WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12399) on automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning in consumer lending on May 10, 2023, by financial economics analyst Karen L. Shanton: * * * Automation, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning in Consumer Lending Financial firms may use algorithms - pre-coded sets of instructions and calculations that are executed automatically - to enhance consumer loan underwriti more PR

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11961) on elections grant programs - authorizations and appropriations on May 8, 2023, by American national government analyst Karen L. Shanton. Here are excerpts: * * * Elections Grant Programs: Authorizations and Appropriations Congress first authorized major federal grant programs for elections in the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA; P.L. 107-252). HAVA was enacted in response to  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11962) on elections grant programs - policy options on May 8, 2023, by American national government analyst Karen L. Shanton. Here are excerpts: * * * Elections Grant Programs: Policy Options Recent congressional activity on elections issues has often taken the form of grant programs or funding. Congress responded to foreign efforts to interfere in the 2016 elections and the effects of th more PR

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11286) on federal funding for securing election systems on May 8, 2023, by American national government analyst Karen L. Shanton. Here are excerpts: * * * Election Security: Federal Funding for Securing Election Systems Foreign efforts to interfere in the 2016 elections highlighted the potential for threats to the technologies, facilities, and processes used to administer elections. The f more PR

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12396) on the Forest Service - fiscal 2024 appropriations on May 8, 2023, by natural resources policy specialist Katie Hoover. Here are excerpts: * * * Forest Service: FY2024 Appropriations The Forest Service (FS) is responsible for managing 193 million acres of land in the National Forest System (NFS), conducting forestry research, and providing assistance to state, local, private, and i more PR

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10481) on Railroad Retirement Board on May 11, 2023, by social policy analyst Zhe Li. Here are excerpts: * * * Railroad Retirement Board: Retirement, Survivor, Disability, Unemployment, and Sickness Benefits Introduction The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers retirement, survivor, disability, unemployment, and sickness benefits for railroad workers and their families under the  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10564) on the Social Security trust fund investment practices on May 10, 2023, by social policy analyst Barry F. Huston: * * * Social Security Trust Fund Investment Practices Background Social Security is a self-financing program that provides monthly cash benefits to retired or disabled workers, and to the eligible family members of retired, disabled, or deceased workers. There are over more PR

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10522) on the Social Security's funding shortfall on May 10, 2023, by social policy analyst Barry F. Huston: * * * Social Security's Funding Shortfall Overview Social Security provides monthly cash benefits to retired or disabled workers, their family members, and family members of deceased workers. Many people of all ages have some connection to the program, including an estimated 183 m more PR

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12158) on FY2024 Agriculture appropriations on May 9, 2023, by agricultural policy specialist Jim Monke. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2024 Agriculture Appropriations: Status and Scope Status of Agriculture Appropriations The Agriculture appropriations bill - formally known as the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act - funds a more PR

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN11946) on lenders of circumvention inquiry into solar imports on May 8, 2023. The white paper was written by Liana Wong and Christopher A. Casey, international trade and finance analysts, and Manpreet Singh, industrial organization and business analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Circumvention Inquiry into Solar Imports On April 1, 2022, the Commerce Department initiated an inquiry into whe more PR

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12157) on Lenders of next-to-last and last resort on May 8, 2023, by financial economics specialist Darryl E. Getter: * * * Lenders of Next-to-Last and Last Resort: In Competition? A solvent bank may seek a cash advance from the lender of last resort, meaning a district Federal Reserve bank's discount window, when it needs immediate liquidity. However, there is a certain stigma associated w more PR

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12111) on Turkey - possible U.S. F-16 sale on May 9, 2023, by Middle Eastern Affairs specialists Jim Zanotti and Clayton Thomas. Here are excerpts: * * * Turkey (Turkiye): Possible U.S. F-16 Sale In February 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken publicly confirmed that the Biden Administration supports a possible sale of F-16 fighter aircraft to Turkey (Turkiye) - a member of the North  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12159) on the U.S. foreign policy initiatives to manage regional migration on May 10, 2023. The white paper was written by Latin American affairs specialists Clare Ribando Seelke and Ramon Miro and Latin American and Canadian affairs specialist Peter J. Meyer: * * * Post-Title 42: U.S. Foreign Policy Initiatives to Manage Regional Migration U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions of foreign nat more PR

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12127) on Unemployment Insurance overpayment and fraud recovery and H.R. 1163 on May 11, 2023, by income security specialists Katelin P. Isaacs and Julie M. Whittaker: * * * Unemployment Insurance Overpayment and Fraud Recovery and H.R. 1163 The federal-state Unemployment Insurance (UI) system has faced long-standing program integrity challenges. The temporary, augmented, and expanded UI b more PR

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB10960) on Apple's "walled garden" on May 9, 2023, by legislative attorney Jay B. Sykes: * * * Appeals Court Holds That Apple's "Walled Garden" Does Not Violate Federal Antitrust Law On April 24, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court decision holding that Apple does not violate federal antitrust law by restricting app distribution on iOS devi more PR

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB10961) on the Biden Administration's proposed rule on arriving aliens seeking asylum on May 9, 2023, by legislative attorney Hillel R. Smith: * * * The Biden Administration's Proposed Rule on Arriving Aliens Seeking Asylum In anticipation of increased migration at the U.S. Southwest border following the termination of a public health order issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic more PR

WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB10962) on enlisting assistance or intruding on judicial independence on May 9, 2023, by legislative attorney Todd Garvey: * * * Enlisting Assistance or Intruding On Judicial Independence? Compelling Testimony by Supreme Court Justices In conjunction with growing public and congressional interest in how the Supreme Court approaches ethical issues, the Senate Judiciary Committee recen more PR

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB10922) on generative artificial intelligence and copyright law on May 11, 2023, by legislative attorney Christopher T. Zirpoli: * * * Generative Artificial Intelligence and Copyright Law Recent innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) are raising new questions about how copyright law principles such as authorship, infringement, and fair use will apply to content created or used b 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, May 1 - May 7, 2023 (No. LSB10959) on May 9, 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 (May 1, 2023-May 7, 2023) The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every week  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47021) on May 1, 2023, entitled "Federal Involvement in Ocean-Based Research and Development" by natural resources policy analyst Caitlin Keating-Bitonti. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Multiple federal departments and agencies conduct ocean-based research, monitoring, and/or technological development. Federal departments and agencies also may support academic, commercial, and nonprofit ocean-based re more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47021) on May 1, 2023, entitled "Federal Involvement in Ocean-Based Research and Development:" (Continued form Part 1 of 2) * * * Oceanographic Data Oceanographic data consist of measurements of the physical state of the ocean (e.g., sea level is a physical variable) and the amount of chemical elements in the seawater (e.g., dissolved oxygen is a biogeochemical variable). Oceanographic data provide a b more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47541) on May 2, 2023, entitled "Immigration: The U.S. Entry-Exit System" by immigration policy analyst Abigail F. Kolker. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The U.S. entry-exit system aids in immigration enforcement, national security, and travel facilitation. For example, the system assists U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in making determinations about whom to allow to enter the United States ( more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R43744) on May 5, 2023, entitled "Monuments and Memorials Authorized Under the Commemorative Works Act in the District of Columbia: Current Development of In Progress and Lapsed Works" by Congress specialist Jacob R. Straus. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Under the Commemorative Works Act (CWA) of 1986, Congress may authorize commemorative works to be placed in the District of Columbia or its environs. more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R43744) on May 5, 2023, entitled "Monuments and Memorials Authorized Under the Commemorative Works Act in the District of Columbia - Current Development of In Progress and Lapsed Works:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Site Locations to Be Determined John Adams and His Family's Legacy In November 2001, Congress authorized the Adams Memorial Foundation to "establish a commemorative work on Federal la more PR