List
of Videos From the Congressional Research Service
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>>> The Congressional Research Service—well-known for its detailed, unbiased, and hard-to-obtain reports for Congress—also uses taxpayer money to create videos. Even rarer than their paper counterparts, the CRS videos can nonetheless be requested by US citizens through their Congressional representatives. Below is a complete listing of CRS vids as of 16 Sept 2003. Try asking for one, and let us know if you get something interesting. Learn more about CRS here and here. Contact info for Congress is here (Senators), here (Representatives), and here. |
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Understanding Cybersecurity: CRS Workshop. July 21, 2003 Product No: MM70048 This CRS workshop on cybersecurity was presented by experts in the field and was planned at the request of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Science, and Research & Development of the Select Committee on Homeland Security. Speakers discussed: *
the nature of threats from cybercrime and cyberterrorism; Major issues were identified, and the legislative context was described. The program also incorporated audio-visual demonstrations illustrating significant aspects of cybersecurity, such as examples of real-world attacks. Product
No: MM70049 Product
No: MM70050 Product
No: MM70051 ___________________________________________ Campaign
Finance Law and Litigation. This program provides an overview of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA), also known as "McCain-Feingold," and the pending Supreme Court litigation, McConnell v. FEC, where plaintiffs are challenging the constitutionality of key BCRA provisions. Related Supreme Court decisions are also discussed, including the recently decided Beaumont v. FEC, upholding the prohibition on contributions by tax-exempt corporations. Taped as part of the American Law Division's Federal Law Update series. ___________________________________________ Civil
Rights Update. In three of its most anticipated cases of the 2002-03 term, the Supreme Court issued rulings involving affirmative action programs at the University of Michigan, and a Texas statute that made homosexual sodomy a crime: *
In Grutter v. Bollinger the Court upheld the constitutionality of a University
law school race-based affirmative action program designed to preserve
the school's diversity of minority students, but in a companion decision, This program provides a detailed overview of these three cases, and was taped as part of the American Law Division's Federal Law Update series. ___________________________________________ Supreme
Court Review: 2002-2003 Term. On June 26, the U. S. Supreme Court concluded its 2002-2003 term. This program discusses many of the cases that made this term truly momentous: *
For the first time since 1978, the Justices confronted affirmative action
in admissions to colleges and universities, despite its disapproval of
the practice in other areas. The program discusses these and other recently decided opinions. Finally, the program will address the one remaining case for the term, the campaign finance act litigation, which is scheduled for September 8. ___________________________________________ Campaign
Finance: BCRA and the U.S. District Courts ruling in McConnell v. FEC.
Note: On May 19, 2003, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted a stay of its ruling pending final disposition in the U.S. Supreme Court. On May 2, 2003, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued its 1,638 page opinion in McConnell v. FEC, which invalidated portions of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA), also known as the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform legislation prior to enactment. The lengthy and complex ruling is being carefully studied for its effect on current campaign finance regulation. This program offers: *
an overview of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA); ___________________________________________ DOD
Transformation Initiatives and the Military Personnel System: Potential
Issues for Congress. The Department of Defense is currently embarked on a long-term effort to "transform" the U.S. military. There are a number of competing definitions of precisely what "transformation" is, but the term generally refers to a dramatic change – a "quantum leap" ahead – in military power due to technological advances, new operational concepts, and organizational changes. This program looks at DOD transformation plans, assesses what impacts these plans might have on the military personnel system, and discusses what issues these impacts might raise for Congress. Among other questions, the speakers address: *
What type of capabilities are envisioned for the transformed force? ___________________________________________ How
to Use LIS. The Legislative Information System, or LIS, is a collection of databases of bills and amendments, the Congressional Record, and committee reports. A selection of commercial, academic and government legislative resources are also available from LIS. This program presents: *
an overview of the 6 tab sections of the Legislative Information System; ___________________________________________ The
Jobs and Growth Tax Relief and Reconciliation Act of 2003: An Explanation
and Overview. The program describes the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief and Reconciliation Act of 2003 (JGTRRA 2003), focusing on how tax law has changed under each provision of JGTRRA. Provisions in the new law include: *
the dividend tax cut; In addition to tax cuts, JGTRRA also provides $20 billion in aid to the states. The program presents detailed explanations of all the provisions and uses numerical examples designed to help congressional staff communicate these changes to taxpayers. ___________________________________________ FY2004
Defense Budget. This program reviews details of the Administration's FY2004 defense budget request, including: *
assessing trends in defense spending; ___________________________________________ Casework:
How and Why. Three casework professionals provide advice on how to assist constituents in dealing with federal agencies. *
Chris Monica, who performed casework for many years in Washington and
district offices, gives a first-hand account of the joys and tribulations
of assisting constituents. She offers advice on how to set up ground rules
and follow through in a timely manner. Ms. Monica also shares some techniques
she used to deal with the inevitable pressures of time and multiple constituent
demands. ___________________________________________ Immigration:
Noncitizens and Health Care. Immigrants today are disproportionately uninsured, and according to one study, immigrants who arrived in the United States between 1994 and 1998 account for 59% of the growth in the uninsured population since 1993. Several bills have been introduced in the 107th Congress that address Medicaid/SCHIP coverage for pregnant and postpartum legal permanent residents (LPRs) and their children, and the Senate Committee on Finance reported version of H.R. 4737 (Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2002) includes some expansion provisions. This program focuses on: *
an analysis of the underlying factors that contribute to immigrants' limited
access to health care; ___________________________________________ Bioterrorism:
Improving Public Health Preparedness. This program focuses on the critical role of the public health system in responding to bioterrorism. Areas covered includes: *
Current gaps in public health preparedness at the federal, state, and
local levels; ___________________________________________ Proposed
Department of Homeland Security: Freedom of Information Act Exemptions,
Whistleblower Protection Act, and Information Sharing. The program provides a brief overview of selected issues pertinent to the proposed Department of Homeland Security, including some of those related to disclosure of information held by the DHS, and, where appropriate, with state and local personnel. The Freedom of Information Act, the Whistleblower Protection Act, and provisions of the DHS legislative proposals dealing with information sharing between the intelligence community and law enforcement is examined. Taped as part of the American Law Division's Federal Law Update series. ___________________________________________ Combating
Terrorism: Findings of the Major Commissions. A series of bipartisan congressional commissions and advisory panels have examined issues relating to terrorism and the specter of mass-casualty terrorist incidents in the United States. A panel of experts looks at the issues and the recommendations of the various high level commission. ___________________________________________ Response
to Terrorism: Selected Legal Issues. This seminar was presented as part of the Federal Law Update series. It addressed a number of legal issues that have arisen in connection with the U.S. response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, including: *
the legal framework and the implications of the authorization of the use
of force enacted into law on 9/9/01 ___________________________________________ Proposed
Department of Homeland Security: Civil Service and Collective Bargaining
Issues. The program examines the possible effects of current legislative proposals to create a new Department of Homeland Security on the civil service and collective bargaining practices of employees tranferred to the new department. Current law concerning civil service and collective bargaining issues will be discussed in the context of how existing requirements could be altered by the proposals. Taped as part of the American Law Division's Federal Law Update series. ___________________________________________ Proposed
Department of Homeland Security: Congressional Oversight, Administrative
Law, and Inspector General Issues. The program describes and examines the structural and organizational issues raised by the House and Senate proposals to establish a Homeland Security Department and each proposal's potential impact on the effectiveness of the new department; the manner in which the proposals deal with potentially conflicting administrative procedures for rulemaking, adjudication, and review for transferred agency functions; and issues regarding the Office of Inspector General in the new department. Taped as part of the American Law Division's Federal Law Update series. ___________________________________________ Emergency
Management for Homeland Security. For decades, federal agencies have administered a range of programs that provide assistance to individuals, state and local governments, and private organizations overwhelmed by catastrophes. Terrorist attacks in recent years have reshaped federal emergency management assumptions and needs, and the 107th Congress may consider new policies and budget alternatives to meet domestic threats. This program reviews: *
significant federal policies and programs that address preparation for
and response to terrorist attacks in the United States; ___________________________________________ Immigration
and Border Security Issues. The 107th Congress was considering several major immigration policy issues -- most notably expansion of employment-based immigration, guest worker programs, and legalization measures -- when events of September 11 shifted priorities to border security, visa reform, detention, and foreign students. The USA Patriot Act and the pending Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act address many of the concerns resulting from the terrorist attacks, though some issues such as the continuation of the Visa Waiver Program and the monitoring of foreign nationals, remain. The second session of the 107th Congress is expected to return to proposals for guest worker programs and legalization of unauthorized migrants, but with new perspectives growing out of September 11. Legislative action to reorganize the Immigration and Naturalization Service may also occur. ___________________________________________ Missile
Defense. The Bush Administration is pursuing a costly research and development program aimed at deploying missile defenses quickly. The Administration also has announced that in June 2002 it will withdraw from the Anti-ballistic Missile Treaty, which it views as encumbering the deployment of effective missile defenses. This program examines: *
the current status of missile defense developments, including program
updates; ___________________________________________ The
American Economy in 2003: Recession or Recovery? The recession that began in March 2001 may have already ended, but it is not clear that sustained recovery has taken root. This program reviews: *
recent data on GDP growth; The effects of the war with Iraq, the stock market, and oil prices are also examined. The program concludes with a summary of forecasts for the U.S. economy in 2003 and 2004. ___________________________________________ Health
Insurance Coverage for the Unemployed and Uninsured. Rising private health insurance premiums and unemployment (resulting both from the economic downturn and the terrorist incidents on September 11) are likely to contribute to the continuing increase in the number of people without health insurance. Congress has considered enacting legislation providing financial incentives, additional coverage options and other improvements in insurance markets to address this problem. This program reviews data on the uninsured and provides an overview of the options under consideration. ___________________________________________ Social
Security Reform: Current Status and Proposals. Projections that show that Social Security faces long-term financing problems have fostered wide interest in reforming the program. Proposals to restore solvency range from maintaining the current system as much as possible to replacing it with individual savings accounts modeled on private sector arrangements. This program looks at these and other issues. ___________________________________________ Monetary
and Fiscal Stimulus and Policies: An Economic Perspective. Gail Makinen, CRS Specialist in Economic Policy, evaluates the efficacy of monetary and fiscal stimulus measures in jump-starting the economy. He provides: *
relevant definitions and means of measurement; ___________________________________________ Disarming
Iraq: Issues and Views. U.N. inspectors have been combing Iraq since November 25, 2002 looking for signs of weapons of mass destruction with few tangible results. Should the inspections go on longer? Or is there enough evidence to support military action against Iraq? What is the connection between Iraq and terrorism? This program summarizes: *
key issues and questions surrounding the inspections; ___________________________________________ The
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is a new organization which has the potential to become the largest single provider of resources for fighting global infectious disease. This program provides an overview of: *
the worldwide infectious disease threat; The panel includes several individuals who have been involved with the Fund during its formative stages, including: *
the Chair of the Global Fund's Technical Review Panel, ___________________________________________ International
Law and the Preemptive Use of Force. This program addresses customary international law regarding the preemptive use of force, the effect on that customary law of the UN Charter and of Article 51, the ongoing debate among analysts about the circumstances under which the preemptive use of force may be lawful, and the position of the Bush Administration as articulated in its proposed resolution on the use of force and The National Security Strategy of the United States. Taped as part of the American Law Division's Federal Law Update series. ___________________________________________ Bioterrorism:
Improving Public Health Preparedness. This program focuses on the critical role of the public health system in responding to bioterrorism. Areas covered includes: *
Current gaps in public health preparedness at the federal, state, and
local levels; ___________________________________________ U.S.-ASEAN
Relations: Issues and Prospects. U.S. Ambassadors to six Southeast Asian countries and three regional specialists discuss trade issues, cooperation on the anti-terrorism war in Southeast Asia, and human rights and democracy concerns. The American Ambassadors on the panel include: *
Marie Huhtala (Malaysia); Catherin Dalpino of the Brookings Institution and Dana Dillon of the Heritage Foundation also raise a variety of issues for discussion. Moderating was Richard Cronin, CRS Specialist in Asian Affairs. ___________________________________________ Combating
Terrorism: Possible Lessons from Foreign Experiences. Three noted experts on terrorism movements discuss foreign experiences and terrorism policies that U.S. policymakers could draw upon to evaluate the possible effectiveness of various policy tools and approaches in dealing with international terrorism. Topics addressed include: *
whether economic or other reforms, negotiations, and targeting leadership
are effective means of dealing with terrorism; ___________________________________________ Preserving
the Government in Times of Crisis. The terrorist attacks in September 2001 focused renewed attention on preserving and continuing government operations in times of emergency or crisis. Efforts to maintain the continuity of government focus on protecting senior government officials in all branches, replacing officials lost or incapacitated, and keeping the essential policy decisionmaking entities functioning. On the other hand, continuity of operations planning is more broadly centered on restarting essential government functions that have been interrupted, and establishing a timetable under which interrupted services will be resumed. Major efforts were underway on both subjects before the terrorist attacks, and have continued since then. This program includes: *
a review of accomplishments since the attacks; ___________________________________________ Plan
Colombia and Narcotics Issues. "Plan Colombia," a major, high-cost initiative to curb drug trafficking activity and reduce coca cultivation in Colombia by 50 percent over a period of 5 to 6 years, has been the subject of extensive controversy. This program focuses on the foreign policy aspects of the plan. ___________________________________________ Congressional
Redistricting. This program focuses on the post-Shaw v. Reno legal decisions pertaining to the application of the Voting Rights Act to congressional redistricting; the implications of a possible Census Bureau decision to adjust census figures for miscounts prior to the release of the figures that will be used for redistricting (plus state laws prohibiting the use of adjusted census numbers for redistricting); and the type of data that will be available for use in the process. ___________________________________________ The
Supreme Court Appointment Process. Steven Rutkus, Specialist in American National Government, examines how persons are appointed to be Supreme Court Justices. Using both historical pictures and video footage from more recent nominations, the program shows the three basic phases of the appointment process: *
the President's selection of the nominee; ___________________________________________ CRS
Services to Congress. This twelve-minute video portrays the full range of services and products that CRS provides to Congress. It goes behind the scenes at CRS to show you who we are and what we do. The video offers quick, easy directions for contacting CRS staff to assist you at all stages of the legislative process. Several current and former Members talk about their experiences with CRS. ___________________________________________ Legislative
Procedures of the U.S. Congress. The enactment of legislation — or the translation of ideas into public policy — is a major role of Congress. In this program, CRS Senior Specialist Walter Oleszek analyzes the six key stages through which most legislative ideas must pass. Speaking from the locations where these stages occur and illustrating his points with excerpts from actual floor proceedings and committee hearings, Mr. Oleszek follows the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and presents a concise and interesting description of how our laws are made. ___________________________________________ Preparing
for an Oversight Investigation. This program probes the "ins and outs" of how to prepare for congressional investigations from the perspective of both the investigator and those being investigated. ___________________________________________ Outside
Actors in the Oversight Process. This program addresses how non-congressional individuals can assist in the investigative process and in monitoring executive branch performance. ___________________________________________ Fiscal
Oversight: "Follow the Money". This seminar examines congressional oversight of fiscal and budgetary activities, focusing on the role of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees in the annual budget cycle and key support activities of the Congressional Budget Office to Congress on budgetary matters generally. ___________________________________________ Sources
of Oversight Assistance. This session focuses on where congressional committees can obtain assistance in conducting oversight, especially relevant are inspectors general, chief financial officers and Congress's own support agencies, the Congressional Budget Office, Congressional Research Service, and General Accounting Office. ___________________________________________ The
"Rules & Tools" of Oversight. This program focuses on the formal institutional rules that committees must follow to insure the legitimacy and fairness of oversight proceedings. The nature of the formidable powers of inquiry available to congressional committees and the practicalities of their effective utilization are also explored. ___________________________________________ The
Constitutional Context of Oversight. Michael Stern, Senior Counsel with the House General Counsel's Office, and Michael Davidson, former Senate General Counsel, discuss the constitutional context of oversight. In addition, the two attorneys address a variety of oversight topics, including congressional investigations. ___________________________________________ Oversight:
A Key Congressional Function. Former Representative Lee Hamilton delivered the keynote address to a new series of CRS programs examining various aspects of congressional oversight. In this program, Mr. Hamilton emphasizes the importance of traditional oversight and reviews factors that contribute to successful oversight. |
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| posted 18 Nov 2003 | copyright 2003 Russ Kick |