WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R49187) on Aug. 14, 2026, entitled "African Growth and Opportunity Act" by international trade and finance analyst Liana Wong. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is a key pillar of U.S. trade policy with sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Congress enacted AGOA as part of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 (Title I of P.L. 106-200, as amended). AGOA is a nonreciprocal U.S. trade preference program providi more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R49187) on Aug. 14, 2026, entitled "African Growth and Opportunity Act:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * AGOA Trade Trends and Economic Impact/38 In 2025, the total value of U.S. imports that claimed duty-free treatment under AGOA was $5.04 billion, almost a 36% decrease from 2024. The top five AGOA beneficiaries were South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Kenya, and Madagascar (Figure 2). Refined copper (+400% from 202 more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R49189) on Aug. 14, 2026, entitled "AI Chatbots as Companions: Overview, Uses and Considerations for Congress" by science and technology policy analyst Dominique T. Greene-Sanders. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY A chatbot is an application or a program that simulates human conversation by generating responses to user prompts. Chatbots have existed for approximately 60 years. Technical advances in artificial intelligence (AI) allow chatbots more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R49189) on Aug. 14, 2026, entitled "AI Chatbots as Companions - Overview, Uses and Considerations for Congress:" (Continued fromPart 1 of 2) * * * Selected Issues: AI Chatbot Use As mentioned, much of what is known about AI chatbot interactions is from short-term studies or company disclosures. Some surveys indicate that the use of AI chatbots for companionship is becoming more prevalent,/71 particularly among teens./72 The widespread use of more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13291) by Catherine A. Theohary, national security policy, cyber and information operations specialist and Andrew Feickert, military ground forces specialist: * * * Analysis of a Potential Cyber Military Service Introduction Congress has long deliberated the idea of creating a separate cyber military service to match the cyberspace domain, tasking various organizations to study the idea. This topic is also of interest to the  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13136) by agricultural policy analyst Zachary T. Neuhofer: * * * Changes to the Statutory Definition of Hemp and Implications for Agricultural Policy The FY2026 Agriculture appropriations law (P.L. 119-37, Division B) amends the statutory definition of hemp in 7 U.S.C. Sec.1639o established by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 farm bill; P.L. 115-334, Sec.10113). The change to the definition - scheduled to go into  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47947) on Aug. 11, 2026, entitled "Complete Streets: A Primer" by transportation policy analyst Jennifer J. Marshall. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Complete streets is a multimodal approach to roadway design and safety that considers all users of transportation infrastructure. A street is considered complete if it facilitates the safe movement of users of all ages, abilities, and transportation modes. Additionally, some transportation ag more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12731) by defense infrastructure policy analyst Andrew Tilghman. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Infrastructure Funding in the 119th Congress The combination of discretionary and mandatory funding appropriations enacted for fiscal year (FY) 2026 has increased Department of Defense (DOD) infrastructure budgets to their highest level in at least 20 years. The Trump Administration's discretionary and mandatory funding request fo more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48705) on Aug. 14, 2026, entitled "Department of Homeland Security Appropriations - FY2026 Provisions" by homeland security and appropriations specialist William L. Painter. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Through appropriations legislation, Congress provides not only budget authority for federal agencies and departments to operate, but also legally binding direction on how that budget authority can (or cannot) be used. These directions m more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13290) by transportation policy specialist William J. Mallett: * * * Department of Transportation (DOT) and Transit-Oriented Development: Options for Congress Recent policy debates in Congress on the relationship between public transit and land use have often involved the Department of Transportation's (DOT's) role in transit-oriented development (TOD). While there is no statutory definition of TOD, DOT's Federal Transit Admin more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R49188) on Aug. 14, 2026, entitled "Ecuador in Brief - Overview and U.S. Relations" by foreign affairs analyst Joshua Klein. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Ecuador is an ethnically and geographically diverse country of 18.1 million people, encompassing parts of South America's Pacific coast, Amazon basin, and Andean highlands. Following a period of bilateral tensions under former President Rafael Correa (2006-2017), U.S.-Ecuador ties have  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10017) by international trade and finance specialist Shayerah I. Akhtar. Here are excerpts: * * * Export-Import Bank: Overview and Reauthorization Debate The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank, or the Bank) is a wholly owned government corporation and an export credit agency (ECA). It aims to support U.S. jobs by financing and facilitating U.S. goods and services exports when the private sector is unwilling o more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13291) by Catherine A. Theohary, national security policy, cyber and information operations specialist and Andrew Feickert, military ground forces specialist: * * * Farm Bill Primer: Selected Animal Health Management and Disease Prevention Provisions The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts that animal agriculture will account for $274 billion of production by U.S. farms and ranches in 2026, 53% of the total value o more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10565) by agricultural policy analyst Christine Whitt. Here are excerpts: * * * Federal Disaster Assistance for Agriculture Several federal assistance programs are designed to address agricultural losses following a natural disaster through mechanisms including insurance, direct payments for loss, loans, and cost share to rehabilitate damaged lands. These programs are intended to assist producers recovering from production, f more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R46797) on Aug. 14, 2026, entitled "Finding Medicare Fee-for-Service Payment System Rules: Schedules and Resources" by senior research librarian Michele L. Malloy. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) program pays physicians, hospitals, and other health care facilities based on statutorily established payment systems, most of which are updated annually through regulations. The publication of Medicare FFS propos more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13292) by legislative attorneys Sean Stiff and Matthew D. Trout: * * * Government Shutdowns: Legal Causes in Brief Congress typically funds the ongoing operations of federal programs in 12 regular appropriations bills. It annually drafts these bills to meet the funding needs of a fiscal year. Usually, Congress provides fixed-period appropriations, which remain available for obligation until a date certain. During this period o more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48934) on Aug. 11, 2026, entitled "Introduction to Tribal Forestry" by natural resources policy specialists Mariel J. Murray and Anne A. Riddle. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The United States and federally recognized Tribes ("Tribes") have a unique relationship that affects federal policies regarding forestry on tribal lands. In particular, the United States has a federal trust responsibility, which is a legal obligation under which the more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RS20946) on Aug. 10, 2026, entitled "Medicare: Insolvency Projections" by health policy analyst Thomas P. Hackman. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Medicare, the federal health insurance program that pays for covered health services for enrolled beneficiaries, provided coverage to approximately 70.7 million beneficiaries in 2026 and incurred total expenditures of approximately $1.33 trillion, of which $481 billion was paid by Part A. Part A, more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R49124) on August 11, 2026, entitled "New World Screwworm: Background and Issues for Congress" by agricultural policy analysts Eleni G. Bickell and Christine Whitt. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The New World screwworm (NWS; Cochliomyia hominivorax) is a parasitic fly whose larvae infest warm-blooded animals, including livestock, wildlife, pets, birds, and humans. Female flies lay eggs in wounds or mucous membranes, and the larvae feed on more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R49124) on August 11, 2026, entitled "New World Screwworm - Background and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Research and Technology Development USDA research related to NWS involves multiple agencies and partners supporting both operational eradication programs and long-term preparedness. APHIS conducts operational research and collaborates on surveillance, sterile fly production, and eradication activities. The Agr more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN11701) by disability policy specialist Scott D. Szymendera. Here are excerpts: * * * Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Regulation of Employee Exposure to Heat Employees who work outdoors, including those in industries such as construction and agriculture, may be exposed to extreme heat conditions. Similarly, certain indoor work locations - such as bakeries, warehouses, and steel mills - may also expose emplo more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11471) by legislative attorney Dorothy C. Kafka: * * * The Reporter's Privilege and Government Employee Confidential Sources In the course of gathering news, journalists frequently rely on confidential sources. Prosecutors or parties in civil litigation may seek to compel reporters to reveal these confidential sources through subpoenas for testimony or documents. Reporters have at times argued that such requests violate  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R49123) on Aug. 10, 2026, entitled "SBA's Office of Inspector General and Its Relationship with Congress: In Brief" by R. Corinne Blackford small business and economic development policy analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Offices of the Inspector General (OIGs) exist in more than 70 federal agencies, including all Cabinet departments and larger agencies, numerous boards and commissions, and other entities. Together, OIGs and the Gover more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12958) by Asian trade and finance specialist Karen M. Sutter. Here are excerpts: * * * Section 301 and China: Mature-Node Semiconductors Title III of the Trade Act of 1974 (Sections 301-310, 19 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.2411-2420, referred to as "Section 301") is one of the principal statutory means by which the United States enforces U.S. rights under trade agreements and addresses "unfair" foreign barriers to U.S. exports. It grants t more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12732) by macroeconomic policy specialist Marc Labonte. Here are excerpts: * * * Six Imbalances Facing the U.S. Economy The economy has been growing in line with its potential, and the unemployment rate has been relatively low since the recovery from the 2020 COVID pandemic. Nevertheless, the economy faces several imbalances that pose risks to economic expansion if their unwinding were disorderly. The presence of these imbalan more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12553) by financial economics analyst Paul Tierno: * * * Stablecoin Legislation: An Overview of the GENIUS Act of 2025 (P.L. 119-27) On July 18, 2025, the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act) was signed into law as P.L. 119-27. An overview of key policy issues can be found here. The act establishes a regime to regulate U.S. payment stablecoins, as described below. Requirements for  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13264). The white paper is written by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert, defense policy analyst Hannah D. Dennis and Army fellow Robert Holcombe: * * * The U.S. Army and the Golden Dome Program What Is Golden Dome? The Golden Dome for America (Golden Dome) - initially known as the Iron Dome for America - refers to an integrated homeland air and missile defense (AMD) system being developed by the Department of more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (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

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11284) by Asian trade and finance specialist Karen M. Sutter. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S.-China Trade Relations The People's Republic of China (PRC or China) is the world's second-largest economy and has been a top U.S. trading partner since China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. China is a major export market for U.S. aircraft, agriculture, semiconductor equipment/chips, gas turbines, and medical devices, more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13289) by internet and telecommunications policy specialist Patricia Moloney Figliola: * * * The Universal Service Fund's E-Rate Program: Overview and Current Regulatory Activity Introduction The Universal Service Fund (USF) was established under Section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. Sec.254), as amended by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-104). The law requires the Federal Communications Commis more PR