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Nuclear Waste Cleanup: Hanford Site Cleanup Costs Continue to Rise, but Opportunities Exist to Save Tens of Billions of Dollars
From the Document: "The Hanford Site in Washington State is home to one of the largest environmental cleanup projects in the world. It comprises a 586-square-mile campus established in 1943 to conduct research on and produce weapons-grade nuclear materials. After these activities ceased in the late 1980s, the Department of Energy (DOE) began cleanup of the resulting hazardous and radioactive waste. This waste includes 54 million gallons of liquids and sludge stored in 177 large underground waste storage tanks at the site. This waste must be retrieved and treated (immobilized) before disposal, according to legal requirements and agreements made with federal and state environmental regulators. Other cleanup activities at the site include decommissioning old facilities and decontaminating soil and groundwater. In 2022, DOE estimated that completing cleanup of the entire site would cost between $300 billion and $640 billion and take decades.1 Over the last 5 fiscal years, the site has received annual appropriations of about $2.4 billion to $2.6 billion. DOE manages the Hanford cleanup through two separate offices: the Office of River Protection, which oversees the tank waste cleanup mission, and the Richland Operations Office, which oversees site cleanup not related to the waste in the tanks. For each of the last 5 fiscal years, the tank waste mission received appropriations of about $1.6 billion dollars, while the Richland Operations Office received about $0.9 billion."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2022-07-29
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 3228, a Bill to Direct the Secretary of Commerce, Acting Through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to Improve Science, Data, and Services That Enable Sound Decision Making in Response to Coastal Flood Risk, Including Impacts of Sea Level Rise, Storm Events, Changing Great Lakes Water Levels, and Land Subsidence
From the Document: "H.R. 3228 would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to research coastal flooding, coastal land loss, sea level rise, and the water levels of the Great Lakes and to use the resulting data to help affected communities plan for current and future risks of flooding. [1] Section 1 would authorize the appropriation of $3 million annually over the 2022-2026 period to NOAA for those purposes, and [2] Section 2 would create an interagency subcommittee for research concerning the science and technology used to measure, predict, and deliver information about the risk of coastal flooding."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-07-29
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 3905, Preventing Organizational Conflicts of Interest in Federal Acquisition Act
From the Document: "S. 3905 would require the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council to update its definition of organizational conflicts of interest and provide federal agencies with language designed to mitigate such conflicts in their solicitation proposals and contracts. CBO [Congressional Budget Office] expects that the FAR Council would need to add new regulatory language and create specific guidance for some agencies. Based on the cost of similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost about $1 million over the 2023-2027 period to update the Federal Acquisition Regulation and for federal agencies to comply with those changes. Enacting the bill could affect direct spending by some agencies that are allowed to use fees, receipts from the sale of goods, and other collections to cover operating costs. CBO estimates that any net changes in direct spending by those agencies would be negligible because most of them can adjust amounts collected to reflect changes in operating costs."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-07-29
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Argentina: An Overview [Updated July 29, 2022]
From the Document: "Situated on the Atlantic coast of South America's Southern Cone, Argentina has a vibrant democratic tradition and Latin America's third-largest economy. U.S.-Argentine relations have been strong in recent years, and Congress maintains several areas of interest in bilateral relations. Current President Alberto Fernández of the center-left Peronist-led 'Frente de Todos' (FdT, Front for All) coalition won the October 2019 presidential election and was inaugurated to a four-year term in December 2019. [...] The election also returned to government former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, from the leftist wing of the Peronist party, who ran on the FdT ticket as vice president. [...] In November 2021 midterm legislative elections (for a third of the seats in the Senate and half of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies), the FdT lost its Senate majority but remained the largest bloc in the Chamber of Deputies, albeit without a majority. The economic impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and rising inflation were key factors in the legislative race. Argentina's next presidential and legislative elections are scheduled for October 2023. [...] In July 2022, Argentina's economic situation deteriorated further, with accelerating inflation and the peso rapidly losing its value. Political infighting within the Peronist government led to the resignation of Minister of Economy Martín Guzmán, considered the architect of Argentina's recent IMF [International Monetary Fund] agreement, which was strongly criticized by the leftist wing of the FdT. Guzmán initially was replaced by Silvina Batakis, considered to the left of Guzmán, but on July 28 President Fernández appointed the more moderate Sergio Massa, the leader of Argentina's lower house, as head of a more powerful economy ministry that also oversees manufacturing and agricultural policy."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.
2022-07-29
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Big Tech in Financial Services [Updated July 29, 2022]
From the Summary: "For the past decade or so, 'Big Tech'--which hereinafter refers to the large technology companies Amazon, Apple, Google, and Facebook (now Meta Platforms), unless otherwise noted--has been offering a variety of financial services products to retail customers. Big Tech uses advanced data analysis and novel partnerships with traditional financial institutions to redefine financial services. The financial service with unanimous participation among Big Tech companies is payments. In 2021, more than 100 million consumers used mobile payment apps, including those provided by Big Tech. Other offerings include credit cards and lines of credit, value storage, and stablecoin wallets. In addition to these direct offerings of financial services, Big Tech has other significant, albeit less direct, ties to finance. Amazon, Microsoft, and Google account for roughly twothirds of cloud service in the United States and count banks and other financial institutions as major customers. Big Tech relies on partnerships with traditional financial institutions in some capacity to deliver nearly all of these services. The variation in such relationships accounts for much of the difference both between companies and among products offered by the same company. These complex partnerships can obscure the role of Big Tech and the ultimate provider of the financial service, and they raise the question: Do Big Tech companies provide convenient interfaces, or are they true financial institutions? The answer to that question, perhaps not surprisingly, lies somewhere in between. Big Tech companies are neither pure financial institutions nor solely technology providers."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tierno, Paul
2022-07-29
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Overseas Crime in the United States [July 29, 2022]
From the Document: "How do you commit a crime in the United States when you have never been here? According to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (Fourth Circuit) in 'United States v. Elbaz' [hyperlink], you can commit a crime in the United States without being physically present by phoning it in, even though the crime in question, wire fraud [hyperlink], only applies domestically. Specifically, the Fourth Circuit recently held that the wire fraud statute could be applied to a defendant's domestic conduct in using wires located in the United States to defraud victims in the United States without having to be physically present in the United States."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Doyle, Charles
2022-07-29
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Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Procurement Program [Updated July 29, 2022]
From the Summary: "The Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Procurement Program is intended to provide SDVOSBs greater access to federal contracting opportunities. The program is designed to help federal agencies achieve the government's statutory goal of awarding SDVOSBs at least 3% of the total value of all prime and subcontract dollars awarded each fiscal year. The program is federal government-wide with two sets of similar, but not identical, regulations; one issued by the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and another issued by the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA's) Administrator for all other federal agencies. Under this program, federal contracting officers may set aside (reserve) federal contracts (or orders) for bidding by SDVOSBs exclusively."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Dilger, Robert Jay, 1954-; Blackford, R. Corinne
2022-07-29
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Statehood Process and Political Status of U.S. Territories: Brief Policy Background [Updated July 29, 2022]
From the Document: "Proposals to admit new states to the union are as old as the republic. An expanded United States was contemplated at least as early as 1787, with enactment of the Northwest Ordinance, which addressed territorial expansion, even before the first states ratified the U.S. Constitution later the same year. Vermont joined the union in 1791, the first new state beyond the 13 original colonies. Arizona and New Mexico completed the contiguous United States in 1912. Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th states respectively in 1959. Would-be states have relied on different methods to join the union, and there is no single process for doing so. This In Focus provides brief background about the statehood process generally, and about how it might affect congressional consideration of proposed statehood for U.S. territories."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Garrett, R. Sam, 1977-
2022-07-29
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Wilderness: Overview, Management, and Statistics [Updated July 29, 2022]
From the Summary: "Congress enacted the Wilderness Act in 1964. This act created the National Wilderness Preservation System, reserved to Congress the authority to designate wilderness areas, and directed the Secretaries of Agriculture and of the Interior to review certain lands' potential wilderness designation. The act also designated 54 wilderness areas with 9 million acres of federal land. Congress began expanding the Wilderness System in 1968. As of July 6, 2022, there are 803 wilderness areas, totaling approximately 112 million acres, in 44 states and Puerto Rico. Numerous bills to designate additional wilderness areas and to expand existing ones have been introduced and considered in every Congress since the act's passage. The Wilderness Act defined 'wilderness' as an area of undeveloped federal land, among other criteria, but due to differing perceptions of wilderness and its purpose, it did not establish criteria or standards to determine whether an area should be so designated. In general, wilderness areas are undeveloped; commercial activities, motorized access, and roads, structures, and facilities are prohibited in wilderness areas. In response to conflicting demands, however, Congress has granted both general exemptions and specific exceptions to the general standards and prohibitions. Questions persist over the frequency and extent to which federal agencies must review the wilderness potential of their lands, and how those lands should be managed."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Riddle, Anne A.; Hoover, Katie
2022-07-29
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FY2023 NDAA: Military Abortion Policies [Updated July 29, 2022]
From the Document: "The June 24, 2022, Supreme Court decision on 'Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health' [hyperlink], which overturns 'Roe v. Wade' and allows states to restrict abortion access, has raised questions from some Members of Congress [hyperlink] about the ability of military personnel and their family members to access abortion services when assigned to military installations in such jurisdictions. In most cases, while military servicemembers can submit assignment preferences, Department of Defense (DOD) policy [hyperlink] dictates that the primary consideration for assigning servicemembers is 'current qualifications and the ability to fill a valid requirement.' Senior officials may approve exceptions to this policy in certain instances (e.g., personal or family hardships)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kamarck, Kristy N.; Mendez, Bryce H. P.; Kaileh, Hibbah
2022-07-29
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FY2023 NDAA: Selective Service and Draft Registration [July 29, 2022]
From the Document: "Several provisions in the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)-reported National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (NDAA; S. 4543) would make changes to the Military Selective Service Act (MSSA; 50 U.S.C. §3801 et seq. [hyperlink]). The MSSA provides statutory authority for the federal government to maintain an independent Selective Service Agency responsible for managing the Selective Service System [hyperlink] (SSS) and for delivering qualified civilian men for induction into the Armed Forces of the United States when authorized by the President and Congress. Under the MSSA, all male U.S. citizens and most male noncitizen residents of the United States between the ages of 18 and 26 are required to register with the SSS. Knowingly or willfully failing to register may result in certain federal and state penalties including fines, imprisonment [hyperlink], and ineligibility for federal employment [hyperlink] or workforce programs [hyperlink]. While legislative proposals have been introduced to require women to register, none of these has been enacted."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kamarck, Kristy N.
2022-07-29
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H. Rept. 117-449: In the Matter of Allegations Relating to the Arrests of Members of the House During a Protest Outside the United States Supreme Court on July 19, 2022, Report, July 29, 2022
From the Findings and Conclusions: "On July 27, 2022, the Committee convened for the purpose of considering the July 19, 2022, arrests of 17 Members of the House for Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding, during a protest outside the United States Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C. [...] The Committee voted against impanelling an investigative subcommittee in this matter. The Committee considered the scope and nature of the conduct described above and determined that review by an investigative subcommittee is not required in this matter. The Committee has determined to take no further action in this matter, and upon publication of this Report, considers the matter closed."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-07-29
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H. Rept. 117-448: Providing for Consideration of the Bill (H.R. 1808) to Regulate Assault Weapons, to Ensure That the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is Not Unlimited, and for Other Purposes, to Accompany H. Res. 1302, July 29, 2022
From the Summary of Provisions of the Resolution: "The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 1808, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022, under a closed rule. The resolution provides one hour of general debate on the bill equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their designees. The resolution waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The resolution provides that an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 117-60, modified by the amendment printed in this report, shall be considered as adopted and the bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. The resolution waives all points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended. The resolution provides one motion to recommit."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-07-29
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Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, April Through June 2022
From the Document: "I am pleased to present our ninth Quarterly Report to Congress. During this reporting period we conducted four audit attestations of airlines that received direct loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. These attestations showed that the airlines properly completed certifications to the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) for their loans to move on to the underwriting phase. This work is important as the taxpayer relies on air transport in their daily lives and expects their hard-earned dollars to be utilized in the way the CARES Act intended. We also issued an alert memorandum notifying Treasury that its Calendar Year 2021 direct loan monitoring was delayed. We recommended Treasury create and finalize a monitoring policy and a plan of action to ensure that monitoring is done in a timely manner. Treasury agreed with our recommendations."
United States. Office of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery
2022-07-29?
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Libya and U.S. Policy [Updated July 29, 2022]
From the Document: "Eleven years after a 2011 uprising that toppled longtime 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 [...], 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.
2022-07-29
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Near Peer: China (Understanding the Chinese Military) [video]
From the Video Description: "This film examines the Chinese military. Subject matter experts discuss Chinese history, current affairs, and military doctrine. Topics range from Mao, to the PLA [People's Liberation Army], to current advances in military technologies. 'Near Peer: China' is the first film in a four-part series exploring America's global competitors." The duration of this video is 43 minutes and 45 seconds.
Army University Press (U.S.)
2022-07-29
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 5768, Victim Act of 2022
From the Document: "H.R. 5768 would direct the Department of Justice to establish a program to award grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to improve the rate at which they solve crimes. Grants could be used for retaining or hiring detectives, upgrading forensic equipment, and ensuring victims of crimes have access to necessities, such as food and housing. Grant recipients would be required to report annually on how their funds were used, and the National Institute of Justice would be required to evaluate recipients' ability to improve solving crimes and report to the Congress on the results every two years. H.R. 5768 would authorize the appropriation of $100 million for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2032. Of the amounts appropriated, 10 percent must be awarded to tribal law enforcement agencies. Using historical spending patterns, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that implementing the bill would cost $377 million over the 2022-2027 period and an additional $500 million over the 2028-2032 period. Such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-07-28
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Sexual Harassment: Opportunities Remain for VA to Improve Program Structure, Policies, and Data Collection, Statement of Thomas Costa, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "Sexual harassment in the workplace can cause harmful psychological, physical, occupational, and economic effects for workers. Several federal laws, executive orders, and agency directives are aimed at preventing and addressing sexual harassment at federal agencies. GAO [Government Accountability Office] issued a June 2020 report [...] that reviewed VA's [Department of Veterans Affairs] efforts to prevent and address sexual harassment at the agency. In this report, GAO made seven recommendations. This testimony discusses VA's efforts to implement GAO's recommendations to 1) ensure VA's EEO [equal employment opportunity] structure is properly aligned; 2) improve the agency's policies to prevent and address sexual harassment of VA employees; 3) collect and analyze data to inform VA about sexual harassment of its employees; and 4) improve relevant training."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Costa, Thomas
2022-07-28
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Information Technology and Cybersecurity: Using Scorecards to Monitor Agencies' Implementation of Statutory Requirements, Statement of Carol C. Harris, Director, Information Technology and Cybersecurity, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Government Operations, Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "Congress has long recognized that IT [information technology] systems provide essential services critical to the health, economy, and defense of the nation. In support of these systems, the federal government annually spends more than $100 billion on IT and cyber-related investments. However, many of these investments have suffered from ineffective management. Further, recent high profile cyber incidents have demonstrated the urgency of addressing cybersecurity weaknesses. To improve the management of IT, Congress and the President enacted FITARA [Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act] in December 2014. FITARA applies to the 24 agencies subject to the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990, although with limited applicability to the Department of Defense. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to provide an overview of the scorecards released by this Subcommittee. The scorecards have been used for oversight of agencies' efforts to implement statutory provisions and other IT-related topics."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Harris, Carol C.
2022-07-28
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 4057, Strategic EV Management Act of 2022
From the Document: "S. 4057 would require the General Services Administration (GSA) to coordinate with the heads of federal agencies, and within two years of enactment, develop a comprehensive plan to optimize the useful life of batteries that power electric vehicles in the government's fleet. The bill also would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on the costs and benefits of a fleet of electric vehicles compared with a fleet powered by gasoline and diesel fuel. Using information from GSA about the agency's management of its electric vehicle fleet, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] expects that developing a comprehensive plan for battery management would not significantly increase the agency's administrative costs."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-07-28
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 4205, PAW Act
From the Document: "S. 4205 would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish an advisory working group to address the needs of household pets, service animals, and captive animals during emergency and disaster situations. Within one year, the working group would evaluate whether current federal guidance is meeting the needs of animals during those situations. If they find that the current guidance is insufficient, FEMA, in conjunction with the working group, would need to update and publish the revised guidance within three years. The working group would sunset after four years and members would serve without pay. Based on the costs of similar working groups, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that implementing S. 4205 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2022-2027 period; any spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-07-28
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EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 22 Issue 30, July 28, 2022
The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "Updates for EMS [emergency medical services] on the monkeypox outbreak"; "Emergency responder input sought on disruptive vehicle technologies such as EVs [electric vehicles] and autonomous vehicles"; "Cyber Safety Review Board releases inaugural report on the December 2021 Log4j [logging Utility for Java] event"; "Crisis Management for School-Based Incidents: Partnering Rural Law Enforcement, First Responders and Local School Systems"; "United States and Ukraine expand cooperation on cybersecurity"; "CISA [Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency] releases Log4Shell-related MAR [Malware Analysis Report]"; "Why whole-of-state cybersecurity is the way forward"; "Average data breach costs hit a record $4.4 million, report says"; and "Web Application Attacks in Healthcare."
Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)
2022-07-28
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CBO's Estimate of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Effects of H.R. 5118, the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act,
From the Document: "H.R. 5118 would authorize projects to mitigate the risks of drought and wildfires, including efforts to conserve, desalinate, and recycle water; protect ecosystems and communities; and improve and protect the electric grid. Section 302 of division A would allow the Forest Service to spend interest earned on unspent collections from forfeitures, judgments, and settlements without further appropriation. CBO estimates that enacting that provision would increase direct spending by $20 million over the 2022-2032 period."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-07-28
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Back to the Future? Lessons from the 'Great Inflation' [July 28, 2022]
From the Document: "The aggressive tightening of monetary policy under Volcker came with the tradeoff of relatively high unemployment that recovered slowly. During the recession of 1981-1982, inflation decreased by over 6 percentage points while unemployment increased by over 3 percentage points and stood at 10.8% in November 1982. Some economists argue that low inflation expectations and the Fed's [Federal Reserve's] credibility on inflation could not have been restored if it had not kept rates high despite rising unemployment. Since inflation has risen, the Fed has repeatedly pledged that it is 'strongly committed to returning inflation to its 2% objective.' If individuals find this pledge credible and inflation expectations remain low, then inflation might be reduced relatively quickly without triggering a recession. If not, inflation may remain high for an extended period of time, at which point a more serious economic slowdown could become necessary to lower inflation. (See CRS [Congressional Research Service] Insight IN11963, 'Where Is the U.S. Economy Headed: Soft Landing, Hard Landing, or Stagflation?') Unlike the situation that Chair Volcker faced, inflation expectations may remain low and stable today because inflation has been high for only about a year and was preceded by decades of low inflation. The extent to which inflation expectations remain anchored depends in large part on whether, going forward, the Fed is willing to raise interest rates as much as is necessary to rein in inflation. Since the Fed believes it can reduce inflation without triggering a recession, its resolve has not yet been tested."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Labonte, Marc
2022-07-28
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Military Retirement: Background and Recent Developments [Updated July 28, 2022]
From the Summary: "The military retirement system is a government-funded, noncontributory, defined benefit system that has historically been viewed as a significant incentive in retaining a career military force. The system currently includes monthly compensation for qualified active and reserve retirees, disability benefits for those deemed medically unfit to serve, and a survivor annuity program for the eligible survivors of deceased retirees. The amount of compensation is dependent on time served, basic pay at retirement, and annual Cost-of-Living-Adjustments (COLAs). Military retirees are also entitled to nonmonetary benefits including health care benefits, exchange and commissary privileges, and access to Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) facilities and programs. Currently, there are three general categories of military retiree-active component, reserve component, and disability retiree. Active component personnel are eligible for retirement (i.e., vested) after completing 20 years of service (YOS). Reserve personnel are eligible after 20 years of creditable service based on a points system, but do not typically begin to draw retirement pay until age 60. Finally, those with a disability retirement do not need to have served 20 years to be eligible for retired pay; however, they must have been found unqualified for further service due to a permanent, stable disability."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kamarck, Kristy N.
2022-07-28
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South Sudan [Updated July 28, 2022]
From the Document: "Peace has been elusive in South Sudan, which became the world's newest country in 2011. The civil war that erupted there in late 2013 featured widespread sexual violence, mass killings, and other atrocities. It displaced over a third of the population, creating what is still Africa's largest refugee crisis. More than 2 million people who fled to neighboring countries remain refugees. Another 2 million are displaced internally. By one study, nearly 400,000 died as a result of the war before the latest peace deal was signed in 2018. The ongoing crisis has prompted congressional action, including, most recently, S.Res. 473 and S.Res. 380. Whether the peace deal ended the war is debated. A ceasefire between the main signatories has largely held, but gains under the agreement are tenuous, and an insurgency in the southern Equatoria region continues. Communal violence, often tied to national political rivalries, has surged. The protracted humanitarian crisis is worsening: over two-thirds of the population--almost 9 million people, half of them children--are estimated to need aid. Facing multiple shocks and recurrent violence, much of the population have exhausted local coping mechanisms. Facing competing donor funding priorities and rising costs, aid agencies have had to reduce food aid, despite unprecedented need."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchard, Lauren Ploch
2022-07-28
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Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Current and Potential Programs [Updated July 28, 2022]
From the Document: "In the U.S. military, remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) are most often called unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs), which are described as either a single air vehicle (with associated surveillance sensors) or a UAV system (UAS), which typically consists of an air vehicle paired with a ground control station (where the pilot actually sits) and support equipment. Although UAS are commonly operated as one aircraft paired with one ground system, the Department of Defense (DOD) often procures multiple aircraft with one ground control station. When combined with ground control stations and communication data links, UAVs form unmanned aircraft systems or UAS. [...] UAS roles and missions have evolved over time, from collecting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance to performing air-to-ground attack missions. Further, some analysts predict future roles for UAS, such as air-to-air combat and combat search and rescue. However, a detailed discussion of future concepts and missions for UAS are outside the scope of this report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoehn, John R.; Kerr, Paul K.; Gertler, Jeremiah
2022-07-28
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Supreme Court Rules That Migrant Protection Protocols Rescission Was Not Unlawful [July 28, 2022]
From the Document: "On June 30, 2022, the Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision held in 'Biden v. Texas' [hyperlink] that the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) rescission of the Migrant Protection Protocols [hyperlink] (MPP) did not violate federal immigration laws concerning the inspection and treatment of non-U.S. nationals ('aliens,' as the term is used in the Immigration and Nationality Act [hyperlink] [INA]) arriving in the United States. The MPP--also known as the 'Remain in Mexico' policy--began during the Trump Administration and authorized the return of some asylum seekers [hyperlink] arriving at the U.S. southern border to Mexico during the pendency of their formal removal proceedings."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Smith, Hillel R.
2022-07-28
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Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress [July 28, 2022]
From the Introduction: "This report presents background information and issues for Congress concerning the Navy's force structure and shipbuilding plans. The current and planned size and composition of the Navy, the annual rate of Navy ship procurement, the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans, and the capacity of the U.S. shipbuilding industry to execute the Navy's shipbuilding plans have been oversight matters for the congressional defense committees for many years. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's force-level goal, its proposed FY2023 shipbuilding program, and its longer-term shipbuilding plans. Decisions that Congress makes on this issue can substantially affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-07-28
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H. Rept. 117-446: Department of Homeland Security Seal Protection Act of 2022, Report to Accompany H.R. 7778, July 28, 2022
From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 7778, the 'Department of Homeland Security Seal Protection Act of 2022,' prohibits the use of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) seal or colorable imitation of the seal in a manner that gives the false impression that the Department or its components have authorized such use except with the written permission of the Secretary of Homeland Security. This bill specifies that DHS personnel are permitted to use the seal while conducting official duties. In addition, the bill includes a provision to protect current lawful users of existing seal designs at the time of enactment."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-07-28
