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Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 18, 2019]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Coast Guard's programs for procuring 8 National Security Cutters (NSCs), 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), and 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRCs). The Coast Guard's proposed FY2020 budget requests a total of $657 million in procurement funding for the NSC, OPC, and FRC programs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2019-12-18
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Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) [Updated December 17, 2019]
From the Document: "The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is an interagency body comprised of nine Cabinet members, two ex officio members, and other members as appointed by the President, that assists the President in reviewing the national security aspects of foreign direct investment in the U.S. economy. While the group often operated in relative obscurity, the perceived change in the nation's national security and economic concerns following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the proposed acquisition of commercial operations at six U.S. ports by Dubai Ports World in 2006 placed CFIUS's review procedures under intense scrutiny by Members of Congress and the public. In 2018, prompted by concerns over Chinese and other foreign investment in U.S. companies with advanced technology, Members of Congress and the Trump Administration enacted the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 (FIRRMA), which became effective on November 11, 2018. This measure marked the most comprehensive revision of the foreign investment review process under CFIUS since the previous revision in 2007, the Foreign Investment and National Security Act (FINSA). On September 17, 2019, the Department of the Treasury proposed regulations for public notice and comment to implement key parts of FIRRMA concerning how certain real estate and noncontrolling investments will be scrutinized."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jackson, James K., 1949-
2019-12-17
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Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania: Background and U.S.-Baltic Relations [Updated January 2, 2020]
From the Summary: "Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, often referred to as the Baltic states, are close U.S. allies and considered among the most pro-U.S. countries in Europe. Strong U.S. relations with these three states are rooted in history. The United States never recognized the Soviet Union's forcible incorporation of the Baltic states in 1940, and it applauded the restoration of their independence in 1991. These policies were backed by Congress on a bipartisan basis. The United States supported the Baltic states' accession to NATO and the European Union (EU) in 2004. Especially since Russia's 2014 invasion of Ukraine, potential threats posed to the Baltic states by Russia have been a primary driver of increased U.S. and congressional interest in the region. Congressional interest in the Baltic states has focused largely on defense cooperation and security assistance for the purposes of deterring potential Russian aggression and countering hybrid threats, such as disinformation campaigns and cyberattacks. Energy security is another main area of U.S. and congressional interest in the Baltic region."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mix, Derek E.
2020-01-02
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Do Warrantless Searches of Electronic Devices at the Border Violate the Fourth Amendment? [December 20, 2019]
From the Document: "The Fourth Amendment commands that searches and seizures be reasonable, and generally requires the government to secure a warrant based on probable cause before arresting or searching an individual. But the Supreme Court has long recognized that the government may conduct routine inspections and searches of individuals entering at the U.S. border without a warrant or any individualized suspicion of criminal activity. In recent decades, some federal courts have applied the 'border search exception' to allow relatively limited, manual searches at the border of electronic devices such as computers and cell phones. Courts, however, have disagreed over whether more intrusive, forensic examinations of such devices require heightened suspicion of criminal activity. [...] This Legal Sidebar examines the application of the Fourth Amendment's border search exception to searches of electronic devices and the district court's decision in 'Alasaad' limiting the government's border search authority."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Smith, Hillel R.
2019-12-20
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Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act: An Overview [December 11, 2019]
From the Document: "Amid increased legislative and public attention to issues relating to harassment, the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act (CAA Reform Act) passed both chambers of Congress by unanimous consent and was signed into law on December 21, 2018. As the one-year-mark of the Act's passage approaches--and with an annual report required of the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights soon due in January 2020--this Legal Sidebar provides background on the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA), and an overview of several key changes resulting from the CAA Reform Act."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Back, Christine J.
2019-12-11
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Congress Considers Making it Harder to File for Bankruptcy in New York or Delaware [Updated December 11, 2019]
From the Document: "Commentators, citing the significant concentration of business bankruptcies filed in New York and Delaware to the exclusion of other jurisdictions, have debated for several decades whether Congress should reduce the flexibility that many companies currently enjoy when selecting where to file for bankruptcy. Critics maintain that the current bankruptcy venue rules--many of which offer large companies a wide range of forums in which they may permissibly file for bankruptcy--encourage debtors to file for bankruptcy in courts that favor debtors and their attorneys to the detriment of creditors and other stakeholders. Supporters of the existing venue rules, by contrast, argue that concentrating large business bankruptcies in a few forums allows judges and attorneys in those jurisdictions to develop extensive expertise and experience with complex bankruptcy matters, benefiting debtors, creditors, and stakeholders alike."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lewis, Kevin M.
2019-12-11
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Dispute Settlement in the WTO and U.S. Trade Agreements [Updated December 6, 2019]
From the Document: "The United States traditionally has championed the use of effective and reciprocal dispute settlement (DS) mechanisms to enforce commitments in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in U.S. free trade agreements (FTAs). While effective and enforceable DS has been a long-standing U.S. trade negotiating objective, its use has become controversial following some adverse decisions, particularly with regard to U.S. trade remedy law."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Fergusson, Ian F.
2019-12-06
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Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States [Updated December 16, 2019]
From the Overview: "The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is an interagency committee that serves the President in overseeing the national security implications of foreign investment in the economy. It reviews foreign investment transactions to determine if (1) they threaten to impair the national security; (2) the foreign investor is controlled by a foreign government; or (3) the transaction could affect homeland security or would result in control of any critical infrastructure that could impair the national security. The President has the authority to block proposed or pending foreign investment transactions that threaten to impair the national security."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jackson, James K., 1949-
2019-12-16
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Power of Congress and the Executive to Exclude Aliens: Constitutional Principles [December 30, 2019]
From the Document: "Under long-standing Supreme Court precedent, Congress has 'plenary power' to regulate immigration. This power, according to the Court, is the most complete that Congress possesses. It allows Congress to make laws concerning non-U.S. nationals (aliens) that would be unconstitutional if applied to citizens. And while the immigration power has proven less than absolute when directed at aliens already physically present within the United States, the Supreme Court has interpreted the power to apply with most force to the admission and exclusion of nonresident aliens. The Court has upheld or shown approval of laws excluding aliens on the basis of ethnicity, gender and legitimacy, and political belief. It has also upheld an executive exclusion policy that was premised on a broad statutory delegation of authority, even though some evidence considered by the Court tended to show that religious hostility may have prompted the policy. Outside of the immigration context, in contrast, laws and policies that discriminate on such bases are almost always struck down as unconstitutional. To date, the only judicially recognized limit on Congress's power to exclude aliens concerns lawful permanent residents (LPRs): they, unlike nonresident aliens, generally cannot be denied entry without a fair hearing as to their admissibility."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Harrington, Ben
2019-12-30
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Russia's Nuclear Weapons: Doctrine, Forces, and Modernization [Updated January 2, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report [...] is divided into five sections. The first section describes Russia's nuclear strategy and focuses on ways in which that strategy differs from that of the Soviet Union. The second section provides a historical overview of the Soviet Union's nuclear force structure. The third section details Russia's current force structure, including its long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), and heavy bombers and shorter-range nonstrategic nuclear weapons. This section also highlights key elements of relevant infrastructure, including early warning, command and control, production, testing, and warhead storage. It also describes the key modernization programs that Russia is pursuing to maintain and, in some cases, expand its nuclear arsenal. The fourth section focuses on how arms control has affected the size and structure of Russia's nuclear forces. The fifth section discusses several potential issues for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Woolf, Amy F.
2020-01-02
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Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress [Updated December 30, 2019]
From the Background: "Names for Navy ships traditionally have been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the Navy, under the direction of the President and in accordance with rules prescribed by Congress. For most of the 19th century, U.S. law included language explicitly assigning the Secretary of the Navy the task of naming new Navy ships. The reference to the Secretary of the Navy disappeared from the U.S. Code in 1925. The code today (10 U.S.C. §8662) is silent on the issue of who has the authority to name new Navy ships, but the Secretary of the Navy arguably retains implicit authority, given the location of Section 8662 in subtitle C of Title 10, which covers the Navy and Marine Corps."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2019-12-30
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Defense Primer: Military Use of the Electromagnetic Spectrum [Updated December 30, 2019]
From the Document: "Since the introduction of the two-way radio in the early 1900s, militaries have been interested in the electromagnetic spectrum ('the spectrum'). The proliferation of spectrum-dependent systems in all military domains--air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace--along with Department of Defense (DOD) concepts, such as net-centric warfare and multidomain battle, increases the military's dependence on the spectrum."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoehn, John R.
2019-12-30
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Defense Primer: Special Operations Forces [Updated January 2, 2020]
From the Overview: "Special Operations Forces (SOF) are those active duty and reserve component forces of the military services designated by the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) and specifically selected, organized, trained, and equipped to conduct and support special operations. Special operations frequently require unique modes of employment, tactics, techniques, procedures, and equipment. They are often conducted in hostile, politically, and/or diplomatically sensitive environments, and are characterized by one or more of the following: time-sensitivity, clandestine or covert nature, low visibility, work with or through indigenous forces, greater requirements for regional orientation and cultural expertise, and a high degree of risk."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Torreon, Barbara Salazar; Feickert, Andrew
2020-01-02
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Enforcing International Trade Obligations in USMCA: The State-State Dispute Settlement Mechanism [January 3, 2020]
From the Document: "Enforcement of many obligations in the proposed United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which would replace the existing North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) if ratified, is covered by the dispute settlement mechanism in USMCA's Chapter 31. This mechanism would permit any of the three Parties who intend to join the Agreement (i.e., the United States, Mexico, and Canada) to bring a claim against another Party that is allegedly violating its USMCA obligations. Chapter 31, which draws substantially on NAFTA's Chapter 20 mechanism, applies to a majority of the Parties' USMCA obligations, but there are exceptions. For instance, article 32.12 exempts certain investment decisions reviewed under the 'Investment Canada Act' from Chapter 31. Additionally, USMCA includes more complex enforcement provisions for some of its chapters, including the Environment and Labor Chapters. This InFocus provides an overview of USMCA's Chapter 31 process."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hart, Nina M.
2020-01-03
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Defense Primer: Organization of U.S. Ground Forces [Updated January 2, 2020]
From the Document: "The Army and Marine Corps are organized as hierarchies of units, with each type of unit commanded by a noncommissioned or commissioned officer of a specific rank. These units are described from smallest to largest."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Torreon, Barbara Salazar; Feickert, Andrew
2020-01-02
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Capital Markets: Asset Management and Related Policy Issues [October 11, 2019]
From the Introduction: "The asset management industry operates in a complex system with many components. Asset management companies have two major product categories--public funds and private funds. [...] The first part of this report provides an overview of the asset management industry and its regulation. [...] The second part of this report considers current trends and policy issues, including (1) whether the asset management industry affects the financial stability of the United States; (2) whether regulation of the asset management industry provides sufficient protection for the retail investors who invest money in the industry; and (3) the impact of financial technology, or 'fintech,' on the industry, and whether the current regulatory framework is adequate to address these new technologies."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Su, Eva
2019-10-11
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The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program [October 15, 2019]
From the Background: "Family reunification and the admission of immigrants with needed skills are two of the major principles underlying U.S. immigration policy. As a result, current law weights the allocation of immigrant visas heavily toward individuals with close family in the United States and, to a lesser extent, toward individuals who meet particular employment needs. The diversity immigrant category was added to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by the Immigration Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-649) to stimulate 'new seed' immigration (i.e., to foster new, more varied migration from other parts of the world). Diversity visas are allocated to natives of countries from which the combination of immediate relatives, family preference, and employment preference immigrant admissions were lower than a total of 50,000 over the preceding five years combined."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wilson, Jill, 1974-
2019-10-15
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Drug Testing Unemployment Compensation Applicants & the Fourth Amendment [October 17, 2019]
From the Document: "This Sidebar begins with a general overview of the Fourth Amendment and then reviews three Supreme Court opinions addressing the constitutionality of drug testing programs in the employment context, as well as two lower court cases involving similar state laws that conditioned the receipt of federal benefits on passing drug tests. The post concludes with an assessment of factors that might affect the constitutionality of a UC [unemployment compensation] drug testing program in light of the Fourth Amendment."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Carpenter, David Hatcher
2019-10-17
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Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Federal Civil Service Annuities [Updated October 10, 2019]
From the Summary: "Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) are based on the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). COLAs for both CSRS and FERS are determined by the average monthly CPI-W during the third quarter (July to September) of the current calendar year and the third quarter of the base year, which is the last previous year in which a COLA was applied. The 'effective date' for COLAs is December, but they first appear in the benefits issued during the following January."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Isaacs, Katelin P., 1980-
2019-10-10
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Defense Primer: Military Commissaries and Exchanges [Updated October 17, 2019]
From the Document: "The Department of Defense (DOD) offers certain 'quality-of-life' benefits to military members, their families, and retirees. The general purpose of these benefits is to attract, retain, and support morale and readiness for military servicemembers. One of these benefits is world-wide access to grocery and retail stores--called 'commissaries' and 'exchanges'--typically located on military installations. Commissaries provide subsidized groceries and household goods to eligible patrons. Exchanges sell goods for profit, similar to a department or specialty store, but use some of this profit to fund various Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) activities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kamarck, Kristy N.; Torreon, Barbara Salazar
2019-10-17
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Deep Fakes and National Security [October 14, 2019]
From the Document: "'Deep fakes'--a term that first emerged in 2017 to describe realistic photo, audio, video, and other forgeries generated with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies--could present a variety of national security challenges in the years to come. As these technologies continue to mature, they could hold significant implications for congressional oversight, U.S. defense authorizations and appropriations, and the regulation of social media platforms."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sayler, Kelley M.; Harris, Laurie A.
2019-10-14
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Iran: Internal Politics and U.S. Policy and Options [Updated October 22, 2019]
From the Document: "U.S.-Iran relations have been adversarial--to varying degrees of intensity--since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. U.S. officials have consistently identified Iran's support for militant Middle East groups as a significant threat to U.S. interests and allies, and Iran's nuclear program took precedence in U.S. policy after 2002 as that program advanced. In 2010, the Obama Administration led a campaign of broad international economic pressure on Iran to persuade it to agree to strict limits on the program--an effort that contributed to Iran's acceptance of the July 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). That agreement exchanged sanctions relief for limits on Iran's nuclear program, but did not contain binding curbs on Iran's missile program, its regional interventions, or human rights abuses. The Trump Administration cited the JCPOA's deficiencies in its May 8, 2018, announcement that the United States would exit the accord and reimpose all U.S. secondary sanctions. The stated intent of that step, as well as subsequent imposition of additional sanctions on Iran, is to apply 'maximum pressure' on Iran to compel it to change its behavior, including negotiating a new JCPOA that takes into account the broad range of U.S. concerns. Iran has responded to the maximum pressure campaign by undertaking actions against commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf and by exceeding some nuclear limits set by the JCPOA."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth
2019-10-22
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Global Vaccination: Trends and U.S. Role [October 18, 2019]
From the Document: "For more than 50 years, the United States has taken an interest in the eradication of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) in children worldwide, as well as vaccine research and development, particularly since playing a vital role in the global campaign to eradicate smallpox in the 1960s. Since then, vaccinating children against VPDs has been a major U.S. foreign policy effort. Vaccinations are one of the most cost-effective ways to prevent infectious disease and associated morbidity and mortality. According to UNICEF [United Nations Children's Fund], immunizations save around 3 million lives per year. As of 2019, VPDs continue to cause high levels of morbidity (illness) and mortality (death), and the World Health Organization (WHO) notes that the adoption of new vaccines by low- and middle-income countries (which often have the highest disease burdens) has been slower than in high-income countries. Receiving a vaccination during childhood can protect the recipient from VPDs, decrease the spread of related diseases, and improve child survival prospects (as children, particularly those under five years old, are more likely than adults to die from VPDs)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tharakan, Sara M.
2019-10-18
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Introduction to Veterans Health Care [Updated October 24, 2019]
From the Document: "The federal government's role in providing health care to the nation's veterans can be traced back to World War I. The veterans' health care system was first developed in 1919 with the enactment of P.L. 65-326, which authorized the Public Health Service to provide needed care to veterans injured or sick as a result of military service--having a disability that is incurred or aggravated during active military, naval, or air service (today known as a service-connected disability). In 1924, with the enactment of the World War Veterans Act (P.L. 68-242), veterans with no service-connected disability but who were 'financially unable to pay' for care were also given access to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care, thus creating a safety net mission. Congress has enlarged the scope of VA's health care mission, and it has enacted legislation to create new programs and expand benefits and services. This In Focus briefly outlines the mission, eligibility and enrollment requirements, health care delivery system, and funding for veterans health care. Selected trends in enrollment and budget are provided as well."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Panangala, Sidath Viranga; Sussman, Jared S.
2019-10-24
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Hong Kong's Proposed Extradition Law Amendments [Updated October 23, 2019]
From the Document: "Two proposed changes to Hong Kong's extradition law have sparked over two months of massive demonstrations across the city. If they had been adopted, the changes could make anyone--including U.S. citizens--residing in, visiting, or transiting the Hong Kong Special Administrative District (HKSAR) vulnerable to investigation by or extradition to mainland China, raising concerns about possible political prosecutions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Martin, Michael F.
2019-10-23
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Military Construction: Authorities, Process, and Frequently Asked Questions [Updated November 26, 2019]
From the Introduction: "The military missions of Department of Defense (DOD) and Military Department (MILDEP) units, offices, and other organizations drive requirements for facilities and supporting infrastructure at any given military installation. As missions change, or as organizations move to or away from an installation, new facilities and supporting infrastructure may need to be built or disposed of to match mission requirements. Similarly, as buildings age or become obsolete, facilities and supporting infrastructure may need to be replaced, reconfigured, or otherwise modernized to meet mission needs. [...] This report describes and explains the end-to-end MILCON [military construction] process by which DOD and the Congress act together to build military facilities, beginning with the requirement for a facility, and ending with a completed structure. Additionally, this report provides answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the MILCON process and other associated programs and processes. Examples of relevant MILCON documentation are contained within."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Herrera, G. James; Else, Daniel H.; Williams, Lynn M.
2019-11-26
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Issues in Autonomous Vehicle Testing and Deployment [Updated November 27, 2019]
From the Document: "Autonomous vehicles have the potential to bring major improvements in highway safety. Motor vehicle crashes caused an estimated 36,560 fatalities in 2018; a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has shown that 94% of crashes are due to human errors. For this reason, federal oversight of the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles has been of considerable interest to Congress. In the 115th Congress, autonomous vehicle legislation passed the House as H.R. 3388, the SELF DRIVE [Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research In Vehicle Evolution] Act, and a separate bill, S. 1885, the AV START [American Vision for Safer Transportation through Advancement of Revolutionary Technologies] Act, was reported from a Senate committee. Neither bill was enacted. In the 116th Congress, interest in autonomous vehicles remains strong, but similar comprehensive legislative proposals have not been introduced. The America's Transportation Infrastructure Act, S. 2302, which has been reported by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, would encourage research and development of infrastructure that could accommodate new technologies such as autonomous vehicles."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Canis, Bill
2019-11-27
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Reducing Harm or Enabling Substance Abuse? Supervised Injection Sites Under Federal Drug Law [November 22, 2019]
From the Document: "To mitigate the effects of the opioid crisis in Philadelphia, in 2018 a nonprofit called Safehouse announced plans to open a supervised injection site where illicit drug users could consume opioids under the supervision of trained staff, receive medical intervention in case of an overdose, and access services including addiction treatment. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sued Safehouse to block the proposed facility, arguing that the supervised injection site would violate a provision of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) known as the 'crack house statute,' which prohibits making facilities available 'for the purpose of unlawfully . . . using a controlled substance.' On October 2, 2019, a district court judge in 'United States v. Safehouse' ruled that the planned facility would not violate the CSA because the provision in question does not apply to supervised injection sites such as Safehouse. [...] This Sidebar discusses the Safehouse litigation's importance for Congress by first providing relevant factual and legal background, before identifying select considerations for Congress related to the treatment of supervised injection sites under the CSA."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lampe, Joanna R.
2019-11-22
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Is a TSA Screener a 'Law Enforcement Officer'? Court Allows Lawsuit Against United States to Proceed [November 19, 2019]
From the Document: "According to a complaint that air traveler Nadine Pellegrino filed in 2009 against the United States in federal court, several Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) working for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) detained Pellegrino, damaged her property, and fabricated criminal charges against her after she attempted to pass through a security checkpoint at Philadelphia International Airport in 2006. In relevant part, Pellegrino's complaint demanded monetary compensation from the federal government under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). After a divided panel of judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (Third Circuit) initially ruled that one of the FTCA's provisions barred Pellegrino from pursuing her claims, the Third Circuit voted to rehear the case as a full court. Then, last August, a majority of the participating judges concluded--contrary to the panel's determination--that Pellegrino's suit could proceed. [...] [T]his Sidebar (1) describes the law governing when a plaintiff may pursue tort litigation against the United States, (2) explains how the Third Circuit applied those laws in 'Pellegrino,' and (3) identifies potential considerations for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lewis, Kevin M.
2019-11-19
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Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership: Status and Recent Developments [November 19, 2019]
From the Document: "The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a prospective trade agreement between the ten members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and five of their major FTA [free trade agreement] partners--Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea. [...] India, the primary holdout in recent negotiations, announced its withdrawal from the pact, though indicated it may consider rejoining. Despite India's announcement, the other RCEP members indicated that they aim to sign the deal in 2020. The text or exact details of the agreement are not yet public, limiting analysis of its implications, though some members have released general summaries. [...] Although RCEP is not considered likely to be as comprehensive as other agreements in terms of the scope and depth of prospective commitments, its current members constitute about 30% of global trade and GDP [gross domestic product], giving it the potential to restructure some trade patterns in Asia. As these initiatives advance without U.S. participation, Congress may consider how U.S. commercial interests in the region, as well as the U.S. role in shaping trade rules and economic integration efforts in the Indo-Pacific and globally, could be affected."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cimino-Isaacs, Cathleen D.; Sutherland, Michael D.
2019-11-19
