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- Defense Primer: Military Pay Raise
- This report discusses military pay raises and the annual statutory basic pay raise based on changes in the Employment Cost Index. It includes descriptions of information related to the topic along with a table of historical increases in basic pay.
- Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: Fiscal Year 2018 Budget and Appropriations
- This report outlines the 2018 fiscal year budget request for the State Department, foreign operations, and related programs such as foreign aid. Funding levels requested, major projects for the year, and Congressional actions are discussed.
- Navy Frigate (FFG[X]) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and discusses potential issues for Congress regarding the Navy's FFG(X) program, a program to procure a new class of guided-missile frigates. The FFG(X) program was initiated as part of the Navy's FY2018 budget submission. The Navy wants to procure the first FFG(X) in FY2020. The Navy's proposed FY2018 budget requests $143.5 million in research and development funding for the program. The FFG(X) program presents several potential oversight issues for Congress. Congress's decisions on the program could affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the shipbuilding industrial base.
- Comparing DHS Component Funding, Fiscal Year 2017: Fact Sheet
- This report shows the 2016 fiscal year Department of Homeland Security (DHS) budget amounts and the requests for DHS for the 2017 fiscal year. The main chart only shows the original budget request by the Obama Administration and shows supplemental funding requests by the Trump Administration in March 2017 and September 2017 separately.
- Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD): Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations
- This report discusses the fiscal year 2017 appropriations for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Transportation (DOT), and related agencies. Comparisons between previous and current funding levels and cuts proposed by the Trump Administration are also discussed.
- Department of Homeland Security Appropriations: Fiscal Year 2017
- This report discusses the FY2017 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The report makes note of many budgetary resources provided to DHS, but its primary focus is on funding approved by Congress through the appropriations process. It includes an Appendix with definitions of key budget terms used throughout the suite of Congressional Research Service reports on homeland security appropriations. It also directs the reader to other reports providing context for and additional details regarding specific component appropriations and issues engaged through the FY2016 appropriations process.
- Executive Branch Legislative Proposals Affecting Veterans Benefits in the Fiscal Year 2018 Budget
- This report discusses legislative proposals that would affect veterans' disability payments and Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) in the 2018 Fiscal Year budget proposals.
- Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations: Overview
- This report outlines the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) appropriations bill for the 2018 fiscal year. This bill includes funding for the Department of the Treasury (Title I), the Executive Office of the President (EOP; Title II), the judiciary (Title III), the District of Columbia (Title IV), and more than two dozen independent agencies (Title V). The bill typically funds mandatory retirement accounts in Title VI, which also contains additional general provisions applying to the funding provided agencies through the FSGG bill. Title VII contains general provisions applying government-wide. The FSGG bills have often also contained provisions relating to U.S. policy toward Cuba
- Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Coast Guard's programs for procuring 8 National Security Cutters (NSCs), 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), and 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRCs). Congress's decisions on these three programs could substantially affect Coast Guard capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
- The Budget Control Act and the Defense Budget: Frequently Asked Questions
- This report addresses several frequently asked questions related to the Budget Control Act (BCA) and the defense budget. The BCA limits discretionary spending on defense through the process of sequestration and was enacted in 2011. Recent proposals to remove the restrictions of the BCA on defense or raise the spending limits are also discussed.
- Department of Transportation (DOT): Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations
- This report outlines the Department of Transportation's (DOT) appropriations for fiscal year 2017 and highlights selected areas of funding such as intercity passenger rail, Highway trust funding solvency, TIGER grants, and Essential Air Service (EAS).
- Judiciary Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2017
- This report describes the 2017 fiscal year appropriations for the judiciary branch. The judiciary's FY2017 budget request of $7.58 billion was submitted on February 9, 2016 and represents a 3.3% increase over the FY2016 enacted level of $7.34 billion provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113), Division E, Title III, enacted December 18, 2015. The House Appropriations Committee held a markup (H.R. 5485) on June 9, 2016, and recommended a total of $7.55 billion. The Senate Appropriations Committee held a markup (S. 3067) on June 16, 2016, and recommended a total of $7.58 billion.
- NASA Appropriations and Authorizations: A Fact Sheet
- This report provides data on past, current, and proposed NASA appropriations. No bills have yet been introduced in the 115th Congress proposing future-year authorizations of NASA appropriations. Table 1 shows appropriations for NASA from FY2012 through FY2017. The data for FY2012 through FY2016 include supplemental appropriations, rescissions, transfers, reprogramming, and, in the case of FY2013, sequestration, Table 2 shows enacted appropriations for FY2017, and Figure 1 shows NASA's total annual budget authority from the agency's establishment in FY1958 to FY2017, in both current dollars and inflation-adjusted FY2017 dollars.
- Navy Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Operations: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and potential issues for Congress on the Navy's irregular warfare (IW) and counterterrorism (CT) operations. The Navy's IW and CT activities pose a number of potential oversight issues for Congress, including how much emphasis to place on IW and CT activities in Navy budgets, particularly in a context of constraints on Navy budgets and Navy desires to devote resources to developing "high end" combat capabilities for countering improved conventional military capabilities of countries such as China and Russia.
- Unfunded Mandates Reform Act: History, Impact, and Issues
- This report examines debates over what constitutes an unfunded federal mandate and the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act's (UMRA) implementation. It focuses on UMRA's requirement that CBO issue written cost estimate statements for federal mandates in legislation, its procedures for raising points of order in the House and Senate concerning unfunded federal mandates in legislation, and its requirement that federal agencies prepare written cost estimate statements for federal mandates in rules. It also assesses UMRA's impact on federal mandates and arguments concerning UMRA's future, focusing on UMRA's definitions, exclusions, and exceptions that currently exempt many federal actions with potentially significant financial impacts on nonfederal entities. An examination of the rise of unfunded federal mandates as a national issue and a summary of UMRA's legislative history are provided in Appendix A. Citations to UMRA points of order raised in the House and Senate are provided in Appendix B.
- Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program. A total of 29 LCSs have been procured through FY2017. For FY2018, the Navy is requesting the procurement of 30th and 31st LCSs. The LCS program presents several oversight issues for Congress. Congress's decisions on the program will affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the shipbuilding industrial base.
- The Trump Administration's March 2017 Defense Budget Proposals: Frequently Asked Questions
- This report answers seven frequently asked questions about President Trump's defense budget proposal for fiscal years 2017 and 2018 which was made on March 16, 2017. Additional funding for overseas contingency operations and a higher defense budget are major sections of the proposal discussed.
- Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report presents background information and issues for Congress concerning the Navy's force structure and shipbuilding plans. The current and planned size and composition of the Navy, the rate of Navy ship procurement, and the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans have been oversight matters for the congressional defense committees for many years. The Navy's proposed FY2018 budget, as amended on May 24, 2017, requests the procurement of nine new ships, including one Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) class aircraft carrier, two Virginia-class attack submarines, two DDG-51 class destroyers, two Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs), one TAO-205 class oiler, and one towing, salvage, and rescue ship.
- Navy John Lewis (TAO-205) Class Oiler Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- 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 TAO-205 program was previously known as the TAO(X) program. The first ship in the program was funded in FY2016 at a cost of $674.2 million. The Navy's proposed FY2018 budget requests $466.0 million in procurement funding for the second ship, which the Navy wants to procure in FY2018, and $75.1 million in advance procurement (AP) funding for the third ship, which the Navy wants to procure in FY2019.
- Navy Columbia Class (Ohio Replacement) Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN [X]) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Columbia class program, a program to design and build a new class of 12 ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to replace the Navy's current force of 14 Ohio-class SSBNs. The program was previously known as the Ohio replacement program (ORP) or SSBN(X) program. The Navy has identified the Columbia class program as the Navy's top priority program. The Navy wants to procure the first Columbia-class boat in FY2021.
- Deferred Maintenance of Federal Land Management Agencies: Fiscal Year 2007-Fiscal Year 2016 Estimates and Issues
- This report discusses the maintenance backlogs/deferred maintenance at the four federal land management agencies (the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Forest Service). It first provides agency deferred maintenance estimates for FY2016, the most recent fiscal year for which this information is available. It also discusses changes in deferred maintenance over the past decade (FY2007-FY2016) and then identifies some of the factors that likely contributed to these changes.
- Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and issues for Congress on multiyear procurement (MYP) and block buy contracting (BBC),1 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.
- Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Fiscal Year 2018: Current Action
- This report outlines the legislative process in Congress of Homeland Security appropriations for fiscal year 2018 which have passed the House as part of a consolidated appropriations bill while the Senate version is still awaiting subcommittee markup.
- The Revenue Baseline for Tax Reform
- This report provides information on the current revenue baseline as calculated by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). This report also discusses how the enactment of changes in tax policy can potentially change the baseline, and implications of these changes for subsequent legislation, such as tax reform.
- Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report presents background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Navy's Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) and Zumwalt (DDG-1000) class destroyer programs. The Navy's proposed FY2018 budget requests funding for the procurement of two DDG-51s. Decisions that Congress makes concerning destroyer procurement could substantially affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
- The Budget Control Act: Frequently Asked Questions
- This report addresses fourteen frequently asked questions related to the Budget Control Act (BCA) and the annual budget.
- Fiscal Year 2017 Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations: In Brief
- This report outlines the fiscal year 2017 appropriations for the Department of Agriculture which were enacted on May 5, 2017 as a part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The discretionary total of the enacted appropriation is $20.877 billion, which is $623 million less than enacted in FY2016 (-2.9%). The appropriation also carries mandatory spending--largely determined in separate authorizing laws--that totaled about $132.5 billion. The overall total therefore exceeded $153 billion (Table 1). The discretionary caps were set so as not to trigger sequestration under limits established by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-74).The White House released its FY2017 budget request on February 9, 2016, along with the detailed justification from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The new Administration released an outline for FY2018 appropriations on March 16, 2017.
- Navy LX (R) Amphibious Ship Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the LX(R) program, a program to build a new class of amphibious ships for the Navy. The Navy wants to procure the first LX(R) in FY2020. The Navy's proposed FY2018 budget requests $9.6 million in research and development funds for the LX(R) program. Decisions Congress makes on the LX(R) program will affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
- Trends in the Timing and Size of DHS Appropriations: In Brief
- This report examines trends in the timing and size of homeland security appropriations measures. Figure 1 shows the history of the timing of the annual DHS appropriations bills as they have moved through various stages of the legislative process. Initially, DHS appropriations were enacted relatively promptly, as stand-alone legislation. However, the bill is no longer an outlier from the consolidation and delayed timing that has affected other annual appropriations legislation. FY2017 marked the latest finalization of DHS annual appropriations levels in the history of the DHS Appropriations Act. The second table and set of charts presents information on DHS discretionary appropriations, as enacted, for FY2004 through FY2017. Table 1 provides data in nominal dollars, while Table 2 provides data in constant FY2013 dollars to allow for comparisons over time. Figure 2 represents Table 2's data in a visual format. The totals include annual appropriations as well as supplemental appropriations.
- Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) program. The Navy's proposed FY2018 budget requests $5,225.9 million in procurement and advance procurement (AP) funding for the program. Decisions that Congress makes on procurement of Virginia-class boats could substantially affect U.S. Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
- Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program, which is carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy, and gives Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers a capability for conducting BMD operations.
- Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: Overview of Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations
- This report first presents a brief overview of the major agencies in the annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. It then describes the appropriations requested by President Trump for FY2018. Next, it compares the President's request for FY2018 with appropriations enacted for FY2017. It then compares the amounts in H.R. 3354, as reported by the House Appropriations Committee, with FY2017 enacted appropriations and with FY2018 appropriations requested by the President.
- Judiciary Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2018
- This report provides an overview of the consideration of FY2018 judiciary appropriations, with subsections covering each major action, including the initial submission of the request on May 23, 2017; a hearing held by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government; the House Appropriations subcommittee markup on June 29, 2017; and the House Appropriations Committee markup on July 13, 2017. The status of FY2018 judiciary appropriations is summarized in Table 1. This overview is followed by a section on prior-year actions and funding. The report then provides an overview of judiciary accounts.
- The Debt Limit Since 2011
- This report discusses the federal debt limit and the crisis of 2011 in reaching the debt limit. Subsequent developments in extending the debt limit and using extraordinary measures to meet government obligations since then are outlined up to the present.
- Navy John Lewis (TAO-205) Class Oiler Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- 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 TAO-205 program was previously known as the TAO(X) program. The first ship in the program was funded in FY2016 at a cost of $674.2 million. The Navy's proposed FY2018 budget requests $466.0 million in procurement funding for the second ship, which the Navy wants to procure in FY2018, and $75.1 million in advance procurement (AP) funding for the third ship, which the Navy wants to procure in FY2019. Decisions that Congress makes regarding the program could affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
- Farm Bill Programs Without a Budget Baseline Beyond FY2018
- This report discusses the 2014 farm bill, which contains 39 programs that received mandatory funding that do not have baseline beyond FY2018. These programs had estimated mandatory spending totaling $2.824 billion over the five-year farm bill.
- Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and issues for Congress on multiyear procurement (MYP) and block buy contracting (BBC),1 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.
- Legislative Branch Appropriations: Frequently Asked Questions
- This report responds to frequently asked questions about legislative branch appropriations. Frequently asked questions include the items that are funded within this bill; development, presentation, and consideration of the legislative branch budget requests; the legislative branch budget in historical perspective; and recent actions.
- Congress Faces Calls to Address Expired Funds for Primary Care
- This report discusses funding for the Health Centers Program and the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) which provide medical care to underserved populations through health centers and provide scholarships and loan repayment to physicians in exchange for working in underserved areas for at least two years through the NHSC.
- Comparative Data on the Federal Government Budget Estimates Originally Submitted to Congress and the Final Budget Conditions Realized, Fiscal Years 1921-1971
- This report provides a listing comparing the amount of the federal budget request for each fiscal year to the final budget. It covers fiscal years 1921 to 1971.
- Federal Expenditures for Family Planning and Population Control Bills Introduced in the 91st Congress
- This report lists federal expenditure amounts related to family planning for FY1968-1970 and population control bills introduced in the 91st Congress.
- Major Federal Consumer Protection Activities: New Obligational Authority and Expenditures, Fiscal Years 1969-1971
- This report provides a listing of federal consumer protection agencies and groups and their new obligational authority and expenditures for fiscal years 1969 to 1971.
- Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) program.
- Shutdown of the Federal Government: Causes, Processes, and Effects
- This report discusses the causes of funding gaps and shutdowns of the federal government, processes that are associated with shutdowns, and how agency operations may be affected by shutdowns. The report concludes with a discussion of potential issues for Congress.
- Legislative Branch: FY2018 Appropriations
- This report discusses the the legislative branch appropriations bill (FY2018, which provides funding for the Senate; House of Representatives;Joint Items; Capitol Police; Office of Compliance; Congressional Budget Office (CBO); Architect of the Capitol (AOC); Library of Congress (LOC), including the Congressional Research Service (CRS); Government Publishing Office (GPO); Government Accountability Office (GAO); Open World Leadership Center; and the John C. Stennis Center.
- Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues
- This report discusses military personnel issues considered during deliberations on H.R. 2810 and S. 1519 which were passed on July 14, 2017 as the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. A brief synopsis of sections in each bill that pertain to selected personnel policies such as military end-strengths, pay and benefits, and other major policy issues are provided.
- Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report presents background information and issues for Congress concerning the Navy's ship force-structure goals and shipbuilding plans. The planned size of the Navy, the rate of Navy ship procurement, and the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans have been matters of concern for the congressional defense committees for the past several years.
- The Federal Budget: Overview and Issues for FY2018 and Beyond
- This report summarizes issues surrounding the federal budget, examines policy changes relevant to the budget framework for FY2018, and discusses recent major policy proposals included in the President's FY2018 budget. It concludes by addressing major short- and long-term fiscal challenges facing the federal government.
- Navy Littoral Combat Ship/Frigate (LCS/FF) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship/Frigate (LCS/FF) program, a program to procure a total of 40, and possibly as many as 52, small surface combatants (SSCs), meaning LCSs and frigates.
- Legislative Branch Appropriations: Frequently Asked Questions
- This report responds to frequently-asked questions about legislative branch appropriations, including: items that are funded within this bill; development, presentation, and consideration of the legislative branch budget requests; the legislative branch budget in historical perspective; and recent actions.