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Evaluating DOD Strategy: Key Findings of the National Defense Strategy Commission [March 19, 2019]
From the Document: "On January 19, 2018, the Department of Defense (DOD, or the Department) released an unclassified summary of the congressionally mandated National Defense Strategy (NDS). On November 14, 2018, the congressionally appointed bipartisan National Defense Strategy Commission (NDSC, or the commission) issued its report, 'Providing for the Common Defense'. The NDSC's mandate was to critique the NDS in order to provide Congress some alternative ideas for improving DOD."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2019-03-19
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United States European Command: Overview and Key Issues [March 12, 2019]
From the Document: "United States European Command (or EUCOM, pronounced 'YEW-com') is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, and was established in 1952. Today its area of responsibility comprises 51 countries stretching from Portugal's Azores Islands to Iceland and Israel. USEUCOM's commander is currently U.S. Army General Curtis Scaparrotti, who is simultaneously NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR). During the Cold War, the European theater was a primary focus for U.S. defense and national security and EUCOM was focused almost exclusively on deterring, and if necessary defeating, the Soviet Union. At the height of the Cold War, there were more than 400,000 U.S. troops stationed in Europe. [...] [...] Events in recent years, particularly since 2014, have tested, if not undermined, the strategic assumptions underpinning EUCOM's posture. To Europe's east, Russia annexed Crimea, began a proxy war in Eastern Ukraine, and is modernizing its conventional and nonconventional forces. Russia also increased its military activities in Europe's high north, particularly through reportedly adding nuclear-capable missiles to Kaliningrad (a Russian territory on the Baltic Sea that is not contiguous with Russia itself), enhancing its air patrolling activities close to other states' airspace, and enhancing its naval presence in the Baltic Sea, the Arctic Ocean, and the North Sea. Taken together, these moves have heightened some congressional concerns about Russian aggression and its implications for NATO territories, particularly among Central and Eastern European NATO allies."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2019-03-12
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Strategic Competition and Foreign Policy: What is 'Political Warfare'? [March 8, 2019]
From the Document: "In recent years, scholars have formed a consensus around the notion that the United States has reentered an international strategic competition with other great powers, notably Russia and China. This great power competition has political, economic and military dimensions, with potentially far-reaching implications for U.S. foreign and national security policy."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.; Weiss, Martin A.
2019-03-08
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Security Cooperation: Comparison of Proposed Provisions for the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) [November 1, 2016]
"During the lame duck session, the 114th Congress is expected to consider various provisions in the annual defense authorization bill that address U.S. security sector cooperation. If enacted, the FY2017 [Fiscal Year 2017] National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) could significantly alter the way in which the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) engages and partners with foreign security forces. [...] Some of the proposed provisions in the FY2017 NDAA have broad appeal, while others have emerged as flashpoints in a larger debate over DOD's role in security sector assistance. The FY2017 NDAA also raises questions over whether security cooperation policy architecture is adequately structured to meet current and evolving requirements and whether the mechanisms of congressional oversight are adequately tailored to current levels of activity."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rosen, Liana W.; McInnis, Kathleen J.; Skorupski, Bolko J. . . .
2016-11-01
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U.S. Military Presence in Poland [August 1, 2019]
From the Introduction: "Poland has been a major focus of U.S. and NATO efforts to deter potential Russian aggression in Europe. This is in part due to its geographic location situated on NATO's eastern flank, providing land access to the Baltic States. Although Ukraine is not a NATO ally, the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and subsequent initiation of a proxy war in Eastern Ukraine underscored to many international security observers that NATO allies, particularly those in Eastern Europe, could once again be threatened by Moscow. In response, the United States and its NATO allies have undertaken a number of initiatives to underscore NATO's collective defense agreements, thereby assuring allies of their own security while simultaneously deterring Russian aggression. Poland is a critical partner in these efforts."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Feickert, Andrew; McInnis, Kathleen J.
2019-08-01
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What Is 'Building Partner Capacity?' Issues for Congress [December 18, 2015]
"Since 2001, successive U.S. administrations have increasingly prioritized efforts to build foreign security forces--particularly in weak and failing states--arguing that doing so advances U.S. national security objectives. In turn, the Department of Defense (DOD) has invested billions of dollars in 'Building Partner Capacity,' a term that refers to a broad set of missions, programs, activities, and authorities intended to improve the ability of other nations to achieve those security-oriented goals they share with the United States. As a consequence, these efforts and programs have been a growing focus of Congressional attention. […] The increasing emphasis that the U.S. government is placing on BPC [Building Partner Capacity] as a means to achieve strategic goals, combined with the paucity of the literature on this subject, prompted CRS to explore the historical track record of BPC efforts to help determine whether they produced outcomes consistent with U.S. strategic objectives. […] Given that U.S. leaders often argue that a BPC effort could help accomplish more than one of the above goals, determining what constitutes the 'primary' strategic objective for a given BPC effort required analytic judgment. CRS organized the cases according to public statements at the time, with particular attention paid to how leaders described the purpose of the BPC effort. Effectiveness was judged based on two criteria: whether the strategic goal was achieved, and whether the effort produced unintended consequences that were obviously and meaningfully damaging to U.S. national interests."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.; Lucas, Nathan J.
2015-12-18
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Goldwater-Nichols at 30: Defense Reform and Issues for Congress [June 2, 2016]
"Thirty years after its enactment, Congress has undertaken a review of the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act (GNA) as well as the broader organization and structure of the contemporary Department of Defense (DOD) more broadly. Most observers agree that in principle a comprehensive review of the Goldwater-Nichols legislation is warranted at this juncture. Further, a broad consensus appears to exist among observers that DOD must become considerably more agile while retaining its strength in order to enable the United States to meet a variety of critical emerging national security challenges. Agreement seemingly ends there. There appears to be little consensus on what should be changed within DOD and what specific direction reform ought to take. Discussions have begun to coalesce around a number of proposals, including reforming defense acquisition processes, further strengthening the Joint Staff, reducing Pentagon staffs, and better empowering the services in the joint arena. Ideas vary, however, on how, specifically, to achieve those outcomes. Disagreement also exists as to whether or not reorganizing DOD alone will be sufficient. Some observers maintain that a reform of the broader interagency system on national security matters is needed. […] This report is intended to assist Congress as it evaluates the variety of reform proposals currently under discussion around Washington."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2016-06-02
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Goldwater-Nichols at 30: Defense Reform and Issues for Congress [May 11, 2016]
"Thirty years after its enactment, Congress has undertaken a review of the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act (GNA) as well as the broader organization and structure of the contemporary Department of Defense (DOD) more broadly. Most observers agree that in principle a comprehensive review of the Goldwater-Nichols legislation is warranted at this juncture. Further, a broad consensus appears to exist among observers that DOD must become considerably more agile while retaining its strength in order to enable the United States to meet a variety of critical emerging national security challenges. Agreement seemingly ends there. There appears to be little consensus on what should be changed within DOD and what specific direction reform ought to take. Discussions have begun to coalesce around a number of proposals, including reforming defense acquisition processes, further strengthening the Joint Staff, reducing Pentagon staffs, and better empowering the services in the joint arena. Ideas vary, however, on how, specifically, to achieve those outcomes. Disagreement also exists as to whether or not reorganizing DOD alone will be sufficient. Some observers maintain that a reform of the broader interagency system on national security matters is needed."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2016-05-11
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Goldwater-Nichols at 30: Defense Reform and Issues for Congress [April 20, 2016]
"Thirty years after its enactment, Congress has undertaken a review of the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act (GNA) as well as the broader organization and structure of the contemporary Department of Defense (DOD) more broadly. Most observers agree that in principle a comprehensive review of the Goldwater-Nichols legislation is warranted at this juncture. Further, a broad consensus appears to exist among observers that DOD must become considerably more agile while retaining its strength in order to enable the United States to meet a variety of critical emerging national security challenges.
Agreement seemingly ends there. There appears to be little consensus on what should be changed within DOD and what specific direction reform ought to take. Discussions have begun to coalesce around a number of proposals, including reforming defense acquisition processes, further strengthening the Joint Staff, reducing Pentagon staffs, and better empowering the services in the joint arena. Ideas vary, however, on how, specifically, to achieve those outcomes. Disagreement also exists as to whether or not reorganizing DOD alone will be sufficient. Some observers maintain that a reform of the broader interagency system on national security matters is needed."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2016-04-20
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Fact Sheet: FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) DOD Reform Proposals [May 25, 2016]
From the introduction: "This fact sheet is intended to offer Members information on extant Department of Defense (DOD) reform proposals being considered during the FY2017 [Fiscal Year] National Defense Authorization Act debates. As such, it includes key provisions incorporated in H.R. 4909, the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) reported by the House Armed Services Committee on May 4, 2016 (H.Rept. 114-537), and S. 2943, the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act reported by the Senate Armed Services Committee on May 18, 2016 (S.Rept. 114-255). Wherever possible, it also includes the Administration's views."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2016-05-25
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Toward the Creation of a U.S. 'Space Force' [August 16, 2018]
"For over two decades, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and others have found that fragmentation and overlap in national security space acquisition management and oversight have contributed to program delays and cancellations, cost increases, and inefficient operations. Congress has attempted numerous organizational and acquisition reforms to address these problems. In the view of many observers, these efforts have generally been unsuccessful. In addition to these perceived managerial deficits, Congress has more recently expressed concern over the slow pace with which the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Air Force have addressed the growing threat to U.S. national security in space from adversaries, particularly Russia and China, and to a lesser extent North Korea and Iran. Some in the military and elsewhere now increasingly refer to space as a 'warfighting domain'; once seen as peaceful and uncontested, space is now viewed as crowded and adversarial."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Elsea, Jennifer K.; Kapp, Lawrence; McInnis, Kathleen J.
2018-08-16
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Evaluating Possible U.S. Troop Withdrawals from Hostile Areas [February 1, 2019]
"On December 19, 2018, President Trump announced his intention to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria within 30 days, although Administration officials subsequently suggested that the process could take several months. Subsequent press articles indicated that the White House is also considering withdrawing 'up to half' of U.S. forces in Afghanistan in the coming months, although at the time of writing the Trump Administration has stated it has not yet ordered any such withdrawal. More recently, the United States has been negotiating with Afghan Taliban representatives regarding the conditions upon which, if met, American forces might withdraw from Afghanistan. Opinions vary as whether these negotiations might lead to a successful settlement. Regardless, the suggestion that the United States might curtail its military operational commitment to those theaters raises a number of issues which may be of interest to Congress. In particular, from a strategic perspective, when is a withdrawal from a military operation appropriate?"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2019-02-01
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How Big Should the Army Be? Considerations for Congress [September 2, 2016]
"The House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY2017 authorized differing levels for active duty personnel in each of the services, but these authorizations diverge most significantly with respect to the Army. The Senate version of the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act approved Army end strength of 460,000 soldiers, while the House version approved an Army end strength of 480,000. The Senate figure represents a decrease of 15,000 soldiers in comparison to the Army's FY2016 end strength of 475,000, while the House figure represents an increase of 5,000. […] In addition to the decision for FY2017, the debate about the size of the Army may well continue into the next Congress, as the Department of Defense plans further reductions in the size of the Army, proposing FY2018 end strength of 450,000. There will be also be a new President in January, and his or her policy priorities may revise the contours of this debate. This report provides an overview of active duty Army personnel strength changes in recent years, outlines the different end strength authorizations in the House and Senate versions of the FY2017 NDAA, highlights the perspectives which have contributed to these diverging approaches in the respective NDAAs, and outlines some factors which Congress may consider as it determines the appropriate size for the Army."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kapp, Lawrence; Feickert, Andrew; McInnis, Kathleen J. . . .
2016-09-02
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Information Warfare: Russian Activities [September 2, 2016]
"Pointing to several recent high-profile events, media reports suggest that Russia is engaging in activities that some may describe as Information Warfare (IW): the range of military and government operations to protect and exploit the information environment. These alleged events include 'hacks' of servers of U.S. political parties and other groups; releases and possible manipulation of sensitive documents in an attempt to influence the upcoming U.S. presidential election; and the manipulation of publicly available information on Russian activities in Ukraine. The scale and frequency of attacks on U.S. information architecture raise issues for the United States, including whether the Department of Defense adequately conceptualizes and is organized to counter IW. [...] Tactics used to accomplish these goals include damaging information systems and critical infrastructure; subverting political, economic, and social systems; instigating 'massive psychological manipulation of the population to destabilize the society and state'; and coercing targets to make decisions counter to their interests. Recent events suggest that Russia may be employing a mix of propaganda, misinformation, and deliberately misleading or corrupted disinformation in order to do so. And while Russian organizations appear to be using cyberspace as a primary medium through which these goals are achieved, the government also appears to potentially be using the physical realm to conduct more traditional influence operations including denying the deployment of troops in conflict areas and the use of online 'troll armies' to propagate pro-Russian rhetoric."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Theohary, Catherine A.; McInnis, Kathleen J.
2016-09-02
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Fact Sheet: FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) DOD Reform Proposals [June 30, 2016]
"This fact sheet is intended to offer Members information on extant Department of Defense (DOD) reform proposals being considered during the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act debates. As such, it includes key provisions incorporated in H.R. 4909, the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) reported by the House Armed Services Committee on May 4, 2016 (H.Rept. 114-537), and S. 2943, the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act reported by the Senate Armed Services Committee on May 18, 2016 (S.Rept. 114-255). Wherever possible, it also includes the Administration's views. For more information on the defense reform debates, see CRS Report R44474, Goldwater-Nichols at 30: Defense Reform and Issues for Congress, by Kathleen J. McInnis. […] Thirty years after its enactment, Congress has undertaken a review of the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act as well as the broader organization and structure of the contemporary Department of Defense (DOD). Most observers agree that in principle a comprehensive review of the Goldwater-Nichols legislation is warranted at this juncture. Further, a broad consensus appears to exist among observers that DOD must become considerably more agile while retaining its strength in order to enable the United States to meet a variety of critical emerging national security challenges. However, a variety of views exist on the kinds of specific reform proposals that ought to be adopted, in part stemming from differing views on the nature of the organizational challenges besetting the Department of Defense."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2016-06-30
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Fact Sheet: FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) DOD Reform Proposals [May 18, 2017]
"This fact sheet is intended to offer Members information on extant Department of Defense (DOD) reform proposals being considered during the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act debates. As such, it includes key provisions incorporated in H.R. 4909, the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) reported by the House Armed Services Committee on May 4, 2016 (H.Rept. 114-537), and S. 2943, the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act reported by the Senate Armed Services Committee on May 18, 2016 (S.Rept. 114-255). Wherever possible, it also includes the Administration's views. For more information on the defense reform debates, see CRS Report R44474, Goldwater-Nichols at 30: Defense Reform and Issues for Congress, by Kathleen J. McInnis."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2017-05-18
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Statutory Restrictions on the Position of Secretary of Defense: Issues for Congress [January 5, 2017]
"The proposed nomination of General (Ret.) James Mattis, United States Marine Corps (hereafter referred to as 'General Mattis'), who retired from the military in 2013, to be Secretary of Defense requires both houses of Congress to consider whether and how to suspend--or remove--a provision contained in Title 10 U.S.C. [US Code] §113 that states, 'A person may not be appointed as Secretary of Defense within seven years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of an armed force.' [...] In response to the proposed nomination of General Mattis to the position of Secretary of Defense, Congress established special 'fast track' procedures governing Senate consideration of a bill or joint resolution which would suspend the existing seven-year restriction (Section 179 of the Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations Act, 2017). Accordingly, there are at least three basic options that Congress may pursue as it considers the issue of General Mattis's nomination, [as discussed in this report]. [...] Historically, the restriction relating to the prior military service of the Secretary of Defense appears to be a product of congressional concern about preserving the principle of civilian control of the military. [...] Nearly 67 years later, the proposed nomination of General Mattis has again generated a debate amongst policymakers, scholars, and practitioners regarding what civilian control of the military means in a contemporary context, and how to best uphold that principle."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2017-01-05
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Statutory Restrictions Relating to Prior Military Service of the Secretary of Defense [December 13, 2016]
"By law, the Secretary of Defense, who has authority, direction, and control over the Department of Defense, is a civilian appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. Section 113 of Title 10 of the U.S. Code provides that '[a] person may not be appointed as Secretary of Defense within seven years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of an armed force.' Since such statutory qualification provisions are created by law, they may also be changed, or alternatively, temporarily suspended for the benefit of a specific individual. Since the establishment of the position of Secretary of Defense by the National Security Act of 1947, Congress has acted in one instance to suspend this provision. Enacted on September 18, 1950, at the request of President Truman during the Korean War, P.L. 81-788 authorized the suspension of certain statutory requirements otherwise prohibiting General of the Army George C. Marshall from serving as Secretary of Defense."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2016-12-13
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Trump Administration Changes to the National Security Council: Frequently Asked Questions [January 30, 2017]
"On January 28, 2017, the Trump Administration issued National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM) 2: Organization of the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council. The memorandum details how the executive branch intends to manage and coordinate national and homeland security issues among relevant departments and agencies. In keeping with the practices of prior administrations, the White House issued the memorandum early in its tenure. Since the memorandum was signed, some media reports have incorrectly characterized the manner in which the Trump administration appears to be organizing itself to manage national security matters. These FAQs are intended to clarify the terms and structures associated with the National Security Council (NSC)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.; Rollins, John
2017-01-30
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North Korean Nuclear Challenge: Military Options and Issues for Congress [October 27, 2017]
"North Korea's apparently successful July 2017 tests of its intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities, along with the possibility that North Korea (DPRK) may have successfully miniaturized a nuclear warhead, have led analysts and policymakers to conclude that the window for preventing the DPRK from acquiring a nuclear missile capable of reaching the United States is closing. These events appear to have fundamentally altered U.S. perceptions of the threat the Kim Jong-un regime poses to the continental United States and the international community, and escalated the standoff on the Korean Peninsula to levels that have arguably not been seen since 1994. A key issue is whether or not the United States could manage and deter a nuclear-armed North Korea if it were to become capable of attacking targets in the U.S. homeland, and whether taking decisive military action to prevent the emergence of such a DPRK capability might be necessary. Either choice would bring with it considerable risk for the United States, its allies, regional stability, and global order. Trump Administration officials have stated that 'all options are on the table,' to include the use of military force to 'denuclearize,'--generally interpreted to mean eliminating nuclear weapons and related capabilities--from that area."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.; Feickert, Andrew; Hildreth, Steven A. . . .
2017-10-27
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Defense Primer: The Department of Defense [Updated December 20, 2018]
Form the Document: "The Department of Defense (DOD) was established after World War II through the 1947 National Security Act. At the time, some, including President Truman, took the view that the different components of the U.S. military had been insufficiently integrated to wage World War II effectively. The intention of the 1947 Act was therefore to create, for the first time, an integrated institution that combined the Departments of War and Navy, and to establish a policy architecture for overseeing the newly reorganized military apparatus. Over time, DOD has grown into one of the largest bureaucracies in the world, comprising over 3 million employees stationed across the United States and around the globe."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2018-12-20
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2018 National Defense Strategy [February 5, 2018]
"On January 19, 2018, Secretary of Defense Mattis released the unclassified summary of the Department of Defense's (DOD) first congressionally mandated National Defense Strategy (NDS). In addition to stating DOD's approach to contending with current and emerging national security challenges, the NDS is also intended to articulate the overall strategic rationale for programs and priorities contained within the FY2019-FY2023 budget requests. Overall, the document maintains that the strategic environment in which the United States must operate is one characterized by the erosion of the rules-based international order, which has produced a degree of strategic complexity and volatility not seen 'in recent memory' (p. 1). As a result, the document argues, the United States must bolster its competitive military advantage--which the NDS sees as having eroded in recent decades--relative to the threats posed by China and Russia. It further maintains that 'inter-state strategic competition, not terrorism, is now the primary concern in U.S. national security.' (p. 1)"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2018-02-05
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2017 National Security Strategy: Issues for Congress [December 19, 2017]
"On December 18, 2017, the Trump Administration released its first National Security Strategy (NSS). The document maintains that, in addition to the threats posed to the United States by rogue regimes and violent extremist organizations that have been a central focus of national security policy since the end of the Cold War, great power rivalry and competition have once again become a central feature of the international security landscape. To advance U.S. interests effectively within this strategic context, the Administration argues, the United States must improve domestic American security and bolster economic competitiveness while rebuilding its military."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2017-12-19
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Precedent for the Service of Active Duty Three-Star Generals and Flag Officers as the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs [March 2, 2017]
"On February 20, 2017, the Trump Administration announced the appointment of U.S. Army Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond 'H.R.' McMaster, Jr. to serve as the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. The Trump Administration further indicated that Lieutenant General McMaster would remain on active duty status following his assumption of the duties of the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs-a position that is also frequently referred to by the title of National Security Advisor. U.S. Presidents have acted in three previous instances to designate three-star active duty U.S. military flag and general officers as the National Security Advisor: U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft in 1975; U.S. Navy Vice Admiral John M. Poindexter in 1985; and U.S. Army Lieutenant General Colin L. Powell in 1987. While Scowcroft retired from active duty military service shortly after his designation as National Security Advisor by President Gerald Ford, Poindexter and Powell remained in their grades as three-star military officers while serving as the National Security Advisor, choices which mandated the involvement of the U.S. Senate. This memorandum proceeds in the following manner. It first explains the National Security Council, the policymaking processes it oversees, and the role of the National Security Advisor within the Executive Branch. It then explores these prior precedents of active duty three-star generals and flag officers serving as the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and includes discussions of related statutory provisions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Peters, Heidi M.; Kapp, Lawrence; McInnis, Kathleen J.
2017-03-02
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'Space Force' and Related DOD Proposals: Issues for Congress [April 8, 2019]
From the Document: "Over the past year, Congress saw a variety of overlapping proposals advanced for the reorganization of U.S. military activities in space. Major proposals include [1] the creation of a Space Force (SF), a new branch of the Armed Forces under the Secretary of the Air Force; [2] the reestablishment of a U.S. Space Command as an additional unified combatant command; and [3] the establishment of a Department of Defense Space Development Agency. While few observers dispute the notion that the Department of Defense (DOD) should better organize and manage its space capabilities, agreement ends there. Some believe all three proposals should be adopted; others believe only some, if any, should become permanent institutions within DOD. Taken together, these overlapping proposals could present considerable challenges to DOD's functioning in one of the most critically important operational domains. Regardless, the concepts and details of these military spacerelated proposals remain unclear--if not contradictory--at this time, prompting fundamental questions about plans to reorganize DOD's space programs, capabilities, and agencies."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.; McCall, Stephen M.
2019-04-08
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'Right-Sizing' the National Security Council Staff? [June 30, 2016]
"Currently, the main vehicle through which coordination among different U.S. government agencies on national security matters takes place is the National Security Council (NSC). As part of its defense reform deliberations, Congress is considering whether the modern National Security Council and its staff--established in 1947 to help oversee U.S. global security interests--is optimized to enable the United States to meet current and emerging threats (see CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report R44508, 'Fact Sheet: FY2017 [Fiscal Year] National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) DOD Reform Proposals', by Kathleen J. McInnis). [...] The National Security Council is the President's advisory body on matters related to national and international security. Pursuant to Title 50 U.S.C §3021, the NSC's statutory members are the President, Vice President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Energy. Other senior officials participate in NSC deliberations at the President's request. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of National Intelligence are the NSC's statutory advisers. The NSC is directed by the Presidentially-appointed National Security Advisor (NSA) and supported by a National Security Staff (NSS, or NSC staff) comprising permanent employees of the Executive Office of the President and 'detailees' from other government agencies serving temporary assignments. The NSC staff, and the interagency coordination processes it oversees, are the primary Executive Branch vehicles for synchronizing policy and adjudicating policy differences across U.S. government agencies on national security matters."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2016-06-30
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2015 National Security Strategy: Authorities, Changes, Issues for Congress [April 5, 2016]
"The Obama Administration released a new National Security Strategy (NSS) on February 6, 2015. It was the second NSS document to be published by the Administration; the first was published in May 2010. The 2015 document states that its purpose is to 'set out the principles and priorities to guide the use of American power and influence in the world.' The NSS is a congressionally mandated document, originating in the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-433, §603/50 U.S.C §3043). The 2015 NSS emphasizes the role of U.S. leadership; the words 'lead,' 'leader,' 'leading,' and 'leadership' appear 94 times in the context of the U.S. role in the world. It also acknowledges national limitations and calls for strategic patience and persistence. The 2015 report retains much of the underlying thought of the 2010 version. However, its emphasis appears to shift away from the U.S. role in the world being largely a catalyst for action by international institutions to one that reflects more involved leadership both inside those institutions and between nations. It also takes a tougher line with both China and with Russia, while emphasizing the desirability for cooperation with both."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lucas, Nathan J.; McInnis, Kathleen J.
2016-04-05
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2015 National Security Strategy: Authorities, Changes, Issues for Congress [February 26, 2016]
"The Obama Administration released a new National Security Strategy (NSS) on February 6, 2015. It was the second NSS document to be published by the Administration; the first was published in May 2010. The 2015 document states that its purpose is to 'set out the principles and priorities to guide the use of American power and influence in the world.' The NSS is a congressionally mandated document, originating in the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-433, §603/50 U.S.C §3043). The 2015 NSS emphasizes the role of U.S. leadership; the words 'lead,' 'leader,' 'leading,' and 'leadership' appear 94 times in the context of the U.S. role in the world. It also acknowledges national limitations and calls for strategic patience and persistence. The 2015 report retains much of the underlying thought of the 2010 version. However, its emphasis appears to shift away from the U.S. role in the world being largely a catalyst for action by international institutions to one that reflects more involved leadership both inside those institutions and between nations. It also takes a tougher line with both China and with Russia, while emphasizing the desirability for cooperation with both."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lucas, Nathan J.; McInnis, Kathleen J.
2016-02-26
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2015 National Security Strategy: Authorities, Changes, Issues for Congress [October 1, 2015]
"The Obama Administration released a new National Security Strategy (NSS) on February 6, 2015. It was the second NSS document to be published by the Administration; the first was published in May 2010. The 2015 document states that its purpose is to 'set out the principles and priorities to guide the use of American power and influence in the world.' The NSS is a congressionally mandated document, originating in the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-433, §603/50 U.S.C §3043). The 2015 NSS emphasizes the role of U.S. leadership; the words 'lead,' 'leader,' 'leading,' and 'leadership' appear 94 times in the context of the U.S. role in the world. It also acknowledges national limitations and calls for strategic patience and persistence. The 2015 report retains much of the underlying thought of the 2010 version. However, its emphasis appears to shift away from the U.S. role in the world being largely a catalyst for action by international institutions to one that reflects more involved leadership both inside those institutions and between nations. It also takes a tougher line with both China and with Russia, while emphasizing the desirability for cooperation with both."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lucas, Nathan J.; McInnis, Kathleen J.
2015-10-01
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2015 National Military Strategy: Background and Questions for Congress [July 29, 2015]
"In June 2015, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff issued the most recent United States National Military Strategy (NMS). This NMS argues that 'revisionist states' seeking to change the existing international order (such as Russia) and non-state actors (such as the Islamic State) are creating a strategic context whereby 'global disorder has significantly increased, while some of our comparative military advantage has begun to erode.' Of note, the NMS states--for the first time in a major strategy document produced in the past 20 years--that there is a distinct possibility that the United States may find itself at war with another great power, although it notes that the probability of that actually happening is 'low but growing.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McInnis, Kathleen J.
2015-07-29
