WASHINGTON, April 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - status of oil and gas program (No. IF12006) on April 6, 2023, by natural resources policy specialist Laura B. Comay. Here are excerpts: * * * Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Status of Oil and Gas Program The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR or the Refuge) comprises 19 million acres in northeast Alaska, administered primarily by the Fish and Wildl more PR

WASHINGTON, April 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the Army's Mobile Protected Firepower System (No. IF11859) on April 6, 2023, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert. Here are excerpts: * * * The Army's Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) System What Is the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) System? The Army's MPF system is intended to address an operational shortfall in infantry units: 'Currently the Army's Infantry Brigade Co more PR

WASHINGTON, April 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle Program (No. IF11876) on April 3, 2023, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert. Here are excerpts: * * * The Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) Program Background The RCV is being developed as part of the Army's Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) family of vehicles. As originally planned, the Army intended to develop three RCV variants: Li more PR

WASHINGTON, April 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the climate change and adaptation (No. IF12161) on April 6, 2023, by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security analyst: * * * Climate Change and Adaptation: Department of Defense Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has stated that "to keep the nation secure, [the Department of Defense (DOD)], must tackle the existential threat of climate change." DOD has released a number of d more PR

WASHINGTON, April 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the Director of National Intelligence (No. IF10470) on April 7, 2023, by Michael E. DeVine, intelligence and national security analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) As provided in statute, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) oversees the integration of the intelligence functions of the 18 statutory elements of the Intelligence Community (IC), more PR

WASHINGTON, April 5 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on Guatemala (No. IF11876) on April 4, 2023, by Latin American affairs analyst Karla I. Rios. Here are excerpts: * * * Guatemala: An Overview Guatemala, the most populous country in Central America, has strived to consolidate its democracy since the 1990s. It has faced many political and social challenges, as well as widespread corruption, impunity, and human rights abuses. Traditionally, the  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (No. IF12373) on April 4, 2023. The white paper was written by by Asian affairs specialist Mark E. Manyin and international trade and finance specialists Cathleen D. Cimino-Isaacs and Kyla H. Kitamura. Here are excerpts: * * * Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) In May 2022, the United States and 13 partners launched th more PR

WASHINGTON, April 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the overview of the Treasury Department's Federal Payment Levy and Treasury Offset Programs (No. IF11671) on April 7, 2023, by public finance analyst Gary Guenther. Here are excerpts: * * * Overview of the Treasury Department's Federal Payment Levy and Treasury Offset Programs Within the federal government, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, through its Bureau of Fiscal Service (BFS), is  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (No. IF11772) on April 6, 2023, by natural resources policy specialist Katie Hoover. Here are excerpts: * * * Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT): Section 6902 Payments Introduction Several federal programs exist to compensate local jurisdictions for the presence of nontaxable federal lands. The widest-ranging program is the Department of the Interior's (DOI's)  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on Peru - country overview and U.S. relations (No. IF12372) on April 4, 2023, by Latin American affairs specialists Ramon Miro and June S. Beittel. Here are excerpts: * * * Peru: Country Overview and U.S. Relations Since 2001, Peru has emerged from a period of domestic terrorism, authoritarian rule, and erratic economic performance to one of improved citizen security, democratic - though often more PR

WASHINGTON, April 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the Social Security - selected findings of the 2023 annual report (No. IF12375) on April 5, 2023, by social policy analyst Barry F. Huston. Here are excerpts: * * * Social Security: Selected Findings of the 2023 Annual Report According to the 2023 report of the Board of Trustees of the Social Security Trust Funds, the program's finances are in a similar, albeit marginally worse, position i more PR

WASHINGTON, April 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on South Korea - background and U.S. relations (No. IF10165) on April 6, 2023. The white paper was written by Asian affairs specialists Mark E. Manyin and Emma Chanlett-Avery and international trade and finance analyst Liana Wong. Here are excerpts: * * * South Korea: Background and U.S. Relations Overview South Korea (officially the Republic of Korea, or ROK) is one of the United States' mo more PR

WASHINGTON, April 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on Taiwan Presidents' U.S. transit visits (No. IF12371) on April 4, 2023, by Asian affairs specialist Susan V. Lawrence. Here are excerpts: * * * Taiwan Presidents' U.S. Transit Visits Introduction Since 1994, four sitting presidents of Taiwan have undertaken a combined 29 trips abroad that have included transit stops in the United States. Since 1995, the U.S. government has not permitted Tai more PR

WASHINGTON, April 8 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the U.S. arms sales and human rights (No. IF11197) on April 7, 2023, by foreign affairs analyst Michael A. Weber and nonproliferation specialist Paul K. Kerr: * * * U.S. Arms Sales and Human Rights: Legislative Basis and Frequently Asked Questions U.S. law establishes the conditions under which the U.S. government and U.S. commercial entities may sell defense articles to foreign countries. T more PR

WASHINGTON, April 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - fiscal 2024 appropriations (No. IF12370) on April 3, 2023, by natural resources policy specialists Anna E. Normand and Nicole T. Carter. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: FY2024 Appropriations Congress generally funds the civil works activities of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in annual Energy and Water Development appropriat more PR

WASHINGTON, April 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper on the U.S. Army's Strategic Mid-Range Fires System (No. IF12135) on April 6, 2023, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert. Here are excerpts: * * * The U.S. Army's Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) System (Formerly Mid-Range Capabilities [MRC] System) What Is the Army's Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) System? Reported improvements to Russian and Chinese artillery systems presen more PR

WASHINGTON, April 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper on the HSA@20 Episode Companion (No. IN12139) on April 3, 2023. The white paper was written by homeland security and appropriations specialist William L. Painter, government organization and management analyst Ben Wilhelm and legislative attorney Todd Garvey: * * * HSA@20 Episode Companion: Oversight This Insight accompanies the "Oversight" episode of The Homeland Security Act at 20 podcast ser more PR

WASHINGTON, April 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper on the recommendation for New U.S. Circuit and District Court Judgeships by the Judicial Conference of the U.S. (No. IN12140) on April 5, 2023, by American national government analyst Barry J. McMillion. Here are excerpts: * * * Recommendation for New U.S. Circuit and District Court Judgeships by the Judicial Conference of the United States (118th Congress) Congress determines through legislati more PR

WASHINGTON, April 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper on tornadoes (No. IN11826) on April 5, 2023, by natural resources policy analyst Eva Lipiec. Here are excerpts: * * * Tornadoes: Background and Forecasting Background Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes affect communities across the United States every year, causing fatalities, destroying property and crops, and disrupting businesses. For example, a deadly storm system impacted 11 states betwee more PR

WASHINGTON, April 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper on the Feres Doctrine (No. LSB10305) on April 5, 2023, by legislative attorney Andreas Kuersten: * * * The Feres Doctrine: Congress, the Courts, and Military Servicemember Lawsuits Against the United States The Supreme Court's 1950 decision in Feres v. United States generally bars individuals from pursuing tort lawsuits against the United States for injuries arising from active-duty milita more PR

WASHINGTON, April 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper on the military jurisdiction over retired servicemembers (No. LSB10945) on April 5, 2023, by legislative attorney Andreas Kuersten: * * * Military Jurisdiction over Retired Servicemembers Members of the United States Armed Forces are governed by a distinct criminal legal regime: the military justice system. (They are also subject to civilian laws and courts.) The purposes of this system, i more PR

WASHINGTON, April 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper on the recent appellate decisions of interest to lawmakers, March 27-March 31, 2023 (No. LSB10944) on April 5, 2023, by legislative attorneys Dave S. Sidhu and Madeline W. Donley: * * * Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (March 27-March 31, 2023) The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every week in cases involving diverse legal disputes more PR

WASHINGTON, April 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper on the Willow Project (No. LSB10943) on April 3, 2023, by legislative attorney Adam Vann: * * * The Willow Project: History and Litigation On March 13, 2023, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), an agency within the Department of the Interior tasked with management of federal public lands and resources, issued a new Record of Decision approving a Master Development Plan (MDP) for the Natio more PR

WASHINGTON, April 5 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47496) on April 4, 2023, entitled "DHS Budget Request Analysis: FY2024" by William L. Painter, homeland security and appropriations specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY On March 9, 2023, the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Administration released its budget request for FY2024, including $103.18 billion in total budget authority for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS is the third largest agen more PR

WASHINGTON, April 5 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47496) on April 4, 2023, entitled "DHS Budget Request Analysis: FY2024:" (Continued from Part 1 of 3) * * * Overview of Selected Component-Level Changes The following summaries of the budget requests for the selected DHS components are drawn from a survey of the DHS FY2024 Budget in Brief and the budget justifications for each component. Each summary begins with two graphics. The first outlines the r more PR

WASHINGTON, April 5 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47496) on April 4, 2023, entitled "DHS Budget Request Analysis: FY2024:" (Continued from Part 2 of 3) * * * Support Components (Title IV) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) * * * Figure 10. USCIS Annual Gross Discretionary Budget Authority, FY2023-FY2024 Source: CRS analysis of the FY2023 and FY2024 DHS Budget in Brief. * * * The Administration's $865 million FY2024 gross annual d more PR

WASHINGTON, April 1 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. 98-15) on March 31, 2023, entitled "House Committee on Ethics: A Brief History of Its Evolution and Jurisdiction" by Congress specialist Jacob R. Straus. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary The United States Constitution (Article 1, Section 5, clause 1) provides each House of Congress with the sole authority to establish rules, judge membership requirements, and punish and expel Members. From 1789 to 1967 more PR

WASHINGTON, April 1 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. 98-15) on March 31, 2023, entitled "House Committee on Ethics: A Brief History of Its Evolution and Jurisdiction" by Congress specialist Jacob R. Straus. Here are excerpts: * * * Procedures Procedures for the Committee on Ethics are set through House Rule XI, clause 3 and are further specified in the committee's rules./74 Since its creation in 1967, several changes have been made to the Committee on Et more PR

WASHINGTON, April 3 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R40760) on March 31, 2023, entitled "House Office of Congressional Ethics: History, Authority and Procedures" by Congress specialist Jacob R. Straus. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary The House Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) was established on March 11, 2008, with the passage of H.Res. 895. The House most recently reauthorized OCE as part of the rules package (H.Res. 5, Sec.4(d)) adopted by the 11 more PR

WASHINGTON, April 3 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R40760) on March 31, 2023, entitled "House Office of Congressional Ethics: History, Authority and Procedures:" (Continued from Part 1 of 3) * * * Office of Congressional Ethics The OCE held its first public meeting on January 23, 2009, and began to implement the structural requirements of H.Res. 895. It also adopted rules of procedure, a code of conduct, and rules for the conduct of a review. The Offic more PR

WASHINGTON, April 3 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R40760) on March 31, 2023, entitled "House Office of Congressional Ethics: History, Authority and Procedures:" (Continued from Part 2 of 3) * * * Options for Congress Creation of the OCE changed the relationship between the public and the House ethics process. Even with OCE active since 2009, there continue to be options which might further clarify the OCE's relationship with the public, rank-and-file more PR

WASHINGTON, April 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47495) on April 3, 2023, entitled "Regional Innovation: Federal Programs and Issues for Consideration." The report was written by economic development policy analysts Julie M. Lawhorn and Adam G. Levin and science and technology policy analysts Marcy E. Gallo and Emily G. Blevins. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY In recent years, Congress has increased support for economic development policies that i more PR

WASHINGTON, April 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47495) on April 3, 2023, entitled "Regional Innovation: Federal Programs and Issues for Consideration:" (Continued from Part 1 of 3) * * * Federal Regional Innovation Programs Administration and legislative actions indicate continued federal interest and support for developing RIS. The following sections provide descriptions of select programs focused on improving regional innovation administered by t more PR

WASHINGTON, April 4 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47495) on April 3, 2023, entitled "Regional Innovation: Federal Programs and Issues for Consideration:" (Continued from Part 2 of 3) * * * Considerations for Congress The growth in federal attention to and support for regional innovation, including the establishment of several new RIS programs in the CHIPS and Science Act (P.L. 117-167), raises a number of implementation and execution issues for Congr more PR

WASHINGTON, April 6 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R41253) on April 4, 2023, entitled "The Self-Employment Assistance Program" by income security specialist Katelin P. Isaacs. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary Self-employment is one potential pathway to exit a spell of unemployment. The regular Unemployment Compensation (UC) program generally requires unemployed workers to be actively seeking work and to be available for wage and salary jobs as a condit more PR

WASHINGTON, April 3 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47492) on March 31, 2023, entitled "Tax-Advantaged Savings Accounts: Overview and Policy Considerations" by public finance analyst Brendan McDermott. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Congress has created a variety of tax-advantaged savings accounts to encourage taxpayers to save for certain expenses. These accounts are some of the largest benefits administered through the United States' tax code. The more PR

WASHINGTON, April 3 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47492) on March 31, 2023, entitled "Tax-Advantaged Savings Accounts: Overview and Policy Considerations:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Impact on Saving Despite the expansion of tax-advantaged accounts in recent decades, economists have yet to reach a consensus as to whether tax-advantaged accounts encourage households to consume less (and therefore, save more) of their income than they otherwis more PR