Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs articles from March 2009

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs archives from March 2009

Iraq: post-Saddam governance and security.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 2, 2009 Summary As it took office, the Obama Administration was presented with a security environment in Iraq that is vastly improved over that which prevailed during 2005-2007. The "turnaround" has been widely attributed to the...

Policy in the 1990s emphasized containment.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)(Report)
March 1, 2009... 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)
March 1, 2009... 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)
March 1, 2009... According to statements by the Bush Administration, U.S. goals are for a unified, democratic, and federal Iraq that can sustain, govern, and defend itself and is an ally in the global war on terrorism. The following sections discuss Iraq's...

Economic reconstruction and U.S. assistance.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)
March 1, 2009... The Bush Administration asserted that economic reconstruction would contribute to stability. (35) However, as violence began to diminish in late 2007 and 2008, the Bush Administration concurred with the substantial bipartisan sentiment that...

Security challenges and responses.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)(Report)
March 1, 2009... Since the fall of Saddam Hussein, the United States has employed a multi-faceted approach to securing Iraq. In late 2006, the effort was determined by the Administration to be faltering as violence and U.S. casualties escalated. In announcing a...

Iraq study group report, legislative proposals, and options for the Obama administration.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)(Barack Obama)(Report)
March 1, 2009... 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...

Stepped up international and regional diplomacy.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... As noted above, many of the Iraq Study Group recommendations proposed increased regional and international diplomacy. One idea, included in the Study Group report, was to form a "contact group" of major countries and Iraqi neighbors to prevail...

Reorganizing the political structure, and "Federalism".(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)(Report)
March 1, 2009... Some experts say that Iraq's legislative achievements and security improvements have not produced lasting political reconciliation and that, at some point, Iraq will again see high levels of violence. Were that to occur, some might argue that...

Economic measures.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)
March 1, 2009... Some believe that the key to continuing to calm Iraq is to accelerate economic reconstruction. Accelerated reconstruction could, in this view, drain support for insurgents by creating employment, improving public services, and creating...

Iran: U.S. concerns and policy responses.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 13, 2009 Summary The Bush Administration characterized Iran as a "profound threat to U.S. national security interests," a perception generated primarily by Iran's nuclear program and its military assistance to armed groups in...

Political history.(Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses)(Report)
March 1, 2009... Much of the debate over U.S. policy toward Iran has centered on the nature of the current regime; some believe that Iran, a country of about 70 million people, is a threat to U.S. interests because hardliners in Iran's regime dominate and set a...

Regime structure, stability, and elections.(Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses)(Report)
March 1, 2009... About a decade after founding the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini died on June 3, 1989. The regime he established--enshrined in an Islamic republican constitution adopted in 1980 and amended in 1989--consists of some elected and...

Human rights and dissent.(Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses)
March 1, 2009... The regime appears to have a relatively firm grip on power, in part because it vigorously suppresses dissent. However, Iranian opinion is hard to gauge and even seemingly low level unrest has the potential to spiral into a potential threat to...

Iran's strategic capabilities and weapons of mass destruction programs.(Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses)(Report)
March 1, 2009... The Bush Administration's "National Security Strategy" document released March 16, 2006 said the United States "may face no greater challenge from a single country than from Iran." The perception, which many in the Obama Administration are...

Foreign policy and support for terrorist groups.(Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses)
March 1, 2009... Iran's foreign policy is a product of the ideology of Iran's Islamic revolution, blended with longstanding national interests, and is intended largely to overturn the "status quo" in the Middle East that Iran believes favors the United States,...

U.S. policy responses, options, and legislation.(Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses)
March 1, 2009... The February 11, 1979 fall of the Shah of Iran, a key U.S. ally, opened the long and deep rift in U.S.-Iranian relations. On November 4, 1979, radical "students" seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held its diplomats hostage until minutes...

Conclusion.(Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses)
March 1, 2009... Mistrust between the United States and Iran's Islamic regime has run deep almost three decades and many argue that it is unlikely to be quickly overcome, even if the Obama Administration initiates--and Iran accepts--comprehensive direct talks...

Afghanistan: post-Taliban governance, security, and U.S. policy.(Congressional Research Service)
March 1, 2009... March 4, 2009 Summary As U.S. and outside assessments of the effort to stabilize Afghanistan became increasingly negative throughout 2008, the Bush Administration conducted several reviews of U.S. strategy, and began a plan to build...

Background to Recent Developments.(Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)(Report)
March 1, 2009... Prior to the founding of a monarchy in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani, Afghanistan was territory inhabited by tribes and tribal confederations linked to neighboring nations, not a distinct entity. King Amanullah Khan (1919-1929) launched attacks on...

Post-Taliban nation building.(Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)(Report)
March 1, 2009... With Afghanistan devastated after more than 20 years of warfare, the fall of the Taliban paved the way for the success of a long-stalled U.N. effort to form a broad-based Afghan government and for a U.S.-led coalition to begin building...

Post-war security operations and force capacity building.(Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
March 1, 2009... One major question among experts is what is the U.S. definition of "winning" the "war" in Afghanistan. While that might be debated, the top security priority of the United States articulated since 2001 has been to prevent the Taliban and its...

Regional context.(Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
March 1, 2009... Although most of Afghanistan's neighbors believe that the fall of the Taliban has stabilized the region, some experts believe that some neighboring governments are attempting to manipulate Afghanistan's factions to their advantage, even though...

U.S. and international aid to Afghanistan and development issues.(Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)(Report)
March 1, 2009... Many experts believe that financial assistance and accelerating reconstruction would do more to improve the security situation-and to eliminate narcotics trafficking-than intensified anti-Taliban combat. Afghanistan's economy and society are...

Residual issues from past conflicts.(Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
March 1, 2009... A few issues remain unresolved from Afghanistan's many years of conflict, such as Stinger retrieval and mine eradication. Stinger Retrieval Beginning in late 1985 following internal debate, the Reagan Administration provided about...

U.S. Immigration policy on permanent admissions.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 9, 2009 Summary Four major principles underlie current U.S. policy on permanent immigration: the reunification of families, the admission of immigrants with needed skills, the protection of refugees, and the diversity of...

China's holdings of U.S. securities: implications for the U.S. economy.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 5, 2009 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...

Analysis of legislative proposals addressing Guantanamo detainees.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 5, 2009 Summary Several bills introduced during the 111th Congress address the detention of suspected enemy belligerents held at the U.S. Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. On January 22, 2009, President Obama issued three...

Tax reform: an overview of proposals in the 111th Congress.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 5, 2009 Summary Tax reform is of congressional interest in the 111th Congress. This report examines three main categories of tax reform: fundamental tax reform, tax reform based on the elimination of the individual alternative...

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC): summary of actions in support of housing and financial markets.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 5, 2009 Summary The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was established as an independent government corporation under the authority of the Banking Act of 1933, also known as the Glass-Steagall Act (P.L. 73-66, 48 Stat....

Climate change: current issues and policy tools.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 6, 2009 Summary On June 2, 2008, the Senate agreed to consider a bill (S. 3036) to control greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. In the 111th Congress, leadership in both chambers have announced their intentions to pass...

The financial crisis: impact on and response by The European Union.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 9, 2009 Summary According to the most recent National Threat Assessment, the global financial crisis and its geopolitical implications pose the primary near-term security concern of the United States. Over the short run, both...

Israeli-Arab negotiations: background, conflicts, and U.S. policy.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 9, 2009 Summary After the first Gulf war, in 1991, a new peace process consisting of bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon achieved mixed results. Milestones included the...

Comprehensive National Cybersecurity initiative: legal authorities and policy considerations.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 10, 2009 Summary Federal agencies report increasing cyber-intrusions into government computer networks, perpetrated by a range of known and unknown actors. In response, the President, legislators, experts, and others have...

Cuba: Issues for the 111th Congress.(Congressional Research Service)
March 1, 2009... March 18, 2009 Summary Cuba, which remains a hard-line communist state with a poor record on human rights, commemorated the 50th anniversary of its revolution on January 1, 2009. Cuba's political succession from the long-ruling Fidel...

Recent developments.(Cuba: Issues for the 111th Congress)(Report)
March 1, 2009... On March 11, 2009, President Obama signed into law the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (H.R. 1105, P.L. 111-8), which has three provisions intended to ease U.S. sanctions on Cuba for family travel (Section 621 of Division D), travel related to...

Political condition.(Cuba: Issues for the 111th Congress)
March 1, 2009... Raul Castro officially became Cuba's President on February 24, 2008. On that day, Cuba's legislature selected him as President of the 31-member Council of State, a position that officially made him Cuba's head of government and state. Most...

Economic conditions.(Cuba: Issues for the 111th Congress)(Report)
March 1, 2009... After the collapse of the former Soviet Union, Russian financial assistance to Cuba practically ended, and as a result, Cuba experienced severe economic deterioration from 1989-1993, with estimates of economic decline ranging from 35-50%. Since...

Cuba's foreign policy.(Cuba: Issues for the 111th Congress)(Report)
March 1, 2009... During the Cold War, Cuba had extensive relations with and support from the Soviet Union, with billions in annual subsidies to sustain the Cuban economy that helped fund an activist foreign policy and support for guerrilla movements and...

U.S. policy toward Cuba.(Cuba: Issues for the 111th Congress)(Report)
March 1, 2009... Policy Overview In the early 1960s, U.S.-Cuban relations deteriorated sharply when Fidel Castro began to build a repressive communist dictatorship and moved his country toward close relations with the Soviet Union. The often tense and...

Legislative initiatives in the 111th Congress.(Cuba: Issues for the 111th Congress)
March 1, 2009... P.L. 111-8 (H.R. 1105). Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009. Introduced February 23, 2009; House passed (245-178) February 25, 2009; Senate passed (voice vote) March 10, 2009; signed into law March 11, 2009. Division D, Financial Services and...

Legislation in the 110th Congress.(Cuba: Issues for the 111th Congress)
March 1, 2009... P.L. 110-161 (H.R. 2764). FY2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act. H.R. 2764 was originally introduced and reported by the House Committee on Appropriations (H.Rept. 110-197) on June 18, 2007 as the FY2008 State, Foreign Operations, and Related...

For additional reading.(Cuba: Issues for the 111th Congress)(Bibliography)
March 1, 2009... Active CRS Reports CRS Report R40139, Closing the Guantanamo Detention Center: Legal Issues, by Michael John Garcia et al. CRS Report RL31139, Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances, by Mark P. Sullivan. CRS Report...

Nuclear weapons R&D Organizations in nine nations.(Congressional Research Service)(research and development)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 16, 2009 Summary Seven nations--China, France, India, Pakistan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States--possess nuclear weapons. In addition, North Korea tested a nuclear explosive device, and Israel is widely thought...

The United Arab Emirates nuclear program and proposed U.S. nuclear cooperation.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 10, 2009 Summary The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has embarked on a program to build civilian nuclear power plants and is seeking cooperation and technical assistance from the United States and others. During 2008 and early 2009,...

Ongoing government assistance for American International Group (AIG).(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 16, 2009 Summary In the beginning of 2008, American International Group (AIG) was one of the world's largest insurers, generally considered to be financially sound with an AA credit rating. By the end of the year, it had...

Iraq: politics, elections, and benchmarks.(Congressional Research Service)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... March 25, 2009 Summary Iraq's political system, the result of a U.S.-supported election process, is increasingly characterized by peaceful competition rather than violence, but sectarianism and ethnic and factional infighting continue...

Border security: barriers along the U.S. International border.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 16, 2009 Summary Congress has repeatedly shown interest in examining and expanding the barriers being deployed along the U.S. international land border. The United States Border Patrol (USBP) deploys fencing, which aims to...

Background.(Border Security: Barriers Along the U.S. International Border)(Report)
March 1, 2009... Within the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) is charged with securing our nation's land and maritime borders between official ports of entry (POE) to deter and interdict...

The San Diego border primary fence.(Border Security: Barriers Along the U.S. International Border)(Report)
March 1, 2009... The USBP's San Diego sector extends along the first 66 miles from the Pacific Ocean of the international border with Mexico, and covers approximately 7,000 square miles of territory. Located north of Tijuana and Tecate, Mexican cities with a...

Congressional border barrier legislation.(Border Security: Barriers Along the U.S. International Border)(Report)
March 1, 2009... As previously mentioned, the INS constructed the primary fencing in San Diego using the broad authority granted to the AG in order to guard and control the U.S. border by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). (18) In 1996, Congress...

The San Diego fence and USBP apprehensions.(Border Security: Barriers Along the U.S. International Border)(Report)
March 1, 2009... Apprehension statistics have long been used as a performance measure by the USBP. However, the number of apprehensions may be a misleading statistic for several reasons, including the data's focus on events rather than people (50) and the fact...

Border barrier construction.(Border Security: Barriers Along the U.S. International Border)(Report)
March 1, 2009... The USBP has been constructing and maintaining barriers along the international land border since 1991. These barriers have historically been limited to selected urban areas as part of the USBP's overall strategy of rerouting illegal migration...

Issues for Congress.(Border Security: Barriers Along the U.S. International Border)(Report)
March 1, 2009... Congress may consider a number of issues concerning the construction of barriers along the border, including, but not limited to, their effectiveness, overall costs compared with benefits, possible diplomatic ramifications, unintended...

Afghanistan: post-Taliban governance, security, and U.S. policy.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 23, 2009 Summary As U.S. and outside assessments of the effort to stabilize Afghanistan became increasingly negative throughout 2008, the Bush Administration conducted several reviews of U.S. strategy, and began a plan to build...

Background.(Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
March 1, 2009... From the third to the eighth century, A.D., Buddhism was the dominant religion in Afghanistan. In the 10th century, Muslim rulers called Samanids, from Bukhara (in what is now Uzbekistan), extended their influence into Afghanistan. In 1504,...

Post-Taliban nation building.(Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)(Report)
March 1, 2009... With Afghanistan devastated after more than 20 years of warfare, the fall of the Taliban paved the way for the success of a long-stalled U.N. effort to form a broad-based Afghan government and for a U.S.-led coalition to begin building...

Post-war security operations and force capacity building.(Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)(Report)
March 1, 2009... One major question among experts is what is the U.S. definition of "winning" the "war" in Afghanistan. While that might be debated, the top security priority of the United States articulated since 2001 has been to prevent the Taliban and its...

Regional context.(Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)(Report)
March 1, 2009... Although most of Afghanistan's neighbors believe that the fall of the Taliban has stabilized the region, some experts believe that some neighboring governments are attempting to manipulate Afghanistan's factions to their advantage, even though...

U.S. and international aid to Afghanistan and development issues.(Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)(Report)
March 1, 2009... Many experts believe that financial assistance and accelerating reconstruction would do more to improve the security situation--and to eliminate narcotics trafficking--than intensified anti-Taliban combat. Afghanistan's economy and society are...

Residual issues from past conflicts.(Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)(Report)
March 1, 2009... A few issues remain unresolved from Afghanistan's many years of conflict, such as Stinger retrieval and mine eradication. Stinger Retrieval Beginning in late 1985 following internal debate, the Reagan Administration provided about...

The Tibetan Policy Act of 2002: background and implementation.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 17, 2009 Summary U.S. policy on Tibet is governed by the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (TPA), enacted as part of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act of FY2003 (P.L. 107-228). In addition to establishing a number of U.S....

El Salvador: political, economic, and social conditions and U.S. relations.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... Contents Background Political Situation Legislative Record 2009 Elections Municipal and Legislative Elections Presidential Election Prospects for Governance Economic and Social Conditions Gangs...

The Global Peace Operations Initiative: background and issues for congress.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... Contents Introduction Purposes and Goal Achievements to Date Funding to Date Background GPOI Purposes and Activities GPOI Goals and Needs Demand for Peacekeepers Need for Gendarme/Constabulary Forces...

Section 1206 of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2006: A fact sheet on Department of Defense authority to train and equip foreign military forces.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 19, 2009 Section 1206 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2006 provides the Secretary of Defense with authority to train and equip foreign military and foreign maritime security forces. DOD values this...

NATO's 60th anniversary summit.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 20, 2009 On April 3 and 4, 2009, the heads of state and government of the 26 members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will meet in Strasbourg, France, and Kehl, Germany for a summit marking the 60th anniversary of the...

Madagascar's 2009 political crisis.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 25, 2009 Political tensions on the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar between President Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina, the former mayor of the capital city, escalated in early 2009, culminating in the President's forced...

China-U.S. trade issues.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 4, 2009 U.S.-China economic ties have expanded substantially over the past three decades. Total U.S.China trade has risen from $5 billion in 1980 to $409 billion in 2008. In 2008, China was the second largest U.S. trading partner,...

China's economic conditions.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 5, 2009 Summary Since the initiation of economic reforms 30 years ago, China has become one of the world's fastest-growing economies. From 1979 to 2008 China's real gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an average annual rate of...

Ukraine: current issues and U.S. policy.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 5, 2009 Summary In January 2005, Viktor Yushchenko became Ukraine's new President after massive demonstrations helped to overturn the former regime's electoral fraud in what has been dubbed the "Orange Revolution," after...

International trade: rules of origin.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 6, 2009 Summary Determining the country of origin of a product is important for properly assessing tariffs, enforcing trade remedies (such as antidumping and countervailing duties) or quantitative restrictions (tariff quotas),...

The Iran Sanctions Act (ISA).(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 9, 2009 Summary International pressure on Iran to curb its nuclear program is increasing the hesitation of many major foreign firms to invest in Iran's energy sector, hindering Iran's efforts to expand oil production beyond 4.1...

Latin America and the Caribbean: fact sheet on leaders and elections.(Congressional Research Service)(Table)
March 1, 2009... March 10, 2009 Summary This fact sheet tracks the current heads of government in Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and provides the dates of the last and next election for head of government. It also provides the...

Latin America: terrorism issues.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 11, 2009 Summary Since the September 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, U.S. attention to terrorism in Latin America has intensified, with an increase in bilateral and regional cooperation. In its April 2008...

Iraq: reconstruction assistance.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 12, 2009 Summary A large-scale assistance program has been undertaken by the United States in Iraq since mid-2003. To date, about $49 billion has been appropriated for Iraq reconstruction. Most recently, in June 2008, Congress...

Technology transfer: use of federally funded research and development.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 2, 2009 Summary The federal government spends approximately one third of its annual research and development budget for intramural R&D to meet mission requirements in over 700 government laboratories (including Federally Funded...

Energy provisions in the American recovery and reinvestment act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5).(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 3, 2009 Summary The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA, P.L. 111-5) emphasizes jobs, economic recovery, and assistance to those most impacted by the recession. It also stresses investments in technology,...

Russia-Georgia conflict in August 2008: context and implications for U.S. interests.(Congressional Research Service)
March 1, 2009... March 3, 2009 Summary In the early 1990s, Georgia and its breakaway South Ossetia region had agreed to a Russian-mediated ceasefire that provided for Russian "peacekeepers" to be stationed in the region. Moscow extended citizenship...

The federal government debt: its size and economic significance.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 4, 2009 Summary After several years of surpluses in the late 1990s, the federal budget has been in deficit since FY2001. Deficits represent the additional borrowing required in each year to bridge the gap between tax revenues...

Afghanistan: government formation and performance.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 2, 2009 Summary The central government's limited writ and perceived corruption are helping sustain a Taliban insurgency, and feeding pessimism about the Afghanistan stabilization effort. However, ethnic disputes remain confined...

The Technology Innovation Program.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)
March 1, 2009... March 2, 2009 Summary The Technology Innovation Program (TIP) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was established in 2007 to replace the Advanced Technology Program (ATP). This effort is designed "... to...

Latin America and the Caribbean: fact sheet on economic and social indicators.(Congressional Research Service)(Report)(Table)
March 1, 2009... March 2, 2009 Summary This fact sheet tracks selected economic and social development indicators for Latin American and Caribbean countries. It also classifies country economies by income. The tables (Table 1 and Table 2) show the...