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

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

Free trade agreements: impact on U.S. trade and implications for U.S. trade policy.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 1, 2006 Free Trade Agreements: Impact on U.S. Trade and Implications for U.S. Trade Policy Summary Free trade areas (FTAs) are arrangements among two or more countries under which they agree to eliminate tariffs...

India-Iran relations and U.S. interests.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Summary India's growing energy needs and its relatively benign view of Iran's intentions will likely cause policy differences between New Delhi and Washington. Given a clear Indian interest in maintaining positive ties with Iran, New...

Millennium Challenge Account.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 1, 2006 Summary In a speech on March 14, 2002, President Bush outlined a proposal for a major new U.S. foreign aid initiative. The Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) is managed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation...

Climate change legislation in the 109th Congress.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 4, 2006 Summary Climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are an issue in the 109th Congress, as they have been in past Congresses. Bills directly addressing climate change issues range from those focused...

Proposed U.S.-Oman free trade agreement.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 1, 2006 Summary In aiming to fight terrorism with trade, the United States has negotiated and the President signed on January 19, 2006, the U.S.'s fifth bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) in the proposed 20-entity...

Detection of explosives on airline passengers: recommendation of the 9/11 commission and related issues.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Summary The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, known as the 9/11 Commission, recommended that Congress and the Transportation Security Administration give priority attention to screening airline passengers...

Defense: FY2007 authorization and appropriations.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 7, 2006 Summary The Senate began floor debate on the FY2007 defense appropriations bill, H.R. 5631 on August 1, but it did not complete the bill before adjourning for the August recess. The Senate plans to resume...

China and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and missiles: policy issues.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 2, 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...

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

Iraq: post-Saddam governance and security.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Summary Operation Iraqi Freedom succeeded in overthrowing Saddam Hussein, but Iraq remains unstable because of Sunni Arab resentment and a related insurgency, now compounded by Sunni-Shiite violence that some believe is a civil war....

Iran's nuclear program: recent developments.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 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...

International terrorism: threat, policy, and response.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Contents The War on Terrorism The Threat of Terrorism Trends in Terrorism U.S. Policy Response Framework Dilemmas U.S. Policy Tools to Combat International Terrorism Diplomacy/Constructive Engagement Public...

Syria: U.S. relations and bilateral issues.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 18, 2006 Syria: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues Summary An array of bilateral issues continue to affect relations between the United States and Syria: the course of Arab-Israeli talks; questions of arms...

Lebanon.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 15, 2006 Lebanon Summary The United States and Lebanon continue to enjoy good relations. Prominent current issues between the United States and Lebanon include progress toward a Lebanon-Israel peace treaty, U.S....

Lebanon: the Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah conflict.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 14, 2006 Lebanon: The Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah Conflict Summary This report analyzes the current conflict between Israel and two U.S. State Department-designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), the Lebanese...

Iran: U.S. concerns and policy responses.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 25, 2006 Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses Summary According to the Administration's "National Security Strategy" document released on March 16, 2006, the United States "may face no greater challenge from a...

The Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA).(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 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 Persian Gulf States: issues for U.S. Policy, 2006.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 21, 2006 The Persian Gulf States: Issues for U.S. Policy, 2006 Summary The U.S.-led war to overthrow Saddam Hussein virtually ended Iraq's ability to militarily threaten the region, but it has produced new and...

Current economic conditions and selected forecasts.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 21, 2006 Current Economic Conditions and Selected Forecasts Summary U.S. real GDP growth has been positive for 18 consecutive quarters, and the economy is considered to be in an "expansion" phase. As of the second...

Extraterritorial application of American criminal law.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 11, 2006 Summary Crime is usually territorial. It is a matter of the law of the place where it occurs. Nevertheless, a surprising number of American criminal laws apply outside of the United States. Application is...

Countries of the world and international organizations: sources of information.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 8, 2006 Summary This report provides a selection of materials for locating information on foreign countries and international organizations. In the general information section, it presents sources giving an overview of...

China's trade with the United States and the world.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 18, 2006 Summary As imports from the People's Republic of China (PRC) have surged in recent years, posing a threat to some U.S. industries and manufacturing employment, Congress has begun to focus on not only access...

Afghanistan: post-war governance, security, and U.S. policy.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 23, 2006 Summary Afghanistan's political transition was completed with the convening of a parliament in December 2005, but since then insurgent threats to Afghanistan's government have escalated to the point that some...

Afghanistan: elections, constitution, and government.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Summary In 2004 and 2005, Afghanistan adopted a permanent constitution and elected a president and a parliament. The parliament is emerging as a significant force in Afghan politics, as shown in debates to approve cabinet and Supreme...

Monetary policy: current policy and conditions.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 21, 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,...

NATO in Afghanistan: a test of the transatlantic alliance.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... August 22, 2006 Summary The mission of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Afghanistan is seen as a test of the alliance's political will and military capabilities. The allies are seeking to create a "new" NATO, able to...

North Korea's nuclear weapons program.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... August 1, 2006 Summary North Korea's decisions at the end of 2002 to restart nuclear installations at Yongbyon that were shut down under the U.S.-North Korean Agreed Framework of 1994 and to withdraw from the Nuclear...

Nuclear weapons: comprehensive test ban treaty.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 16, 2006 Summary A comprehensive test ban treaty, or CTBT, is the oldest item on the nuclear arms control agenda. Three treaties currently limit testing to underground only, with a maximum force equal to 150,000 tons...

U.S. agricultural trade: trends, composition, direction, and policy.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 11, 2006 Summary U.S. agricultural exports for FY2006 are forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at $67 billion. Agricultural imports are expected to reach $65 billion. The trade surplus, projected to be $2...

U.S. nuclear weapons: changes in policy and force structure.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Contents Introduction The International Security Environment Threats During the Cold War Evolving Threats During the 1990s Threat Assessment under the Bush Administration Strategy and Doctrine Deterrence During the...

Emergency supplemental appropriations for hurricane Katrina relief.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Summary In response to the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina, the 109th Congress enacted two FY2005 emergency supplemental appropriations bills (P.L. 109-61 and P.L. 109-62), which together provided $62.3 billion for...

FCC media ownership rules: current status and issues for congress.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Summary On June 2, 2003, the Federal Communications Commission modified five of its media ownership rules, easing restrictions on the ownership of multiple television stations (nationally and in local markets) and on local media...

Homeland security: Coast Guard operations--background and issues for Congress.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Summary The Coast Guard is the lead federal agency for maritime homeland security. For FY2007, the Coast Guard is requesting a total of about $4.5 billion for missions defined in The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296) as the...

Energy efficiency and renewable energy legislation in the 109th Congress.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... Updated August 14, 2006 Summary This report reviews the status of energy efficiency and renewable energy legislation introduced during the 109th Congress. Action in the second session has focused on appropriations bills; the first...

U.S. conventional forces and nuclear deterrence: a China case study.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... August 11, 2006 Summary Congress and the Department of Defense (DOD) are engaged in an extended discourse over the future direction of U.S. defense strategy and military force structure. In the past, these discussions have focused...

Homeland security intelligence: perceptions, statutory definitions, and approaches.(CRS Report for Congress: Received through the CRS Web)
August 1, 2006... August 18, 2006 Summary Although the activities involved in homeland security intelligence (HSINT) itself are not new, the relative importance of state, local, and private sector stakeholders; the awareness of how law enforcement...