WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11226) on Aug. 20, 2024, by defense infrastructure policy analysts Alexandra G. Neenan and Luke A. Nicastro: * * * Defense Primer: Acquiring Specialty Metals and Sensitive Materials Some metals and metal alloys, as well as strong permanent magnets known as rare earth magnets, are critical to U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) operations. These are frequently integrated into components (e.g more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12611) on Aug. 20, 2024, by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security specialist: * * * DOD Replicator Initiative: Background and Issues for Congress Introduction Replicator, unveiled on August 28, 2023, is a Department of Defense (DOD) initiative, led by DOD's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), to field thousands of uncrewed systems by August 2025. Replicator's first line  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11459) on Aug. 20, 2024, by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: Hypersonic Boost-Glide Weapons The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is pursuing two types of hypersonic weapons technologies: boost-glide systems that place a maneuverable glide vehicle atop a ballistic missile or rocket booster, and cruise missiles  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12744) on Aug. 15, 2024, by legislative attorney Kevin J. Hickey: * * * Policies Governing Employment Discrimination and Harassment in the Judicial Branch Patent Law: An Introduction and Issues for Congress Patents, a form of intellectual property, give their owners certain exclusive rights in new and useful inventions. To encourage innovation, the Constitution gives Congress the power t more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12745) on Aug. 16, 2024, by legislative attorneys Abigail A. Graber and Whitney K. Novak: * * * Policies Governing Employment Discrimination and Harassment in the Judicial Branch Several federal laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 501), protect members of more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11256) by financial economics specialist Eva Su. Here are excerpts: * * * SEC Securities Disclosure: Background and Policy Issues Disclosure requirements are the cornerstone of federal securities regulation. One of the key federal securities laws, the Securities Act of 1933 (P.L. 73-22), is often referred to as the "truth in securities" law. As this name suggests, the 1933 act focuses  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12746) on Aug. 20, 2024, by legislative attorney Joanna R. Lampe: * * * Three-Judge District Courts The Constitution vests federal judicial power in "one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish." Congress establishes federal courts via legislation and possesses substantial authority to structure courts and set judicial procedu more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10909) on Aug. 19, 2024, by Liana W. Rosen, international sanctions and financial crimes specialist: * * * U.S. Sanctions: Targeting International Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking Sanctions play a role in U.S. national drug control strategies to disrupt and deter the illicit production and trafficking of foreign-produced drugs. The 118th Congress has focused on the role of sanctio more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN11049) on Aug. 15, 2024, Diane P. Horn, flood insurance and emergency management specialist: * * * A Brief Introduction to the National Flood Insurance Program in the 118th Congress Introduction The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is authorized by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (Title XIII of P.L. 90-448, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.4001 et seq.) and is the primary so more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12409) on Aug. 21, 2024, by financial economics analyst Karl E. Schneider and legislative attorney David H. Carpenter. Here are excerpts: * * * Financial Services and General Government FY2025 Appropriations: CFPB's Funding and Structure Provisions On June 17, 2024, the House Committee on Appropriations reported its FY2025 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) appropriations b more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12408) on Aug. 21, 2024, by Congress and legislative process analyst Christopher M. Davis and government organization and management specialist Maeve P. Carey: * * * CRA Lookback Period Currently Estimated to Begin in August 1 Time Frame The Congressional Review Act (CRA, 5 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.801-808) is a tool that Congress can use to overturn recently finalized regulations. Enacted in 1996, more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12407) on Aug. 20, 2024, by defense infrastructure policy analyst Andrew Tilghman. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2025 Military Construction Appropriations: A Summary The Biden Administration's fiscal year 2025 (FY2025) budget submission to Congress requested $17.545 billion for U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) military construction (MILCON) and family housing programs. The funding requested more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IN12406) on Aug. 19, 2024, by defense infrastructure policy analyst Luke A. Nicastro. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2025 NDAA: Defense Industrial Base Policy Background The defense industrial base (DIB) is the network of organizations, facilities, and resources that supplies the U.S. government - particularly the Department of Defense (DOD) - with materials, products, and services for defen more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12405) on Aug. 16, 2024, defense budget specialist Brendan W. McGarry and Congress and legislative process specialist Valerie Heitshusen. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2025 NDAA: Status of Legislative Activity On March 11, 2024, President Joe Biden submitted initial documentation supporting the FY2025 budget request, including proposed funding for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), atom more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12404) on Aug. 15, 2024, defense budget specialist Brendan W. McGarry. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2025 NDAA: Summary of Proposed Funding Authorizations Of the $895.2 billion requested in the FY2025 President's budget for discretionary activities within the national defense budget function, approximately $883.7 billion fell within the scope of proposed versions of a National Defense Autho more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11216) on Aug. 16, 2024, legislative attorney Jay B. Sykes: * * * District Court Holds That Google Unlawfully Monopolizes Online Search: Overview and Potential Remedies On August 5, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia held that Google unlawfully monopolizes the markets for general search services and general search text ads through a series of exclusive contr more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48163) on Aug. 19, 2024, entitled "Foreign Nationals in the U.S. Armed Forces: Immigration Issues" by immigration policy analyst Holly Straut-Eppsteiner. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Enlistment and appointment in the U.S. Armed Forces is currently limited to U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (LPRs), and residents of certain Pacific Islands (Freely Associated Sta more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48163) on Aug. 19, 2024, entitled "Foreign Nationals in the U.S. Armed Forces - Immigration Issues:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Removals of Foreign National Veterans Some Members of Congress and veterans' advocates have expressed concern regarding removals (commonly called deportations) of foreign national veterans who separated from service without naturalizing./80 All foreign natio more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48158) on Aug. 16, 2024, entitled "Kazakhstan: Background and Issues for Congress" by Asian policy analyst Maria A. Blackwood. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Kazakhstan, a U.S. partner in areas such as counterterrorism, regional security, and nuclear nonproliferation, is a strategically situated country with significant hydrocarbon and mineral resources. It shares borders with Russia to the more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48158) on Aug. 16, 2024, entitled "Kazakhstan - Background and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Kazakhstan's Foreign Policy Bilateral Relations with the United States The United States was the first country to recognize Kazakhstan's independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Since that time, the United States and Kazakhstan have developed a s more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48160) on Aug. 19, 2024, entitled "Law Enforcement and Technology: Use of Automated License Plate Readers" by domestic security specialist Kristin Finklea: * * * SUMMARY Over the past couple of decades, law enforcement use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs; also referred to as LPRs) has increased. These tools are now relatively commonplace in policing. According to the Bureau of Justic more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48155) on Aug. 14, 2024, entitled "Oversight of Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity: Current Policies and Options for Congress" by Todd Kuiken, science and technology policy analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY In the United States, oversight of the life sciences, in particular laboratory biosafety and biosecurity, is exercised pursuant to a mixture of federal law, federal guidance, and more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48155) on Aug. 14, 2024, entitled "Oversight of Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity - Current Policies and Options for Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * U.S. Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential In May 2024, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released its most recent policy upda more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48159) on Aug. 16, 2024, entitled "Selected Potential Considerations with Respect to Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal: In Brief." The report is written by natural resources policy specialists Caitlin Keating-Bitonti and Anthony R. Marshak, environmental policy specialist Laura Gatz and senior research librarian Claire M. Jordan. Here are excerpts: * * * Selected Potential Considerations with Re more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47575) on Aug. 9, 2024, entitled "Unemployment Insurance: Legislative Issues in the 118th Congress" by Income security specialists Julie M. Whittaker and Katelin P. Isaacs: * * * SUMMARY The Unemployment Insurance (UI) system is a joint federal-state partnership that consists of two types of benefits: (1) permanently authorized programs including the Unemployment Compensation (UC) and the Extended Bene more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47575) on Aug. 9, 2024, entitled "Unemployment Insurance - Legislative Issues in the 118th Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * President's Budget Proposal for FY2025 As in FY2024, the President's Budget Proposal for FY2025 budget request includes the same reform proposals intended to improve the administration and integrity of the UI program (see the section on "Proposed Program Integrity L more PR