WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R44975) on Nov. 20, 2025, entitled "The Blue Slip Process for U.S. Circuit and District Court Nominations, 1917-Present" by American National Government analyst Barry J. McMillion. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The blue slip process used by the Senate Judiciary Committee for U.S. circuit and district court nominations is of ongoing interest to Congress. Since at least 1917, the committee's more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. 94-834) on Nov. 13, 2025, entitled "Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Federal Civil Service Annuities" by income security specialist Katelin P. Isaacs. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) are based on the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for U more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47627) on Nov. 19, 2025, entitled "Electricity Transmission Permitting Reform: Issues and Legislative Proposals" by energy policy specialist Ashley J. Lawson: * * * SUMMARY Permitting reform for energy infrastructure continues to be a topic of interest in Congress. Some Members of Congress are particularly interested in the processes for planning, siting, approving, and paying for electricity more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47388) on Nov. 17, 2025, entitled "Enforceable Spending Allocations in the Congressional Budget Process: 302(a) Allocations and 302(b) Suballocations" by Drew C. Aherne, Congress and legislative process analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (the Budget Act) provides for the annual adoption of a concurrent resolution on the budget, known as the "budget more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. 98-339) on Nov. 19, 2025, entitled "House Committee Hearings: Scheduling and Notification" by Christopher M. Davis, Congress and legislative process specialist: * * * Summary Each House committee has the authority to hold hearings whether the House is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned (Rule XI, clause 2(m)(1)(A)). Regardless of the type of hearing, or whether a hearing is held in or o more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R42843) on Nov. 19, 2025, entitled "Introduction to the Legislative Process in the U.S. Congress" by Valerie Heitshusen, Congress and legislative process specialist: * * * Summary A bill (or other item of business) may travel through a series of steps in the legislative process - from introduction to committee and floor consideration to possible presidential consideration. However, the process more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11583) on Nov. 19, 2025, by nonproliferation specialist Paul K. Kerr: * * * Iran's Program and UN Sanctions Reimposition UN Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), which the council adopted on July 20, 2015, implements the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and contains other provisions concerning Iran's nuclear program, Tehran's development of missiles, and arms trans more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48641) on November 18, 2025, entitled "Proposals to Limit Member of Congress Financial Activities: Analysis of Introduced Legislation in the 119th Congress" by Congress specialist Jacob R. Straus. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY In recent years, some Members of Congress have proposed reforms that would prohibit the purchase, sale, or ownership of certain financial instruments by Members of  more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48730) on Nov. 19, 2025, entitled "Suriname: Background and U.S. Relations" by Latin American affairs analyst Karla I. Rios: * * * SUMMARY Background The Republic of Suriname (Suriname) has had constructive ties with the United States for more than three decades. Located on the north-central coast of South America, Suriname borders Guyana, French Guiana, and Brazil and identifies as a Caribb more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following fact sheet (No. R44279) on Nov. 19, 2025, by reference librarian Audrey Celeste Crane-Hirsch: * * * Introduction Thanksgiving is a federal holiday observed on the fourth Thursday in November. In 1789, President George Washington declared November 26 a National Day of Thanksgiving. Subsequent Presidents issued Thanksgiving proclamations, but the dates of the commemoration changed. In 1863, President Abra more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48733) on Nov. 19, 2025, entitled "Trade-Related Agencies: FY2026 Appropriations, Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies" by senior research librarian Keigh E. Hammond. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY This report provides an overview of actions by the Trump Administration and Congress to provide funds in FY2026 for the International Trade Administration (ITA) of the Department of C more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN11532) on Nov. 17, 2025, by Bryce H. P. Mendez, defense health care policy specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * TRICARE Cost-Sharing Changes in 2026 The Department of Defense (DOD), which is "using a secondary Department of War designation," under Executive Order 14347 dated September 5, 2025, administers a statutory health entitlement (under Title 10, Chapter 55, of the U.S. C more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13092) on Nov. 18, 2025, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert and Army fellow Ebrima M'Bai. Here are excerpts: * * * The U.S. Army's Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) The Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) The ISV (Figure 1) is a lightweight, unarmored ground transport vehicle developed by GM Defense (headquartered in Detroit, MI) intended to enhance the mobility of Army more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48587) on Nov. 14, 2025, entitled "U.S. Coal Industry Trends" by energy policy analyst Lexie Ryan. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Since 2008, the U.S. coal industry has seen a decline in the amount of coal mined and consumed - although mining efficiency has improved. The industry's U.S. employment has declined 92% over a century. U.S. coal consumption and production peaked in 2007 and 2008 more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12200) on Nov. 18, 2025, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert. Here are excerpts: * * * The U.S. Marine Corps Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR) Background In March 2020, the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) announced a major force design initiative planned to occur over 10 years originally referred to as "Force Design 2030" which is now known as "Force Design." Under For more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10545) on Nov. 19, 2025, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert: * * * Defense Primer: U.S. Special Operations Forces Overview U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) are those active duty and reserve component forces of the military services designated by the Secretary of Defense, who is using "Secretary of War" as a "secondary title" under Executive Order 14347, d more PR