WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10541) on Jan. 30, 2024, by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security analyst: * * * Defense Primer: Ballistic Missile Defense The United States has been developing and deploying ballistic missile defenses (BMD) to defend against enemy missiles continuously since the late 1940s. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the United States deployed a limited nuclear-tipped BMD sys  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12505) on Jan. 29, 2024, by Asian affairs specialist Susan V. Lawrence. Here are excerpts: * * * China Primer: China's Political System Introduction The People's Republic of China (PRC or China) is the only Communist Party-led state either among the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council or among the members of the G-20 grouping of major economies. As Congress ha  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10484) on Jan. 30, 2024, by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke: * * * Defense Primer: Department of the Navy One Military Department with Two Military Services The Department of the Navy (DON) is a single military department that includes two military services - the Navy and the Marine Corps. As such, DON has a single civilian leader, the Secretary of the Navy, and two four-star m  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11105) on Jan. 30, 2024, by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security analyst: * * * Defense Primer: Emerging Technologies Both the 2022 National Defense Strategy and senior U.S. defense and intelligence officials have identified a number of emerging technologies that could have a disruptive impact on U.S. national security in the years to come. These technologies include  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10485) on Jan. 30, 2024, by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke: * * * Defense Primer: Geography, Strategy, and U.S. Force Design World geography is an influence on U.S. strategy, which in turn helps shape the design of U.S. military forces. World Geography and U.S. Strategy Most of the world's people, resources, and economic activity are located not in the Western Hemisphere, bu  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12577) on Jan. 29, 2024, by economic development policy analyst Joseph V. Jaroscak and research librarian Ben Leubsdorf. Here are excerpts: * * * Governing the District of Columbia: Overview and Timeline The U.S. Constitution provides for the creation of a district to serve as the permanent seat of the federal government. Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 also grants Congress plenary leg  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11459) on Jan. 30, 2024, by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: Hypersonic Boost-Glide Weapons The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is pursuing two types of hypersonic weapons technologies: boost-glide systems that place a maneuverable glide vehicle atop a ballistic missile or rocket booster, and cruise missiles tha  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12578) on Jan. 29, 2024, by foreign policy legislation specialist Matthew C. Weed and natural resources policy analyst Caitlin Keating-Bitonti. Here are excerpts: * * * Implementing Agreements Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) For over 40 years, Congress has deliberated, to varying degrees, the potential pros and cons of the 1982 United Nations (U.N.) Co  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11874) on Jan. 31, 2024, by economic policy senior specialist Jane G. Gravelle: * * * International Tax Proposals Addressing Profit Shifting: Pillars 1 and 2 On June 5, 2021, finance ministers of the Group of 7 (G7) countries, including the United States, agreed in a communique to two proposals addressing global profit shifting. They agreed to Pillar 1, allocating rights of taxation of re  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IN12314) on Feb. 1, 2024, by Asian affairs specialist Thomas Lum. Here are excerpts: * * * The Philippines Overview and Recent Developments The United States and the Republic of the Philippines maintain a deep relationship that includes a bilateral security alliance, extensive military cooperation, close people-to-people ties, and many shared strategic and economic interests. U.S. adminis  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11346) on Jan. 29, 2024, by Andres B. Schwarzenberg, international trade and finance analyst: * * * Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 grants the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) a range of responsibilities and authorities to investigate and take action to enforce U.S. rights under trade agreements and respond to certain forei  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11582) on Jan. 29, 2024, by Andres B. Schwarzenberg, international trade and finance specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Section 301 Tariff Exclusions on U.S. Imports from China In 2018, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) determined, pursuant to an investigation under "Section 301" (Title III of the Trade Act of 1974, 19 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.2411-2420), that China's acts, policies, and pr  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12580) on Jan. 31, 2024, by social policy analyst Emma K. Tatem. Here are excerpts: * * * Supplemental Security Income During and After Incarceration Background Certain people who are incarcerated are not eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments but may be able to receive them once released. There is congressional interest in ensuring that eligible people - including elig  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12155) on Jan. 30, 2024, by agricultural policy analyst Benjamin Tsui. Here are excerpts: * * * Farm Bill Primer: Trade and Export Promotion Programs Agricultural exports are significant to farmers and the U.S. economy. With the productivity of U.S. agriculture growing faster than domestic demand, farmers and agriculturally oriented firms rely heavily on export markets to sustain price  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12310) on Jan. 29, 2024, by Defense Infrastructure Policy analyst Luke A. Nicastro. Here are excerpts: * * * The 2024 National Defense Industrial Strategy: Issues for Congress The National Defense Industrial Strategy On January 11, 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) publicly released its first-ever National Defense Industrial Strategy (NDIS). According to DOD's Assistant Secretar  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12297) on Feb. 1, 2024, by public finance specialist Margot L. Crandall-Hollick. Here are excerpts: * * * The Child Tax Credit: What Lies Ahead? The child tax credit has been temporarily modified several times in recent years. On January 16, Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden and House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith announced that they had reached the deal on a "framework" that in  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IF12580) on Jan. 31, 2024, by Middle Eastern affairs specialist Christopher M. Blanchard. Here are excerpts: * * * Houthi Attacks in the Red Sea: Issues for Congress Since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and Israel's military response in Gaza, the Ansar Allah/Houthi movement, an Iran-backed force in Yemen, has targeted (Figure 1) Israeli territory and commercial and naval vessels near th  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12306) on Feb. 1, 2024, by public finance specialist Margot L. Crandall-Hollick. Here are excerpts: * * * How Would the Child Credit Be Calculated for 2023 Under H.R. 7024? H.R. 7024, which passed the House on January 31 by a vote of 357-70, includes several provisions that would expand the child tax credit for low-income families by increasing the refundable portion of the credit. The re  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12309) on Jan. 29, 2024, by Middle Eastern affairs specialist Christopher M. Blanchard. Here are excerpts: * * * Iraq: Attacks and U.S. Strikes Reopen Discussion of U.S. Military Presence Iran-backed armed groups have attacked U.S. personnel in Iraq more than fifty times since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Israel and the onset of the war in Gaza. In response President Joe Bid  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12314) on Feb. 1, 2024, by Asian policy analyst Maria A. Blackwood. Here are excerpts: * * * Parliamentary Elections in Bangladesh: Overview and Issues for Congress Overview Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority South Asian country of 167 million, held parliamentary elections on January 7, 2024, amid concerns about democratic backsliding and political violence. Incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Ha  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12311) on Jan. 29, 2024, by environmental policy analyst Elena H. Humphreys: * * * Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Cybersecurity Provisions The disruption of a safe and reliable water supply remains a concern related to the protection of public health. Several events have increased attention to water system security, including "malicious cyber activities" affecting devices used by some sys  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11052) on Jan. 29, 2024, by legislative attorney Christopher T. Zirpoli: * * * Artificial Intelligence Prompts Renewed Consideration of a Federal Right of Publicity Recent uses of artificial intelligence (AI) to create realistic images, videos, replicas, or voice simulations of real people have prompted some Members of Congress to call for federal legislation to protect the "right   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB10889) on Jan. 29, 2024, by legislative attorney Valerie C. Brannon: * * * Regulating Big Tech: CRS Legal Products for the 118th Congress In recent years, some Members of Congress have expressed interest in expanding regulation of the major technology companies, often referred to as "Big Tech." Members have introduced a wide variety of proposals intended to achieve a number of dist  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11111) on Jan. 29, 2024. The white paper was written by legislative attorneys Peter J. Benson, Rosemary W. Gardey, Alexander H. Pepper and Matthew D. Trout: * * * Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (January 22-January 28, 2024) The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every week in cases involving diverse legal disputes. This Sid  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No.R47590) on Dec. 7, 2023, entitled "Archival Records of Congress: Frequently Asked Questions" by research librarian Ben Leubsdorf. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Congressional offices and committees receive, generate, and process many paper and digital files in the course of their work. Archivists preserve some of this historical material, which can help inform future Congresses and researcher  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47849) on Nov. 22, 2023, entitled "Artificial Intelligence in the Biological Sciences: Uses, Safety, Security and Oversight" by science and technology policy analyst Todd Kuiken. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Artificial intelligence (AI) is a term generally thought of as computerized systems that work and react in ways commonly thought to require intelligence. AI technologies, methodologies  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47849) on Nov. 22, 2023, entitled "Artificial Intelligence in the Biological Sciences - Uses, Safety, Security and Oversight:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Policy Considerations AI's use in biology and the broader scientific enterprise could raise policy concerns for Congress, particularly regarding whether additional oversight may be warranted. There have been numerous bills introduced  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47422) on Jan. 23, 2024, entitled "Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools: In Brief" by education policy analyst Adam K. Edgerton. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) grants are provided to institutions of higher education (IHEs) by the federal government to support or establish campus-based child care services that primarily serve the need  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL33663) on Nov. 22, 2023, entitled "Generalized System of Preferences: Overview and Issues for Congress" by international trade and finance analyst Anne A. Riddle. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary The U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program provided nonreciprocal, duty-free tariff treatment to certain products imported to the United States from designated beneficiary developing c  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL33663) on Nov. 22, 2023, entitled "Generalized System of Preferences: Overview and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Eligible Products The Trade Act of 1974 authorized the President to designate certain imports as eligible for duty-free treatment under GSP after receiving advice from the ITC./70 "Import-sensitive" products specifically excluded from preferential treat  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No.R47856) on Nov. 30, 2023, entitled "Honduras: Background and U.S. Relations" by Peter J. Meyer, Latin American and Canadian affairs specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Honduras, a Central American nation of 9.8 million people, has had close ties with the United States for many years. The country served as a base for U.S. operations designed to counter Soviet influence in Central America  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No.R47856) on Nov. 30, 2023, entitled "Honduras - Background and U.S. Relations:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Migration Difficult living conditions and instability in Honduras have contributed to high levels of irregular migration to the United States over the past decade. In FY2023, U.S. Border Patrol encountered nearly 181,000 Honduran nationals crossing the Southwest border into the Unit  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47052) on Oct. 17, 2023, entitled "Legislative Branch: FY2024 Appropriations" by Congress specialist Ida A. Brudnick. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The legislative branch appropriations bill provides funding for the Senate; House of Representatives; Joint Items; Capitol Police; Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (formerly Office of Compliance); Congressional Budget Office (CBO); Arch  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47052) on Oct. 17, 2023, entitled "Legislative Branch: FY2024 Appropriations:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * FY2024 Legislative Branch Funding Issues The following sections discuss the various legislative branch accounts. During consideration of the legislative branch bills, the House and Senate conform to a "longstanding practice under which each body of Congress determines its own ho  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R42865) on Nov. 20, 2023, entitled "Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments" by health care financing specialist Alison Mitchell. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary The Medicaid statute requires states to make disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments to hospitals treating large numbers of low-income patients. This provision is intended to recognize the disadvantaged financial si  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R42865) on Nov. 20, 2023, entitled "Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * DSH Expenditures The implementation of the DSH allotments effectively controlled the significant growth of DSH expenditures from the early 1990s. As shown in Figure 1, total Medicaid DSH expenditures (i.e., including both federal and state expenditures) have remained rela  more