Homeland Security Digital Library

Homeland Security Digital Library

SEARCH THE HSDL

Advanced search Help

Set an Alert to get future results

Results 601 - 630 (of 140,567) sort by relevance sorted by date

Clear all search criteria

Only 2/3! You are seeing results from the Public Collection, not the complete Full Collection. Sign in to search everything (see eligibility).

Fact Sheet: DHS Efforts to Assist Ukrainian Nationals

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "Following Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is providing support and humanitarian relief to Ukrainian nationals in need both in the United States and abroad. To protect Ukrainians residing in the U.S., the Secretary of Homeland Security designated Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. This will allow Ukrainians here since March 1, 2022 to stay and apply for employment authorization in the U.S. To provide pathways to the United States for Ukrainians seeking refuge, DHS is working to expand current legal pathways and develop new programs in support of the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to displaced Ukrainians. We are coordinating our efforts closely with our European allies and partners who are on the frontlines of this humanitarian crisis." This fact sheet covers legal pathways for eligible Ukrainians, TPS, asylum, the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, humanitarian parole, and special situations and expedited processing.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

2022-03-31?
Owning the Conversation: Assessing Responses to Russian and Chinese Information Operations Around COVID-19

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Introduction: "The crisis around COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] and the resulting 'infodemic' has been exploited by authoritarian regimes to spread propaganda and disinformation among populations around the world. The Russian Federation and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have used the pandemic to engage in information warfare, spread divisive content, advance conspiracy theories, and promote public health propaganda that undermines US and European efforts to fight the pandemic. In 2021, the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) published two reports, Information Bedlam: Russian and Chinese Information Operations During COVID-19 and Jabbed in the Back: Mapping Russian and Chinese Information Operations During COVID-19, comparing how the Kremlin and CCP have deployed information operations around the COVID-19 pandemic, virus origins, and efficacy of the vaccines to influence targeted populations globally, using the infodemic as a diplomatic and geopolitical weapon. The CCP mainly spread COVID-19 narratives to shape perceptions about the origins of the coronavirus and often push narratives to shun responsibility."

Center for European Policy Analysis

Zakem, Vera; Lucas, Edward, 1962-; Lamond, James

2022-03-31?
Russia's 2022 Invasion of Ukraine: Related CRS Products [March 30, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine, with wide-ranging implications for U.S. national security and an array of global geopolitical and economic issues. This report compiles CRS [Congressional Research Service] products on various aspects of this conflict and will be updated regularly as new products are developed. It also includes some products published before the invasion that offer relevant background and context. To contact specific CRS experts, congressional staff may see the author information on each of the products below or consult CRS Report R47036, 'Russia's Invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and Related Policy Issues: CRS Experts', coordinated by Julie Kim."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Danon, Zoe; Blum, David A.

2022-03-30
Build Back Better Act (BBBA) Health Coverage Provisions: House-Passed and Senate-Released Language [March 30, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Summary: "This report provides information about House-passed and Senate-released Build Back Better Act (BBBA) provisions related to private health insurance, Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare. The BBBA, considered under the congressional reconciliation process, addresses numerous issues, such as taxes, child care, health care, education, the environment, and immigration, among others. [...] This report contains seven tables that together provide high-level comparisons of relevant House-passed and Senate-released provisions. The summary of the House-passed language is baselined against current law, and the summary of the Senate-released language is compared with the House-passed language."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Forsberg, Vanessa C.; Rosso, Ryan J.

2022-03-30
U.S.-Japan Relations [Updated March 30, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Overview: "Japan, a U.S. treaty ally since 1951, is a significant partner of the United States in several foreign policy areas, particularly security and trade. Shared security goals range from meeting the challenge of an increasingly powerful China to countering threats from North Korea. The U.S.-Japan mutual defense treaty grants the United States the right to base U.S. troops--currently numbering around 54,000--and other military assets on Japanese territory in return for a U.S. pledge to protect Japan's security. The two countries collaborate through bilateral and multilateral institutions on issues such as science and technology, global health, energy, and agriculture. Japan is the fourth-largest overall U.S. trading partner and largest source of foreign direct investment into the United States, and its investors are the largest foreign holders of U.S. Treasury securities. The Biden Administration has emphasized the importance of restoring U.S. alliances in Asia. Former Japan Prime Minister Suga was the first in-person visitor to the White House, signaling the importance of allied cooperation. Further reinforcing Japan's central role in the U.S. approach to the Indo-Pacific, the Biden Administration has boosted the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue--or 'Quad'--convening the first-ever (virtual) leader-level meeting with Japan, Australia, and India."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Chanlett-Avery, Emma; Manyin, Mark E.; Williams, Brock R. . . .

2022-03-30
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: Estimated Changes in Direct Spending and Revenues Under H.R. 3617, the MORE Act

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
This is the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Cost Estimate as Reported by the House Committee on the Judiciary on March 24, 2022, and Posted on the Website of the House Committee on Rules as Committee Print 117-37 on March 24, 2022. From the Document: "H.R. 3617 would federally decriminalize cannabis (marijuana), expunge the records of people convicted of federal cannabis offenses, and require resentencing of some federal prisoners. As a result, CBO estimates, thousands of current inmates would be released earlier than under current law. In the future, decriminalization also would reduce the number of people in federal prisons and the amount of time they serve. CBO estimates that over the 2022-2031 period, H.R. 3617 would reduce time served by current and future inmates by 37,000 person-years. CBO's analysis accounts for time served by offenders convicted of cannabis-only crimes and time served by people convicted of a crime in addition to a cannabis offense."

United States. Congressional Budget Office

2022-03-30
Women in China's Leadership

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
This Issue Brief presents data illustrating female representation in China's leadership positions, namely in the Chinese Communist Party, in government, and in the military. From the Key Findings: " [1] According to United Nations data from 2021, China's population comprises approximately 703.8 million females and 740.4 million males. Although they represent roughly 48.7% of the population, women occupy less than 8% of senior leadership positions. [2] The absence of diversity is noteworthy given the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership's stated commitment to equal opportunity. [3] The absence of women in Party leadership parallels low female representation within the group of Chinese nationals holding leadership positions in international organizations. Of the 31 Chinese nationals serving in top leadership positions in key international organizations, only 4 are women."

U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission

Janik, Sierra; Blaugher, Daniel; Ray, Jonathan

2022-03-30
DoD Actions to Address Findings and Recommendations of the 2021 On-Site Installation Evaluations

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Memorandum: "On my first full day in office, I made countering the scourge of sexual assault in the military a key priority. In the month following, I directed the establishment of the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military (IRC) and directed broad policy compliance checks, the assessment and development of prevention capabilities at each installation, the enhancement of the Department's command climate efforts, and site visits to a representative sample of military installations. These site visits culminated in the release of the 2021 On-Site Installation Evaluation (OSIE) Report covering 20 DoD sites. The Office of Personnel and Readiness designed the OSIE to review best practices and areas for improvement across our installations. The OSIE Report provides the Department's most senior leaders greater visibility at the local level that can be scaled enterprise-wide. The OSIE Report will also allow the Department to better tailor our continued implementation of the IRC's recommendations. [...] I have reviewed and approved the findings and recommendations of the inaugural 2021 OSIE Report. The recommendations of the 2021 OSIE Report complement the recommendations I accepted from the IRC, of which active and urgent implementation is underway. While we have made progress, we must do more to strengthen the integrated capabilities we have on the ground to prevent sexual assault, harassment, suicide, domestic abuse, and other harmful behaviors."

United States. Department of Defense. Office of the Secretary of Defense

Austin, Lloyd J. (Lloyd James), 1953-

2022-03-30
United States Central Command [Updated March 30, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has command authority over U.S. forces in the Middle East and West/Central Asia. CENTCOM was formally established by the Department of Defense (DOD) on January 1, 1983. Its area of responsibility (AOR) comprises Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, West Bank & Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Yemen, Israel, Iran, Turkmenistan, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. CENTCOM is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base (AFB) in Tampa, FL. [...] The Trump and Biden Administrations both described the need to effectively contend--economically, diplomatically, and militarily--with China and Russia as the key national security challenge facing the United States. Accordingly, activities vis-a-vis China and Russia would potentially be prioritized over other strategic challenges that have been prominent in the CENTCOM AOR, including deterring Iranian aggression and countering violent extremist groups such as Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. Some observers maintain that a shift in U.S. resources and focus away from the CENTCOM AOR and toward Europe and Asia is advisable for several reasons. These include the reprioritization of military resources that, according to some, might be better applied to challenges in Europe--especially in the wake of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine--or the Indo-Pacific; skepticism about whether continued investments, presence, and operations in the region would result in strategic gains; and the growing threat posed by U.S. strategic competitors such as Russia and China."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

McInnis, Kathleen J.; McGarry, Brendan W.

2022-03-30
United States European Command: Overview and Key Issues [Updated March 30, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "United States European Command (or EUCOM, pronounced 'YEW-com') is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, and was established in 1952. USEUCOM's commander, U.S. Air Force General Tod D. Wolters, is simultaneously the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR). During the Cold War, the European theater was a primary focus for U.S. defense and national security and EUCOM was focused almost exclusively on deterring, and if necessary defeating, the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. At the height of the Cold War, there were more than 400,000 U.S. troops stationed in Europe. [...] Over the past 25 years, decisions regarding U.S. basing and posture in the European theater were designed to support expeditionary and cooperative security operations. The bulk of U.S. forces in Europe have been withdrawn and many bases and outposts were either consolidated or closed. However, two Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) were retained (in Italy and Germany) as were some naval bases, particularly those along NATO's south, and a number of Air Force bases that were deemed critical for supporting operations in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. [...] On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a 'special military operation' to protect the civilian population and to 'demilitarize' and 'de-Nazify' Ukraine (the latter term understood by many observers as a false pretext for overthrowing the democratically elected Ukrainian government). According to DOD, an additional 15,000 U.S. soldiers have deployed to Europe since early February 2022 to augment defense and deterrence efforts, bringing the total U.S. force posture in Europe, including permanently stationed forces, to approximately 100,000 military personnel."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

McInnis, Kathleen J.; McGarry, Brendan W.; Belkin, Paul

2022-03-30
United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) [Updated March 30, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), headquartered in Miami-Dade County, FL, was officially established in 1963. Prior to that, U.S. military elements in the Western hemisphere had been organized under the U.S. Caribbean Defense Command. SOUTHCOM's area of responsibility (AOR) begins at the southern Mexican border and contains the remaining elements of Central and South America, adjacent Atlantic and Pacific waters, and the Caribbean Sea, ultimately encompassing 31 countries and 16 dependencies and areas of special sovereignty. The region represents about one-sixth of the landmass of the world assigned to regional unified commands. SOUTHCOM is led by U.S. Army General Laura Richardson." This In Focus goes on to discuss the following elements related to SOUTHCOM: "National Strategic Priorities"; "The Evolving Geopolitical Context of the Southern Hemisphere"; "Strategic Challenges"; "Subcomponents"; and "Funding."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

McInnis, Kathleen J.; McGarry, Brendan W.

2022-03-30
Audit of Entitlements for Activated Army National Guard and Air National Guard Members Supporting the Coronavirus Disease-2019 Mission

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Objective: "The objective of this audit was to determine whether the process for activating Army National Guard (ARNG) and Air National Guard (ANG) members in response to the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic ensured that entitlements were accurately identified and processed."

United States. Department of Defense. Office of the Inspector General

2022-03-30
Afghanistan Designated for Temporary Protected Status [March 29, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "On March 15, 2022, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced [hyperlink] the designation of Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status [hyperlink] (TPS) for a period of 18 months. The designation [hyperlink] of Afghanistan for TPS is based on ongoing armed conflict 'as the Taliban seeks to impose control in all areas of the country and Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) conducts attacks against civilians.' The announcement [hyperlink] also references the 'extraordinary and temporary' conditions that prevent Afghans from being able to return safely to Afghanistan: a 'collapsing public sector, a worsening economic crisis, drought, food and water insecurity, lack of access to healthcare, internal displacement, human rights abuses and repression by the Taliban, destruction of infrastructure, and increasing criminality.' According to data provided to the Congressional Research Service (CRS) by DHS on March 7, DHS says the TPS designation will allow some 74,500 Afghans who were residing in the United States as of March 15, 2022, to remain and work legally through September 2023."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Wilson, Jill, 1974-

2022-03-29
Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated March 29, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Introduction: "The Coast Guard's Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) program envisages procuring 30 replacements for the Coast Guard's 35 aging river buoy tenders (WLRs), inland construction tenders (WLICs), and inland buoy tenders (WLIs). The Coast Guard wants to award the first contract for constructing the new WCCs in FY2022, and to have the first new WCC be in service by 2025. The Coast Guard's proposed FY2022 budget requested $67.0 million in procurement funding for the WCC program. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Coast Guard's proposed acquisition strategy and funding requests for the WCC program."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

O'Rourke, Ronald

2022-03-29
U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy: Considering 'No First Use' [Updated March 29, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "The Biden Administration's Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) reviewed U.S. nuclear declaratory policy-- the statements the United States makes about when, how, and why it might use nuclear weapons to deter adversaries and reassure U.S. allies of its commitment to their defense. But, according [hyperlink] to an Administration fact sheet, the NPR will not alter this policy to include a 'no first use' pledge stating that the United States will never use nuclear weapons first in a conflict or a 'sole purpose' [hyperlink] policy stating that the sole purpose of nuclear weapons is to deter nuclear use. Instead, the NPR will state that 'the fundamental role of U.S. nuclear weapons is to deter nuclear attack on the United States, our allies, and partners.' It will also indicate that 'the United States would only consider the use of nuclear weapons in extreme circumstances to defend the vital interests of the United States or its allies and partners.' The United States has long pledged [hyperlink] to refrain from using nuclear weapons against most non-nuclear weapon states, but has neither ruled out their first use in all cases nor specified the circumstances under which it would use them."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Woolf, Amy F.

2022-03-29
Defense Primer: Strategic Nuclear Forces [Updated March 29, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "Since the early 1960s, the United States has maintained a 'triad' of strategic nuclear delivery vehicles. These include long-range land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), long-range submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and long-range heavy bombers equipped to carry nuclear-armed cruise missiles and gravity bombs. The number of nuclear warheads carried on these delivery vehicles peaked in the late 1980s, at around 14,000 warheads. It has been declining ever since, both as the United States complies with limits in U.S.-Russian arms control agreements and as it has changed requirements after the Cold War. As of February 2018, the United States had reduced its forces to comply with the New START Treaty, which entered into force in early 2011. [...] Early in the Cold War, the United States developed these three types of nuclear delivery vehicles, in large part because each of the military services wanted to play a role in the U.S. nuclear arsenal. However, during the 1960s and 1970s, analysts developed a more reasoned rationale for the nuclear 'triad.' They argued that these different basing modes had complementary strengths and weaknesses that would enhance deterrence and discourage a Soviet first strike. [...] The United States has reaffirmed the value of the nuclear triad. The Obama Administration noted, in the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), that the unique characteristics of each leg of the triad were important to the goal of maintaining strategic stability at reduced numbers of warheads. It pointed out that strategic nuclear submarines (SSBNs) are the most survivable leg of the triad, that single-warhead ICBMs contribute to stability and are not vulnerable to air defenses, and that bombers can be deployed as a signal in crisis, to strengthen deterrence and provide assurances to allies and partners. It also noted that 'retaining sufficient force structure in each leg to allow the ability to hedge effectively by shifting weight from one Triad leg to another if necessary due to unexpected technological problems or operational vulnerabilities.' The Trump Administration also reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the nuclear triad and to the modernization programs for each of the components of that force structure."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Woolf, Amy F.

2022-03-29
Office for Bombing Prevention Needs to Improve Its Management and Assessment of Capabilities to Counter Improvised Explosive Devices

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Highlights: "OBP's [Office for Bombing Prevention] primary mission is to protect life and critical infrastructure by building capabilities in the public and private sectors to prevent, protect against, respond to, and mitigate bombing incidents. We conducted this audit to determine to what extent OBP manages and assesses national capabilities to counter IEDs [improvised explosive devices]."

United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General

2022-03-29
Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic for Future Public Health Communications

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Introduction: "Since September 2020, The Rockefeller Foundation has commissioned Hattaway Communications to conduct quantitative and qualitative surveys on Americans' attitudes towards Covid-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] actions, addressing testing, vaccines, incentives, and mandates. These surveys have provided the public health community with a better understanding of people's attitudes toward the pandemic at major inflection points. This sixth and final survey wave focused on the long-term changes in how Americans think, feel, and act. It examined how living through the pandemic shifted how we view ourselves in relationship to each other and the structures and systems that guide healthcare and policy."

Rockefeller Foundation. State and Territory Alliance for Testing; Hattaway Communications

2022-03-29
CISA Insights: Mitigating Attacks Against Uninterruptible Power Supply Devices

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Department of Energy are aware of threat actors gaining access to a variety of internet-connected uninterruptible power supply (UPS) devices, often through unchanged default usernames and passwords. In recent years, UPS vendors have added an Internet of Things capability, and UPSs are routinely attached to networks for power monitoring, routine maintenance, and/or convenience. UPS devices provide clean and emergency power in a variety of applications when normal input power sources are lost. Loads for UPSs can range from small (e.g., a few servers) to large (e.g., a building) to massive (e.g., a data center). Various different groups within an organization could have responsibility for UPSs, including but not limited to IT [information technology], building operations, industrial maintenance, or even third-party contract monitoring service vendors."

United States. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency; United States. Department of Energy

2022-03-29
Inclusive Governance: Emergency Communications by the Numbers

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Overview: "Effective governance is a critical component of successful emergency communications. Key to that is involving representatives from all organizations with a role in these operations, including those outside the realm of traditional response (e.g., tribes, medical facilities, alerting authorities, non-governmental organizations, public works, utilities, forestry services, military, private sector, non-profit organizations) in governance and decision-making structures. The SAFECOM Nationwide Survey [hyperlink] (SNS) found that only a small fraction (4 percent) of emergency communications decision-making groups are proactively seeking new participants beyond first responders. This document uses SNS data to demonstrate the benefits to emergency communications when underrepresented organizations or sectors are incorporated into planning and coordination processes. It also highlights recommended actions in the National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) [hyperlink] that public safety entities can take to make their governing bodies more inclusive."

United States. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency

2022-03-29?
MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 29, 2022: Effectiveness of Homologous and Heterologous COVID-19 Booster Doses Following 1 Ad.26.COV2.s (Janssen [Johnson & Johnson]) Vaccine Dose Against COVID-19-associated Emergency Department and Urgent Care Encounters and Hospitalizations Among Adults -- VISION Network, 10 States, December 2021-March 2022

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This Early Release issue of MMWR contains the following article: "Effectiveness of Homologous and Heterologous COVID-19 Booster Doses Following 1 Ad.26.COV2.s (Janssen [Johnson & Johnson]) Vaccine Dose Against COVID-19-associated Emergency Department and Urgent Care Encounters and Hospitalizations Among Adults -- VISION Network, 10 States, December 2021-March 2022." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from MMWR can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2022.html].

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)

2022-03-29
Fact Sheet: 2022 Nuclear Posture Review and Missile Defense Review

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "On March 28, the Department of Defense transmitted to Congress the classified 2022 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) and Missile Defense Review (MDR). The releases of the unclassified 2022 NPR and MDR are forthcoming. [...] The 2022 NPR represents a comprehensive, balanced approach to U.S. nuclear strategy, policy, posture, and forces. Maintaining a safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent and strong and credible extended deterrence commitments, remain a top priority for the Department and the Nation. The NPR underscores our commitment to reducing the role of nuclear weapons and reestablishing our leadership in arms control. [...] Within the broader context of the NDS, the MDR provides a framework for U.S. missile defense that is informed by the evolving missile threat environment. Missiles are a principal means for projecting military power, which makes missile defense a key component of integrated deterrence. The MDR assures the vital contributions of missile defenses to a resilient defense posture that reduces adversary confidence in missile use, reassures Allies, and offers military options to avoid risks of escalation."

United States. Department of Defense

2022-03-29?
Defense Primer: Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) Capabilities [Updated March 29, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "The Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) is intended to replace the Minuteman III (MMIII) Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) in the U.S. nuclear force structure. MMIII has been deployed as the ground-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad--land-based ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and nuclear-capable bombers--since 1970. (For details, see CRS Report RL33640, 'U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues,' by Amy F. Woolf.) The Air Force expects GBSD to begin replacing MMIII in 2029. Although some in Congress and outside government have debated whether to continue the program, the Biden Administration has included $3.6 billion for the GBSD in its FY2023 budget request and is expected to endorse the program in its Nuclear Posture Review."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Johnson, Benji; Woolf, Amy F.

2022-03-29
Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine: The Constitutional-Doubt Canon (Part 3 of 3) [March 29, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "The Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine (see CRS [Congressional Research Service] Legal Sidebar LSB10719, 'The Modes of Constitutional Analysis: The Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine (Part 9)') is a set of rules the Supreme Court has developed to guide federal courts in disposing of cases that raise constitutional questions in order to minimize tensions that arise when an unelected federal judiciary sets aside laws enacted by Congress or state legislatures. Under the Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine, federal courts should interpret the Constitution only when it is a 'strict necessity' [hyperlink]. In a concurring opinion in 'Ashwander v. Tennessee Valley Authority' [hyperlink], Justice Louis Brandeis identified seven rules comprising the Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine: (1) the Rule Against Feigned or Collusive Lawsuits; (2) Ripeness; (3) Judicial Minimalism; (4) the Last Resort Rule; (5) Standing and Mootness; (6) Constitutional Estoppel; and (7) the Constitutional-Doubt Canon. Rules (1), (2), (5), and (6) inform whether a court can hear a case (i.e., whether it is justiciable), while Rules (3), (4), and (7) inform how a court should address constitutional questions in cases before it. This Legal Sidebar Post on the Constitutional-Doubt Canon is the third of three that look at this latter set of rules. Because the Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine informs how the Court is likely to resolve disputes involving the constitutionality of laws, understanding the Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine may assist Congress in its legislative activities."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Dennis, Jeanne M.

2022-03-29
Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine: Judicial Minimalism (Part 1 of 3) [March 29, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "The Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine (see CRS [Congressional Research Service] Legal Sidebar LSB10719, 'The Modes of Constitutional Analysis: The Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine (Part 9)') is a set of rules the Supreme Court has developed to guide federal courts in disposing of cases that raise constitutional questions in order to minimize tensions that arise when an unelected federal judiciary sets aside laws enacted by Congress or state legislatures. Under the Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine, federal courts should interpret the Constitution only when it is a 'strict necessity' [hyperlink]. In a concurring opinion in 'Ashwander v. Tennessee Valley Authority' [hyperlink], Justice Louis Brandeis identified seven rules comprising the Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine: (1) the Rule Against Feigned or Collusive Lawsuits; (2) Ripeness; (3) Judicial Minimalism; (4) the Last Resort Rule; (5) Standing and Mootness; (6) Constitutional Estoppel; and (7) the Constitutional-Doubt Canon. Rules (1), (2), (5), and (6) inform whether a court can hear a case (i.e., whether it is justiciable), while Rules (3), (4), and (7) inform how a court should address constitutional questions in cases before it. This Legal Sidebar Post on Judicial Minimalism is the first of three that look at this latter set of rules. Because the Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine informs how the Court is likely to resolve disputes involving the constitutionality of laws, understanding the Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine may assist Congress in its legislative activities."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Dennis, Jeanne M.

2022-03-29
Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine: The Last Resort Rule (Part 2 of 3) [March 29, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Document: "The Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine (see CRS [Congressional Research Service] Legal Sidebar LSB10719, 'The Modes of Constitutional Analysis: The Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine (Part 9)') is a set of rules the Supreme Court has developed to guide federal courts in disposing of cases that raise constitutional questions in order to minimize tensions that arise when an unelected federal judiciary sets aside laws enacted by Congress or state legislatures. Under the Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine, federal courts should interpret the Constitution only when it is a 'strict necessity' [hyperlink]. In a concurring opinion in 'Ashwander v. Tennessee Valley Authority' [hyperlink], Justice Louis Brandeis identified seven rules comprising the Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine: (1) the Rule Against Feigned or Collusive Lawsuits; (2) Ripeness; (3) Judicial Minimalism; (4) the Last Resort Rule; (5) Standing and Mootness; (6) Constitutional Estoppel; and (7) the Constitutional-Doubt Canon. Rules (1), (2), (5), and (6) inform whether a court can hear a case (i.e., whether it is justiciable), while Rules (3), (4), and (7) inform how a court should address constitutional questions in cases before it. This Legal Sidebar Post on the Last Resort Rule is the second of three that look at this latter set of rules. Because the Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine informs how the Court is likely to resolve disputes involving the constitutionality of laws, understanding the Constitutional Avoidance Doctrine may assist Congress in its legislative activities."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Dennis, Jeanne M.

2022-03-29
Presidential Succession in Turkmenistan: Issues for Congress [March 29, 2022]

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Overview: "Turkmenistan, an authoritarian country rich in hydrocarbons that borders Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and the Caspian Sea, held a snap presidential election on March 12, 2022. Serdar Berdimuhamedov [hyperlink], son of incumbent President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, won with a reported 73% [hyperlink] of the vote and was inaugurated [hyperlink] on March 19. Analysts had long speculated [hyperlink] that Serdar was being positioned by his father to succeed to the presidency. The younger Berdimuhamedov was elected [hyperlink] to parliament in 2016 and went on to hold a number of increasingly senior government positions. In September 2021 he turned 40, the minimum age for presidential candidates. Despite rumors about Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov's health, analysts were surprised [hyperlink] by the timing of the election. Some speculate that it may have been motivated [hyperlink] by January unrest in neighboring Kazakhstan, while others emphasize [hyperlink] that it was the culmination of a long-term process rather than a 'knee-jerk reaction.'"

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Blackwood, Maria A.

2022-03-29
Freedom of Information Act: Selected Agencies Adapted to COVID-19 Challenges but Actions Needed to Reduce Backlogs, Statement of James R. Mctigue, Jr., Director, Strategic Issues, Testimony Before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Highlights: "FOIA [Freedom of Information Act] seeks to improve the public's access to government information and promote openness and accountability in government. However, the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic presented challenges for FOIA administration by significantly affecting how federal employees performed their work as agencies adopted a maximum telework posture and limited on-site work. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to testify on FOIA government-wide performance and the associated impact of the pandemic. Specifically, this statement summarizes the results from GAO's previously issued reports on (1) government-wide FOIA performance for fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019 and long-term trends from fiscal years 2012 through 2020; (2) selected agencies' initial pandemic-related challenges and their use of leading practices to maintain FOIA operations; (3) selected agencies' continuing challenges with FOIA request backlogs; and (4) selected agencies' use of proactive information disclosures--making records publicly available without waiting for specific requests."

United States. Government Accountability Office

McTigue, James R., Jr.

2022-03-29
H. Rept. 117-284: Resolution Recommending That the House of Representatives Find Peter K. Navarro and Daniel Scavino, Jr., in Contempt of Congress for Refusal to Comply with Subpoenas Duly Issued by the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, Report, March 29, 2022

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Purpose and Summary: "On January 6, 2021, a violent mob attempted to impede Congress's constitutional and statutory mandate to count the electoral votes in the 2020 Presidential election and launched an assault on the United States Capitol Complex that resulted in multiple deaths, physical harm to more than 140 members of law enforcement, and terror and trauma among staff, institutional employees, and press. In response, the House adopted House Resolution 503 on June 30, 2021, establishing the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol (hereinafter referred to as the ''Select Committee''). The Select Committee is investigating the facts, circumstances, and causes of the January 6th attack and issues relating to the interference with the peaceful transfer of power, in order to identify and evaluate problems and to recommend to the House and its relevant committees corrective laws, policies, procedures, rules, or regulations. This inquiry includes examination of the factors that influenced, instigated, or contributed to the attack and how various individuals and entities coordinated their activities leading up to the attack."

United States. Government Publishing Office

2022-03-29
H. Rept. 117-282: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022, Report to Accompany H.R. 6865, March 29, 2022

Show summary Open resource [pdf] (open full abstract)
From the Purpose of Legislation: "The purpose of H.R. 6865, as amended, is to authorize $12.8 billion in discretionary funding for the United States Coast Guard (hereinafter Coast Guard or Service) in fiscal year 2022 and $13.9 billion in fiscal year 2023, setting aside $585 million for improvements to Coast Guard shoreside infrastructure and facilities. The bill also authorizes $510 million for the acquisition of a twelfth National Security Cutter and three Fast Response Cutters, $350 million for the acquisition of a Great Lakes icebreaker in fiscal year 2022, and $20 million in fiscal year 2023 for icebreaking cutters for operation in the Great Lakes, Northeastern United States, and the Arctic. The bill reauthorizes the end-of-year strength of 44,500 active-duty personnel and gradually increases the number of commissioned officers on the active-duty promotion list to 7,400 by fiscal year 2025. Further, H.R. 6865, as amended, allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to increase the authorized end strength of the Coast Guard Selected Reserves by up to 3 percent and the Commandant by up to 2 percent of the existing end strength per fiscal year. Finally, the bill makes reforms to Coast Guard authorities and laws governing shipping and navigation."

United States. Government Publishing Office

2022-03-29

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26