Policy Library

7,020 documents

The Federal Grand Jury
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-03 · Reports · 33,826 words · PDF available
The federal grand jury exists to investigate crimes against the United States and to preserve the constitutional right of grand jury indictment. Its responsibilities require broad powers. As an arm of...
Does the United States need a China rethink?
Brookings Institution · 2025-07-02 · Article · 4,889 words
Seven experts examine the question of whether the United States and China have irreconcilable visions of world order.
U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP): Overview and Considerations for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-02 · Reports · 6,297 words · PDF available
The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is an interagency program established by Congress through the Global Change Research Act of 1990 (GCRA; P.L. 101-606) to coordinate and integrate feder...
U.S. Retail Food Price Data: Frequently Asked Questions and Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-02 · Reports · 7,821 words · PDF available
U.S. consumers, particularly low-income consumers, may face challenges during periods of rising food prices. Policymakers may find it helpful to understand federal sources for U.S. retail food price d...
H.R. 1 Provisions Affecting Renewable Energy
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-02 · Resources · 1,568 words · PDF available
On May 22, 2025, the House passed its version of H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. On July 1, the Senate passed its version of the bill. The bill would reduce tax rates, adjust spending for vari...
EDA’s Role in Developing Blue Economies
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-02 · Resources · 1,675 words · PDF available
In recent years, Congress has considered legislation to advance regional economic development in marine and coastal areas as one of several types of blue economy policies. Definitions of the term blue...
The Army’s Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF)
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-02 · Resources · 1,496 words · PDF available
The Significance of the Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) Congress has expressed concern about the threat to U.S. national security posed by Russia and China. The Army believes to address this threat, it...
The global implications of the US strikes on Iran
Brookings Institution · 2025-07-01 · Article · 3,623 words
Brookings experts break down what the U.S. military operation against Iranian nuclear facilities means for the region and the world.
Oversight of Gain-of-Function Research with Pathogens: Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-01 · Reports · 12,167 words · PDF available
The term gain of function (GOF) refers to any genetic mutation in an organism that confers a new or enhanced ability. Such changes often occur naturally. Additionally, scientists can induce such chang...
The Universal Service Fund and Related FCC Broadband Programs: Overview and Considerations for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-01 · Reports · 11,368 words · PDF available
Universal service is the principle that all Americans should have access to communications services. It is the cornerstone of the Communications Act of 1934 (P.L. 73-416)—the law that established the ...
The Second Amendment and the Federal Prohibition on Unlawful Drug Users from Possessing Firearms
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-01 · Posts · 2,463 words · PDF available
The Gun Control Act of 1968 bars nine categories of individuals from possessing firearms or ammunition. Following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v...
Nuclear Energy and Climate Change Mitigation
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-01 · Reports · 16,292 words · PDF available
Congress has long been interested in nuclear energy policy in the context of climate change mitigation. A scientific consensus holds that human-caused greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions raise global avera...
United States v. Skrmetti: Supreme Court Affirms State Ban Against Certain Medical Treatments for Transgender Minors
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-01 · Posts · 2,313 words · PDF available
On June 18, 2025, the Supreme Court affirmed a decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, ruling that a Tennessee law “banning certain medical care for transgender minors” does not c...
Trump v. CASA, Inc.: Supreme Court Limits Nationwide Injunctions
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-01 · Posts · 4,121 words · PDF available
On June 27, 2025, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Trump v. CASA, Inc., a trio of consolidated cases in which the Court limited the ability of federal courts to block federal laws and policies. ...
Federal Power Act: The Department of Energy’s Emergency Authority
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-01 · Reports · 2,881 words · PDF available
Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. §824a(c)) grants the Secretary of Energy certain authorities over the temporary operation of the electricity system during emergencies. Actions by th...
U.S.-South Korea Special Measures Agreements (SMAs): Legal and Policy Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-01 · Resources · 1,664 words · PDF available
Overview The United States and South Korea (officially the Republic of Korea, or ROK) forged a military alliance in the wake of the Korean War (1950-1953). Under the U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty, wh...
DeepSeek and the Race to Develop Artificial Intelligence
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-01 · Resources · 1,827 words · PDF available
DeepSeek is an artificial intelligence (AI) start-up founded in 2023 and based in Hangzhou, China. DeepSeek’s CEO, Liang Wenfeng, also created High-Flyer, a hedge fund that is reportedly the sole fund...
Campaign Finance Policy and Campaign Security
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-01 · Posts · 1,090 words · PDF available
Federal campaign finance law does not specifically address the permissibility of spending funds for campaign security, but Federal Election Commission (FEC) rules issued in 2024 do (11 C.F.R. §113.1(g...
Independence Day Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
Congressional Research Service · 2025-07-01 · Reports · 1,155 words · PDF available
Independence Day, often called the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday recognizing the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This guide is designed to assist congressional offi...
U.S. Coal Industry Trends
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-30 · Reports · 7,027 words · PDF available
The U.S. coal industry has seen a decline in the amount of coal mined and consumed—although mining efficiency has improved. The industry’s U.S. employment has declined 92% over a century. U.S. coal co...
International Trade Administration: Overview and Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-30 · Resources · 1,614 words · PDF available
The International Trade Administration (ITA), a unit of the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce), plays a key role in U.S. trade policy efforts to advance U.S. commercial interests. ITA’s stated mis...
The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund Tax: Background and Selected Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-30 · Resources · 1,584 words · PDF available
The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF) provides an immediate source of funds for federal responses to oil spills and compensation for certain damages. Historically, the OSLTF has been financed pri...
Defense Primer: Hypersonic Boost-Glide Weapons
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-30 · Resources · 1,678 words · PDF available
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is pursuing two types of hypersonic weapons technologies: boost-glide systems that place a maneuverable glide vehicle atop a ballistic missile or rocket booster, a...
Line 5 Pipeline: Relocation and Permitting
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-30 · Posts · 1,027 words · PDF available
The Line 5 Pipeline is a 30-inch diameter, 645-mile pipeline owned by Enbridge carrying up to 540,000 barrels per day of crude oil and natural gas liquids from Superior, WI, to Sarnia, Ontario (Figure...
Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (PSC) and Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) Icebreaker Programs: Background and Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-30 · Reports · 36,843 words · PDF available
A 2023 Coast Guard fleet mix analysis concluded that the service will require a total of eight to nine polar icebreakers, including four to five heavy polar icebreakers and four to five medium polar i...
Introduction to U.S. Economy: Trade Deficit
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-30 · Resources · 1,720 words · PDF available
What Is the Trade Deficit? The trade balance measures the difference between how much the United States spends on importing foreign goods and services and how much foreigners spend on exports of U.S. ...
Golden Dome: Related CRS Products
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-30 · Reports · 951 words · PDF available
On January 27, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order directing the Department of Defense to develop and implement a homeland missile defense architecture to defend against “ballist...
Somalia
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-30 · Resources · 1,841 words · PDF available
Instability and humanitarian crises have beset Somalia for decades. After the authoritarian Siad Barre regime fell amid civil war in 1991, the country became a “failed state.” The formation of a feder...
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-30 · Resources · 1,598 words · PDF available
Overview The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is Southeast Asia’s primary multilateral organization, a 10-member grouping of nations with a combined population of 667 million and a combi...
Defense Primer: Military Service Academies
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-30 · Resources · 1,474 words · PDF available
Overview The U.S. military service academies are tuition-free, four-year degree-granting institutions operated by the military departments. The academies are a major officer commissioning source, alon...
Frequently Asked Questions on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-29 · Reports · 4,964 words · PDF available
The immigration initiative Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has been of significant congressional and public interest since it was first announced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Secur...
Overview of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Environmental Infrastructure (EI) Assistance
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-27 · Reports · 18,242 words · PDF available
Congress has authorized and appropriated funding for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) environmental infrastructure (EI) assistance for the design and construction of certain infrastructure in spec...
Will Disaster-Stricken Communities Receive FEMA Aid? Proposed Changes to FEMA Public Assistance
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-27 · Posts · 1,026 words · PDF available
Reports suggest the Trump Administration recently considered changes to procedures that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) uses to assess requests for Public Assistance (PA) for major disa...
Veterans’ Educational Assistance Legislation Enacted in the 118th Congress
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-27 · Reports · 7,990 words · PDF available
The veterans’ educational assistance programs, including the GI Bills, are intended to support recruitment to and retention in the Armed Forces, help servicemembers and veterans adjust to the civilian...
Farm Bill Primer: Programs Without a Budget Baseline
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-27 · Resources · 1,244 words · PDF available
From a budgetary perspective, many farm bill programs that receive mandatory funding are assumed to continue beyond the end of their authorization. That is, they have a continuing baseline beyond the ...
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Pipelines: Safety, Siting, and Eminent Domain
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-27 · Posts · 1,042 words · PDF available
Carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines are essential to carbon capture and storage (CCS) systems, promoted by both the Biden and Trump Administrations to reduce emissions of CO2—a greenhouse gas—from power pl...
Beyond the NATO summit, key questions remain for European security
Brookings Institution · 2025-06-26 · Article · 1,162 words · PDF available
After the NATO summit, Europeans must understand that they are now responsible for defending Ukraine as well as themselves.
National Environmental Policy Act: An Overview
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-26 · Resources · 1,669 words · PDF available
Introduction and Background Since 1970, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) has set forth a national policy with respect to environmental quality. For decades, NEPA has required agencies to i...
National Environmental Policy Act: Judicial Review and Remedies
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-26 · Resources · 1,746 words · PDF available
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is one of the most frequently litigated federal environmental statutes. This is perhaps not surprising given NEPA’s broad applicability to over 100,000 act...
Federal Preemption and Texas S.B. 4
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-26 · Posts · 2,588 words · PDF available
In November 2023, Texas passed Senate Bill 4 (S.B. 4), which makes it a crime for an alien to, among other things, enter or attempt to enter the state from a foreign nation through a location other th...
Health Coverage Provisions in One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) as Passed by the House with Comparison of Senate Draft Language
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-26 · Reports · 22,425 words · PDF available
On May 22, 2025, the House passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA; H.R. 1), which provides for budget reconciliation pursuant to Title II of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY2025 (H...
Israel-Iran Conflict, U.S. Strikes, and Ceasefire
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-26 · Resources · 1,577 words · PDF available
On June 13, 2025, Israel began a major military operation against Iran, including air strikes and reported covert action. Iran retaliated by launching waves of ballistic missiles against Israel. See F...
The Rule of Two in Federal Procurement
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-26 · Resources · 845 words · PDF available
Background and Overview The so-called “Rule of Two” underpins the small business contracting policy known as a contract set-aside, through which the federal government limits competition for contract ...
Budget Reconciliation: Farm Bill Programs Without a Budget Baseline and Trade Promotion, Research, Horticulture, and Animal Health Programs with a Budget Baseline
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-26 · Posts · 1,055 words · PDF available
The agriculture title of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Title I of House-passed H.R. 1) and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Budget Reconciliation Text (June 25, 2025) wou...
Federal Grants to State and Local Governments: Trends and Issues
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-26 · Reports · 14,899 words · PDF available
In FY2024, the federal government provided an estimated $1.1 trillion to state and local governments in federal grants, funding a wide range of public policy initiatives such as health care, transport...
Nonbank Financial Intermediation (NBFI or “Shadow Banking”) and Capital Markets Policy
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-25 · Reports · 19,208 words · PDF available
Nonbank financial intermediation (NBFI)—sometimes known as “shadow banking”—generally refers to funding sources outside the banking system. NBFI has been an area of policy contention because of its si...
Federal Credit Programs: Comparing Fair Value and the Federal Credit Reform Act (FCRA)
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-25 · Reports · 13,071 words · PDF available
The U.S. government uses direct loans and loan guarantees in a range of policy areas. More than 100 programs offering direct federal loans and private financial institution loans guaranteed by the gov...
Legislative Proposals Affecting Capital Markets Funding
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-25 · Resources · 1,855 words · PDF available
Capital markets—the marketplace where securities such as stocks and bonds are issued and traded—provide major sources of funding for U.S. business operations. This In Focus summarizes selected legisla...
Defense Primer: U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM)
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-25 · Resources · 1,595 words · PDF available
U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM, commonly referred to as CYBERCOM), is the Department of Defense (DOD) functional combatant command (CCMD) responsible for cyberspace operations. The command is a unifie...
Defense Primer: U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM)
Congressional Research Service · 2025-06-25 · Resources · 1,524 words · PDF available
U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM, commonly referred to as NORTHCOM) is the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) unified combatant command (CCMD) responsible for the defense of North America. The term uni...