WASHINGTON, June 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following fact sheet (No. R44076) on June 6, 2024, by senior knowledge management librarian Caitlin Curran: * * * Independence Day Speech Resources: Fact Sheet Introduction Independence Day, often called the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday recognizing the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This guide is designed to assist congressional offices with work related to Independence Day events. It c more PR

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11147) on June 4, 2024, by military manpower specialist Kristy N. Kamarck. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: Active Component Enlisted Recruiting Congressional Role The Constitution provides Congress with broad powers over the Armed Forces, including the power "To raise and support Armies" and "To provide and maintain a Navy." In the exercise of this authority, Congress has hist more PR

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12495) on June 3, 2024, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert. Here are excerpts: * * * The Army's 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, and firepower. The M-1 is named for General Creighton Abrams, a note more PR

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12680) on June 4, 2024, by legislative attorney Daniel T. Shedd: * * * The Board of Veterans' Appeals: A Brief Introduction The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA or Board) hears appeals of claimants dissatisfied with the initial decision on a claim for benefits or reimbursement filed with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The BVA provides the highest level of appellate review within more PR

WASHINGTON, June 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12449) on June 6, 2024, 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 starting or expanding a for-profit business. Exceptions include certain feder more PR

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12681) on June 5, 2024, by health policy analyst Johnathan H. Duff and legislative attorney Jennifer A. Staman. Here are excerpts: * * * Contingency Management for Substance Use Disorders Treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs) typically involves pharmacological or psychosocial therapies. For instance, certain medications are used in treatment for alcohol, tobacco, or opioid use. Me more PR

WASHINGTON, June 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10600) on June 6, 2024, by defense infrastructure policy analyst Alexandra G. Neenan. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: Department of Defense Contractors Throughout its history, the Department of Defense (DOD) has relied on contractors to support a wide range of military operations. Within the defense policy community, the term contractor is commonly used in two different context more PR

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12682) on June 5, 2024, by American national government specialist R. Sam Garrett. Here are excerpts: * * * Electoral College Overview When Americans vote for President in the general election, they select electors who will choose the nation's chief executive. Voters thus play an important role in electing the President, but a second step is required to finalize that choice. The U.S. Con more PR

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11751) on June 4, 2024, by macroeconomic policy specialist Marc Labonte: * * * Introduction to U.S. Economy: Monetary Policy The Federal Reserve (Fed), the nation's central bank, is responsible for monetary policy. This In Focus explains how monetary policy works. Typically, when the Fed wants to stimulate the economy, it makes policy more expansionary by reducing short-term interest rate more PR

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11089) on June 3, 2024, by senior research librarian Barbara Salazar Torreon and military manpower specialist Kristy N. Kamarck. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: Military Commissaries and Exchanges The Department of Defense (DOD) offers certain quality-of-life benefits to military members, their families, and retirees. The general purpose of these benefits is to attract, retain, more PR

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10685) on June 4, 2024, by military manpower specialist Kristy N. Kamarck and research assistant Naomi A. Atughonu. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: Military Officers Grade and Rank The Armed Forces are hierarchical organizations with clearly defined levels of authority. The different levels for officers are defined in law and called grades, while rank refers to the order of pre more PR

WASHINGTON, June 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10430) on June 6, 2024, by foreign affairs analyst Leticia Chacon. Here are excerpts: * * * Panama: Country Overview and U.S. Relations Panama's central location in the Americas (linking North and South America), large financial sector, use of the U.S. dollar as currency, and transportation infrastructure-- especially the Panama Canal--make the country a global trade hub. Panama is in th more PR

WASHINGTON, June 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12683) on June 6, 2024, by health policy analysts Kavya Sekar and Hassan Z. Sheikh: * * * Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act: An Overview In 2006, Congress enacted the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA; P.L. 109-417), which authorized a suite of programs and authorities within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to focus on public health emergency prep more PR

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11089) on June 3, 2024, by Shawn Reese, emergency management and homeland security policy analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Presidential Candidate and Nominating Convention Security Introduction In 1968, Congress authorized U.S. Secret Service (USSS) protection of presidential candidates following the assassination of Democratic Party presidential candidate Senator Robert F. Kennedy. A more PR

WASHINGTON, June 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11792) on June 6, 2024, by American national government specialist R. Sam Garrett: * * * Statehood Process and Political Status of U.S. Territories: Brief Policy Background Proposals to admit new states to the union are as old as the republic. A larger United States was contemplated at least as early as 1787, with enactment of the Northwest Ordinance, which addressed territorial expansi more PR

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10527) on June 5, 2024, by intelligence and national security analyst Michael E. DeVine. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S. Intelligence Community Establishment Provisions The concept of a unified U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) consisting of integrated component departments and agencies began to take shape after World War II, in part through the establishment of the Central Intelligence Age more PR

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10199) on June 5, 2024. The white paper is written by Asian affairs specialists Mark E. Manyin and international trade and finance specialists Cathleen D. Cimino-Isaacs and Kyla H. Kitamura. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S.-Japan Relations Overview Japan, a U.S. treaty ally since 1951, is an important U.S. partner in several foreign policy areas, particularly security and trade. Shared se more PR

WASHINGTON, June 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11175) on June 6, 2024, by international trade and finance specialist M. Angeles Villarreal. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S.-Mexico Trade Relations The 118th Congress is engaged in a range of legislative and oversight activities related to trade policy toward Mexico, which in 2023 became the largest U.S. trade partner. Mexico is also of interest to Congress because of its proximity to the  more PR

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12150) on June 3, 2024, by Andrew S. Bowen, Russian and European affairs analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Ukrainian Military Performance and Outlook Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) have been increasingly challenged to defend against Russian advances, given ongoing disadvantages in personnel and a less developed  more PR

WASHINGTON, June 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12356) on June 6, 2024, by Latin American affairs specialist Clare Ribando Seelke and foreign affairs analyst Joshua Klein. Here are excerpts: * * * Mexico's 2024 Elections On June 2, 2024, Mexico, a top U.S. trade and strategic partner, convened elections for federal, state, and local offices, including the presidency, both chambers of congress, and nine governorships. Preliminary result more PR

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12373) on June 4, 2024, by macroeconomic policy specialist Marc Labonte. Here are excerpts: * * * Regional Economic Performance Since the Pandemic The current economic expansion has been characterized by above-average employment growth, historically low unemployment, and economic growth comparable to the previous two expansions (but slower than earlier expansions). (For more information,  more PR

WASHINGTON, June 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12313) on June 6, 2024, by R. Corinne Blackford, small business and economic development policy analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Contracting Program Changes Annual Contracting Goal Increase The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024 (P.L. 118-31), enacted December 22, 2023, increased the federal government's annual go more PR

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11175) on June 5, 2024, by health policy analyst Johnathan H. Duff and legislative attorney Jared P. Cole: * * * Education Department Finalizes New Title IX Regulations: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) prohibits sex discrimination in education programs that receive federal financial assistance. In updated regulations, th more PR

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11174) on June 5, 2024, by health policy analyst Johnathan H. Duff and legislative attorney Jennifer A. Staman. The white paper is written by legislative attorneys Dave S. Sidhu, Todd Garvey and L. Paige Whitaker and section research manager Michael A. Foster: * * * Federal Legal Implications of Former President Donald Trump's Conviction in New York State Court: Frequently Asked Que more PR

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11173) on June 3, 2024, by deputy assistant director Michael John Garcia: * * * Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (May 28-June 2, 2024) The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every week in cases involving diverse legal disputes. This Sidebar series selects decisions from the past week that may be of particular interest to federa more PR

WASHINGTON, June 5 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48082) on June 4, 2024, entitled "Livestock Forage Disaster Program: Drought and Wildfire Assistance" by agricultural policy analyst Christine Whitt. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Many producers raising livestock, such as beef or dairy cattle, depend on forage for grazing. Forage types include native and improved grasses, mixed forage, forage sorghum, and small grains (e.g., barley, millet, more PR