WASHINGTON, May 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48534) on May 13, 2025, entitled "Advanced Wireless Services Spectrum: Issues for Congress" by telecommunication policy specialist Jill C. Gallagher. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Radio spectrum is the foundation of wireless communications. It refers to the range of frequencies used to transmit and receive radio signals that carry voice and data communications from one location to another  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48534) on May 13, 2025, entitled "Advanced Wireless Services Spectrum - Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Issues for Congress There are several issues of potential interest to Congress as the FCC prepares for the AWS-3 auction, including the value of the AWS-3 band, supply and demand of mid-band spectrum, time and money required for federal agency transition, spectrum  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 21 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11876) on May 20, 2025, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert: * * * The Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) Program Background The RCV is being developed as part of the Army's Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) family of vehicles. As originally planned, the Army intended to develop three RCV variants: Light, Medium, and Heavy. The Army reportedly envisioned e more PR

WASHINGTON, May 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10590) on May 19, 2025, by social policy specialist Emilie Stoltzfus. Here are excerpts: * * * Child Welfare: Purposes, Federal Programs and Funding The Work of Child Welfare Agencies Children depend on adults--usually their parents--to protect and support them. The broadest mission of public child welfare agencies is to strengthen families so that children can depend on their more PR

WASHINGTON, May 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13001) on May 19, 2025, by Michael Alan Havlin, industrial organization and business analyst, and Alexandra G. Neenan, defense infrastructure policy analyst: * * * Domestic Preference Statutes: The Berry Amendment and the Kissell Amendment Two laws - commonly referred to as the Berry and Kissell Amendments - require that certain products purchased by the Department of Defense ( more PR

WASHINGTON, May 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48097) on May 15, 2025, entitled "Energy and Water Development: FY2025 Appropriations" by energy policy specialist Mark Holt and natural resources policy specialist Anna E. Normand. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies appropriations (E&W) bill funds civil works activities of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in the Department of Defens more PR

WASHINGTON, May 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48097) on May 15, 2025, entitled "Energy and Water Development - FY2025 Appropriations:" (Continued from Part 1 of 4) * * * Funding Levels and Policies for Water Resources Agencies The Biden Administration's FY2025 budget requests for USACE and Reclamation were lower than the enacted FY2024 regular appropriations ($1.483 billion, or 17%, lower for USACE and $307 million, or 16%, lower for Re more PR

WASHINGTON, May 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48097) on May 15, 2025, entitled "Energy and Water Development - FY2025 Appropriations:" (Continued from Part 2 of 4) * * * Bill Status and Recent Funding History Table 4 indicates major congressional actions taken during consideration of FY2025 Energy and Water Development appropriations. (For more details, congressional staff may see the CRS Appropriations Status Table at http://www.crs.go more PR

WASHINGTON, May 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48097) on May 15, 2025, entitled "Energy and Water Development - FY2025 Appropriations:" (Continued from Part 2 of 4) * * * Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) Authorized in 1975 by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (P.L. 94-163, as amended; 42 U.S.C. Sec.6201 et seq.), the SPR fulfills two statutory policy objectives: (1) reduce the economic impact of oil supply disruptions, and (2) carr more PR

WASHINGTON, May 22 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13005) on May 21, 2025, by public finance analyst Brendan McDermott and labor policy analyst Sarah A. Donovan: * * * Individual Federal Income Tax and Overtime Compensation Introduction The individual federal income tax applies to "all income from whatever source derived" unless exempted by law. Some lawmakers have introduced bills in the 119th Congress to exempt overtime compe more PR

WASHINGTON, May 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11729) on May 19, 2025, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert. Here are excerpts: * * * Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Background The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Family of Vehicles (FoV) is an Army-led, joint-service program designed to replace a portion of each service's light tactical wheeled vehicle fleets. The JLTV FoV consists of two variants:  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48535) on May 13, 2025, entitled "Membership of the 119th Congress: A Profile" by senior research librarian Jennifer E. Manning. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY This report presents a profile of the membership of the 119th Congress (2025-2026) as of May 13, 2025, or, where noted, at the beginning of the 119th Congress (January 3, 2025). Statistical information is included on selected charact more PR

WASHINGTON, May 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13002) on May 19, 2025, by agricultural policy analyst Eleni G. Bickell: * * * Oversight and Enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act Background Federal oversight of animal welfare includes inspections, licensing, and enforcement actions to ensure compliance with the Animal Welfare Act (AWA; 7 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.2131-2159) provisions and associated regulations. The U.S. Department of  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 18 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R46491) on May 13, 2025, entitled "Resources for Tracking Federal COVID19 Spending" by senior research librarians Jennifer Teefy and Maria Kreiser: * * * SUMMARY Congress has responded to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with supplemental appropriations measures providing relief and assistance to individuals and families, state and local governments, businesses, health care prov more PR

WASHINGTON, May 21 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13004) on May 20, 2025, by research planning coordinator Erin H. Ward and natural resources policy specialist Pervaze A. Sheikh: * * * The Role of the States Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) The Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.1531-1544) aims to conserve species determined to be endangered or threatened and the ecosystems upon which those species rely. To th more PR

WASHINGTON, May 18 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R44811) on May 15, 2025, entitled "Surface Transportation Devolution: Shifting Responsibility to States and Localities" by transportation policy specialist William J. Mallett. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Surface transportation "devolution" refers to shifting most current federal responsibility for building and maintaining highways and public transportation systems from the federal governm more PR

WASHINGTON, May 21 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11314) on May 20, 2025, by legislative attorney Victoria L. Killion: * * * The TAKE IT DOWN Act: A Federal Law Prohibiting the Nonconsensual Publication of Intimate Images On April 28, 2025, Congress passed S. 146, the TAKE IT DOWN Act, a bill that criminalizes the nonconsensual publication of intimate images, including "digital forgeries" (i.e., deepfakes), in certain cir more PR