WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12093) on Nov. 25, 2024, by Natalie R. Ortiz, government organization and management analyst: * * * The Accessibility of Federal Information and Data: A Brief Overview of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Nearly one in four Americans has a disability, according to 2018 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Congress has recognized that in addition to making federal informati more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12827) on Nov. 21, 2024, by labor policy analyst Elizabeth Weber Handwerker. Here are excerpts: * * * Current Employment Survey Benchmark Revisions On February 7, 2025, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is scheduled to release annual "benchmark" revisions to official estimates of national-level nonfarm employment from April 2023 through October 2024. BLS announced on August  more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12828) on Nov. 25, 2024, by social policy specialist Alexandra Hegji. Here are excerpts: * * * Direct Loan Program Student Loans: Loan Types and Limits The U.S. Department of Education (ED) estimates it will make about $135 billion in new loans through the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) program - the primary federal student loan program - to approximately 14 more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10142) on Nov. 26, 2024, by American national government R. Eric Petersen: * * * Disclosure of International Travel by Congress International travel by Members of Congress and their staffs is an issue of long-standing interest among the public, media outlets, and Members. Questions regarding the purposes, destinations, and costs of international travel by Congress frequently ari more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10831) on Nov. 22, 2024, by Brendan W. McGarry, defense budget specialist Alexandra G. Neenan, defense infrastructure policy analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: Future Years Defense Program (FYDP) Background The Future Years Defense Program (FYDP, commonly pronounced "fye-dip") is a projection of the forces, resources, and programs to support Department of Defen more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12093) on Nov. 25, 2024, by financial economics analyst Raj Gnanarajah and defense logistics and resource management policy analyst Cameron M. Keys: * * * Defense Primer: FY2024 Department of Defense Audit Results The Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-576) requires annual audits of financial statements for federal executive agencies, among other requirements. Under more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10967) on Nov. 26, 2024, by natural resources policy specialist Eva Lipiec. Here are excerpts: * * * Marine Debris: NOAA's Role Researchers have found marine debris, especially plastic items, to have some effects on humans, wildlife, and the environment, but the extent of these impacts is currently unclear. Congress has directed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrati more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10894) on Nov. 26, 2024, by European affairs analyst Sarah E. Garding and Russian and European affairs specialist Cory Welt. Here are excerpts: * * * Moldova: An Overview Moldova - like neighboring Ukraine - seeks greater integration with the West in the face of Russian interference and territorial occupation. In November 2024, Moldovan President Maia Sandu was reelected on a p more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12303) on Nov. 25, 2024, by Luke A. Nicastro, defense infrastructure policy analyst: * * * The Pacific Deterrence Initiative The Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) is a congressionally established set of defense priorities intended to support U.S. strategic goals in the Indo-Pacific region. Background and Purpose PDI originated as part of the U.S. government's effort to count more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11943) on Nov. 25, 2024, by economic policy senior specialist Jane G. Gravelle. Here are excerpts: * * * GILTI: Proposed Changes in the Taxation of Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income The treatment of income earned abroad in U.S.-controlled foreign corporations (CFCs) has been extensively debated over the years. In the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (P.L. 115-97), the tax treatment  more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11440) on Nov. 26, 2024, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert and nonproliferation specialist Paul K. Kerr: * * * U.S. Antipersonnel Landmine Use Policy Current United States Policy on AntiPersonnel Landmines (APLs) On June 21, 2022, National Security Council (NSC) Spokesperson Adrienne Watson announced the United States would "align its policy concerning use" of more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12668) on Nov. 26, 2024, by defense policy specialist Daniel M. Gettinger. Here are excerpts: * * * The U.S. Army's Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems The U.S. Army is acquiring a family of small uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS) for ground maneuver elements at the battalion level and below to provide real-time reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA) capabilitie more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12608) on Nov. 26, 2024, by natural resources policy specialist Caitlin Keating-Bitonti: * * * U.S. Interest in Seabed Mining in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction: Brief Background and Recent Developments In 1980, Congress passed the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA; P.L. 96-283) as an interim measure to allow U.S. citizens to proceed with seabed mining activities  more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12463) on Nov. 26, 2024, by immigration policy analyst Holly Straut-Eppsteiner. Here are excerpts: * * * Immigration Courts: Decline in New Cases at the End of FY2024 Immigration courts within the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) adjudicate immigration cases; most commonly, formal removal proceedings under Section 240 of the Imm more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11247) on Nov. 26, 2024, by Legislative Attorney Dave S. Sidhu: * * * Considerations for a Federal Criminal Prohibition on Hazing A long-standing governmental interest is keeping students safe. One harm befalling students and raising concerns with some lawmakers is hazing - which generally consists of inflicting pain, discomfort, or ritualized humiliation on a student, or  more PR