WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12766) by telecommunications policy specialist Jill C. Gallagher: * * * 4.9 GHz Public Safety Band: Competing Views on Use During the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, public safety agencies could not communicate, partly because the high volume of calls exceeded the capacity of their radio systems. The 9/11 Commission, which investigated the attacks, called for more spectrum for public safety use. In 2002, the Federal Co more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11486) by legislative attorney Todd Garvey: * * * Appointing the Comptroller General: Law and History The Government Accountability Office's (GAO's) structure is unique. The agency is part of the legislative branch, but has a leader - the Comptroller General (Comptroller) - who is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate to a 15-year term and, unlike any other officer in the federal government, more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. 95-1013) on Sept. 23, 2026, entitled "Bahrain: Issues for U.S. Policy" by Middle Eastern affairs specialist Jeremy M. Sharp. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The Kingdom of Bahrain is a small island nation connected by a causeway to Saudi Arabia (15.5 miles away) and once claimed by Iran (124 miles away). Wedged between these two larger regional powers, Bahrain has hosted a U.S. naval command headquarters since 1948. For decades, Bahrain has  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10890) by Asian affairs analyst Ricardo Barrios and foreign affairs analyst Shelby B. Senger: * * * China Primer: Illicit Fentanyl and China's Role For over a decade, the synthetic opioid fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances have been key drivers of the U.S. opioid crisis. Countering the illicit trafficking of fentanyl and the precursor chemicals ("precursors") used to make it has been a U.S. priority. In 2017, the U.S. Dep more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Budget Office issued the following report entitled "How Spending for Flood Adaptations Affects the Federal Budget." Here are excerpts: * * * Summary Flooding is among the costliest natural disasters in the United States. Over the next few decades, damage from flooding is expected to worsen because of continued coastal development and changes in the climate. In this report, the Congressional Budget Office examines how spending for flood adaptations today might affect the federal government's  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R45210) on Sept. 23, 2026, entitled "Farm Bills: Major Legislative Actions, 1965-2026" by agricultural policy specialist Jim Monke. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The farm bill provides an opportunity for Congress to address agricultural and food issues comprehensively about every five years. Over time, farm bills have tended to become more complicated and politically sensitive. As a result, the timeline for reauthorization has become less  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48093) on Sept. 23, 2026, entitled "Federal-Tribal Consultation: Background and Issues for Congress." The report is written by legislative attorney Mainon A. Schwartz and natural resources policy specialists Mariel J. Murray, Nicole T. Carter and Eva Lipiec. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY In recent decades, congressional interest in federal-tribal consultation on federal actions has grown, especially as some federally recognized Tribes ( more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48093) on Sept. 23, 2026, entitled "Federal-Tribal Consultation - Background and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from part 1 of 3) * * * Federal Agency Policies Federal agencies have responded to congressional and presidential direction on federal-tribal consultation by issuing regulations, guidance, and other administrative actions. Federal agencies with a history of interaction with Tribes and other Indigenous entities, such as the Bureau more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48093) on Sept. 23, 2026, entitled "Federal-Tribal Consultation - Background and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from part 2 of 3) * * * Representation of the Parties ("Who?") Federal agencies, Tribes, and other Indigenous entities have debated about who should participate in federal-tribal consultations./150 One issue is the authority of the federal representative. In addition, concerns have been raised about whether only Tribes may engage more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11445) by legislative attorney Dorothy C. Kafka: * * * Food Additives and GRAS Substances: A Legal Framework Over the past few decades, the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) regulation of food additives has provoked debate. In general, food additives, which include substances such as spices, emulsifiers, and preservatives, are added to foods to improve taste, texture, or shelf life, or for other reasons. While the Fe more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11807) by Ben Wilhelm, government organization and management analyst: * * * GAO and Inspector General Recommendations to Agencies: An Introduction To support its legislative and oversight functions, Congress has established institutions dedicated to monitoring and reporting on federal agencies and making recommendations intended to improve those agencies' integrity, efficiency, and effectiveness. These entities include the Gov more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11349) by legislative attorney Joanna R. Lampe: * * * Lawsuits Against the Federal Government: Basic Federal Court Procedure and Timelines Many federal laws and actions of federal officers or agents are challenged in court. Lawsuits against the federal government or executive branch agencies or officials usually proceed in federal court because federal courts possess exclusive jurisdiction over some such matters, and other matt more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11755) by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert. Here are excerpts: * * * The Marine Corps' Amphibious Combat Vehicle Background The Marine Corps describes the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) as a 'next-generation, eight-wheeled vehicle designed to move Marines from ship to shore. The vehicle will be the primary means of tactical mobility for the Marine infantry battalion at sea and ashore, replacing the Corps' a more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13326). The white paper is written by research librarian Sarah K. Braun, health care financing specialist Alison Mitchell and senior research librarian Angela Napili: * * * Medicaid Program Integrity: Background and Resources Medicaid is a means-tested entitlement program that finances the delivery of primary and acute medical services, as well as long-term services and supports (LTSS). Each state designs and administers its o more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12669) by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security specialist: * * * Pentagon-Anthropic Dispute over Autonomous Weapon Systems: Potential Issues for Congress On February 27, 2026, President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to "IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of [American AI company] Anthropic's technology." Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (who is using "Secretary of War" as a "secondary title" under Executive  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13325) by legislative attorney Joanna R. Lampe: * * * Private Rights of Action: Authorizing Lawsuits to Enforce Federal Law When Congress enacts a federal statute, it may consider whether and how the statute should be enforced. Different enforcement mechanisms may be available depending on the specific statute and the legal consequences that Congress chooses to impose for violations. One such option is a private right of action more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12723) by social policy specialist Gene Falk. Here are excerpts: * * * Senate Committee Reports a Farm Bill That Would Delay Onset of States Sharing SNAP Benefit Costs The Senate Agriculture Committee reported legislation (S. 5526) to the full Senate that would delay onset of states sharing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit costs with the federal government. The changes to SNAP cost-sharing are part of a  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11457) by legislative attorney Joanna R. Lampe: * * * Temporary Control of 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and Other Kratom-Related Substances Under the Controlled Substances Act On July 1, 2026, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced its intent to temporarily place in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) a chemical found in the kratom plant, 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), and three related substa more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12692) by defense policy analysts Jennifer DiMascio and Daniel M. Gettinger: * * * U.S. Aircraft Combat Losses in Operation Epic Fury: Considerations for Congress Overview On February 28, 2026, the United States, in coordination with Israel, initiated military operations against Iran initially under the designation Operation Epic Fury (OEF). The conflict has involved air, maritime, and missile combat engagements across the Midd more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12668) by defense policy analysts Hannah D. Dennis and Daniel M. Gettinger: * * * U.S. Military Operations Against Iran: Munitions and Missile Defense Since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28, 2026, some Members of Congress have raised concerns about and sought information from the Department of Defense on the stockpiles and availability of munitions (e.g., ammunition, bombs, mi more PR