Armed Forces Compensation During a Lapse in Appropriations
Compensation for members of the Armed Forces (i.e., Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard) is funded through annual appropriations to personnel-related line items in accoun...
Realignment of DOD’s Chief Digital and AI Officer (CDAO)
On August 14, 2025, Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg, who is now using “Deputy Secretary of War” as a “secondary title” under Executive Order 14347 dated September 5, 2025, issued a memo “[d...
Crypto Legislation: An Overview of H.R. 3633, the CLARITY Act
On June 23, 2025, the House Committees on Financial Services and Agriculture reported H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 (or the CLARITY Act). The bill would give the Commodity Fu...
Dismissals of Members of Puerto Rico’s Financial Oversight and Management Board
On Friday, August 1, 2025, President Trump dismissed five of the seven members of Puerto Rico’s Financial Oversight and Management Board (FOMB or Oversight Board): Arthur J. Gonzalez, Cameron McKenzie...
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations for FY2026
The House and the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittees are charged with providing annual appropriations for the U.S. Departmen...
Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974
Title III of the Trade Act of 1974 (Sections 301-310, 19 U.S.C. §§2411-2420), titled “Relief from Unfair Trade Practices,” is often collectively referred to as “Section 301.” Under Section 301, Congre...
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: Overview of FY2025 Appropriations
The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill—often called the Interior bill—contains funding for about three dozen agencies and entities. They include most of the Department of ...
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: Overview of FY2026 Appropriations
The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill—often called the Interior bill—contains funding for about three dozen agencies and entities. They include most of the Department of ...
Section 301 Investigation into Brazil’s Acts, Policies, and Practices
In July 2025, the second Trump Administration initiated its first investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, into Brazil’s practices related to digital trade and electronic payment serv...
Iraq
The Republic of Iraq (Figure 1) sits at an intersection within the Middle East region, with ties to Iran, Turkey, the Levant, and the Arabian Peninsula shaping its interests, constraints, and opportun...
Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program Included in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law
On July 4, 2025, the FY2025 reconciliation act (P.L. 119-21), commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, was signed into law. Among its provisions, the law created a federally funded tax ...
The Rights of Students with Disabilities Under the IDEA, Section 504, and the ADA
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) each play a part in federal efforts t...
DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office in the 119th Congress
The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) executes funding for research and development (R&D) of vehicle technologies (e.g., engines, motors, batteries), alternative fuels, ...