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2022 Summit of the Americas [May 24, 2022]
From the Document: "The United States is scheduled to host the Ninth Summit of the Americas [hyperlink] in Los Angeles on June 6-10, 2022. The Summits of the Americas, held roughly every three years, serve as opportunities for the Western Hemisphere's heads of government to engage directly with one another and address issues of collective concern. In May 2021, the Senate passed S.Res. 120, calling on the President to 'lead a strong and coordinated diplomatic effort' during the summit process to strengthen democratic governance, support post-pandemic economic recovery efforts, enhance security cooperation, and address displacement and migration in the Western Hemisphere. Depending on what, if any, commitments or proposals the President makes at the summit, he could call on Congress to approve policy changes and/or appropriate resources."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Meyer, Peter J.
2022-05-24
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China's Global Investments: Data and Transparency Challenges [Updated May 24, 2022]
From the Document: "During the past 20 years, the People's Republic of China (PRC or China) has significantly increased its investment overseas. In 1999, China launched its 'Go Global Strategy' to support the expansion of Chinese firms abroad and make them more globally competitive. Since then, these firms-- many of which are closely tied to the PRC government-- have acquired foreign assets and pledged billions of dollars to finance infrastructure abroad. Many in Congress and the Biden Administration are focusing on the critical implications of China's growing global economic reach for U.S. economic and geopolitical strategic interests. [...] Data limitations, combined with the number of unknown variables that drive China's foreign economic policy decisionmaking processes, can affect how Members of Congress perceive and address the challenges that China's overseas economic activities pose to U.S. and global interests. These limitations and uncertainties also complicate efforts to understand trends and assess the ways in which China's global economic reach may differ from that of the United States."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Schwarzenberg, Andres B.
2022-05-24
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China's Economic and Trade Ties with Russia [May 24, 2022]
From the Document: "Two developments in February 2022--the announcement by leaders of the People's Republic of China (PRC or China) and the Russian Federation (Russia) of a strategic partnership that 'knows no limits' and Russia's renewed invasion of Ukraine with tacit PRC support--may raise new considerations for Congress about the deepening China-Russia ties. China's trade, financial, and technology ties with Russia may affect the strength of U.S.-led efforts to constrain Russia, including through sanctions and export controls. China's alignment with Russia also appears to be part of broader efforts to create alternative global systems in trade, finance, and technology that could intensify and challenge the liberal global economic order. Also see CRS In Focus IF12100, 'China-Russia Relations.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sutter, Karen M.; Sutherland, Michael D.
2022-05-24
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Europe: Fact Sheet on Parliamentary and Presidential Elections [Updated May 24, 2022]
From the Introduction: "This report provides a map of parliamentary and presidential elections that have been held or are scheduled to be held at the national level in Europe in 2022, and a table of recent and upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections at the national level in Europe. It includes dates for direct parliamentary elections only, and excludes indirect elections.1 Europe is defined in this product as the fifty countries under the portfolio of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. The report does not include the Holy See (Vatican City), as there are not any direct presidential or parliamentary elections held there. Electoral rules and governance structures can vary widely across European countries."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Plagakis, Sofia
2022-05-24
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Dynamic Scoring in the Congressional Budget Process [Updated May 24, 2022]
From the Document: "When Congress considers legislation, it takes into account the proposal's potential budgetary effects. This helps Members to weigh the legislation's merits, and to consider whether it complies with the budgetary rules that Congress has created for itself. While information on the potential budgetary effects of legislation may come from numerous sources, the authority to determine whether legislation complies with congressional budgetary rules is given to the House and Senate Budget Committees. In this capacity, the budget committees generally rely on estimates provided by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT). As described in the following section, cost estimates provided by CBO and JCT are guided by certain requirements that Congress has articulated in different forms. These requirements are not completely prescriptive, however, and as a result both CBO and JCT adopt practices and conventions that guide the creation of cost estimates. [...] This report provides information on the authorities and requirements under which cost estimates are prepared, as well as a summary of the debate surrounding dynamic cost estimates, and previous rules and requirements related to dynamic estimates. Currently, no congressional rules explicitly require dynamic estimates, and Congress may examine what rules changes, if any, are needed in the area of dynamic estimates. This report, therefore, includes information on options for the creation of dynamic scoring rules, and general considerations for Congress related to dynamic estimates."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne; Gravelle, Jane
2022-05-24
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mRNA Technologies: A Primer [May 24, 2022]
From the Introduction: "The unprecedented development speed of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]) vaccines highlight just one application of emerging technologies based on messenger RNA [Ribonucleic acid] (mRNA [messenger Ribonucleic acid]), which have many promising uses and benefits. In addition to enabling rapid vaccine development for emerging infectious diseases, these technologies may soon have wider application in preventing and treating other diseases. This report discusses what mRNA is and why it has so many potential uses; how the federal government and private companies developed these technologies; federal and other investments in research and development (R&D) related to these technologies; future potential uses; and congressional considerations raised by these technologies."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gallo, Marcy E.; Gottron, Frank
2022-05-24
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NIBRS Participation Rates and Federal Crime Data Quality [May 24, 2022]
From the Document: "Since 1930, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI's) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program has collected and published annual crime data. These data are typically delayed by about nine months, and since 2020 the FBI has also released quarterly crime data. Although the release of 2021 crime data is not anticipated until late summer or fall 2022, data for the first quarter of 2021 was expected to be released in early 2022. However, the FBI has announced that due to low participation rates [hyperlink] it was unable to release all of the quarterly 2021 crime data. The FBI stated that it was not releasing the expected quarterly data due to agency participation falling below a 60% participation threshold.[...] The FBI plans to release the full year of 2021 data [hyperlink] with confidence intervals to indicate a lack of precision in the data; however, the FBI said it would not publish percentage change estimates or compare estimates to prior years. The FBI further stated that it will not release state-level estimates if the participating LEAs in a state cover less than 80% of the state population. Given these participation rates, Congress may consider a range of options to expand implementation of the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hanson, Emily J.
2022-05-24
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Iran's Nuclear Program: Tehran's Compliance with International Obligations [Updated May 24, 2022]
From the Introduction: "Iran ratified the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1970. Article III of the treaty requires nonnuclear-weapon states-parties to accept comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards; Tehran concluded a comprehensive safeguards agreement with the IAEA in 1974. In 2002, the agency began investigating allegations that Iran had conducted clandestine nuclear activities; the IAEA ultimately reported that some of these activities had violated Tehran's safeguards agreement. Following more than three years of investigation, the IAEA Board of Governors reported the matter to the U.N. Security Council in February 2006. Since then, the council adopted six resolutions requiring Iran to take steps to alleviate international concerns about its nuclear program. This report provides a brief overview of Iran's nuclear program and describes the legal basis for the actions taken by the IAEA board and the Security Council."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kerr, Paul K.
2022-05-24
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Executive Budget Process: An Overview [Updated May 24, 2022]
From the Summary: "The Constitution vests Congress with the power of the purse, with several provisions referring to congressional authority to levy taxes, authorize the issuance of debt, and make appropriations to fund the federal government. The Constitution does not provide an explicit role for the President in the budget process. The executive budget process, as currently constituted, exists primarily due to statutes enacted by Congress. [...] The federal budget sustains government functions and plays an important role in shaping policy decisions. Congress regularly reviews the appropriate balance of budgetary responsibilities between the legislative and executive branches, the transparency of budget execution decisions made by the President and OMB [Office of Management and Budget], and whether the existing budget timeline continues to meet the needs of the federal government. In light of these considerations, Congress may evaluate legislative or oversight options that amend aspects of the executive budget process."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Fiorentino, Dominick A.; Riccard, Taylor N.
2022-05-24
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Use of Defense Production Act Authorities to Respond to the U.S. Infant Formula Shortage [May 24, 2022]
From the Document: "On May 18, 2022, as part of a broader response to a domestic shortage of infant formula, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. issued Presidential Determination 2022-13 [hyperlink] (the Determination), delegating several authorities under the Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA; 50 U.S.C. [United States Code] §§ 4501 'et seq.' [hyperlink]) to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure availability of infant formula. This Insight summarizes the Determination, provides background on use of the DPA to address food supply chain issues, and explores potential considerations for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Peters, Heidi M.; Hart, Nina M.; Lee, Erica A.
2022-05-24
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Industrial Policy and International Trade [May 23, 2022]
From the Document: "Supply-chain vulnerabilities revealed by the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic have intensified debate in Congress about the proper role of the government in the U.S. economy. The debate also reflects growing concerns about how some foreign governments use state support and guidance to boost their industries, thereby potentially causing the United States and others to lose global market share and competitiveness. China's statist model of economic development, for example, relies on a comprehensive industrial policy that nurtures a wide range of strategic and emerging industries through government measures, including subsidies and protection against import competition. The scope and scale of these market-distorting practices can create an uneven playing field for U.S. firms."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Schwarzenberg, Andres B.
2022-05-23
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Child Soldiers Prevention Act: Security Assistance Restrictions [Updated May 23, 2022]
From the Document: "The recruitment and use of children in armed conflict is broadly viewed as a human rights problem, a form of trafficking in persons, among the worst forms of child labor, and a war crime. The United Nations (U.N.) has identified the recruitment and use of child soldiers as among six 'grave violations' affecting children in war and has established numerous monitoring and reporting mechanisms and initiatives to combat this practice. The United Nations verified that more than 8,000 children were used as soldiers in 2020, including in Somalia (1,716), Syria (813), Burma/Myanmar (790), Democratic Republic of the Congo (788), Central African Republic (584), and Mali (284), among other countries. Most children were recruited by non-state actors. U.S. efforts to eradicate this phenomenon internationally are guided largely by the Child Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008 (CSPA, Title IV of P.L. [Public Law] 110-457), which defines the term 'child soldier' and restricts certain security assistance to countries that recruit or use child soldiers, among other provisions. The Child Soldier Prevention Act of 2018 (Title II, Subtitle B of P.L. 115-425), which became law in January 2019, strengthened some of the CSPA's provisions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Weber, Michael A.
2022-05-23
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Crisis in Mali [Updated May 23, 2022]
From the Document: "Once seen as a regional democratic leader, Mali has become an epicenter of conflict and instability over the past decade. A military junta ousted an elected president in 2020, then overthrew civilian transitional leaders the following year. Colonel Assimi Goïta now serves as 'Transition President' and populist politician Choguel Maïga as prime minister. The junta has engaged in an increasingly bitter confrontation with former colonial power France--which has led counterterrorism operations in Mali since 2013--and with other leaders in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), who have imposed sanctions in response to Mali's failure to adhere to a previously agreed election timeline. Local insurgent groups affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State are active across central and northern Mali. Other rebel groups, communal militias, and criminal bands are also active, some with apparent state backing. A 2015 peace deal between Bamako and northern separatist rebels has not been fully implemented. Insurgents, state security forces, allied militias, and private military contractors (PMCs) have been implicated in massacres and other abuses. Conflict-affected areas are experiencing crisis-level food insecurity in 2022; overall, Mali has one of the world's highest rates of acute malnutrition, while global food and fuel price spikes pose additional burdens. The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has compounded hardships."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Arieff, Alexis
2022-05-23
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Inspectors General and the Implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act [May 23, 2022]
From the Document: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic brought increased attention [hyperlink] to the risk of fraud and waste in large federal spending programs. Congress created substantial oversight [hyperlink] for pandemic programs, but many Members have expressed concern with reports of fraud in some programs. As the Biden Administration implements the bipartisan infrastructure bill (the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act [IIJA]; P.L. 117-58), which provides over $500 billion in new infrastructure spending, it has announced a more proactive approach to addressing potential fraud and waste. This approach includes an emphasis on risk management and increased engagement with inspectors general (IGs) to identify and address potential risks before they arise.[...] This Insight begins with a brief summary of the new guidance memorandum as it relates to IGs, followed by discussion of its broader link to enterprise risk management. Finally, the Insight identifies aspects of this issue that congressional stakeholders may wish to monitor."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wilhelm, Ben
2022-05-23
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Opioid Block Grants [May 23, 2022]
From the Document: "Beginning in the late 1990s, the United States experienced a significant increase in opioid-related drug overdose deaths, which rose from 8,050 in 1999 to 49,860 in 2019. To address the rising rates of opioid use and overdose deaths, Congress created new opioid-specific block grant programs that provide funding to increase access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment such as medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid-use disorder."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Duff, Johnathan H.
2022-05-23
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Tariffs and the Infant Formula Shortage [May 23, 2022]
From the Document: "The United States is experiencing a shortage of infant formula. The shortage is localized to the United States. Some analyses argue [hyperlink] that high tariffs on formula impeded [hyperlink] the development of foreign sources of infant formula for the U.S. market and exacerbated [hyperlink] the U.S. shortage. As a result, tariffs are a focus of congressional attention, and legislation addressing tariffs [hyperlink] has been introduced."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Casey, Christopher A.
2022-05-23
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Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions: An Overview [May 23, 2022]
From the Document: "Congress frequently delegates rulemaking authority to federal agencies in legislation. Having an early sense of the rules agencies are planning to issue and when they are planning to issue them can help Congress track and conduct oversight over the use of this delegated legislative authority. One tool that Congress and the public can use to identify ongoing rulemaking activities is the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. The Unified Agenda is a government-wide, semiannual publication that lists proposed and final rules that agencies plan to issue in the next six to 12 months. It also lists rules that agencies plan to issue in the long term. Members of Congress, congressional committees, and staff may find the Unified Agenda to be a valuable source of information on upcoming rules, including rules issued by agencies within a committee's jurisdiction or within federal programs of interest. The Unified Agenda is published in the spring and fall each year by the Regulatory Information Service Center, a component of the General Services Administration, for the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the entity within the Office of Management and Budget that has primary oversight responsibilities over most agencies' rulemaking activities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Carey, Maeve P.
2022-05-23
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U.S. Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) [Updated May 23, 2022]
From the Document: "The Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), with a reported range of 1,725 miles, consists of a ground-launched missile equipped with a hypersonic glide body and associated transport, support, and fire control equipment. According to the Army: This land-based, truck-launched system is armed with hypersonic missiles that can travel well over 3,800 miles per hour. They can reach the top of the Earth's atmosphere and remain just beyond the range of air and missile defense systems until they are ready to strike, and by then it's too late to react. Extremely accurate, ultrafast, maneuverable and survivable, hypersonics can strike anywhere in the world within minutes. For the battery, the task force and the U.S. Army, they provide a critical strategic weapon and a powerful deterrent against adversary capabilities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Feickert, Andrew
2022-05-23
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Defense Primer: Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) Process [Updated May 20, 2022]
From the Introduction: "Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) is the Department of Defense (DOD) process for allocating resources among the armed services, defense agencies, and other components. The annual process serves as the framework for DOD civilian and military leaders to decide which programs and force management requirements to fund based on strategic objectives. This product describes a notional PPBE process from the perspective of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). In practice, aspects of the process may differ based on current events or leadership preferences. [...] The process is designed to produce DOD's portion of the President's annual budget request to Congress, as well as updates to the department's five-year spending plan, known as the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP). PPBE is one of DOD's three main acquisition-related decision support systems, along with the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) for developing requirements to address capability gaps and the Defense Acquisition System (DAS) for managing acquisition programs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McGarry, Brendan W.; Williams, Lynn M.
2022-05-20
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Iran's Nuclear Program: Tehran's Compliance with International Obligations [Updated May 20, 2022]
From the Introduction: "Iran ratified the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1970. Article III of the treaty requires nonnuclear-weapon states-parties to accept comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards; Tehran concluded a comprehensive safeguards agreement with the IAEA in 1974. In 2002, the agency began investigating allegations that Iran had conducted clandestine nuclear activities; the IAEA ultimately reported that some of these activities had violated Tehran's safeguards agreement. Following more than three years of investigation, the IAEA Board of Governors reported the matter to the U.N. Security Council in February 2006. Since then, the council adopted six resolutions requiring Iran to take steps to alleviate international concerns about its nuclear program. This report provides a brief overview of Iran's nuclear program and describes the legal basis for the actions taken by the IAEA board and the Security Council."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kerr, Paul K.
2022-05-20
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U.S. Border Patrol Encounters at the Southwest Border: Titles 8 & 42 [Updated May 20, 2022] [infographic]
From the Document: "The U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) is part of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) Customs and Border Protection (CBP). When the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) encounters a migrant entering illegally between ports of entry, they are processed for removal under Title 8 (immigration law) and asked whether they fear persecution or intend to seek asylum. However, at the start of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in March 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an order requiring USBP to use an additional procedure at the border under Title 42 (public health code). The policy prohibits the entry of certain migrants to prevent the introduction of COVID-19 into border facilities and the United States. Individuals subject to the order are not held in congregate areas for processing and not given a credible fear interview to pursue the asylum process. Instead they are swiftly expelled to Mexico or their counties of origin. The focus of this infographic is on the Southwest border; migrants arriving at the Northern border between ports of entry are subject to the same processes but make up a small share of total USBP encounters."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Singer, Audrey
2022-05-20
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FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act: Context and Selected Issues for Congress [May 20, 2022]
From the Summary: "The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is policy legislation typically introduced and reported each year by the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC). The act primarily sets policy and authorizes appropriations for activities of the Department of Defense (DOD) and national security programs of the Department of Energy (DOE). FY2022 marked the 61st consecutive year for which Congress enacted an annual defense authorization. [...] This report compares authorizations for major defense appropriations titles, programs, and policy matters in the Administration's FY2022 budget request, House-passed and SASC-reported versions of the FY2022 NDAA, and enacted legislation. This report also provides references to other CRS reports that provide in-depth analysis and contextual information on certain defense and foreign policy issues."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McGarry, Brendan W.
2022-05-20
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Confucius Institutes in the United States: Selected Issues [Updated May 20, 2022]
From the Document: "The People's Republic of China (PRC or China)'s Confucius Institutes offer instruction in Chinese language in universities around the world. The Institutes have been the subject of controversy since appearing on U.S. university campuses in 2005, particularly for their perceived effects on academic freedom and for their lack of transparency. They have attracted further attention during the past several years as the broader U.S.-China relationship has deteriorated. Some Members of Congress and others have alleged that they may play a role in China's efforts to influence public opinion abroad, recruit 'influence agents' on U.S. campuses, and engage in cyber espionage and intellectual property theft. PRC officials have denied such charges, and suggested that the Institutes have become victims of a U.S. 'Cold War mentality.' Supporters of the Institutes have emphasized that they provide Chinese language and cultural programs that benefit students, universities, and surrounding communities, and that such offerings may not otherwise be available. Many U.S. universities have terminated their contracts with Confucius Institutes in the past four years."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lum, Thomas G. (Thomas Gong), 1961-; Fischer, Hannah
2022-05-20
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Foreign Leaders Addressing Congress [Updated May 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Foreign leaders are periodically invited to address Congress. The first address by a foreign dignitary occurred on December 10, 1824, when Revolutionary War hero the Marquis de Lafayette addressed the House. The most recent address took place on May 17, 2022, when His Excellency Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, addressed a joint meeting of Congress. [...] When a foreign leader formally visits the United States he or she is sometimes invited to address Congress. The decision to invite a foreign leader to address Congress has historically been made by the congressional leadership, often in consultation and conjunction with the executive branch. No formal procedure on when or how to issue invitations is codified in law or in House or Senate rules. Not all foreign leaders who visit the United States are invited to address Congress. When a foreign leader is invited to address Congress, the invitation is formally extended by the Speaker of the House on behalf of the House and Senate leadership."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Straus, Jacob R.
2022-05-19
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AUKUS and Indo-Pacific Security [May 19, 2022]
From the AUKUS Overview: "Launched in September 2021, the Australia, United Kingdom (UK), United States (AUKUS) security pact is described by analysts as the most significant security arrangement among the three countries in a generation. Observers say the three allies launched AUKUS as a strategic response to China's growing military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region (see 'Figure 1'). President Biden stated that AUKUS will 'update and enhance our shared ability to take on the threats of the 21st century' and noted that the three nations 'stood shoulder-to-shoulder' and fought together in two world wars, Korea, and the Persian Gulf. Although international attention initially focused on the proposed transfer of nuclear propulsion technology to Australia, observers say the pact's plan to develop advanced technologies and other military capabilities over the longer term may prove to be equally significant (see CRS In Focus IF11999, 'AUKUS Nuclear Cooperation'). The agreement may also prompt closer cooperation on other security threats. In April 2022, for example, AUKUS leaders committed 'to commence new trilateral cooperation on hypersonics, counter-hypersonics, and electronic warfare capabilities' in response to China's tests of its own hypersonic missiles, which Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley described as 'very concerning.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mix, Derek E.; Vaughn, Bruce, 1963-
2022-05-19
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Libya and U.S. Policy [Updated May 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Eleven years after a 2011 uprising that toppled long-time authoritarian leader Muammar al Qadhafi, Libya has yet to make a transition to stable governing arrangements. Elections and diplomacy have produced a series of interim governments ('Figure 1'), but militias, local leaders, and subnational coalitions backed by competing foreign patrons have remained the most powerful arbiters of public affairs. The postponement of planned elections in 2021, Libyans' continuing lack of consensus over constitutional and legal arrangements, the potential fragility of a United Nations (U.N.)-backed ceasefire, and the reemergence of institutional rivalry threaten Libya's stability and pose challenges for U.S. decisionmakers. Successive U.S. Administrations have sought to prevent Libya from serving as a permissive environment for transnational terrorist groups and have taken different approaches to conflict and competition among Libyans. The Biden Administration supports the holding of new elections in Libya and has used U.S. influence to bolster U.N.-led mediation efforts to that end. Congress has appropriated funds to enable U.S. diplomacy and aid programs, and some Members have called for more assertive U.S. engagement."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Christopher M.
2022-05-19
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Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) Program [Updated May 18, 2022]
From the Background: "The RCV [Robotic Combat Vehicle] is a vehicle being developed as part of the Army's Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) family of vehicles. The Army plans to develop three RCV variants: Light, Medium, and Heavy. The Army reportedly envisions employing RCVs as 'scouts' and 'escorts' for manned fighting vehicles to deter ambushes and to guard the flanks of mechanized formations. As originally planned, RCVs are to be controlled by operators riding in NGCVs [Next Generation Combat Vehicles], but the Army hopes that improved ground navigation technology and artificial intelligence (AI) might eventually permit a single operator to control multiple RCVs or for RCVs to operate in a more autonomous mode."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Feickert, Andrew
2022-05-18
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Army's Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) System [Updated May 18, 2022]
From the Document: "The Army's MPF [Mobile Protected Firepower] system is intended to address an operational shortfall: Currently the Army's Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCT) do not have a combat vehicle assigned that is capable of providing mobile, protected, direct, offensive fire capability.... The MPF solution is an integration of existing mature technologies and components that avoids development which would lengthen the program schedule. Operationally, the Army wants the MPF to be able to Neutralize enemy prepared positions and bunkers and defeat heavy machine guns and armored vehicle threats during offensive operations or when conducting defensive operations against attacking enemies. In terms of the Army's overall procurement plans for MPF, The Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) for MPF is 504 vehicles, with 14 MPFs per IBCT. The targeted fielding for the First Unit Equipped (FUE) is Fiscal Year (FY) 2025."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Feickert, Andrew
2022-05-18
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Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated May 18, 2022]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program, a program carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy that gives Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers a capability for conducting BMD operations. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify Department of Defense (DOD) acquisition strategies and proposed funding levels for the Aegis BMD program. Congress's decisions on the Aegis BMD program could significantly affect U.S. BMD capabilities and funding requirements, and the BMD-related industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-05-18
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Iraq and U.S. Policy [Updated May 18, 2022]
From the Document: "Iraq held a national election on October 10, 2021, with voters selecting 329 members for the unicameral legislature, the Council of Representatives (COR). [...] An impasse between competing blocs has delayed the COR's selection of the president since January 2022. [...] It remains to be seen whether the election result and formation talks will reduce the formal influence of Iran-aligned groups who seek to revise or rescind Iraq's invitation to U.S. military advisors to remain in Iraq. A compromise coalition government could emerge that includes or reflects the interests of Iran-backed groups alongside their rivals. Such a government could lower the risk of political violence, but also may make systemic reforms less likely. In assessing the government that emerges in Iraq, Congress and the Biden Administration may weigh the benefits of continued security cooperation and other bilateral ties against risks to Iraq's stability posed by the persistence of patronage politics, corruption, oil dependence, and armed non-state actors."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Christopher M.
2022-05-18
