WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11391) on Feb. 2, 2026, by legislative attorney Joanna R. Lampe: * * * The "Interim Docket" or "Shadow Docket": Non-Merits Matters at the Supreme Court Over the past decade, the U.S. Supreme Court has issued approximately fifty to eighty decisions per year in merits cases - matters that receive full briefing and oral argument - as well as thousands of orders disposing of n  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13151) on Feb. 3, 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 interest  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12772) on Feb. 5, 2026, by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert and Army fellow Ebrima M'Bai. Here are excerpts: * * * The Army's Self-Propelled Howitzer Modernization (SPH-M) Program Background The Army's current self-propelled artillery system, the M-109 Paladin, first entered service in the 1960s and has been upgraded numerous times. The Army has two types of a  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12647) on Feb. 3, 2026, by Christopher M. Davis, Congress and legislative process analyst: * * * August 19, 2025, Is Estimated to Be the Beginning of the Congressional Review Act "Lookback" Period The Congressional Review Act (CRA, 5 U.S.C. Sec.Sec.801-808) is an oversight tool that Congress may use to consider a joint resolution overturning a rule issued by a federal agency. Und  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11999) on Feb. 5, 2026, by nonproliferation specialist Paul K. Kerr and acting section research manager Mary Beth D. Nikitin: * * * AUKUS Nuclear Cooperation On August 7, 2024, President Joseph Biden submitted to Congress an "Agreement among the Government of Australia, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Government of the United S  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13066) on Feb. 2, 2026, by natural resources policy specialist Charles V. Stern. Here are excerpts: * * * Bureau of Reclamation: FY2026 Budget and Appropriations The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), part of the Department of the Interior, is responsible for the construction and operation of hundreds of large dams and water diversion structures in the 17 western Reclamation   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10262) on Feb. 3, 2026, by Congress Jacob R. Straus. Here are excerpts: * * * Commemorative Coins: An Overview Commemorative coins are produced by the U.S. Mint pursuant to an act of Congress. These coins celebrate and honor American people, places, events, and institutions. Although they are considered legal tender, they are not minted for general circulation. Instead, they ar  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10594) on Feb. 2, 2026, by military personnel specialist Kristy N. Kamarck. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: Concurrent Receipt of Military Retirement and VA Disability Concurrent receipt refers to a veteran's simultaneous receipt of two types of monetary benefits: military retired pay, and veteran disability compensation. Prior to 2004, existing laws and regulations st  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11392) on Feb. 4, 2026, by legislative attorneys Sean Stiff and Jared P. Cole: * * * Department of Education Interagency Agreements On November 18, 2025, the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) announced that the Department of Education (ED) had entered into six interagency agreements (IAAs) with other federal executive departments in which ED will split with those agen  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12648) on Feb. 3, 2026, by military personnel specialist Kristy N. Kamarck. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2026 NDAA: Military Child Care Programs Overview The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026 NDAA, P.L. P.L. 119-60) was enacted on December 18, 2025. This law included several provisions related to military child care programs (see Table 1). The Depart  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12649) on Feb. 3, 2026, by Bryce H. P. Mendez, defense health care policy specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * FY2026 NDAA: TRICARE Reimbursement to Children's Hospitals Background The Department of Defense (DOD), which is "using a secondary Department of War designation," under Executive Order (E.O.) 14347 dated September 5, 2025, administers a statutory health entitlement (un  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12626) on Feb. 4, 2026, by housing policy specialist Libby Perl: * * * HUD's FY2025 Continuum of Care Program Competition The Continuum of Care (CoC) program, administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is the largest federal grant specifically targeted to assisting people experiencing homelessness. CoC funds are awarded through a competitive proc  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10298) on Feb. 2, 2026, by South Asian affairs specialist K. Alan Kronstadt. Here are excerpts: * * * India's Domestic Political Setting Overview According to its Constitution, India, the world's most populous country, 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   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10525) on Feb. 2, 2026, by Michael E. DeVine, intelligence and national security analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: National and Defense Intelligence The Intelligence Community (IC) is responsible for providing insight into actual or potential threats to the U.S. homeland, the American people, and national interests at home and abroad. It aims to do so through th  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF13098) on Feb. 3, 2026, by natural resources policy specialist Laura B. Comay and immigration policy analyst Jill H. Wilson: * * * National Park Service: Fee Increases for International Visitors Congress has debated various measures to generate additional funds for the National Park System in light of a large backlog of deferred maintenance on system lands. One option under disc  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12953) on Feb. 3, 2026, by natural resources policy specialist Mariel J. Murray. Here are excerpts: * * * The Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation The federal government divided up tribal lands in the Southwest during the 19th and 20th centuries, triggering long-standing land disputes between the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Tribe (both federally recognized Tribes). In 186  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12646) on Feb. 2, 2026, by Michael E. DeVine, intelligence and national security analyst. Here are excerpts: * * * Oversight of the Use of Force by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Law Enforcement Officers On January 7 and January 24, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) law enforcement officers (LEOs) were involv  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47277) on Feb. 5, 2026, entitled "Reserve Funds in the Congressional Budget Process: Frequently Asked Questions" by Megan S. Lynch, Congress and legislative process specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * Contents What is a reserve fund? ... 1 How does a reserve fund work? ... 1 Do reserve funds provide funding? ... 2 Do reserve funds require Congress to act on a certain policy? ... 2 Do re  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12757) on Feb. 4, 2026, by Kelsi Bracmort, natural resources and energy policy specialist: Here are excerpts: * * * Russian Military Performance and Outlook Despite the advantages of a larger recruitment base and defense industrial capacity, the Russian military has not been able to decisively defeat the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukra  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12757) on Feb. 4, 2026, by Kelsi Bracmort, natural resources and energy policy specialist: * * * Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF): An Overview of Current Laws and Legislation Introduced in the 119th Congress Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is fuel derived from "sustainable" sources that meets aviation technical standards. Potential benefits of SAF include assisting with reducing   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12481) on Feb. 3, 2026, by Asian affairs analyst Caitlin Campbell. Here are excerpts: * * * Taiwan: Defense and Military Issues Overview Taiwan (which formally calls itself the Republic of China, or ROC) is a self-governing democracy of 23.3 million people located across the Taiwan Strait from mainland China. The People's Republic of China (PRC, or China) claims but has never   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11130) on Feb. 5, 2026, by defense policy analysts Hannah D. Dennis and Anya L. Fink. Here are excerpts: * * * Defense Primer: U.S. European Command (EUCOM) U.S. European Command (USEUCOM, commonly referred to as EUCOM) is one of 11 combatant commands (CCMDs) within the Department of Defense (DOD, which is "using a secondary Department of War designation," under Executive Order  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12650) on Feb. 3, 2026, by foreign affairs analyst Joshua Klein: * * * U.S. Policy Toward Cuba: Recent Developments and Congressional Considerations On January 29, 2026, President Trump issued an executive order (E.O.) stating that, effective January 30, "the policies, practices, and actions of the Government of Cuba constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. nationa  more