WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11643) on Feb. 8, 2024, by Daniel Morgan, science and technology policy specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Artemis: NASA's Program to Return Humans to the Moon Between 1969 and 1972, the Apollo program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) landed 12 American men on the Moon and returned them safely to Earth (see Figure 1). Since then, no human has been farther fr  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12586) on Feb. 7, 2024, by American national government analyst Barry J. McMillion: * * * Courts, Programs, and Other Items Funded by Congressional Appropriations for the Federal Judiciary Overview Funds for the federal judiciary are included annually in the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) appropriations bill. For FY2023, Congress enacted $8.46 billion in discretionary f  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10514) on Feb. 2, 2024, by Congress and legislative process specialist James V. Saturno and defense budget analyst Brendan W. McGarry: * * * Defense Primer: Defense Appropriations Process The Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse in Article I, Section 9, which provides that "No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law." To fulfi  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11882) on Feb. 1, 2024, by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security analyst: * * * Defense Primer: Directed-Energy Weapons Both the 2022 National Defense Strategy and the House Armed Services Committee's bipartisan Future of Defense Task Force Report have identified directed energy as a technology that could have a significant impact on U.S. national security in the years  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12588) on Feb. 8, 2024, by financial economics specialist Darryl E. Getter: * * * Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Adopt Alternative Credit Scores Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, government-sponsored enterprises that collectively guarantee the default risks for a large share of U.S. single-family mortgages, are adopting scoring metrics that incorporate available rent, utilities, and telecom bill p  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12147) on Feb. 6, 2024, by macroeconomic policy specialist Marc Labonte. Here are excerpts: * * * The Fed's Balance Sheet and Quantitative Tightening The size and composition of the Federal Reserve's (Fed's) balance sheet is a product of its monetary policy and lender-of-last-resort decisions. The Fed has responded to crises by increasing its balance sheet, which is now 10 times larger   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10613) on Feb. 8, 2024, by John W. Rollins, terrorism and national security specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) The Foreign Terrorist Organization List Congress has shown recurring interest in the administration of the State Department's FTO list and its application to groups that the U.S. government considers to be undertaking terrorism-related act  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12137) on Feb. 7, 2024, by foreign affairs analyst Barry J. McMillion: * * * Global Trends in Democracy and Authoritarianism: Challenges to Press Freedom Experts and policymakers have expressed concern over global challenges to press freedom, including in connection with broader concerns over the state of democracy around the world. Some research, including by the United Nations and nongo  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12154) on Feb. 7, 2024, by firearms policy analyst Jordan B. Cohen: * * * Gun Control: Juvenile Record Checks for 18- to 21-Year-Olds On June 25, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA; P.L. 117-159), which includes several firearms-related sections. Section 12001 addresses juvenile access to firearms by * clarifying that the prohibition on tra  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12587) on Feb. 7, 2024, by Middle Eastern Affairs specialist Clayton Thomas. Here are excerpts: * * * Iran-Supported Groups in the Middle East and U.S. Policy Iran has long backed a network of armed groups in the Middle East to advance its regional interests. These groups, which include U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and which sometimes style themselves the "Axis  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12353) on Feb. 7, 2024, by American national government analyst Barry J. McMillion. Here are excerpts: * * * Judiciary Budget Request, FY2024 Overview The FY2024 judiciary budget request seeks $8.95 billion in discretionary appropriations (an increase of 5.8% over the FY2023 enacted level). The request also includes $796.1 million in mandatory appropriations for use, in part, to pay the  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12585) on Feb. 5, 2024, by transportation policy specialist William J. Mallett. Here are excerpts: * * * National Infrastructure Bank: Proposals in the 118th Congress Introduction The term infrastructure generally refers to long-lived, capital-intensive systems and facilities in the areas of transportation, energy, water, and telecommunications. Some broader definitions also include fa  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11150) on Feb. 1, 2024, by acting section research manager Valerie Heitshusen and defense budget analyst Brendan W. McGarry: * * * Defense Primer: The NDAA Process The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provides authorization of appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD), nuclear weapons programs of the Department of Energy, and other defense-related activities. In addition  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12589) on Feb. 8, 2024, by Emily G. Blevins, science and technology policy analyst: * * * Research Security Policies: An Overview The international scientific community generally views the free and open exchange of information as vital to the process of scientific inquiry, including the vetting of ideas and the verification of research results. The U.S. research ecosystem broadly operates  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12584) on Feb. 1, 2024, by legislative attorneys Peter J. Benson and Valerie C. Brannon: * * * Section 230: A Brief Overview Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. Sec. 230, provides limited immunity from legal liability to providers and users of "interactive computer services." Under Section 230(c)(1), those providers and users may not "be treated as the publisher or sp  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN11118) on Feb. 2, 2024, by natural resources policy specialist Anna E. Normand. Here are excerpts: * * * Army Corps of Engineers: Section 7001 Report on Future Studies and Projects Congress specifically authorizes most of the water resource development studies, projects, and other assistance activities performed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), typically through Water Resource  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12315) on Feb. 2, 2024, by financial economics analyst Cheryl R. Cooper and research assistant Graham C. Tuft. Here are excerpts: * * * CFPB Consumer Complaints: U.S. and Congressional District Data Consumers having trouble with a consumer financial product or service - such as with a mortgage, student loan, credit card, payday loan, bank account, credit reporting, or debt collection - ca  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12317) on Feb. 6, 2024, by health policy analyst Alexandria K. Mickler. Here are excerpts: * * * Family-to-Family Health Information Centers: Current Status and Policy Considerations Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2F HIC) receive mandatory appropriations to provide information, education, technical assistance, and peer support to families of children and youth with special  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12318) on Feb. 7, 2024, by immigration policy analyst Holly Straut-Eppsteiner. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2023 Immigration Court Data: Case Outcomes U.S. immigration courts within the Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) adjudicate removal cases involving foreign nationals whom the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has charged with an immigration viol  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12309) on Feb. 6, 2024, by Middle Eastern affairs specialist Christopher M. Blanchard. * * * Iraq: Attacks and U.S. Strikes Reopen Discussion of U.S. Military Presence Iran-backed armed groups have attacked U.S. personnel in Iraq more than sixty times since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Israel and the onset of the war in Gaza. In response President Joe Biden has ordered U.S. ai  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12270) on Feb. 7, 2024, by public finance analyst Alexandria K. Mickler: * * * The IRS's Free Direct Filing Pilot Program Individuals may satisfy their income tax obligations by filing a paper return or filing an electronic one (efiling). To e-file, a taxpayer must use software preapproved by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Most individual returns are e-filed. For the 2022 tax year (th  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12316) on Feb. 2, 2024, by international humanitarian policy specialist Rhoda Margesson and Middle Eastern affairs specialist Jim Zanotti. Here are excerpts: * * * The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East: Overview and the U.S. Funding Pause On January 26, 2024, the Biden Administration announced that it temporarily "paused" unobligated U.S. fundi  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11113) on Feb. 5, 2024, by deputy assistant director Michael John Garcia and legislative attorney Dorothy C. Kafka: * * * Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (January 29-February 4, 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, Feb. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R43805) on Nov. 14, 2023, entitled "The Earned Income Tax Credit: How It Works and Who Receives It." The report was written by public finance specialist Margot L. Crandall-Hollick and social policy specialists Conor F. Boyle and Gene Falk. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable tax credit that boosts the income of eligible low-income workers, espe  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R43805) on Nov. 14, 2023, entitled "The Earned Income Tax Credit - How It Works and Who Receives It:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Payment of the EITC The EITC is provided to individuals and families annually in a lump-sum payment after a taxpayer files a federal income tax return./22 Like all tax credits, the EITC can reduce income tax liability. And because the EITC is a refundable tax   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47858) on Nov. 30, 2023, entitled "The Federal Tax Gap: Overview, Analysis and Policy Options" by public finance analyst Brendan McDermott. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The federal tax gap is a measurement of the amount of federal taxes that taxpayers legally owe but do not pay on time in a given year. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) estimates that the average annual gross tax gap from   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47394) on Feb. 1, 2024, entitled "Haiti: Recent Developments and U.S. Policy" by Latin American affairs specialists Karla I. Rios and Clare Ribando Seelke. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary Haiti, located on the island of Hispaniola bordering the Dominican Republic, remains mired in interrelated political, security, and humanitarian crises. Haiti lacks an elected president and legislature follo  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47394) on Feb. 1, 2024, entitled "Haiti - Recent Developments and U.S. Policy:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * U.S. Policy and Issues for Congress Biden Administration policy goals in Haiti include supporting Haitian-led efforts to confront gangs and insecurity, resolve the political and constitutional crisis, revive the economy, and address the root causes of emigration from the country.  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL32109) on Dec. 20, 2023, entitled "Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress" by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary The Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class destroyer program is one of the longest-running shipbuilding programs in Navy history. The Navy began procuring DDG-51s, also known as Aegis destroyers, in FY1985, and   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No.R46374) on Dec. 20, 2023, entitled "Navy Medium Landing Ship Program - Background and Issues for Congress" by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The Navy's Medium Landing Ship (LSM) program, previously called the Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) program, envisions procuring a class of 18 to 35 new amphibious ships to support the Marine Corps, particularly in  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No.R46374) on Dec. 20, 2023, entitled "Navy Medium Landing Ship Program - Background and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Issues for Congress The LSM program poses a number of potential oversight matters for Congress, including those discussed briefly in the sections below. Analysis of Alternatives (AOA) One issue for Congress concerns the analysis of alternatives (AOA) fo  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL32418) on Dec. 21, 2023, entitled "Navy Virginia-Class Submarine Program and AUKUS Submarine Proposal: Background and Issues for Congress" by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary Issues for Congress regarding the Navy's Virginia (SSN-774) class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) program include the FY2024 procurement funding request for the program an  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL32418) on Dec. 21, 2023, entitled "Navy Virginia-Class Submarine Program and AUKUS Submarine Proposal - Background and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 5) * * * AUKUS Proposed Pillar 1 Pathway for Selling Virginia-Class SSNs and Transferring U.S. Submarine and Propulsion Technology to Australia Proposal Is Referred to as Pillar 1 of AUKUS In September 2021, the U.S., UK, and A  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL32418) on Dec. 21, 2023, entitled "Navy Virginia-Class Submarine Program and AUKUS Submarine Proposal - Background and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 2 of 5) * * * Merits of Proposed Pillar 1 Compared to U.S.-Australia Division of Labor In assessing the potential benefits, costs, and risks of the proposed Pillar 1 pathway compared to those of the potential alternative of a U.S.-Au  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL32418) on Dec. 21, 2023, entitled "Navy Virginia-Class Submarine Program and AUKUS Submarine Proposal - Background and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 3 of 5) * * * Projected SSN Force Levels vs. SSN Force-Level Goal Another issue for Congress concerns projected SSN force-levels compared to the SSN force-level goal. As mentioned earlier, the Navy's current force-level goal, which w  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47851) on Nov. 30, 2023, entitled "Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization: An Overview" by R. Corinne Blackford, small business and economic development policy analyst: * * * SUMMARY In 1978, Congress passed P.L. 95-507, which among other actions, established an Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) in each federal agency having procurement powers. The   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47566) on Nov. 14, 2023, entitled "Overview of Fiscal 2024 Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies" by crime policy analyst Nathan James. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY This report describes actions to provide FY2024 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) accounts. The annual CJS appropriations act provides funding for the Depart  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47857) on Nov. 29, 2023, entitled "U.S. Tourism: Economic Impacts and Pandemic Recovery" by economic development policy analyst Adam G. Levin. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Tourism and the U.S. tourism industry are issues of long-standing interest to Congress. As a source of millions of jobs and billions of dollars of spending in the United States, tourism - both international and domestic  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47857) on Nov. 29, 2023, entitled "U.S. Tourism - Economic Impacts and Pandemic Recovery:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Tourism-Related Departments and Programs Much of the federal government's involvement in tourism is done through DOC. Legislation in recent Congresses has realigned aspects of the federal approach to tourism. Some federal programs may have goals that could benefit, bu  more