WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following fact sheet (No. R47959) on Dec. 17, 2024, by research librarian Ben Leubsdorf. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY This report provides brief background information and resources for locating historical, recent, and current proposed and unratified amendments to the Constitution of the United States. It does not focus on successful amendments to the Constitution. It is also not intended to provide detailed le more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12274) on Dec. 16, 2024, by military personnel specialist Kristy N. Kamarck and defense budget specialist Brendan W. McGarry. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Spending and Your District Defense spending touches every Member of Congress's district through pay and benefits for military servicemembers and retirees, economic and environmental impact of installations, and procuremen more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12846) on Dec. 11, 2024, by economic policy senior specialist Jane G. Gravelle: * * * Selected Issues in Tax Reform: The Estate and Gift Tax The estate and gift tax imposes a tax of 40% on gifts and estates in excess of a lifetime exemption of $13.61 million (double that amount for married couples). The exemption is indexed for inflation. The tax revision of 2017 (P.L. 11597),  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12852) on Dec. 17, 2024, by R. Corinne Blackford, small business and economic development policy analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Federal Contract Set-Asides for Small Businesses Introduction Provisions of the Small Business Act authorize or, in some cases, require federal agencies to provide small businesses a preference when making a contract award. Preferences for small bu more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11451) on Dec. 17, 2024, by legislative attorney Andreas Kuersten: Here are excerpts: * * * Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Introduction Congress enacted the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in 1978. FISA provides a statutory framework for government agencies to obtain authorization to gather foreign intelligence by means of (1) electronic surveillance more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12848) on Dec. 12, 2024, by health care financing analyst Marco A. Villagrana: * * * Hospital Ownership: Medicare Sources of Information Congress's understanding of hospital ownership is crucial in exercising its legislative and oversight role with respect to health care costs, quality, and access. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - the agency that administers more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11722) on Dec. 16, 2024, by American national government analyst Sarah J. Eckman: * * * House of Representatives Vacancies: How Are They Filled? Vacancies in the office of U.S. Representative occur when an incumbent Member dies, resigns, or leaves office for any reason before the end of their term. Multiple special elections to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives typi more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10539) on Dec. 16, 2024, by legislative attorney Jennifer K. Elsea: * * * Defense Primer: Legal Authorities for the Use of Military Forces By the Framers' apparent design, to keep the nation's "purse" and the "sword" in separate hands and in other ways hinder the nation's embroilment in unnecessary wars, the Constitution divides war powers between Congress and the President. Co more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12851) on Dec. 17, 2024, by Cybersecurity Policy specialist Chris Jaikaran. Here are excerpts: * * * Legislating on Cybersecurity Introduction Cybersecurity considerations for policymakers are broader than those for managing cybersecurity at an organization. When thinking strategically about how to legislate for cybersecurity, lawmakers may consider educating, recruiting, and  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12855) on Dec. 18, 2024, by American national government specialist R. Eric Petersen: * * * Legislation: Engrossment, Enrollment, and Presentation Engrossment, enrollment, and presentation of legislation are components of the legislative process that attest to the accuracy of bill texts, confirm House and Senate action, and confirm delivery of the bills to the President for rev more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10964) on Dec. 12, 2024, by Asian trade and finance specialist Karen M. Sutter. Here are excerpts: * * * Made in China 2025 and Industrial Policies: Issues for Congress The People's Republic of China (PRC or China) aims to gain a global economic and technology leadership position through a range of state-led industrial and related science and technology (S&T) policies. These p more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10116) on Dec. 17, 2024, by African affairs specialist Alexis Arieff. Here are excerpts: * * * Mali Once seen as a rising democracy in Africa, Mali has become an epicenter of conflicts and instability since 2011. A military junta seized power in 2020, Mali's second coup in nine years. Coups in Burkina Faso and Niger followed. Insurgents affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Islamic  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12854) on Dec. 18, 2024, by American national government R. Eric Petersen: * * * Messages, Petitions, Communications, and Memorials to Congress The Constitution and the rules of the House of Representatives and Senate identify various means that citizens, other levels of government, and coordinate branches of the national government may use to communicate formally with either or more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12850) on Dec. 16, 2024, by foreign assistance analyst Nick M. Brown. Here are excerpts: * * * Millennium Challenge Corporation Overview The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is an independent agency established in 2004 by the Millennium Challenge Act (Title VI of Division D, P.L. 108-199). It was created amid intense congressional debate over U.S. foreign aid effectivene more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12845) on Dec. 11, 2024, by economic development policy analyst Adam G. Levin: * * * The Minority Business Development Agency's Rural Business Center Program According to the Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), there are over 544,000 minority business enterprises (MBEs) in rural parts of the United States. MBEs are defined statutorily as busines more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11679) on Dec. 12, 2024, by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * Navy DDG(X) Next-Generation Destroyer Program: Background and Issues for Congress Introduction The Navy's DDG(X) program envisages procuring a class of next-generation guided-missile destroyers (DDGs) to replace the Navy's Ticonderoga (CG-47) class Aegis cruisers and older Arleigh Bu more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11674) on Dec. 12, 2024, by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * Navy Light Replenishment Oiler (TAOL) Program: Background and Issues for Congress Introduction The Navy's Light Replenishment Oiler (TAOL) program, previously called the Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) program, envisages procuring a new class of potentially 13 at-sea resupply s more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11826) on Dec. 12, 2024, by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * Navy Next-Generation Attack Submarine (SSN[X]) Program: Background and Issues for Congress Introduction The Navy has been procuring Virginia-class nuclear powered attack submarines (SSNs) since FY1998. The Navy's envisaged successor to the Virginia-class design is the Next-Generation more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11838) on Dec. 12, 2024, by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * Navy TAGOS-25 Ocean Surveillance Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues for Congress Introduction The Navy in FY2022 procured the first of a planned class of seven new TAGOS-25 class ocean surveillance ships. Under the Navy's FY2025 budget submission, the Navy is proposing to de more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10472) on Dec. 18, 2024, by acting section research manager Mary Beth D. Nikitin: * * * North Korea's Nuclear Weapons and Missile Programs Overview North Korea continues to advance its nuclear weapons and missile programs despite U.N. Security Council sanctions and high-level diplomatic efforts. The country's ballistic missile testing, military parades, and policy statements s more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10430) on Dec. 17, 2024, by foreign affairs analyst Leticia Chacon. Here are excerpts: * * * Panama: Country Overview and U.S. Relations Panama is strategically important to U.S. commercial and security interests, given its central location in the Americas (linking North and South America), the Panama Canal, large financial sector, and role as a transit country in regional migr more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12719) on Dec. 17, 2024, by American national government specialist R. Eric Petersen: * * * Smithsonian Institution: Selected Legislation, 118th Congress The Smithsonian Institution is a complex of museum, education, research, and revenue-generating entities primarily located in the Washington, DC, region, with additional facilities and activities across the United States and w more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12757) on Dec. 12, 2024, by Kelsi Bracmort, natural resources and energy policy specialist: * * * Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF): An Overview of Current Laws and Legislation Introduced in the 118th Congress Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is fuel derived from "sustainable" sources that meets aviation technical standards. The most touted potential benefits of SAF include assisti more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10036) on Dec. 16, 2024, by social policy specialist Gene Falk. Here are excerpts: * * * The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant Introduction The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant was created in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA, P.L. 104-193). That law was the culmination of a se more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11662) on Dec. 16, 2024, by defense policy analyst Anya L. Fink and nonproliferation specialist Mary Beth D. Nikitin: * * * U.S. Nuclear Weapons Tests The United States has observed a voluntary moratorium on nuclear explosive testing since 1992, although it has maintained the ability to resume these tests at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Since 1993, it has used a pro more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11150) on Dec. 17, 2024, by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security analyst: * * * Defense Primer: U.S. Policy on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems Lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS) are a special class of weapon systems that use sensor suites and computer algorithms to independently identify a target and employ an onboard weapon system to engage and destro more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12471) on Dec. 12, 2024. The white paper is written by government organization and management specialists Clinton T. Brass and Ben Wilhelm and senior research librarian Kathleen E. Marchsteiner: * * * Proposed Changes to Statutory Process for Reexamination of Congressional Reporting Requirements Congress frequently inserts text into a statute - or into a report accompanying legi more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. IF12854) on Dec. 18, 2024, by American national government R. Eric Petersen: * * * Fourth Circuit Holds That Certain Medicaid and State-Funded Health Plans Discriminate by Refusing to Cover Treatments for Gender Dysphoria Several states have considered the extent to which transgender individuals should have access to certain medical treatments to address a discordance between more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48304) on Dec. 11, 2024, entitled "F-35 Lightning II: Background and Issues for Congress" by defense policy analyst Jennifer DiMascio. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The F-35 Lightning II is a strike fighter aircraft and the Department of Defense's (DOD's) largest procurement program. Lockheed Martin manufactures the aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, and international par more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48304) on Dec. 11, 2024, entitled "F-35 Lightning II - Background and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Cost and Funding The F-35 program receives (or in the past received) funding from the Air Force, Department of the Navy, and Defense-Wide research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) accounts. The program received Defense-Wide RDT&E funding in FY1996, FY1997, a more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48313) on Dec. 18, 2024, entitled "Overview of the Federal Tax System in 2024" by Public Finance specialists Donald J. Marples and Brendan McDermott. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY This report describes the federal tax structure and system in effect for 2024. The report also provides selected statistics on the tax system as a whole. Historically, the largest component of the federal tax sys more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48313) on Dec. 18, 2024, entitled "Overview of the Federal Tax System in 2024:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Tax Statistics Taxes as a Share of the Economy Federal revenues are derived from several sources and have collectively ranged from roughly one-fifth to one-seventh the size of the economy. Figure 3 displays total federal tax revenues and major sources of federal tax revenue as  more PR