WASHINGTON, May 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12687) on May 5, 2026, by agricultural policy analysts Benjamin Tsui and Christine Whitt. Here are excerpts: * * * Argentine Beef Import Quota Expansion In February 2026, the average price cattle producers received for their cattle reached a record high. The price increase was in part due to the year-over-year decreases in U.S. cattle inventory, suspended cattle imports from Mexi more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11797) on May 4, 2026, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert and U.S. Army fellow Ebrima M'Bai. Here are excerpts: * * * The Army's Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) 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 m more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11427) on May 4, 2026, by legislative attorney Hannah-Alise Rogers: * * * CDC's Updated Childhood Vaccine Schedule: Litigation and Potential Implications for Vaccine Injury Compensation Program In December 2025, President Trump issued an executive memorandum in which he instructed the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to "review best practi more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12660) on May 5, 2026, by social policy specialist Jessica Tollestrup and foreign affairs analyst Cory R. Gill: * * * The Child Support Enforcement Passport Denial Program The Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Passport Denial Program is a mandatory enforcement mechanism that applies to noncustodial parents who owe past-due child support. The program was originally enacted as part of more PR

WASHINGTON, May 9 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11667) by Asian trade and finance specialist Karen M. Sutter and international trade and finance analyst Michael D. Sutherland. Here are excerpts: * * * China's Economy: Current Trends and Issues The government of the People's Republic of China (PRC or China) is targeting China's per capita gross domestic product (GDP) to reach that of a middle-income developed country by 2035.  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12689) on May 6, 2026, by Latin American affairs specialist Clare Ribando Seelke. Here are excerpts: * * * Colombia's 2026 Presidential Election On May 31, Colombia, a top U.S. security partner in Latin America, is scheduled to convene an election to replace President Gustavo Petro (2022-present), who is constitutionally barred from seeking reelection. U.S. officials and some Mem more PR

WASHINGTON, May 9 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13221) by economic development policy analyst Joseph V. Jaroscak: * * * Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery: A Primer In response to some disasters, Congress has provided supplemental funding for long-term disaster recovery and other related purposes under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program's statutory authority (42 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.5301 et se more PR

WASHINGTON, May 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11430) by deputy assistant director Michael John Garcia and legislative attorney Alexander H. Pepper: * * * Congressional Court Watcher: Circuit Splits from April 2026 The U.S. Courts of Appeals for the thirteen "circuits" issue thousands of precedential decisions each year. Because relatively few of these decisions are ultimately reviewed by the Supreme Court, the U.S. Cou more PR

WASHINGTON, May 9 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13219) by American national government specialists Sarah J. Eckman and R. Eric Petersen. Here are excerpts: * * * Congressional Nominations to U.S. Service Academies: Candidate Qualifications and Noncongressional Nominating Authorities Members of Congress are authorized by law to nominate candidates for appointment to four U.S. service academies. These schools are the U.S. Milit more PR

WASHINGTON, May 9 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13220) by American national government specialists Sarah J. Eckman and R. Eric Petersen. Here are excerpts: * * * Congressional Nominations to U.S. Service Academies: Member Office Management Considerations Members of Congress are authorized by law to nominate candidates for appointment to four U.S. service academies: the U.S. Military Academy (USMA); U.S. Naval Academy (USNA);  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13216) on May 4, 2026, by research librarian Scott Vierick and natural resources policy specialist Mark K. DeSantis: * * * Connecting Constituents with Federal Programs for Historic Preservation Congress has established programs and provided grant funding to assist constituents - including individuals, organizations, and state, tribal, and local governments - with historic preser more PR

WASHINGTON, May 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12994) on May 6, 2026, by foreign policy analyst Jared G. Tupuola. Here are excerpts: * * * The Cook Islands and Niue: States in Free Association The Pacific Islands region comprises a variety of polities including fully independent nations, overseas territories, and self-governing states in "Free Association" with other nations. Successive U.S. presidential administrations and  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 4 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11426) on May 1, 2026, by legislative attorney Dave S. Sidhu: * * * The Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause's Ban on Executing the Intellectually Disabled In 2002, the Supreme Court in Atkins v. Virginia ruled that the imposition of capital punishment on the intellectually disabled constitutes "cruel and unusual" punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment, leaving to  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 9 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12959) by cybersecurity policy specialist Chris Jaikaran: * * * The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015: Expiring Provisions A decade ago, Congress authorized a cybersecurity information sharing structure that allows the federal government to collect and disseminate threat information, and enabled private sector entities to voluntarily share that information with the go more PR

WASHINGTON, May 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11681) on May 6, 2026, by defense policy analyst Anya L. Fink. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: LGM-35A Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile The LGM-35A Sentinel is envisioned as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system that is expected to replace the Minuteman III (MMIII) ICBM in the U.S. nuclear force structure. MMIII has served as the ground-based le more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11007) on May 5, 2026, by military personnel specialist Kristy N. Kamarck. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: Personnel Tempo (PERSTEMPO) United States military operations around the globe may lead to prolonged, recurrent deployments for some U.S. servicemembers. Those servicemembers and/or their families may face deployment-related stress. In addition, preparation for dep more PR

WASHINGTON, May 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12688) on May 6, 2026, by foreign assistance analyst Nick M. Brown and international trade and finance specialist Shayerah I. Akhtar: * * * DFC Shipping Reinsurance Facility: Iran Conflict and Strait of Hormuz Background In February 2026, U.S. and Israeli forces initiated military operations against Iran. Iran responded with retaliatory attacks and threats against commercial ship more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48936) on May 5, 2026, entitled "The Electoral College: Frequently Asked Questions" by American national government specialist R. Sam Garrett. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Individual voters in the United States do not directly elect the President and the Vice President. Instead, their votes select intermediaries, known as electors, to cast votes for a presidential ticket on their behalf. T more PR

WASHINGTON, May 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13218) on May 6, 2026. The white paper is written by natural resources policy specialists Anthony R. Marshak, Pervaze A. Sheikh and Laura B. Comay: * * * Endangered Species Committee ("God Squad") Exemption of Oil and Gas Activities in the Gulf of America Introduction On March 31, 2026, the Endangered Species Committee (ESC; also known as the "God Squad") voted to issue an exem more PR

WASHINGTON, May 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12047) by Jim Monke, agricultural policy specialist and Megan Stubbs, agricultural conservation and natural resources policy specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Farm Bill Primer: Overview and Status A farm bill is a collection of laws and changes to laws that authorize, reauthorize, or amend various food, agriculture, and rural policies. Congress has passed farm bills about eve more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13217) on May 5, 2026, by Laurie Harris, science and technology policy analyst and Clare Y. Cho, industrial organization and business policy specialist: * * * Federal Government and Anthropic: Considerations for AI Innovation and Competition On February 27, 2026, President Trump directed federal agencies to stop using technology developed by the U.S. artificial intelligence (AI)  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10211) on May 4, 2026, by Congress specialist Jacob R. Straus. Here are excerpts: * * * Foreign Leaders Addressing Congress Foreign leaders are periodically invited to address Congress. The first address by a foreign dignitary occurred on December 10, 1824, when Revolutionary War hero the Marquis de Lafayette addressed the House. The most recent address took place on April 28, 2 more PR

WASHINGTON, May 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12690) on May 6, 2026, by economic policy analyst D. Andrew Austin. Here are excerpts: * * * The FY2027 President's Budget in Historical Context: Revenues On April 3, 2026, the Trump Administration submitted its budget for FY2027, which proposes to constrain nondefense spending, maintain spending on border security and immigration enforcement, and increase defense spending. In Fe more PR

WASHINGTON, May 4 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48930) on May 1, 2026, entitled "Government Shutdowns: Applying the Antideficiency Act to a Lapse in Appropriations" by legislative attorneys Sean Stiff and Matthew D. Trout: * * * SUMMARY Congress funds much of the federal government through a series of 12 regular, annual appropriations acts. A significant portion of that funding is for a single fiscal year, and most agencies thus rely on pass more PR

WASHINGTON, May 4 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48930) on May 1, 2026, entitled "Government Shutdowns - Applying the Antideficiency Act to a Lapse in Appropriations:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Authority to Continue Government Programs During Lapses in Appropriations Under the Antideficiency Act's general prohibitions, when an agency experiences a lapse in appropriations, its officers and employees generally may no longer involve th more PR

WASHINGTON, May 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10298) by South Asian affairs specialist K. Alan Kronstadt. Here are excerpts: * * * India's Domestic Political Setting Overview According to its Constitution, India is a "sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic" where the bulk of executive power rests with the prime minister and his/her Council of Ministers. The Indian president is a ceremonial chief of state with l more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12682) on May 4, 2026, by Congress specialist Jacob R. Straus. Here are excerpts: * * * Kings and Queens Addressing Joint Meetings of Congress On April 28, 2026, King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland addressed a joint meeting of Congress. King Charles was jointly invited by Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson, Senate Majorit more PR

WASHINGTON, May 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13210) by natural resources policy analyst Anthony R. Marshak: * * * The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA): Issues for the 119th Congress The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, as amended (MSA; 16 U.S.C. Sec.1801 et seq.), is the primary law authorizing the conservation and management of U.S. federal marine fisheries (i.e., thos more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13215) on May 4, 2026, by science and technology policy analyst Marcy E. Gallo. Here are excerpts: * * * Office of Strategic Capital: Overview and Considerations Technological advantage has long contributed to the dominance of the U.S. Armed Forces. Some analysts and policymakers also suggest that U.S. technological superiority - and, by extension, national security - is at risk more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13096) on May 4, 2026, by natural resources policy analyst Anthony R. Marshak. Here are excerpts: * * * The Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund Introduction The Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) provides federal funding for the protection, conservation, and restoration of Pacific salmon species (Oncorhynchus spp.) and steelhead trout (O. mykiss) that are listed or a more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13214) on May 4, 2026, by financial economics specialist Eva Su. Here are excerpts: * * * Private Equity in Selected Industries: Policy Background Private equity (PE) - which falls within a broader set of investment products often called alternative investments, private capital, or private funds - is a pooled investment vehicle that generally raises money from accredited investo more PR

WASHINGTON, May 4 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12589) on May 1, 2026, by economic development policy analyst Adam G. Levin and immigration policy analyst Jill H. Wilson. Here are excerpts: * * * Recent Developments in International Tourism to the United States Lengthy visa interview wait times, stricter border and immigration policies, potential tariffs, the dollar's strength, U.S. travel restrictions for certain countries, a more PR

WASHINGTON, May 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN11982) by natural resources policy analyst specialist Charles V. Stern. Here are excerpts: * * * Responding to Drought in the Colorado River Basin The Colorado River Basin covers more than 246,000 square miles in seven U.S. states and Mexico. Basin waters are governed by multiple documents, known collectively as the Law of the River. The Colorado River Compact of 1922 established more PR

WASHINGTON, May 9 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12835) by natural resources policy specialists Laura B. Comay and Anthony R. Marshak. Here are excerpts: * * * The Rice's Whale: Conservation Efforts, Implications for Ocean Sectors and Considerations for Congress The Rice's whale (Balaenoptera ricei; Figure 1) is a recently described species of baleen whale (i.e., whales that contain baleen plates in their mouths for sieving pl more PR

WASHINGTON, May 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12545) by international trade and finance analyst Kyla H. Kitamura. Here are excerpts: * * * Section 232 Automotive Tariffs: Issues for Congress In 2025, President Donald Trump imposed 25% tariffs on U.S. imports of automobiles and certain automobile parts under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. Sec.1862). Section 232 authorizes the President to take actio more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11360) on May 4, 2026. The white paper is written by foreign affairs specialist Michael A. Weber and international trade and finance specialists Christopher A. Casey and Cathleen D. Cimino-Isaacs. Here are excerpts: * * * Section 307 and Imports Produced by Forced Labor The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimated that in 2021 on any given day, 27.6 million people were  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. 98-336) on May 6, 2026, entitled "Senate Committee Hearings: Arranging Witnesses" by Congress and legislative process specialist Valerie Heitshusen: * * * Selecting witnesses is one of the most important aspects of planning a Senate hearing. Committees and subcommittees pay careful attention to which viewpoints will be represented, who should testify, and the order and format for presenting witne more PR

WASHINGTON, May 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. 98-489) on May 6, 2026, entitled "Senate Committee Hearings: Preparation" by Congress and legislative process specialist Valerie Heitshusen: * * * Committee hearings allow Senators an opportunity to gather information on - and draw attention to - legislation and issues within a committee's purview, conduct oversight of programs or agencies, and investigate allegations of wrongdoing. This checkli more PR

WASHINGTON, May 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. 98-337) on May 6, 2026, entitled "Senate Committee Hearings: Scheduling and Notification" by Congress and legislative process specialist Valerie Heitshusen: * * * Senate standing committees and their subcommittees have authority to hold hearings whether the Senate is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned (Rule XXVI, paragraph 1). Regardless of the type of hearing or whether a hearing is held more PR

WASHINGTON, May 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. 98-392) on May 6, 2026, entitled "Senate Committee Hearings: Witness Testimony" by Congress and legislative process specialist Valerie Heitshusen: * * * Generally, witnesses before Senate committees (except Appropriations) must provide the committee with copies of their written testimony at least one day prior to their oral testimony. It is common practice to ask a witness to limit his or her ora more PR

WASHINGTON, May 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. 98-384) entitled "Senate Consideration of Treaties" by Congress and legislative process specialist Valerie Heitshusen. Here are excerpts: * * * The consideration of treaties and nominations constitutes the executive business of the Senate./1 To conduct executive business, the Senate must resolve into executive session. Senate Rule 29 governs executive sessions, generally; Rule 30 addresses pro more PR

WASHINGTON, May 8 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. 98-311) entitled "Senate Rules Affecting Committees" by Congress and legislative process specialist Valerie Heitshusen: * * * Summary For the most part, the Senate's rules allow each of its standing committees to decide for itself how to conduct its legislative business. Senate rules require that each committee adopt and publish its own written rules. In addition, the Senate imposes certain requ more PR

WASHINGTON, May 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13212) on May 5, 2026, by natural resources policy specialists Anna E. Normand and Nicole T. Carter. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: FY2027 Appropriations Congress generally funds and provides related policy direction to the civil works activities of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in annual Energy and Water Development appropriations acts and the more PR

WASHINGTON, May 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12668) on May 6, 2026, by defense policy analyst Daniel M. Gettinger. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S. Army Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Programs The U.S. Army operates uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), including small UAS (sUAS, commonly referred to as drones). These systems support intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); target acquisition and strike; electronic w more PR

WASHINGTON, May 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10981) on May 6, 2026, by American national government analyst Karen L. Shanton: * * * The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC): An Overview The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is an independent federal agency that is charged with helping election officials to improve the administration of elections and voters to participate in the electoral process. It was establi more PR

WASHINGTON, May 4 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11436) on May 1, 2026, by foreign assistance analyst Nick M. Brown and international trade and finance specialist Shayerah I. Akhtar. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) DFC, a federal agency, uses financial tools to promote private investment overseas. Its purpose is to advance U.S. development and foreign policy interests, accounti more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12213) on May 4, 2026, by legislative attorney Hannah-Alise Rogers: * * * The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program and the Office of Special Masters In 1986, Congress passed the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA; 42 U.S.C. Sec.Sec. 300aa-10-300aa-34), which created the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). The VICP is a no-fault compensation program that  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11428) on May 4, 2026, by legislative attorney Hannah-Alise Rogers: * * * Vaccine Injury Compensation Program: The Adjudication of Petitions and the 240-Day Deadline The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) was created by Congress via the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986. The VICP is a no-fault compensation program made up of two essential components. Fir more PR

WASHINGTON, May 4 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13213) on May 1, 2026, by social policy analyst T. Lynn Sears. Here are excerpts: * * * Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife) The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers several life insurance programs. Two of these programs, the now-closed Service-Disabled Veterans' Insurance (S-DVI) program and the recently launched Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife) program,  more PR