WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following fact sheet (No.R46858) on Dec. 20, 2023, by research librarian Sofia Plagakis. Here are excerpts: * * * Europe: Fact Sheet on Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Contents Introduction ... 1 European Elections in 2023 ... 2 European Parliamentary and Presidential Elections ... 4 Figures Figure 1. European Elections in 2023 ... 3 Tables Table 1. European Parliamentary and Presidential Elections ... 4   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following fact sheet (No. 98-684) on Jan. 16, 2023, by research librarians Carla Y. Davis-Castro and Travis A. Ferrell. 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   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10544) on Jan. 16, 2024, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert and senior research librarian Barbara Salazar Torreon. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: Department of the Army and Army Command Structure Overview Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution stipulates, "The Congress shall have power ... to raise and support Armies ... make Rules for the Government and R  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12571) on Jan. 18, 2024, by economic policy senior specialist Jane G. Gravelle: * * * Business Tax Provisions in The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024, released by the Senate Finance Committee on January 16, 2024, and introduced in the House (H.R. 7024) would, among other provisions, modify four business   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12574) on Jan. 17, 2024, by public finance analyst Brendan McDermott. Here are excerpts: * * * The Casualty and Theft Loss Deduction The Internal Revenue Code has let some taxpayers deduct unreimbursed losses caused by recent disasters and thefts from their income subject to the income tax. Congress temporarily limited the casualty and theft loss deduction as part of the 2017 tax law (P  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12570) on Jan. 16, 2024, by Public Finance analyst Nicholas E. Buffie. Here are excerpts: * * * Clean Vehicle Tax Credit Transfers to Car Dealers On October 6, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued proposed regulations for transfers of clean vehicle tax credits from consumers to car dealers. The proposed regulations apply to the clean vehicle credit (CVC) and the used clean ve  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11672) on Jan. 18, 2024, by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program: Background and Issues for Congress Introduction The Coast Guard's Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) program envisages procuring 30 replacements for the Coast Guard's 35 aging river buoy tenders (WLRs), inland construction tenders (WLICs), and  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12568) on Jan. 12, 2024, by American national government analyst Sarah J. Eckman and research assistant Tyler L. Wolanin: * * * Election Policy Fundamentals: At-Large House Districts An at-large district for the U.S House of Representatives is a district that represents the entirety of a state, rather than a specifically drawn subsection of it. Under Article 1, Section 2, of the U.S. Co  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12567) on Jan. 12, 2024, by American national government analyst Sarah J. Eckman and research assistant Tyler L. Wolanin: * * * Election Policy Fundamentals: Single-Member House Districts A single-member district refers to an electoral district represented by one legislative representative. Members of the U.S. House of Representatives have been elected exclusively from single-member dis  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11769) on Jan. 16, 2024, by domestic security specialist Kristin Finklea: * * * Law Enforcement and Technology: The "Lawful Access" Debate Technological advances present both opportunities and challenges for U.S. law enforcement. For example, some developments have increased the quantity and availability of digital content and information for investigators and analysts. Some observers sa  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12569) on Jan. 12, 2024, by crime policy analyst Nathan James. Here are excerpts: * * * Law Enforcement on Tribal Lands Tribal law enforcement is an issue of continuing interest to many policymakers because Native Americans are statistically more likely than members of other races and ethnicities to be victims of violence and tribal law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have historically had   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10316) on Jan. 17, 2024, by Asian affairs specialist Ben Dolven. Here are excerpts: * * * Malaysia Overview The Federation of Malaysia is a majority Muslim parliamentary democracy in Southeast Asia. It has an ethnically and religiously diverse population of 32.7 million, with a Malay majority and large ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities. Malaysia is considered a middle-income country  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12571) on Jan. 17, 2024 The white paper by European affairs analyst Paul Belkin and Russian and European affairs specialists Cory Welt and Andrew S. Bowen: * * * Russia's War on Ukraine: U.S. Policy and the Role of Congress On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a new war against Ukraine, a country Russia first invaded in 2014 and has partially occupied for nearly a decade. The war is  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12573) on Jan. 19, 2024, by financial economics specialist Eva Su. Here are excerpts: * * * SEC Approves Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs) On January 10, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved 11 spot Bitcoin exchange-traded product (ETP) Rule 19b-4 applications. U.S. Bitcoin ETP proposals first appeared more than a decade ago, but these were the first spot B  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11235) on Jan. 19, 2024, by military manpower specialist Kristy N. Kamarck. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps Background The Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (SROTC) - more commonly referred to as the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) - is an officer training and scholarship program for postsecondary students authorized under C  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12571) on Jan. 17, 2024, by economic development policy analyst Adam G. Levin. Here are excerpts: * * * Can Sports Drive Economic Development? Sports in the United States generate significant revenues. For example, one source estimates the combined value of all franchises in the National Football League (NFL) at $163 billion in 2023, while also reporting that league revenue was $11.9 bi  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10275) on Jan. 16, 2024, by Asian affairs specialist Susan V. Lawrence. Here are excerpts: * * * Taiwan: Background and U.S. Relations Introduction Taiwan, which calls itself the "Republic of China, Taiwan," is a self-governing democracy of 23.5 million people located across the Taiwan Strait from mainland China. The United States terminated diplomatic relations with the Republic of Ch  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10017) on Jan. 19, 2024, by Shayerah I. Akhtar, international trade and finance specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) Ex-Im Bank, the official U.S. government export credit agency (ECA), has a mission to support U.S. jobs by financing and facilitating U.S. goods and services exports. Operating under a renewable, general statutory char  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10228) on Jan. 17, 2024, by Asian affairs specialist Ben Dolven. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S.-Singapore Relations Overview With a land area about three times that of Washington, DC, and a population of 5.9 million, the city-state of Singapore has long punched above its weight diplomatically. Its stable government, strong economic performance, educated citizenry, and strategic position  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10209) on Jan. 17, 2024, by international trade and finance analyst Liana Wong and Asian affairs specialist Mark E. Manyin. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S.-Vietnam Relations Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1995, overlapping strategic and economic interests have led the two countries to expand ties across a   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10715) on Jan. 16, 2024, by Latin American affairs specialist Clare Ribando Seelke: * * * Venezuela: Overview of U.S. Sanctions Policy Since 2005, the United States has imposed sanctions on Venezuelan individuals and entities that have engaged in criminal, antidemocratic, and/or corrupt actions. The Trump Administration expanded U.S. sanctions beyond individually targeted sanctions to in  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12300) on Jan. 12, 2024, by Congress and legislative process analyst Christopher M. Davis: * * * "Fast Track" Senate Procedures for Considering Human Rights and Security Assistance Resolutions Section 502B(c)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. Sec.2304(c)), as amended, establishes a parliamentary mechanism whereby the House or Senate can formally request a statement from   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12303) on Jan. 16, 2024, by American national government analyst Taylor R. Knoedl. Here are excerpts: * * * The American Community Survey Overview The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) is intended to measure the changing social, economic, demographic, and housing characteristics of the U.S. population. The ACS is sent to a sample of addresses across the 50 states and   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12305) on Jan. 18, 2024, by aviation policy specialist Bart Elias: * * * Boeing 737-9 Max Grounded Amid Renewed Concerns About Manufacturing Quality and Product Safety On January 5, 2024, a Boeing 737-9 Max airplane operated by Alaska Airlines experienced an in-flight separation of a door plug shortly after departure from Portland International Airport, Oregon, for a scheduled flight to O  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12297) on Jan. 17, 2024, by defense infrastructure policy analyst Andrew Tilghman. Here are excerpts: * * * The Child Tax Credit: What Lies Ahead? The child tax credit has been temporarily modified several times in recent years. On January 16, Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden and House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith announced that they had reached the deal on a "framework" that  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12225) on Jan. 16, 2024, by defense infrastructure policy analyst Alexandra G. Neenan. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2024 NDAA: Department of Defense Acquisition Policy Introduction The Defense Acquisition System (DAS) is the process through which the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) develops and buys goods and services from contractors. The process is based on statute and regulation. The   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12018) by R. Corinne Blackford, small business and economic development policy analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Federal Small Business Contracting Goals Origins Since 1988, the federal government has maintained annual goals for small and small "disadvantaged" business participation in federal contracting. At that time, Congress required that small businesses receive "not less than 20   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12299) on Jan. 12, 2024, by foreign policy legislation specialist Matthew C. Weed: * * * Foreign Country Actions to Place the Israel-Hamas Conflict Before International Courts The escalation since October 7, 2023, in the Israel-Hamas conflict has reportedly resulted in significant civilian casualties; destruction of civilian residential areas and infrastructure, including hospitals and sc  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12301) on Jan. 12, 2024, by Middle Eastern affairs specialist Jeremy M. Sharp. Here are excerpts: * * * Houthi Attacks in the Red Sea: Issues for Congress Overview Since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and Israel's ongoing military response in Gaza, Iran-supported militias have increased attacks in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and the Red Sea. The Houthis, an Iran-backed force in Yemen, hav  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12229) on Jan. 17, 2024, by defense infrastructure policy analyst Andrew Tilghman. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2024 NDAA: Military Construction and Housing Authorizations The Biden Administration's Fiscal Year 2024 (FY2024) budget requested $16.675 billion for U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Military Construction (MILCON) accounts, which included funding for Military Construction and Fam  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12242) on Jan. 19, 2024, by Bryce H. P. Mendez, defense health care policy specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2024 NDAA: Military Mental Health Care and Research Provisions Background Congress authorizes, through the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Department of Defense (DOD) mental health programs and services that support servicemembers, military retirees, and th  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12304) on Jan. 16, 2024, by American national government analyst Taylor R. Knoedl. Here are excerpts: * * * Proposed Revisions to Statistical Policy Directive No. 15: Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) oversees the collection of race and ethnicity data through Statistical Policy Directive (SPD  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12236) on Jan. 12, 2024, by Bryce H. P. Mendez, defense health care policy specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2024 NDAA: Reproductive Health Care Provisions Background The Department of Defense (DOD) administers a health entitlement (under Chapter 55 of Title 10, U.S. Code) through the Military Health System (MHS). The MHS offers health benefits and services through its TRICARE prog  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12236) on Jan. 16, 2024, by Bryce H. P. Mendez, defense health care policy specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2024 NDAA: Reproductive Health Care Provisions Background The Department of Defense (DOD) administers a health entitlement (under Chapter 55 of Title 10, U.S. Code) through the Military Health System (MHS). The MHS offers health benefits and services through its TRICARE prog  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12302) on Jan. 12, 2024, by social policy specialist Gene Falk and research librarian Sarah K. Braun: * * * Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Pregnancy Centers The House Ways and Means Committee has approved and ordered legislation (H.R. 6918) to be sent to the full House seeking to forestall the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from implementing a proposed r  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11108) on Jan. 18, 2024, by legislative attorney Dave S. Sidhu: * * * Current Second Amendment Cases Before the Supreme Court Ratified in 1791, the Second Amendment provides, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." For over 200 years, the Supreme Court remained largely silent  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11105) on Jan. 16, 2024, by legislative attorney Joanna R. Lampe: * * * Legal Consequences of Rescheduling Marijuana On August 29, 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reportedly recommended to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that marijuana be rescheduled from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). DEA is currently reviewi  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11106) on Jan. 16, 2024, by deputy assistant director Michael John Garcia and legislative attorney Daniel T. Shedd: * * * Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (January 8-January 15, 2024) 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, Jan. 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11104) on Jan. 12, 2024, by legislative attorney Dave S. Sidhu: * * * The Second Amendment and the Federal Prohibition on Unlawful Drug Users from Possessing Firearms Title 18, Section 922(g)(3), of the U.S. Code prohibits any person "who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance" from possessing a firearm or ammunition. In the 2023 decision United States v. Da  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11107) on Jan. 17, 2024, by legislative attorney Kate R. Bowers: * * * Supreme Court to Consider Request to Stay EPA's Good Neighbor Interstate Air Pollution Rule On February 21, 2024, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear argument on applications to postpone implementation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) "Good Neighbor Plan," a rule addressing interstate tra  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11103) on Jan. 12, 2024, by legislative attorney Jared P. Cole: * * * University Liability Under Title IX for Off-Campus Sexual Harassment Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) requires schools that receive federal funding to respond to the sexual harassment or assault of students by fellow students in certain circumstances. The Supreme Court has established a fra  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL33153) on Oct. 19, 2023, entitled "China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities - Background and Issues for Congress" by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary China's military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort, is the top focus of U.S. defense planning and budgeting. China's naval modernization effort has  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL33153) on Oct. 19, 2023, entitled "China Naval Modernization - Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities - Background and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 3) * * * Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles (ASCMs) China's extensive inventory of anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs) (see Figure 4, Figure 5, and Figure 6 for examples of reported images) includes both Russian- and Chinese-made design  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL33153) on Oct. 19, 2023, entitled "China Naval Modernization - Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities - Background and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 2 of 3) * * * Current or Potential Bases Outside China/110 China's distant naval operations are supported in part by China's military base in Djibouti, where the Gulf of Aden meets the Red Sea. China officially opened the base in   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R45408) on Dec. 29, 2023, entitled "The Emergency Food Assistance Program: Background and Funding" by social policy analyst Kara Clifford Billings. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal food distribution program that supports food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, and other emergency feeding organizations serving low-income Americans. Fe  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R45408) on Dec. 29, 2023, entitled "The Emergency Food Assistance Program - Background and Funding:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Funding and Appropriations Federal assistance through TEFAP is primarily provided in the form of USDA-purchased domestic agricultural commodities (USDA Foods). A smaller amount of assistance is provided in the form of cash support for administrative and distri  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47898) on Jan. 11, 2024, entitled "Ethiopia: In Brief" by African affairs specialist Lauren Ploch Blanchard: * * * SUMMARY Ethiopia is Africa's oldest independent state and second most populous country. It is the seat of the African Union (AU) and an influential regional actor. Once a subject of Cold War competition, Ethiopia became a partner for the United States - its largest bilateral donor  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No.R47863) on Dec. 7, 2023, entitled "The Privacy Act of 1974: Overview and Issues for Congress" by Meghan M. Stuessy, government organization and management analyst: * * * SUMMARY The Privacy Act of 1974 (Privacy Act; 5 U.S.C. Sec.552a) prescribes how federal agency records with individually identifying information are to be stored, who may access such information, and when the government may use   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No.R47863) on Dec. 7, 2023, entitled "The Privacy Act of 1974 - Overview and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Agency Requirements and Roles The Privacy Act prescribes certain agency requirements regarding accountability for and transparency into disclosures of individually identifying information. In addition to being required to keep an accurate accounting of disclosures,  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No.R47379) on Dec. 7, 2023, entitled "Resources for Financial Market Data" by research librarian Ben Leubsdorf: * * * SUMMARY The U.S. financial system contains large and active markets for stocks, bonds, and commodities, as well as digital assets (e.g., cryptocurrencies) and other financial instruments. This report describes authoritative, open-access sources for current and historical information  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47885) on Dec. 29, 2023, entitled "Understanding and Conceptualizing Domestic Terrorism: Issues for Congress" by illicit drugs and crime policy analyst Lisa N. Sacco. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The federal government defines domestic terrorism (DT) as ideologically driven crimes committed by individuals in the United States that are intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47885) on Dec. 29, 2023, entitled "Understanding and Conceptualizing Domestic Terrorism - Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Domestic Terrorism Incidents As compared to other violent crimes, DT incidents occur less frequently,/55 but when they do occur they often have high impact. Federal law enforcement officials and researchers generally agree that the number of DT in  more