Congressional Research Service

Background
In 1914, Congress passed legislation to establish a separate department within the Library of Congress. President Woodrow Wilson signed the bill into law, and the Congressional Research Service (CRS), then called the Legislative Reference Service, was born to serve the legislative needs of the Congress.

With the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, Congress renamed the agency the Congressional Research Service and significantly expanded its statutory obligations. The services provided today by CRS are a direct result of congressional directives and guidance.

Mission
CRS is committed to supporting an informed national legislature &mdash; by developing creative approaches to policy analysis, anticipating legislative needs and responding to specific requests from legislators in a timely manner. The CRS provides analysis that is authoritative, confidential, objective and nonpartisan.

CRS Reports
The following list identifies all CRS Reports summarized in this wiki, in reverse chronological order:

2011

 * State Taxation of Internet Transactions (CRS Report R41853) (June 7, 2011).
 * Law Enforcement Use of Global Positioning (GPS) Devices to Monitor Motor Vehicles: Fourth Amendment Considerations (CRS Report 7-5700) (Feb. 28, 2011).

2009

 * Privacy Law and Online Advertising: Legal Analysis of Data Gathering by Online Advertisers such as DoubleClick and NebuAd (CSR Report ﻿RL34693﻿﻿) (Jan. 16, 2009).

2004

 * Privacy Protection: Mandating New Arrangements to Implement and Assess Federal Privacy Policy and Practice (CRS Report RS21851) (May 27, 2004).
 * “Sensitive But Unclassified” and Other Federal Security Controls on Scientific and Technical Information: History and Current Controversy (CRS Report RL31845) (Feb. 20, 2004).

2003

 * Balancing Scientific Publication and National Security Concerns: Issues for Congress (CRS Report RL31695) (July 9, 2003).

2002

 * Commercial Remote Sensing by Satellite: Status and Issues (CRS Report RL31218) (Jan. 8, 2002).

2000

 * The National Information Infrastructure: The Federal Role (CRS Report IB95051) (Dec. 7, 2000).