Advanced search Help
Resource Type or Special Collection is CRS Reports
Clear all search criteria
Only 2/3! You are seeing results from the Public Collection, not the complete Full Collection. Sign in to search everything (see eligibility).
-
China's National Security Law for Hong Kong: Issues for Congress [Updated August 3, 2020]
From the Summary: "On June 30, 2020, China's National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) passed a national security law (NSL) for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Hong Kong's Chief Executive promulgated it in Hong Kong later the same day. The law is widely seen as undermining the HKSAR's once-high degree of autonomy and eroding the rights promised to Hong Kong in the 1984 Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong, an international treaty between the People's Republic of China (China, or PRC) and the United Kingdom covering the 50 years from 1997 to 2047. The NSL criminalizes four broadly defined categories of offenses: secession, subversion, organization and perpetration of terrorist activities, and 'collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security' in relation to the HKSAR. Persons convicted of violating the NSL can be sentenced to up to life in prison. China's central government can, at its or the HKSAR's discretion, exercise jurisdiction over alleged violations of the law and prosecute and adjudicate the cases in mainland China. The law apparently applies to alleged violations committed by anyone, anywhere in the world, including in the United States."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lawrence, Susan V.; Martin, Michael F.
2020-08-03
-
Fiscal Policy and Recovery from the COVID-19 Recession [Updated July 31, 2020]
From the Introduction: "The economic contraction that began in February 2020 differs from previous contractions, including the Great Depression of the 1930s and the Great Recession of 2007-2009. It was caused in large part by concerns about the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and government policies aimed at limiting person-to-person contact. [...] This report provides an overview of the state of the economy and summarizes the fiscal measures already taken in response to the current downturn. Many of these responses have largely been aimed at providing economic relief. In the future, policymakers may consider more traditional fiscal policies designed to boost aggregate demand. This report then discusses fiscal policy used during more traditional recessions and recovery, both the theory and empirical evidence, and reviews what types of fiscal policy are likely to be most effective during recovery from a recession. The report concludes with a brief discussion of the pandemic's effect on the debt."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gravelle, Jane; Marples, Donald J.
2020-07-31
-
COVID-19 Relief Assistance to Small Businesses: Issues and Policy Options [Updated July 31, 2020]
From the Summary: "The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) administers several types of programs to support small businesses, including direct disaster loan programs for businesses, homeowners, and renters; loan guaranty and venture capital programs; management and technical assistance training programs; and contracting programs. Congressional interest in these programs has always been high, primarily because small businesses are viewed as a means to stimulate economic activity and create jobs, but it has become especially acute in the wake of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic's widespread adverse economic impact on the national economy. This report provides a brief description of the SBA's programs and examines congressional action to assist small businesses during and immediately following the Great Recession (2007- 2009) and during the COVID-19 pandemic."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Dilger, Robert Jay, 1954-; Lindsay, Bruce R.; Lowry, Sean
2020-07-31
-
COVID-19: Resources for Tracking Federal Spending [Updated July 31, 2020]
From the Document: "Congress has responded to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with various legislation providing relief to individuals and families, state and local governments, businesses, health care providers, and other entities. This Insight provides selected sources for tracking COVID-19 relief funding provided through these bills."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Teefy, Jennifer; Kreiser, Maria A.
2020-07-31
-
Federal Law Enforcement and the Portland Protests: Legal Considerations [July 31, 2020]
From the Document: "During the spring and summer of 2020, protests in response to the death of George Floyd erupted in major cities across the country. Responding to a perceived failure by state and local officials to control the protests, President Trump threatened to take action by, for example, deploying the military into cities to restore order. Recently, in the midst of ongoing protests in Portland, Oregon, the Trump Administration deployed hundreds of agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Although, according to some, the Portland protests were largely nonviolent, DHS reported numerous instances of what it terms 'violent anarchists' committing crimes against federal property, justifying the presence of federal officers. Reports of unidentified federal law enforcement officers detaining protestors and transporting them in unmarked vehicles escalated tensions between local officials and the Trump administration. The federal law enforcement presence in Portland comes after federal agents were used to respond to similar protests in Washington, DC. [...] This Sidebar discusses the general legal authorities relied on by DHS to allow for the federal presence in Portland and explores the potential legal questions raised by the presence of federal law enforcement in Portland, including the constitutional implications of the various tactics used by the federal officers."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Novak, Whitney K.; Foster, Michael A. (Legislative attorney)
2020-07-31
-
Introduction to U.S. Economy: The Business Cycle and Growth [Updated July 31, 2020]
From the Document: "On June 8, 2020, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), an independent, nonprofit, research group, determined that economic activity in the U.S. peaked in February 2020 and that the economy subsequently entered into a recession in the same month. On a quarterly basis, economic activity peaked in the fourth quarter of 2019. This In Focus discusses the business cycle, how recessions are determined, and potential causes and effects of these fluctuations in the economy."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Weinstock, Lida R.
2020-07-31
-
Global Economic Effects of COVID-19 [Updated July 31, 2020]
From the Document: "Since the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] outbreak was first diagnosed, it has spread to over 200 countries and all U.S. states. The pandemic is negatively affecting global economic growth beyond anything experienced in nearly a century. Estimates so far indicate the virus could trim global economic growth by 3.0% to 6.0% in 2020, with a partial recovery in 2021, assuming there is not a second wave of infections. The economic fallout from the pandemic raises the risks of a global economic recession with levels of unemployment not experienced since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The human costs in terms of lives lost will permanently affect global economic growth in addition to the cost of rising levels of poverty, lives upended, careers derailed, and increased social unrest. Global trade could also fall by 13% to 32%, depending on the depth and extent of the global economic downturn, exacting an especially heavy economic toll on trade-dependent developing and emerging economies. The full impact will not be known until the effects of the pandemic peak. This report provides an overview of the global economic costs to date and the response by governments and international institutions to address these effects."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jackson, James K., 1949-; Weiss, Martin A.; Schwarzenberg, Andres B. . . .
2020-07-31
-
Operation Legend: Department of Justice Assistance to Curb Increases in Violent Crime [July 31, 2020]
From the Document: "On July 22, 2020, Attorney General (AG) William Barr announced that the Department of Justice (DOJ) was expanding Operation Legend--which started in Kansas City, MO, on July 8, 2020--to Chicago, IL, and Albuquerque, NM. As a part of Operation Legend, DOJ plans to send agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to these cities to work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement to address violent crime. The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) Homeland Security Investigations also is to participate in Operation Legend. On July 29, 2020, AG Barr announced that DOJ would send additional agents to Detroit, MI; Cleveland, OH; and Milwaukee, WI, in a further expansion of Operation Legend. DOJ is also providing grant funding to the cities targeted for Operation Legend. State and local law enforcement agencies have worked with federal law enforcement in the past on a variety of task forces, and federal law enforcement assistance is usually welcome. However, in Portland, OR, in a DHS operation (Operation Diligent Valor), which is separate from Operation Legend, there have been reports of DHS law enforcement officers in military-style uniforms having detained protestors and placed them in unmarked vehicles. These reports have raised concerns about how DOJ and DHS agents deployed under Operation Legend might operate."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
James, Nathan
2020-07-31
-
South Africa: Current Issues, Economy, and U.S. Relations [Updated July 30, 2020]
From the Introduction: "South Africa, a majority black, multiracial country of nearly 60 million people, has the most diversified and industrialized economy in Africa, but has suffered years of low growth and is burdened by deeply embedded socioeconomic inequalities. President is Cyril Ramaphosa ('rahmah-POH-sah'), of the majority African National Congress (ANC) party, is leading a reform agenda aimed at improving the economy and public service delivery, and addressing corruption. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has sharply intensified the already formidable economic and health challenges facing South Africa, which include a high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate. The National Assembly elected then-Vice President Ramaphosa as president in early 2018, following the resignation of his predecessor, Jacob Zuma. Zuma stepped down in the face of a threat of a parliamentary no confidence vote after defying a decision by ANC leaders to recall him as the party's national presidential nominee--in large part as a result of multiple corruption scandals. Discontent with Zuma had helped cement Ramaphosa's victory in a bruising late 2017 ANC election to lead the party, which has suffered a gradual loss of electoral support in recent years. While the ANC was able to retain a parliamentary majority in the last general elections, held in May 2019--a majority it has held since the country's first universal suffrage polls in 1994--it earned 57.5% of votes, its lowest share to date. After the election, the parliament, under the country's indirect presidential election system, voted to re-elect Ramaphosa as president."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Cook, Nicolas
2020-07-30
-
China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities--Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 30, 2020]
From the Summary: "In an era of renewed great power competition, China's military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort, has become the top focus of U.S. defense planning and budgeting. China's navy, which China has been steadily modernizing for more than 25 years, since the early to mid-1990s, has become a formidable military force within China's near-seas region, and it is conducting a growing number of operations in more-distant waters, including the broader waters of the Western Pacific, the Indian Ocean, and waters around Europe. China's navy is viewed as posing a major challenge to the U.S. Navy's ability to achieve and maintain wartime control of blue-water ocean areas in the Western Pacific--the first such challenge the U.S. Navy has faced since the end of the Cold War--and forms a key element of a Chinese challenge to the longstanding status of the United States as the leading military power in the Western Pacific."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-07-30
-
Uncharted Waters: Navigating the Supreme Court's New Clean Water Act Permitting Test [July 30, 2020]
From the Document: "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to grapple with how to implement the Supreme Court's April 2020 decision in 'County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund'. 'Maui' introduced a new multi-factor test for determining whether the Clean Water Act (CWA) applies to pollutant discharges that migrate through groundwater to navigable surface waters. The 'Maui' Court rejected EPA's 2019 interpretive guidance that categorically excluded point source pollutant discharges to groundwater from the CWA permitting program. In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court held that the CWA requires a permit for a direct discharge or the 'functional equivalent of a direct discharge' of pollutants from a point source into navigable waters. EPA has not formally responded to 'Maui' through the issuance of guidance or regulations. Absent such a response or legislative action, regulated entities, state agencies, and federal courts are tasked with clarifying and applying the Court's 'functional equivalent' test. This Sidebar discusses the 'Maui' decision and highlights its potential effects on current and future litigation over the scope of CWA jurisdiction over what qualifies as a 'functional equivalent' of a direct discharge of pollutants into navigable waters."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tsang, Linda
2020-07-30
-
IRS Guidance Says No Deduction is Allowed for Business Expenses Paid with Forgiven PPP Loans [Updated July 30, 2020]
From the Document: "The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act; P.L. 116-136) created Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to provide short-term, economic relief to certain small businesses and nonprofits. PPP loans can be used to cover payroll expenses and other enumerated operating costs (e.g., rent, utilities) and can be forgiven if the borrower meets certain payroll and employment retention criteria. The loans are capped at $10 million per borrower. [...] On April 30, 2020, IRS [Internal Revenue Service] issued Notice 2020-32, which clarifies the IRS position, under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 265(a)(1), that PPP-recipients cannot claim a deduction for expenses funded from the forgiven PPP loans. IRS's guidance could reduce the perceived economic benefit of PPP loans, and require some taxpayers to alter how they compute their taxes for 2020 compared to previous years. With this said, many businesses could still find that the economic benefits of PPP loans outweigh the potential costs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lowry, Sean; Gravelle, Jane
2020-07-30
-
Comparing the Congressional Response to the Great Recession and the COVID-19-Related Recession: Unemployment Insurance (UI) Provisions [July 30, 2020]
From the Summary: "In response to recent economic recessions, Congress has enacted temporary measures related to Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs and benefits. These temporary federal provisions have included augmented and extended federal UI benefits, additional funding for state UI administration, and federal financing for certain aspects of UI benefits, among other measures. This report provides a comparative analysis of the temporary UI measures enacted in response to the Great Recession (December 2007-June 2009) and the temporary UI measures enacted in response to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]- related recession (February 2020-present), as of this report date. Between July 2008 and December 2012, 12 laws created, amended, or extended temporary federal UI provisions in response to the Great Recession. As of this report date, Congress has enacted two laws that created, amended, or extended temporary federal UI measures in response to the current recession (an additional bill has been passed by the House and the Senate; it currently awaits the President's signature). Understanding the temporary UI provisions that were enacted in response to the Great Recession--as well as how these provisions were structured and how long these provisions were authorized--may be of interest to policymakers considering further temporary UI interventions or alterations to existing temporary provisions in response to the current recession."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Isaacs, Katelin P., 1980-; Whittaker, Julie M.
2020-07-30
-
Federally Supported Projects and Programs for Wastewater, Drinking Water, and Water Supply Infrastructure [July 30, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background and funding information on water infrastructure projects, including wastewater and drinking water, and water supply projects traditionally funded by the federal government. The report also discusses federal funding programs that provide assistance to communities to support these types of projects and related, eligible activities. For decades, Congress has authorized and modified federal programs to help communities address water supply and water infrastructure needs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Ramseur, Jonathan L.; Cowan, Tadlock; Humphreys, Elena H. . . .
2020-07-30
-
Economic Activity and the Expiration of COVID-19 Relief Provisions [July 30, 2020]
From the Document: "The federal response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis has included programs providing economic relief to individuals, businesses, and state and local governments. The recent or looming expiration or exhaustion of several of these programs has generated congressional discussions on the effect that this could have on the U.S. economy's short- and long-term performance. This Insight briefly summarizes the current economic recession and fiscal policy response, highlights some programs that are near expiration or exhaustion of funding, and discusses underlying economic issues."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Driessen, Grant A.; Weinstock, Lida R.
2020-07-30
-
National Infrastructure Bank: Proposals in the 116th Congress [July 30, 2020]
From the Introduction: "The term 'infrastructure' generally refers to long-lived, capital-intensive systems and facilities in the areas of transportation, energy, water, and telecommunications. Some broader definitions also include facilities for education, recreation, and health.Although the condition and performance of these systems are generally thought to be important for the nation's well-being, there is less agreement on the optimal level of infrastructure investment, how to maximize the effectiveness of spending, and the appropriate role of the federal government. State and local governments and the private sector provide the bulk of infrastructure investment. The federal role in infrastructure investment is important but limited in size and scope. For example, the federal government was responsible for 26% of total government highway outlays in 2017. The federal government supports infrastructure investment in four ways: (1) direct investment in federally owned infrastructure; (2) grants to nonfederal entities, especially state and local governments; (3) tax preferences that forgo federal revenue to provide incentives for nonfederal investment in infrastructure; and (4) loans and other types of credit assistance to nonfederal entities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Mallett, William J.
2020-07-30
-
Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress [Updated July 29, 2020]
From the Summary: "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. Rules for giving certain types of names to certain types of Navy ships have evolved over time. There have been exceptions to the Navy's ship-naming rules, particularly for the purpose of naming a ship for a person when the rule for that type of ship would have called for it to be named for something else. Some observers have perceived a breakdown in, or corruption of, the rules for naming Navy ships."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-07-29
-
American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics [Updated July 29, 2020]
From the Summary: "This report provides U.S. war casualty statistics. It includes data tables containing the number of casualties among American military personnel who served in principal wars and combat operations from 1775 to the present. It also includes data on those wounded in action and information such as race and ethnicity, gender, branch of service, and cause of death. The tables are compiled from various Department of Defense (DOD) sources. Wars covered include the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam Conflict, and the Persian Gulf War. Military operations covered include the Iranian Hostage Rescue Mission; Lebanon Peacekeeping; Urgent Fury in Grenada; Just Cause in Panama; Desert Shield and Desert Storm; Restore Hope in Somalia; Uphold Democracy in Haiti; Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF); Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF); Operation New Dawn (OND); Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR); and Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS). Starting with the Korean War and the more recent conflicts, this report includes additional detailed information on types of casualties and, when available, demographics. It also cites a number of resources for further information, including sources of historical statistics on active duty military deaths, published lists of military personnel killed in combat actions, data on demographic indicators among U.S. military personnel, related websites, and relevant CRS [Congressional Research Service] reports."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blum, David A.; DeBruyne, Nese F.
2020-07-29
-
Brief Overview of the Congressional Budget Process [July 29, 2020]
From the Summary: "Under the U.S. Constitution, Congress exercises the 'power of the purse.' This power is expressed through the application of several provisions. The power to lay and collect taxes and the power to borrow are among the enumerated powers of Congress under Article I, Section 8. Furthermore, Section 9 of Article I states that funds may be drawn from the Treasury only pursuant to appropriations made by law. The Constitution, however, does not prescribe how these legislative powers are to be exercised, nor does it expressly provide a specific role for the President with regard to budgetary matters. Instead, various statutes--as well as congressional rules, practices, and precedents--have been established over time to create a complex system in which multiple decisions and actions occur with varying degrees of coordination. As a consequence, there is no single 'budget process' through which all budgetary decisions are made, and in any year there may be multiple budgetary measures necessary to establish or implement different aspects of federal fiscal policy. This report is intended to describe in brief each of the parts of the budget process, discuss the role of Congress in each aspect, and explain how they operate together. They include the President's budget submission, the budget resolution and reconciliation, the authorization and appropriations process, and budget enforcement and sequestration. In addition, this report provides a flow chart of congressional budgetary actions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Saturno, James
2020-07-29
-
Social Security: What Would Happen If the Trust Funds Ran Out? [Updated July 29, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report explains what the Social Security trust funds are and how they work. It describes the historical operations of the trust funds and the Social Security trustees' projections of future operations. It explains what could happen if Congress allowed the trust funds to run out. It also analyzes two scenarios that assume Congress waits until the moment of insolvency to act, showing the magnitude of benefit cuts or tax increases needed and how such changes would affect beneficiaries."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Huston, Barry F.
2020-07-29
-
Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (Polar Icebreaker) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 29, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Polar Security Cutter (PSC) program--the Coast Guard's program for acquiring new PSCs (i.e., heavy polar icebreakers). The PSC program has received a total of $1,169.6 million (i.e., about $1.2 billion) in procurement funding through FY2020, including $135 million in FY2020, which was $100 million more than the $35 million that the Coast Guard had requested for FY2020. With the funding it has received through FY2020, the first PSC is now fully funded and the second PSC has received initial funding. The Coast Guard's proposed FY2021 budget requests $555 million in procurement funding for the PSC program. It also proposes a rescission of $70 million in FY2020 funding that Congress had provided for the procurement of long lead time materials (LLTM) for a 12th National Security Cutter (NSC), with the intent of reprogramming that funding to the PSC program. The Coast Guard states that its proposed FY2021 budget, if approved by Congress, would fully fund the second PSC. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Administration's FY2021 procurement funding request for the PSC program and the proposed rescission of FY2020 NSC funding, and, more generally, whether to approve, reject, or modify the Coast Guard's overall plan for procuring new polar icebreakers. Congress's decisions on this issue could affect Coast Guard funding requirements, the Coast Guard's ability to perform its polar missions, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-07-29
-
Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 29, 2020]
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 FY2021 budget requests a total of $597 million in procurement funding for the NSC, OPC, and FRC programs. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Coast Guard's funding requests and acquisition strategies for the NSC, OPC, and FRC programs. Congress's decisions on these three programs could substantially affect Coast Guard capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-07-29
-
American Workers, Families, and Employers Assistance Act (S. 4318): Title II--Revenue Provisions and Other 'HEALS Act' Tax Provisions [July 29, 2020]
From the Document: "Congress continues to consider proposals intended to alleviate the economic effects associated with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. One such proposal, the American Workers, Families, and Employers Assistance Act (S. 4318), was introduced in the Senate on July 27, 2020. Title II of S. 4318 contains several provisions that would modify individual and business tax liability, including: [1] a one-time direct payment for eligible individuals, and modifications to the eligibility requirements for direct payments provided in the CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act; [2] tax credits for employers and businesses vulnerable to COVID-19-related interruptions; and [3] clarifications and modifications to other tax provisions enacted through the CARES Act."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sherlock, Molly F.; Driessen, Grant A.; Crandall-Hollick, Margot L. . . .
2020-07-29
-
COVID-19 and Foreign Assistance: Congressional Oversight Framework and Current Activities [July 29, 2020]
From the Document: "In March 2020, Congress enacted two supplemental appropriations measures that included a combined $1.59 billion for foreign assistance programs to 'prevent, prepare for, and respond to' Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19; P.L. 116-123, P.L. 116-136). Congress established mechanisms to oversee the implementation of these funds, but concerns some have raised about oversight have intensified amid media reporting on the implementation of COVID-19 assistance by the State Department (State) and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Some reports suggest that planning and spending practices have left agencies unable to effectively address global COVID-19-related needs. Other stakeholders have expressed frustration with the agencies' public reporting, citing a lack of transparency."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brown, Nick M.; Morgenstern, Emily M.
2020-07-29
-
COVID-19 Pandemic's Impact on Household Employment and Income [Updated July 29, 2020]
From the Document: "The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected households in numerous ways, including shuttering business and schools, resulting in an economic recession and loss of employment income. An experimental U.S. Census Bureau household survey has been fielded each week since late April to track the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on households. This Insight provides some data from that survey, as well as links to research on the pandemic-induced recession's effects on households and policy responses to them."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Falk, Gene
2020-07-29
-
Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Gun-Launched Guided Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 28, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on three new ship-based weapons being developed by the Navy--solid state lasers (SSLs), the electromagnetic railgun (EMRG), and the gun-launched guided projectile (GLGP), also known as the hypervelocity projectile (HVP)--that could substantially improve the ability of Navy surface ships to defend themselves against surface craft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and eventually anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs). Any one of these three new weapons, if successfully developed and deployed, might be regarded as a 'game changer' for defending Navy surface ships against enemy missiles and UAVs. If two or three of them are successfully developed and deployed, the result might be considered not just a game changer, but a revolution. Rarely has the Navy had so many potential new types of surface-ship air-defense weapons simultaneously available for development and potential deployment. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's acquisition strategies and funding requests for these three potential new weapons. Congress's decisions on this issue could affect future Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the defense industrial base. This report supersedes an earlier CRS [Congressional Research Service] report that provided an introduction to potential Navy shipboard lasers."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-07-28
-
Navy Large Unmanned Surface and Undersea Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 28, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and potential issues for Congress for three types of large unmanned vehicles (UVs) that the Navy wants to develop and procure in FY2021 and beyond: [1] Large Unmanned Surface Vehicles (LUSVs); [2] Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicles (MUSVs); and [3] Extra-large Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (XLUUVs). The Navy wants to acquire these large UVs as part of an effort to shift the Navy to a new fleet architecture (i.e., a new combination of ships and other platforms) that is more widely distributed than the Navy's current fleet architecture. The Navy is requesting $579.9 million in FY2021 research and development funding for these large UVs and their enabling technologies. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's acquisition strategies and FY2021 funding requests for these large UVs. The Navy's proposals for developing and procuring them pose a number of oversight issues for Congress. Congress's decisions on these issues could substantially affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the shipbuilding and UV industrial bases."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-07-28
-
Navy Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 28, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Navy's new Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) program, which envisions procuring a class of 28 to 30 new amphibious ships to support the Marine Corps, particularly in implementing a new Marine Corps operational concept called Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO). The Navy's proposed FY2021 budget requests $30 million in research and development funding for initial industry studies and concept design work on the ship. The Navy envisions procuring the ships on an expedited schedule, with the first LAWs potentially being procured in FY2023 and a total of 28 notionally being procured by FY2026. The LAW program poses a number of potential oversight matters for Congress. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's FY2021 funding request and envisioned acquisition strategy for the program. Congress's decisions regarding the program could affect Navy and Marine Corps capabilities and funding requirements and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-07-28
-
Presidential Candidate and Nominating Convention Security [Updated July 28, 2020]
From the Introduction: "In 1968, Congress authorized U.S. Secret Service (USSS) protection of presidential candidates following the assassination of Democratic Party presidential candidate Senator Robert F. Kennedy. [...] There are two categories of candidates who receive USSS protection: (1) candidate protectees, who receive protection prior to receiving their political party's nomination; and (2) nominee protectees, who receive protection following their party's nomination. The USSS is statutorily required to protect major presidential and vice presidential candidates within 120 days of the general presidential elections, as well as their spouses (18 U.S.C. Section §3056(a)). This In Focus discusses protection of presidential candidates--both before and after the party nominating conventions--and provides an overview of funding for security operations at the nominating conventions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Reese, Shawn
2020-07-28
-
Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 28, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the 'Gerald R. Ford' (CVN-78) class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (CVN) aircraft carrier program. The Navy's proposed FY2021 budget requests $2,714.2 million (i.e., about $2.7 billion) in procurement funding for the program. Congress's decisions on the CVN-78 program could substantially affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-07-28
