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Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 23, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program, a program carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy that gives Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers a capability for conducting BMD operations. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify Department of Defense (DOD) acquisition strategies and proposed funding levels for the Aegis BMD program. Congress's decisions on the Aegis BMD program could significantly affect U.S. BMD capabilities and funding requirements, and the BMD-related industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-12-23
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U.S.-India Trade Relations [Updated December 23, 2020]
From the Background: "The United States and India view[ing] one another as important strategic partners to advance common interests regionally is considered to be a key aspect of strategic ties with potential for more growth. Bilateral trade is about 3% of U.S. world trade. It is more consequential for India; in 2019, the United States was India's largest goods export market (17% share), and third-largest goods import supplier (7%), after China (14%) and the European Union (9%). U.S.-India foreign direct investment (FDI) is limited, but growing. Defense sales also are significant in bilateral trade. Civilian nuclear commerce, stalled for years over differences on liability protections, has produced major potential U.S. supply contracts, dating to the second Obama Administration. Market access and other barriers to trade with India have been long-standing concerns among some Members of Congress and U.S. exporters, and successive U.S. Administrations. Efforts under the Trump Administration to reach a limited bilateral trade deal to address certain frictions did not conclude. President-Elect Joe Biden has expressed interest in cooperating with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on global challenges, but it is uncertain what priority the new Administration will place on bilateral trade issues. Some analysts expect that U.S.- India trade relations may be less strained, but that Congress and the new Administration will continue to seek resolution to ongoing trade frictions in the bilateral relationship."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Akhtar, Shayerah Ilias; Kronstadt, K. Alan
2020-12-23
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Inaugural Tickets: Past Practices and Considerations for 2021 [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Document: "Since the 20th Amendment was ratified, the oath of office for President of the United States has been administered every four years on January 20. The next presidential inauguration is scheduled to take place on January 20, 2021. The move to the West Front of the Capitol not only accommodated larger crowds who could view the ceremony from the Capitol grounds, but also allowed for use of the National Mall. Additionally, the Architect of the Capitol has been able to build a larger platform on the West Front, which in recent years has accommodated more than 1,600 people. For the 2021 swearing-in ceremony, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) has announced that as a result of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] the in-person audience will be reduced to a size that 'resembles the State of the Union,' with congressional attendance limited to Members of Congress and one guest. Given the limited in-person attendance at the ceremony, the JCCIC is 'working on enhanced opportunities to watch the ceremonies online, in addition to the traditional televised national broadcast.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Straus, Jacob R.
2020-12-22
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Lawsuits Against the Federal Government: Basic Federal Court Procedure and Timelines [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Document: "Many federal laws and policy initiatives are challenged in court. In recent years, for instance, plaintiffs have brought cases challenging the Department of Homeland Security's rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the Secretary of Commerce's decision to include a citizenship question on the 2020 Census, and the President's decision to expend certain funds to construct a 'border wall.' Because the defendant in these cases is the United States or an executive official, the cases generally proceed in federal court. By understanding the procedures governing federal court litigation, legislators can consider potential outcomes, estimate timelines, and appreciate the importance of a court's ruling at a particular stage. This In Focus reviews the most common procedures that govern civil suits against the federal government, tracing the path from federal district court to the Supreme Court."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lampe, Joanna R.
2020-12-22
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South China Sea Disputes: Background and U.S. Policy [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Overview: "Multiple Asian governments assert sovereignty over rocks, reefs, and other geographic features in the heavily trafficked South China Sea (SCS), with the People's Republic of China (PRC or China) arguably making the most assertive claims. The United States has no territorial claim in the SCS and does not take a position on sovereignty over any of the geographic features in the SCS, but has urged that disputes be settled without coercion and on the basis of international law. Separate from the sovereignty disputes, the United States and China disagree over what rights international law grants foreign militaries to fly, sail, and operate in a country's territorial sea or Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Since 2013, the sovereignty disputes and the U.S.-China dispute over freedom of the seas for military ships and aircraft have converged in the controversy over military outposts China has built on disputed features in the SCS. Of particular concern to the U.S. military is the possibility that the outposts may be part of a Chinese effort to dominate the South China Sea, with the ultimate goal of making China a regional hegemon that can set the rules by which other regional actors must operate. A long-standing goal of U.S. strategy has been to prevent the emergence of such a regional hegemon. U.S. and regional observers have been alert to other actions China might take to achieve dominance in the SCS."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Dolven, Ben; Lawrence, Susan V.; O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-12-22
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United Nations Issues: Cabinet Rank of the U.S. Permanent Representative [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Document: "The U.S. Permanent Representative is the chief representative of the United States to the United Nations. The President appoints the Permanent Representative with the advice and consent of the Senate. Of the 30 individuals who have served since 1946, approximately two-thirds have been accorded Cabinet rank by Presidents. Some Members of Congress have demonstrated an ongoing interest in the Cabinet rank of the Permanent Representative in the context of the Senate confirmation process and broader U.S. policy toward the United Nations. On November 24, 2020, President-elect Biden announced his intent to nominate Linda Thomas-Greenfield to be Permanent Representative, with Cabinet rank. Biden stated that he will accord Cabinet status to Greenfield 'because I want to hear her voice on all the major foreign policy discussions we have.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Blanchfield, Luisa; Hogue, Henry B.; Chesser, Susan G.
2020-12-22
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2020 Census Fieldwork Delayed by COVID-19 [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Introduction: "In a March 18, 2020, press release (CB20-RTQ.08), U.S. Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham announced that the bureau was suspending all 2020 decennial census field operations until April 1. This action, a response to the novel coronavirus disease first observed in 2019 (COVID-19) and designated a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, came at a critical time for the census. Although April 1 was the official Census Day, early data collection began in remote Toksook Bay, Alaska, on January 21. Other tightly timed field operations were underway or imminent, including the bureau's personal outreach to hard-to-count areas and groups. Dr. Dillingham stated on March 18 that if 'additional adjustments' became necessary, the bureau would make them known 'promptly.' [...] A press release dated October 13, 2020 (CB20-CN.119), stated that all 2020 census data collection operations would end not later than October 15, and the deadline held. This In Focus discusses the various major components of the bureau's 2020 census fieldwork, their original and adjusted schedules, and related issues."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Williams, Jennifer Dingledine, 1945-
2020-12-22
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Defense Primer: The Military Departments [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Document: "There are three military departments within the Department of Defense (DOD): Department of the Army, Department of the Navy, and Department of the Air Force. A military department provides and embodies traditional civilian control of the military. The authority, function, and organization of each military department are established in Title 10 of the United States Code. Since 1947, the military departments have fallen under the Secretary of Defense's authority, direction, and control. According to the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-433), combatant commands are responsible for military operations, whereas military departments are responsible for personnel, training, services, supply, and procurement. Under the leadership of its Secretary, each military department provides conventional, strategic, and special operations forces to conduct military operations within a combatant command. A military department consists of an executive headquarters and various agencies, installations, or field headquarters."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Ott, Alan
2020-12-22
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Energy and Water Development Appropriations: Nuclear Weapons Activities [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Summary: "The annual Energy and Water Development appropriations bill funds civil works projects of the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of Energy (DOE), and several independent agencies. The DOE budget funds the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semiautonomous agency within DOE. NNSA operates three programs: Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, Naval Reactors, and Weapons Activities. The last is the subject of this report. The Weapons Activities account supports U.S. nuclear warheads, provides the materials and components for those weapons, and sustains the infrastructure that supports that mission. They provide for 'the maintenance and refurbishment of nuclear weapons to continue sustained confidence in their safety, reliability, and performance; continued investment in scientific, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities to enable production and certification of the enduring nuclear weapons stockpile; and manufacture of nuclear weapon components.' NNSA's budget request for FY2021 sought $15.6 billion for Weapons Activities, an increase of 25% over the enacted funding of $12.6 billion in FY2020, within a total budget of $19.8 billion for NNSA. Congress provided $15.3 billion in H.R. 133, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. NNSA has reorganized and renamed its programs areas in its FY2021 budget request."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Woolf, Amy F.; Ryder, Samuel D.
2020-12-22
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Operation Warp Speed Contracts for COVID-19 Vaccines and Ancillary Vaccination Materials [December 22, 2020]
From the Document: "Operation Warp Speed (OWS) is an interagency partnership between the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD) that coordinates federal efforts to accelerate the development, acquisition, and distribution of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] medical countermeasures. Collaborating HHS components include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). Although the stated goals of OWS include therapeutics and diagnostics, most of the money awarded to date has focused on vaccines. This Insight summarizes OWS's vaccine-related contracts, including those for ancillary vaccination materials (e.g., needles and vials)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Siddalingaiah, Simi V.
2020-12-22
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Department of the Interior (DOI) Law Enforcement Programs [December 22, 2020]
From the Overview: "As of November 2020, the Department of the Interior (DOI) employed nearly 3,400 law enforcement officers (LEOs) assigned to seven distinct organizational units within five DOI bureaus. These seven units are the Bureau of Land Management (BLM); Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA); Bureau of Reclamation (BOR); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS's) Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) and Division of Refuge Law Enforcement (REF); National Park Service (NPS); and U.S. Park Police (USPP) within NPS. DOI's law enforcement contingent is the fourth-largest among executive branch departments, after the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and Veterans Affairs. Law enforcement on lands owned and administered by the federal government is of perennial interest to Congress. This includes issues related to funding, jurisdictional disputes between federal and nonfederal law enforcement agencies, and more recent concerns around excessive force and police-community relations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
DeSantis, Mark K.
2020-12-22
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Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 22, 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
2020-12-22
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Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress [December 22, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) program. The Navy's original FY2021 budget submission requests $4,235.9 million (i.e., about $4.2 billion) in procurement and advance procurement (AP) funding for the program. Press reports in late November 2020 stated that the Trump Administration, as an 11th-hour amendment to the Navy's original FY2021 budget submission, had decided to request the procurement of a second Virginia-class boat in FY2021, and will work with Congress to identify offsets to the Department of Defense's (DOD's) FY2021 budget to pay for procuring a second Virginia-class boat in FY2021. CRS [Congressional Research Service] as of December 1, 2020, had not received any documentation from the Administration detailing the exact changes to the Virginia-class program procurement and AP funding lines that would result from this reported change. Pending the delivery of that information from the Administration, this CRS report continues to use the originally requested FY2021 procurement and AP funding figures for the Virginia-class program in its tables and narrative discussions. Decisions that Congress makes on procurement of Virginia-class boats could substantially affect U.S. Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-12-22
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Obesity in the United States and Effects on Military Recruiting [December 22, 2020]
From the Background: "Congress has a sustained interest in maintaining capable military forces. To this end, a population of healthy and eligible recruits is important to sustain the military services and meet the annual requirements established by Congress. Though many aspects of health are important, a 2016 Department of Defense (DOD) report found that obesity was one of the main disqualifiers from joining U.S. military service. Obesity in the United States is not a new issue. A report published in 'Health Economics' in 2012 estimated that the percentage of military-age adults ineligible for enlistment because of excessive body fat more than doubled for men and tripled for women during 1959-2008. Since 2008, the percentage of obese youth has continued to increase. The increasing proportion of obese American youth reduces the pool of eligible military recruits. This trend may pose particular challenges with recruiting highly-qualified individuals to service in the U.S. Armed Forces."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tompkins, Erin
2020-12-22
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Navy Columbia (SSBN-826) Class Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Columbia-class program, a program to design and build a class of 12 new ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to replace the Navy's current force of 14 aging Ohio-class SSBNs. The Navy has identified the Columbia-class program as the Navy's top priority program. The Navy wants to procure the first Columbia-class boat in FY2021. The Navy's proposed FY2021 budget requests $2,891.5 million in procurement funding, $1,123.2 million in advance procurement (AP) funding, and $397.3 million in research and development funding for the program. The program poses a number of funding and oversight issues for Congress. Decisions that Congress makes on the Columbia-class program could substantially affect U.S. military capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base. [...] This report focuses on the Columbia-class program as a Navy shipbuilding program."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-12-22
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Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Introduction: "The Coast Guard's Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) program envisages procuring up to 35 replacements for the Coast Guard's 35 aging river buoy tenders (WLRs), inland construction tenders (WLICs), and inland buoy tenders (WLIs). The Coast Guard wants to award the first contract for constructing the new WCCs in FY2022, and to have the first new WCC be in service by 2025. The Coast Guard's proposed FY2021 budget requests $25.0 million in procurement funding for the WCC program. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Coast Guard's proposed acquisition strategy and FY2021 funding request for the WCC program. Decisions that Congress makes on this issue could affect Coast Guard capabilities and funding requirements, the U.S. shipbuilding industry, and U.S. waterway commerce."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-12-22
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Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 22, 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
2020-12-22
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Navy Constellation (FFG-62) Class Frigate (Previously FFG[X]) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and discusses potential issues for Congress regarding the Navy's Constellation (FFG-62) class frigate program, previously known as the FFG(X) program. The FFG-62 class program is a program to procure a new class of 20 guided-missile frigates (FFGs). The Navy's proposed FY2021 budget requests $1,053.1 million (i.e., about $1.1 billion) for the procurement of the second FFG-62. The FFG-62 program presents several potential oversight issues for Congress. Congress's decisions on the program could affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the shipbuilding industrial base. This report focuses on the FFG-62 program."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-12-22
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Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report presents background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Navy's Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) and Zumwalt (DDG-1000) class destroyer programs. The Navy's proposed FY2021 budget requests funding for the procurement of two DDG-51s. Decisions that Congress makes concerning destroyer procurement could substantially affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-12-22
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Navy LPD-17 Flight II and LHA Amphibious Ship Programs: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on two types of amphibious ships being procured for the Navy: LPD-17 Flight II class amphibious ships and LHA-type amphibious assault ships. Both types are built by Huntington Ingalls Industries/Ingalls Shipbuilding (HII/Ingalls) of Pascagoula, MS. The Navy's FY2021 budget submission poses multiple issues for Congress concerning these two types of ships, including potentially significant institutional issues regarding the preservation and use of Congress's power of the purse under Article 1 of the Constitution, and for maintaining Congress as a coequal branch of government relative to the executive branch. Congress's decisions on the LPD-17 Flight II and LHA programs could also affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-12-22
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Navy Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 22, 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
2020-12-22
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Navy John Lewis (TAO-205) Class Oiler Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the John Lewis (TAO-205) class oiler shipbuilding program, a program to build a new class of 20 fleet oilers for the Navy. The Navy's proposed FY2021 budget does not request any funding for the procurement of additional TAO-205s. Issues for Congress regarding the TAO-205 program include the number of TAO-205s to procure in FY2021, the number of oilers the Navy will require in coming years to support its operations, and whether to encourage or direct the Navy to build TAO-205s with more ship self-defense equipment than currently planned by the Navy."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-12-22
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SolarWinds Attack--No Easy Fix [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Document: "On December 13, 2020, the cybersecurity firm FireEye published research that a malicious actor was exploiting a supply chain vulnerability in SolarWinds products to hack into government and private sector information technology (IT) networks. SolarWinds confirmed the security incident. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued an emergency directive requiring federal agencies to remove certain SolarWinds products from agency networks. Media initially reported that the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments were susceptible to this attack; subsequent reports added additional agencies. The list of compromised agencies and companies is expected to expand. As private sector and government researchers continue investigating this incident, the cybersecurity community expects to learn more about the attack, the adversary, their targets, compromised data and systems, and ways to recover from the incident. This Insight provides an overview of the incident, federal actions, and policy considerations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Jaikaran, Chris
2020-12-22
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Navy Large Surface Combatant (LSC) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Introduction: "The Navy's Large Surface Combatant (LSC) program envisages procuring a class of next-generation cruisers or destroyers to replace the Navy's aging Ticonderoga (CG-47) class Aegis cruisers. The Navy wants to procure the first LSC around FY2028, although that date could change. The Navy's proposed FY2021 budget requests $46.5 million in research and development (R&D) funding for the LSC program in one R&D line item and some additional funding for the program in another R&D line item. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's FY2021 funding request and emerging acquisition strategy for the program. Congress's decisions on this issue could affect future Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-12-22
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Navy Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Introduction: "The Navy's Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) program envisages procuring a new class of medium-sized at-sea resupply ships for the Navy. The Navy's proposed FY2021 budget requests $30.0 million in research and development (R&D) funding for the program. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's proposed FY2021 funding request and emerging acquisition strategy for the NGLS program. Congress's decisions on this issue could affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-12-22
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Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated December 22, 2020]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on multiyear procurement (MYP) and block buy contracting (BBC), which are special contracting mechanisms that Congress permits the Department of Defense (DOD) to use for a limited number of defense acquisition programs. Compared to the standard or default approach of annual contracting, MYP and BBC have the potential for reducing weapon procurement costs by a few or several percent. Potential issues for Congress concerning MYP and BBC include whether to use MYP and BBC in the future more frequently, less frequently, or about as frequently as they are currently used; whether to create a permanent statute to govern the use of BBC, analogous to the permanent statute that governs the use of MYP; and whether the Coast Guard should begin making use of MYP and BBC. Congress's decisions on these issues could affect defense acquisition practices, defense funding requirements, and the defense industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2020-12-22
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Election Administration: Federal Grant Funding for States and Localities [December 21, 2020]
From the Summary: "States, territories, and localities have primary responsibility for administering elections in the United States, but Congress has tools it can use to support or shape their efforts if it chooses to do so. One of those tools is funding. Congress can use its power to provide--and set conditions on--funding to encourage or help states and localities to adopt, reject, implement, or maintain election administration policies and practices. Congress has used or proposed using funding to engage with election administration issues in various ways, including by directing federal agencies to use some of their funding to support state and local election administration work and by considering conditioning eligibility for certain federal funds on adopting or rejecting election administration policies. Perhaps the most direct way in which Congress has used funding is by establishing and funding state and local grant programs specifically for election administration-related purposes. Congress first authorized major election administration-related grant programs for states and localities in response to issues with the conduct of the 2000 elections. The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA; 52 U.S.C. §§20901-21145) set new requirements for the administration of federal elections and created the election administration-focused U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). It also authorized election administration-related grant programs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Shanton, Karen L.
2020-12-21
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USDA's Coronavirus Food Assistance Program: Round Two (CFAP-2) [December 21, 2020]
From the Introduction: "On April 17, 2020, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would initiate what would be the first round of direct payments under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP-1), valued at $16 billion, to provide immediate financial relief to farmers, ranchers, and consumers affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. On September 18, 2020, USDA announced a second round of CFAP direct payments (CFAP-2), valued at up to an additional $14 billion. [...] This report describes the details of CFAP-2 direct payments to the U.S. agricultural sector in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It describes the program's funding source and authority; how the program is administered, including specific details on the calculation and implementation of payments; and the status of program outlays by commodity and by state."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-
2020-12-21
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PREP Act and COVID-19: Limiting Liability for Medical Countermeasures [Updated December 21, 2020]
From the Document: "To encourage the expeditious development and deployment of medical countermeasures during a public health emergency, the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to limit legal liability for losses relating to the administration of medical countermeasures such as diagnostics, treatments and vaccines. In a declaration effective February 4, 2020 (the HHS Declaration), the Secretary of HHS invoked the PREP Act and declared Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) to be a public health emergency warranting liability protections for covered countermeasures. Under the HHS Declaration, covered persons are generally immune from legal liability (i.e., they cannot be sued for money damages in court) for losses relating to the administration or use of covered countermeasures against COVID-19. [...] This Sidebar reviews the structure of the PREP Act and the HHS Declaration to explain the scope of this liability immunity as it applies to COVID-19 countermeasures."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hickey, Kevin J.
2020-12-21
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From Clickwrap to Rap Sheet: Criminal Liability Under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act for Terms of Service Violations [Updated December 21, 2020]
From the Document: "'Update: On November 30, 2020, the Supreme Court held oral arguments in Van Buren v. United States--a case that could resolve the judicial disagreement over whether the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) authorizes criminal liability for the violation of a terms of service agreement. Specifically, the issue before the court is whether an individual may be held criminally liable under the CFAA if he is 'authorized to access information on a computer for certain purposes,' but accesses that information for unauthorized purposes. At oral argument, questioning by the Justices focused on the policy implications of interpreting the CFAA broadly or narrowly. Justices asked whether a broad interpretation would criminalize routine conduct like lying on a dating website in violation of its terms of service. Other questions focused on whether a narrow interpretation, on the other hand, could jeopardize personal privacy if, for instance, an employee might not be criminally liable under the CFAA for using highly sensitive customer information in ways that are outside the scope of his employment duties. At oral argument, the attorney for the government argued that the CFAA unambiguously prohibits accessing information for unauthorized purposes--a view adopted by some federal appellate courts, but rejected by others[.] [...] A decision in Van Buren v. United States is expected before the Court's summer recess.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Berris, Peter G.
2020-12-21
