Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs articles from January 2008

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs archives from January 2008

Campaign finance: legislative developments and policy issues in the 110th Congress.(Report)
January 1, 2008... Summary This report provides an overview of major legislative and policy developments related to campaign finance during the 110th Congress. The report discusses legislative and oversight hearings and floor action during the period. It...

Iraq: government formation and benchmarks.(Table)
January 1, 2008... Summary The current government is the product of a U.S.-supported election process designed to produce a democracy, although many now believe it produced a sectarian government incapable of reconciling Iraq's communities. This sentiment...

Georgia's January 2008 presidential election: outcome and implications.
January 1, 2008... Summary This report discusses the campaign and results of Georgia's January 5, 2008, presidential election and implications for Russia and U.S. interests. The election took place after the sitting president, Mikheil Saakashvili, suddenly...

China's Sovereign Wealth Fund.(Table)
January 1, 2008... Summary China established its major sovereign wealth fund, the China Investment Corporation (CIC) on September 29, 2007--six months after it first announced its intention to create such a fund. Financed with $200 billion in initial...

Pakistan's scheduled 2008 election: background.(Table)
January 1, 2008... Summary A stable, democratic, prosperous Pakistan actively working to counter Islamist militancy is considered vital to U.S. interests. Pakistan is a key ally in U.S.-led counterterrorism efforts. The history of democracy in Pakistan is a...

U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel.(Report)
January 1, 2008... Summary This report provides an overview of U.S. foreign assistance to Israel. It includes a review of past aid programs, data on annual assistance, and an analysis of current issues. The report will be updated annually to reflect...

The U.N. Population Fund: background and the U.S. funding debate.(Table)
January 1, 2008... Summary The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), established in 1969, is the world's largest source of population and reproductive health programs and the principal unit within the United Nations for global population issues. In 2006,...

Venezuela: political conditions and U.S. policy.
January 1, 2008... Summary Under the populist rule of President Hugo Chavez, first elected in 1998 and most recently reelected to a six-year term in December 2006, Venezuela has undergone enormous political changes, with a new constitution and unicameral...

Russia's accession to the WTO.(World Trade Organization)(Report)
January 1, 2008... 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), the successor organization of the GATT, in 1995. Russia's...

Summary.(Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction Assistance: U.S. Programs in the Former Soviet Union)(Table)
January 1, 2008... 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 safety and...

Introduction.(Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction Assistance: U.S. Programs in the Former Soviet Union)
January 1, 2008... In the budget submitted for FY2007, President Bush requested and Congress authorized around $1.1 billion for U.S. programs that provide nonproliferation and threat reduction assistance to Russia and the other states of the former Soviet Union....

Background.(Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction Assistance: U.S. Programs in the Former Soviet Union)
January 1, 2008... The Nunn-Lugar Amendment Congress initiated U.S. threat reduction and nonproliferation assistance to the Soviet Union in November 1991. A failed coup in Moscow in August 1991 and the subsequent disintegration of the Soviet Union had raised...

Department of Defense Cooperative Threat Reduction Program.(Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction Assistance: U.S. Programs in the Former Soviet Union)(Report)
January 1, 2008... Program Objectives At its inception, the CTR program sought to provide Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan with assistance in the safe and secure transportation, storage, and dismantlement of nuclear weapons. During the first few...

State Department.(Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction Assistance: U.S. Programs in the Former Soviet Union)(Report)
January 1, 2008... The State Department has played an integral role in U.S. nonproliferation and threat reduction programs since their inception. It has taken the lead in negotiating the broad agreements needed before recipient nations can receive U.S. assistance...

Department of Energy.(Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction Assistance: U.S. Programs in the Former Soviet Union)(Report)
January 1, 2008... The Department of Energy has contributed to U.S. threat reduction and nonproliferation assistance to the former Soviet states from the start, when CTR included a small amount of funding for materials control and protection. Officials from DOE...

Issues for Congress.(Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction Assistance: U.S. Programs in the Former Soviet Union)(Report)
January 1, 2008... Congress has addressed a number of issues during the years since it passed the Nunn-Lugar amendment and DOD established the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program. Many of these are discussed in detail in CRS Report 97-1027F, NunnLugar...

List of tables.(Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction Assistance: U.S. Programs in the Former Soviet Union)(Statistical table)
January 1, 2008... Table 1. CTR Funding: Requests and Authorization ($ millions) Fiscal Year 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Request $400 $400 $400 $400 $371 $328 $382.2 Auth. $400 $400 $400 $400...

What is a recession, who decides when it starts, and when do they decide?(Report)
January 1, 2008... Summary A recession is one of several discrete phases in the overall business cycle. The term may often be used loosely to describe an economy that is slowing down or characterized by weakness in at least one major sector like the housing...

Taiwan's legislative elections, January 2008: implications for U.S. policy.(Report)
January 1, 2008... Summary On January 12, 2008, Taiwan's ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), suffered a crushing defeat in elections for the Legislative Yuan, the national legislature. The DPP won only 27 seats in the new 113-member body,...

The proposed U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA): provisions and implications.
January 1, 2008... January 22, 2008 Summary On June 30, 2007, United States Trade Representative Susan Schwab and South Korean Foreign Trade Minister Kim Hyung-chong signed the proposed U.S.-South Korean Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) for their...

The proposed U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA): provisions and implications.(General Provisions)
January 1, 2008... The KORUS FTA text contains a number of provisions that cut across in many sectors in bilateral trade. Many of these provisions have become standard fare and have become part of the template for FTAs in which the United States participates. ...

Summary.(America COMPETES Act: Programs, Funding, and Selected Issues)
January 1, 2008... On August 2, 2007, Congress passed the America COMPETES Act (H.R. 2272), which the President signed into law (P.L. 110-69) on August 9, 2007. The act responds to concerns that the United States may not be able to compete economically with other...

Overview of America COMPETES Act.(America COMPETES Act: Programs, Funding, and Selected Issues)
January 1, 2008... The America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69) has eight titles that authorize programs and activities at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Department of Energy...

Overview of U.S. Competitiveness initiatives.(America COMPETES Act: Programs, Funding, and Selected Issues)
January 1, 2008... For the nation to maintain economic growth and a high standard of living, the United States must be competitive in a global economy. To be competitive, U.S. companies must engage in trade, retain market shares, and offer high quality products...

Issues for Congress.(America COMPETES Act: Programs, Funding, and Selected Issues)
January 1, 2008... The America COMPETES Act had strong bipartisan support. Even though President Bush signed the act into law, however, the Administration stated a series of concerns, many related to the Administration's American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI)....

Appropriations status.(America COMPETES Act: Programs, Funding, and Selected Issues)
January 1, 2008... Table 2 is a five-part table that summarizes the America COMPETES Act programs, the President's FY2008 Budget Request, the House of Representatives FY2008 appropriations bills (H.R. 3093, H.R. 3043, H.R. 2641) and related reports, the Senate...

Evaluation of the America COMPETES Act.(America COMPETES Act: Programs, Funding, and Selected Issues)
January 1, 2008... Should Congress decide to appropriate funds for the actions authorized in the America COMPETES Act, how will the nation know if it is successful? The purpose of the act is "to invest in innovation through research and development, and to...

Concluding observations.(America COMPETES Act: Programs, Funding, and Selected Issues)
January 1, 2008... As Congress begins deliberations on the FY2009 budget, the programs authorized by the America COMPETES Act may be considered during the appropriations process. Unlike the previous fiscal year, when the appropriations process already was in...

Appendix A. Summary of legislative history.(America COMPETES Act: Programs, Funding, and Selected Issues)
January 1, 2008... The America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69) originated as the 21st Century Competitiveness Act of 2007 (H.R. 2272/Gordon) and the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act (S....

Appendix B. Legislative Information System summary of America COMPETES Act.(America COMPETES Act: Programs, Funding, and Selected Issues)(America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act)(Law overview)
January 1, 2008... America COMPETES Act or America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act Title I: Office of Science and Technology Policy; Government-Wide Science (Sec. 1001) Directs the...

List of tables.(America COMPETES Act: Programs, Funding, and Selected Issues)(Table)
January 1, 2008... Table 1. U.S. Trade in Advanced Technology Products (billions of U.S. dollars) Year U.S. Exports U.S. Imports Trade Balance 1990 93.4 59.3 34.1 1995 138.4 124.8 13.6 1996 ...

Does the army need a full-spectrum force or specialized units? Background and issues for Congress.(U.S. Army)(Report)
January 1, 2008... Summary This report is intended to provide information that might be of interest to Congress on the current debate surrounding the creation of special U.S. Army units and organizations, which some believe are needed to address current and...

NATO in Afghanistan: a test of the transatlantic alliance.(North Atlantic Treaty Organization)(Report)
January 1, 2008... Summary The mission of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Afghanistan is a test of the alliance's political will and military capabilities. The allies wish to create a "new" NATO, able to go beyond the European theater and...

Future of the Balkans and U.S. policy concerns.(Report)
January 1, 2008... Summary The United States, its allies, and local leaders have achieved substantial successes in the Balkans since the mid-1990s. The wars in the region have ended, and all of the countries are undertaking political and economic reforms at...

Trade promotion authority and fast-track negotiating authority for trade agreements: major votes.(Table)(Report)
January 1, 2008... Summary This report profiles significant legislation, including floor votes, that authorized the use of presidential Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), previously known as fast-track trade negotiating authority, since its inception in 1974....

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): legislative actions through the 110th Congress, first session.(Report)
January 1, 2008... Summary A major part of the energy debate has been whether to approve energy development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in northeastern Alaska, and if so, under what conditions, or whether to continue to prohibit development...

Iran's activities and influence in Iraq.(Report)
January 1, 2008... Summary Iran is materially assisting major Shiite Muslim political factions in Iraq, most of which have longstanding ideological, political, and religious ties to Tehran, and their armed militias. In late 2007, the Administration noted a...

Iraq: government formation and benchmarks.(Table)
January 1, 2008... Summary The current government is the product of a U.S.-supported election process designed to produced a democracy, although many now believe it produced a sectarian government incapable of reconciling Iraq's communities. This sentiment...

Foreign ownership of U.S. financial assets: implications of a withdrawal.(Report)
January 1, 2008... Summary This report provides an overview of the role foreign investment plays in the U.S. economy and an assessment of possible actions a foreign investor or a group of foreign investors might choose to take to liquidate their investments...

Summary.(Pakistan-U.S. Relations)
January 1, 2008... A stable, democratic, prosperous Pakistan is considered vital to U.S. interests. U.S. concerns regarding Pakistan include regional and global terrorism; Afghan stability; democratization and human rights protection; the ongoing Kashmir problem...

Key current issues.(Pakistan-U.S. Relations)(Report)
January 1, 2008... A stable, democratic, prosperous Pakistan actively working to counter Islamist militancy is considered vital to U.S. interests. Current top-tier U.S. concerns regarding Pakistan include regional and global terrorism; Afghan stability; and...

Setting and regional relations.(Pakistan-U.S. Relations)
January 1, 2008... Historical Setting The long and checkered Pakistan-U.S. relationship has its roots in the Cold War and South Asia regional politics of the 1950s. U.S. concerns about Soviet expansionism and Pakistan's desire for security assistance against...

Pakistan-U.S. relations and key country issues.(Pakistan-U.S. Relations)
January 1, 2008... U.S. policy interests in Pakistan encompass a wide range of issues, including counterterrorism, nuclear weapons and missile proliferation, South Asian and Afghan stability, democratization and human rights, trade and economic reform, and...

List of figures.(Pakistan-U.S. Relations)(Country overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Pakistan in Brief Population: 165 million; growth rate: 1.8% (2007 est.) Area: 803,940 sq. km. (slightly less than twice the size of California) Capital: Islamabad Head of Government: President and Chief of Army Staff General...

List of tables.(Pakistan-U.S. Relations)(Table)
January 1, 2008... Table 1. Direct Overt U.S. Assistance and Military Reimbursements to Pakistan, FY2001-FY2008 (rounded to the nearest millions of dollars) FY FY FY FY ...

EU-U.S. economic ties: framework, scope, and magnitude.
January 1, 2008... Summary The United States and the European Union (EU) economic relationship is the largest in the world--and it is growing. The modern U.S.-European economic relationship has evolved since World War II, broadening as the six-member...

Summary.(Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency)(Table)
January 1, 2008... Several major statutes form the legal basis for the programs of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Many of these have been amended several times. The current provisions of each are briefly summarized in this report. The Pollution...

Introduction.(Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The authorities and responsibilities of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) derive primarily from a dozen major environmental statutes. This report, updated at the beginning of each Congress, provides a brief summary of EPA's present...

Pollution Prevention Act of 1990.(Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency)
January 1, 2008... The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish an Office of Pollution Prevention, develop and coordinate a pollution prevention strategy, and develop source reduction models. The act requires...

The Clean Air Act.(Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency)
January 1, 2008... The Clean Air Act, codified as 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq., seeks to protect human health and the environment from emissions that pollute ambient, or outdoor, air. It requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish minimum national...

Clean Water Act.(Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency)
January 1, 2008... The principal law governing pollution of the nation's surface waters is the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, or Clean Water Act. Originally enacted in 1948, it was totally revised by amendments in 1972 that gave the act its current shape....

Ocean Dumping Act.(Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency)
January 1, 2008... The Ocean Dumping Act has two basic aims: to regulate intentional ocean disposal of materials, and to authorize related research. Title I of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (MPRSA, P.L. 92-532), which is often...

Safe Drinking Water Act.(Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA))
January 1, 2008... The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Title XIV of the Public Health Service Act, is the key federal law for protecting public water supplies from harmful contaminants. First enacted in 1974 and substantively amended in 1986 and 1996, the act is...

Solid Waste Disposal Act/Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.(Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency)
January 1, 2008... The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) established the federal program regulating solid and hazardous waste management. RCRA actually amends earlier legislation (the Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965), but the amendments were...

Superfund.(Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency)(Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986)
January 1, 2008... The Superfund hazardous substance cleanup program was created by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA, P.L. 96-510, enacted December 11, 1980). It was enlarged and reauthorized by the...

Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.(Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency)
January 1, 2008... The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA, codified at 42 U.S.C. 11001-11050) was enacted in 1986 as Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (P.L. 99-499). EPCRA established state commissions and local...

Toxic Substance Control Act.(Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency)
January 1, 2008... The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA, 15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.) authorizes the EPA to screen existing and new chemicals used in U.S. manufacturing and commerce to identify potentially dangerous products or uses that should be subject to federal...

Pesticide laws.(Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency)
January 1, 2008... The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for implementing federal pesticide policies under two statutes: the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), (33) governing the sale and use of pesticide products...

National Environmental Policy Act.(Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency)
January 1, 2008... Introduction The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) was enacted in 1969 and signed into law by President Nixon on January 1, 1970 (P.L. 91190). NEPA was the first of several major environmental laws enacted in...

List of tables.(Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency)(Table)(Calendar)
January 1, 2008... Table 1. Schedule of Expiration of Appropriation Authority for Major Environmental Laws Statute Expiration of Authorization Pollution Prevention Act September 30, 1993 Clean Air Act...

Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).
January 1, 2008... Summary The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) was formed to increase international cooperation in interdicting shipments of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), their delivery systems, and related materials. The Initiative was...

Avian flu pandemic: potential impact of trade disruptions.(Report)
January 1, 2008... Summary Concerns about potential disruptions in U.S. trade flows due to a global health or security crisis are not new. The possibility of an avian flu pandemic with consequences for global trade is a concern that has received attention...

Regulation of vehicle greenhouse gas emissions: state and federal standards.
January 1, 2008... Summary California is seeking, under the Clean Air Act, authority to establish greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for passenger vehicles. The standards would require a 30% reduction in per-mile GHG from 2002 levels by 2016. To...

Summary.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)
January 1, 2008... Operation Iraqi Freedom overthrew Saddam Hussein's regime, but much of Iraq became violent because of Sunni Arab resentment and a related insurgency, resulting Sunni-Shiite sectarian violence, competition among Shiite groups, and the failure of...

Introduction.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)
January 1, 2008... Iraq has not previously had experience with a democratic form of government, although parliamentary elections were held during the period of British rule under a League of Nations mandate (from 1920 until Iraq's independence in 1932), and the...

Policy in the 1990s: emphasized containment.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)
January 1, 2008... Prior to the January 16, 1991, launch of Operation Desert Storm to reverse Iraq's August 1990 invasion of Kuwait, President George H.W. Bush called on the Iraqi people to overthrow Saddam. That Administration decided not to try to do so...

Post-September 11, 2001: regime change and war.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)
January 1, 2008... Several senior Bush Administration officials had long been advocates of a regime change policy toward Iraq, but the difficulty of that strategy led the Bush Administration initially to continue its predecessor's containment policy. (11) Some...

Post-Saddam transition and governance.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)
January 1, 2008... According to statements by President Bush, U.S. goals are for an Iraq that can sustain, govern, and defend itself and is a partner in the global war on terrorism. Most Administration officials have, for the most part, dropped an earlier stated...

Security challenges and responses.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)
January 1, 2008... Since the fall of Saddam Hussein, the United States has employed a multifaceted approach to stabilizing Iraq, but in late 2006 the effort was determined by the Administration to be faltering. The Iraq Study Group said in its December 6, 2006,...

Iraq study group report, legislative proposals, and other options.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)
January 1, 2008... In formulating the "troop surge" strategy announced on January 10, 2007, President Bush said he weighed the December 6, 2006, report of the Iraq Study Group, as well as input from several other reviews, including one directed by the Joint...

List of tables.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)(Country overview)(Table)
January 1, 2008... Table 1. Iraq Basic Facts Population 27.5 million Demographics Shiite Arab--60%; Kurd--19% Sunni Arab--14%; Christian and others--6; Sunni Turkomen--1%. Christians are: 600,000--1...

China's "soft power" in Southeast Asia.(Report)
January 1, 2008... Summary China's growing use of "soft power" in Southeast Asia--non-military inducements including culture, diplomacy, foreign aid, trade, and investment--has presented new challenges to U.S. foreign policy. By downplaying many conflicting...

Latin America: terrorism issues.
January 1, 2008... Summary U.S. attention to terrorism in Latin America intensified in the aftermath of the September 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, with an increase in bilateral and regional cooperation. In its April 2007 Country Reports...

Afro-Latinos in Latin America and considerations for U.S. policy.
January 1, 2008... Summary During its second session, the 110th Congress is likely to maintain an interest in the situation of Afro-Latinos in Latin America, particularly the plight of AfroColombians affected by the armed conflict in Colombia. In recent...

Laos: background and U.S. relations.
January 1, 2008... January 7, 2008 Summary The United States and the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR) cooperate in important areas despite disagreements regarding human rights policies in Laos and the LPDR's strong ties with China and Vietnam....

The Gulf Security Dialogue and related arms sale proposals.(Report)
January 1, 2008... January 14, 2008 Summary In May 2006, the Administration launched an effort to revive U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) security cooperation under the auspices of a new Gulf Security Dialogue (GSD). The Dialogue now serves as the...

Iraq: government formation and benchmarks.(Table)
January 1, 2008... Summary The current government is the product of a U.S.-supported election process designed to produce a democracy, although many now believe it produced a sectarian government incapable of reconciling Iraq's communities. This sentiment...

National aviation security policy, strategy, and mode-specific plans: background and considerations for Congress.
January 1, 2008... Summary In the years leading up to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States lacked a comprehensive national policy and strategy for aviation security. The approach to aviation security was largely shaped by past...

U.S.-Vietnam relations: background and issues for Congress.
January 1, 2008... Summary After communist North Vietnam's victory over U.S.-backed South Vietnam in 1975, U.S.-Vietnam relations remained essentially frozen until the mid-1990s. Since then, bilateral ties have expanded remarkably, to the point where the...

Emerging trends in the security architecture in Asia: bilateral and multilateral ties among the United States, Japan, Australia, and India.
January 1, 2008... Summary Some analysts have questioned whether U.S. security interests in the Asia Pacific region are best served by its existing framework of bilateral alliances. The region is now facing an array of changes: deepening trade links, the...

Dollar crisis: prospect and implications.
January 1, 2008... Summary The dollar's value in international exchange has been falling since early 2002. Over this five year span, the currency, on a real trade weighted basis, is down about 29%. For most of this time the dollar's fall was moderately paced...

China's holdings of U.S. securities: implications for the U.S. economy.
January 1, 2008... Summary Given its relatively low savings rate, the U.S. economy depends heavily on foreign capital inflows from countries with high savings rates (such as China) to help promote growth and to fund the federal budget deficit. China has...

The U. S. Singapore free trade agreement: effects after three years.
January 1, 2008... Summary The U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) (P.L. 108-78) went into effect on January 1, 2004. This report provides an overview of the major trade and economic effects of the FTA over the three years ending in 2006. It also...

Prospects for democracy in Hong Kong: China's December 2007 decision.
January 1, 2008... Summary The prospects for democratization in Hong Kong became clearer following a decision of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPCSC) on December 29, 2007. The NPCSC's decision effectively set the year 2017 as...