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The United States acquired the islands of Puerto Rico in 1898 after the Spanish-American War. In 1950, Congress enacted legislation (P.L. 81-600) authorizing Puerto Rico to hold a constitutional convention and in 1952, the people of Puerto Rico ratified a constitution establishing a republican form of government for the islands. After being approved by Congress and the President in July 1952 and thus given force under federal law (P.L. 82-447), the new constitution went into effect on July 25, 1952. Puerto Rico is subject to congressional jurisdiction under the Territorial Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Over the past century, Congress passed legislation governing Puerto Rico's relationship with the United States. For example, residents of Puerto Rico hold U.S. citizenship, serve in the military, are subject to federal laws, and are represented in the House of Representatives by a Resident Commissioner elected to a four-year term. Although residents participate in the presidential nominating process, they do not vote in the general election. Puerto Ricans pay federal tax on income derived from sources in the United States, but they pay no federal tax on income earned in Puerto Rico. In the 111th Congress, the Resident Commissioner may vote in legislative committees and in the Committee of the Whole. Elements of the U.S.-Puerto Rico relationship have been and continue to be matters of debate. Some contend that the current political status of Puerto Rico, perhaps with enhancements, remains a viable option. Others argue that commonwealth status is or should be only a temporary fix to be resolved in favor of other solutions considered permanent, non-colonial, and nonterritorial. Some contend that if independence is achieved, the close relationship with the United States could be continued through compact negotiations with the federal government., CRS Report for Congress

Since the early 1990s, Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Task Forces have been certified, trained, and funded by the Federal Government. Twenty-eight task forces are located in 19 states. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials may call out the task force (or forces) in closest proximity to the disaster to help locate and extricate victims from collapsed buildings and structures. The task forces represent a partnership involving Federal Government, local government, and private sector experts. Most recently, USAR teams received considerable publicity, and reportedly achieved life-saving results in their mission to Haiti after the earthquakes of early 2010. Legislation pending before Congress would affect the USAR system in two ways. First, H.R. 119 would designate a New Jersey task force to be part of the system. Other legislation (H.R. 706 and H.R. 3377) would establish statutory authority and federal funding for a USAR response system. Members of Congress will consider FY2011 funding for the task forces during the second session of the 111th Congress, and may elect to debate issues associated with the deployment of USAR task forces to foreign countries., CRS Report for Congress.

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act) authorizes the President to issue major disaster or emergency declarations in response to catastrophes in the United States that overwhelm state and local governments. Such declarations result in the distribution of a wide range of federal aid to individuals and families, certain nonprofit organizations, and public agencies. Congress appropriates money to the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) for disaster assistance authorized by the Stafford Act. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) administers most, but not all, of the authority the statute vests in the President. Legislation pending in the 111th Congress would amend the statute. Among the proposals, H.R. 3377, the Disaster Response, Recovery, and Mitigation Enhancement Act of 2009, would authorize the President to modernize the integrated public alert system to ensure that warnings are disseminated to the public, provide health benefits to temporary or intermittent federal employees who provide disaster assistance, authorize the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System, and make other changes to the statute. Other pending bills would reauthorize a mortgage and rental assistance program terminated in 2000 (H.R. 888/S. 763), establish new eligibility criteria (H.R. 941, H.R. 1059, H.R. 1494, H.R. 2484, H.R. 4141, and S. 1069), and mandate establishment of a tracking and storage plan for housing units used by disaster survivors (H.R. 3437/S. 713)., CRS Report for Congress.

The United States acquired the islands of Puerto Rico in 1898 after the Spanish-American War. Puerto Rico is subject to congressional jurisdiction under the Territorial Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Over the past century, Congress passed legislation governing Puerto Rico's relationship with the United States. For example, residents of Puerto Rico hold U.S. citizenship, serve in the military, are subject to federal laws, and are represented in the House of Representatives by a Resident Commissioner elected to a 4-year term. Although residents participate in the presidential nominating process, they do not vote in the general election. Puerto Ricans pay federal tax on income derived from sources in the United States, but they pay no federal tax on income earned in Puerto Rico. In the 111th Congress, the Resident Commissioner may vote in legislative committees and in the Committee of the Whole. Elements of the U.S.-Puerto Rico relationship have been and continue to be matters of debate. Some contend that the current political status of Puerto Rico, perhaps with enhancements, remains a viable option. Others argue that commonwealth status is or should be only a temporary fix to be resolved in favor of other solutions considered permanent, noncolonial, and nonterritorial. Some contend that if independence is achieved, the close relationship with the United States could be continued through compact negotiations with the Federal Government. One element apparently shared by all discussants is that the people of Puerto Rico seek to attain full, democratic representation, notably through voting rights on national legislation to which they are subject. Three bills regarding Puerto Rico's political status were introduced during the 110th Congress. In the 111th Congress, H.R. 2499 (Pierluisi) would authorize a two-stage plebiscite in Puerto Rico to reconsider the status issue. H.R. 2499 is similar to H.R. 900 as introduced in the 110th Congress., CRS Report for Congress.

The FY2007 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill includes funding for the Department of the Interior (DOI), except for the Bureau of Reclamation, and for two agencies within other departments the Forest Service within the Department of Agriculture and the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services. It also includes funding for arts and cultural agencies; the Environmental Protection Agency, which was recently transferred to the appropriations subcommittees that deal with Interior and Related Agencies; and numerous other entities and agencies. On June 29, 2006, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported H.R. 5386 (S.Rept. 109-275), providing $26.05 billion for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies for FY2007, $110.8 million (0.4%) above the House-passed level ($25.94 billion). The Senate Appropriations Committee-reported level would have been a $384.0 million (1%) decrease from the FY2006 enacted level of $26.44 billion, but a $522.8 million (2%) increase over the President s request for FY2007 of $25.53 billion. Among the proposed decreases in the Senate Appropriations Committee reported bill for FY2007, from the FY2006 level, were the following: $-209.5 million (9%) for the National Park Service (NPS); $-153.5 million (10%) for the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS); $-123.6 million (3%) for the Forest Service (FS); and $-108.5 million (1%) for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Among the increases for FY2007 were the following: $147.5 million (5%) for the Indian Health Service (IHS); $50.2 million (3%) for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM); and $29.3 million (5%) for the Smithsonian Institution., CRS Report for Congress

This report describes the FY2008 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Administration requested a net appropriation of $35.5 billion in net budget authority for FY2008. The requested net appropriation for major components of the department included the following: $8,783 million for Customs and Border Protection (CBP); $4,168 million for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); $3,608 million for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA); $8,457 million for the U.S. Coast Guard; $1,399 million for the Secret Service; $1,047 for the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPP); $5,042 million for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); $30 million for US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); $799 million for the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T); and $562 million for the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO). The House passed H.R. 2638 on June 15, 2007. H.R. 2638 would provide $37.4 billion in net budget authority for DHS for FY2008. H.R. 2638 contains the following in net budget authority for major components of DHS: $8,923 million for CBP; $4,192 million for ICE; $3,842 million for the TSA; $8,352 million for the U.S. Coast Guard; $1,396 million for the Secret Service; $1,035 for the NPP; $7,239 million for FEMA; $30 million for USCIS; $777 million for S&T; and $556 million for the DNDO. The Senate Appropriations Committee reported its bill, S. 1644, on June 14, 2007. S. 1644 would provide $37.6 billion in net budget authority for DHS for FY2008. The bill contains the following amounts of net budget authority for major components of DHS: $8,841 million for CBP; $4,433 million for ICE; $3,685 million for the TSA; $8,559 million for the U.S. Coast Guard; $1,396 million for the Secret Service; $919 for the NPP; $6,913 million for FEMA; $50 million for USCIS; $838 million for the S&T; and $550 million for the DNDO. This report will be updated as legislative action occurs., CRS Report for Congress. Updated. For previous edition, see ADA468002, 17 May 2007.

The annual consideration of appropriations bills (regular, continuing, and supplemental) by Congress is part of a complex set of budget processes that also encompasses the consideration of budget resolutions, revenue and debt-limit legislation, other spending measures, and reconciliation bills. In addition, the operation of programs and the spending of appropriated funds are subject to constraints established in authorizing statutes. Congressional action on the budget for a fiscal year usually begins following the submission of the President's budget at the beginning of each annual session of Congress. Congressional practices governing the consideration of appropriations and other budgetary measures are rooted in the Constitution, the standing rules of the House and Senate, and statutes, such as the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. This report is a guide to one of the regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Homeland Security. It summarizes the status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related congressional activity, and is updated as events warrant. The report lists the key CRS staff relevant to the issues covered and related CRS products., The original document contains color images.

This report describes the FY2007 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Senate reported H.R. 5441, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007, on June 29, 2006, which would provide $32.8 billion for DHS for FY2007. The House passed H.R. 5441, on June 6, 2006, and would provide $33.2 billion in net budget authority. The Administration requested a net appropriation of $31.9 billion in net budget authority for FY2007, of which $31.0 billion is discretionary budget authority, and $1 billion is mandatory budget authority. The President's request for appropriations includes the following break out of net budget authority for the four titles of the DHS appropriation bill: (I) Departmental Management and Operations, $1,074 million; (II) Security, Enforcement and Investigations, $22,671 million; (III) Preparedness and Response, $6,385 million; and (IV) Research and Development, Training, Assessments, and Services, $1,965 million.

Reports issued by committees of the 109th Congress, the White House, federal offices of Inspector General, and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), among others, concluded that the losses caused by Hurricane Katrina and other disasters were due, in part, to deficiencies such as questionable leadership decisions and capabilities, organizational failures, overwhelmed preparation and communication systems, and inadequate statutory authorities. From these conclusions the 109th Congress revised federal emergency management policies vested in the President; reorganized the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and enhanced and clarified the mission, functions, and authorities of the agency, as well as those of its parent, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Six statutes enacted by the 109th Congress are notable in that they contain changes that apply to future federal emergency management actions. Most of these statutes contain relatively few changes to federal authorities related to emergencies and disasters. The Post-Katrina Act, however, contains many changes that will have long-term consequences for FEMA and other federal entities. That statute reorganizes FEMA, expands its statutory authority, and imposes new conditions and requirements on the operations of the agency. This CRS report summarizes information on the emergency management modifications adopted by Congress in response to the widespread calls for change. The report does not cover all public laws enacted by the 109th Congress in response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. The focus here is on far-reaching and potentially permanent change in federal approaches to emergency management. The content of this report is limited to congressional action., The original document contains color images.

The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has a unique history as a part of the United States. United States suzerainty over Puerto Rico originated with the acquisition of the islands in 1898 after the conclusion of the Spanish-American War. For decades, the federal government administered government operations in Puerto Rico through military liaisons or civilian officials appointed by the President. Legislation enacted by Congress in 1950 (P.L. 81-600) and in 1952 (P.L. 82-447) granted Puerto Rico authority to establish a republican form of local government through a constitution approved by the citizens of Puerto Rico and the Congress in 1952. Puerto Rico remains subject to congressional jurisdiction under the Territorial Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Under this authority, Congress has passed legislation that governs elements of Puerto Rico's relationship to the United States. For example, residents of Puerto Rico hold U.S. citizenship, serve in the military, are represented in the House of Representatives by a Resident Commissioner elected to a four-year term (who does not have privileges to vote on the floor of the House), are subject to federal laws and are beneficiaries of federal aid as approved by Congress, do not vote in national elections, and pay no federal income tax.

The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina reaches beyond the borders of the states directly affected by the wind, rain, and floods. Before the storm reached the coast, thousands of residents of Louisiana and Mississippi evacuated to other states, including Texas and Oklahoma. Many people, for a variety of reasons, chose to disregard the mandatory evacuation orders issued by state and local officials. In general, evacuation policy is set and enforced by state and local officials. Federal policy provides for various aspects of civilian evacuation. As Members of Congress explore the challenges and losses in the states affected directly or indirectly by Hurricane Katrina, they may be called upon to consider federal policy options to more fully integrate federal and state authorities.

The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has a unique history as a part of the United States. United States suzerainty over Puerto Rico originated with the acquisition of the islands in 1898 after the conclusion of the Spanish-American War. For decades, the federal government administered government operations in Puerto Rico through military liaisons or civilian officials appointed by the President. Legislation enacted by Congress in 1950 (P.L. 81-600) and in 1952 (P.L. 82-447) granted Puerto Rico authority to establish a republican form of local government through a constitution approved by the citizens of Puerto Rico and the Congress in 1952., CRS Report for Congress.