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• Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress [February 12, 2016]

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  "The Navy has been procuring Virginia (SSN-774) class nuclear-powered attack submarines since FY1998. The two Virginia-class boats requested for procurement in FY2017 are to be the 25th and 26th boats in the class. The 10 Virginia-class boats programmed for procurement in FY2014-FY2018 (two per year for five years) are being procured under a multiyear-procurement (MYP) contract. The Navy estimates the combined procurement cost of the two Virginia-class boats requested for procurement in FY2017 at $5,408.9 million, or an average of $2,704.5 million each. The boats have received a total of $1,623.3 million in prior-year advance procurement (AP) funding and $597.6 million in prior-year Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) funding. The Navy's proposed FY2017 budget requests the remaining $3,188.0 million needed to complete the boats' estimated combined procurement cost. The Navy's proposed FY2017 budget also requests $1,767.2 million in AP funding for Virginia-class boats to be procured in future fiscal years, bringing the total FY2017 funding request for the program (excluding outfitting and post-delivery costs) to $4,955.2 million. The Navy's proposed FY2017 budget also requests $97.9 million in research and development funding for the Virginia Payload Module (VPM). The funding is contained in Program Element (PE) 0604580N, entitled Virginia Payload Module (VPM), which is line 128 in the Navy's FY2017 research and development account."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2016-02-12
• Navy LX(R) Amphibious Ship Program: Background and Issues for Congress [December 17, 2015]

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  "The LX(R) program is a program to build a new class of 11 amphibious ships for the Navy. The Navy wants to procure the first LX(R) in FY2020. LX(R)s are to replace 12 aging Whidbey Island/Harpers Ferry (LSD-41/49) class amphibious ships, the first of which will reach age 40 in 2025. The primary function of Navy amphibious ships is to lift (i.e., transport) U.S. Marines and their equipment and supplies to distant operating areas, and enable Marines to conduct expeditionary operations ashore in those areas. Although amphibious ships are designed to support Marine landings against opposing military forces, they are also used for operations in permissive or benign situations where there are no opposing forces. An October 20, 2014, press report stated that Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus had signed a decision memorandum dated October 14 designating a design based on that of the Navy's San Antonio (LPD-17) class amphibious ship as the Navy's preferred alternative for the design of the LX(R). The Navy's proposed FY2016 budget requests $46.5 million in research and development funding for the LX(R) program, and $550 million to complete the estimated procurement cost of a 12th LPD-17 class amphibious ship."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2015-12-17
• Navy LX(R) Amphibious Ship Program: Background and Issues for Congress [May 27, 2016]

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  From the introduction: This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the LX(R) amphibious ship program, a Navy program to build a new class of 11 amphibious ships. The Navy wants to procure the first LX(R) in FY2020 [Fiscal Year]. Decisions Congress makes on the LX(R) program will affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2016-05-27
• Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress [March 23, 2016]

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  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 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; and whether to create a permanent statute to govern the use of BBC, analogous to the permanent statute (10 U.S.C. 2306b) that governs the use of MYP. 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; Schwartz, Moshe

  2016-03-23
• Arms Sales: Congressional Review Process [December 17, 2015]

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  "This report reviews the process and procedures that currently apply to congressional consideration of foreign arms sales proposed by the President. This includes consideration of proposals to sell major defense equipment, defense articles and services, or the re-transfer to third party states of such military items. Under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), Congress must be formally notified '30' calendar days before the Administration can take the final steps to conclude a government-to-government foreign military sale of major defense equipment valued at $14 million or more, defense articles or services valued at $50 million or more, or design and construction services valued at $200 million or more. In the case of such sales to NATO member states, NATO, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Israel, or New Zealand, Congress must be formally notified '15' calendar days before the Administration can proceed with the sale. However, the prior notice threshold values are higher for sales to NATO members, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Israel, or New Zealand. Commercially licensed arms sales also must be formally notified to Congress '30' calendar days before the export license is issued if they involve the sale of major defense equipment valued at $14 million or more, or defense articles or services valued at $50 million or more (Section 36(c) AECA). In the case of such sales to NATO member states, NATO, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Israel, or New Zealand, Congress must be formally notified '15' calendar days before the Administration is authorized to proceed with a given sale. As with government-to-government sales, the prior notice threshold values are higher for sales to NATO members, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Israel, or New Zealand."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Kerr, Paul K.

  2015-12-17
• Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated February 6, 2019]

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  "This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) class aircraft carrier program. The Navy's proposed FY2019 budget requests a total of $1,598.2 million 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

  2019-02-06
• Arms Control and Nonproliferation: A Catalog of Treaties and Agreements [Updated March 18, 2019]

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  From the Document: "Arms control and nonproliferation efforts are two of the tools that have occasionally been used to implement U.S. national security strategy. Although some believe these tools do little to restrain the behavior of U.S. adversaries, while doing too much to restrain U.S. military forces and operations, many other analysts see them as an effective means to promote transparency, ease military planning, limit forces, and protect against uncertainty and surprise. Arms control and nonproliferation efforts have produced formal treaties and agreements, informal arrangements, and cooperative threat reduction and monitoring mechanisms."

  Woolf, Amy F.; Nikitin, Mary Beth Dunham; Kerr, Paul K.

  2019-03-18
• Arms Sales: Congressional Review Process [Updated February 25, 2019]

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  From the Document: "This report reviews the process and procedures that currently apply to congressional consideration of foreign arms sales proposed by the President. This includes consideration of proposals to sell major defense equipment, defense articles and services, or the retransfer to thirdparty states of such military items. Under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), Congress must be formally notified '30' calendar days before the Administration can take the final steps to conclude a government-to-government foreign military sale of major defense equipment valued at $14 million or more, defense articles or services valued at $50 million or more, or design and construction services valued at $200 million or more."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Kerr, Paul K.

  2019-02-25
• Ensuring the 2020 Census Count is Complete and Accurate, Hearing Before the Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of Representatives, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session, December 3, 2020

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  This is the December 3, 2020 hearing on "Ensuring the 2020 Census Count is Complete and Accurate," held before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform. From the opening statement of Carolyn B. Maloney: "Today's hearing comes at a perilous time for the 2020 Census. Last month, there were troubling press reports indicating that career officials at the Census Bureau warned the Trump administration about significant problems that will delay the delivery of Census data to late January or early February. After these reports became public, the director of the Census, Dr. Steven Dillingham, issued a public statement confirming that problems were found, but he provided few details. These developments were particularly troubling because they were not reported to our committee before we read about them in the press, or before the Census director made his public statement." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: J. Christopher Mihm, Robert Santos, and Joseph Salvo.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2021
• Oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency, Hearing Before the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session, May 20, 2020

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  This is the May 20, 2020 hearing on "Oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency," held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. From the opening statement of John Barrasso: "In the challenging economic times ahead, reducing excessive regulatory burdens to promote and reinvigorate our economy has never been more important. At the same time, the EPA has focused its mission and refocused its mission on the basics of environmental protection and lowering pollution levels. This important work protects our Nation's air, land, and water." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Andrew Wheeler.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2021
• H. Rept. 116-695: Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Through Promoting Competition Act of 2019, Report to Accompany H.R. 5133, December 24, 2020

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  From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 5133, the 'Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Through Promoting Competition Act,' prohibits 'product hopping,' a particularly abusive form of anti-competitive conduct used by drug manufacturers to protect and extend their monopolies on prescription drugs. Product hopping occurs when a branded drug manufacturer seeks to extend its market exclusivity on a drug for which its patent is about to expire by switching doctors and patients from the old version to a new version, which may not offer any improvements in effectiveness or safety. This practice allows a pharmaceutical company to continue to reap monopoly profits by preventing generic substitution for its new, but not necessarily improved, version of the drug. The result can be years of additional market exclusivity for the pharmaceutical company without substantial improvements for patients in terms of effectiveness or safety."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2020-12-24
• S. Rept. 116-154: Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act, Report to Accompany S. 2177, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, October 28, 2019

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  From the Purpose and Summary: "The purpose of S. 2177, the Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act, is to provide the public with better and more useful information on the breadth, cost, and performance of programs administered by the Federal Government. It does so by redefining existing requirements under the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act that directs agencies to create, update, and make public an inventory of their programs. Specifically, by providing a uniform definition of the term 'program,' that leverages existing data, better detailing the information agencies must provide, and requiring the inclusion of financial and performance data about programs, S. 2177 will give the American taxpayers a better sense of the programs they are paying for and how those programs are performing."

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2019-10-28
• MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 10, 2021: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Incidence by Age, Sex, and Period Among Persons Aged <25 Years -- 16 U.S. Jurisdictions, January 1-December 31, 2020

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  The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This early release issue of MMWR contains the following article: "Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Incidence by Age, Sex, and Period Among Persons Aged

  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)

  2021-03-10
• China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities-Background and Issues for Congress [June 6, 2017]

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  "The question of how the United States should respond to China's military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort, is a key issue in U.S. defense planning. Observers of Chinese and U.S. military forces view China's improving naval capabilities as posing a potential challenge in the Western Pacific to the U.S. Navy's ability to achieve and maintain control of blue-water ocean areas in wartime-the first such challenge the U.S. Navy has faced since the end of the Cold War [...] China's naval modernization effort encompasses a broad array of platform and weapon acquisition programs, including anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs), anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs), submarines, surface ships, aircraft, and supporting C4ISR (command and control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) systems. China's naval modernization effort also includes improvements in maintenance and logistics, doctrine, personnel quality, education and training, and exercises [...] Potential oversight issues for Congress include the following: [1] whether the U.S. Navy in coming years will be large enough and capable enough to adequately counter improved Chinese maritime A2/AD forces while also adequately performing other missions around the world; [2] whether the Navy's plans for developing and procuring long-range carrier-based aircraft and long-range ship-and aircraft-launched weapons are appropriate; [3] whether the Navy can effectively counter Chinese ASBMs and submarines; and [4] whether the Navy, in response to China's maritime A2/AD capabilities, should shift over time to a more distributed fleet architecture."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2017-06-06
• Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress [December 17, 2015]

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  "CVN-78, CVN-79, and CVN-80 are the first three ships in the Navy's new Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs). The Navy's proposed FY2016 budget requests procurement or advance procurement (AP) funding for all three ships--a rare occurrence of the Navy requesting procurement or AP funding for three aircraft carriers in a single year. CVN-78 was procured in FY2008. The Navy's proposed FY2016 budget estimates the ship's procurement cost at $12,887.0 million (i.e., about $12.9 billion) in then-year dollars. The ship received advance procurement funding in FY2001-FY2007 and was fully funded in FY2008-FY2011 using congressionally authorized four-year incremental funding. To help cover cost growth on the ship, the ship received an additional $588.1 million in FY2014 and $663.0 million in FY2015 in so-called cost-to-complete procurement funding. As a final planned increment of cost-to-complete procurement funding, the Navy is requesting $123.8 million for the ship in FY2016. The ship is scheduled for delivery to the Navy in March 2016. […] CVN-80 is scheduled to be procured in FY2018. The Navy's proposed FY2016 budget estimates the ship's procurement cost at $13,472.0 million (i.e., about $13.5 billion) in then-year dollars. The Navy plans to request AP funding for the ship in FY2016 and FY2017, and then fully fund the ship in FY2018-FY2023 using congressionally authorized six-year incremental funding. The Navy's proposed FY2016 budget requests $874.7 million in AP funding for the ship."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2015-12-17
• Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Gun-Launched Guided Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress [October 23, 2018]

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  "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on three new ship-based weapons the Navy is developing that could improve the ability of Navy surface ships to defend themselves against missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and surface craft: the Surface Navy Laser Weapon System (SNLWS), the electromagnetic railgun (EMRG), and the gun-launched guided projectile (GLGP), previously known as the hypervelocity projectile (HVP). The Navy refers to the initial (i.e., Increment 1) version of SNLWS as HELIOS, an acronym meaning high-energy laser with integrated optical dazzler and surveillance.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."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2018-10-23
• Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Gun-Launched Guided Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress [August 1, 2018]

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  "The Navy is developing three new ship-based weapons that could improve the ability of Navy surface ships to defend themselves against missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and surface craft: the Surface Navy Laser Weapon System (SNLWS), the electromagnetic railgun (EMRG), and the gun-launched guided projectile (GLGP), previously known as the hypervelocity projectile (HVP). The Navy refers to the initial (i.e., Increment 1) version of SNLWS as HELIOS, an acronym meaning high-energy laser with integrated optical dazzler and surveillance. EMRG could additionally provide the Navy with a new naval surface fire support (NSFS) weapon for attacking land targets in support of Marines or other friendly ground forces ashore. The Department of Defense is exploring the potential for using GLGP across multiple U.S. military services. 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. Although the Navy in recent years has made considerable progress in developing technologies for these new weapons, a number of significant development challenges remain. Overcoming these challenges will require additional development work, and ultimate success in overcoming them is not guaranteed."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2018-08-01
• Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Gun-Launched Guided Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress [May 18, 2018]

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  "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on three new ship-based weapons the Navy is developing that could improve the ability of Navy surface ships to defend themselves against missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and surface craft: the Surface Navy Laser Weapon System (SNLWS), the electromagnetic railgun (EMRG), and the gunlaunched guided projectile (GLGP), previously known as the hypervelocity projectile (HVP).1 The Navy refers to the initial (i.e., Increment 1) version of SNLWS as HELIOS, an acronym meaning high-energy laser with integrated optical dazzler and surveillance. 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 funding requests and proposed acquisition strategies 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."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2018-05-18
• Arms Sales: Congressional Review Process [October 22, 2018]

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  "This report reviews the process and procedures that currently apply to congressional consideration of foreign arms sales proposed by the President. This includes consideration of proposals to sell major defense equipment, defense articles and services, or the retransfer to third-party states of such military items. Under Section 36 (b) of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), Congress must be formally notified 30 calendar days before the Administration can take the final steps to conclude a government-to-government foreign military sale of major defense equipment valued at $14 million or more, defense articles or services valued at $50 million or more, or design and construction services valued at $200 million or more. In the case of such sales to NATO member states, NATO, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Israel, or New Zealand, Congress must be formally notified 15 calendar days before the Administration can proceed with the sale."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Kerr, Paul K.

  2018-10-22
• Conventional Prompt Global Strike and Long-Range Ballistic Missiles: Background and Issues [October 25, 2010]

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  "Prompt global strike (PGS) would allow the United States to strike targets anywhere on earth with conventional weapons in as little as an hour. This capability may bolster U.S. efforts to deter and defeat adversaries by allowing the United States to attack high-value targets or 'fleeting targets' at the start of or during a conflict. Congress has generally supported the PGS mission, but it has restricted funding and suggested some changes in funding for specific programs. Many analysts believe that the United States should use long-range ballistic missiles armed with conventional warheads for the PGS mission. These weapons would not substitute for nuclear weapons in the U.S. war plan but would, instead, provide a 'niche' capability, with a small number of weapons directed against select, critical targets, which might expand the range of U.S. conventional options. Some analysts, however, have raised concerns about the possibility that U.S. adversaries might misinterpret the launch of a missile with conventional warheads and conclude that the missiles carry nuclear weapons. DOD is considering a number of systems that might provide the United States with long-range strike capabilities. The Air Force and Navy have both considered deploying conventional warheads on their longrange ballistic missiles. The Navy sought to deploy conventional warheads on a small number of Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles. In FY2008, Congress rejected the requested funding for this program. The Air Force and DARPA are developing a hypersonic glide delivery vehicle that could deploy on a modified Peacekeeper land-based ballistic missile--a system known as the Conventional Strike Missile (CSM). In FY2008, Congress created a single, combined fund for the conventional prompt global strike (CPGS) mission."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Woolf, Amy F.

  2010-10-25
• Strategic Arms Control After START: Issues and Options [March 4, 2010]

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  "The United States and Soviet Union signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty [START] in 1991; it entered into force in December 1994 and expired on December 5, 2009. They are currently negotiating a new Treaty that would replace START. START counts each deployed ICBM, SLBM, and bomber as a single delivery vehicle under the Treaty limit of 1,600 delivery vehicles and attributes an agreed number of warheads to each deployed delivery vehicle. This attribution rule provides the total number of warheads that count under the 6,000 warhead limit in the Treaty. To verify compliance with START, each side monitors the numbers and locations of ballistic missiles, launchers and heavy bombers deployed by the other country. [...] They have also been required to exchange copious amounts of data on locations, operations, and technical characteristics of the treaty-limited items. This verification regime has allowed the parties to remain confident in each other's compliance with the Treaty. [...] The United States and Russia could have chosen from a number of options for the future of their arms control relationship. They have allowed START to lapse while negotiating a new Treaty, but they could have extended START for five years during this process. They could also have extended START, then amended it to ease some of the outdated provisions. Instead of negotiating a new Treaty, they could have pursued less formal arrangements to manage their nuclear forces. Moreover, if a new treaty includes further reductions in nuclear weapons, it could use some START definitions and counting rules or the less formal Moscow Treaty declarations. This report will be updated as needed."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Woolf, Amy F.

  2010-03-04
• Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress [June 16, 2017]

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  "CVN-78, CVN-79, CVN-80, and CVN-81 are the first four ships in the Navy's new Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs) [...] Oversight issues for Congress for the CVN-78 program (and other carrier-related issues) for FY2018 included the following: [1] whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's FY2018 procurement requests for the CVN-78 program; [2] whether to provide advance procurement (AP) funding in FY2018 for the purchase of materials for CVN-81, so as to accelerate the procurement of the ship to a year earlier than FY2023 and/or initiate a combined purchase of materials for CVN-80 and CVN-81 or a block buy contract for the two ships; [3] cost growth in the CVN-78 program, Navy efforts to stem that growth, and Navy efforts to manage costs so as to stay within the program's cost caps; [4] CVN-78 program issues that were raised in a December 2016 report from the Department of Defense's (DOD's) Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E); and [5] whether the Navy should shift at some point from procuring large-deck, nuclear-powered carriers like the CVN-78 class to procuring smaller aircraft carriers."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2017-06-16
• Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress [June 2, 2017]

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  "CVN-78, CVN-79, CVN-80, and CVN-81 are the first four ships in the Navy's new Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs) [...] Oversight issues for Congress for the CVN-78 program (and other carrier-related issues) for FY2018 included the following: [1] whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's FY2018 procurement requests for the CVN-78 program; [2] whether to provide advance procurement (AP) funding in FY2018 for the purchase of materials for CVN-81, so as to accelerate the procurement of the ship to a year earlier than FY2023 and/or initiate a combined purchase of materials for CVN-80 and CVN-81 or a block buy contract for the two ships; [3] cost growth in the CVN-78 program, Navy efforts to stem that growth, and Navy efforts to manage costs so as to stay within the program's cost caps; [4] CVN-78 program issues that were raised in a December 2016 report from the Department of Defense's (DOD's) Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E); and [5] whether the Navy should shift at some point from procuring large-deck, nuclear-powered carriers like the CVN-78 class to procuring smaller aircraft carriers."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2017-06-02
• Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress [October 4, 2017]

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  "The Navy has been procuring Virginia (SSN-774) class nuclear-powered attack submarines since FY1998. The two Virginia-class boats requested for procurement in FY2018 are to be the 27th and 28th boats in the class. The 10 Virginia-class boats programmed for procurement in FY2014FY2018 (two per year for five years) are being procured under a multiyear-procurement (MYP) contract. The Navy estimates the combined procurement cost of the two Virginia-class boats requested for procurement in FY2018 at $5,532.7 million, or an average of $2,766.4 million each. The boats have received a total of $1,647.0 million in prior-year 'regular' advance procurement (AP) funding and $580.4 million in prior-year Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) AP funding. The Navy's proposed FY2018 budget requests the remaining $3,305.3 million needed to complete the boats' estimated combined procurement cost. The Navy's proposed FY2018 budget also requests $1,920.6 million in AP funding for Virginia-class boats to be procured in future fiscal years, bringing the total FY2018 funding request for the program (excluding outfitting and post-delivery costs) to $5,225.9 million."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2017-10-04
• Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Hypervelocity Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress [November 30, 2017]

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  "The Navy is currently developing three potential new weapons that could improve the ability of its surface ships to defend themselves against enemy missiles--solid state lasers (SSLs), the electromagnetic railgun (EMRG), and the hypervelocity projectile (HVP). Any one of these new weapon technologies, if successfully developed and deployed, might be regarded as a 'game changer' for defending Navy surface ships against enemy missiles. [...] Although the Navy in recent years has made considerable progress in developing SSLs, EMRG, and HVP, a number of significant development challenges remain. Overcoming these challenges will likely require years of additional development work, and ultimate success in overcoming them is not guaranteed. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's funding requests and proposed acquisition strategies for these three potential new weapons."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2017-11-30
• Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Hypervelocity Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress [October 17, 2017]

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  "The Navy is currently developing three potential new weapons that could improve the ability of its surface ships to defend themselves against enemy missiles--solid state lasers (SSLs), the electromagnetic railgun (EMRG), and the hypervelocity projectile (HVP). Any one of these new weapon technologies, if successfully developed and deployed, might be regarded as a 'game changer' for defending Navy surface ships against enemy missiles. 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 surfaceship missile-defense weapons simultaneously available for development and potential deployment. The HPV in particular has emerged as a program of particular interest to the Department of Defense (DOD), which is exploring the potential for using the weapon across multiple U.S. military services."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2017-10-17
• Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress [October 3, 2017]

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  "The Navy has been procuring Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class Aegis destroyers since FY1985. The two DDG-51s requested for procurement in FY2018 are to be the 78th and 79th ships in the class. DDG-51s procured in FY2013-FY2017 were procured under a multiyear procurement (MYP) contract. As part of its FY2018 budget submission, the Navy is requesting authority to use another MYP contract to procure DDG-51s in FY2018-FY2022. The Navy plans to shift in FY2016 or FY2017 to a new variant of the DDG-51, called the Flight III DDG-51, that is to incorporate a new and more capable radar called the Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) or the SPY-6 radar. The Navy estimates the combined procurement cost of the two DDG-51s requested for procurement in FY2018 at $3,499.1 million. The Navy's proposed FY2018 budget requests: $3,499.1 million in procurement funding to fully fund the procurement of the two DDG-51s requested for FY2018; $90.3 million in EOQ (economic order quantity) advance procurement (AP) funding for up-front batch orders of components for DDG-51s to be procured under the proposed DDG-51 MYP contract for FY2018-FY2022; $51.4 million in cost-to-complete procurement funding to cover cost growth on DDG-51s procured in prior fiscal years; $224.0 million in procurement funding to cover costs for building DDG-1000 class destroyers procured in prior fiscal years; and $32.1 million in research and development funding for the AMDR."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2017-10-03
• Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress [August 11, 2017]

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  "The Navy has been procuring Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class Aegis destroyers since FY1985. The two DDG-51s requested for procurement in FY2018 are to be the 78 th and 79 th ships in the class. DDG-51s procured in FY2013-FY2017 were procured under a multiyear procurement (MYP) contract. As part of its FY2018 budget submission, the Navy is requesting authority to use another MYP contract to procure DDG-51s in FY2018-FY2022. The Navy plans to shift in FY2016 or FY2017 to a new variant of the DDG-51, called the Flight III DDG-51, that is to incorporate a new and more capable radar called the Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) or the SPY-6 radar"

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2017-08-11
• Navy John Lewis (TAO-205) Class Oiler Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues for Congress [November 30, 2017]

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  "The John Lewis (TAO-205) class oiler shipbuilding program, previously known as the TAO(X) program, is a program to build a new class of 20 fleet oilers for the Navy. The primary role of Navy fleet oilers is to transfer fuel to Navy surface ships that are operating at sea, so as to extend the operating endurance of these surface ships and their embarked aircraft. The first ship in the TAO-205 program was funded in FY2016 at a cost of $674.2 million and is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in November 2020. As part of its proposed FY2018 budget, the Navy is requesting the procurement of the second ship in the class. The Navy estimates the second ship's procurement cost at $539.1 million."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald

  2017-11-30
• Gun Control Legislation [July 11, 2012]

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  "Congress has debated the efficacy and constitutionality of federal regulation of firearms and ammunition, with strong advocates arguing for and against greater gun control. Since March 2011, much of the gun control debate in the 112th Congress has swirled around allegations that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) mishandled a Phoenix, AZ-based gun trafficking investigation known as 'Operation Fast and Furious.' In the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-55), Congress included a provision that reflects a Senate-adopted amendment that forbids the expenditure of any funding provided under it to be used by a federal law enforcement officer to transfer an operable firearm to a person known or suspected to be connected with a drug cartel without that firearm being continuously monitored or controlled. The act, however, does not include language adopted during House full committee markup to prohibit ATF from collecting multiple long gun sales reports in Southwest Border states. […] In addition to legislative action in the 112th Congress, this report also includes discussion of other salient and recurring gun control issues that have generated past or current congressional interest."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Krouse, William J.

  2012-07-11