Publications Archives
The Crisis in Public Sector Pension Plans
New Jersey’s defined benefit pension systems are underfunded by more than $170 billion, an amount equivalent to 44 percent of gross state product (GSP) and 328 percent of the state’s explicit government debt. Depending on market conditions, the state will begin to run out of money to pay benefits between 2013 and 2019. The state’s five defined benefit pension plans cover over 770,000 workers, and more than a quarter million retirees depend on state pensions paying out almost $6 billion per year in benefits. Nationwide, state pensions are underfunded by as much as $3 trillion, approximately 20 percent of America's annual output.This path is not sustainable. In order to avert a fiscal crisis and ensure that future state employees have dependable retirement savings, New Jersey should follow the lead of the federal government and the private sector and move from defined benefit pensions to defined contribution pensions. While significant liabilities will remain, the first step to addressing the pension crisis is capping existing liabilities and providing new employees with more sustainable retirement options.
"The Crisis in Public Sector Pension Plans: A Blueprint for Reform in New Jersey," by Eileen Norcross and Andrew Biggs, Mercatus Center, June 23, 2010
Also see
Underfunded Pensions, Pension Dumping, and Retirement Security
Underfunded Pensions, Pension Dumping, and Retirement Security:
Pension Funds, the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), Bailout Risks, Impact on the Federal Budget, and the Pension Protection Act of 2006
Compiled by TheCapitol.Net
- Although the PBGC's liabilities are not explicitly backed by the full faith and credit of the federal government, Congress could face political pressure to bail out the PBGC at taxpayer expense should the agency become financially insolvent.
2009, 319 pages
ISBN: 1587331535 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-153-4
Softcover book: $19.95
For more information, see 1534Pensions.com
RL34443, RS22650, R40171, RL34656, GAO-09-207, RL33937
June 24, 2010 08:47 PM Link Comments (0)
"Persuading Congress: How to Spend Less and Get More from Congress: Candid Advice for Executives"
Persuading Congress
Persuading Congress
How to Spend Less and Get More from Congress: Candid Advice for Executives
By Joseph Gibson
- Persuading Congress, by Joseph Gibson, is a a practical book, packed with wisdom and experience. For less than the cost of a cab ride to the airport, you can learn how to stop wasting your time when you visit Washington.
What happens in Congress affects all of our lives and extends into every corner of the economy. Because so much is at stake there, businesses and other interest groups spend billions of dollars each year trying to influence legislation.
Yet, most of these efforts are doomed to futility from the outset. Only a small percentage of the bills introduced in Congress actually become law, and most interested parties do not fully understand why those few bills succeed. More importantly, how to get Congress to do what they want remains a mystery to them.
This book will help you understand Congress. Written from the perspective of one who has helped put a lot of bills on the president's desk and helped stop a lot more, this book explains in everyday terms why Congress behaves as it does. Then it shows you how you can best deploy whatever resources you have to move Congress in your direction.
Because you have limited time, this book sticks to the basics and its chapters are short so that it can be digested rapidly.
2010, 150 pages
Hardbound, $27
ISBN 10: 158733-173-X
ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-173-2
Softcover, $24
ISBN 10: 158733-164-0
ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-164-0
For more information, see PersuadingCongress.com
June 15, 2010 07:47 AM Link Comments (0)
Statutory Construction and Interpretation: General Principles and Recent Trends; Statutory Structure and Legislative Drafting Conventions; Drafting Federal Grants Statutes; and Tracking Current Federal Legislation and Regulations
Statutory Construction and Interpretation
Statutory Construction and Interpretation
General Principles and Recent Trends; Statutory Structure and Legislative Drafting Conventions; Drafting Federal Grants Statutes; and Tracking Current Federal Legislation and Regulations
Compiled by TheCapitol.Net
The exercise of judicial power often requires that courts construe statutes in applying them in particular cases. Judicial interpretation of the meaning of a statute is authoritative in the matter before the court. However, the methodologies and approaches taken by the courts in discerning meaning can help guide legislative drafters, legislators, agencies, and private parties.
This book reviews the primary rules courts apply to discern a statute’s meaning. However, each matter of interpretation before a court presents unique challenges, and there is no unified approach used in all cases—but all approaches start with the language and structure of the statute itself.
Still, the meaning of statutory language is not always evident. To help clarify uncertainty, judges have developed various interpretive tools in the form of canons of construction.
When drafting federal law, the most important audience is the federal courts--in particular, the Supreme Court. Fortunately, it is not difficult to get inside the mind of the Court and understand how it thinks. The Court makes this process public in its published opinions; collectively, the process is known as statutory interpretation; it is also known as statutory construction.
Also included is a chapter on drafting federal grants statutes. Several rules of drafting have special relevance to statutes in the field of federal assistance (grants), and those are set forth.
Legislation can be drafted without paying attention to statutory interpretation. But rules of interpretation are like rules of the road: Drive on the right; stop on red; signal before turning; etc. If you don't know all the rules, sooner or later you will park in front of a fire hydrant or go the wrong way down a one-way street.
2010, 318 pages
ISBN: 1587331926 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-192-3
Softcover book: $25
For more information, see TCNSI.com
97-589, 97589, RS20991, RL33895, 90-1
June 5, 2010 09:17 AM Link Comments (0)
Energy: Nuclear: Advanced Reactor Concepts, Light Water Reactors, Small Modular Reactors, Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems, Nuclear Power Plant Security, Yucca Mountain, and more
Energy: Nuclear
Energy: Nuclear
Advanced Reactor Concepts and Fuel Cycle Technologies, 2005 Energy Policy Act (P.L. 109-58), Light Water Reactors, Small Modular Reactors, Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems, Nuclear Power 2010, Nuclear Power Plant Security, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Radioactive Waste Storage and Disposal, Yucca Mountain
Compiled by TheCapitol.Net
Authors: John Grossenbacher, Carl E. Behrens, Carol Glover, Mark Holt, Marvin S. Fertel, Thomas B. Cochran, Dale E. Klein, Phillip Finck, Anthony Andrews, Fred Sissine, and Todd Garvey
According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy, nuclear energy provides about 20 percent of U.S. electricity through the operation of 104 nuclear reactors. Combined construction and operating license applications have been submitted for 28 new U.S. nuclear power plants, with eight more expected.Nuclear power started coming online in significant amounts in the late 1960s. By 1975, in the midst of the oil crisis, nuclear power was supplying 9 percent of total electricity generation. Increases in capital costs, construction delays, and public opposition to nuclear power following the Three Mile Island accident in 1979 curtailed expansion of the technology, and many construction projects were canceled. Continuation of some construction increased the nuclear share of generation to 20 percent in 1990, where it remains currently.
Nuclear power is now receiving renewed interest, prompted by volatile fossil fuel prices, possible carbon dioxide controls, and new federal subsidies and incentives. The 2005 Energy Policy Act (P.L. 109-58) authorized streamlined licensing that combines construction and operating permits, and tax credits for production from advanced nuclear power facilities.
All U.S. nuclear plants are currently light water reactors (LWRs), which are cooled by ordinary water. DOE’s nuclear energy research and development program includes advanced reactors, fuel cycle technology and facilities, and infrastructure support. DOE’s Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative is developing advanced reactor technologies that could be safer than LWRs and produce high-temperature heat to make hydrogen. The Nuclear Power 2010 program is a government-industry, 50-50 cost-shared initiative. It focuses on deploying Generation III+ advanced light-water reactor designs, and is managed by DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy.
Congress designated Yucca Mountain, NV as the nation’s sole candidate site for a permanent high-level nuclear waste repository in 1987 amid much controversy. To date no nuclear waste has been transported to Yucca Mountain. In March 2010, the Secretary of Energy filed to withdraw its application for a nuclear-waste repository at Yucca Mountain.
Current law provides no alternative repository site to Yucca Mountain, and it does not authorize the DOE to open temporary storage facilities without a permanent repository in operation. Without congressional action, the default alternative to Yucca Mountain would be indefinite on-site storage of nuclear waste at reactor sites and other nuclear facilities. Private central storage facilities can also be licensed under current law. Such a facility has been licensed in Utah, but its operation has been blocked by the Department of the Interior.
Nuclear energy issues facing Congress include federal incentives for new commercial reactors, radioactive waste management policy, research and development priorities, power plant safety and regulation, nuclear weapons proliferation, and security against terrorist attacks.
2010, 640 pages
ISBN: 1587331861 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-186-2
Softcover book: $29.95
For more information, see TCNNuclear.com
R40187, RL33558, RL34579, RL33461, R40202, R40996, RL34331
Continue reading "Energy: Nuclear: Advanced Reactor Concepts, Light Water Reactors, Small Modular Reactors, Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems, Nuclear Power Plant Security, Yucca Mountain, and more"May 27, 2010 08:17 AM Link Comments (0)
FREE pocket edition of "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine
A free download of our Pocket Edition of Common Sense is available on Scribd.
Free Copy of our Pocket Edition of Thomas Paine's Common Sense:
- Single copies of this Pocket Edition of Thomas Paine's Common Sense are available at no charge by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) with first class postage for two (2) ounces to: TheCapitol.Net, Common Sense, PO Box 25706, Alexandria, VA 22313-5706. Requests with insufficient postage will be returned or destroyed. Only 1 copy per request.
- Social Studies and Government Teachers: You can combine up to 35 of your students' separate SASEs (each SASE must have first class postage for two (2) ounces attached) into one large envelope that you mail to us for free copies for your students. Enclose a note with your name, name of your school, course taught, grade, and school address. Requests with no school info or insufficient postage will be returned or destroyed.
- No phone, fax, or email requests will be accepted for complimentary copies.
- Available while supply lasts.
Also see our FREE Pocket Constitution.
Continue reading "FREE pocket edition of "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine"
May 25, 2010 08:37 PM Link Comments (0)
Congressional Directory 2010: 111th Congress, 2nd Session
Congressional Directory 2010: 111th Congress, 2nd Session
Congressional Directory 2010
111th Congress, 2nd Session
This comprehensive directory lists all members of the US Senate and House of Representatives, complete with color photos and a fold-out map of Capitol Hill. The 2010 Congressional Directory is wire-spiral bound for flat-fold reference and durability.
- Features include:
- Color photographs
- Wire-spiral binding
- Legislative process flowchart (from the Congressional Deskbook)
- Current member photos in full color, biographical data, room, phone and fax numbers, and email addresses (where applicable/accessible)
- List of key congressional staff
- District office information
- Fold-out 9" x 10" map of Capitol Hill
- Includes state maps and delegations outlining congressional districts, major cities, home towns and more!
- Two Versions - Alpha and Standard
Each order includes FREE copy of our Pocket Constitution
Alpha Version
Separate sections for Governors, Senators, and Representatives, then in alphabetical order by last name, 212 pages + fold-out map of Capitol Hill
The Alpha Version is popular inside the Beltway.
Standard Version
State-by-State; Governor, Senators, and Representatives are listed under their state, 193 pages + fold-out map of Capitol Hill
The Standard Version is popular outside the Beltway.
For more information, see CongressionalDirectory.com
Continue reading "Congressional Directory 2010: 111th Congress, 2nd Session"May 8, 2010 08:07 AM Link Comments (0)
Energy: Natural Gas: The Production and Use of Natural Gas, Natural Gas Imports and Exports, EPAct Project, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Import Terminals, and more
Energy: Natural Gas
Energy: Natural Gas
The Production and Use of Natural Gas, Natural Gas Imports and Exports, EPAct Project, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Import Terminals and Infrastructure Security, Underground Working Gas Storage, Fischer-Tropsch Fuels from Coal, Natural Gas, and Biomass, Gas Hydrates, Gas Shales, Hydraulic Fracturing, Alaska Natural Gas Pipelines
Compiled by TheCapitol.Net
Authors: Gene Whitney, Carl E. Behrens, Carol Glover, William F. Hederman, Anthony Andrews, Peter Folger, Marc Humphries, Claudia Copeland, Mary Tiemann, Robert Meltz, Cynthia Brougher, Jeffrey Logan, Henry A. Waxman, Edward J. Markey, Stephen Cooney, Robert Pirog, Paul W. Parfomak, Adam Vann, Salvatore Lazzari, Brent D. Yacobucci, and Stan Mark Kaplan
The main ingredient in natural gas is methane, a gas (or compound) composed of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. Millions of years ago, the remains of plants and animals (diatoms) decayed and built up in thick layers. This decayed matter from plants and animals is called organic material — it was once alive. Over time, the sand and silt changed to rock, covered the organic material, and trapped it beneath the rock. Pressure and heat changed some of this organic material into coal, some into oil (petroleum), and some into natural gas — tiny bubbles of odorless gas.Discussions of U.S. and global energy supply refer to oil, natural gas, and coal using several terms that may be unfamiliar to some. The terms used to describe different types of fossil fuels have technically precise definitions, and misunderstanding or misuse of these terms may lead to errors and confusion in estimating energy available or making comparisons among fuels, regions, or nations.
For oil and natural gas, a major distinction in measuring quantities of energy commodities is made between proved reserves and undiscovered resources.
Proved reserves are those amounts of oil, natural gas, or coal that have been discovered and defined, typically by drilling wells or other exploratory measures, and which can be economically recovered. In the United States, proved reserves are typically measured by private companies, who report their findings to the Securities and Exchange Commission because they are considered capital assets.
In addition to the volumes of proved reserves are deposits of oil and gas that have not yet been discovered, and those are called undiscovered resources. The term has a specific meaning: undiscovered resources are amounts of oil and gas estimated to exist in unexplored areas. If they are considered to be recoverable using existing production technologies, they are referred to as undiscovered technically recoverable resources (UTRR). In-place resources are intended to represent all of the oil, natural gas, or coal contained in a formation or basin without regard to technical or economic recoverability.
Natural gas provided about 22% of U.S. energy requirements in 2007. It will continue to be a major element of the overall U.S. energy market for the foreseeable future. Given its environmental advantages, it will likely maintain an important market share in the growing electricity generation applications, along with other clean power sources.
In 2008, the United States natural gas market experienced a tumultuous year, and market forces appeared to guide consumers, producers and investors through rapidly changing circumstances. Natural gas continues to be a major fuel supply for the United States, supplying about 24% of total energy in 2008.
In the past, the oil and gas industry considered gas locked in tight, impermeable shale uneconomical to produce. However, advances in directional well drilling and reservoir stimulation have dramatically increased gas production from unconventional shales. The United States Geological Survey estimates that 200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas may be technically recoverable from these shales. Recent high natural gas prices have also stimulated interest in developing gas shales. Although natural gas prices fell dramatically in 2009, there is an expectation that the demand for natural gas will increase. Developing these shales comes with some controversy, though.
The hydraulic fracturing treatments used to stimulate gas production from shale have stirred environmental concerns over excessive water consumption, drinking water well contamination, and surface water contamination from both drilling activities and fracturing fluid disposal.
Solid gas hydrates are a potentially huge resource of natural gas for the United States. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated that there are about 85 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of technically recoverable gas hydrates in northern Alaska. The Minerals Management Service estimated a mean value of 21,000 TCF of in-place gas hydrates in the Gulf of Mexico. By comparison, total U.S. natural gas consumption is about 23 TCF annually.
As the price of crude oil sets a record high, liquid transportation fuels synthesized from coal, natural gas, and biomass are proposed as one solution to reducing dependency on imported petroleum and strained refinery capacity. The technology to do so developed from processes that directly and indirectly convert coal into liquid fuel.
As Congress seeks to address energy security issues, the increasing importation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is also a matter deserving careful attention.
2010, 628 pages
ISBN: 1587331896 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-189-3
Softcover book: $27.95
For more information, see TCNNG.com
R40872, R40487, RL34508, R40894, RS22990, R41027, RS22971, RL34133, RS22567, RL33763, RL32205, RL32073, RL33716, RL33212, RL34671
Continue reading "Energy: Natural Gas: The Production and Use of Natural Gas, Natural Gas Imports and Exports, EPAct Project, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Import Terminals, and more"May 6, 2010 09:27 AM Link Comments (0)
Energy: Ethanol: The Production and Use of Biofuels, Biodiesel, and Ethanol; Agriculture-Based Renewable Energy Production Including Corn and Sugar; and More
Energy: Ethanol
Energy: Ethanol
The Production and Use of Biofuels, Biodiesel, and Ethanol; Agriculture-Based Renewable Energy Production Including Corn and Sugar; The Ethanol "Blend Wall"; Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS and RFS2); Cellulosic Biofuels; 2007 Energy Bill; 2008 Farm Bill; Food and Livestock Feed Price Inflation; Caribbean Basin Initiative; and U.S.-Brazil Energy Cooperation
Compiled by TheCapitol.Net
Authors: Brent D. Yacobucci, Randy Schnepf, Salvatore Lazzari, Megan Stubbs, Fred Sissine, Remy Jurenas, Scott A. Malcolm, Marcel Aillery, Marca Weinberg, Kelsi Bracmort, Tom Capehart, Joe Richardson, Geoffrey S. Becker, and Clare Ribando Seelk
Biofuels have grown significantly in the past few years as a component of U.S. motor fuel supply. Current U.S. biofuels supply relies primarily on ethanol produced from Midwest corn. Today, ethanol is blended in more than half of all U.S. gasoline (at the 10% level or lower in most cases). Federal policy has played a key role in the emergence of the U.S. biofuels industry in general, and the corn ethanol industry in particular. U.S. biofuels production is supported by federal and state policies that include minimum usage requirements, blending and production tax credits, an import tariff to limit importation of foreign-produced ethanol, loans and loan guarantees to facilitate the development of biofuels production and distribution infrastructure, and research grants.Since the late 1970s, U.S. policy makers at both the federal and state levels have enacted a variety of incentives, regulations, and programs to encourage the production and use of agriculture-based renewable energy. Motivations cited for these legislative initiatives include energy security concerns, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and raising domestic demand for U.S.-produced farm products.
Ethanol and biodiesel, the two most widely used biofuels, receive significant government support under federal law in the form of mandated fuel use, tax incentives, loan and grant programs, and certain regulatory requirements.
Ethanol plays a key role in policy discussions about energy, agriculture, taxes, and the environment. In the United States it is mostly made from corn; in other countries it is often made from cane sugar. Fuel ethanol is generally blended in gasoline to reduce emissions, increase octane, and extend gasoline stock.
U.S. policy to expand the production of biofuel for domestic energy use has significant implications for agriculture and resource use. While ongoing research and development investment may radically alter the way biofuel is produced in the future, for now, corn-based ethanol continues to account for most biofuel production. As corn ethanol production increases, so does the production of corn. The effect on agricultural commodity markets has been national, but commodity production adjustments, and resulting environmental consequences, vary across regions. Changes in the crop sector have also affected the cost of feed for livestock producers.
2010, 444 pages
ISBN: 1587331918 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-191-6
Softcover book: $25
For more information, see TCNEthanol.com
RL33928, RL32712, R40110, RL33290, RL32979, R40445, R40155, RL34130, RL34162, RL33541, RL34103, RL34239, RL34738, RS22859, RS22908, RS21930, RL34191
May 4, 2010 02:07 PM Link Comments (0)
Energy: Ethanol: The Production and Use of Biofuels, Biodiesel, and Ethanol; Agriculture-Based Renewable Energy Production Including Corn and Sugar; and More
Energy: Ethanol
Energy: Ethanol
The Production and Use of Biofuels, Biodiesel, and Ethanol; Agriculture-Based Renewable Energy Production Including Corn and Sugar; The Ethanol "Blend Wall"; Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS and RFS2); Cellulosic Biofuels; 2007 Energy Bill; 2008 Farm Bill; Food and Livestock Feed Price Inflation; Caribbean Basin Initiative; and U.S.-Brazil Energy Cooperation
Compiled by TheCapitol.Net
Authors: Brent D. Yacobucci, Randy Schnepf, Salvatore Lazzari, Megan Stubbs, Fred Sissine, Remy Jurenas, Scott A. Malcolm, Marcel Aillery, Marca Weinberg, Kelsi Bracmort, Tom Capehart, Joe Richardson, Geoffrey S. Becker, and Clare Ribando Seelk
Biofuels have grown significantly in the past few years as a component of U.S. motor fuel supply. Current U.S. biofuels supply relies primarily on ethanol produced from Midwest corn. Today, ethanol is blended in more than half of all U.S. gasoline (at the 10% level or lower in most cases). Federal policy has played a key role in the emergence of the U.S. biofuels industry in general, and the corn ethanol industry in particular. U.S. biofuels production is supported by federal and state policies that include minimum usage requirements, blending and production tax credits, an import tariff to limit importation of foreign-produced ethanol, loans and loan guarantees to facilitate the development of biofuels production and distribution infrastructure, and research grants.Since the late 1970s, U.S. policy makers at both the federal and state levels have enacted a variety of incentives, regulations, and programs to encourage the production and use of agriculture-based renewable energy. Motivations cited for these legislative initiatives include energy security concerns, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and raising domestic demand for U.S.-produced farm products.
Ethanol and biodiesel, the two most widely used biofuels, receive significant government support under federal law in the form of mandated fuel use, tax incentives, loan and grant programs, and certain regulatory requirements.
Ethanol plays a key role in policy discussions about energy, agriculture, taxes, and the environment. In the United States it is mostly made from corn; in other countries it is often made from cane sugar. Fuel ethanol is generally blended in gasoline to reduce emissions, increase octane, and extend gasoline stock.
U.S. policy to expand the production of biofuel for domestic energy use has significant implications for agriculture and resource use. While ongoing research and development investment may radically alter the way biofuel is produced in the future, for now, corn-based ethanol continues to account for most biofuel production. As corn ethanol production increases, so does the production of corn. The effect on agricultural commodity markets has been national, but commodity production adjustments, and resulting environmental consequences, vary across regions. Changes in the crop sector have also affected the cost of feed for livestock producers.
2010, 444 pages
ISBN: 1587331918 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-191-6
Softcover book: $25
For more information, see TCNEthanol.com
April 23, 2010 01:07 PM Link Comments (0)
Persuading Congress: How to Spend Less and Get More from Congress: Candid Advice for Executives
Persuading Congress
Persuading Congress
How to Spend Less and Get More from Congress: Candid Advice for Executives
By Joseph Gibson
- Persuading Congress, by Joseph Gibson, is a very practical book, packed with wisdom and experience in a deceptively short and simple package.
What happens in Congress affects all of our lives and extends into every corner of the economy. Because so much is at stake there, businesses and other interest groups spend billions of dollars each year trying to influence legislation.
Yet, most of these efforts are doomed to futility from the outset. Only a small percentage of the bills introduced in Congress actually become law, and most interested parties do not fully understand why those few bills succeed. More importantly, how to get Congress to do what they want remains a mystery to them.
This book will help you understand Congress. Written from the perspective of one who has helped put a lot of bills on the president's desk and helped stop a lot more, this book explains in everyday terms why Congress behaves as it does. Then it shows you how you can best deploy whatever resources you have to move Congress in your direction.
Because you have limited time, this book sticks to the basics and its chapters are short so that it can be digested rapidly.
2010, 150 pages
Hardbound, $27
ISBN 10: 158733-173-X
ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-173-2
Softcover, $24
ISBN 10: 158733-164-0
ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-164-0
For more information, see PersuadingCongress.com
April 23, 2010 11:17 AM Link Comments (0)
Supreme Court Nominations: Presidential Nomination, the Judiciary Committee, Proper Scope of Questioning of Nominees, Senate Consideration, Cloture, and the Use of the Filibuster
Supreme Court Nominations
Supreme Court Nominations:
Presidential Nomination, the Judiciary Committee, Proper Scope of Questioning of Nominees, Senate Consideration, Cloture, and the Use of the Filibuster
Compiled by TheCapitol.Net
Authors: Denis Steven Rutkus, Elizabeth Rybicki, Betsy Palmer, Todd Tatelman, Richard S. Beth, Michael Koempel and Judy Schneider
- he procedure for appointing a Supreme Court Justice is provided for by the Constitution in only a few words. The "Appointments Clause" (Article II, Section 2, clause 2) states that the President "shall nominate, and by and with the Advise and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint…Judges of the supreme Court."
The process of appointing Justices has undergone changes over two centuries, but its most basic feature--the sharing of power between the President and Senate--has remained unchanged. To receive lifetime appointment to the Court, a candidate must first be nominated by the President and then confirmed by the Senate. Although not mentioned in the Constitution, an important role is played midway in the process (after the President selects, but before the Senate considers) by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Since the end of the Civil War, almost every Supreme Court nomination received by the Senate has first been referred to and considered by the Judiciary Committee before being acted on by the Senate as a whole.
This book explores the appointment process--from Presidential announcement, Judiciary Committee investigation, confirmation hearings, vote, and report to the Senate, through Senate debate and vote on the nomination.
2009, 208 pages
ISBN: 1587331586 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-158-9
Softcover book: $19.95
For more information, see SCOTUSNominations.com
April 13, 2010 08:57 AM Link Comments (0)
FREE Pocket Constitution
A free download of our Pocket Constitution is available on Scribd.
Free Copy of our Pocket Constitution:
- Free copy with every book order and every audio CD order from our web site.
- Single copies of this Pocket Constitution are available at no charge by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) with first class postage for two (2) ounces to: TheCapitol.Net, Pocket Constitution, PO Box 25706, Alexandria, VA 22313-5706. Requests with insufficient postage will be returned or destroyed. Only 1 copy per request.
- Social Studies and Government Teachers: You can combine up to 35 of your students' separate SASEs (each SASE must have first class postage for two (2) ounces attached) into one large envelope that you mail to us for free copies for your students. Enclose a note with your name, name of your school, course taught, grade, and school address. Requests with no school info or insufficient postage will be returned or destroyed.
- No phone, fax, or email requests will be accepted for complimentary copies.
- Available while supply lasts.
Also see our FREE pocket edition of Thomas Paine's Common Sense.
April 8, 2010 08:27 AM Link Comments (0)
FREE pocket edition of "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine
A free download of our Pocket Edition of Common Sense is available on Scribd.
Free Copy of our Pocket Edition of Thomas Paine's Common Sense:
- Single copies of this Pocket Edition of Thomas Paine's Common Sense are available at no charge by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) with first class postage for two (2) ounces to: TheCapitol.Net, Common Sense, PO Box 25706, Alexandria, VA 22313-5706. Requests with insufficient postage will be returned or destroyed. Only 1 copy per request.
- Social Studies and Government Teachers: You can combine up to 35 of your students' separate SASEs (each SASE must have first class postage for two (2) ounces attached) into one large envelope that you mail to us for free copies for your students. Enclose a note with your name, name of your school, course taught, grade, and school address. Requests with no school info or insufficient postage will be returned or destroyed.
- No phone, fax, or email requests will be accepted for complimentary copies.
- Available while supply lasts.
Also see our FREE Pocket Constitution.
April 1, 2010 09:07 AM Link Comments (0)
Congressional Directory 2010: 111th Congress, 2nd Session
Congressional Directory 2010: 111th Congress, 2nd Session
Congressional Directory 2010
111th Congress, 2nd Session
This comprehensive directory lists members of the US Senate and House of Representatives, complete with color photos and a fold-out map of Capitol Hill. The 2010 Congressional Directory is wire-spiral bound for flat-fold reference and durability.
- Features include:
- Color photographs
- Wire-spiral binding
- Legislative process flowchart (from the Congressional Deskbook)
- Member photos in full color, biographical data, room, phone and fax numbers, and email addresses (where applicable/accessible)
- List of key congressional staff
- District office information
- Fold-out 9" x 10" map of Capitol Hill
- Includes state maps and delegations outlining congressional districts, major cities, home towns and more!
- Two Versions - Alpha and Standard
$25
Each order includes FREE copy of our Pocket Constitution
Alpha Version
Separate sections for Governors, Senators, and Representatives, then in alphabetical order by last name, 212 pages + fold-out map of Capitol Hill
The Alpha Version is popular inside the Beltway.
Standard Version
State-by-State; Governor, Senators, and Representatives are listed under their state, 193 pages + fold-out map of Capitol Hill
The Standard Version is popular outside the Beltway.
For more information, see CongressionalDirectory.com
March 31, 2010 08:07 AM Link Comments (0)
FREE pocket edition of "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine
A free download of our Pocket Edition of Common Sense is available on Scribd.
Free Copy of our Pocket Edition of Thomas Paine's Common Sense:
- Single copies of this Pocket Edition of Thomas Paine's Common Sense are available at no charge by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) with first class postage for two (2) ounces to: TheCapitol.Net, Common Sense, PO Box 25706, Alexandria, VA 22313-5706. Requests with insufficient postage will be returned or destroyed. Only 1 copy per request.
- Social Studies and Government Teachers: You can combine up to 35 of your students' separate SASEs (each SASE must have first class postage for two (2) ounces attached) into one large envelope that you mail to us for free copies for your students. Enclose a note with your name, name of your school, course taught, grade, and school address. Requests with no school info or insufficient postage will be returned or destroyed.
- No phone, fax, or email requests will be accepted for complimentary copies.
- Available while supply lasts.
Also see our FREE Pocket Constitution.
March 28, 2010 11:17 AM Link Comments (0)
Reconciliation Legislation - Section 9.110 from the Congressional Deskbook
Congressional Deskbook, 5th Edition, by Michael L. Koempel and Judy Schneider
§ 9.110 Reconciliation Legislation
Beginning in 1980, Congress has used reconciliation legislation to implement many of its most significant budget policies. Section 310 of the 1974 Congressional Budget Act sets forth a special procedure for the development and consideration of reconciliation legislation. Reconciliation legislation is used by Congress to bring existing revenue and spending law into conformity with the policies in a budget resolution. Reconciliation is an optional process, but Congress has used it more years than not since 1980.
The reconciliation process has two stages—the adoption of reconciliation directives in the budget resolution and the enactment of reconciliation legislation that implements changes in revenue or spending laws. Although reconciliation has been used for some time, specific procedures tend to vary from year to year.
Reconciliation is used to change the amount of revenues, budget authority, or outlays generated by existing law. In a few instances, reconciliation has been used to adjust the public-debt limit. On the spending side, the process focuses on entitlement laws; it may not be used, however, to impel changes in Social Security law. Reconciliation sometimes has been applied to discretionary authorizations, which are funded in annual appropriations acts, but this is not the usual practice.
Reconciliation Directives
Reconciliation begins with a directive in a budget resolution instructing one or more designated committees to recommend legislation changing existing law. These directives have three components: (1) they name the committee or committees directed to recommend legislation; (2) they specify the amounts of changes in revenues or outlays that are to be achieved by changes in existing law, but do not indicate how these changes are to be made, which laws are to be altered, or the programs to be affected; and (3) they usually set a deadline by which the designated committee or committees must recommend the changes in law. The directives typically cover the same fiscal years covered by the budget resolution. The dollar amounts are computed with reference to the Congressional Budget Office baseline. Thus, a change represents the amount by which revenues or spending would decrease or increase from baseline levels as a result of changes made in existing law.
Although the instructions do not mention the programs to be changed, they are based on assumptions concerning the savings or deficit reduction (or, in some cases, increases) that would result from particular changes in revenue provisions or spending programs. These program assumptions are sometimes printed in the reports on the budget resolution. Even when the assumptions are not published, committees and members usually have a good idea of the specific program changes contemplated by the reconciliation directives.
A committee has discretion to decide the legislative changes to be recommended. It is not bound by the program changes recommended or assumed by the Budget Committees in the reports accompanying the budget resolution. However, a committee is expected to recommend legislation estimated to produce the dollar changes delineated in its reconciliation directives.
When a budget resolution containing a reconciliation directive has been approved by Congress, the instruction has the status of an order by the House and Senate to designated committees to recommend legislation, usually by a date certain.
Development and Consideration of Reconciliation Measures
When more than one committee in the House and Senate is subject to reconciliation directives, the proposed legislative changes are consolidated by the Budget Committees into an omnibus bill. The 1974 Congressional Budget Act does not permit the Budget Committees to revise substantively the legislation recommended by the committees of jurisdiction. This restriction pertains even when the Budget Committees estimate that the proposed legislation will fall short of the dollar changes called for in the instructions. Sometimes, the Budget Committees--working with the leadership--develop alternatives to the committee recommendations. These alternatives may be offered as floor amendments to achieve greater compliance with the reconciliation directives.
The 1974 act requires that amendments offered to reconciliation legislation in either the House or the Senate be deficit-neutral. To meet this requirement, an amendment reducing revenues or increasing spending must offset these deficit increases by equivalent revenue increases or spending cuts. In addition, nongermane amendments may not be offered in either chamber.
During the first several years of experience with reconciliation, the legislation contained many provisions that were extraneous to the purpose of the reconciliation measures, such as reducing the deficit. The reconciliation submissions of committees included such things as provisions that had no budgetary effect, that had a budgetary effect merely incidental to a significant policy change, or that violated another committee’s jurisdiction. In 1985, the Senate adopted a rule (commonly referred to as the Byrd rule, after Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-WV) on a temporary basis as a means of curbing these practices. The Byrd rule has been extended and modified several times over the years. In 1990, the Byrd rule was incorporated into the 1974 Congressional Budget Act as section 313 and made permanent. The Senate, nonetheless, may waive the Byrd rule by unanimous consent or by a waiver motion requiring a three fifths vote of the membership. Although the House has no rule comparable to the Senate’s Byrd rule, it may use other devices to control the inclusion of extraneous matter in reconciliation legislation. In particular, the House has used special rules to make in order amendments to strike extraneous matter. (See § 8.90, Rules Committee and Special Rules.)
Senate debate on reconciliation legislation is limited to twenty hours. The Senate may continue to consider amendments, motions, and appeals after that time, but no additional debate is allowed. The House is not restricted by the 1974 act in debate on reconciliation legislation, but it typically adopts a special rule limiting general debate, amendments, and other floor procedures.
Source: § 9.110, "Reconciliation Legislation," Congressional Deskbook, 5th Edition
March 22, 2010 12:07 PM Link Comments (0)
Persuading Congress: Candid Advice for Executives
Persuading Congress
Persuading Congress
How to Spend Less and Get More from Congress: Candid Advice for Executives
By Joseph Gibson
- Persuading Congress, by Joseph Gibson, is a very practical book, packed with wisdom and experience in a deceptively short and simple package.
What happens in Congress affects all of our lives and extends into every corner of the economy. Because so much is at stake there, businesses and other interest groups spend billions of dollars each year trying to influence legislation.
Yet, most of these efforts are doomed to futility from the outset. Only a small percentage of the bills introduced in Congress actually become law, and most interested parties do not fully understand why those few bills succeed. More importantly, how to get Congress to do what they want remains a mystery to them.
This book will help you understand Congress. Written from the perspective of one who has helped put a lot of bills on the president's desk and helped stop a lot more, this book explains in everyday terms why Congress behaves as it does. Then it shows you how you can best deploy whatever resources you have to move Congress in your direction.
Because you have limited time, this book sticks to the basics and its chapters are short so that it can be digested rapidly.
2010, 150 pages
Hardbound, $27
ISBN 10: 158733-173-X
ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-173-2
Softcover, $24
ISBN 10: 158733-164-0
ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-164-0
For more information, including Table of Contents, sample Sections, and how to order, see PersuadingCongress.com
March 19, 2010 10:47 AM Link Comments (0)
How to Get Inside the Minds of Members of Congress so they Pass the Bills You Want Passed and Kill the Bills You Want Killed: Former Judiciary Committee Lawyer Gives You the Inside Scoop
Persuading Congress by Joseph Gibson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Former Judiciary Committee Lawyer Gives You the Inside Scoop
Insider's insider Joseph Gibson is ready to guide you through not just the process, but the psychology of Congress. He has served as the House Judiciary Committee’s Chief Minority Counsel, Chief Legislative Counsel, Chief Antitrust Counsel, and Parliamentarian. A former Chief of Staff to a prominent Texas Congressman, Mr. Gibson was a Deputy Assistant U.S. Attorney General for Legislative Affairs and Clerk to a Judge on the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Gibson is a Washington, DC attorney with eight years of private practice experience.
Gibson's brand new book, Persuading Congress: A Practical Guide to Parlaying an Understanding of Congressional Folkways and Dynamics into Successful Advocacy on Capitol Hill, has just been published by TheCapitol.Net.
He explores lobbying strategies and techniques you're not likely to find elsewhere, such as how to:
- Get what you want by making the Member of Congress look like a hero
- Take full advantage of the current party makeup of Congress at any time, using different strategies when one party has a solid majority than when the tallies are close
- Develop multi-year strategies that work far better than the hit-em-and-leave-em efforts of many lobbyists
- Make a brand new policy feel familiar and comfortable in the Member's eyes
- Know whether a delay or a full-court press will be more helpful to your cause
This book is a must-have for lobbyists, executives, associations, and libraries.
ABOUT THE COMPANY:
TheCapitol.Net is a privately held, non-partisan publishing and training company based in Alexandria, VA. TheCapitol.Net offers non-partisan media, legislative, budget and advocacy training and information for thousands of government and business leaders each year.
For more information about Persuading Congress by Joseph Gibson, see PersuadingCongress.com
March 16, 2010 11:27 AM Link Comments (0)
Persuading Congress: How to Spend Less and Get More from Congress: Candid Advice for Executives
Persuading Congress
Persuading Congress
How to Spend Less and Get More from Congress: Candid Advice for Executives
By Joseph Gibson
- Persuading Congress, by Joseph Gibson, is a very practical book, packed with wisdom and experience in a deceptively short and simple package.
What happens in Congress affects all of our lives and extends into every corner of the economy. Because so much is at stake there, businesses and other interest groups spend billions of dollars each year trying to influence legislation.
Yet, most of these efforts are doomed to futility from the outset. Only a small percentage of the bills introduced in Congress actually become law, and most interested parties do not fully understand why those few bills succeed. More importantly, how to get Congress to do what they want remains a mystery to them.
This book will help you understand Congress. Written from the perspective of one who has helped put a lot of bills on the president's desk and helped stop a lot more, this book explains in everyday terms why Congress behaves as it does. Then it shows you how you can best deploy whatever resources you have to move Congress in your direction.
Because you have limited time, this book sticks to the basics and its chapters are short so that it can be digested rapidly.
2010, 150 pages
Hardbound, $27
ISBN 10: 158733-173-X
ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-173-2
Softcover, $24
ISBN 10: 158733-164-0
ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-164-0
For more information, see PersuadingCongress.com
March 13, 2010 01:17 PM Link Comments (0)
Now Available - Congressional Directory 2010
Congressional Directory 2010
Now Available.
This comprehensive directory lists all members of the US Senate and House of Representatives, complete with color photos and a fold-out map of Capitol Hill. The 2010 Congressional Directory is wire-spiral bound for flat-fold reference and durability.
Available in alpha and state-by-state editions.
PLUS: Each order includes FREE copy of our Pocket Constitution.
More information and secure online ordering on our web site.
March 11, 2010 02:37 PM Link Comments (0)
Cap and Trade: The Kyoto Protocol, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, Carbon Tax, Emission Allowances, Acid Rain SO2 Program, Ozone Transport Commission, NOX, Carbon Markets, and Climate Change
Cap and Trade
Cap and Trade
The Kyoto Protocol, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, Carbon Tax, Emission Allowances, Acid Rain SO2 Program, Ozone Transport Commission, NOX, Carbon Markets, and Climate Change
Compiled by TheCapitol.Net
Authors: Jonathan L. Ramseur, Larry Parker, Peter Folger, Ross W. Gorte, Renee Johnson, Kelsi Bracmort, James E. McCarthy, Donald J. Marples, Sam Napolitano, David L. Sokol, Richard Newell, Robert Greenstein, Sonny Popowsky, Steven L. Kline, Michael Carey, A. Denny Ellerma, Gilbert E. Metcalf, Karen Palmer, Chad Stone, Ray Kopp, Ted Gayer, and Jonathan M. Banks
- The Kyoto Protocol, set to expire in 2012, established binding reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for thirty-six countries. The United States was not a party to the treaty. Reducing GHG emissions through cap-and-trade programs is generating widespread discussion, including consideration by the U.S. Congress. Debate is ongoing as to cap and trade’s effectiveness, costs, inequities, and questionable reductions in pollution, to name a few.
Cap and trade is a policy approach for controlling large amounts of emissions from a group of sources. The approach sets an overall cap, or maximum amount of emissions per compliance period, for all sources under the program. The cap is chosen in order to achieve a desired environmental effect.
2010, 566 pages
ISBN: 1587331845 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-184-8
Softcover book: $27.95
For more information, see TCNCAT.com
February 28, 2010 05:47 PM Link Comments (0)
Congressional Authorizations and Appropriations, new book from TheCapitol.Net
Congressional Authorizations and Appropriations
Congressional Authorizations and Appropriations
How Congress Exercises the Power of the Purse through Authorizing Legislation, Appropriations Measures, Supplemental Appropriations, Earmarks, and Enforcing the Authorization-Appropriations Process
Compiled by TheCapitol.Net
Authors: Bill Heniff Jr, Sandy Streeter, Thomas L. Hungerford, Robert Keith, Megan Suzanne Lynch
A primary avenue for exercising Congress's power of the purse is the authorization and appropriation of federal spending to carry out government activities. While the power over appropriations is granted to Congress by the U.S. Constitution, the authorization appropriation process is derived from House and Senate rules. The formal process consists of two sequential steps: (1) enactment of an authorization measure that may create or continue an agency or program as well as authorize the subsequent enactment of appropriations; and (2) enactment of appropriations to provide funds for the authorized agency or program.
2010, 146 pages
ISBN: 1587331829 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-182-4
Softcover book: $19.95
For more information, see 1824aa.com
February 16, 2010 03:07 PM Link Comments (0)
Congressional Pay and Perks: Salaries, Pension and Retirement, Franking, Travel, and Other Benefits for U.S. Senators and Representatives
Congressional Pay and Perks
Congressional Pay and Perks
Salaries, Pension and Retirement, Franking, Travel, and Other Benefits for U.S. Senators and Representatives
Compiled by TheCapitol.Net
Authors: Ida A. Brudnick, R. Eric Petersen, Patrick J. Purcell, Mildred Amer, Matthew Eric Glassman, Jennifer E. Manning, Michael L. Koempel and Judy Schneider
Congress is required by Article I, Section 6, of the Constitution to determine its own pay. Prior to 1969, Congress did so by enacting stand-alone legislation. From 1789 through 1968, Congress raised its pay 22 times using this procedure. Members were initially paid per diem. The first annual salaries, in 1815, were $1,500. Per diem pay was reinstituted in 1817. Congress returned to annual salaries, at a rate of $3,000, in 1855. By 1968, pay had risen to $30,000. Stand-alone legislation may still be used to raise Member pay, as it was most recently in 1982, 1983, 1989, and 1991; but two other methods--including an automatic annual adjustment procedure and a commission process--are now also available.
2010, 294 pages
ISBN: 1587331659 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-165-7
Softcover book: $19.95
For more information, see CongressPay.com
February 16, 2010 12:37 PM Link Comments (0)
Smart Grid: Modernizing Electric Power Transmission and Distribution; Energy Independence, Storage and Security; Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA); Improving Electrical Grid Efficiency, Communication, Reliability, and Resiliency; Integr
Smart Grid
Smart Grid
Modernizing Electric Power Transmission and Distribution; Energy Independence, Storage and Security; Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA); Improving Electrical Grid Efficiency, Communication, Reliability, and Resiliency; Integrating New and Renewable Energy Sources
Compiled by TheCapitol.Net
Authors: Stan Mark Kaplan, Fred Sissine, Amy Abel, Jon Wellinghoff, Suedeen G. Kelly, and James J. Hoecker
The electric grid delivers electricity from points of generation to consumers, and the electricity delivery network functions via two primary systems: the transmission system and the distribution system. The transmission system delivers electricity from power plants to distribution substations, while the distribution system delivers electricity from distribution substations to consumers. The grid also encompasses myriads of local area networks that use distributed energy resources to serve local loads and/or to meet specific application requirements for remote power, municipal or district power, premium power, and critical loads protection.
2009, 644 pages
ISBN: 1587331624 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-162-6
Softcover book: $27.95
For more information, see 1626SmartGrid.com
February 1, 2010 09:47 AM Link Comments (0)
The Government Series from TheCapitol.Net
The Government Series from TheCapitol.Net consists of shorter publications combining government information with authored material from our faculty and authors. Government Series softcover books are available through regular and online bookstores, and many are also available as ebooks from Scribd.
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| Smart Grid | The Federal Budget Process | Congressional Pay and Perks |
For more information and titles, see GovernmentSeries.com
January 30, 2010 01:07 PM Link Comments (0)
FREE Pocket Constitution and FREE pocket version of Thomas Paine's "Common Sense"
In addition to the Pocket Constitution, we also now have a pocket version of Thomas Paine's "Common Sense."
While supplies last, single copies are free and bulk orders are reasonably priced. Please see the web pages for details.
A free download of our Pocket Constitution is available on Scribd.
A free download of our Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" is available on Scribd.
November 3, 2009 06:07 PM Link Comments (0)
Smart Grid
Smart Grid
Modernizing Electric Power Transmission and Distribution; Energy Independence, Storage and Security; Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA); Improving Electrical Grid Efficiency, Communication, Reliability, and Resiliency; Integrating New and Renewable Energy SourcesCompiled by TheCapitol.Net
Authors: Stan Mark Kaplan, Fred Sissine, Amy Abel, Jon Wellinghoff, Suedeen G. Kelly, and James J. Hoecker
The electric grid delivers electricity from points of generation to consumers, and the electricity delivery network functions via two primary systems: the transmission system and the distribution system. The transmission system delivers electricity from power plants to distribution substations, while the distribution system delivers electricity from distribution substations to consumers. The grid also encompasses myriads of local area networks that use distributed energy resources to serve local loads and/or to meet specific application requirements for remote power, municipal or district power, premium power, and critical loads protection..The concept of a "smart grid" lacks a standard definition but centers on the use of advanced technology to increase the reliability and efficiency of the electric grid, from generation to transmission to distribution. However, the smart grid does not necessarily replace the existing infrastructure, most of which was installed in the 1970s.
The move to a smart grid is a move from a centralized, producer-controlled network to one that is less centralized and more consumer-interactive.
- Enables informed participation by consumers
- Accommodates all generation and storage options
- Enables new products, markets, and services
- Provides the power quality for the range of needs
- Optimizes asset utilization and operating efficiency
- Operates resiliently to disturbances, attacks, and disasters
The Department of Energy, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability is charged with orchestrating the modernization of the nation’s electrical grid. The office’s multi-agency Smart Grid Task Force is responsible for coordinating standards development, guiding research and development projects, and reconciling the agendas of a wide range of stakeholders, including utilities, technology providers, researchers, policymakers, and consumers.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has been charged under the Energy Independence and Security Act (P.L. 110-140, Dec. 19, 2007) with identifying and evaluating existing standards, measurement methods, technologies, and other support services to Smart Grid adoption
Published by TheCapitol.Net
2009, 644 pages, Softcover
ISBN 10: 1587331624
ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-162-6
$27.95
For more information, including Table of Contents, see www.1626SmartGrid.com
October 7, 2009 11:57 AM Link Comments (0)
Underfunded Pensions, Pension Dumping, and Retirement Security
Underfunded Pensions, Pension Dumping, and Retirement Security
Pension Funds, the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), Bailout Risks, Impact on the Federal Budget, and the Pension Protection Act of 2006
Compiled by TheCapitol.Net
Authors: Patrick Purcell, Jennifer Staman, Kelly Kinneen, William J. Klunk, Peter Orszag, and Bradley D. Belt
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) provides a comprehensive federal scheme for the regulation of employee pension and welfare benefit plans offered by employers. ERISA contains various provisions intended to protect the rights of plan participants and beneficiaries in employee benefit plans.The Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) is a federal corporation created by ERISA. It currently protects the pensions of nearly 44 million American workers and retirees in more than 29,000 private single-employer and multiemployer defined benefit pension plans. PBGC receives no funds from general tax revenues. Operations are financed by insurance premiums set by Congress and paid by sponsors of defined benefit plans, investment income, assets from pension plans trusteed by PBGC, and recoveries from the companies formerly responsible for the plans.
Although the PBGC's liabilities are not explicitly backed by the full faith and credit of the federal government, Congress could face political pressure to bail out the PBGC at taxpayer expense should the agency become financially insolvent.
Bradley Belt, former executive director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), testified before Congress in October, 2004: "I am particularly concerned with the temptation, and indeed, growing tendency, to use the pension insurance fund as a means to obtain an interest-free and risk-free loan to enable companies to restructure. Unfortunately, the current calculation appears to be that shifting pension liabilities onto other premium payers or potentially taxpayers is the path of least resistance rather than a last resort."
2009, 316 pages
ISBN: 1587331535 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-153-4
Complete Table of Contents and secure online ordering at 1534Pensions.com
August 4, 2009 12:37 PM Link Comments (0)
Real World Research Skills, Second Edition
The 2nd Edition of Peggy Garvin's Real World Research Skills was published today, July 30, 2009, and is now available at your local bookstore (special order), Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.
This book compiles basic advice, techniques, reference information, and resources to help working professionals find accurate information quickly. It is written particularly for those whose work involves tapping into federal government information. The book began as a set of materials for TheCapitol.Net’s seminar, "Research Tools and Techniques: Refining Your Online and Offline Searches." It is designed to be used as a complement to that seminar or independently as a desk reference.The first and second chapters cover practical principles of research and online searching, including the general search engines. These sections include checklists and advice that are applicable to many different research tasks and many different databases and search engines.
The third, fourth, and fifth chapters present resources for federal legislative, judicial, and executive branch research.
The sixth chapter covers starting points for state and international research on the web.
The final chapter, “Experts and Insiders,” has tips for tapping into that vital Washington information resource: people.
In our knowledge economy, more and more people—with a wide range of education and experience—are moving into jobs that require some information-gathering skills. The research training provided at many schools lays a foundation, but often does not prepare us for the varied demands of the working world.
This book can help anyone involved in government research by increasing their information literacy, improving their research effectiveness and efficiency.
For a complete Table of Contents and secure online ordering, see the book's web page
July 30, 2009 10:27 AM Link Comments (0)
Pocket Constitution - The Constitution at your fingertips
Pocket Constitution: The Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, and Amendments to the Constitution
The Constitution at your fingertips
The Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and the Amendments to the Constitution, all in a handy pocket-sized booklet.
Single copies of this Pocket Constitution are available at no charge by sending a self-addressed stamped business (#10) envelope (SASBE) with first class postage for two (2) ounces to: TheCapitol.Net, Pocket Constitution, PO Box 25706, Alexandria, VA 22313-5706. Requests with insufficient postage will be returned or destroyed. Only 1 copy per request. No phone, fax, or email requests will be accepted for complimentary copies.
This Pocket Constitution is also available for bulk purchase, in multiples of 30 copies.
48 pages, 2009, 3.25 x 6.5 inches, 1.1 ounces each
ISBN 10: 1587331780 ISBN 13: 9781587331787
July 21, 2009 04:07 PM Link Comments (0)
Judge Sonia Sotomayor: Analysis of Selected Opinions
In May 2009, Supreme Court Justice David Souter announced his intention to retire from the Supreme Court. Several weeks later, President Obama nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who currently serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, to fill his seat. To fulfill its constitutional "advice and consent" function, the Senate will consider Judge Sotomayor’s extensive record -- compiled from years as a lawyer, prosecutor, district court judge, and appellate court judge -- to better understand her legal approaches and judicial philosophy.This report provides an analysis of selected opinions authored by Judge Sotomayor during her tenure as a judge on the Second Circuit. As a group, the opinions belie easy categorization along any ideological spectrum. However, it is possible to draw some conclusions regarding Judge Sotomayor’s judicial approach, both within some specific issue areas and in general.
Perhaps the most consistent characteristic of Judge Sotomayor’s approach as an appellate judge has been an adherence to the doctrine of stare decisis (i.e., the upholding of past judicial precedents). Other characteristics appear to include what many would describe as a careful application of particular facts at issue in a case and a dislike for situations in which the court might be seen as overstepping its judicial role.
It is difficult to determine the extent to which Judge Sotomayor’s style as a judge on the Second Circuit would predict her style should she become a Supreme Court justice. However, as has been the case historically with other nominees, some of her approaches may be enduring characteristics.
Discussions of the selected opinions are grouped according to various topics of legal significance. Throughout the report, hyperlinks are provided to opinions authored by Judge Sotomayor.
For the complete report, "Judge Sonia Sotomayor: Analysis of Selected Opinions," click here.
July 1, 2009 01:17 PM Link Comments (0)
The Federal Budget Process: A description of the federal and congressional budget processes, including timelines
The Federal Budget Process: A description of the federal and congressional budget processes, including timelines
Budgeting for the federal government is an enormously complex process. It entails dozens of subprocesses, countless rules and procedures, the efforts of tens of thousands of staff persons in the executive and legislative branches, and the active participation of the President, congressional leaders, Members of Congress, and members of the executive branch. This analysis shows the various elements of the federal budget process including the President’s budget submission, framework, timetable, the budget resolution, reconciliation, the "Byrd Rule," appropriations, and budget execution.
Table of Contents
- 1. "Introduction to the Federal Budget Process," by Robert Keith, CRS Report for Congress 98-721 GOV, November 20, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
- Appropriations Process in a Nutshell with James Saturno, ISBN 1-58733-043-1
- Authorizations and Appropriations in a Nutshell with James Saturno, ISBN 1-58733-029-6
- The Budget Execution Process with Carl Moravitz, ISBN 978-1-58733-136-7
- Budget Formulation, Justification, and Execution: A How-To for Budget Analysts with James Capretta, ISBN 1-58733-060-1
- The Federal Budget Process with Philip Joyce, ISBN 1-58733-083-0
- The Budget Resolution in a Nutshell with Roy Meyers, ISBN 1-58733-085-7
- Understanding Congressional Budgeting and Appropriations
www.CongressionalBudgeting.com
- Advanced Federal Budget Process
www.BudgetProcess.com
- Congressional Dynamics and the Legislative Process
www.CongressionalDynamics.com
- The President’s Budget
www.PresidentsBudget.com
- The Defense Budget
www.TheDefenseBudget.com
2. "Overview of the Executive Budget Process," by Bill Heniff Jr., CRS Report for Congress RS20175, June 17, 2008 . . . . . . . 33
3. "The Executive Budget Process Timetable," by Bill Heniff Jr., CRS Report for Congress RS20152, June 17, 2008 . . . . . . . 35
4. "The Congressional Budget Process: A Brief Overview," by James V. Saturno, CRS Report for Congress RS20095, November 26, 2008 . . . . . . . 37
5. "The Congressional Budget Process Timetable," by Bill Heniff Jr., CRS Report for Congress 98-472 GOV, March 20, 2008 . . . . . . . 45
6. "Budget Resolution Enforcement," by Bill Heniff, Jr., CRS Report for Congress 98-815, August 12, 2008 . . . . . . . 49
7. "The Budget Reconciliation Process: The Senate's 'Byrd Rule,'" by Robert Keith, CRS Report for Congress RL30862, March 20, 2008 . . . . . . . 55
8. "The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction," by Sandy Streeter, CRS Report 97-684, December 2, 2008 . . . . . . 91
9. "Reforming the Federal Budget Process," Testimony of Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director of OMB, before the Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget Process, Committee on Rules, U.S. House of Representatives, March 23, 2004 . . . . . . 119
10. From the Congressional Deskbook: Chapter 9, "Legislating in Congress: Federal Budget Process," by Bill Heniff Jr. and Robert Keith . . . . 133
Resources from TheCapitol.Net . . . . . . 179
11. Capitol Learning Audio Courses
12. Live Training
Other Resources . . . . . . 180
13. Books
14. Laws
15. Web Sites
Softcover, 2009, 192 pages, $27.50
ISBN: 1587331519 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-151-0
Complete Table of Contents, sample pages, and online ordering here.
May 13, 2009 07:27 AM Link Comments (0)
Economic Policy Crisis and the Stimulus: Analyses of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, HR 1, 111th Congress
Economic Policy Crisis and the Stimulus: Analyses of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, HR 1, 111th Congress
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, HR 1 in the 111th Congress, will assist in supplemental appropriations for job preservation and creation, give financial help to the unemployed, and will provide State and local fiscal stabilization, for fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:H.R.1:
Table of Contents
- Analysis
- "Economic Stimulus: Issues and Policies," by Jane G. Gravelle, Thomas L. Hungerford, Marc Labonte, CRS Report for Congress R40104, March 6, 2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
- "Financial Market Intervention," by Edward V. Murphy & Baird Webel, CRS Report for Congress RS22963, January 29, 2009 . . . . . . . 25
- "'Fast Track' Procedures to Disapprove Additional Funds Under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act," by Christopher M. Davis, CRS Report for Congress R40134, January 15, 2009 . . . . 35
- "Economic Slowdown: Issues and Policies," by Jane G. Gravelle, Thomas L. Hungerford, Marc Labonte, N. Eric Weiss, and Julie M. Whittaker, CRS Report for Congress RL34349, January 2, 2009 . . . . . 45
- "The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act Of 2009: Full Summary of Provisions by the Senate Finance Committee and House, Ways & Means Committee," by the Senate Finance Committee and the House, Ways & Means Committee, February 12, 2009 . . . . . 85
- "Obey Statement: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act," by Dave Obey, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, February 13, 2009 . . . . . . . 105
- Legislative Process flowchart, § 8.01 . . . . . 109
- Federal Budget Process flowchart, § 9.53 . . . . . 110
- Typical Executive Budget Process Timetable, § 9.41 . . . . . 112
- Volumes Containing and Explaining the President's Annual Budget, § 9.43 . . . . . 113
From the Congressional Deskbook
Other Resources . . . . . . 114
Softcover, 2009, 116 pages, $27.50
ISBN: 1587331497 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-149-7
Complete Table of Contents, sample pages, and online ordering here.
April 11, 2009 06:07 PM Link Comments (0)
Lobbying and Advocacy
The Best of Everything Lobbying and Washington Advocacy
By Deanna Gelak
Lobbying and Advocacy sample pages
Publish at Scribd or explore others: Government Business & Legal senate lobbying
January 19, 2009 12:37 PM Link Comments (0)
2008 Congressional Directory now available
The Congressional Directory 2008 is now available. Both State-by-State and Alphabetical versions are shipping. $17.95 plus S+H when ordered directly from us.
Congressional Directory 2008
The Alpha version (popular inside the Beltway), has separate sections for Governors, Senators, and Representatives, then the officials are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
The Standard, or State-by-State, version (popular outside the Beltway), has each state's Governor, Senators, and Representatives listed together under their state.
See sample pages here.
March 5, 2008 06:07 PM Link Comments (0)
