WASHINGTON, July 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12171) on June 30, 2026, by income security specialist John J. Topoleski: * * * Benefit Reductions to Participants in Delphi Pension Plans Introduction Delphi Technologies is a parts and components supplier to automakers that was spun off from General Motors (GM) in 1999. In May 2009, Delphi's pension plans were terminated, and responsibility for the payment of plan participants' benefits was turned over to the Pension Benefit more PR

WASHINGTON, July 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10238) by foreign affairs analyst William Piekos. Here are excerpts: * * * Cambodia: Background and U.S. Relations Cambodia, with a population of 17 million, is one of the younger and poorer countries in Southeast Asia. U.S.-Cambodia relations have been complicated since the Vietnam War, during which the United States extensively bombed the country. Following a civil war and the signing of a peace accord in 1991, Cambodia cond more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12241) by health policy specialist Kavya Sekar: * * * The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) During public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, and recent measles, hantavirus, and Ebola outbreaks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has served as a face of the federal government's public health response. As of 2025, CDC describes its core mission as "protecting Americans from infectious and  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12489) by Senior Research Librarian Ben Leubsdorf: * * * Congressional District Geography Workbook (119th Congress): An Interactive Tool for Congressional Users This Insight accompanies the Congressional District Geography Workbook, a Microsoft Excel file that congressional users can download from CRS.gov. The workbook provides information about U.S. House districts as configured in the 119th Congress (2025-2026). It supersedes more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13259) by senior research librarian Maria Kreiser: * * * Connecting Faith-Based and Religious Organizations with Federal Grants and Other Assistance Faith-based or religious organizations and houses of worship (e.g., churches, synagogues, mosques) frequently seek out federal and other assistance for various community services and projects. This In Focus provides congressional offices with an overview of selected grantseeking c more PR

WASHINGTON, July 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13263) by public finance analyst Brendan McDermott: * * * The Deduction for Overtime Compensation Introduction Federal law generally requires workers to pay individual income taxes and payroll taxes on their earned income. The 2025 reconciliation law (P.L. 119-21) created a new income tax deduction of up to $12,500 ($25,000 for those married filing jointly) for certain overtime income in tax years 2025-2028. This In Focus dis more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11788) by military personnel specialist Kristy N. Kamarck. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: Military Service Academies Overview The U.S. military service academies are tuition-free, four-year degree-granting institutions operated by the military departments. The academies are one of three primary commissioning sources for officers, along with the Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps and Officer Candidate School. The more PR

WASHINGTON, July 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R44548) entitled "The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Child Labor Provisions" by labor policy specialist Sarah A. Donovan and legislative attorney Jon O. Shimabukuro. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 prohibits the employment of "oppressive child labor" in the United States, which the act defines - with some exceptions - as the employment of youth under the age of 16 in any occupation or the employme more PR

WASHINGTON, July 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R44548) entitled "The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Child Labor Provisions:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Employment of Children in Agriculture Three exemptions to the FLSA child labor provisions create separate minimum age thresholds and hazardous occupations rules for children employed in agriculture./45 Minimum Age for Employment in Agriculture With some exceptions, the minimum age for employment in agricultural occupations is  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12609) on June 30, 2026, by Diane P. Horn, flood insurance and emergency management specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC): Recent Developments This Insight provides a brief summary of developments related to the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program in 2025 and 2026. BRIC funding represents the largest U.S. competitively awarded pre- more PR

WASHINGTON, July 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11274) by legislative attorney Clay Wild: * * * Geofence Warrants and the Fourth Amendment: The Supreme Court Weighs In Introduction From thermal imaging and wiretaps to GPS tracking and various forms of electronic eavesdropping, the emergence of new technologies and their investigative use have sometimes created legal tension with constitutional privacy protections. Over the last century, federal courts have considered  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11779) by environmental policy analyst Kathryn G. Kynett and legislative attorney Kristen Hite. Here are excerpts: * * * Hydrofluorocarbon Phasedown: Background and Issues Facing Congress The United States is phasing down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 (AIM; P.L. 116-260, Division S, Sec.103; codified at 42 U.S.C. Sec.7675) and the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol more PR

WASHINGTON, July 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11443) on June 30, 2026, by legislative attorney Hillel R. Smith: * * * Mullin v. Al Otro Lado: Supreme Court Determines That "Metering" Policy Is Lawful On June 25, 2026, the Supreme Court in Mullin v. Al Otro Lado ruled that an alien seeking to enter the United States at a port of entry but stopped on the Mexican side of the U.S.-Mexico border by a U.S. immigration officer is not statutorily entitled to be inspected by  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13178) by transportation policy analyst Naseeb A. Souweidane. Here are excerpts: * * * NHTSA's Authorities and Rulemaking Process NHTSA Background and Authorities The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), part of the Department of Transportation (DOT), is primarily responsible for motor vehicle and highway safety. Congress established highway safety regulatory agencies in response to an increase in motor veh more PR

WASHINGTON, July 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13262) by natural resources policy specialist Laura B. Comay. Here are excerpts: * * * National Park Service: FY2027 Appropriations The National Park Service (NPS) administers the National Park System, which includes 433 units valued for their natural, cultural, and recreational importance. System lands cover 81 million federal acres and 4 million nonfederal acres. As part of the Department of the Interior (DOI), NPS receives  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13261) on June 30, 2026, by social policy specialist Gene Falk. Here are excerpts: * * * The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 Introduction The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA, P.L. 104-193), also known as the 1996 welfare reform law, was enacted 30 years ago. Leading up to its passage, debates over welfare reform had spanned four decades, f more PR

WASHINGTON, July 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13260) on June 30, 2026, by financial economics specialist Eva Su. Here are excerpts: * * * Private Investment Markets: Overview and Retail Investor Access Private investments - also referred to as alternative investments or private capital - are investments generally available only to accredited investors. Such investments include private securities offerings in non-publicly traded companies and private funds. The Securities more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12887) by housing policy analyst Henry G. Watson. Here are excerpts: * * * Rental Housing There are over 49 million rental housing units in the United States. About one-third of households in the United States rent their housing. Rental housing prices have increased faster than prices for non-shelter goods and services in recent years. To address persistent housing affordability challenges, the federal government funds severa more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13257) on June 26, 2026, by natural resources policy specialist Caitlin Keating-Bitonti. Here are excerpts: * * * The Role of U.S. In Situ Ocean Observation Networks: A Case Study of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation A climate tipping point generally refers to a "critical threshold" in an Earth system that when crossed can cause the system to shift into a new state. Scientists contend that crossing a tipping poi more PR

WASHINGTON, July 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13226) by natural resources policy specialists Caitlin Keating-Bitonti and Laura B. Comay. Here are excerpts: * * * Seabed Mining on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf: Background and Recent Developments As part of a national effort to secure reliable supplies of critical minerals, President Trump issued Executive Order (E.O.) 14285 of April 24, 2025, "Unleashing America's Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources." One potential more PR

WASHINGTON, July 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13006) by international trade and finance specialist Kyla H. Kitamura. Here are excerpts: * * * Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended (19 U.S.C. Sec.1862), allows the President to impose restrictions on goods imports or enter into negotiations with trading partners if the U.S. Secretary of Commerce determines, following an investigation, that the quantity or o more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12608) on June 26, 2026, by natural resources policy specialist Caitlin Keating-Bitonti: * * * U.S. Interest in Seabed Mining in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction: Brief Background and Recent Developments In 1980, Congress passed the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA; 30 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.1401 et seq.) as an interim measure to allow the United States to proceed with seabed mining activities in areas beyond national  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10199) on June 30, 2026. The report is written by Asian affairs specialist Mark E. Manyin, foreign affairs analyst Daniel J. Longo and international trade and finance specialists Cathleen D. Cimino-Isaacs and Kyla H. Kitamura. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S.-Japan Relations Overview Japan, a U.S. treaty ally since 1952, is an important U.S. security and trade partner. Shared bilateral goals include addressing the challenge of  more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R49010) entitled "What Is Harassment? An Overview from Federal Employment Law" by legislative attorney April J. Anderson: * * * SUMMARY Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 generally prohibits discrimination in the workplace, but it does not expressly prohibit harassment. The Supreme Court has interpreted the statute to prohibit certain forms of harassment, however, including sexual harassment. The Court has established legal standards f more PR