Congressional Research Service Reports - 185 Matching Results
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- U.S. Role in the World: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report presents background information and issues for Congress on the overarching U.S. foreign policy issue of the U.S. role in the world. Certain statements and actions from the Trump Administration have led to uncertainty about the Administration's intentions regarding the future U.S. role, and have intensified an ongoing debate among foreign policy specialists, strategists, policymakers, and the public about what that role should be.
- Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs: FY2019 Budget and Appropriations
- This report outlines the 2019 fiscal year budget request for the U.S. State Department, foreign operations, and related programs such as foreign aid. It discusses information about funding levels requested, major projects for the year, and Congressional actions.
- U.S. Global Health Assistance: FY2001-FY2019 Request
- This report outlines U.S. funding for global health by agency and program. Congress may debate several pressing global health issues, including strengthening health systems, bolstering pandemic preparedness, considering the FY2019 budget request, protecting life in global health assistance, and authorizing the extension of PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief).
- Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs: FY2019 Budget and Appropriations
- This report outlines the 2019 fiscal year budget request for the U.S. State Department, foreign operations, and related programs such as foreign aid. It discusses information about funding levels requested, major projects for the year, and Congressional actions.
- OPIC, USAID, and Proposed Development Finance Reorganization
- This report discusses a proposed reorganization of U.S. developmental aid programs that would consolidate several agencies into one central agency. Various pros and cons of the proposal are also included.
- Multilateral Development Banks: U.S. Contributions FY2000-FY2019
- This report provides an overview of U.S. contributions to multilateral development banks. It shows in tabular form how much the Administration requested and how much Congress appropriated for U.S. payments to the multilateral development banks (MDBs) since 2000.
- Millennium Challenge Corporation
- This report provides an overview of the Millennium Challenge Corporation's (MCC) functions, funding, and success rate. The MCC provides economic assistance through a competitive selection process to developing nations that demonstrate positive performance in three areas: ruling justly, investing in people, and fostering economic freedom.
- U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel
- This report provides an overview of U.S. foreign assistance to Israel. It includes a review of past aid programs, data on annual assistance, and analysis of current issues.
- Abortion and Family Planning-Related Provisions in U.S. Foreign Assistance Law and Policy
- This report details legislation and policies that restrict or place requirements on U.S. funding of abortion or family planning activities abroad. The level and extent of federal funding for these activities is an ongoing and controversial issue in U.S. foreign assistance and has continued to be a point of contention during the 115th Congress.
- Millennium Challenge Corporation
- This report describes the structure, purpose, and funding of the Millennium Challenge Fund.
- U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel
- This report provides an overview of U.S. foreign assistance to Israel. It includes a review of past aid programs, data on annual assistance, and analysis of current issues.
- Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response
- This report discusses the ongoing conflict in Syria and past and current U.S. policies regarding the conflict and U.S. involvement in it. Topics covered include U.S. military aid and humanitarian assistance to groups in Syria, proposed legislation related to Syria n Congress, current U.S. policy aims, and recent events in Syria both diplomatically and militarily.
- U.S. Foreign Assistance to Latin America and the Caribbean: Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations,
- This report describes U.S. foreign aid to Latin American and Caribbean countries for fiscal year 2018 including the request and legislative actions on appropriations.
- The Marshall Plan: Design, Accomplishments, and Significance
- This report discusses the Marshall Plan's design, implementation, accomplishments, and its relevance to current foreign aid programs. The Appendix lists numerous related studies and publications.
- U.S. Global Health Assistance: Fiscal Years 2002-Fiscal Year 2018
- This report discusses U.S. support of global health initiatives and outlines the 2018 fiscal year budget request and various issues related to it such as budget cuts.
- Libya: Transition and U.S. Policy
- This report discusses Libya's political situation of local politicians and armed militias controlling power and attempts to establish a stable central government since the 2011 uprising that overthrew Muammar al Qadhafi. U.S. relations and economic and security assistance to efforts to form a representative central government in Libya and combat Islamic extremism are also discussed.
- Recent Developments in U.S. Aid to Egypt
- This report discusses recent controversies over U.S. aid to Egypt and various announcements and threats to cut aid off due to Egypt's passage of a strict regulatory law for NGO's and possible ties with North Korea.
- 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.
- U.S. Role in the World: Background and Issues for Congress
- This report presents background information and issues for Congress on the overarching U.S. foreign policy issue of the U.S. role in the world. Certain statements and actions from the Trump Administration have led to uncertainty about the Administration's intentions regarding the future U.S. role, and have intensified an ongoing debate among foreign policy specialists, strategists, policymakers, and the public about what that role should be.
- Taylor Force Act: Palestinian Terrorism-Related Payments and U.S. Aid
- This report discusses the proposed Taylor Force Act in Congress which relates to the amount of foreign aid sent to the Palestinian Authority and reductions and further requirements being implemented due to Palestinian payments to families of those killed in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict whether as combatants or civilians and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons that have been convicted of terrorism related offenses.
- Democracy Promotion: An Objective of U.S. Foreign Assistance
- This report aims to provide information on the history of democracy promotion as a foreign assistance objective, the role of the primary U.S. agencies administering such programs, and funding details and trends, as well as issues of potential relevance to Congress.
- Abortion and Family Planning-Related Provisions in U.S. Foreign Assistance Law and Policy
- This report details legislation and policies that restrict or place requirements on U.S. funding of abortion or family planning activities abroad. The level and extent of federal funding for these activities is an ongoing and controversial issue in U.S. foreign assistance and will likely continue to be a point of contention during the 114th Congress.
- Millennium Challenge Corporation
- This report discusses the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) which provides economic assistance through a competitive selection process to developing nations that demonstrate positive performance in three areas: ruling justly, investing in people, and fostering economic freedom.
- Foreign Aid and the Education Sector: Programs and Priorities
- This report is a descriptive profile of recent U.S. foreign aid education sector activities; it outlines actors, policy, funding levels, and programs.
- U.S. International Food Aid Programs: Background and Issues
- This report includes three principal sections: a description of U.S. international food aid programs under current law; a discussion of several important policy issues related to U.S. international food aid; and a description of Administration and congressional proposals intended to change the nature of U.S. food international aid.
- A New Aid Package for Israel
- This report discusses potential legislation that could impact the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on U.S. assistance to Israel as the countries continue to negotiate terms for the period FY2019-FY2028.
- Does Foreign Aid Work? Efforts to Evaluate U.S. Foreign Assistance
- This report discusses the need to evaluate U.S. bilateral assistance (not on the work of multilateral aid entities, such as the World Bank) and methods of evaluation. It provides an overview of the history of evaluation, challenges, and how findings may be applied to policy. Additionally, it discusses current evaluation policies and issues for Congress.
- Foreign Aid: An Introduction to U.S. Programs and Policy
- This report provides an overview of the U.S. foreign assistance program by answering frequently asked questions on the subject. It is intended to provide a broad view of foreign assistance over time.
- Zika Response Funding: Request and Congressional Action
- This report presents the Administration's request for supplemental appropriations for the Zika response. It includes sections outlining Congressional actions, the emergency supplemental appropriations request for Zika response efforts -- by both U.S. health and human services agencies and international assistance programs -- and information about unobligated Ebola response funds.
- Abortion and Family Planning-Related Provisions in U.S. Foreign Assistance Law and Policy
- This report details legislation and policies that restrict or place requirements on U.S. funding of abortion or family planning activities abroad. The level and extent of federal funding for these activities is an ongoing and controversial issue in U.S. foreign assistance and will likely continue to be a point of contention during the 114th Congress.
- Millennium Challenge Corporation
- This report discusses the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) which provides economic assistance through a competitive selection process to developing nations that demonstrate positive performance in three areas: ruling justly, investing in people, and fostering economic freedom.
- U.S. Foreign Aid to the Palestinians
- This report discusses a number of issues relating to U.S. aid to the Palestinians that have relevance for Congress. Since the establishment of limited Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the mid-1990s, the U.S. government has committed more than $5 billion in bilateral economic and non-lethal security assistance to the Palestinians.
- The Proposed U.S. Foreign Assistance Initiative "Peace Colombia"
- This report briefly discusses Plan Colombia, a bilateral cooperation program aimed at improving Colombia's security and strengthening its democratic development.
- Direct Overt U.S. Aid Appropriations for and Military Reimbursements to Pakistan, FY2002-FY2017
- This report provides data regarding the direct overt U.S. aid appropriations and military reimbursements to Pakistan.
- FY2017 State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Budget Request: In Brief
- This report provides an overview and highlights of budget requests for the State Department, Foreign Operations, and Related Appropriations (SFOPS). It includes information from the previous fiscal years with an account-by-account comparison of the FY2017 request to the FY2016 estimates and FY2015 actuals in Appendix A.
- The Obama Administration's Feed the Future Initiative
- This report discusses the features of "Feed the Future" (FTF), a major foreign assistance initiative designed to alleviate global poverty and improve health and food security. Key issues addressed include the origin, intent, and government-wide inter-agency development approach of FTF; FTF program implementation, including monitoring and evaluation issues; and funding. This report also raises possible oversight issues for Congress.
- U.S. Foreign Assistance to the Middle East: Historical Background, Recent Trends, and the FY2016 Request
- This report is an overview of U.S. foreign assistance to the Middle East, including a brief historical review of foreign aid levels, a description of specific country programs, and an analysis of current foreign aid issues. The Middle East is perennially a major focus of interest as Congress exercises these powers.
- Powering Africa: Challenges of and U.S. Aid for Electrification in Africa
- This report discusses the Power Africa initiative; policy problems and challenges related to power sector development in Africa; long-term perspectives on energy poverty, need, and future development; and raises some possible oversight questions and issues for Congress.
- U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): Background, Operations, and Issues
- This report provides background information on the institutional makeup and operations of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the leading international humanitarian and development arm of the U.S. government. It then discusses in greater depth several aspects of the agency that might be of particular congressional interest.
- Abortion and Family Planning-Related Provisions in U.S. Foreign Assistance Law and Policy
- This report details legislation and policies that restrict or place requirements on U.S. funding of abortion or family planning activities abroad. The level and extent of federal funding for these activities is an ongoing and controversial issue in U.S. foreign assistance and will likely continue to be a point of contention during the second session of the 114th Congress.
- Pakistan-U.S. Relations: Issues for the 114th Congress
- This report discusses key U.S. interests regarding Pakistan, especially as related to counterterrorism and U.S. foreign assistance.
- U.S. International Food Aid Programs: Background and Issues
- This report includes three principal sections: the first section is a description of U.S. international food aid programs under current law; the second section discusses several important policy issues related to U.S. international food aid; and the third section describes Administration and congressional proposals intended to change the nature of U.S. food international aid.
- Millennium Challenge Corporation
- This report discusses the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) which provides economic assistance through a competitive selection process to developing nations that demonstrate positive performance in three areas: ruling justly, investing in people, and fostering economic freedom.
- The Palestinians: Background and U.S. Relations
- This report provides an overview of current issues in U.S.-Palestinian relations. It also contains an overview of Palestinian society and politics and descriptions of key Palestinian individuals and groups--chiefly the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the Palestinian Authority (PA), Fatah, Hamas, and the Palestinian refugee population.
- The Peace Corps: Current Issues
- The report discusses the President's annual funding request for the Peace Corps, efforts to reauthorize the Peace Corps, and related issues. Current issues include the extent to which there is available funding for Peace Corps expansion, whether the Peace Corps has the institutional capacity to expand, and whether volunteers are able to function in a safe and secure environment.
- Israel: Background and U.S. Relations
- This report describes issues related to U.S. aid provided to Palestine to support prevention/combating against terrorism, creating coexistence with Israel and self-governance, and meeting humanitarian needs. In includes introductory and historical background as well as in-depth analysis of the types of U.S. bilateral aid to Palestine, U.S. contributions to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the near East (UNRWA), and the issues involved in determining future aid.
- Security Assistance Reform: "Section 1206" Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses Section 1206 of the FY2006 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which provides the Secretary of Defense with authority to train and equip foreign military forces for two specified purposes--counterterrorism and stability operations--and foreign security forces for counterterrorism operations.
- The Peace Corps: Current Issues
- The report discusses the President's annual funding request for the Peace Corps, efforts to reauthorize the Peace Corps, and related issues. Current issues include the extent to which there is available funding for Peace Corps expansion, whether the Peace Corps has the institutional capacity to expand, and whether volunteers are able to function in a safe and secure environment.
- Security Assistance Reform: "Section 1206" Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background on the pre-Section 1206 status of security assistance authorities and the factors contributing to the enactment of Section 1206. It then sets out the purposes of the legislation and scope of its activities, restrictions on its use, the Department of Defense (DOD0-State Department planning process, and funding. It concludes with a discussion of issues for Congress.
- Increased Department of Defense Role in U.S. Ebola Response
- On September 16, 2014, President Obama announced a major increase in the United States response to the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The Department of Defense (DOD) submitted requests to Congress to make excess Overseas Contingency Operations funds appropriated for FY2014 available to support this effort. This report briefly outlines these requests.