WASHINGTON, July 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10491) on Australia on July 12, 2023, by Asian affairs specialist Emma Chanlett-Avery and research assistant Joseph O. Yinusa. Here are excerpts: * * * Australia: Background and U.S. Relations Overview Australia's relationship with the United States, forged as allies in all major U.S. wars, remains close and focuses heavily on trade and security cooperation. The United States and Aust more PR

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12283) on the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement on July 14, 2023, by natural resources policy specialist Caitlin Keating-Bitonti. Here are excerpts: * * * The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement (High Seas Treaty) On June 19, 2023, the United Nations (U.N.) adopted an international legally binding instrument to address marine biodiversity on the high se more PR

WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11151) on the Central American migration on July 10, 2023, by Peter J. Meyer, Latin American and Canadian affairs specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Central American Migration: Root Causes and U.S. Policy U.S. policy toward Central America has been a subject of significant debate and oversight over the past decade as Congress has sought to address the underlying factors driving migra more PR

WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11672) on the Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter program on July 10, 2023, by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program: Background and Issues for Congress Introduction The Coast Guard's Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) program envisages procuring 30 replacements for the Coast Guard's 35 aging river buoy ten more PR

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12449) on connecting constituents with federal assistance for businesses on July 11, 2023, by senior research librarian Maura Mullins: * * * Connecting Constituents with Federal Assistance for Businesses Federal agencies assist businesses through a number of credit and technical assistance programs. With some exceptions, the federal government typically does not award grants for startin more PR

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12204) on fiscal 2023 offshore energy agency appropriations on July 13, 2023, by natural resources policy specialist Laura B. Comay. Here are excerpts: * * * Offshore Energy Agency Appropriations, FY2023 Three entities in the Department of the Interior (DOI) share responsibility for managing the nation's ocean energy resources on almost 2.5 billion acres of the U.S. outer continental sh more PR

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11780) on Overview of the U.N. system on July 14, 2023, by international relations specialist Luisa Blanchfield. Here are excerpts: * * * United Nations Issues: Overview of the United Nations System The United Nations (U.N.) system comprises interconnected entities including the United Nations, specialized agencies, U.N. peacekeeping operations, funds and programs, and other related bo more PR

WASHINGTON, July 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12450) on stablecoin policy issues for the 118th Congress on July 12, 2023, by financial economics analyst Paul Tierno: * * * Stablecoin Policy Issues for the 118th Congress Stablecoins are digital financial instruments that use technology underpinning cryptocurrencies (e.g., Bitcoin and Ether) but attempt to eliminate volatility by pegging their value to a stable asset (e.g., one U.S. d more PR

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10354) on the U.S. funding to the U.N. system on July 14, 2023, by international relations specialist Luisa Blanchfield. Here are excerpts: * * * United Nations Issues: U.S. Funding to the U.N. System The United States is the single largest financial contributor to the United Nations (U.N.) system. Congress has long debated the appropriate level of U.S. funding to U.N. system activitie more PR

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11580) on the U.S. government procurement and international trade on July 11, 2023, by Andres B. Schwarzenberg, international trade and finance analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S. Government Procurement and International Trade The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that U.S. companies and the federal government rely heavily on global supply chains. This has prompted congressional interes more PR

WASHINGTON, July 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12327) on U.S. trade policy - future direction and key economic debates on July 12, 2023, by Andres B. Schwarzenberg, international trade and finance analyst: * * * U.S. Trade Policy: Future Direction and Key Economic Debates Congress plays a major role in shaping U.S. trade policy through the exercise of its constitutional authorities. Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution gran more PR

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11651) on the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement on July 11, 2023, by Andres B. Schwarzenberg, international trade and finance analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) During the past 50 years, the United States has played a prominent role in developing international trade rules on government procurement. Most U.S. free trade agreements includ more PR

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12196) on basic needs allowance and military food insecurity on July 10, 2023, by military manpower specialist Kristy N. Kamarck. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2024 NDAA: Basic Needs Allowance and Military Food Insecurity Background The military compensation system includes cash payments (e.g., basic pay, special and incentive pays) and allowances (e.g., housing and subsistence). The sum  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN11997) on the Biden Administration's one-time student loan debt relief policy under the HEROES Act on July 10, 2023, by social policy analyst Alexandra Hegji: * * * The Biden Administration's One-Time Student Loan Debt Relief Policy under the HEROES Act of 2003 On August 24, 2022, invoking the HEROES Act of 2003, the Department of Education (ED) announced a "one-time student loan debt rel more PR

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12199) on chemical security on July 14, 2023, by Brian E. Humphreys, science and Technology policy analyst: * * * Chemical Security: Regulatory Implications of Terrorism Risk Assessment Methodology The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program imposes security requirements on certain facilities that manufacture, process, or store chemicals of interest - i.e., chemicals th more PR

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12198) on the Federal Election Commission Administrative Fine Program on July 13, 2023, by American national government specialist R. Sam Garrett. Here are excerpts: * * * Federal Election Commission Administrative Fine Program Statutory authorization for the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Administrative Fine Program (AFP, sometimes called the Administrative Fines Program) expires on  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12158) on fiscal 2024 agriculture appropriations on July 10, 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 - more PR

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12200) on holds on nominations on July 13, 2023, by Elizabeth Rybicki and Michael Greene, Congress and legislative process specialists: * * * Holds on Nominations In the Senate, a hold on a nomination is a communication to the majority or minority leader that a Senator would object to approving the nomination by unanimous consent. When Senators inform their leader that they would object t more PR

WASHINGTON, July 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12032) on Mountain Valley Pipeline on July 12, 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 exi more PR

WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12195) on the U.S. Housing Underbuilding Gap on July 10, 2023, by macroeconomic policy analyst Lida R. Weinstock. Here are excerpts: * * * The U.S. Housing Underbuilding Gap Economists have noted widespread tight housing supply conditions in the United States currently, leading to high home prices and rents. The policy discussion surrounding low supply is often focused on the supply of u more PR

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11005) on the Federal Labor Relations Authority has jurisdiction to regulate State National Guards on July 11, 2023, by legislative attorney Jimmy Balser: * * * Supreme Court Holds That Federal Labor Relations Authority Has Jurisdiction to Regulate State National Guards On May 18, 2023, the Supreme Court decided Ohio Adjutant General's Department v. Federal Labor Relations Authorit more PR

WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11004) on the recent appellate decisions of interest to lawmakers July 3 - July 9, 2023, on July 10, 2023. The white paper was written by deputy assistant director Michael John Garcia and legislative attorneys Alexander H. Pepper, Michael D. Contino and Matthew D. Trout: * * * Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (July 3, 2023-July 9, 202 more PR

WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11003) on statutory criminalization of encouraging or inducing illegal immigration is not facially overbroad under the First Amendment on July 10, 2023, by legislative attorney Kelsey Y. Santamaria: * * * Supreme Court Rules That Statutory Criminalization of Encouraging or Inducing Illegal Immigration Is Not Facially Overbroad Under the First Amendment On June 23, 2023, the Supreme more PR

WASHINGTON, July 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47624) on July 12, 2023, entitled "Legislative Branch: Fiscal 2024 Appropriations" by Congress specialist Ida A. Brudnick. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The legislative branch appropriations bill provides funding for the Senate; House of Representatives; Joint Items; Capitol Police; Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (formerly Office of Compliance); Congressional Budget Office (CBO); Architec more PR

WASHINGTON, July 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47624) on July 12, 2023, entitled "Legislative Branch - Fiscal 2024 Appropriations:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * FY2024 Legislative Branch Funding Issues The following sections discuss the various legislative branch accounts. During consideration of the legislative branch bills, the House and Senate conform to a "longstanding practice under which each body of Congress determines its own hous more PR

WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47010) on July 3, 2023, entitled "Missing and Murdered Indigenous People - Overview of Recent Research, Legislation and Selected Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 2 of 3) * * * Federal Programs and Grants The federal government has several programs that either directly or indirectly address MMIWG. Some of these programs were created specifically to address this issue, such as the recently lau more PR