WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13318) by defense policy analyst Daniel M. Gettinger. Here are excerpts: * * * Air Force MQ-9A Reaper: Background and Issues for Congress The MQ-9A Reaper is a multi-role uncrewed aircraft system (UAS, or drone) produced by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. Within the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the Air Force operates the greatest number of Reapers; the Air National Guard and Marine Corps also operate the MQ-9 more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13269) on Sept. 15, 2026, by science and technology policy analyst Todd Kuiken: * * * Artificial Intelligence and Biosecurity Issues Artificial intelligence (AI) is a term generally used to refer to computerized systems that work and react in ways commonly thought to require human intelligence. AI technologies, methodologies, and applications may benefit biological sciences research and development (R&D). For example, AI is b more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12265) on Sept. 21, 2026, by foreign affairs specialist Michael A. Weber and Asian affairs analyst Caitlin Campbell: * * * China Primer: Human Rights Overview The People's Republic of China (PRC or China) party-state is an increasingly repressive authoritarian regime that has engaged in widespread human rights abuses. The party-state is dominated by Xi Jinping, who became Communist Party of China (CPC) general secretary in 2 more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10119) on Sept. 22, 2026, by Asian affairs specialist Susan V. Lawrence and Asian trade and finance affairs specialist Karen M. Sutter. Here are excerpts: * * * China Primer: U.S.-China Relations The United States and the People's Republic of China (PRC, or China) lead the world in the size of their economies, defense budgets, and research and technology investments. Both are among the five nuclear-armed, veto-wielding perma more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11806) on Sept. 22, 2026, by immigration policy analyst Holly Straut. Here are excerpts: * * * Citizenship and Immigration Statuses of the U.S. Foreign-Born Population The U.S. foreign-born population consists of individuals living in the United States who were not U.S. citizens at birth. In 2024, according to the American Community Survey (ACS), an estimated 50.2 million foreign-born people resided in the United States, rep more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12689) by Latin American affairs specialist Clare Ribando Seelke: * * * Colombia's 2026 Elections: Implications for U.S. Relations On August 7, 2026, right-wing political outsider and former criminal defense lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella was inaugurated to a four-year presidential term, succeeding Gustavo Petro of the Historic Pact (PH), Colombia's first left-wing president. De la Espriella narrowly defeated PH senator Ivan  more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11557) on Sept. 16, 2026, by legislative attorney Joanna R. Lampe. Here are excerpts: * * * Congress, the Judiciary and Federal Court Procedure Court procedural rules control how parties present their cases in court and how courts decide them. These rules play a key role in litigation - a party's case may succeed or fail based not only on the merits of their substantive claims but also on their compliance or noncompliance wi more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10292) on Sept. 21, 2026, by acting section research manager Grant A. Driessen. Here are excerpts: * * * The Debt Limit Overview The debt limit places a statutory constraint on the amount of money that Treasury may borrow to fund federal operations. The debt limit was increased by $5.0 trillion, to $41.1 trillion, in July 2025 by P.L. 119-21. This In Focus provides background information and discusses recent legislative act more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13320) by legislative attorney Kevin J. Hickey and defense policy analyst Alexandra G. Neenan: * * * Defense Contractors, Data Rights, and the "Right to Repair" The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) often relies on private contractors to support its mission. (DOD is using a "secondary Department of War designation" under Executive Order 14347.) DOD works with these contractors to develop and field complex weapons systems that  more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12240) on Sept. 22, 2026, by section research manager Michael J. Vassalotti: * * * Defense Primer: Statutory Military Readiness Reporting Military readiness (or readiness) is a key defense concept upon which Congress has relied to make a wide array of national security decisions (e.g., regarding active and reserve component end strength and major defense acquisition programs). The Department of Defense (DOD) defines readiness more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11482) on Sept. 15, 2026, by legislative attorney Abigail A. Graber: * * * EEOC's Proposed Changes to the Federal-Sector Equal Employment Opportunity Complaint Process Congress has taken an active interest in the operation of equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws in the executive branch, periodically legislating to manage and gather information about how those laws apply in the federal sector. On August 28, 2026, the  more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13321) by economics specialist Mark P. Keightley. Here are excerpts: * * * Estimated Effects on Effective Tax Rates and Revenues of Increasing the 199A Deduction for Pass-Through Businesses Under Section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), owners of pass-through businesses are eligible to claim a deduction of up to 20% of a firm's qualified business income, subject to certain limitations. The deduction was added to the  more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11357) by legislative attorney Hillel R. Smith: * * * Expedited Removal of Aliens: An Introduction Aliens who do not meet certain requirements to enter or be present in the United States may be subject to removal. Federal immigration laws establish different removal processes for different categories of aliens. Most aliens apprehended within the interior of the United States are subject to standard removal proceedings under 8 more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12047) by agricultural policy specialist Jim Monke and agricultural conservation and natural resources policy specialist Megan Stubbs. 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 every five years for nearly a century. A periodic fa more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10767) on Sept. 17, 2026, by agricultural policy specialist Jim Monke. Here are excerpts: * * * Farm Credit Administration and Its Board Members Overview Congress oversees the Farm Credit Administration (FCA), which is the federal financial regulator responsible for ensuring the safety and soundness of Farm Credit System (FCS) institutions and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac). FCA is directed by a  more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11483) on Sept. 21, 2026, by legislative attorney Jason O. Heflin: * * * Federal Preemption of State Pesticide Failure-to-Warn Claims After Monsanto v. Durnell The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) is the primary federal law regulating the sale and use of pesticides, including herbicides. FIFRA prohibits the sale or distribution in the United States of any pesticide that has not been registered more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13316) on Sept. 21, 2026, by American national government specialist R. Sam Garrett. Here are excerpts: * * * Federal Role in Elections Policy: Selected Recent Developments More than 20 federal agencies play roles in federal campaigns and elections policy. Many of those roles are based primarily in statutory authority granted by Congress. Policy actions, such as executive orders (EOs) and rulemakings, also can affect agency  more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13317) on Sept. 21, 2026, by supervisory attorney Tamsin G. Harrington: * * * Federal Wiretaps and the Fourth Amendment The Fourth Amendment prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures, generally requiring that law enforcement obtain a warrant from a neutral and detached magistrate upon a showing of probable cause. In 1928, the Supreme Court determined in Olmstead v. United States that projected voices passing over telephone more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12173) on Sept. 16, 2026, by economic policy senior specialist Jane G. Gravelle. Here are excerpts: * * * Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax (FAET) The federal government first imposed excise taxes on firearms and ammunition over 100 years ago. Today, Section 4181 of the Internal Revenue Code imposes an excise tax at 10% of the manufacturer's price for pistols and revolvers and 11% of the manufacturer's price for other firea more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12736) on Sept. 16, 2026. The white paper is written by health care financing analyst Vanessa C. Forsberg and senior research librarians Angela Napili and Kate M. Costin. Here are excerpts: * * * Health Insurance Exchanges: Sources for Enrollment Data Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, as amended), exchanges (sometimes called marketplaces) have been established in every state. Generally, stat more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11403) on Sept. 22, 2026, by legislative attorney Karen Sokol: * * * International Agreements and Non-binding Instruments: The Case-Zablocki Act (Case Act) In the early 1970s, Congress passed legislation to address concerns that Presidents were increasingly bypassing the Article II treaty process by using executive agreements to make international legal commitments for the United States - sometimes without congressional more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13314) on Sept. 17, 2026, by public finance analyst Victoria M. Martinez: * * * The IRS Direct File Program The IRS Direct File (DF) program provided certain taxpayers with the option of electronically filing (e-filing) their federal tax return through a free, secure portal on the IRS website during the 2024 and 2025 filing seasons. The Department of the Treasury (Treasury) suspended the DF program in October 2025. This In Fo more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11438) on Sept. 17, 2026, by legislative attorney Hillel R. Smith: * * * Mandatory Detention During Removal Proceedings: Circuit Split The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may arrest and detain aliens for immigration status violations that render them removable from the United States. While the agency generally has discretion to release aliens from custody during the pendency of their removal proceedings, some cate more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13313) on Sept. 15, 2026, by financial economics analyst Paul Tierno: * * * An Overview of H.R. 3633, the CLARITY Act (Senator Lummis Draft) On September 14, 2026, Senator Cynthia Lummis published updated draft text for an amendment in the nature of a substitute for H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act) on her office's website. The House passed its version of the bill on July 17, 2025. The recent text  more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12737) on Sept. 17, 2026, by social policy analyst Joseph Dalaker. Here are excerpts: * * * Poverty in 2025 The official poverty rate in the United States, or percentage of people who live in poverty, fell to 10.2% in 2025, down from 10.7% the previous year. In 2025, 34.5 million people lived in poverty, down 1.5 million from the previous year. This decline in the national official poverty rate was reflected in poverty rate  more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13319) by financial economics specialists Eva Su and Baird Webel. Here are excerpts: * * * Private Investments and Insurance Companies Private investments' involvement in the insurance industry often takes two forms: (1) private equity (PE) ownership of insurers and (2) insurance company holdings of private investment assets. Rapid growth in these activities and their associated risks have drawn attention from Congress and f more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11484) by legislative attorneys Jared P. Cole and Whitney K. Novak: * * * The Protect College Sports Act of 2026: Potential Implications for Title IX Calls from stakeholders for federal legislation regulating intercollegiate athletics have increased during a period of significant change in intercollegiate sports. Intercollegiate athletics regulators have faced uncertainty with respect to the enforcement of uniform rules more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12760). The white paper is written by Russian and European affairs analyst Andrew S. Bowen, Asian affairs specialist Mark E. Manyin and nonproliferation specialist Mary Beth D. Nikitin: * * * Russia-North Korea Relations Overview Since 2022, the Russian Federation (Russia) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, or North Korea) have expanded and deepened their relationship in ways that may erode U.S. security a more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12740) on Sept. 21, 2026, by public finance specialist Anthony A. Cilluffo and small business and economic development policy analyst R. Corinne Blackford: * * * SBA's Proposed Expansion of Small Business Program Eligibility Overview In a proposed rule announced August 20, 2026, the Small Business Administration (SBA) set new size standards for defining firm size while simultaneously issuing a notice for comments on a revised more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12519) on Sept. 17, 2026, by international trade and finance analyst Kyla H. Kitamura. Here are excerpts: * * * Section 232 Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum Since 2025, President Trump has modified existing steel and aluminum tariffs, imposed since 2018 under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. Sec.1862). Section 232 authorizes the President to impose trade restrictions if the Secretary of Commerce determin more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13315) on Sept. 17, 2026. The white paper is written by supervisory attorney Tamsin G. Harrington and legislative attorneys Cassandra J. Barnum and Andreas Kuersten: * * * Selected Federal Legislation on Search and Seizure Authority The Fourth Amendment protects the "right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures[.]" As interpreted by the Supreme Cou more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10165). The white paper is written by Asian affairs specialist Mark E. Manyin, foreign affairs analyst Daniel J. Longo 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' most important strategic and economic partners in Asia. Under the 1953 U.S.-ROK Mutual Def more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12881) on Sept. 15, 2026, by natural resources policy specialists Mark K. DeSantis and Anna E. Normand. Here are excerpts: * * * Trump Administration Actions: Geographic Naming The naming or renaming of geographic features (e.g., mountains, lakes, streams) for federal usage is the responsibility of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN). However, in certain instances, the President or Congress has directed the name change  more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10464) by international relations specialist Luisa Blanchfield and foreign policy legislation specialist Matthew C. Weed. Here are excerpts: * * * United Nations Issues: Congressional Representatives to the UN General Assembly The annual session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly is held at UN Headquarters in New York City. The President generally (but not always) appoints one Democrat and one Republican to serve as more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11365) on Sept. 16, 2026, by supervisory attorney Jonathan M. Gaffney: * * * U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims: A Brief Introduction The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) provides the exclusive forum for veterans and other claimants, such as veterans' surviving spouses, to appeal U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) decisions denying various veterans' benefits. This In Focus describes the CAVC's cre more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12739) on Sept. 21, 2026, by military personnel specialist Kristy N. Kamarck and science and technology policy analyst Rachel Lindbergh: * * * U.S. Space Academy Proposal: Considerations for Congress On August 28, 2026, President Trump signed Executive Order (EO) 14423 establishing a Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy, to be chaired by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administrati more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11401) on Sept. 21, 2026, by legislative attorney Karen Sokol: * * * The United States' Prosecution of Nicolas Maduro Moros: United States v. Maduro Following the seizure of Nicolas Maduro Moros (Maduro) by U.S. armed forces in Caracas, Venezuela, on January 3, 2026, a superseding indictment charging him and other defendants with narco-terrorism, narcotics, and weapons offenses was unsealed in the U.S. District Court fo more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12595) on Sept. 16, 2026, by international trade and finance analyst Kyla H. Kitamura. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S.-Canada Trade Relations The United States and Canada have one of the largest bilateral trade relationships in the world, including highly integrated energy and automotive markets. Since 1989, U.S.-Canada trade has been governed by the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement, then by the 1994 North American Free Trade  more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11120) on Sept. 22, 2026, by international trade and finance specialists Cathleen D. Cimino-Isaacs and Kyla H. Kitamura. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S.-Japan Trade Agreements and Tariff Negotiations The United States and Japan have been close economic partners, though they do not have a comprehensive bilateral free trade agreement (FTA). Since 2020, the countries have entered into limited bilateral trade deals, covering marke more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10733) on Sept. 17, 2026, by Asian affairs specialist Mark E. Manyin and international trade and finance analyst Liana Wong. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S.-South Korea Bilateral Trade Relations South Korea (or the Republic of Korea, ROK), a U.S. ally since 1953, is one of the United States' most important economic partners in Asia. It is the eighth-largest U.S. goods trading partner and a major source of inbound and destinati more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11413) on Sept. 17, 2026, by legislative attorney Justin C. Chung: * * * Updates on Litigation over the IRS-ICE Information-Sharing Agreement In 2025, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (information-sharing agreement) to establish procedures between the two agencies to share informati more PR