Swem Government Information - Congress

Congressional Printing: Background and Issues for Congress

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0500

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R40897.pdf As a result of current requirements, congressional documents are distributed in both printed and electronic formats. This report provides an overview and analysis of issues related to the processing and distribution of congressional information by the Government Printing Office. . From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists.

When Congress Comes Calling: A Primer on the Principles, Practices, and Pragmatics of Legislative In

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:32:00 -0500

http://www.constitutionproject.org/manage/file/175.pdf Covers the tools and powers available to Congress for carrying out oversight investigations, lessons to be learned from executive branch investigations, and the rights and roles of the minority party and individual committee members. Not a government document but written by a former staff member of the Congressional Research Service. From the Constitution Project.

Filling U.S. Senate Vacancies: Perspectives and Contemporary Developments

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:19:00 -0500

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R40421.pdf Discusses methods by which vacancies in the Senate have been filled since the passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913, the recent surge of vacancies, and legislative proposals that would mandate special elections with federal financial assistance to the state holding such an election. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists.

Congressional Member Organizations: Their Purpose and Activities, History and Formation

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:46:00 -0500

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40683_20090701.pdf There are 645 informal member organizations listed in the congressional Yellow Book or registered with the Committee on House Administration. This report examines the purpose and activities of CMOs and the reasons members form them. It also identifies and describes 7 types of CMOs, discusses arguments for and against them, and provides a history of the development of such informal organizations since the first Congress. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by OpenCRS.org.

House Resolutions of Inquiry

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:56:00 -0500

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/secrecy/RL31909.pdf Explains the history, procedure, specific uses of resolutions of inquiry, and notes recent increases in their usage. Resolutions of inquiry seek factual information from the executive branch. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists.

Congressional Access to National Security Information: Precedents from the Washington Administration

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:26:00 -0500

http://www.fas.org/sgp/eprint/fisher3.pdf Counters the argument, often used by representatives of the executive branch, that they have exclusive authority over national security information stemming from the refusal of the Washington Administration to share papers concerning the Jay Treaty with Congress. Argues that members of both houses of Congress regularly obtained national security documents during and after the Washington presidency. From the Law Library of Congress.

A Parliamentary-Style Question Period: Proposals and Issues for Congress

Tue, 19 May 2009 14:20:00 -0500

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL34599_20090305.pdf Examines the arguments for and against introducing a question period where the president and his chief cabinet officers would go before Congress to answer questions and engage in debate. This report also surveys how question periods are conducted in Great Britain and other parliamentary democracies, and outlines some legislative considerations for policymakers considering a question period for Congress. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by OpenCRS.org.

Intelligence Community Decision Book for the President

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 09:12:00 -0500

http://www.fas.org/irp/eprint/ford-intel.pdf Addresses basic questions of presidential power, congressional oversight of intelligence, covert action, domestic surveillance and many other issues that would still be matters of controversy during the Bush Administration. Originally prepared for President Ford with then Chief-of-Staff Dick Cheney's name on the cover, declassified in 2000, and posted by the Federation of American Scientists.

Presidential Records: Issues for the 111th Congress

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:54:00 -0500

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/secrecy/R40238.pdf Analyzes Executive Order 13489 of President Obama and how it departs from the policies of the Bush administration in providing access to presidential records. Also looks at how current legislation in the 111th Congress would affect presidential records policies of the Obama administration. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists.

Congressional Commissions: Overview, Structure, and Legislative Considerations

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:19:00 -0500

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R40076.pdf Describes and defines what congressional commissions are and how they differ from presidential or other federal government commissions, the types of congressional commissions, their legislative value, and criticisms that have been directed at them. Also provides a catalog of congressional commissions created since the 101st Congress in 1989-1990. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists.

Membership of the 111th Congress: A Profile

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:17:00 -0500

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40086_20081231.pdf Provides information on those in the House (262 Democrats and 178 Republicans) and the Senate (55 Democrats, 41 Republicans and 2 independents) who comprised the membership of the 111th Congress as of the date of release of the document. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by OpenCRS.org.

Transition Staff Contacts with the Governor's Office

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:22:00 -0500

http://change.gov/page/-/hem5zet3nalm2/2008%2012%2023%20PTT%20Contacts%20Memo.pdf Report of the Obama transition staff on contacts with the Office of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich relating to the selection of a new senator. From the transition staff.

Report Regarding President Bush's Assertion of Executive Privilege …

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:17:00 -0500

http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20081215153517.pdf Report from a congressional committee concluding that the assertion of executive privilege by President Bush in refusing to disclose documents relating to leaks of the identity of a CIA official was legally unprecedented and an inappropriate use of executive privilege. From the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

New Member Pictorial Directory: 111th Congress

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:52:00 -0500

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/pictorial/111th/pdf/fulldoc.pdf Provides photos and minimal biographical information about newly elected members to the U.S. House of Representatives. They will take office in January 2009 at the beginning of the 111th Congress. From GPO Access and the Committee on House Administration.

Retirement Benefits for Members of Congress

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:03:00 -0500

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL30631_20081028.pdf Describes background of current retirement system for members of Congress, how they were not part of the Social Security program until 1984, the nature of the retirement benefit based on age and years of service, and statistics on the number of former Congress members receiving benefits and the average amount of the benefit in October 2007. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by OpenCRS.org.