Congressional Research Service Reports - 1,499 Matching Results
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- The Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Global War on Terror Operations Since 9/11
- This report analyzes war funding for the Department of Defense (DOD) and tracks funding for USAID and Veteran's Affairs (VA) Medical funding. Information on costs helps Congress to assess the FY2010 Supplemental for war costs for the Department of Defense (DOD) and State/USAID FY2011 war requests; conduct oversight of past war costs; and consider the longer-term costs implications of the buildup of troops in Afghanistan and potential problems in the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
- The State Secrets Privilege: Preventing the Disclosure of Sensitive National Security Information During Civil Litigation
- This report presents an overview of the protections afforded by the state secrets privilege; a discussion of some of the many unresolved issues associated with the privilege; and a selection of high-profile examples of how the privilege has been applied in practice.
- Government Shutdown: Operations of the Department of Defense During a Lapse in Appropriations
- This report provides an overview of guidelines that have governed planning for Department of Defense (DOD) operations over the last 30 years in the event of a funding lapse. It also discusses the implications of the guidelines for a possible impending shutdown and briefly reviews what is known about current DOD planning for a shutdown.
- Toward the Creation of a U.S. "Space Force"
- This report discusses the possibility of a new military service branch -- the Space Force -- with the goal of asserting "American dominance in space."
- 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.
- A Shift in the International Security Environment: Potential Implications for Defense--Issues for Congress
- This report focuses on defense-related issues in the international security environment. It provides extensive background on previous environment, observations of the shift in the environment, how Congress responded in the past, and emerging implications for defense. The report also summarizes relevant issues for Congress.
- Declarations of War and Authorizations for the Use of Military Force: Historical Background and Legal Implications
- This report provides historical background on the enactment of declarations of war and authorizations for the use of force and analyzes their legal effects under international and domestic law. It also sets forth their texts in two appendices. The report includes an extensive listing and summary of statutes that are triggered by a declaration of war, a declaration of national emergency, and/or the existence of a state of war. The report concludes with a summary of the congressional procedures applicable to the enactment of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of force and to measures under the War Powers Resolution.
- Defense Authorization and Appropriations Bills: A Chronology, FY1970-FY2005
- This report is a research aid, which lists the Department of Defense (DOD) authorization bills (Table 1) and appropriations bills (Table 2).
- Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV): Background and Issues for Congress
- This report includes background on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program, which is is currently being developed by the Army and the Marine Corps as a successor to the 11 different versions of the High Mobility, Multi-Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) that have been in service since 1985. It includes a discussion of recent program activities, foreign participants, budgetary issues, and potential issues for Congress.
- 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.
- The Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA)
- This report discusses the Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA, 50 U.S.C. Appx § 2061 et seq.), which confers upon the President a broad set of authorities to influence domestic industry in the interest of national defense.
- Intelligence Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the efforts currently underway to improve coordination and encourage better analysis amongst the various agencies within the U.S. Intelligence Community, especially with regard to the ongoing and prominent issue of international terrorism. In particular, this report addresses the false intelligence regarding Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and the current efforts in Iraq and Iran in general.
- Defense Primer: Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
- This report discusses the role of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and how the position fits into the organizational structure of the Defense Department.
- Peacekeeping Options: Considerations for U.S. Policymakers and the Congress
- This report provides a frame of reference for considering the relative merits of using these organizations in peace and security operations. It first reviews the types of actions and activities available to deal with situations ranging from low-level tension to open conflict to post-conflict transition. It then examines, for each of the organizations, the major considerations, i.e., effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages, and other important issues for U.S. policy makers in their use.
- 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.
- U.S. Ground Forces Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI): Considerations for Congress
- This report discusses issues for Congress to consider regarding robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) and artificial intelligence (AI), which have the potential to change the nature of warfare. Other nations, notably peer competitors Russia and China, are aggressively pursuing RAS and AI for a variety of military uses, raising considerations about the U.S. military's response--to include lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS)--that could be used against U.S. forces.
- Fact Sheet: Selected Highlights of the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4909)
- This report provides selected highlights of H.R. 4909, the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) reported by the House Armed Services Committee on May 4, 2016 (H.Rept. 114-537). Table 1 provides a summary of amounts recommended for authorization. Table 2 provides a summary of selected congressional budget reductions and restrictions, and Table 3 provides a summary of selected Administration policy and cost-cutting proposals. Table 4 provides a summary of selected congressional budget increases and policy initiatives.
- The 2015 National Security Strategy: Authorities, Changes, Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the National Security Strategy (NSS), a document released by the Obama Administration which states that its purpose is to "set out the principles and priorities to guide the use of American power and influence in the world."
- The 2015 National Security Strategy: Authorities, Changes, Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the National Security Strategy (NSS), a document released by the Obama Administration which states that its purpose is to "set out the principles and priorities to guide the use of American power and influence in the world."
- Goldwater-Nichols at 30: Defense Reform and Issues for Congress
- This report is designed to assist Congress as it evaluates the many different defense reform proposals suggested by the variety of stakeholders and institutions within the U.S. national security community. It includes an outline of the strategic context for defense reform, both in the Goldwater-Nichols era and today. It then builds a framework to understand the DOD management challenge, and situates some of the most-discussed reform proposals within that framework. It concludes with some questions Congress may ponder as it exercises oversight over the Pentagon.
- Military Lending Act: Timeline, New Rules, and Issues
- This report briefly discusses new rules under the Military Lending Act (MLA) that change the definition of consumer credit for covered servicemembers and dependents; it will apply to transactions or accounts that are established on or after October 3, 2016. These rules may have an impact on the regulatory burdens for businesses that provide credit products to the military and may also affect military readiness.
- DHS Budget v. DHS Appropriations: Fact Sheet
- This report provides a breakdown of the Obama Administration's 2017 budget request for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and compares it to appropriations in previous years.
- Military Officer Personnel Management: Key Concepts and Statutory Provisions
- This report provides an overview of selected concepts and statutory provisions that shape and define military officer appointments, assignments, grade structure, promotions, and separations. It also provides a set of questions that policymakers may wish to consider when discussing proposed changes to current law.
- Defense Authorization and Appropriations Bills: FY1970-FY2016
- This report includes all the pertinent information on the passage of Department of Defense (DOD) authorization and appropriations bills (fiscal years 1970-2016) through the legislative process: bill numbers, report numbers, dates reported and passed, recorded vote numbers and vote tallies, dates of passage of the conference reports with their numbers and votes, vetoes, substitutions, dates of final passage, and public law numbers.
- Goldwater-Nichols at 30: Defense Reform and Issues for Congress
- This report is designed to assist Congress as it evaluates the many different defense reform proposals suggested by the variety of stakeholders and institutions within the U.S. national security community.
- FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues
- This report provides a brief synopsis of sections in each bill (H.R. 4909 as passed by the House on May 26, 2016, and S. 2943 as passed by the Senate on July 21, 2016) that pertain to selected personnel policies. These include issues such as military end-strengths, pay and benefits, military healthcare (TRICARE), military retirement, and other major policy issues.
- The Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce: Background, Analysis, and Questions for Congress
- This report provides background on the Department of Defense (DOD) acquisition workforce. Specifically, the report addresses the following questions: 1. What is the acquisition workforce? 2. What is the current size of the acquisition workforce? 3. How has Congress sought to improve the acquisition workforce in the past? 4. What are some potential questions for Congress to explore in the area of acquisition workforce management to improve acquisitions?
- U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Recent Conflicts
- This report lists the beginning and ending dates for "periods of war" found in Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It also lists and differentiates other beginning dates given in declarations of war, as well as termination of hostilities dates and armistice and ending dates given in proclamations, laws, or treaties.
- FY2017 Defense Spending Under an Interim Continuing Resolution (CR): In Brief
- This report provides a basic discussion of interim "continuing resolutions" (CRs) and highlights some specific issues for the Department of Defense (DOD) under a CR. It also provides a brief look at selected FY2017 defense programs that could be affected by a CR.
- Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV): Background and Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), which is an Army-led, multi-service initiative to develop a family of light tactical vehicles as a successor to the High Mobility, Multi-Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs). It includes background information; a description of the JLTV program, program history, and program activities; information about the JLTV contract, Lockheed Martin's protest to the program, budgetary issues, and potential issues for Congress.
- Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty: Background and Current Developments
- This report discusses the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), as well as the Obama Administration's stated goal of pursuing U.S. ratification of the CTBT, although the Administration has mainly focused on securing Senate consent to ratification of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START).
- Military Enlisted Personnel
- This report provides background information and includes charts that show active military enlisted members by pay grade and branch, as well as associated insignia.
- Military Officers
- This report provides background information and includes charts that show active military officers by pay grade and branch, as well as associated insignia.
- Defense: FY2017 Budget Request, Authorization, and Appropriations
- This report discusses the current administration's request of $523.9 billion to cover the fiscal year 2017 discretionary "base budget" of the Department of Defense (DOD).
- Nonstrategic Nuclear Weapons
- This report provides basic information about U.S. and Russian nonstrategic nuclear weapons. It begins with a brief discussion of how these weapons have appeared in public debates in the past few decades, then summarizes the differences between strategic and nonstrategic nuclear weapons. It then provides some historical background, describing the numbers and types of nonstrategic nuclear weapons deployed by both nations during the Cold War and in the past decade; the policies that guided the deployment and prospective use of these weapons; measures that the two sides have taken to reduce and contain their forces, and the 2018 NPR's recommendation for the deployment of new U.S. nonstrategic nuclear weapons. The report reviews the issues that have been raised with regard to U.S. and Russian nonstrategic nuclear weapons, and summarizes a number of policy options that might be explored by Congress, the United States, Russia, and other nations to address these issues.
- The 2018 National Defense Strategy
- This report discusses the 2018 National Defense Strategy which lays out the goals and methods of the Defense Department for the year.
- Army Futures Command
- This report discusses the Army Futures Command, a proposed central command focused on Army modernization efforts.
- Defense Primer: Future Years Defense Program (FYDP)
- This report discusses the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP) and its purpose and organization.
- China-U.S. Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities-Background and Issues for Congress
- This report provides background information and issues for Congress on China's naval modernization effort and its implications for U.S. Navy capabilities. For an overview of the strategic and budgetary context in which China's naval modernization effort and its implications for U.S. Navy capabilities may be considered, see Appendix A.
- Defense Primer: Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
- This report discusses the role of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and how the position fits into the organizational structure of the Defense Department.
- The Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Global War on Terror Operations Since 9/11
- Congress has approved appropriations for the past 13 years of war that total $1.6 trillion for military operations, base support, weapons maintenance, training of Afghan and Iraq security forces, reconstruction, foreign aid, embassy costs, and veterans' health care for the war operations initiated since the 9/11 attacks. This report discusses the Department of Defense's FY2015 war request and various issues for Congress regarding the funding of the war on terror.
- Defense Authorization and Appropriations Bills: FY1970-FY2015
- This report is a research aid which lists the Department of Defense authorization bills and appropriations bills for FY1970-FY2015. This report includes all the pertinent information on the passage of these bills through the legislative process: bill numbers, report numbers, dates reported and passed, recorded vote numbers and vote tallies, dates of passage of the conference reports with their numbers and votes, vetoes, substitutions, dates of final passage, and public law numbers.
- Homeland Security Appropriations: FY2015 Action in the 114th Congress
- This report provides a brief outline of the FY2015 annual appropriations measure for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its enactment by the 114th Congress.
- Proposed Retirement of A-10 Aircraft: Background in Brief
- The Administration's fiscal 2015 budget proposed to retire the entire fleet of A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft beginning in FY2016. This report covers the background to that decision and legislative action as of the end of 2014.
- Director of National Intelligence Statutory Authorities: Status and Proposals
- This report discusses the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) position created by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-458). It includes an overview of the authorities granted to the DNI by legislation in 2004 and later as well as the varying opinions of Congress regarding new DNI authorities, as well as related legislation from FY2010 through FY2012.
- American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics
- This report provides U.S. war casualty statistics. It includes data tables containing the number of casualties among American military personnel who served in principal wars and combat actions from 1775 to the present. It also includes data on those wounded in action and information such as race and ethnicity, gender, branch of service, and cause of death. The tables are compiled from various Department of Defense (DOD) sources.
- Department of Homeland Security: FY2015 Appropriations
- This report analyzes the FY2015 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). While this report makes note of many budgetary resources provided to DHS, its primary focus is on funding approved by Congress through the appropriations process.
- American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics
- This report is written in response to numerous requests for war casualty statistics and lists of war dead. It provides tables, compiled by sources at the Department of Defense (DOD), indicating the number of casualties among American military personnel serving in principal wars and combat actions.
- U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Recent Conflicts
- This report lists the beginning and ending dates for "periods of war" found in Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It also lists and differentiates other beginning dates given in declarations of war, as well as termination of hostilities dates and armistice and ending dates given in proclamations, laws, or treaties.