Congressional Research Service Reports - 22 Matching Results
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- Ballistic Missile Defense: Historical Overview
- For some time there has been a growing sense of urgency to develop and deploy effective missile defenses against a range of long and short range ballistic missile threats. Although many might believe this to be relative new to U.S. national security objectives, such interest has been ongoing since the end of World War II. Many current technologies being investigated date their start to the 1980s, and earlier. This effort has been challenging technically and politically controversial. Some $110 billion has been spent since the mid-1980s; Congress appropriated $9.3 billion in FY2006. For FY2008 the Administration requested $8.9 billion for the Missile Defense Agency. This report provides a brief overview of U.S. efforts to date.
- Agroterrorism: Threats and Preparedness
- The potential of terrorist attacks against agricultural targets (agroterrorism) is increasingly recognized as a national security threat, especially after the events of September 11, 2001. This report focuses primarily on biological weapons (rather than chemical weapons) because biological weapons generally are considered the more potent agroterrorism threat. This report also focuses more on the threat of agroterrorism against agricultural production, rather than on food processing and distribution, although the latter is discussed.
- How Long Can the Defense Department Finance FY2008 Operations in Advance of Supplemental Appropriations?
- This report analyzes war funding for the Defense Department and tracks funding for USAID and VA Medical funding.
- Ballistic Missile Defense: Historical Overview
- For some time there has been a growing sense of urgency to develop and deploy effective missile defenses against a range of long and short range ballistic missile threats. Although many might believe this to be relative new to U.S. national security objectives, such interest has been ongoing since the 1960s, and many current technologies being investigated date their start to the early 1980s. This effort has been challenging technically and politically controversial. Some $110 billion has been spent since the mid-1980s; Congress appropriated $9.3 billion in FY2006. Many observers expect that the 110th Congress will review the current technology and BMD test program in 2007. This report provides a brief overview of U.S. efforts to date.
- Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terror: Selected Legislation from the 110th Congress
- This report consists of a series of tables that summarize the legislation concerning Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) considered to date during the 110th Congress, as well as a select group of amendments to H.R. 1585, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (currently awaiting Senate action), that relate to either OIF or the Global War on Terror (GWOT).
- Air Force Transformation
- This report considers how the Air Force is changing itself to meet new defensive needs. The issues for Congress on this are mostly budgetary and how effective it will be.
- Coast Guard Deepwater Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress
- This report discusses the Integrated Deepwater Systems (IDS) program, or Deepwater program which is the largest and most complex acquisition effort in Coast Guard history, encompassing 91 new cutters, 124 new small surface craft, and 244 new or converted airplanes, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
- Iraq: Summary of U.S. Casualties
- This report provides statistics on fatalities during Operation Iraqi Freedom, which began on March 19, 2003.
- National Special Security Events
- Major events that are considered to be nationally significant may be designated by the President — or his representative, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — as National Special Security Events (NSSE). Beginning in September 1998 through February 2007, there have been 27 events designated as NSSEs. Some of these events have included presidential inaugurations, presidential nominating conventions, major sports events, and major international meetings. The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) is the lead federal agency responsible for coordinating, planning, exercising, and implementing security for NSSEs, and was designated as the lead agency in P.L. 106-544. This report provides information on USSS legislative authority for NSSEs, NSSE designation funding and training, and NSSE funding.
- China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles: Policy Issues
- This report provides a brief background analysis and recent developments regarding China’s Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles. The report includes topics such as: Recent Proliferation Transfers, chemical, nuclear, and missile technology sales to Iran, Pakistan, Libya, Syria, trade controls, nonproliferation and arms control.
- Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction Assistance: U.S. Programs in the Former Soviet Union
- This report summarizes many issues raised in Congressional debates on the future of U.S. nonproliferation and threat reduction assistance. However, it first reviews the history of these programs, describing their origins in 1991, their expansion and evolution during the 1990s, and the changes in their direction during the first two years of the Bush Administration. The report also provides a broad summary of many of the program areas and projects supported by U.S. funding.
- Potential F-22 Raptor Export to Japan
- This report discusses issues surrounding Japan's interest in purchasing the F-22A Raptor aircraft from the United States. Although the export of the plane is now prohibited by U.S. law, Congress has recently and may again consider repealing this ban.
- Sea-Based Ballistic Missile Defense — Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the changing role and finance of sea-based systems in U.S. ballistic missile defense (BMD). Decisions that Congress reaches on this issue could affect U.S. BMD capabilities and funding requirements; the size, capabilities, and operational patterns of the Navy and the other services; and the shipbuilding industrial base.
- Military Base Closures and Realignment: Status of the 2005 Implementation Plan
- This report answers frequently asked questions regarding the the implementation for the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) plans, called “Business Plans”, describe the implementing actions, their timing, cost, and other related issues.
- Air Force Aerial Refueling
- This report considers the future of the U.S. tanker fleet for aerial refueling.
- Airborne Laser (ABL): Issues for Congress
- This report examines the airborne laser (ABL) program and budget status. It also examines a variety of related issues, including the questionable maturity of ABL technologies, the number of ABL platforms the United States should acquire, and to what degree the United STates should invest in alternative technologies in the event that the ABL may not prove successful. This report does not provide a detailed technical assessment of the ABL program (see CRS Report RL30185, The Airborne Laser Anti-Missile Program).
- Iraq: Summary of U.S. Casualties
- This report presents casualty data compiled by the Department of Defense (DOD), as tallied from the agency’s press releases.
- Emergency Spending: Statutory and Congressional Rules
- This report discusses the designation of spending as emergency, which has had significance in both procedural and budgetary terms.
- The Interagency Security Committee and Security Standards for Federal Buildings
- The federal government owns or leases 3.7 billion square feet of office space, which may be vulnerable to acts of terrorism and other forms of violence. The September 2001 terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center renewed concerns about the vulnerability of federal buildings to bombing or other forms of attack. This report describes the creation and function of the Interagency Security Committee (ISC), which oversees the physical security of federal facilities. This report includes information on the ISC's 2007-2008 Action Plan.
- China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles: Policy Issues
- Congress has long been concerned about whether U.S. policy advances the national interest in reducing the role of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missiles that could deliver them. China has taken some steps to mollify U.S. concerns about its role in weapons proliferation. Skeptics question whether China's cooperation in weapons nonproliferation has warranted President Bush's pursuit of stronger bilateral ties. This report discusses the national security problem of China's role in weapons proliferation and issues related to the U.S. policy response, including legislation, since the mid-1990s.
- U.S.-China Counterterrorism Cooperation: Issues for U.S. Policy
- No Description Available.
- U.S. Military Dispositions: Fact Sheet
- No Description Available.