WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13117) on Sept. 30, 2025, by financial economics analyst Karl E. Schneider: * * * Access to Consumer Financial Data: Open Banking and the CFPB's Section 1033 Rule Open banking refers to a relationship among consumers, financial services providers, and authorized third parties that enables consumers to transfer their information electronically from one firm to another for varied  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12259) on Sept. 30, 2025, by Congress specialist Ida A. Brudnick: * * * Armed Forces Compensation During a Lapse in Appropriations Compensation for members of the Armed Forces (i.e., Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard) is funded through annual appropriations to personnel-related line items in accounts of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL33865) on Sept. 25, 2025, entitled "Arms Control and Nonproliferation: A Catalog of Treaties and Agreements." The report is written by defense policy analyst Anya L. Fink and nonproliferation specialists Mary Beth D. Nikitin and Paul K. Kerr. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary Arms control and nonproliferation are two of the policy tools that the United States has used to implement its nat more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL33865) on Sept. 25, 2025, entitled "Arms Control and Nonproliferation - A Catalog of Treaties and Agreements:" (Continued from Part 1 of 6) * * * The International Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which entered into force in 1970 and was extended indefinitely in 1995, is the centerpiece of the nuclear no more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL33865) on Sept. 25, 2025, entitled "Arms Control and Nonproliferation - A Catalog of Treaties and Agreements:" (Continued from Part 2 of 6) * * * Weapons Control and Elimination Conventions Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) bans the development, production, transfer, stockpiling, and use of chemical and toxin weapons; mandates the destruction of all  more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL33865) on Sept. 25, 2025, entitled "Arms Control and Nonproliferation - A Catalog of Treaties and Agreements:" (Continued from Part 3 of 6) * * * Export Controls Zangger Committee In 1971, a group of seven NPT nuclear supplier nations formed the Nuclear Exporters Committee, known as the Zangger Committee, to assist in restricting nuclear trade as called for in Article III of the NPT. In 1 more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL33865) on Sept. 25, 2025, entitled "Arms Control and Nonproliferation - A Catalog of Treaties and Agreements:" (Continued from Part 4 of 6) * * * Arms Control Between the United States and States of the Former Soviet Union 1970s: SALT I and SALT II The United States and Soviet Union signed their first formal agreements limiting nuclear offensive and defensive weapons in May 1972. The Stra more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL33865) on Sept. 25, 2025, entitled "Arms Control and Nonproliferation - A Catalog of Treaties and Agreements:" (Continued from Part 5 of 6) * * * 1990s-Early 2000s: Moving Past START and the ABM Treaty The arms control process between the United States and Russia essentially stalled during the 1990s, as efforts to ratify and implement START II dragged on. In 1997, in an effort to move the  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12583) on Sept. 30, 2025, by financial economics analyst Paul Tierno: * * * Crypto Legislation: An Overview of H.R. 3633, the CLARITY Act On June 23, 2025, the House Committees on Financial Services and Agriculture reported H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 (or the CLARITY Act). The bill would give the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) a central ro more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13115) on Sept. 29, 2025, by defense policy analyst Hannah D. Dennis: * * * Defense Primer: The Golden Dome for America The Golden Dome for America (initially known as the Iron Dome for America) is an initiative of the second Trump Administration to develop an integrated air and missile defense system. President Donald J. Trump introduced the initiative in Executive Order (E.O.) more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12598) on Sept. 30, 2025, by economic policy analyst D. Andrew Austin: * * * Dismissals of Members of Puerto Rico's Financial Oversight and Management Board On Friday, August 1, 2025, President Trump dismissed five of the seven members of Puerto Rico's Financial Oversight and Management Board (FOMB or Oversight Board): Arthur J. Gonzalez, Cameron McKenzie, Betty A. Rosa, Juan A.  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13118) on Sept. 30, 2025, by energy policy analysts Martin C. Offutt and Lexie Ryan. Here are excerpts: * * * DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Appropriations, FY2026 The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is responsible for renewable energy and end-use energy efficiency technology development. Other activ more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48724) on Sept. 26, 2025, entitled "Federal Reserve Board: Current and Historical Membership" by senior research librarian Ben Leubsdorf. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The Federal Reserve (Fed), the U.S. central bank, is led by a seven-member Board of Governors based in Washington, DC. The President appoints governors for 14-year terms with the advice and consent of the Senate. Governor more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48724) on Sept. 26, 2025, entitled "Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program Included in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law" by public finance analyst Brendan McDermott and education policy specialist Rebecca R. Skinner. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY On July 4, 2025, the FY2025 reconciliation act (P.L. 119-21), commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, was signed into more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12259) on Sept. 30, 2025, by Congress specialist Ida A. Brudnick: * * * Government Shutdowns and Legislative Branch Operations: Frequently Asked Questions This Insight provides brief answers to selected questions related to legislative branch operations during a lapse in appropriations. For a general explanation of the Antideficiency Act, including Title 31, Sections 1341-1342 a more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12033) on Sept. 30, 2025, by American national government analyst Karen L. Shanton: * * * The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA): An Overview The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA; P.L. 107-252; 52 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.20901-21145) is perhaps the closest thing in federal law to a general election administration statute. It is (1) more wide-ranging in the topics it aims to address  more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL32794) on Sept. 24, 2025, entitled "House Committee Funding: Process and Historical Appropriations and Authorizations" by Congress specialist Ida A. Brudnick. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY This report provides an overview of funding for committees in the House of Representatives. In particular, it includes * information on House consideration of the biennial committee funding resolutio more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11583) on Sept. 30, 2025, by nonproliferation specialist Paul K. Kerr: * * * Iran's Program and U.N. Sanctions Reimposition U.N. 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 t more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10404) on Sept. 29, 2025, by Middle Eastern affairs specialist Christopher M. Blanchard. Here are excerpts: * * * Iraq The Republic of Iraq (Figure 1) sits at an intersection within the Middle East region, with ties to Iran, Turkey, the Levant, and the Arabian Peninsula shaping its interests, constraints, and opportunities. Iraq is emerging from decades of strife and conflict,  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following fact sheet (No. 98-684) on Sept. 30, 2025, by senior research librarian Carla Y. Davis-Castro. Here are excerpts: * * * Latin America and the Caribbean: Fact Sheet on Leaders and Elections This report provides the results of recent presidential elections in Latin America and the Caribbean. Below are three tables, organized by region, that include the date of each country's independence, the name of the mo more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13116) on Sept. 29, 2025, by natural resources policy specialist Ben Dolven. Here are excerpts: * * * National Park Service: FY2026 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 acre more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11079) on Sept. 29, 2025, by natural resources Policy specialists Laura B. Comay and Carol Hardy Vincent: * * * National Park Service: Government Shutdown Issues Like other federal agencies, the National Park Service (NPS) has halted most operations during occasional government shutdowns resulting from lapses in appropriations. In the past three decades, such shutdowns occurred  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13119) on Sept. 30, 2025, by natural resources policy analyst Mark K. DeSantis and energy policy analyst Lexie Ryan. Here are excerpts: * * * National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A): A Summary The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) is a 23-million-acre area in northern Alaska owned and administered by the federal government. Originally designated as an emergency  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R41759) on Sept. 30, 2025, entitled "Past Government Shutdowns: Key Resources" by senior research librarians Justin Murray and Carol Wilson: * * * Summary When federal government agencies and programs lack budget authority after the expiration of either full-year or interim appropriations, they experience a "funding gap." Under the Antideficiency Act (31 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.1341 et seq.), they must  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10250) on Sept. 29, 2025, by foreign affairs analyst William Piekos and Asian affairs specialist Ben Dolven. Here are excerpts: * * * The Philippines Overview and Recent Developments The United States and the Republic of the Philippines maintain a relationship that includes a bilateral security alliance, extensive military cooperation, close people-to-people ties, and many sha more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12615) on Sept. 30, 2025, by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security specialist: * * * Realignment of DOD's Chief Digital and AI Officer (CDAO) On August 14, 2025, Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg, who is now using "Deputy Secretary of War" as a "secondary title" under Executive Order 14347 dated September 5, 2025, issued a memo "[directing] the strate more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL32794) on Sept. 24, 2025, entitled "The Renewable Fuel Standard: An Overview" by Kelsi Bracmort, natural resources and energy policy specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requires U.S. transportation fuel to include a minimum volume of renewable fuel each year. The RFS - established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct05; P.L. 109-58) and expande more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12614) on Sept. 30, 2025, by Kyla H. Kitamura, international trade and finance analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Section 232 National Security Tariffs on Copper Imports Congress has constitutional authority over foreign commerce and tariffs. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. Sec.1862, as amended) authorizes the President to take action if the Secretary of more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12613) on Sept. 29, 2025, by Danielle M. Trachtenberg, international trade and finance analyst: * * * Section 301 Investigation into Brazil's Acts, Policies and Practices In July 2025, the second Trump Administration initiated its first investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, into Brazil's practices related to digital trade and electronic payment services, tarif more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11346) on Sept. 30, 2025, by international trade and finance analyst Danielle M. Trachtenberg: * * * Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 Title III of the Trade Act of 1974 (Sections 301-310, 19 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.2411-2420), titled "Relief from Unfair Trade Practices," is often collectively referred to as "Section 301." Under Section 301, Congress grants the Office of the United St more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL31980) on Oct. 1, 2025, entitled "Senate Consideration of Presidential Nominations: Committee and Floor Procedure" by Elizabeth Rybicki and Michael Greene, Congress and legislative process specialists. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution provides that the President shall appoint officers of the United States "by and with the Advice and Consent of the S more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL31980) on Oct. 1, 2025, entitled "Senate Consideration of Presidential Nominations - Committee and Floor Procedure:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Floor Procedures The Senate handles executive business, which includes both nominations and treaties, separately from its legislative business. All nominations reported from committee, regardless of whether they were reported favorably, unfav more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10199) on Sept. 29, 2025. The white paper 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. partner in security, trade, and more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12964) on Sept. 30, 2025, by defense policy analyst Anya L. Fink: * * * U.S.-Russian Nuclear Arms Control: Overview and Potential Considerations for Congress The United States has periodically sought to advance its national security interests through the negotiation and conclusion of nuclear arms control agreements with its adversaries. Throughout 2025, President Donald Trump ha more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47744) on Sept. 30, 2025, entitled "United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea: Living Resources Provisions" by natural resources policy specialist Caitlin Keating-Bitonti. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The United Nations (UN) Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) established a comprehensive international legal framework to govern activities related to the global oceans. UNCLOS of more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47744) on Sept. 30, 2025, entitled "United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea - Living Resources Provisions:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Living Resources Provisions The living resources provisions of UNCLOS recognize international interdependence on these resources and provide a framework for their cooperative and sustainable management. These provisions, comprising Articles 61  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10230) on Sept. 30, 2025, by Latin American affairs specialist Clare Ribando Seelke: * * * Venezuela: Political Crisis and U.S. Policy Over the past several Congresses, some Members have expressed concerns about authoritarian rule under Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (2013-present). Maduro took office after a narrow electoral victory following the death of Hugo Chavez (in o more PR