WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12342) on armed drones on Nov. 7, 2023, by John W. Rollins, terrorism and national security specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Armed Drones: Evolution as a Counterterrorism Tool Armed drones (also commonly called Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or UAVs) are unmanned aircraft designed to identify, surveil, and engage ground-based targets - ranging from materiel to individuals - with kinetic  more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12521) on distribution of IRS audits by income and race on Nov. 6, 2023, by public finance analyst Brendan McDermott. Here are excerpts: * * * Distribution of IRS Audits by Income and Race The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforces the federal tax code. Among the ways it does so is by conducting audits to verify the information on a taxpayer's return is accurate and the correct amount o more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12528) on non-tariff measures on Nov. 6, 2023, by Andres B. Schwarzenberg, international trade and finance specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs): An Overview U.S. exporters' access to foreign markets increasingly depends on compliance with a diverse array of non-tariff measures (NTMs) that governments have designed to achieve various public policy objectives. As more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12530) on the Older Americans Act on Nov. 8, 2023, by Kirsten J. Colello, health and aging policy specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Older Americans Act: Summary in Brief Overview The Older Americans Act (OAA; P.L. 89-73, as amended; 42 U.S.C. Ch. 35) supports a wide range of social and health-related services and programs for older adults, including supportive services (i.e., persona more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12529) on recreational marijuana and economic development on Nov. 7, 2023, by economic development policy analyst Adam G. Levin. Here are excerpts: * * * Recreational Marijuana and Economic Development Advocates of legalizing the use of marijuana for recreational purposes sometimes argue that taking such a step could potentially create economic benefits. For example, when Colorado voters more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12183) on the Fiscal Responsibility Act's discretionary spending caps under continuing resolutions on Nov. 8, 2023, by Congress and legislative process specialists Drew C. Aherne and Megan S. Lynch. Here are excerpts: * * * The FRA's Discretionary Spending Caps Under a CR: FAQs What is the FRA and how does it limit discretionary spending? The Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA, P.L. 118-5),  more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12276) on providing for en bloc consideration of military nominations on Nov. 9, 2023, by Congress and legislative process specialists Michael Greene and Elizabeth Rybicki: * * * S.Res. 444: Providing for En Bloc Consideration of Military Nominations On October 31, 2023, Senator Jack Reed, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, submitted S.Res. 444, a resolution proposing a tempora more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IF12529) on year-round sale of E15 on Nov. 7, 2023, by Kelsi Bracmort, natural resources and energy policy specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Year-Round Sale of E15 E15 - a fuel blend of up to 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline - generally cannot be sold during the summer driving season (June 1-September 15) because it does not meet the gasoline Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) requirements, which lim more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11073) on the recent appellate decisions of interest to lawmakers, Oct. 30 - Nov. 5, 2023, on Nov. 6, 2023, by deputy assistant director Michael John Garcia and legislative attorney Rosemary W. Gardey: * * * Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (October 30, 2023-November 5, 2023) The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every week in more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47605) on Oct. 30, 2023, entitled "Connecting Older Adults to Information on Benefits and Services." The report was written by research librarians Tamar B. Breslauer, Angela Napili, Lena A. Maman, Rachael D. Roan, Jennifer Teefy, Maura Mullins, and Alyse N. Minter. Here are excerpts: * * * Contents Purpose and Scope ... 1 Benefits Guides ... 1 Cash Assistance ... 2 Elder Justice and L more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47605) on Oct. 30, 2023, entitled "Connecting Older Adults to Information on Benefits and Services:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Personal Finance and Tax/17 Personal Finance Several agencies - the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and the U.S. Securities more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R40094) on Oct. 31, 2023, entitled "Iran's Nuclear Program: Tehran's Compliance with International Obligations" by nonproliferation analyst Paul K. Kerr: * * * Several U.N. Security Council resolutions adopted between 2006 and 2010 required Iran to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA's) investigation of its nuclear activities, suspend its uranium enrichment program more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R40094) on Oct. 31, 2023, entitled "Iran's Nuclear Program - Tehran's Compliance with International Obligations:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Potential Noncompliance After September 2005 Design Information Provision Iran further reduced its cooperation with the IAEA in March 2007, when the government told the agency that Tehran would stop complying with a portion of the subsidiary arra more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL32665) on Oct. 4, 2023, entitled "Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress" by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary The current and planned size and composition of the Navy, the annual rate of Navy ship procurement, the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans, the capacity of the U.S. shipbuilding  more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL32665) on Oct. 4, 2023, entitled "Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans - Background and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 3) * * * Issues for Congress Potential issues for Congress concerning Navy shipbuilding relating to the Navy's proposed FY2024 budget include but are not necessarily limited to those discussed below. Force-Level Goal and Shipbuilding Profile One iss more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL32665) on Oct. 4, 2023, entitled "Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans - Background and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 2 of 3) * * * Legislative Activity for FY2024 CRS Reports Tracking Legislation on Specific Navy Shipbuilding Programs Detailed coverage of legislative activity on certain Navy shipbuilding programs (including funding levels, legislative provisions, and rep more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R44668) on Oct. 4, 2023, entitled "The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant: A Legislative History" by social policy specialist Gene Falk. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant was created in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA, P.L. 104-193). It was born out of the welfare r more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R44668) on Oct. 4, 2023, entitled "The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant - A Legislative History:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Major Differences Between AFDC and TANF PRWORA ended AFDC and related programs, and folded their funding into the broad-purpose TANF block grant. Dedicated funding was ended to assist the specific population eligible for family cash assistance. more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL32760) on Oct. 4, 2023, entitled "The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant: Responses to Frequently Asked Questions" by social policy specialists Gene Falk and Patrick A. Landers. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant funds a wide range of benefits and services for low-income families with children. TANF was created in t more PR