WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12002) on Dec. 28, 2023, by health policy analyst Kavya Sekar and agricultural policy analyst Eleni G. Bickel. Here are excerpts: * * * Animal Use in Federal Biomedical Research: A Policy Overview Animals commonly are used in federally funded biomedical research for a number of reasons - for example, to better understand the biology of disease or to test the safety and efficacy of medi  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10260) on Dec. 26, 2023, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert. Here are excerpts: * * * The Army's Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) The Significance of the Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) Congress has expressed concern about the threat to U.S. national security posed by Russia and China. The Army believes in order to address this threat, it must be able to operate in a mul  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12038) on the Freedom of Information Act on Dec. 22, 2023, by Legislative Attorney Benjamin M. Barczewski: * * * The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): An Introduction The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), codified at 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552, provides the public a right to access federal agency information. Subject to enumerated exemptions and exclusions, agencies must disclose records cover  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12340) on Dec. 28, 2023, by Latin American affairs analyst Karla I. Rios. Here are excerpts: * * * Guatemala: An Overview Guatemala, the most populous country in Central America, has strived to consolidate its democracy since the 1990s. It has faced many political and social challenges, as well as widespread corruption, impunity, and human rights abuses. Traditionally, the United States  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12559) on Dec. 26, 2023. The white paper was written by legislative attorney Madeline W. Donley, environmental policy analyst Lance N. Larson and telecommunications policy specialists Jill C. Gallagher and Colby Leigh Rachfal. Here are excerpts: * * * Legacy Lead-Sheathed Telecommunications Cables: Status and Issues for Congress From the late 1800s through the 1950s, telecommunications  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10260) on Dec. 26, 2023, by military manpower specialist Kristy N. Kamarck. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: Military Pay Raise The phrase "military pay raise," frequently used in discussions of military compensation, almost always refers to the annual increase in basic pay for members of the uniformed services. By law, basic pay is automatically increased at the start of each c  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12560) on Dec. 28, 2023, by legislative attorney Kristen Hite: * * * National Environmental Policy Act: An Overview Introduction and Background Since 1970, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. Sec.Sec. 4321 et seq.) has set forth a national policy with respect to environmental quality. For decades, NEPA has required agencies to integrate environmental considerations in  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12041) on National Park Service - government shutdown issues on Dec. 22, 2023, 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   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11281) on Dec. 26, 2023, by natural resources policy specialist Mark K. DeSantis. Here are excerpts: * * * National Park Service Affiliated Areas: An Overview In addition to managing the 428 units of the National Park System, the National Park Service (NPS) manages or assists with other areas that are linked in importance and purpose to this system. These related areas may be recognized  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12464) on Dec. 28, 2023, by African affairs specialist Alexis Arieff. Here are excerpts: * * * Niger Military officers seized power in Niger in July 2023, part of a wave of coups in Africa since 2020. The junta, led by former Presidential Guard commander General Abdourahamane Tchiani, has detained elected president Mohamed Bazoum and declined, to date, to issue a clear roadmap for retur  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10571) on Dec. 29, 2023, by senior research librarian Barbara Salazar Torreon and military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert: * * * Defense Primer: Organization of U.S. Ground Forces Overview The Army is the U.S. military's primary ground force. Title 10, Subtitle B, Part I, Chapter 307 of the U.S. Code addresses the organization of the Army. The Marine Corps serves as the Navy'  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12559) on Dec. 27, 2023, by natural resources policy specialists Anna E. Normand and Pervaze A. Sheikh. Here are excerpts: * * * Recent Developments in Everglades Restoration Overview What Is the Everglades? The Everglades is a unique network of subtropical wetlands in South Florida. By the end of the 20th century, the ecosystem had degraded and was approximately half its historical si  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12041) on rural broadband provisions on Dec. 22, 2023, by agricultural policy specialist Lisa S. Benson: * * * Farm Bill Primer: Rural Broadband Provisions Since 2002, Congress has included provisions addressing rural broadband (i.e., high-speed internet access) in the rural development title of farm bills. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 farm bill; P.L. 115-334) amended, r  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12038) on rural development title on Dec. 22, 2023, by agricultural policy specialist Lisa S. Benson: * * * Farm Bill Primer: Rural Development Title The rural development title of the farm bill reauthorizes, amends, and creates programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development agency. The rural development title also addresses emerging issues affecting  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12292) on alleged Indian role in transnational assassination plots on Dec. 22, 2023, by South Asian affairs specialist K. Alan Kronstadt: * * * Alleged Indian Role in Transnational Assassination Plots The U.S. and Canadian governments have alleged an official Indian role in assassination plots in North America. These developments could affect the tenor and trajectory of the U.S.-India par  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12293) on Dec. 26, 2023, by William L. Painter, homeland security and appropriations specialist, and Lisa N. Sacco, illicit drugs and crime policy analyst: * * * HSA@20 Episode Companion: Domestic Terrorism This Insight accompanies the "Domestic Terrorism" episode of The Homeland Security Act at 20 podcast series and includes background information on the issues discussed during the podca  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11093) on Committee discretion in obtaining witness testimony on Dec. 22, 2023, by legislative attorney Todd Garvey: * * * Committee Discretion in Obtaining Witness Testimony Early in December 2023, Hunter Biden, son of President Biden, refused to comply with a subpoena issued by the House Committees on Oversight and Accountability and the Judiciary (the Committees) seeking Mr. Bid  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11094) on Dec. 28, 2023. The white paper was written by section research manager Juria L. Jones and legislative attorneys Jennifer K. Elsea and L. Paige Whitaker: * * * Disqualification of a Candidate for the Presidency, Part I: Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment as It Applies to the Presidency Numerous lawsuits across the country have sought or are seeking to prevent former Pr  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11096) on Dec. 28, 2023. The white paper was written by section research manager Juria L. Jones and legislative attorneys Jennifer K. Elsea and L. Paige Whitaker: * * * Disqualification of a Candidate for the Presidency, Part II: Examining Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment as It Applies to Ballot Access Numerous lawsuits across the country have sought or are seeking to prevent  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11092) on En Banc Fourth Circuit Weighs Medicaid and State Health Plan Coverage of Certain Medical Care for Transgender Individuals on Dec. 22, 2023, by legislative attorneys Hannah-Alise Rogers and Madeline W. Donley: * * * En Banc Fourth Circuit Weighs Medicaid and State Health Plan Coverage of Certain Medical Care for Transgender Individuals States have recently considered the e  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11091) on the first prosecution under the War Crimes Act on Dec. 22, 2023, by legislative attorney Karen Sokol: * * * The First Prosecution Under the War Crimes Act: Overview and International Legal Context On December 6, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) brought an indictment in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against four members of the Russi  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11075) on Dec. 26, 2023, by deputy assistant director Michael John Garcia and legislative attorney Karen Sokol: * * * Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (December 18-December 25, 2023) The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every week in cases involving diverse legal disputes. This Sidebar series selects decisions from the past   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11095) on Dec. 28, 2023, by legislative attorney Bryan L. Adkins: * * * Supreme Court to Consider Scope of Federal Arbitration Act's Exemption for Transportation Workers The Supreme Court recently granted certiorari in Bissonnette v. LePage Bakeries Park St., LLC, a case involving the Federal Arbitration Act's exemption for interstate transportation workers. Although the Federal Ar  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11098) on Dec. 27, 2023, by legislative attorney Adam Vann: * * * Sheetz v. County of El Dorado: The Court Explores Legislative Exactions and the Takings Clause On January 9, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral argument in Sheetz v. County of El Dorado. The dispute in this case centers around an "exaction," which is a government-imposed requirement that a project  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47862) on Dec. 4, 2023, entitled "Electricity Transmission: What Is the Role of the Federal Government?" by energy policy specialist Ashley J. Lawson and legislative attorney Adam Vann. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Electricity transmission is central to the operation of the electricity system, and so has been of longstanding interest to Congress. Interest in electricity transmission has i  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47843) on Nov. 17, 2023, entitled "Highlights of the 2023 Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence for Congress." by science and technology policy analyst Laurie A. Harris and cybersecurity policy specialist Chris Jaikaran. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY On October 30, 2023, the Biden Administration released Executive Order (E.O.) 14110 on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use  more