs). more PR

WASHINGTON, April 26 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11102) on military medical malpractice and the Feres Doctrine on April 25, 2023, by defense health care policy analyst Bryce H. P. Mendez and legislative attorney Andreas Kuersten. Here are excerpts: * * * Military Medical Malpractice and the Feres Doctrine The Department of Defense (DOD) employs physicians and other medical personnel to administer health care to servicemembers, milit more PR

WASHINGTON, April 28 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11902) on the new federal protections for pregnant and nursing workers by legislative attorney April J. Anderson: * * * New Federal Protections for Pregnant and Nursing Workers Several federal laws protect workers during nursing and pregnancy, but two new federal laws, passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, go into effect this year and expand those protections i more PR

WASHINGTON, April 27 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12389) on Russia's Wagner Group in Africa on April 26, 2023. The white paper was written by African affairs specialists Alexis Arief and Lauren Ploch Blanchard, Middle Eastern affairs specialist Christopher M. Blanchard and Russian and European affairs analyst Andrew S. Bowen. Here are excerpts: * * * Russia's Wagner Group in Africa: Issues for Congress Overview The Wagner Group, no more PR

WASHINGTON, April 25 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the single-family residential appraisals (No. IF12385) on April 24, 2023, by financial economics specialist Darryl E. Getter: * * * Single-Family Residential Appraisals: An Overview A real estate appraisal is an estimate of the value that a property can be sold for given prevailing market conditions. An appraisal (also called a valuation) is typically conducted prior to the completion of a more PR

WASHINGTON, April 28 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12391) on strict scrutiny of racial classifications on April 27, 2023, by legislative attorney April J. Anderson: * * * Equal Protection: Strict Scrutiny of Racial Classifications Under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, "[n]o State shall ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." The same equal protection obligation applies  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 27 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12371) on Taiwan Presidents' U.S. transit visits on April 26, 2023, by Asian affairs specialist Grant A. Driessen. Here are excerpts: * * * Taiwan Presidents' U.S. Transit Visits Introduction Since 1994, four sitting presidents of Taiwan have undertaken a combined 29 trips abroad that have included transit stops in the United States. Since 1995, the U.S. government has not permitted T more PR

WASHINGTON, April 26 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the U.S. International Climate Finance primer (No. IF10763) on April 24, 2023, by environmental policy specialist Richard K. Lattanzio: * * * U.S. International Climate Finance: A Primer International Environmental Assistance Many governments hold that environmental degradation and climate change pose international and transboundary risks to human populations, economies, and ecosystems. To more PR

WASHINGTON, April 26 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the U.S. International Climate Finance fiscal 2024 (No. IF12036) on April 24, 2023, by environmental policy specialist Richard K. Lattanzio. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S. International Climate Finance: FY2024 U.S. International Climate Finance Over the past several decades, to varying degrees, the United States has delivered financial and technical assistance for climate change activities more PR

WASHINGTON, April 28 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12390) on the U.S. sanctions on April 27, 2023, by Edward J. Collins-Chase, foreign policy analyst, and Rebecca M. Nelson, international trade and finance specialists: * * * U.S. Sanctions: Overview for the 118th Congress U.S. Sanctions and Authorities U.S. sanctions in furtherance of foreign policy and national security objectives are coercive economic and/or diplomatic measures taken more PR

WASHINGTON, April 25 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the U.S.-North Korea relations (No. IF10246) on April 24, 2023. The white paper was written by Asian affairs specialists Mark E. Manyin and Emma Chanlett-Avery, nonproliferation specialist Mary Beth D. Nikitin and foreign policy legislation specialist Dianne E. Rennack. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S.-North Korea Relations North Korea's advances in nuclear weapons and missile capabilities s more PR

WASHINGTON, April 25 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper on the debt limit policy questions (No. IN12147) on April 24, 2023, by public finance specialists Grant A. Driessen and Brendan McDermott. Here are excerpts: * * * Debt Limit Policy Questions: How Long Do Extraordinary Measures Last? On January 19, 2023, Treasury Secretary Yellen began implementation of "extraordinary measures" to prevent a binding debt limit as debt neared the current limit o more PR

WASHINGTON, April 28 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12151) on recent mortgage pricing directive for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on April 27, 2023, by financial economics specialist Darryl E. Getter. Here are excerpts: * * * Recent Mortgage Pricing Directive for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Introduction The Federal Housing Financing Agency (FHFA) directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to revisit the fees applied to guarantee mortgage default r more PR

WASHINGTON, April 26 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper on the role of cryptocurrency in the failures of Silvergate, Silicon Valley and Signature Banks (No. IN12148) on April 25, 2023, by financial economics analyst Paul Tierno. Here are excerpts: * * * The Role of Cryptocurrency in the Failures of Silvergate, Silicon Valley, and Signature Banks The involvement of a number of recently failed banks with the cryptocurrency industry seemed to be the m more PR

WASHINGTON, April 26 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12149) on the structure of the federal debt and extraordinary measures on April 25, 2023, by economic policy analyst D. Andrew Austin. Here are excerpts: * * * Structure of Federal Debt and Extraordinary Measures Structure of Federal Debt Federal debt is the accumulated sum of unrepaid borrowing by the federal government over time, and to a lesser extent, the value of federal loan disb more PR

WASHINGTON, April 26 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12150) on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and work requirements on April 25, 2023, by social policy specialist Gene Falk: * * * Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Work Requirements The proposed Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (hereinafter, "Limit, Save, Grow proposal") would alter the work requirements that apply under Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TA more PR

WASHINGTON, April 27 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12150) on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and work requirements on April 26, 2023, by social policy specialist Gene Falk: * * * Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Work Requirements The proposed Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (H.R. 2811 as changed in the House Rules Committee, hereinafter, "Limit, Save, Grow proposal") would alter the work requirements that apply un more PR

WASHINGTON, April 28 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB10956) on the Department of Justice's ad tech antitrust case against Google on April 27, 2023, by legislative attorneys Alexander H. Pepper and Jay B. Sykes. Here are excerpts: * * * The DOJ's Ad Tech Antitrust Case Against Google: A Brief Overview On January 24, 2023, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and several state attorneys general filed a civil antitrust suit against Google  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 25 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper on medication abortion (No. LSB10919) on April 24, 2023, by legislative attorney Jennifer A. Staman: * * * Medication Abortion: New Litigation May Affect Access After the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, there has been greater focus on federal and state regulation of medication abortion - a pregnancy termination method involving the use of prescrip more PR

WASHINGTON, April 26 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper on the recent appellate decisions of interest to lawmakers, April 17 - April 23, 2023 (No. LSB10952) on April 25, 2023. The white paper was written by legislative attorneys Jimmy Balser, Alexander H. Pepper and Michael D. Contino: * * * Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (Apr. 17-Apr. 23, 2023) The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions e more PR

WASHINGTON, April 26 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper on the Transgender Students & School Bathroom Policies (No. LSB10953) on April 25, 2023, by legislative attorneys Jared P. Cole and Madeline W. Donley: * * * Transgender Students and School Bathroom Policies: Title IX Challenges Divide Appellate Courts In the past several years, federal courts have disagreed about whether school policies that prohibit transgender students from using the s more PR

WASHINGTON, April 25 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47519) on April 24, 2023, entitled "An Overview of the Corporate Income Tax System" by public finance specialist Donald J. Marples and economics specialist Mark P. Keightley. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY This report presents information and research on the U.S. corporate income tax to help policymakers understand and evaluate policies to modify it. The structure of the corporate tax can influence more PR

WASHINGTON, April 25 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47519) on April 24, 2023, entitled "An Overview of the Corporate Income Tax System:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Economic Considerations Why Have a Corporate Income Tax? Economists and policymakers have offered a variety of reasons supporting the existence of a corporate tax since the enactment of the Corporate Tax Act of 1909 (P.L. 61-4). To avoid constitutionality issues, Congress initiall more PR