WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13151) on Jan. 14, 2026, by Catherine A. Theohary, national security policy, cyber and information operations specialist and Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security specialist: * * * Agentic Artificial Intelligence and Cyberattacks Introduction Agentic means autonomous, or independent. Agentic artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities are of increasing intere more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10675) on Jan. 13, 2026, by Army fellow Ebrima M'Bai and military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert: * * * Army Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFABs) What Is Security Force Assistance (SFA)? Security Force Assistance (SFA) is defined as "unified action to generate, employ, and sustain local, host-nation, or regional security forces in support of a legitimate author more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11251) on Jan. 12, 2026, by legislative attorneys Kevin J. Hickey and Christopher T. Zirpoli: * * * Artificial Intelligence and Patent Law Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have raised novel questions for U.S. patent law, just as AI has raised concerns in other branches of intellectual property law, including copyrights and the right of publicity. Committees of bot more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12639) on Jan. 13, 2026, by American national government analyst Taylor R. Knoedl: * * * The Chief Statistician of the United States: Overview and Analysis The chief statistician has the broad responsibility of providing coordination, guidance, and oversight for the federal statistical system (FSS). The FSS is a decentralized institution comprising more than 100 agencies, organi more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10113) on Jan. 13, 2026, by social policy specialist Andrew Feickert: Here are excerpts: * * * The Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Program Introduction The Child Support Enforcement (CSE) program was enacted into law on January 4, 1975 (P.L. 93-647). When the program was first established, its goals were to reimburse the states and the federal government for the cash assistan more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12489) on Jan. 12, 2026, by senior research librarian Ben Leubsdorf: * * * Congressional District Geography Workbook (119th Congress): An Interactive Tool for Congressional Users This Insight accompanies the Congressional District Geography Workbook, a Microsoft Excel file that congressional users can download from CRS.gov. The workbook provides information about U.S. House dist more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10908) on Jan. 13, 2026, by Peter J. Meyer, Latin American and Canadian affairs specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Costa Rica: An Overview Costa Rica historically has been a bastion of stability in Central America and at times has been a key U.S. partner for advancing policy goals in the region. The 118th Congress enacted appropriations and other legislation (P.L. 118-159, S more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10530) on Jan. 14, 2026, by Bryce H. P. Mendez, defense health care policy specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: Military Health System The Department of Defense (DOD), which is "using a secondary Department of War designation," under Executive Order 14347 dated September 5, 2025, administers a statutory health entitlement (under Title 10, Chapter 55, of the U.S more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11836) on Jan. 14, 2026, by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security analyst: * * * Defense Primer: Quantum Technology Quantum technology translates the principles of quantum physics into technological applications. Quantum technology has not yet reached maturity for most applications; however, it could hold significant implications for the future of military s more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12640) on Jan. 13, 2026, by defense policy analyst Anya L. Fink: * * * Extension of New START Central Limits: Overview of the Expert Debate The New START Treaty, a 2010 arms control agreement that imposes numerical caps (or central limits) on deployed U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons at intercontinental ranges, is set to expire on February 5, 2026. The treaty's provisions do not more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13155) on Jan. 15, 2026, by legislative attorney Madeline W. Donley: * * * The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Its Exceptions The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requires, among other things, that schools and educational agencies receiving certain types of federal funds from the Department of Education (ED) obtain written consent from par more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13148) on Jan. 12, 2026, by defense policy analyst Alexandra G. Neenan: * * * Federal Agencies: Public-Private Competitions Background Congress has passed legislation to define and scope how the government conducts and implements public-private competitions. The public-private competition process refers to how the federal government determines whether a certain activity is to  more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12638) on Jan. 12, 2026, by immigration policy analyst Holly Straut-Eppsteiner. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2025 Immigration Court Data: Case Outcomes Immigration courts within the U.S. Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) adjudicate removal proceedings for foreign nationals (aliens) whom the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has charged wit more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R44339) on Jan. 15, 2026, entitled "Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Speech Resources: Fact Sheet" by senior knowledge management librarian Devon Galena: * * * Introduction Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a federal holiday observed annually on the third Monday in January. It celebrates the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. in honor of his birthday and achievements, and was established "to b more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13149) on Jan. 12, 2026, by natural resources policy specialist Laura B. Comay. Here are excerpts: * * * Offshore Energy Agency Appropriations, FY2026 Three entities in the Department of the Interior (DOI) share responsibility for managing the nation's ocean energy resources on almost 2.5 billion acres of the U.S. outer continental shelf (OCS). The Bureau of Ocean Energy Manag more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13150) on Jan. 13, 2026, by legislative attorney Christopher T. Zirpoli and international trade and finance analyst Christopher A. Casey: * * * Potential Refunds of Tariffs Imposed Under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) In 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued a series of executive orders invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) t more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13153) on Jan. 14, 2026, by Middle Eastern affairs specialist Clayton Thomas. Here are excerpts: * * * Protests in Iran: Possible U.S. Responses and Issues for Congress Since late December 2025, nationwide protests have swept Iran, prompting a government crackdown and raising new questions about the stability of Iran's authoritarian government, a longtime U.S. adversary. Presi more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11377) on Jan. 15, 2026, by income security analyst Elizabeth A. Myers: * * * Qualified Charitable Distributions from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) Summary Congress has created incentives for charitable giving through qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from individual retirement accounts (IRAs). A provision of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-280) es more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11388) on Jan. 13, 2026, by legislative attorney Adam Vann: * * * The Scope of Offshore Energy Withdrawals The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) is the federal statute that governs development of natural resources on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), defined in statute as "all submerged lands lying seaward and outside of" areas subject to state control "and  more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48794) on Jan. 13, 2026, entitled "Social Security Administration: FY2026 Annual Limitation on Administrative Expenses Appropriation - In Brief" by income security specialist William R. Morton and senior research librarian Tamar B. Breslauer. Here are excerpts: * * * Contents Introduction ... 1 Background on SSA ... 1 Overview of the Annual LAE Appropriation ... 1 FY2026 Budget Request more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13154) on Jan. 14, 2026, by economic policy senior specialist Jane G. Gravelle: * * * Introduction Several tax provisions expired in 2025 and may be considered for extension. This In Focus summarizes those provisions. This summary does not include the energy credits that were terminated or had expiration dates moved forward by the FY2025 reconciliation law (P.L. 119-21). For a more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12302) on Jan. 13, 2026, by social policy specialist Gene Falk and research librarian Sarah K. Braun: * * * Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Pregnancy Centers The House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to consider a bill (H.R. 6945) that addresses the use of funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant in pregnancy centers. It  more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10336) on Jan. 12, 2026, by income security specialists Julie M. Whittaker and Katelin P. Isaacs. Here are excerpts: * * * The Fundamentals of Unemployment Compensation A Joint Federal-State Program The joint federal-state Unemployment Compensation (UC) program provides income support through UC benefit payments. Although there are broad requirements under federal law regardi more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12421) on Jan. 14, 2026, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert and Army fellow Ebrima M'Bai. Here are excerpts: * * * The U.S. Army's Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) System Background Protecting high-value military sites against enemy cruise missile (CM), unmanned aerial system (UAS), and rocket, artillery, and mortar (RAM) attacks has long been an i more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12618) on Jan. 12, 2026, by Latin American affairs specialist Clare Ribando Seelke: * * * U.S. Capture of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro: Considerations for Congress On January 3, 2026, President Trump announced that the U.S. military had launched strikes across Venezuela that culminated in the capture and arrest of President Nicolas Maduro (2013-2026) and his wife, Cilia Flores, in more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48787) on Jan. 8, 2026, entitled "USMCA Joint Review: Process and Role of Congress" by Kyla H. Kitamura and Danielle M. Trachtenberg, international trade and finance analysts: * * * Contents Introduction ... 1 USMCA Joint Review Provision (Article 34.7) ... 2 The Role of Congress in the Joint Review ... 3 Issues for Congress ... 4 Contacts Author Information ... 5 * * * Introducti more PR

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11060) on Jan. 15, 2026, by natural resources policy specialist Carol Hardy Vincent. Here are excerpts: * * * Wild Horse and Burro Management: Overview of Costs Background The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 (1971 Act, 16 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.1331 et seq.) provides for management and protection of wild horses and burros by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), within more PR