WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R49059) on Aug. 3, 2026, entitled "Columbia River System Operations and the Future of the Lower Snake River Dams:" (Continued from Part 2 of 4) * * * Conserving and Restoring Snake River Fishes Federal, state, local, and tribal stakeholders have conducted activities to conserve and restore Snake River salmon and steelhead trout. Most federal activities aimed at restoring salmon and steelhead trout in the Columbia River Basin are implemented more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R49059) on Aug. 3, 2026, entitled "Columbia River System Operations and the Future of the Lower Snake River Dams:" (Continued from Part 3 of 4) * * * Litigation and Administration Actions Following the 2020 Record of Decision After the action agencies issued the 2020 ROD, NWF and the other plaintiffs in existing litigation over Columbia River System operations filed an eighth supplemental complaint in January 2021 seeking review of the 2020 more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13287) by legislative attorneys Dave S. Sidhu and Madeline W. Donley. Here are excerpts: * * * Constitutional Authority Statements and Repeal Legislation To introduce a bill or joint resolution, House Rule XII requires Members of the House to attach a statement identifying the source of Congress's constitutional authority to enact such legislation, known as a Constitutional Authority Statement (CAS). The underlying source of  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R49058) on July 31, 2026, entitled "The Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 - Background, Impact, and Issues" by social policy analyst Zhe Li. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 (SSFA; P.L. 118-273), signed into law on January 5, 2025, repealed two provisions in the Social Security Act: the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). The changes applied to monthly bene more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11469) by legislative attorney Andreas Kuersten: * * * Supreme Court Says Negligence Suits Against Military Contractor Operating in a Combat Zone Are Not Preempted On April 22, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the case Hencely v. Fluor Corp. This case involves a former servicemember (Winston Tyler Hencely) who sued a military contractor (Fluor) under South Carolina law for injuries he suffered on a U.S. military base more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12990) by Asian trade and finance specialist Karen M. Sutter. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S.-China Tariff Actions Since 2018: An Overview Since 2018, the U.S. government has imposed a series of tariffs on imports from the People's Republic of China (PRC, or China) with the stated intention of addressing U.S. concerns about PRC trade practices and foreign policies. Since 2025, the Trump Administration's trade policy and tariff  more PR