Defense Primer: The United States Air Force
The National Security Act of 1947 (P.L. 80-253, Title II, §207), enacted on July 26, 1947, established the U.S. Air Force as an Armed Force under the Department of the Air Force (DAF). An executive or...
Unauthorized Farmworkers in the United States
In June 2025, some news stations reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had conducted immigration raids of farms and meat processing plants in California, Nebraska, New York, an...
Iran’s Nuclear Program: Tehran’s Compliance with International Obligations
On September 24, 2005, the IAEA Board of Governors adopted a resolution finding Iran in noncompliance with its IAEA safeguards agreement. Subsequently, several UN Security Council resolutions adopted ...
Continuing Authorities Programs (CAPs) of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) can study and construct certain water resource projects of limited size, cost, scope, and complexity without project-specific congressional authorization. USAC...
The 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) and Its Role in Mapping Hazards and Resources
In 2021, Congress passed two laws establishing and directing the 3-dimensional Elevation Program (3D Elevation Program, or 3DEP) to support identification of hazards and resources, among other purpose...
Overview of FY2025 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations
This report provides an overview of FY2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations, including relevant congressional actions and a top-line comparis...
The Second Amendment at the Supreme Court: Challenges to Federal Gun Laws
Ratified in 1791, the Second Amendment provides, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” For...
House Office of Congressional Conduct: History, Authority, and Procedures
The House Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC; formerly the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE)) was established on March 11, 2008, with the passage of H.Res. 895. In the 119th Congress (2025-2026),...
Iran Conflict and the Strait of Hormuz: Oil and Gas Market Impacts
Conflict in June 2025 involving Iran, Israel, and the United States raised the specter of interrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz (the Strait) in the Persian Gulf (Gulf). The Strait, which b...
Corps Water Infrastructure Financing Program (CWIFP)
The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 (WIFIA 2014, Title V, Subtitle C, of P.L. 113-121, as amended; 33 U.S.C. §§3901-3915) authorized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to...
Membership of the 119th Congress: A Profile
This report presents a profile of the membership of the 119th Congress (2025-2026) as of August 4, 2025, or, where noted, at the beginning of the 119th Congress (January 3, 2025). Statistical informat...
Principles, Requirements, and Guidelines (PR&G) for Federal Investments in Water Resources
The Principles, Requirements, and Guidelines (PR&G) for federal water resource investments largely replaced the 1983 Principles and Guidelines (P&G) for federal water project evaluations on June 15, 2...
Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2025 Budget and Appropriations
Each year, Congress considers 12 distinct appropriations measures to fund federal programs and activities. One of these measures is the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (S...
National Landslide Preparedness Act and the Status of Landslide Risk Reduction
In 2021, Congress passed the National Landslide Preparedness Act (NLPA; P.L. 116-323, 43 U.S.C. §§3101 et seq.). Among its provisions, the NLPA directs the Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter, the ...
Freight Rail Safety Issues in the 119th Congress
The February 3, 2023, train derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine, OH, raised the profile of rail safety issues. Railroad labor organizations and some state and local governments have voiced...
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP): Background and Funding
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal food distribution program that supports food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, and other emergency feeding organizations serving low-incom...