Congressional Research Service Reports

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress's request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us CRS reports on the China, economic stimulus, elections, and much more. While 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. This list is compiled from CRS reports discovered by Secrecy News and OpenCRS:

• Homeland Security: Roles and Missions for United States Northern Command
• Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation and Security Issues
• Pakistan’s Political Crises
• Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Oversight Issues and Options for Congress
• East Asian Regional Architecture: New Economic and Security Arrangements and U.S. Policy
• The United Nations Human Rights Council: Issues for Congress
• The DHS Directorate of Science and Technology: Key Issues for Congress
• The Egypt-Gaza Border and its Effect on Israeli-Egyptian Relations
• Holocaust-Era Insurance Claims: Background and Proposed Legislation
• North Korean Ballistic Missile Threat to the United States
• Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected (MRAP) Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress
• National Guard Personnel and Deployments: Fact Sheet
• U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress
• The Islamic Traditions of Wahhabism and Salafiyya
• Iran's Influence in Iraq
• Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected (MRAP) Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress
• U.S. Arms Sales to Pakistan
• Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power
• Tax Reform: An Overview of Proposals in the 110th Congress
• Instability in Chad
• Energy and Water Development: FY2008 Appropriations
• Tax Rebate Refundability: Effects and Issues
• Economic Stimulus Proposals for 2008: An Analysis
• The Recovery Rebates and Economic Stimulus for the American People Act of 2008 and Jumbo Mortgages
• Serbia: Current Issues and U.S. Policy

Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports 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.

2007 Tax forms

The time has come to start the annual progression towards April 15th. Here at the University of Colorado at Boulder we still get those paper forms (the only place to find 'em in Boulder). We will keep on this blog posting as an up-to-date a list as possible of what we have. For those of you not in Boulder or who don't want to mess with parking, we also have an online link to tax resources.

Federal (US)

• 1040 (forms & instructions)
  
• 1040A (forms & instructions)
• 1040ES (forms)
  
• 1040EZ (forms & instructions)
• 1040NR (instructions)
• 1040NR-EZ (forms & instructions)
  
• 1040X (forms & instructions)
• Schedule 1 (form)
• Schedule 2 (form and instructions)
  
• Schedule 3 (form and instructions)
• Schedule A & B (form)
• Schedule C (form & instructions)
• Schedule C-EZ (form & instructions)
  
• Schedule D (form)
• Schedule EIC (form)
  
• Schedule F (form)
• Schedule R (form & instructions)
  
• Schedule SE (form)
  
• 1096 (form)
  
• 1098 (form)
  
• 1099-MISC (form & instructions)
• 2106 (form & instructions)
• 2441 (form)
  
• 3903 (form)
  
• 4562 (form & instructions)
• 4868 (form)
• 8283 (form & instructions)
• 8822 (form)
  
• 8829 (form & instructions)
• 8843 (form)
• 8863 (form)
  
• W-2 (form and instructions)
• W-3 (form and instructions)
• W-4 (form)
• Publication 17
  
• Publication 590
  
• Publication 1132 (volume 1)
  
• Publication 1194 (volume 1)

Colorado

• All Forms and Instructions in one booklet
  

GAO Releases this week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week they investigated a variety of issues, such federal land management, immigration benefits, and homeland security. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Defense Acquisitions: DOD's Practices and Processes for Multiyear Procurement Should Be Improved. GAO-08-298, February 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-298
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08298high.pdf
• Federal Land Management: Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act Restrictions and Management Weaknesses Limit Future Sales and Acquisitions. GAO-08-196, February 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-196
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08196high.pdf
  
• Highway Public-Private Partnerships: More Rigorous Up-front Analysis Could Better Secure Potential Benefits and Protect the Public Interest. GAO-08-44, February 8.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-44
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0844high.pdf
• Immigration Benefits: Internal Controls for Adjudicating Humanitarian Parole Cases Are Generally Effective, but Some Can Be Strengthened. GAO-08-282, February 6.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-282
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08282high.pdf
• VA Health Care: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Screening and Evaluation Implemented for OEF/OIF Veterans, but Challenges Remain. GAO-08-276, February 8.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-276
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08276high.pdf

Correspondence

• Defense Logistics: Army Has Not Fully Planned or Budgeted for the Reconstitution of Its Afloat Prepositioned Stocks. GAO-08-257R, February 8.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-257R
• The Department of Defense's Civilian Human Capital Strategic Plan Does Not Meet Most Statutory Requirements. GAO-08-439R, February 6.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-439R
• Military Personnel: Guidance Needed for Any Future Conversions of Military Medical Positions to Civilian Positions. GAO-08-370R, February 8.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-370R
  

Testimony

• Capitol Visitor Center: Update on Status of Project's Schedule and Cost as of February 7, 2008, by Terrell G. Dorn, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch, House Committee on Appropriations. GAO-08-475T, February 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-475T
  
• Defense Business Transformation: Sustaining Progress Requires Continuity of Leadership and an Integrated Approach, by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, before the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, Senate Committee on Armed Services. GAO-08-462T, February 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-462T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08462thigh.pdf
• Department of Homeland Security: Status and Accountability Challenges Associated with the Use of Special DHS Acquisition Authority, by John K. Needham, acting director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology, House Committee on Homeland Security. GAO-08-471T, February 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-471T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08471thigh.pdf
  
• Elections: Results of GAO's Testing of Voting Systems Used in Sarasota County in Florida's 13th Congressional District, by Nabajyoti Barkakati, acting chief technologist, applied research and methods, before the Task Force for the Contested Election in the 13 Congressional District of Florida, House Committee on House Administration. GAO-08-425T, February 8.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-425T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08425thigh.pdf
• Federal Aviation Administration: Challenges Facing the Agency in Fiscal Year 2009 and Beyond, by Gerald L. Dillingham, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Subcommittee on Aviation, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. GAO-08-460T, February 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-460T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08460thigh.pdf
  
• Financial Services Industry: Overall Trends in Management-Level Diversity and Diversity Initiatives, 1993-2006, by Orice M. Williams, director, financial markets and community investment, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Financial Services. GAO-08-445T, February 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-445T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08445thigh.pdf
• Homeland Security: Preliminary Observations on the Federal Protective Service's Efforts to Protect Federal Property, by Mark L. Goldstein, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. GAO-08-476T, February 8.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-476T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08476thigh.pdf
• Surface Transportation: Preliminary Observations on Efforts to Restructure Current Program, by JayEtta Z. Hecker, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. GAO-08-478T, February 6.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-478T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08478thigh.pdf
  

Presentation By The Comptroller General

• "Saving Our Future Requires Tough Choices Today," by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, on the Fiscal Wake-Up Tour at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, in Chandler, Arizona. GAO-08-489CG, February 4, 2008 http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d08489cg.pdf
  
• "U.S. Financial Condition and Fiscal Future Briefing," by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, at the University of Akron, Akron, Ohio. GAO-08-490CG, January 29, 2008.
  http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d08490cg.pdf

Tired of Robocalls?

With the completion of Tuesday's caucuses, Colorado residents might get a break from the nuisance of robocalling for a while. However, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers, is spearheading legislation to limit the use of automated dialing systems in the future. Check out the press release from Attorney General Suthers.

Senate Bill 08-146 was introduced into the Colorado State Senate on Wednesday that would ban robo-calling in most instances. Exemptions would include reverse 911 calls, calls from schools and universities, and when the receiver has given prior consent. Violations would result in a $2500 fine per offense. You can monitor this bill as it goes forth in the Senate.

For more information read "Suthers dials up sponsors for robo-call restrictions" from the Denver Post and "Lawmakers Hanging Up On Robocalls?" from 7 News.

Want more information on elections? Check out the library's guide.

Government Officials can be funny

Sometimes it is hard to come up with anything interesting to say about the budget or the latest inflation numbers, but squirrels eating squirrels is a little bit on the easier side. Well, two more agencies entered the trying to write something interesting about the government fray.

The first, the Environmental Protection Agency, has the traditional information on EPA projects, interspersed with ruminations on how blogging in the government can be risky. Marcus Peacock talks about life as an administrator in the government and ties in recent events such as the Super Bowl and Amy Winehouse. An interesting peak at life "in the beltway."

The second entry is from the Transportation Security Administration. Now the blog postings are pretty much what you expect, information on why the liquids need to be in plastic bags, etc. But the comments, oh the populace of America is frustrated and obviously has just been waiting for the chance to complain. You can find rants on how silly people think it is to single out liquids, people complaining about the secret watch list from the government, and much more. The blog initially was letting all comments, but started scanning the comments to eliminate profanity and such, even so there is still plenty of complaints showing up in the comments fields.

Want to read some media reaction, in a much funnier tone then I could possibly achieve? Check out "Enough About Pollution Regulations."