WASHINGTON, June 16 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10931) on Chile on June 15, 2023, by Peter J. Meyer, Latin American and Canadian affairs specialist, and Ramon Miro, Latin American affairs analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Chile: An Overview Chile, located along the Pacific coast of South America, traditionally has been one of the United States' closest partners in Latin America. In 2023, the two countries are commemorating 200 years  more PR

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12078) on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership on June 16, 2023, by Cathleen D. Cimino-Isaacs, international trade and finance specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * CPTPP: Overview and Issues for Congress The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is a free trade agreement (FTA) formed by the 11 remaining members more PR

WASHINGTON, June 16 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12427) on the EU's MIFID II, broker research and the SEC's no-action letters on June 9, 2023, by financial economics specialist Gary Shorter: * * * The EU's MIFID II, Broker Research, and the SEC's No-Action Letters Broker-dealers are firms that buy and sell stocks or other securities for their own accounts or on behalf of their customers, such as pension funds, mutual funds, and other a more PR

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11211) on the European Parliament and U.S. interests on June 9, 2023, by acting senior research librarian Kristin Archick. Here are excerpts: * * * The European Parliament and U.S. Interests A Key EU Institution The European Parliament (EP) is the only directly elected institution of the 27-country European Union (EU). The EP's 705 members represent the EU's roughly 445 million citizen more PR

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12424) on the executive branch agencies involved with immigration on June 7, 2023, by immigration policy analyst Holly Straut-Eppsteiner. Here are excerpts: * * * Immigration 101: Executive Branch Agencies Involved with Immigration While Congress has plenary power over immigration law, the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), Homeland Security Act (HSA), and other laws grant substanti more PR

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12047) on the Farm Bill on June 16, 2023, by agricultural policy specialists Jim Monke and Renee Johnson. Here are excerpts: * * * Farm Bill Primer: What Is the Farm Bill? The farm bill is an omnibus, multiyear law that governs an array of agricultural and food programs. It provides an opportunity for policymakers to comprehensively and periodically address agricultural and food issues. more PR

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12233) on Farm Bill Primer - budget dynamics on June 16, 2023, by agricultural policy specialist Jim Monke. Here are excerpts: * * * Farm Bill Primer: Budget Dynamics Congress may consider a new farm bill in 2023 because provisions authorized in the 2018 farm bill (P.L. 115-334) begin expiring at the end of FY2023. From a budgetary perspective, many farm bill programs are assumed to con more PR

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12263) on the Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance - limited English proficiency and equity on June 7, 2023. The white paper was written by Erica A. Lee and Elizabeth M. Webster, emergency management and disaster recovery specialists, Meghan M. Stuessy, government organization and management analyst and Jill C. Gallagher, telecommunications policy analyst: * * * FEMA Assistance more PR

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12426) on generative artificial intelligence on June 9, 2023, by Laurie A. Harris, science and technology policy analyst: * * * Generative Artificial Intelligence: Overview, Issues, and Questions for Congress Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) refers to AI systems, in particular those using machine learning (ML) and trained on large volumes of data, that are able to generate new  more PR

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12373) on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity on June 16, 2023. The white paper was written by international trade and finance specialists Cathleen D. Cimino-Isaacs and Kyla H. Kitamura and Asian affairs specialist Mark E. Manyin. Here are excerpts: * * * Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) In May 2022, the United States and 13 partners launched the In more PR

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12425) on international armaments cooperation on June 9, 2023. The white paper was written by defense infrastructure policy analysts Luke A. Nicastro and Alexandra G. Neenan and security assistance, security cooperation and global arms trade analyst Christina L. Arabia. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: International Armaments Cooperation What is International Armaments Coopera more PR

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11665) on President Reagan's six assurances to Taiwan on June 13, 2023, by Asian affairs specialist Susan V. Lawrence. Here are excerpts: * * * President Reagan's Six Assurances to Taiwan Introduction Under the U.S. "one-China" policy, the U.S. government has, since 1979, maintained official relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC or China) and unofficial relations with self more PR

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10799) on prospects for U.S.-Saudi nuclear energy cooperation on June 9, 2023, by Middle Eastern affairs specialist Christopher M. Blanchard and nonproliferation specialist Paul K. Kerr: * * * Prospects for U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Energy Cooperation Overview The 118th Congress may engage the Biden Administration with regard to U.S. policy toward Saudi Arabia's National Project for Atomic En more PR

WASHINGTON, June 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11604) on reliance on Treasury Department and IRS tax guidance on June 12, 2023, legislative attorney Milan N. Ball: * * * Reliance on Treasury Department and IRS Tax Guidance The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) use several forms of guidance to help taxpayers understand the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and to inform taxpayers of Treasury and the IRS's position on p more PR

WASHINGTON, June 16 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11346) on Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on June 15, 2023, by Andres B. Schwarzenberg, international trade and finance analyst: * * * Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 grants the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) a range of responsibilities and authorities to investigate and take action to enforce U.S. rights under trade more PR

WASHINGTON, June 16 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11582) on Section 301 tariff exclusions on U.S. imports from China on June 15, 2023, by Andres B. Schwarzenberg, international trade and finance analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Section 301 Tariff Exclusions on U.S. Imports from China In 2018, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) determined, pursuant to an investigation under "Section 301" (Title III of the Trade Act of 1974, 19 U.S.C more PR

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10051) on the Title X Family Planning Program on June 8, 2023, by senior research librarian Angela Napili. Here are excerpts: * * * Title X Family Planning Program Introduction The Title X Family Planning Program (Title X) was enacted in 1970 as Title X of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act, codified at 42 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.300 to 300a-6). Title X provides grants to public and nonprof more PR

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12430) on the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms on June 16, 2023, by Kyla H. Kitamura, international trade and finance analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms The Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF) program helps U.S. firms impacted by import competition to improve their global competitiveness. TAAF is administered by the U.S. Department of C more PR

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10931) on U.S.-EU trade and economic relations on June 9, 2023, by Shayerah I. Akhtar, international trade and finance specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S.-EU Trade and Economic Relations The United States and the European Union (EU), each other's largest overall trade and investment partners, have a highly integrated economic relationship (see Figure 1). Their trade policies large more PR

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12431) on the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act on June 16, 2023, by economic development policy analyst Adam G. Levin: * * * The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act: A Primer Congress enacted the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA, P.L. 104-4) to "strengthen the partnership between Federal, State, local, and tribal governments by ensuring that the impact of legislative and regulatory propos more PR

WASHINGTON, June 15 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12180) on Colombia on June 14, 2023, by Latin American affairs analysts June S. Beittel and Ramon Miro. Here are excerpts: * * * Colombia: Issues for the 118th Congress Colombia historically has been a top U.S. ally and close security partner. Colombia's prominence in illegal drug production prompted the United States to forge close counter-drug ties with Colombia and became the basis in more PR

WASHINGTON, June 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12021) on Corps Water Infrastructure Financing Program on June 13, 2023, by natural resources policy specialist Nicole T. Carter. Here are excerpts: * * * Corps Water Infrastructure Financing Program (CWIFP) In the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 (WIFIA 2014, Title V, Subtitle C, of P.L. 113-121; 33 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.3901-3914, as amended), Congress authorized the U. more PR

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12179) on the U.S. Department of Energy's proposed regulation on electricity distribution transformers on June 13, 2023, by energy policy analyst Martin C. Offutt: * * * DOE's Proposed Regulation on Electricity Distribution Transformers The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) regulates the energy efficiency of electricity distribution transformers using authority under the Energy Policy and C more PR

WASHINGTON, June 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12175) on I-95 overpass collapse in Philadelphia and the federal response on June 12, 2023, by transportation policy specialists Robert S. Kirk and William J. Mallet: * * * I-95 Overpass Collapse in Philadelphia and the Federal Response On June 11, 2023, a tanker truck, reportedly carrying a petroleum-based product, crashed and burned under an Interstate 95 (I-95) overpass in Philadelphia more PR

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12032) on Mountain Valley Pipeline on June 9, 2023, by energy policy specialist Paul W. Parfomak and Legislative Attorney Adam Vann. Here are excerpts: * * * Mountain Valley Pipeline: Congressional Authorization The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) is a 303-mile natural gas transmission pipeline, currently under construction, which would link natural gas fields in West Virginia to the exis more PR

WASHINGTON, June 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN11563) on planning and paying for college on June 13, 2023, by research librarian Laura L. Monagle: * * * Planning and Paying for College: Federal Government Resources This Insight describes federal online resources intended to help students and parents plan and acquire funds for postsecondary education. These include federal resources that provide general information on scholarships, gra more PR

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12177) on the Shelter and Services Program on June 13, 2023, by Elizabeth M. Webster, emergency management and disaster recovery analyst: * * * Shelter and Services Program (SSP) On June 12, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), published a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) f more PR

WASHINGTON, June 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12176) on space-based satellite programs on June 13, 2023, by Cameron M. Keys, defense logistics and resource management policy analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2024 Defense Budget Request: Space-based Satellite Programs Introduction The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) develops, procures, and deploys satellites in various orbits to enable space operations aligned with operations in  more PR

WASHINGTON, June 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12174) on strategic missile programs on June 12, 2023, by Cameron M. Keys, defense logistics and resource management policy analyst, and Alexandra G. Neenan, defense infrastructure policy analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2024 Defense Budget Request: Strategic Missile Programs Introduction For Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, the Department of Defense (DOD) has requested $7.3 billion for the de more PR

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB10807) on interstate compacts on June 15, 2023, by legislative attorney Stephen P. Mulligan: * * * Interstate Compacts: An Overview The Compact Clause (Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3) provides that "No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, ... enter into Any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power." Although straightforward on its face, the Compact more PR

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB10810) on the Mar-a-Lago indictment on June 9, 2023. The white paper was written by legislative attorneys Stephen P. Mulligan, Jennifer K. Elsea and Peter G. Berris and section research manager Michael A. Foster: * * * The Mar-a-Lago Indictment: A Legal Introduction On June 8, 2023, President Trump stated on social media that he had been informed a federal grand jury had returned  more PR

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB10121) on the President's authority to use the National Guard or the Armed Forces to secure the border on June 15, 2023, by legislative attorney Jennifer K. Elsea: * * * The President's Authority to Use the National Guard or the Armed Forces to Secure the Border On May 2, 2023, the Biden Administration announced that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin approved a request from Secreta more PR

WASHINGTON, June 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB10977) on the recent appellate decisions of interest to lawmakers, June 5 - June 11, 2023, on June 13, 2023. The white paper was written by deputy assistant director Michael John Garcia and legislative attorneys Jimmy Balser, Michael D. Contino and Alexander H. Pepper: * * * Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (June 5-June 11, 2023) The more PR

WASHINGTON, June 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB10978) entitled "Supreme Court Addresses Scope of False Claims Act's Knowledge Requirement" on June 13, 2023, by legislative attorney Victoria L. Killion: * * * Supreme Court Addresses Scope of False Claims Act's Knowledge Requirement On June 1, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court decided United States ex rel. Schutte v. SuperValu Inc., a case involving the scienter, or mental state, requ more PR

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47596) on June 16, 2023, entitled "A Brief Examination of Union Membership Data" by research assistant Paul D. Romero and income security specialist Julie M. Whittaker. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY In the United States, the share of workers who are unionized relative to the total labor force (union density) has been declining for decades. This report analyzes union density in the United States. Th more PR

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47591) on June 9, 2023, entitled "Central Asia: Implications of Russia's War in Ukraine." The report was written by Asian policy analyst Maria A. Blackwood, Asian affairs analyst Ricardo Barrios and international trade and finance specialists Rebecca M. Nelson and Michael D. Sutherland. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The five countries of Central Asia - Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, more PR

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47591) on June 9, 2023, entitled "Central Asia: Implications of Russia's War in Ukraine." (Continued from Part 1 of 3) * * * Implications for Relations with Russia Russia's invasion of Ukraine arguably places Central Asia in a difficult position diplomatically. Some observers posit that the conflict has led Central Asian governments to rethink Russia's role in the region, and that these governments m more PR

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47591) on June 9, 2023, entitled "Central Asia: Implications of Russia's War in Ukraine." (Continued from Part 2 of 3) * * * Implications for China's Presence in Central Asia Geographic proximity binds the People's Republic of China (PRC or China) and Central Asia together, particularly in terms of security and economic development. Since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, PRC leaders' numerous high- more PR

WASHINGTON, June 15 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R45067) on June 13, 2023, entitled "Children's Hospitals Graduate Medical Education" by acting section research manager Elayne J. Heisler. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The Children's Hospitals Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) program provides direct financial support to children's hospitals to train medical residents and fellows. The program is administered by the Health Resources and Services Ad more PR

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RS22331) on June 9, 2023, entitled "Foreign Holdings of Federal Debt" by macroeconomic policy specialist Marc Labonte and research librarian Ben Leubsdorf. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary This report presents current data on ownership of U.S. Treasury securities and major holders of federal debt by country. Federal debt represents the accumulated balance of borrowing by the federal government. The gro more PR