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Taiwan: Political and Security Issues [Updated July 25, 2022]
From the Document: "Taiwan, which officially calls itself the Republic of China (ROC), is a democracy of 23 million people located across the Taiwan Strait from mainland China. Its government claims 'effective jurisdiction' over the island of Taiwan, the archipelagos of Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu, and other outlying islands. Taiwan also claims disputed geographic features in the East and South China Seas. The People's Republic of China's (PRC's or China's) stated determination to unify with Taiwan at an unspecified future date, combined with U.S. security commitments related to Taiwan, make Taiwan the hotspot that could most plausibly draw the United States and China into armed conflict. U.S.-Taiwan relations have been unofficial since January 1, 1979, when the United States established diplomatic relations with the PRC and broke them with self-ruled Taiwan, over which the PRC claims sovereignty."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lawrence, Susan V.; Campbell, Caitlin
2022-07-25
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Mexico: Addressing Missing and Disappeared Persons [Updated July 25, 2022]
From the Document: "Mexico faces significant human rights concerns amidst record violence related to drug trafficking and organized crime. As of July 2022, the Mexican government has registered more than 101,300 cases of missing or disappeared persons. Some 32.2% of cases were reported since President Andrés Manuel López Obrador took office in December 2018. Some cases, referred to as 'enforced disappearances,' have involved the complicity of state security forces. Congress has sought to address the general human rights situation in Mexico, as well as the specific issue of enforced disappearances, through foreign assistance and conditions on that assistance, hearings, and letters to Mexican and U.S. Administrations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Seelke, Clare Ribando; Martin, Rachel L.
2022-07-25
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'Quad': Security Cooperation Among the United States, Japan, India, and Australia [Updated July 25, 2022]
From the Document: "The Biden Administration has boosted the profile of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, aka 'the Quad,' as a centerpiece of its Indo-Pacific strategy aimed at strengthening the United States' position in and commitment to the region. The four-country coalition, comprised of the United States, Japan, India, and Australia, claims a common platform of protecting freedom of navigation and promoting democratic values in the region. The first leader-level summit, held virtually in March 2021, produced the first-ever joint leaders' statement. A September 2021 Quad Leaders' Summit produced an expanded statement outlining four broad areas of cooperation: vaccine production and distribution; climate change mitigation efforts and clean energy development; the promotion of transparency and high-standard governance in the field of critical and emerging technologies; and the development of a regional infrastructure partnership. Working groups in these areas are pushing forward with efforts to flesh out these priorities."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Chanlett-Avery, Emma; Kronstadt, K. Alan; Vaughn, Bruce, 1963-
2022-07-25
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U.S.-Singapore Relations [Updated July 25, 2022]
From the Overview: "Though geographically only about three times the size of Washington, DC, and with a population of about 5.9 million, the city-state of Singapore exerts economic and diplomatic influence on par with much larger countries. Its stable government, strong economic performance, educated citizenry, and strategic position along key shipping lanes afford it a large role in regional and global affairs. For the United States, Singapore has been a partner in both trade and security initiatives and an advocate of a strong U.S. role in the Asia-Pacific region. At the same time, Singapore's leaders have aimed to maintain close relations with China, and to maintain positive ties with all regional powers. The United States and Singapore have extensive trade and investment ties. The U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which went into effect in January 2004, was the first U.S. bilateral FTA with an Asian country. In 2019, U.S.- Singapore trade totaled about $91.6 billion, and Singapore was the 14th largest goods export market for the United States."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Dolven, Ben; Chanlett-Avery, Emma
2022-07-25
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State Laws Restricting or Prohibiting Abortion [Updated July 25, 2022]
From the Document: "The Supreme Court's decision in 'Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization' [hyperlink] overruled 'Roe v. Wade' [hyperlink], providing states with greater discretion [hyperlink] to restrict abortion access, including by limiting abortion prior to fetal viability. This Sidebar provides an overview of existing or recently passed state laws prohibiting or limiting abortion prior to 24 weeks' gestational age, which for many years was widely considered [hyperlink] the point of viability, though medical advancements may have moved that point earlier. The Sidebar also identifies 'trigger laws' that generally prohibit abortion that were set to go into effect, either automatically or following action by a state official, if the Supreme Court ever overturned 'Roe v. Wade.' This Sidebar does not address any exceptions to these restrictions, such as in the case of a medical emergency, or restrictions to specific methods of abortion, such as medication abortion. Links to the full text of statutes listed in this Legal Sidebar are available through the Law Librarians' Society of Washington, DC Legislative Sourcebook [hyperlink]."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Deal, Laura
2022-07-25
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Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 25, 2022]
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 began procuring DDG-51s, also known as Aegis destroyers, in FY1985, and a total of 89 have been procured through FY2022, including two in FY2022. The Navy procured three DDG-1000 class destroyers in FY2007-FY2009 and plans no further procurement of DDG-1000s. The Navy's FY2023 budget requests the procurement of two DDG-51s in FY2023. The Navy's FY2023 budget submission also requests and multiyear procurement (MYP) contract for DDG51s scheduled for procurement in FY2023-FY2027. Potential issues for Congress for the DDG-51 program in FY2023 include the number of firm ships to include in an MYP contract for the DDG-51 program for FY2023-FY2027, the Navy's future force-level goal for large surface combatants (or LSCs, meaning cruisers and destroyers), and how the Navy proposes to transition several years from now from procurement of DDG-51s to procurement of a successor destroyer design now in development called the DDG(X). Decisions that Congress makes on these issues could substantially affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-07-25
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Navy Constellation (FFG-62) Class Frigate Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 25, 2022]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and discusses potential issues for Congress regarding the Navy's Constellation (FFG-62) class frigate program, a program to procure a new class of 20 guided-missile frigates (FFGs). The Navy's proposed FY2023 budget requests the procurement of the fourth ship in the program. 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 U.S. shipbuilding industrial base."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-07-25
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Israel: Background and U.S. Relations in Brief [Updated July 25, 2022]
From the Summary: "Israel has forged close bilateral cooperation with the United States in many areas. A 10-year bilateral military aid memorandum of understanding--signed in 2016--commits the United States to provide Israel $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing and to spend $500 million annually on joint missile defense programs from FY2019 to FY2028, subject to congressional appropriations. Some Members of Congress have increased their scrutiny over Israel's use of U.S. security assistance, contributing to debate on the subject."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Zanotti, Jim
2022-07-25
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Iran and Nuclear Weapons Production [Updated July 25, 2022]
From the Document: "Iran's nuclear program has generated widespread concern that Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons. According to U.S. intelligence assessments, Tehran has the capacity to produce nuclear weapons at some point, but has halted its nuclear weapons program and has not mastered all of the necessary technologies for building such weapons. (For additional information, see CRS Report RL34544, 'Iran's Nuclear Program: Status', by Paul K. Kerr.) Since the early 2000s, Tehran's construction of gas centrifuge uranium enrichment facilities has been the main source of proliferation concern. Gas centrifuges enrich uranium by spinning uranium hexafluoride (UF6) gas at high speeds to increase the concentration of the uranium235 (u-235) isotope. Such centrifuges can produce both low-enriched uranium (LEU), which can be used in nuclear power reactors, and highly enriched uranium (HEU), which is one of the two types of fissile material used in nuclear weapons. Tehran asserts that its enrichment program is meant to produce fuel for peaceful nuclear reactors."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kerr, Paul K.
2022-07-25
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Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 25, 2022]
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 FY2023 budget requests $2,995.2 million (i.e., about $3.0 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
2022-07-25
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Navy Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 25, 2022]
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 up to 35 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 had previously envisioned procuring the first LAW in FY2023, but the Navy's FY2023 budget submission defers the procurement of the first LAW to FY2025. The Navy's proposed FY2023 budget requests $12.2 million in research and development funding for the program. 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 annual funding requests 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
2022-07-25
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Navy LPD-17 Flight II and LHA Amphibious Ship Programs: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 25, 2022]
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 LPD-17 Flight II and LHA shipbuilding programs pose multiple oversight issues for Congress. Congress's decisions on the LPD-17 Flight II and LHA programs could affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the shipbuilding industrial base. A separate CRS report discusses the Navy's new Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) program."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2022-07-25
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Navy John Lewis (TAO-205) Class Oiler Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 25, 2022]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the John Lewis (TAO205) class oiler shipbuilding program, a program to build a new class of 20 fleet oilers for the Navy. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy's annual ship authorization and funding requests and acquisition strategy for the 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
2022-07-25
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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, July 22, 2022
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly (MMWR) is a government published scientific periodical series offering public health information. This issue of MMWR contains the following: "Influenza Activity and Composition of the 2022-23 Influenza Vaccine -- United States, 2021-22 Season"; "Workplace Perceptions and Experiences Related to COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Response Efforts Among Public Health Workers -- Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey, United States, September 2021-January 2022"; "Symptoms of Mental Health Conditions and Suicidal Ideation Among State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Public Health Workers -- United States, March 14-25, 2022"; "Effectiveness of 2, 3, and 4 COVID-19 mRNA [messenger ribonucleic acid] Vaccine Doses Among Immunocompetent Adults During Periods when SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] Omicron BA.1 and BA.2/BA.2.12.1 Sublineages Predominated -- VISION Network, 10 States, December 2021-June 2022"; "'Vital Signs': Drug Overdose Deaths, by Selected Sociodemographic and Social Determinants of Health Characteristics -- 25 States and the District of Columbia, 2019-2020"; and "QuickStats: Age-Adjusted Drug Overdose Death Rates Among Workers Aged 16-64 Years in Usual Occupation Groups with the Highest Drug Overdose Death Rates -- National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2020." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from this issue can be accessed at the following link [https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2022.html] .
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2022-07-22
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 3293, Post-9/11 Veterans' Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2021
From the Bill Summary: "S. 3293 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide mental health consultations to veterans who are seeking other VA benefits. The bill also would require VA to hire, train, and recruit additional employees who specialize in mental health care. Finally, the bill would require VA to conduct several studies related to mental health."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-07-22
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Additional Information About the INSULIN Act
From the Document: "This letter provides additional information you requested about how the certification provision in the Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act would affect the prices for insulin and the federal budget. In brief, the Congressional Budget Office finds that the provision would, on average, reduce list prices and cost sharing for insulin products while increasing net prices for insulin products, premiums for health insurance, and federal spending."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
Swagel, Phillip
2022-07-22
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: Estimated Budgetary Effects of H.R. 2883, the Stop Stalling Access to Affordable Medications Act
From the Document: "Under H.R. 2883, the Federal Trade Commission could take civil action against individuals or entities involved in submitting petitions to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that the FDA finds are intended primarily to delay approval of a pending marketing application, including applications submitted for the marketing of lower-priced generic or biosimilar drugs. Under current law and FDA guidance, the FDA may summarily deny petitions that do not on their face raise valid scientific or regulatory issues. Under the bill, such petitions would presumptively be considered illegal under the Federal Trade Commission Act, unless the petitioner could prove the petition's merits."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-07-22
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Availability of Legislative Measures in the House of Representatives (The '72-Hour Rule') [Updated July 22, 2022]
From the Summary: "House rules govern the length of time legislative measures must be available to Members before being considered on the floor. For measures reported from committee, a draft of the committee report must have been available for 72 hours. Conference reports must also have been available for 72 hours and special rules for considering measures for one legislative day. Bills and joint resolutions that have not been reported by committee, and therefore are not accompanied by a written report, may also not be considered on the House floor unless the text of the measure has been available for 72 hours. Proposed committee reports, unreported bills and joint resolutions, conference reports, and joint explanatory statements are considered available under these rules if they are publicly available in electronic form on a website designated by the Committee on House Administration for this purpose, http://docs.house.gov [hyperlink]. The House has several means by which it can choose to waive these availability requirements and call up, debate, and vote on a measure in a single calendar day even if the text of the measure was not made available prior to consideration. These include (1) considering a measure under the suspension of the rules procedure or by unanimous consent, (2) adopting a special rule that waives the 72-hour requirement, (3) adopting a special rule that waives the one-day requirement for another special rule, and (4) convening a second legislative day on the same calendar day. Waiving availability requirements allows the House to act quickly when necessary, such as near the end of a session."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rybicki, Elizabeth
2022-07-22
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Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress [Updated July 22, 2022]
From the Introduction: "This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Coast Guard's programs for procuring National Security Cutters (NSCs), Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), and Fast Response Cutters (FRCs). The Coast Guard's proposed FY2023 budget requests $60.0 million, $650.0 million, and $16.0 million in procurement funding, respectively, for the NSC, OPC, and FRCs programs. The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Coast Guard's funding requested 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
2022-07-22
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Dark Web: An Overview [July 22, 2022]
From the Document: "Many observers of the World Wide Web (web) have described it as having layers. One layer, the 'surface web', contains indexed content easily accessible with a traditional search engine such as Google. Another layer, the 'deep web', contains unindexed content that cannot be accessed with a simple Google search. Within the deep web is a segment known as the 'dark web'--a layer where content is intentionally concealed. The dark web may be used for legitimate purposes as well as to conceal criminal or otherwise malicious activities. It is the exploitation of the dark web for illegal practices that has garnered particular interest from law enforcement officials and policymakers."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Finklea, Kristin M.
2022-07-22
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Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2023 Budget and Appropriations [Updated July 22, 2022]
"Each year, Congress considers 12 distinct appropriations measures to fund federal programs and activities. One of these is the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) appropriations bill, which includes funding for U.S. diplomatic activities, cultural exchanges, development, security, humanitarian assistance, and participation in multilateral organizations, among other international activities. On March 28, 2022, the Biden Administration released its proposed FY2023 budget request, which called for $66.00 billion in new budget authority for SFOPS accounts ($65.94 billion after rescissions of prior year funding). The FY2023 request, including rescissions, represented a 17.2% increase from FY2022 enacted base appropriations (excluding emergency funding to address crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine) and a 22.8% decrease from total FY2022 enacted appropriations (this calculation has changed and may continue to change with the enactment of supplemental FY2022 appropriations). Consistent with previous budget requests and annual SFOPS appropriations measures, the budget request divided SFOPS into two main components: [1] Department of State and Related Agency [...] [and 2] Foreign Operations and Related Programs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Morgenstern, Emily M.; Gill, Cory R.
2022-07-22
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Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) [Updated July 22, 2022]
From the Overview: "CAFTA-DR [Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement] is a free trade agreement (FTA) among the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. It eliminated on a reciprocal basis tariff and nontariff barriers on goods, services, and agriculture, building on U.S. unilateral trade preferences under the 1983 Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI). The agreement reinforces U.S. support for trade liberalization as a foundation of broader economic, political, and security policies in the region."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Villarreal, M. Angeles
2022-07-22
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How the Lummis-Gillibrand Responsible Financial Innovation Act (S. 4356) Would Alter the Crypto Regulatory Landscape [July 22, 2022]
From the Document: "In June 2022, Senators Cynthia Lummis and Kirsten Gillibrand introduced S. 4356, the Lummis-Gillibrand Responsible Financial Innovation Act (RFIA). The Insight provides an overview of the bill, including its implications for digital assets under securities and commodities laws; oversight of digital-asset exchanges; and regulation of stablecoin issuers. Recent tumult in crypto markets underscores the relevance of the associated policy discussion."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Scott, Andrew P.; Sykes, Jay B.; Su, Eva . . .
2022-07-22
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Evaluation of Efforts by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to Mitigate Foreign Influence [redacted]
From the Objective: "We determined whether the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD[R&E]) monitored and mitigated foreign influence into the DoD's research and development (R&D) programs. Specifically, we evaluated the implementation and execution of DoD programs by the OUSD(R&E) and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to identify and protect critical programs and technologies, and to integrate counterintelligence activities to protect and support R&D in accordance with DoD Directive (DoDD) 5137.02 requirements."
United States. Department of Defense. Office of the Inspector General
2022-07-22
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 7361, National Weather Service Communications Improvement Act
From the Document: "Under current law, the National Weather Service (NWS) uses an instant messaging program to share its expertise on making critical warning decisions and other types of significant weather information with public safety officials, emergency personnel, and the media. H.R. 7361 would authorize the appropriation of $3 million annually over the 2023-2026 period for NWS to replace the current instant messaging system with an updated, cloud-based system. Using information on similar procurement activities, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that implementing H.R. 7361 would cost $11 million over the 2022-2027 period and $1 million after 2027, subject to appropriation of the authorized amounts."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-07-22
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S. Rept. 117-134: Civil Rights Cold Case Investigations Support Act of 2022, Report to Accompany S. 3655, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, July 21, 2022
From the Purpose and Summary: "S. 3655, the Civil Rights Cold Case Investigations Support Act of 2022, changes the initial term of the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board (Review Board) from four years to seven years and allows the Review Board to retain the option of extending their term by one more year if the members find they are unable to complete their work within the initial time allotted. The extension gives the Review Board members approximately five years to fulfill their mission, as originally envisioned."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-07-21
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S. Rept. 117-133: Achieving Equity in Disaster Response, Recovery, and Resiliency Act of 2022, to Accompany S. 3502, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, July 21, 2022
From the Purpose and Summary: "S. 3502, the 'Achieving Equity in Disaster Response, Recovery, and Resilience Act of 2022', establishes the Office of Civil Rights, Equity, and Inclusion (OCREI) at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to improve access to and quality of disaster assistance for underserved communities and eliminate disparities in the delivery of disaster assistance to these communities. The bill also streamlines efforts to promote accessibility by incorporating the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC) into the OCREI to ensure a coordinated approach across the agency in the protection of rights and needs of individuals with disabilities in disaster response. Additionally, this bill mandates the Director of the newly established office to develop measures to evaluate the effectiveness of FEMA's activities in supporting underserved communities. The bill would require biannual public reporting to ensure the office is held accountable for successful implementation of efforts to improve access to and quality of assistance in all phases of the disaster--from immediate response through to resilience to future events."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-07-21
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EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 22 Issue 29, July 21, 2022
The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "Forest Service releases 2021 Annual Report: A Nation in Wildfire Smoke"; "Critical shortage of dextrose is forcing EMS [emergency medical services] to adapt protocols"; "Public Safety Medal of Valor nominations due August 8"; "EMI [Emergency Management Institute] offers virtual train-the-trainer opportunities for NIMS [National Incident Management System] ICS [Incident Command System] Position-Specific courses"; "CISA [Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency] updates advisory on cyber actors continued exploitation of Log4Shell in VMware Horizon systems"; "Quantum Cryptography and the Health Sector"; "CISA released Security Advisory on MiCODUS MV720 Global Positioning System (GPS) Tracker"; "Cyber criminals create fraudulent cryptocurrency investment applications to defraud US investors"; "Threat integration: Lessons of indicator & incident exchange"; and "Thousands of websites run buggy WordPress plugin that allows complete takeover."
Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)
2022-07-21
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 471, Members of Congress Pension Opt Out Clarification Act
From the Bill Summary: "S. 471 would allow Members of the House of Representatives who are elected after enactment and all Senators, including those elected before enactment, to opt out of the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) but allow them to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2022-07-21
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Antitrust Law: An Introduction [Updated July 21, 2022]
From the Document: "Today, antitrust is principally concerned with preventing anticompetitive conduct that enables firms to exercise market power. However, the distinct effects of market power highlight a fissure in the debate over antitrust's more foundational goals. In a narrow subset of cases, efficiency and consumer welfare may pull in opposite directions. For example, some mergers may lower production costs, but also increase market power. Some commentators-- advocates of a 'total welfare' standard--maintain that antitrust should permit such transactions as long as the gains in productive efficiency outweigh the losses in allocative efficiency and consumer welfare. By contrast, defenders of the 'consumer welfare' standard advocate blocking such deals when they are likely to effectuate a wealth transfer from consumers to producers. Although the competition laws of some countries embrace the total-welfare standard, U.S. antitrust doctrine prioritizes consumer welfare and does not typically permit producer gains to offset downstream harms."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sykes, Jay B.
2022-07-21
