WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12495) on the Army's New M-1E3 Abrams Tank Modernization Program on Sept. 18, 2023, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert. Here are excerpts: * * * The Army's New M-1E3 Abrams Tank Modernization Program Background The M-1 Abrams Tank (Figure 1) is designed to maneuver under fire and destroy enemy armored forces on the battlefield by means of mobility, survivability, an more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12417) on environmental reviews and the 118th Congress on Sept. 19, 2023, by legislative attorney Kristen Hite. Here are excerpts: * * * Environmental Reviews and the 118th Congress Overview of the Review Process Under the National Environmental Policy Act The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 4321 et seq.) mandates environmental review of many agency actions. N more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12498) on the Foreign Investment in Real Property Act on Sept. 18, 2023, by economic policy senior specialist Jane G. Gravelle: * * * Foreign Investment in Real Property Act (FIRPTA) In general, a foreign person or corporation is not taxed on U.S.-source capital gains income unless it is associated with operating a trade or business. However, under the Foreign Investment in Real Propert more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10033) on intellectual property rights and international trade on Sept. 18, 2023, by international trade and finance specialists Shayerah I. Akhtar and Liana Wong. Here are excerpts: * * * Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and International Trade Intellectual property rights (IPR) protection and enforcement are key components of U.S. trade policy, and the United States plays a leadin more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11902) on international financial institutions - fiscal 2024 budget request on Sept. 19, 2023, by international trade and finance specialists Rebecca M. Nelson and Martin A. Weis. 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). Thes more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11874) on international tax proposals addressing profit shifting on Sept. 21, 2023, by economic policy senior specialist Jane G. Gravelle: * * * International Tax Proposals Addressing Profit Shifting: Pillars 1 and 2 On June 5, 2021, finance ministers of the Group of 7 (G7) countries, including the United States, agreed in a communique to two proposals addressing global profit shifting. more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10876) on military suicide prevention and response on Sept. 19, 2023, by military manpower specialist Kristy N. Kamarck and defense health care policy specialist Bryce H. P. Mendez. Here are excerpts: * * * Military Suicide Prevention and Response Background When a servicemember dies by suicide, those close to the member often experience shock, anger, guilt, and sorrow. As such, a ser more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12498) on semiconductors and artificial intelligence on Sept. 18, 2023, by Manpreet Singh, industrial organization and business analyst: * * * Semiconductors and Artificial Intelligence The increasing popularity of artificial intelligence (AI) has drawn congressional attention, and many Members are considering proposals to regulate the quickly evolving landscape. Technical progress in A more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11902) on Taiwan - defense and military issues on Sept. 19, 2023, by Asian affairs analyst Caitlin Campbell: * * * Taiwan: Defense and Military Issues U.S. policy toward Taiwan has long prioritized the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. To dissuade the People's Republic of China (PRC) from using force to try to gain control of self-governing Taiwan (which offic more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11355) on the Windfall Elimination Provision in Social Security on Sept. 19, 2023, by social policy analyst Zhe Li. Here are excerpts: * * * The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) in Social Security: Proposals for a New Proportional Formula Background Social Security is a work-based federal insurance program that provides monthly cash benefits to workers and their eligible family me more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12244) on the Armed Forces compensation during a lapse in appropriations on Sept. 21, 2023, by military manpower specialist Kristy N. Kamarck and defense budget specialist Brendan W. McGarry: * * * Armed Forces Compensation During a Lapse in Appropriations Compensation for members of the Armed Forces (i.e., Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard) is funded thro more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12241) on changes in pay for selected House member staff positions, 2021-2022, on Sept. 18, 2023, by American national government specialist R. Eric Petersen and research assistant Tyler L. Wolanin. Here are excerpts: * * * Changes in Pay for Selected House Member Staff Positions, 2021-2022 The FY2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 117-103) provided $774.0 million, an increase of more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12243) on child care funding cliff on Sept. 20, 2023, by social policy specialists Karen E. Lynch and Conor F. Boyle. Here are excerpts: * * * What Is the Child Care Funding Cliff? Recently, the possibility of a child care funding cliff has received considerable attention from Congress, stakeholder groups, and the media. At issue is whether the child care market (and the families who re more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12248) on economic effects of government shutdowns on Sept. 22, 2023, by macroeconomic policy specialists Lida R. Weinstock and Marc Labonte: * * * Economic Effects of Government Shutdowns If Congress allows appropriations to lapse on October 1, a federal government shutdown would begin. Government shutdowns have direct and indirect impacts on the economy, the severity of which depend la more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12246) on the IRS processing and examination of COVID Employee Retention Credit claims on Sept. 21, 2023, by public finance analyst Anthony A. Cilluffo: * * * IRS Processing and Examination of COVID Employee Retention Credit Claims The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) is a temporary tax credit that was available to employers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ERC could be claimed by certai more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12242) on military mental health care and research provisions on Sept. 19, 2023, by Bryce H. P. Mendez, defense health care policy specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2024 NDAA: Military Mental Health Care and Research Provisions Background Congress authorizes, through the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Department of Defense (DOD) mental health programs and servic more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11043) entitled "D.C. Circuit Finds Mandatory Copyright Deposit Requirement an Unconstitutional Taking" on Sept. 18, 2023, by legislative attorney Kevin J. Hickey: * * * D.C. Circuit Finds Mandatory Copyright Deposit Requirement an Unconstitutional Taking U.S. copyright law has long required copyright owners to send the U.S. Copyright Office one or two copies of their works, which more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11042) on the recent appellate decisions of interest to lawmakers, Sept. 11 - Sept. 17, 2023, on Sept. 18, 2023, by deputy assistant director Michael John Garcia and legislative attorney Peter J. Benson: * * * Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (September 11, 2023-September 17, 2023) The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every more PR