Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress' request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This month brings us reports on the defense, oil pipelines, economics and much more. Although these reports are in the public domain, there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report, you can request it from your senator or representative. These reports were discovered by Secrecy News:

• U.S. Arms Sales: Agreements with and Deliveries to Major Clients, 2003-2010 
• Pakistan: U.S. Foreign Aid Conditions, Restrictions, and Reporting Requirements
• Changes in the Distribution of Income Among Tax Filers Between 1996 and 2006: The Role of Labor Income, Capital Income, and Tax Policy
• U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Current Conflicts 
• Director of National Intelligence Statutory Authorities: Status and Proposals 
• The National Security Council: An Organizational Assessment
• Terrorism Information Sharing and the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Report Initiative: Background and Issues for Congress
• The Army’s Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) and Early Infantry Brigade Combat Team (E-IBCT) Programs: Background and Issues for Congress
• National Infrastructure Bank: Overview and Current Legislation
• Drug Offenses: Maximum Fines and Terms of Imprisonment for Violation of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and Related Laws
• Keystone XL Pipeline Project: Key Issues
• Recess Appointments: Frequently Asked Questions
• “Super PACs” in Federal Elections: Overview and Issues for Congress
• Legal Issues Associated with the Proposed Keystone XL Pipeline
• Contemporary Developments in Presidential Elections
• “Surge Recovery” and Next Steps in the War in Afghanistan: In Brief
• U.S. Assistance Programs in China
• Border Security: Immigration Enforcement Between Ports of Entry
• U.S. Unmanned Aerial Systems
• Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV): Background and Issues for Congress
• Kim Jong-il’s Death: Implications for North Korea’s Stability and U.S. Policy
• The National Defense Authorization Act for FY2012: Detainee Matters
• F-35 Alternate Engine Program: Background and Issues for Congress
• Horn of Africa Region: The Humanitarian Crisis and International Response
• Building Civilian Interagency Capacity for Missions Abroad: Key Proposals and Issues for Congress

Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out our Congressional database, which has reports dating back to 1916.

Not on campus but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.