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Nuclear-Armed Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM-N) [April 25, 2022]
From the Document: "In its FY2023 budget request, the Navy eliminated funding for research and development into a new nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N). The Navy indicated that the program was 'cost prohibitive and the acquisition schedule would have delivered capability late to need.' According to the Navy, this cancellation would save $199.2 million in FY2023 and $2.1 billion over the next five years. Press reports also indicate that this decision is supported in the Biden Administration's Nuclear Posture Review (NPR)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Woolf, Amy F.
2022-04-25
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Privately Made and Unmarked Firearms: Overview of ATF 'Ghost Gun' Rule [April 25, 2022]
From the Document: "On April 7, 2021, President Biden announced several [hyperlink] executive actions seeking to address gun violence, including instructions for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue a rule addressing [hyperlink] so-called 'ghost guns' that lack serial numbers or other identifying markings. The announcement came amidst concern [hyperlink] from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) over its inability to trace unmarked firearms that have been used in shootings and other crimes in recent years. In May 2021, ATF published a proposed rule [hyperlink] addressing certain regulatory definitions relevant to identification requirements for firearms, among other things. On April 11, 2022, DOJ submitted [hyperlink] ATF final rule [hyperlink] 2021R-05F, 'Definition of 'Frame or Receiver' and Identification of Firearms,' with the stated [hyperlink] goal of 'ensur[ing] the proper marking, recordkeeping, and traceability of all firearms manufactured, imported, acquired and disposed by' persons and entities federally licensed to engage in the firearms business (Federal Firearms Licensees, or 'FFLs'). This Sidebar provides legal context for, and an overview of, the major components of the recent final rule."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Foster, Michael A. (Legislative attorney)
2022-04-25
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Federal Broadband Data Sources: Frequently Asked Questions [April 22, 2022]
From the Document: "This report provides an overview of select federal broadband data sources and answers frequently asked congressional questions concerning these sources. The answers to frequently asked questions include links to available funding sources, service maps, provider speeds and technologies, and guidance resources. This report highlights reports and data sources from federal entities, including the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Census. Types of reports and data sources include federal survey data, congressionally mandated reports, federal assistance data, and select programmatic reports. The Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act [...], enacted in March 2020, highlights congressional interest in accurate broadband data. The FCC is in the process of creating systems and processes for the broadband data collection requirements included in the Broadband DATA Act."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Roan, Rachael D.
2022-04-22
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FY2020 State Grants Under Title I-A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) [April 22, 2022]
From the Document: "The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), most recently comprehensively amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act [...], is the primary source of federal aid to support elementary and secondary education. The Title I-A program is the largest grant program authorized under the ESEA and was funded at $16.3 billion for FY2020. It is designed to provide supplementary educational and related services to low-achieving and other students attending elementary and secondary schools with relatively high concentrations of students from low-income families. Under current law, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) determines Title I-A grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) based on four separate funding formulas: Basic Grants, Concentration Grants, Targeted Grants, and Education Finance Incentive Grants (EFIG). State grants are the total of the allocations for all LEAs in the state under all four formulas. The four Title I-A formulas have somewhat distinct allocation patterns, providing varying shares of allocated funds to different types of LEAs and states. Thus, for some states, certain formulas are more favorable than others."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Skinner, Rebecca; Sorenson, Isobel
2022-04-22
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Strategic Petroleum Reserve Oil Releases: October 2021 Through October 2022 [April 22, 2022]
From the Document: "The Biden Administration announced plans to release up to 260 million barrels of crude oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve [hyperlink] (SPR) from October 2021 through October 2022. Oil stocks in the SPR were approximately 618 million barrels [hyperlink] at the end of September 2021. Releases planned during this period include exercise of three SPR authorities: (1) mandatory sales, (2) exchanges, and (3) emergency sales. Each release type differs in terms of congressional authority, use of funds, and replacing released barrels."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brown, Phillip (Specialist in Energy Policy)
2022-04-22
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Insurance, Cyberattacks, and War in Ukraine [April 22, 2022]
From the Document: "The potential for large, correlated losses has long made insurers wary of offering coverage for war damage. The first exclusions in insurance contracts for marine war risks [hyperlink] appeared in the late 1800s. With the relative absence of wars fought on U.S. territory, insurance against war risks has primarily been a concern for the transportation industry, with aviation being added to marine travel over the 20th century. The U.S. government has stepped in at various points and in various forms to ensure the availability of insurance against war risks from the beginnings of World War I through the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. (The 9/11 terrorist attacks also prompted a federal insurance program against terrorism risk [hyperlink].) While federal provision of war risk insurance is still authorized for sea and air vessels, it is narrower than it has been in the past. The risk of cyberattacks in the 21st century, particularly in regard to Russia's war in Ukraine, has brought the possibility of damages directly due to wars around the globe closer to home. Private insurance against such damage, however, may become more and more costly and difficult to obtain."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Webel, Baird
2022-04-22
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Overview of the Treasury Department's Federal Payment Levy and Treasury Offset Programs [Updated April 22, 2022]
From the Document: "The U.S. Department of the Treasury, through the Bureau of Fiscal Service (BFS), has two programs for collecting delinquent debt owed by individuals, businesses, and other entities to federal and state government agencies. They differ mainly by the type of debt each program collects. The Federal Payment Levy Program (FPLP) collects delinquent 'federal tax debt' only. In this case, the BFS collaborates with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to collect this debt by placing a continuous levy on eligible federal payments to delinquent taxpayers. The Treasury Offset Program (TOP) collects a 'variety of state tax and nontax debt and federal nontax debt'. In this case, the BFS collaborates with federal and state government agencies to collect delinquent debt (including past-due child support) by offsetting certain federal payments to delinquent individuals. Federal nontax debt consists of direct loans, defaulted guaranteed loans, administrative debt (e.g., salary and benefit overpayments), and unpaid fines and penalties."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Guenther, Gary L.
2022-04-22
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Intellectual Property and Technical Data in DOD Acquisitions [April 22, 2022]
From the Document: "The Department of Defense (DOD) relies extensively on the organizations that comprise the defense industrial base (DIB). These entities provide the products and services that enable DOD's business operations and warfighting capabilities. In some situations, DOD must also consider the need to obtain intellectual property (IP) and technical data rights in order to operate and maintain the capabilities it acquires. IP rights have grown in importance to DOD as U.S. defense research and development (R&D) spending as a share of global R&D spending has declined--and IP rights are also increasingly important to DIB entities who rely on their portfolios of developed IP to generate profits from their R&D investments. Observers such as the Government Accountability Office (GAO) have said that DOD has not always been consistent in its acquisition and licensing of IP developed at private expense in the past, resulting in 'reduced mission readiness and surging sustainment costs' in some instances. In recognition of these trends, Congress has directed DOD to take a number of actions to improve policies and processes for how DOD acquires IP."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Peters, Heidi M.
2022-04-22
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Russia's Invasion of Ukraine: Overview of U.S. Sanctions and Other Responses [Updated April 22, 2022]
From the Document: "On February 24, 2022, Russia launched an undeclared war [hyperlink] against Ukraine. The United States [hyperlink] and countries [hyperlink] around the world [hyperlink] have condemned Russia's 'unprecedented military aggression' as 'unprovoked and unjustified.' Members of legislatures, local governments, businesses, and publics [hyperlink] in the United States and elsewhere have expressed support for Ukraine and have condemned Russia's invasion. Hundreds of U.S. and other companies [hyperlink] have withdrawn, suspended, or curtailed operations in Russia. On March 2, 2022, the U.N. General Assembly voted [hyperlink] 141-5 to demand Russia 'immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw' from Ukraine (34 countries, including China and India, abstained)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Welt, Cory
2022-04-22
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USMCA: Motor Vehicle Rules of Origin [April 21, 2022]
From the Document: "The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), approved by Congress on January 16, 2020, entered into force on July 1, 2020. [...] A major issue concerns the new rules of origin for the motor vehicle industry, which were relatively contentious in the USMCA negotiations and debate surrounding its passage. Rules of origin (ROO) are the criteria used to determine the national origin of a product. Most free trade agreements have ROO provisions to determine which goods traded between member countries are eligible for preferential treatment. They generally seek to ensure that the benefits of the agreement are granted to goods primarily produced by a member country (and therefore subject to the entirety of its commitments) rather than to goods made wholly, or in large part, in other countries. Under USMCA, most goods that contain materials from non-USMCA countries may be considered as North American (i.e., eligible for preferential treatment) if the materials are sufficiently transformed in the region and the transformation results in a change in tariff classification (called a 'tariff shift'). USMCA's general rule is that the regional value content (RVC) is not less than 60% if the 'transaction-value' method is used, or not less than 50% if the 'net-cost' method is used. Producers generally have the option to choose which method they use, with some exceptions, such as the motor vehicle industry, which must use the net-cost method."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wong, Liana; Villarreal, M. Angeles
2022-04-21
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Russia's Nuclear Weapons: Doctrine, Forces, and Modernization [Updated April 21, 2022]
From the Summary: "Russia's nuclear forces consist of both long-range, strategic systems--including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and heavy bombers--and shorter- and medium-range delivery systems. Russia is modernizing its nuclear forces, replacing Soviet-era systems with new missiles, submarines and aircraft while developing new types of delivery systems. Although Russia's number of nuclear weapons has declined sharply since the end of Cold War, it retains a stockpile of thousands of warheads, with more than 1,500 warheads deployed on missiles and bombers capable of reaching U.S. territory."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Woolf, Amy F.; Fink, Anya
2022-04-21
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Defense Primer: Naval Forces [Updated April 21, 2022]
From the Document: "Although the term 'naval forces' is often used to refer specifically to Navy forces, it more properly refers to both Navy and Marine Corps forces, because both the Navy and Marine Corps are naval services. For further discussion, see CRS In Focus IF10484, 'Defense Primer: Department of the Navy', by Ronald O'Rourke [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=867070]. For a discussion of the Marine Corps that focuses on its organization as a ground-combat force, see CRS In Focus IF10571, 'Defense Primer: Organization of U.S. Ground Forces', by Barbara Salazar Torreon and Andrew Feickert [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=861615]."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-04-21
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Designation of Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status: Impact and Other Considerations [Updated April 21, 2022]
From the Document: "On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale attack [hyperlink] on Ukraine, a country of 43.7 million people. The United States and its allies have condemned [hyperlink] the invasion, and are imposing trade and financial sanctions [hyperlink] on Russia and enhancing their own military deterrence posture [hyperlink], while also providing aid to Ukraine. More than 4 million people [hyperlink] have fled as refugees to neighboring countries, and the United States pledged humanitarian assistance [hyperlink] in response to the crisis. The United States maintains deep and multifaceted relations [hyperlink] with Ukraine, and the country is a leading recipient [hyperlink] of U.S. foreign and military aid. As of 2019, more than 350,000 [hyperlink] foreign-born individuals from Ukraine resided in the United States. Some have U.S. citizenship and others have lawful permanent resident [hyperlink] (LPR) status. Still others have temporary statuses [hyperlink] (such as students, tourists, and temporary workers) and could see their authorized periods of admission end before it is safe to return; and some have no lawful immigration status. Those with temporary or no legal status could benefit from certain temporary immigration relief options."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Smith, Hillel R.; Wilson, Jill, 1974-; Santamaria, Kelsey Y.
2022-04-21
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Farm Bill Primer: International Food Aid Programs, Mcgovern-Dole and Local and Regional Procurement [April 21, 2022]
From the Document: "The U.S. government administers international food assistance programs that aim to alleviate hunger and improve food security around the world. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers several of these programs, including the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (McGovern-Dole) and the Local and Regional Procurement Program (LRP). These two programs have several parallel provisions that aim to achieve the same goal of providing nonemergency food aid in an effort to help communities boost agricultural productivity, strengthen local food systems, and improve nutrition. This In Focus provides an overview of the McGovern-Dole and LRP programs, including their legislative authority, statutory requirements, funding trends, recent projects, and selected issues for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nair, Amber D.
2022-04-21
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Nonstructural Shoreline Stabilization Projects, or 'Beach Renourishment,' and the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) [April 21, 2022]
From the Document: "Coastal areas have often been popular sites for development for a variety of commercial, scientific, and personal purposes. The U.S. coastal areas are twice as developed [hyperlink] as the rest of the country, and such development has been increasing [hyperlink]. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that 127 million people [hyperlink] lived in coastal counties as of 2014 and that population density along the coast has been increasing [hyperlink]. However, such areas are also susceptible to erosion, flooding [hyperlink], and damage from severe storms [hyperlink] that can bring high winds, powerful waves, heavy precipitation, and storm surge. These challenges for people living and working along the coast are likely to increase with the impacts of climate change [hyperlink], such as sea level rise, potential changes in weather patterns, and potential exacerbation of algal blooms. Congress has sought to reduce federal incentives for additional development along coastal barriers. The Coastal Barrier Resources Act [hyperlink] (CBRA or 'act'; 16 U.S.C. §§ 3501-3510), enacted in 1982 and subsequently amended, restricts the use of new federal funding that may encourage development on or around certain coastal barriers. The CBRA imposes these restrictions 'to minimize the loss of human life, wasteful expenditure of federal revenues, and the damage to fish, wildlife, and other natural resources associated with the coastal barriers.' [hyperlink] The act allows for certain exceptions [hyperlink] to these restrictions, including one for nonstructural shoreline stabilization projects."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Ward, Erin H.
2022-04-21
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United Nations Issues: U.S. Funding of U.N. Peacekeeping [Updated April 20, 2022]
From the Document: "The United States is the single largest financial contributor to United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping activities. Congress authorizes and appropriates U.S. contributions, and it has an ongoing interest in ensuring such funding is used as efficiently and effectively as possible. The United States, as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, plays a key role in establishing, renewing, and funding U.N. peacekeeping operations. For 2022, the United Nations assessed the U.S. share of U.N. peacekeeping at 26.94%; however, since 1994 Congress has capped the U.S. payment at 25% due to concerns that U.S. assessments are too high. Congress appropriated $1.5 billion to most U.N. peacekeeping activities for FY2022 (up to the 25% cap). Most recently, President Biden's FY2023 budget proposes full U.S. funding for U.N. peacekeeping, including the payment of U.S. peacekeeping arrears."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchfield, Luisa
2022-04-20
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Controlled Access Programs of the Intelligence Community [April 20, 2022]
From the Introduction: "The Controlled Access Programs (CAPs) that the Intelligence Community (IC) has developed to further limit the sharing of the most sensitive classified information have raised questions for Congress. In response, as part of the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Year 2022, (Division X of P.L. 117-103, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2022) Congress added new oversight requirements with respect to these programs. CAPs compartmentalize intelligence on the basis of the sensitivity of the activity, sources, or methods involved. Congressional concern has centered on the over-classification of intelligence and potential negative impacts of keeping materials from those who need to know in order to perform their duties. Recent legislation seeks to promote an appropriate balance between protecting the most sensitive sources, methods, and activities, while making sure information is shared with those who have a legitimate need for it. Effective oversight of CAPS may require an understanding of how these programs are authorized and administered, and how they intersect with other classification programs and schema."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
DeVine, Michael E.
2022-04-20
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Federal Role in Voter Registration: The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and Subsequent Developments [Updated April 20, 2022]
From the Document: "Historically, most aspects of election administration have been left to state and local governments, resulting in a variety of practices across jurisdictions with respect to voter registration. States can vary on a number of elements of the voter registration process, including whether or not to require voter registration; where or when voter registration occurs; and how voters may be removed from registration lists. The right of citizens to vote, however, is presented in the U.S. Constitution in the Fifteenth, Nineteenth, and Twenty-sixth Amendments. Beginning with the Voting Rights Act (VRA) in 1965, Congress has sometimes passed legislation requiring certain uniform practices for federal elections, intended to prevent any state policies that may result in the disenfranchisement of eligible voters. The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) was enacted in 1993 and set forth a number of voter registration requirements for states to follow regarding voter registration processes for federal elections."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Eckman, Sarah J.
2022-04-20
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Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data, 1989-2020 [Updated April 20, 2022]
From the Document: "In each Congress, Members leave the House or Senate for a variety of reasons. In the course of a Congress, those reasons could include resignation, death, or chamber action. At the conclusion of a Congress, Members depart due to retirement, electoral defeat, or pursuit of another office. In the 101st Congress (1989-1990) through 116th Congress (2019-2020), on average, two Senators and nine Members of the House of Representatives have left before the conclusion of a Congress. Over the same period, on average, 10 Senators (10% of Senate membership) and 59 Members of the House (13.4% of House membership) have left Congress upon expiration of their terms of office. This report provides data on Members who have left Congress between 1989 and 2020."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Manning, Jennifer E.; Petersen, R. Eric
2022-04-20
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Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Summary: "When civil unrest, violence, or natural disasters erupt in countries around the world, concerns arise over the ability of foreign nationals present in the United States who are from those countries to safely return. Provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provide for temporary protected status (TPS) and other forms of relief from removal under specified circumstances. The Secretary of Homeland Security has the discretion to designate a country for TPS for periods of 6 to 18 months and can extend these periods if the country continues to meet the conditions for designation. A foreign national from a designated country who is granted TPS receives a registration document and employment authorization for the duration of the TPS designation. In addition to TPS, there is another form of blanket relief from removal known as deferred enforced departure (DED). DED is a temporary, discretionary, administrative stay of removal granted to aliens from designated countries. Unlike TPS, a DED designation emanates from the President's constitutional powers to conduct foreign relations and has no statutory basis."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wilson, Jill, 1974-
2022-04-19
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Terrorist Groups in Afghanistan [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Afghanistan's geography, complex ethnic composition, and history of conflict and instability have created space for numerous armed Islamist groups, some of which engage in transnational terrorist activity. This product outlines major terrorist groups present in Afghanistan that are affiliated and allied with Al Qaeda (AQ) and the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIS, ISIL, or by the Arabic acronym 'Da'esh'), and relations between these groups and other actors, most notably the Taliban. These dynamics may inform assessments of U.S. policy in Afghanistan in light of the Taliban's renewed control of the country. The Taliban interact with the groups below in varying ways that may affect U.S. interests. Observers differ on how Taliban rule might empower or undermine these terrorist groups or Taliban behavior toward them. U.S. public assessments of the threats these groups pose to U.S. interests, including to the U.S. homeland, vary. President Joseph Biden and other U.S. officials have stated that the United States will maintain 'over-the-horizon' capabilities to address terrorist threats in Afghanistan. As of mid-March 2022, the United States has not carried out any such strikes since the U.S. military withdrawal was completed on August 30, 2021."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Thomas, Clayton (Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs)
2022-04-19
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Syria and U.S. Policy [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Since 2011, conflict between the government of Syrian President Bashar al Asad and opposition forces seeking his removal has displaced roughly half of the country's population and killed over half a million people. Five countries operate in or maintain military forces in Syria: Russia, Turkey, Iran, Israel, and the United States. The United States seeks a negotiated political settlement to the Syria conflict and the enduring defeat of the Islamic State (IS, aka ISIS/ISIL). Challenges for U.S. policymakers include responding to threats posed by IS remnants and detainees, countering groups linked to Al Qaeda, facilitating humanitarian access, and managing Russian and Iranian challenges to U.S. operations in Syria."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humud, Carla E.
2022-04-19
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Defense Primer: Geography, Strategy, and U.S. Force Design [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Most of the world's people, resources, and economic activity are located not in the Western Hemisphere, but in the other hemisphere, particularly Eurasia. In response to this basic feature of world geography, U.S. policymakers for the last several decades have chosen to pursue, as a key element of U.S. national strategy, a goal of preventing the emergence of regional hegemons in Eurasia. This objective reflects a U.S. perspective on geopolitics and grand strategy developed by U.S. strategists and policymakers during and in the years immediately after World War II that incorporates two key judgments: [1] that given the amount of people, resources, and economic activity in Eurasia, a regional hegemon in Eurasia would represent a concentration of power large enough to be able to threaten vital U.S. interests; and [2] that Eurasia is not dependably self-regulating in terms of preventing the emergence of regional hegemons, meaning that the countries of Eurasia cannot be counted on to be fully able to prevent, through their own choices and actions, the emergence of regional hegemons, and may need assistance from one or more countries outside Eurasia to be able to do this dependably."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-04-19
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Gasoline Price Increases: Federal and State Authority to Limit 'Price Gouging' [April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Fluctuations in gasoline prices, including supply chain concerns related to international events, have renewed focus on the role of the government in discouraging gasoline 'price gouging,' a term commonly used to refer to sellers increasing prices to take advantage of certain circumstances that trigger decreases in supply, including emergencies. Others have sought to enhance protections against 'price fixing,' whereby sellers collude to raise prices beyond levels dictated by market conditions. Past federal legislative efforts to address gasoline price gouging and price fixing would bar certain commercial practices and mandate studies of gasoline pricing. The federal government has not enacted legislation aimed specifically at price spikes for retail gasoline. However, a majority of states have enacted statutes to curtail price gouging for certain critical goods and services, including gasoline, during emergencies. Some of these statutes bar pricing during emergencies that is considered to be 'unconscionable' or 'excessive' or otherwise violates a subjective standard. Other statutes place a hard cap on prices during periods of emergency based on percentage increases from prices charged for the good or service in question prior to the emergency. These state statutes generally allow sellers to show that the price increases are the result of increased costs rather than simply changes in the marketplace."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Vann, Adam
2022-04-19
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Chile: An Overview [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Chile has a long democratic tradition but experienced 17 years of authoritarian rule after a 1973 military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet deposed the democratically elected Socialist government of President Salvador Allende (1970-1973). More than 3,200 people were killed or 'disappeared' and some 38,000 people were imprisoned and/or tortured during the Pinochet dictatorship. Chile restored democracy in 1990, following a 1988 plebiscite. Center-left and center-right coalitions dominated Chilean politics for three decades following the transition. Centerleft coalitions held the presidency and majorities in Chile's bicameral congress for most of that period, but Sebastián Piñera led his center-right coalition to power for two nonconsecutive presidential terms (2010-2014, 2018-2022). Both coalitions largely maintained the market-oriented economic framework inherited from Pinochet while implementing consensus-based reforms to gradually expand the Chilean government's role in regulating economic activity and providing social services."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Meyer, Peter J.; Klein, Joshua
2022-04-19
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COVID-19: Potential Implications for International Security Environment-- Overview of Issues and Further Reading for Congress [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Some observers argue the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic could be a world-changing event with potentially profound and long-lasting implications for the international security environment. Other observers are more skeptical that the pandemic will have such effects. In reports issued in March and April 2021, the U.S. intelligence community provided assessments of the potential impact of the pandemic on the international security environment. Observers who discuss whether the pandemic will be world-changing for the international security environment have focused on several areas of potential change[.]"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-04-19
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Defense Primer: Department of the Navy [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "The Department of the Navy (DON) is a single military department that includes two military services--the Navy and the Marine Corps. As such, DON has a single civilian leader, the Secretary of the Navy, and two four-star military service chiefs--an admiral whose title is the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), and a general whose title is the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Although the title 'Secretary of the Navy' includes only the term 'Navy,' the secretary serves as the civilian leader for both the Navy and Marine Corps. The CNO and the Commandant of the Marine Corps are members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The Secretary of the Navy is Carlos Del Toro, the CNO is Admiral Michael Gilday, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps is General David Berger."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-04-19
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Trinidad and Tobago [Updated April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Trinidad and Tobago, the second-most-populous English-speaking Caribbean nation after Jamaica, is located in the southeast Caribbean, just seven miles from Venezuela at its closest point. The country's population is largely of African and East Indian descent, each comprising about 35% of the total, with those of mixed descent and other ethnic groups comprising the remainder. In 1962, the country became one of the first British territories in the Caribbean to attain independence, retaining the parliamentary political system it inherited from the United Kingdom (UK). In 1976, Trinidad and Tobago became a parliamentary republic, with a president elected by parliament as head of state (in a largely ceremonial role) replacing the British monarch."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Klein, Joshua; Sullivan, Mark P.
2022-04-19
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Global Tuberculosis: Background and Issues for Congress [April 19, 2022]
From the Document: "Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most widespread infectious diseases in the world, infecting 10 million people in 2020. Congress has recognized TB as an important global health issue and a potential threat to global health security. Although TB is curable, approximately 1.5 million TB-related deaths occur each year. Globally, new TB infection rates declined between 2015 and 2020. Global health observers anticipate new data to assess the extent to which interruptions in TB services during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic affected TB control; for example between 2019 and 2020, global TB deaths increased by 5.6%. Members may debate appropriate funding levels and optimum strategies for addressing the continued challenge of global TB control during the remainder of the 117th Congress. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) work closely with a range of multilateral partners to respond to the threat of TB, including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria (the Global Fund), the largest multilateral actor in the TB space, and the World Health Organization (WHO), among others. National governments also play a key role in controlling TB within their own borders. Domestic government expenditures in middle-income countries with high TB burdens, such as Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRICS), fund 97% of their domestic spending on TB control and account for a large portion of TB spending worldwide."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tharakan, Sara M.
2022-04-19
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American Battlefield Protection Program [Updated April 18, 2022]
From the Document: "The American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) promotes the preservation of significant sites where 'historic battles were fought on American soil' [...]. Initiated by the Secretary of the Interior in 1991, the program was authorized by Congress in 1996 in the American Battlefield Protection Act (P.L. 104-333) and is currently administered by the National Park Service (NPS). For most of its existence, the ABPP comprised two distinct competitive grant programs: the Battlefield Planning Grant Program and the Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant Program. Congress authorized two new grant programs in 2019, bringing the total number of ABPP grant programs to four (see 'New ABPP Grant Programs')[hyperlink]."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
DeSantis, Mark K.
2022-04-18
