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The 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) and Defense Strategy: Issues for Congress

Description: This report briefly reviews the statutory Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) mandate and characterizes the context for the 2014 QDR. It also raises a series of issues that Congress may choose to consider in evaluating the QDR mandate, the 2014 QDR, and the Department of Defense (DOD) strategic direction more broadly.
Date: February 24, 2014
Creator: Dale, Catherine
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Military Medical Care: Questions and Answers

Description: This report answers several frequently asked questions about military health care, including: how the system is structured, a TRICARE summary, TRICARE eligibility and plan options, cost of military health care to beneficiaries, relationship of TRICARE to MEDICARE, how the Affordable Care Act affects TRICARE, long-term trends of defense health care costs, and a summary of the fund which funds TRICARE.
Date: July 24, 2013
Creator: Jansen, Don J. & Blakeley, Katherine
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Criminal Prohibitions on the Publication of Classified Defense Information

Description: This report discusses the statutory prohibitions that may be implicated, including the Espionage Act; the extraterritorial application of such statutes; and the First Amendment implications related to such prosecutions against domestic or foreign media organizations and associated individuals. The report provides a summary of previous legislative efforts to criminalize the unauthorized disclosure of classified information.
Date: June 24, 2013
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Navy SSBN(X) Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the Navy's plan to develop and design a class of 12 next-generation ballistic missile submarines, or SSBN(X)s, as replacements for the 14 Ohio class SSBNs currently in operation. The report explores certain related issues for Congress, including the affordability of the project and its potential impact on other Navy shipbuilding programs, alternatives to the program, and which shipyard or shipyards will build the proposed ships.
Date: September 24, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The New START Treaty: Central Limits and Key Provisions

Description: The United States and Russia signed a new strategic arms reduction treaty - known as New START - on April 8, 2010. This treaty is designed to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty (START), which expired, after 15 years of implementation, on December 5, 2009. This report provides an overview of New START, including a comparison to the original START Treaty, the belief of the Obama Administration and outside analysts that New START will enhance U.S. national security, and the criticis… more
Date: November 24, 2010
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Army's M-4 Carbine: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: The M-4 carbine is the Army's primary individual combat weapon for infantry units. The M-4 uses a direct gas impingement system that blows carbon from the fired cartridge back into the weapon's receiver, which can lead to weapon malfunctions. The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is replacing its M-4s with the Special Operations Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR), a modular weapon with a short-stroke piston system that eliminates carbon blow back, which theoretically improves reliability. Some… more
Date: June 24, 2009
Creator: Feickert, Andrew
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and presents potential 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.
Date: September 24, 2013
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Piracy off the Horn of Africa

Description: This report discusses recent (2008-2009) pirate attacks on vessels, including United States vessels, in the waters off the Horn of Africa. The Horn of Africa is sometimes called the Somali Peninsula and includes the nations of Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Somalia. This report explores reasons behind the increased number of pirate attacks in recent years, as well as what efforts are being taken to combat said attacks, including those by the 111th Congress and President Obama and his Administ… more
Date: April 24, 2009
Creator: Ploch, Lauren; Blanchard, Christopher M.; O'Rourke, Ronald; Mason, R. Chuck & King, Rawle O.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Russian Military Reform and Defense Policy

Description: This report looks at the Russia's revamping of the armed forces that it inherited from the Soviet Union. It discusses the revamping process as well as the new armed forces' relationship with the U.S.
Date: August 24, 2011
Creator: Nichol, Jim
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

A Shift in the International Security Environment: Potential Implications for Defense--Issues for Congress

Description: 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.
Date: October 24, 2018
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Chinese Military: Overview and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides a brief overview of the Chinese military. In order to cover a wide range of issues in a concise format, the report does not go into great depth on many topics and omits other topics that might be considered germane.
Date: March 24, 2016
Creator: Rinehart, Ian E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction

Description: Established by Executive Order 13328 and signed by President George W. Bush on February 6, 2004, the Commission was charged with assessing whether the Intelligence Community is sufficiently authorized, organized, equipped, trained, and resourced to identify and warn in a timely manner of, and to support United States Government efforts to respond to, the development and transfer of knowledge, expertise, technologies, materials, and resources associated with the proliferation of Weapons of Mass… more
Date: May 24, 2004
Creator: Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Army Futures Command

Description: This report discusses the Army Futures Command, a proposed central command focused on Army modernization efforts.
Date: April 24, 2018
Creator: Feickert, Andrew
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) program. The Navy's proposed FY2014 budget requests $5,285.3 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.
Date: March 24, 2014
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

U.S. Nuclear Cooperation with India: Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the United States' relationship with India as it relates to nuclear arsenals and nuclear nonproliferation policies. The report includes background information on India's nuclear history and nuclear weapons-specific U.S. legislation.
Date: February 24, 2010
Creator: Kerr, Paul K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the CVN-78 program, which includes the CVN-78, CVN-79, and CVN-80 as the first three ships in the Navy's new Gerald R. Ford (CVN- 78) class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs).
Date: June 24, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Navy Ohio Replacement (SSBN[X]) Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report focuses on the Ohio replacement program as a Navy shipbuilding program. The report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Ohio replacement program (ORP), 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.
Date: March 24, 2015
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)/Frigate Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)/Frigate program, a program to procure 52 LCSs and frigates. The first ship in the program was procured in FY2005, and a total of 23 have been procured through FY2015. The Navy's proposed FY2016 budget requests $1,437.0 million for the procurement of three more LCSs, or an average of $479.0 million each.
Date: March 24, 2015
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities--Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report focuses on the potential implications of China's naval modernization for future required U.S. Navy capabilities. This report is based on unclassified open-source information, such as the annual Department of Defense (DOD) report to Congress on China's military power, and published reference sources such as Jane's Fighting Ships.
Date: April 24, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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