CRS Issue Briefs for Congress: Worker  

Benefits

• Employer Stock in Pension Plans: Economic and Tax Issues
  by Jane G. Gravelle, Congressional Research Service

• Tax Benefits for Health Insurance and Expenses: Current Legislation
  by Bob Lyke, Congressional Research Service

• Flexible Spending Accounts and Medical Savings Accounts: A Comparison
  by Bob Lyke and Chris L. Peterson, Congressional Research Service

• Temporary Programs to Extend Unemployment Compensation
  by Jennifer E. Lake, Congressional Research Service

• Social Security: “Transition Costs”
  by Laura Haltzel, Congressional Research Service

• Social Security Benefits for Noncitizens: Current Policy and Legislation
  by Dawn Nuschler and Alison Siskin, Congressional Research Service

• Railroad Retirement: Legislation in the 107th Congress
  by Rachel W. Kelly, Congressional Research Service

• Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers: Legislation in the 107th Congress
  by Paul J. Graney

• Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts
  by Bob Lyke and Chris L. Peterson, Congressional Research Service

• The Fair Labor Standards Act: Minimum Wage in the 108th Congress
  by William G. Whittaker, Congressional Research Service

• OSHA Reform: "Partnership" with Employers
  by Edward B. Rappaport, Congressional Research Service

• The Social Security Protection Act of 2003 (H.R. 743)
  by Dawn Nuschler, Congressional Research Service

• Small Business Expensing Allowance: Current Status, Legislative Proposals, and Economic Effects
  by Gary Guenther, Congressional Research Service

• Social Security Reform: President Bush's Individual Account Proposal
  by Laura Haltzel, Congressional Research Service

• Pension Sponsorship and Participation: Summary of Recent Trends
  by Patrick J. Purcell, Congressional Research Service

• Social Security: The Government Pension Offset (GPO)
  by Laura Hatzel, Congressional Research Service

• Social Security Benefits for Noncitizens: Current Policy and Legislation
  by Dawn Nuschler and Alison Siskin, Congressional Research Service

• Social Security: Raising or Eliminating the Taxable Earnings Base
  by Debra Whitman, Congressional Research Service

• Social Security: The Government Pension Offset
  by Laura Hatzel, Congressional Research Service

• Tax Benefits for Health Insurance
  by Bob Lyke, Congressional Research Service

• Social Security Benefit Enhancements for Women Act of 2002 (H.R. 4069)
  by Heidi G. Yacker, Congressional Research Service

• Medicare''s Skilled Nursing Facility Benefit
  by Heidi G. Yacker, Congressional Research Service

• Retirement Benefits for Members of Congress
  by Patrick J. Purcell, Congressional Research Service

• Social Security Reform
  by Dawn Nuschler, Congressional Research Service

• Social Security: The Public Servant Retirement Protection Act (H.R. 4391/S. 2455)
  by Laura Hatzel, Congressional Research Service

• Federal Tax Benefits for Families' K-12 Education Expenses in the Context of School Choice
  by Linda Levine and David Smole, Congressional Research Service

• Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA): A Summary of Benefits and Authorities
  by Jennifer E. Lake, Congressional Research Service

• Medicaid, SCHIP, and Other Health Provisions in H.R. 5661: Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000
  by Jean Hearne and Evelyne Baumrucker, Congressional Research Service

• Family and Medical Leave Act
  by Linda Levine, Congressional Research Service

• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996: Overview and Guidance on Frequently Asked Questions
  by Hinda R. Chaikind, Jean Hearne, Bob Lyke, and Stephen Redhead, Congressional Research Service

• Employer Liability Provisions in Selected Patient Protection Bills
  by Angie A. Welborn, Congressional Research Service

• Medicare+Choice Payments
  Hinda Ripps Chaikind and Paulette C. Morgan, Congressional Research Service

• The Effect of State-Legalized Same-Sex Marriage on Social Security Benefits and Pensions
  by Laura Hatzel and Patrick Purcell, Congressional Research Service

• Social Security and Medicare: The Economic Implications of Current Policy
  by Marc Labonte, Congressional Research Service 

• Health Insurance Continuation Coverage Under COBRA
  by Heidi G. Yacker, Congressional Research Service

• Former Presidents: Federal Pension and Retirement Benefits
  by Stephanie Smith, Congressional Research Service

Recent Capitol Hill Activity/News

• Examining Pay-For-Performance Measurers and Other Trends in Employer-Sponsored Health Care
  House Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations; May 17, 2005

• H.R. 2561, Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act, and H.R. 697, Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2005
  House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections; May 26, 2005

• Challenges to Employee Efforts to Preserve Retiree Health Care Benefits
  House Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations; April 28, 2005

• Getting Older, Staying Healthier: The Demographics of Health Care
  House Joint Economic Committee; July 22, 2004

• The Burden of Health Services Regulation
  House Joint Economic Committee; May 13, 2004

• A Pension Double Header: Reforming Hybrid and Multi-Employer Pension Plans
  Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; 
  July 7, 2005

• Small Businesses and Health Insurance: Easing Costs and Expanding Access
  Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; 
  April 21, 2005

Articles and Reports

• Risky Business: When Mom and Pop Buy Health Insurance for Their Employees

• Are Pensions the Next Fiscal Crisis?

• Raising the Social Security Wage Cap Would Hurt Small Businesses

• Making Association Health Plans a Success

• Note to Congress: Compromise; There are only two options: cutting benefits or committing resources

• Biting the Bullet on Health Care Costs

• Retirement Saving and Long-Term Care Needs: An Overview

• Keep the Cap: Why a Tax Increase Will Not Save Social Security

• How to Reduce the Cost of Federal Pension Insurance

• Patient Power: The Cato Institute's Plan for Health Care Reform

• Changes in Wealth for Americans Reaching or Just Past Normal Retirement Age
  Executive Summary

• Employment-Based Retirement Plan Participation: Geographic Differences and Trends
  Executive Summary

• The Changing United States Health Care System: The Effect of Competition on Structure and Performance

• Health Care Attitudes Today

Major Legislation

• Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act of 2005

• Federal Employee Commuter Benefits Act of 2005

• Health Act of 2005

• Pension Preservation and Portability Act of 2005

• Medical Liability Procedural Reform Act of 2005

• Saving Social Security Act of 2005

• Health Care for Working Families Act of 2005

• Emergency Retiree Health Benefits Protection Act of 2005

• National Health Insurance Act

• Disability Benefit Fairness Act of 2005

• Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act of 2005

• National Health Insurance Act

• Reserves Pay and Benefits Modernization Act

Useful Resources

• Brookings Institute - Social Security, Pensions, and Retirement

• Americans for Tax Reform - Pension Reform

• Americans for Tax Reform - Social Security Reform

• Americans for Tax Reform - Health Care and MSA Reform

• Cato Institute - Project on Social Security Choice

• Hudson Institute - Center for Economic Competitiveness

• The Galen Institute - Consumer-Driven Health Care

• National Health Council

• American Public Health Organization

• The American Enterprise Institute

POLICY AREAS

E-Commerce

Entrepreneurship Education

Financing

Intellectual Property

Minorities

Regulatory Burdens

Stock Options

Tax System

Technology Transfer

Women

Worker Benefits

Workforce Training