WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following fact sheet (No. R47527) on the Department of Housing and Urban Development - fiscal 2024 budget request on April 27, 2023, by research librarian Alyse N. Minter. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY This report provides a brief overview of the President's FY2024 budget request for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It links to relevant Administration budget documents and Congressional Research Ser more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10154) on Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank on May 4, 2023, Martin A. Weiss, international trade and finance specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank In October 2013, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Bali, Indonesia, China proposed creating a new multilateral development bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). As its nam more PR

WASHINGTON, May 3 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11246) on attorney's fees and the Equal Access to Justice Act on May 2, 2023, by legislative attorney Joanna R. Lampe: * * * Attorney's Fees and the Equal Access to Justice Act: Legal Framework In 1980, Congress enacted the Equal Access to Justice Act (the EAJA, or the Act) and significantly expanded the federal government's liability to pay the attorney's fees of parties that prevail agai more PR

WASHINGTON, May 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11180) on Confucius Institutes in the U.S. on May 2, 2023, by Asian affairs specialist Thomas Lum and senior research librarian Hannah Fischer: * * * Confucius Institutes in the United States: Selected Issues The People's Republic of China's (PRC's or China's) Confucius Institutes offer instruction in Chinese language in universities around the world. The Institutes have been the subject  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11694) on connecting older adults and individuals with disabilities to health services on May 3, 2023. The white paper was written by health and aging policy specialist Kirsten J. Colello, research librarian Michele L. Malloy and senior research librarian Angela Napili. Here are excerpts: * * * Connecting Older Adults and Individuals with Disabilities to Health Services: Resources for Con more PR

WASHINGTON, May 3 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10292) on the debt limit on May 2, 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 limit of $31.38 trillion in January 2023, and Treasury is implementing "extraordinary measures" to more PR

WASHINGTON, May 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11218) on Ecuador on May 2, 2023, by Latin American affairs analyst June S. Beittel. Here are excerpts: * * * Ecuador: An Overview Ecuador is a small, ethnically and geographically diverse country of 18 million inhabitants located in South America between Colombia and Peru, the world's two largest cocaine-producing countries (see map, Fig. 1). President Guillermo Lasso of the conservative more PR

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10211) on foreign leaders addressing Congress on May 1, 2023, by Rebecca M. Nelson, international trade and finance specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Foreign Leaders Addressing Congress Foreign leaders are periodically invited to address Congress. The first address by a foreign dignitary occurred on December 10, 1824, when Revolutionary War hero the Marquis de Lafayette addressed the H more PR

WASHINGTON, May 3 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11623) on hypersonic missile defense on May 2, 2023, by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Hypersonic Missile Defense: Issues for Congress The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Space Development Agency (SDA) are currently developing elements of a hypersonic missile defense system to defend against hypersonic weapons and other emergin more PR

WASHINGTON, May 3 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12394) on the Internal Revenue Service's strategic operating plan to spend $79 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding on May 2, 2023, by public finance analysts Brendan McDermott and Gary Guenther: * * * The Internal Revenue Service's Strategic Operating Plan to Spend $79 Billion in Inflation Reduction Act Funding The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA, P.L. 117-169) provided the Internal R more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12395) on Login.gov on May 4, 2023. The white paper was written by Dominick A. Fiorentino, Natalie R. Ortiz and Meghan M. Stuessy, government organization and management analysts: * * * Login.gov: Administration and Identity Authentication In recent years, Congress and the executive branch have worked to digitize and streamline processes where members of the public interact with the fede more PR

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10740) on the Nordic countries and U.S. relations on April 28, 2023, by European affairs specialist Kristin Archick. Here are excerpts: * * * The Nordic Countries and U.S. Relations Political and Economic Overview The five Nordic countries - Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden - share deep historical, linguistic, and cultural ties and many political and economic similaritie more PR

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12393) on Senators who die in office - history and current practices on May 1, 2023. The white paper was written by American national government specialist R. Eric Petersen, senior research librarian Jennifer E. Manning and research assistant Tyler L. Wolanin: * * * Senators Who Die In Office: History and Current Practices Since 1789, 301 Senators have died in office. When a sitting Memb more PR

WASHINGTON, May 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11666) on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers nuisance species efforts on May 3, 2023, by natural resources policy analyst Anna E. Normand. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nuisance Species Efforts Introduction Nuisance species are species that cause, or are likely to cause, economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Nuisance species impact both terrestria more PR

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10740) on the World Bank on May 1, 2023, by Rebecca M. Nelson, international trade and finance specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * The World Bank The World Bank, the oldest and largest multilateral development bank, provides financial assistance to developing countries to promote economic development. Established in 1945, the Bank initially focused on providing financing for large infras more PR

WASHINGTON, May 3 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12155) on appearances by sitting U.S. Supreme Court Justices at congressional committee and subcommittee hearings on May 2, 2023, by American national government analyst Barry J. McMillion and Senior Research Librarian Jennifer E. Manning. Here are excerpts: * * * Appearances by Sitting U.S. Supreme Court Justices at Congressional Committee and Subcommittee Hearings (1960-2022) This Insigh more PR

WASHINGTON, May 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN11946) on circumvention inquiry into solar imports on May 3, 2023. The white paper was written by international trade and finance analysts Liana Wong and Christopher A. Casey and industrial organization and business analyst Manpreet Singh. Here are excerpts: * * * Circumvention Inquiry into Solar Imports On April 1, 2022, the Commerce Department initiated an inquiry into whether Chinese-m more PR

WASHINGTON, May 3 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN10837) on debt limit policy questions on May 2, 2023, by public finance specialist Grant A. Driessen. Here are excerpts: * * * Debt Limit Policy Questions: What Are Extraordinary Measures? A joint resolution enacted in December 2021 (P.L. 117-73) increased the statutory debt limit to $31.38 trillion. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen informed Congress in a January 13, 2023, letter that she w more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12156) on the federal role in addressing the Adderall drug shortage on May 4, 2023, Lisa N. Sacco, illicit drugs and crime policy analyst, and Hassan Z. Sheikh, health policy analyst: * * * The Federal Role in Addressing the Adderall Drug Shortage Adderall is a combination medication (amphetamine/dextroamphetamine) used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The immediate more PR

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12153) on the HSA@20 episode companion - immigration on May 1, 2023, by William L. Painter, homeland security and appropriations specialist, and Holly Straut-Eppsteiner, immigration policy analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * HSA@20 Episode Companion: Immigration This Insight accompanies the "Immigration" episode of The Homeland Security Act at 20 podcast series and includes background inform more PR

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN11777) on the National Flood Insurance Program Risk Rating 2.0 on May 1, 2023, by Diane P. Horn, flood insurance and emergency management specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * National Flood Insurance Program Risk Rating 2.0: Frequently Asked Questions This Insight answers some frequently asked questions about Risk Rating 2.0, which came into effect fully on April 1, 2022, changing the way  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 3 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12151) on recent mortgage pricing directive for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on May 2, 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 risk. A more PR

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12154) on statutory restrictions on the use of journalists for intelligence purposes on May 1, 2023, by Michael E. DeVine, intelligence and national security analyst: * * * Statutory Restrictions on the Use of Journalists for Intelligence Purposes On March 29, 2023 Russian authorities arrested Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and charged him with espionage. The U.S. Department  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 3 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12149) on the structure of federal debt and extraordinary measures on May 2, 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 disbursements  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12152) on the U.S.-Japan critical minerals agreement on April 28, 2023, by Kyla H. Kitamura, international trade and finance analyst: * * * U.S.-Japan Critical Minerals Agreement On March 28, the United States and Japan signed a critical minerals agreement (CMA), which entered into force immediately upon signature without requiring congressional approval. The Office of the U.S. Trade Rep more PR

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper on the recent appellate decisions of interest to lawmakers, April 24 - April 30, 2023 (No. LSB10957) on May 1, 2023, by deputy assistant director Michael John Garcia: * * * Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (Apr. 24-Apr. 30, 2023) The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every week in cases involving diverse legal disputes. This Sidebar se more PR

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB10954) on recent developments in the rights of private individuals to enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act on April 26, 2023, by legislative attorney L. Paige Whitaker: * * * Recent Developments in the Rights of Private Individuals to Enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act Cases pending in the federal courts could significantly affect the Voting Rights Act (VRA). Most pr more PR

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB10955) on second circuit applies Supreme Court decision to limit the reach of federal fraud statutes on April 26, 2023, by legislative attorney Michael D. Contino: * * * Second Circuit Applies Supreme Court Decision to Limit the Reach of Federal Fraud Statutes In December 2022 the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued its second decision in United States v.  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47512) entitled "Data in Brief: Funding Status of Multiemployer Defined Benefit Pension Plans" on April 26, 2023, by income security specialists Elizabeth A. Myers and John J. Topoleski. Here are excerpts: * * * Contents Multiemployer Defined Benefit (DB) Pension Plans ... 1 Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's Multiemployer Insurance Program ... 1 Special Financial Assistance ... 2 Data on Mu more PR

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RS22389) entitled "An Introduction to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit" on April 26, 2023, by economics specialist Mark P. Keightley: * * * SUMMARY The low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) program is the federal government's primary policy tool for encouraging the development and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing. The program awards developers federal tax credits to offset construction cost more PR