WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12612) on March 12, 2024. The white paper by natural resources policy specialist Mariel J. Murray and research librarians Ben Leubsdorf and Nik Taylor. Here are excerpts: * * * American Indian, Alaska Native and Tribal Population Data Overview Federal agencies collect population data, including on American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities and federally recognized tribes (h  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11741) on March 15, 2024, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert. Here are excerpts: * * * The Army's Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) Background The Army describes the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) in a March 14, 2023, press release as follows: '[The] AMPV is the replacement for the M-113 Family of Vehicles within the Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT), co  more

WASHINGTON, March 15 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11859) on March 14, 2024, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert. Here are excerpts: * * * The Army's M-10 Booker (Formerly Known as Mobile Protected Firepower [MPF]) System What Is the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) System? The Army's MPF system is intended to address an operational shortfall in infantry units: 'Currently the Army's Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBC  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12094) on March 12, 2024, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert. Here are excerpts: * * * The Army's XM-30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle (Formerly Known as the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle [OMFV]) Background The Army's Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) is being designed to replace the M-2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) (see Figure 1 for a not  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12597) on March 13, 2024, by legislative attorney Jared P. Cole and education policy analyst Adam K. Edgerton: Here are excerpts: * * * AT&T Network Outage: Impact on Public Safety Services In the "early hours" of February 22, 2024, AT&T's wireless network suffered an outage, affecting communications nationwide. AT&T has not provided a definitive time that the outage started. It disru  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12609) on March 11, 2024, by African affairs specialist Alexis Arieff and research assistant Abigail G. Martin. Here are excerpts: * * * Benin Benin is an emergent U.S. security partner in West Africa, a region that has seen a wave of military coups, the spillover of Islamist insurgent violence from the Sahel, and growing Russian influence. Democratic backsliding under President Patric  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12597) on March 12, 2024, by legislative attorney Jared P. Cole and education policy analyst Adam K. Edgerton: Here are excerpts: * * * The Clery Act and Postsecondary Institutions: Requirements and Enforcement The federal government requires colleges and universities to implement several institutional policies aimed at ensuring the safety and security of their students. One key federa  more

WASHINGTON, March 15 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11672) on March 14, 2024, by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program: Background and Issues for Congress Introduction The Coast Guard's Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) program envisages procuring 30 replacements for the Coast Guard's 35 aging river buoy tenders (WLRs), inland construction tenders (WLICs), a  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10543) on March 13, 2024, by section research manager Michael J. Vassalotti and research assistant Ilana Krill: * * * Defense Primer: The Department of Defense The Department of Defense (DOD) was established after World War II through the 1947 National Security Act (P.L. 80-253). At the time, some, including President Truman, took the view that the different components of the U.S. milit  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12611) on March 12, 2024, by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security specialist: * * * DOD Replicator Initiative: Background and Issues for Congress Introduction Replicator, unveiled on August 28, 2023, is a Department of Defense (DOD) initiative, led by DOD's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), to field thousands of all-domain, attritable autonomous (ADA2) systems by Aug  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12611) on March 13, 2024, by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security specialist: * * * DOD Replicator Initiative: Background and Issues for Congress Introduction Replicator, unveiled on August 28, 2023, is a Department of Defense (DOD) initiative, led by DOD's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), to field thousands of all-domain, attritable autonomous (ADA2) systems by Aug  more

WASHINGTON, March 15 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12482) on March 14, 2024, by aviation policy specialist Bart Elias and transportation and industry analyst Rachel Y. Tang. Here are excerpts: * * * Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization: Legislative Action in the 118th Congress The most recent multiyear Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-254), was enacted in Oc  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11140) on March 15, 2024, by economic development policy analyst Julie M. Lawhorn. Here are excerpts: * * * Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities: Overview of Structure and Activities Federal regional commissions and authorities address perceived regional economic underdevelopment. These organizations generally accommodate multileveled and multijurisdictional participation and i  more

WASHINGTON, March 15 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11070) on March 13, 2024, by social policy analyst Patrick A. Landers. Here are excerpts: * * * John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood Children are removed from families and placed into foster care due to incidents of abuse, neglect, or other family crisis. In FY2021, about 147,000 young people ages 14 or older spent at least one day in foster care. M  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12261) on March 13, 2024, by Congress specialist Jacob R. Straus. Here are excerpts: * * * Olympic Commemorative Coins: Background and Considerations for Congress The U.S. Mint produces commemorative coins pursuant to a specific act of Congress. These coins celebrate and honor American people, places, events, and institutions. Although they are considered legal tender, they are not min  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11555) on March 14, 2024, by Shawn Reese, emergency management and homeland security policy analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Presidential Candidate and Nominating Convention Security Introduction In 1968, Congress authorized U.S. Secret Service (USSS) protection of presidential candidates following the assassination of Democratic Party presidential candidate Senator Robert F. Kenned  more

WASHINGTON, March 15 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12148) on March 12, 2024, by environmental policy specialist Laura Gatz: * * * Regulating PFAS Under the Clean Water Act In recent decades, improvements in monitoring technologies and analytical methods, combined with health research, have increased national attention to the presence of emerging contaminants in surface water. Detections of one particular group of contaminants, per- and   more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11991) on March 13, 2024, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert. Here are excerpts: * * * The U.S. Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW): Dark Eagle What Is the Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon? The Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), also known as Dark Eagle (Figure 1), with a reported range of 1,725 miles, consists of a ground-launched missile equipped  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12135) on March 12, 2024, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert. Here are excerpts: * * * The U.S. Army's Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) System (Formerly Mid-Range Capabilities System) What Is the Army's Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) System? Reported improvements to Russian and Chinese artillery systems present a challenge to the U.S. Army. These improved, longer-r  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12608) on March 11, 2024, by natural resources policy analyst Caitlin Keating-Bitonti: * * * U.S. Interest in Seabed Mining in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction: Brief Background and Recent Developments In 1980, Congress passed the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA; P.L. 96-283) as an interim measure to allow U.S. citizens to proceed with seabed mining activities in areas  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12610) on March 11, 2024, by defense policy analyst Jennifer DiMascio. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: The United States Space Force The U.S. Space Force is the sixth branch of the Armed Forces, established under the Department of the Air Force (DAF) with the enactment of the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act ([NDAA], P.L. 116-92). According to Title 10, Section 9081,   more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12614) on March 15, 2024, by M. Angeles Villarreal and Andres B. Schwarzenberg, international trade and finance specialists. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S.-Latin America Trade and Investment The 118th Congress is engaged in a range of legislative and oversight activities related to trade policy toward the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, which is among the United States' most i  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10256) on March 15, 2024, by Karen M. Sutter, Asian trade and finance specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * U.S.-Taiwan Trade and Economic Relations Taiwan is a top U.S. trade partner and a key link in global technology and manufacturing supply chains, supporting the United States, China (PRC or China), and other global markets. Taiwan's economy is highly dependent on global trade; expo  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12150) on March 14, 2024, by Andrew S. Bowen, Russian and European affairs analyst: * * * Ukrainian Military Performance and Outlook Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) have successfully defended against Russian offensives, despite several apparent disadvantages, including fewer personnel and a smaller domestic defe  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12158) on March 13, 2024, by agricultural policy affairs specialist Jim Monke. Here are excerpts: * * * Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2024 Appropriations Status of Agriculture Appropriations Agriculture appropriations - formally known as the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act - funds the U.S. Department of Agricult  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12330) on March 12, 2024, by cybersecurity policy affairs specialist Chris Jaikaran. Here are excerpts: * * * The Change Healthcare Cyberattack and Response Considerations for Policymakers March 12, 2024 On February 21, 2024, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated disclosed that one of its companies' units - Change Healthcare - was experiencing a cyberattack. The BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware gro  more

WASHINGTON, March 15 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12330) on March 14, 2024, by cybersecurity policy affairs specialist Chris Jaikaran: * * * The Change Healthcare Cyberattack and Response Considerations for Policymakers On February 21, 2024, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated disclosed that one of its companies' units - Change Healthcare - was experiencing a cyberattack. The BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware group - a Russia-linked cybercrime orga  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12301) on March 12, 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  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12329) on March 11, 2024, by American national government specialist Garrett Hatch: * * * Overview of the Using Space Efficiently and Improving Technologies Act of 2023 (H.R. 6276) The Using Space Efficiently and Improving Technologies Act (H.R. 6276) was reported, with amendments, by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on February 13, 2024. The bill would require ce  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN11982) on March 12, 2024, by Natural Resources Policy specialist Charles V. Stern. Here are excerpts: * * * Responding to Drought in the Colorado River Basin The Colorado River Basin (Figure 1) 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   more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12332) on March 15, 2024. The white paper was written by science and technology policy analyst Kristen E. Busch, industrial organization and business policy specialist Clare Y. Cho, international trade and finance analyst Michael D. Sutherland and telecommunications policy analyst Ling Zhu: * * * TikTok: Proposed Legislation and Implications On March 13, 2024, the House of Representativ  more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11125) on March 15, 2024, by legislative attorney Jimmy Balser: * * * Overview of Federal Criminal Laws Prohibiting Interference with Voting The 2024 U.S. presidential and congressional elections are scheduled to take place on November 5, 2024, with early in-person voting in some states beginning in September. Recent developments such as the advancement of artificial intelligence   more

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB10942) on March 15, 2024. The white paper was written by legislative attorneys Peter J. Benson, Valerie C. Brannon, Joanna R. Lampe, Chris D. Linebaugh and Stephen P. Mulligan. Here are excerpts: * * * Restricting TikTok (Part II): Legislative Proposals and Considerations for Congress This Legal Sidebar is the second installment in a two-part series on U.S. efforts to regulate   more