Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs articles from March 2005

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs archives from March 2005

Journalists' privilege to withhold information in judicial and other proceedings: state shield statutes.
March 1, 2005... Summary Absent a statutory or constitutional recognition of journalistic privilege, a reporter may be compelled to testify in legal, administrative, or other governmental proceedings. To date, thirty-one states and the District of...

The Kurds in post-Saddam Iraq.
March 1, 2005... Summary Iraq's Kurdish community, essentially unrepresented in and repressed by previous Iraqi governments, is emerging as a major force in post-Saddam Iraq. The Kurdish-inhabited regions of northern Iraq are relatively free of insurgent...

Homeland Security: air passenger prescreening and counterterrorism.
March 1, 2005... Summary The adequacy of existing systems to screen air passengers against terrorist watch lists has been questioned, most notably by the 9/11 Commission. Yet, considerable controversy surrounds air passenger prescreening systems, such as...

The national preparedness system: issues in the 109th Congress.
March 1, 2005... Summary The national preparedness system (NPS) under development within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) holds significant implications for the operations and priorities of homeland security officials, emergency managers, and...

FY2006 appropriations for state and local homeland security.
March 1, 2005... Summary In the FY2006 budget request, the Administration proposes roughly $3.36 billion for state and local homeland security assistance programs. This is $250 million less than these programs were appropriated in FY2005 ($3.61 billion)....

Federal research and development funding: FY2006.(Statistical data)
March 1, 2005... Summary The Bush Administration has requested $132.2 billion in federal research and development (R&D) funding for FY2006. This sum, represents a $505 million increase over the FY2005 estimated funding level of $131.7 billion. In real...

The National Counterterrorism Center: implementation challenges and issues for Congress.
March 1, 2005... Summary In July 2004, the National Commission On Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States recommended the establishment of a National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) to serve as a center for "... joint operational planning and joint...

Border and transportation security: the complexity of the challenge.
March 1, 2005... Summary Border and transportation security is a pivotal function in protecting the American people from terrorists and their instruments of destruction. This report uses a series of graphical presentations to form one possible framework...

Border and Transportation Security: possible new directions and policy options.
March 1, 2005... Summary There is concensus that Border and Transportation Security (BTS) is a pivotal function in protecting the American people from terrorists and their instruments of destruction. The issue for Congress is how to achieve desired...

Border and transportation security: selected programs and policies.
March 1, 2005... Summary Border and Transportation Security (BTS) is a pivotal function in protecting the American people from terrorists and their instruments of destruction. This report addresses selected programs and policies now in place that seek to...

United States aid to the Palestinians.(Statistical data)
March 1, 2005... Summary United States economic assistance for the Palestinians has averaged about $85 million per year since Israel and the PLO signed the 1993 Declaration of Principles. Congress wants to ensure that U.S. assistance is used for...

Agricultural biotechnology: background and recent issues.
March 1, 2005... Summary Since the first genetically engineered (GE) crops (also called GM [genetically modified] crops, or GMOs, genetically modified organisms) became commercially available in the mid-1990s, U.S. soybean, cotton, and corn farmers have...

The NATO Summit at Prague, 2002.
March 1, 2005... Summary In November 2002, the NATO allies met in Prague at the "Transformation" summit in an attempt to define part of the alliance's mission to combat against terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. They pledged...

Identity theft: the internet connection.(Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003)
March 1, 2005... Summary Concern is growing about identity theft--where one person assumes the identity of another by stealing personally identifiable information (PII), such as credit card or Social Security numbers. High profile incidents disclosed in...

Overview of the federal tax system.
March 1, 2005... Summary The individual income tax is the major source of federal revenue, followed closely by Social Security taxes. As a revenue source, the corporate income tax is a distant third. Federal estate and gift and excise taxes play only...

Gun legislation in the 109th Congress.(Column)
March 1, 2005... Summary Congress continues to debate the efficacy and constitutionality of federal regulation of firearms and ammunition. It is a contentious debate, with strong advocates for and against the further federal regulation of firearms. ...

Science and technology policy: issues for the 109th Congress.(Column)
March 1, 2005... Summary Science and technology have a pervasive influence over a wide range of issues confronting the nation. Decisions on how much federal funding to invest in research and development (R&D), and determining what programs have the...

Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board: 109th Congress proposed refinements.
March 1, 2005... Summary Among the recommendations made by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 Commission) in its final report was the creation of a board within the executive branch to oversee adherence to...

Iraq's new security forces: the challenge of sectarian and ethnic influences.
March 1, 2005... Summary This report analyzes the prospects for rebuilding an inclusive Iraqi security force that transcends Iraq's various ethnic and sectarian communities. U.S. policymakers and Iraqi officials aim to create a unified Iraqi security...

Organization of American States: a primer.
March 1, 2005... Summary The Organization of American States (OAS) is an international organization based in Washington, D.C., comprised of 35 Western Hemisphere states. The OAS works to promote democracy, protect human rights, preserve security, expand...

Selected federal homeland security assistance programs: a summary.(Column)
March 1, 2005... Summary Congress has supported a limited number of assistance programs specifically designed to assist state and local governments with homeland security activities. Some programs assist first responders with preparing for terrorist...

WTO: antidumping issues in the Doha Development Agenda.
March 1, 2005... 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 the negotiating objectives...