Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs articles from April 2006

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs archives from April 2006

Civilian patrols along the border: legal and policy issues.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... April 7, 2006 Summary Civilian patrols along the international border have existed in a wide variety of forms for at least 150 years. Over the past 15 years, civilian border patrol groups appear to have proliferated along the...

India-U.S. relations.(CRS Issue Brief for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 6, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Context of the U.S.-India Relationship India's Regional Relations Pakistan China Other Countries Political...

Iran: U.S. concerns and policy responses.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 6, 2006 Summary According to an Administration national security strategy document released on March 16, 2006, the United States "may face no greater challenge from a single country than Iran." Over the past five years,...

Immigration related border security legislation in the 109th Congress.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 3, 2006 Summary Border security is considered a central aspect of the United States' overall homeland security. Securing the border involves controlling the official ports of entry (POE) through which legitimate...

North Korea's nuclear weapons program.(CRS Issue Brief for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 7, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS The Second Bush Administration and the Six-Party Talks Background to the Six-Party Talks The Six-Party Talks Bush...

Israel: background and relations with the United States.(CRS Issue Brief for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 4, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Historical Overview of Israel Government and Politics Overview Current Political Situation Economy Overview ...

The Middle East peace talks.(CRS Issue Brief for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 5, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS U.S. Role Conference and Developments Madrid Bilateral Talks Israel-Palestinians Israel-Syria ...

Iran's nuclear program: recent developments.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Summary International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections since 2003 have revealed almost two decades' worth of undeclared nuclear activities in Iran, including uranium enrichment and plutonium separation efforts. Iran agreed in 2003...

Sudan: humanitarian crisis, peace talks, terrorism, and U.S. policy.(CRS Issue Brief for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 12, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Current Issues Historical Context The Crisis in Darfur: Background Recent Developments in Darfur Darfur...

Immigration: policy considerations related to guest worker programs.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 6, 2006 Summary At present, the United States has two main programs for temporarily importing low-skilled workers, sometimes referred to as guest workers. Agricultural guest workers enter through the H-2A visa program,...

Immigration enforcement within the United States.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... April 6, 2006 Summary An estimated 11 million unauthorized aliens reside in the United States, and this population is estimated to increase by 500,000 annually. Each year, approximately 1 million aliens are apprehended trying to enter...

Intelligence issues for Congress.(CRS Issue Brief for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 10, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Intelligence Community The "INTs"--Intelligence Disciplines Integrating the "Ints Intelligence Budget Process The...

The Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA).(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Summary No firms have been sanctioned under the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA), and it has terminated with respect to Libya. Renewed in August 2001 for another five years (P.L. 107-24), ILSA is scheduled to expire in August 2006. In the...

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve: history, perspectives, and issues.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... April 3, 2006 Summary Congress authorized the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA, P.L. 94-163) to help prevent a repetition of the economic dislocation caused by the 1973-1974 Arab oil...

War powers resolution: presidential compliance.(CRS Issue Brief for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 5, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS United Nations Actions Former Yugoslavia/Bosnia Kosovo Iraq -- Post 1991 Haiti Somalia Instances Formally Reported Under the...

Immigration statistics on the Web.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Summary As immigration legislation is considered by Congress, the need for accurate information relating to immigration and immigrants has increased. This report identifies selected websites that provide general and statistical information...

U.S. and international responses to the global spread of avian flu: issues for Congress.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 4, 2006 Summary Influenza A/H5N1 is the strain of influenza currently spreading throughout the world. Although it is a bird flu, it has infected a relatively small number of people--killing more than half of those...

WTO: antidumping issues in the Doha Development Agenda.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 20, 2006 Summary At the November 2001 Ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Doha, Qatar, WTO member countries launched a new round of trade talks known as the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). One of...

Iraq's debt relief: procedure and potential implications for international debt relief.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... April 21, 2006 Summary Following the ouster of the Saddam Hussein regime in spring 2003, Iraq's external debt was estimated to be $125 billion. Reducing this debt to a sustainable level has been a priority of the U.S. government....

Lebanon.(CRS Issue Brief for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 25, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS United States and Lebanon Overview Lebanon: Demography and Politics Political Profile Sectarianism Political...

Monetary policy: current policy and conditions.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 16, 2006 Summary Monetary policy can be defined broadly as any policy relating to the supply of money. Since the main agency concerned with the supply of money is the nation's central bank, the Federal Reserve, monetary...

Oil and gas disruption from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 6, 2006 Summary Hurricanes Katrina and Rita shut down oil and gas production from the Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico, the source for 25% of U.S. crude oil production and 20% of natural gas output. Katrina,...

Oil industry profit review 2005.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)(Industry overview)
April 1, 2006... April 18, 2006 Summary The increase in world oil prices that began in 2004 and continued into 2005 led to increasing revenues and net incomes for all sectors of the oil industry. In 2004 and continuing into 2005, increasing world...

Pakistan-U.S. relations.(CRS Issue Brief for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 13, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Setting and Regional Relations Regional Relations Pakistan-India Rivalry Afghanistan The China Factor ...

U.S. immigration policy on permanent admissions.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 17, 2006 Summary When President George W. Bush announced his principles for immigration reform in January 2004, he included an increase in permanent immigration as a key component. President Bush has stated that...

Russia's accession to the WTO.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 20, 2006 Summary In 1993, Russia formally applied for accession to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Its application was taken up by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995, the successor organization...

Gasoline prices: new legislation and proposals.(CRS Issue Brief for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 21, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Policy Options Oil-Related Issues Beyond the Energy Policy Act ANWR CAFE OCS Leasing Refinery...

Free trade agreements: impact on U.S. trade and implications for U.S. trade policy.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 19, 2006 Summary Free trade areas (FTAs) are arrangements among two or more countries under which they agree to eliminate tariffs and nontariff barriers on trade in goods among themselves. However, each country maintains...

China-U.S. trade issues.(CRS Issue Brief for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 21, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS U.S. Trade with China Major U.S. Exports to China Major U.S. Imports from China Major U.S.-China Trade Issues ...

China-Southeast Asia relations: trends, issues, and implications for the United States.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 4, 2006 Summary Southeast Asia has been considered by some to be a region of relatively low priority in U.S. foreign and security policy. The war against terror has changed that and brought renewed U.S. attention to...

China's currency: economic issues and options for U.S. trade policy.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 18, 2006 Summary The continued rise in the U.S.-China trade imbalance and complaints from U.S. manufacturing firms and workers over the competitive challenges posed by Chinese imports have led several Members to call for...

Broadband Internet regulation and access: background and issues.(CRS Issue Brief for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 14, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS What Is Broadband and Why Is It Important? Broadband Technologies Cable Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Wireless...

Arab League Zof Israel.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Summary The Arab League has maintained an official boycott of Israeli companies and Israeli-made goods since the founding of Israel in 1948. The United States actively opposes the boycott and works on both bilateral and multilateral fronts...

Agricultural issues in the 109th Congress.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Summary A number of issues affecting U.S. agriculture have been or are being addressed by the 109th Congress. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-171), enacted in February 2006, included a net reduction in spending on U.S....

Afghanistan: post-war governance, security, and U.S. policy.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 6, 2006 Summary Afghanistan's planned political transition was completed with the convening of a parliament in December 2005, but insurgent threats to Afghanistan's government persist. A new constitution was adopted in...

Iraq: post-Saddam governance and security.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 26, 2006 Summary Operation Iraqi Freedom succeeded in overthrowing Saddam Hussein, but Iraq remains violent and unstable because of Sunni Arab resentment and a related insurgency, as well as growing sectarian violence....

Iraq oil: reserves, production, and potential revenues.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Summary Iraq's potential oil wealth remains largely unrealized. Substantial proven reserves exist, and there are likely more resources awaiting discovery. But oil production has been slow to fully recover during the post-Saddam period, and...

Iraq: elections, government, and constitution.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Summary Elections in 2005 for a transitional government (January 30, 2005), a permanent constitution (October 15), and a permanent (four year) government (December 15) were concluded despite insurgent violence, progressively attracting...

Middle East Free Trade Area: progress report.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 28, 2006 Summary On May 9, 2003, the Bush Administration proposed the establishment of a U.S. Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA) within a decade (by about 2013). This proposal came a year and a half after the September...

Jordan: U.S. relations and bilateral issues.
April 1, 2006... Updated April 26, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Jordanian Issues of U.S. Interest Stability of the Regime and Succession Course of Domestic Reforms Political ...

U.S. direct investment abroad: trends and current issues.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Summary The United States is the largest investor abroad and the largest recipient of direct investment in the world. For some Americans, the national gains attributed to investing overseas are offset by such perceived losses as displaced...

Current economic conditions and selected forecasts.
April 1, 2006... Updated April 21, 2006 Summary U.S. real GDP growth has been positive for 17 consecutive quarters, and the economy is considered to be in an "expansion" phase. As of the fourth quarter 2005, real or inflation-adjusted growth was...

Energy tax policy.(United States)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 27, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Introduction Background Energy Tax Policy from 1918 to 1970: Promoting Oil and Gas Energy Tax Policy During the 1970s:...

Pandemic flu and medical biodefense countermeasure liability legislation: P.L. 109-148, division C (2005).
April 1, 2006... Summary Division C of P.L. 109-148 (2005) limits liability with respect to pandemic flu and other public health countermeasures. Specifically, upon a declaration by the Secretary of Health and Human Services of a public health emergency or...

U.S. trade deficit and the impact of rising oil prices.
April 1, 2006... Summary Petroleum prices have risen sharply since early 2004. At the same time the average amount of imports of energy-related petroleum products has fallen slightly. The combination of sharply rising prices and a slightly lower level of...

The United States and Europe: current issues.
April 1, 2006... Summary The United States and Europe share a long and intertwined history. Both sides of the Atlantic face a common set of international concerns, have few other comparable partners, and share a deep economic relationship. Nevertheless,...

Nuclear weapons: comprehensive test ban treaty.
April 1, 2006... Updated April 27, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS History National Positions on Testing and the CTBT The CTBT: Negotiations and Key Provisions Preparing for Entry into...

Nonproliferation and threat reduction assistance: U.S. programs in the former Soviet Union.
April 1, 2006... Summary Congress passed the Nunn-Lugar amendment, authorizing U.S. threat reduction assistance to the former Soviet Union, in November 1991, after a failed coup in Moscow and the disintegration of the Soviet Union raised concerns about the...

Indonesia: domestic politics, strategic dynamics, and American interests.
April 1, 2006... Updated April 3, 2006 Summary Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous country and the most populous Muslim nation. It is also a moderate Muslim state which is strategically positioned astride key sea lanes which link East Asia...

India: chronology of recent events.(Chronology)
April 1, 2006... Summary This report provides a reverse chronology of recent events involving India and India-U.S. relations. Sources include, but are not limited to, major newswires, the U.S. Department of State, and Indian news outlets. For a substantive...

The global fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria: progress report and issues for Congress.(Organization overview)
April 1, 2006... April 25, 2006 Summary The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, is an independent foundation intended to attract and rapidly disburse new resources in developing countries for...

The European Union: questions and answers.(International organization overview)
April 1, 2006... Summary This report provides answers to key questions related to the European Union (EU). It describes the EU's evolution, its governing institutions, trade policy, and efforts to forge common foreign and defense policies. The report also...

The European Union in 2006 and beyond.(International organization overview)
April 1, 2006... Summary The European Union (EU) has experienced significant changes over the last few years. The EU has enlarged from 15 to 25 members and has been working to implement a new constitutional treaty to institute internal reforms and further...

The European Union's constitution.(Report)
April 1, 2006... Summary In June 2004, the European Union (EU) concluded work on a constitutional treaty that contains changes to the EU's governing institutions and decision-making processes. Commonly referred to as the "constitution," this new treaty...

European Union enlargement.(Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia join)
April 1, 2006... Summary On May 1, 2004, 10 states joined the European Union (EU), enlarging the Union to 25 members. The EU views the enlargement process as a historic opportunity to promote stability and prosperity in Europe. In addition to the 10 new...

China and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and missiles: policy issues.
April 1, 2006... Updated April 6, 2006 Summary Congress has long been concerned about whether U.S. policy advances the national interest in reducing the role of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction...

Article 98 agreements and sanctions on U.S. foreign aid to Latin America.
April 1, 2006... April 10, 2006 Summary In July 2002, the Rome Statute that created the International Criminal Court (ICC), the first permanent world court created to judge cases involving serious human rights abuses, entered into force. The United...

Renditions: constraints imposed by laws on torture.
April 1, 2006... Updated April 5, 2006 Summary Persons suspected of terrorist activity may be transferred from one State (i.e., country) for arrest, detention, and/or interrogation. Commonly, this is done through extradition, by which one State...

Tax-exempt organizations: political activity restrictions and disclosure requirements.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... April 20, 2006 Summary Recently, significant attention has been paid to the political activities of tax-exempt organizations. In particular, the activities of IRC [section] 501(c)(3) charitable organizations, [section] 501(c)(4)...

Protection of classified information by Congress: practices and proposals.
April 1, 2006... Summary The protection of classified national security and other controlled information is of concern not only to the executive branch--which determines what information is to be safeguarded, for the most part (1)--but also to Congress,...

Environmental protection issues in the 109th Congress.(CRS Issue Brief for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Updated April 12, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Environmental Protection Agency Appropriations Energy and Environment: The Energy Bill Clean Air Issues Clean Water Act...

Direct assaults against presidents, presidents-elect, and candidates.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Summary Direct assaults against Presidents, Presidents-elect, and candidates have occurred on 15 separate occasions, with five resulting in death. Ten incumbents (about 24% of the 42 individuals to serve in the office), including four of...

Disaster evacuation and displacement policy: issues for Congress.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Summary The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina reached beyond the borders of the states directly affected by the wind, rain, and floods. Before the storm reached the coast, thousands of residents of Louisiana and Mississippi evacuated...

Terrorism and national security: issues and trends.
April 1, 2006... Updated April 21, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS The War on Terrorism Background Definitions U.S. Policy Response Framework Dilemmas Continuing Terrorist...

Agricultural disaster assistance.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
April 1, 2006... Summary The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers several permanently authorized programs to help farmers recover financially from a natural disaster, including federal crop insurance, the noninsured assistance program and emergency...

The cost of Iraq, Afghanistan, and other Global War on Terror operations since 9/11.
April 1, 2006... Updated June 16, 2006 Summary With passage of the FY2006 supplemental by both houses (H.R. 4939, P.L.109-234), Congress has appropriated a total of about $437 billion for military operations, base security, reconstruction, foreign aid,...

FY2006 supplemental appropriations: Iraq and other international activities; additional Katrina hurricane relief.
April 1, 2006... Updated April 14, 2006 Summary On February 16, 2006, the Administration submitted two separate FY2006 supplemental appropriations requests. The first, totaling $72.4 billion, would fund ongoing military operations in Iraq and...

Oil Shale: history, incentives, and policy.
April 1, 2006... April 13, 2006 Summary Oil shale is prevalent in the western states of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. The resource potential of these shales is estimated to be the equivalent of 1.8 trillion barrels of oil in place. Retorted oil shale...

U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): background and issues for Congress.(National organization overview)
April 1, 2006... Summary Special Operations Forces (SOF) play a significant role in U.S. military operations and the Administration has given U.S. SOF forces greater responsibility for planning and conducting worldwide counterterrorism operations. The 2006...