This report discusses Afghanistan's government and political structure, ongoing security and defense issues, U.S. assistance to the Afghan military, U.S. humanitarian and economic aid, human rights issues, regional relations, and economic development.

This report discusses the ongoing conflict in Syria and previous actions taken by the United States to intervene in the conflict, mediate peace, and assist refugees as well current considerations related to Syria in Congress.

This report analyzes state-to-state arms sales in the Middle East with a particular focus on U.S. transfers, as authorized and reviewed by Congress. The information in this report, including sales data, is drawn from a number of official and unofficial open sources. The report focuses on recent arms sales, primarily from the United States, to seven Middle Eastern states: Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iraq, Turkey, and Qatar. It concludes by considering a number of arms sales-related issues of congressional interest and options available to Members of Congress to influence or control aspects of arms sales, including those related to oversight, reporting requirements, checks on executive action, and conditions on transfers or funding.

This report discusses the WIN-T communications program and network used by the Army for distributing information to the whole Army while in the field. There are two main stages of development and implementation the first being stationary command posts communication networks which is fully implemented and the second is equipping combat vehicles with mobile real-time communication devices to improve situational awareness and providing combat commanders with the same type of mobile communication abilities. The second stage is partially implemented and continues to be added to units each year. Related DOD reports and Congressional concerns are also addressed.

This report contains a summary of ASIS&T Regional and Student Chapter activities from 2016-2017.

This report discusses the federal government's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program to assist local fire and rescue organizations with needs such as equipment and training and upcoming consideration of its reauthorization along with funding levels for fiscal year 2018.

This report discusses an attack on U.S. Special Operation Forces assisting local military forces in Niger in counterterrorism efforts which killed four U.S. military personnel and wounded two as well as killing several Niger military personnel. The U.S. response to the attack, the growing threat of Islamic extremism and terrorism in the Sahel of Africa, and terrorism and political and social instability in Niger are also discussed.

This report discusses biologic and biosimilar medicines and their production and approval by the FDA. Recent legislation regarding FDA approval regulations and federal research and drug development are also discussed.

This report answers frequently asked questions about the blue-slip process of gaining the approval of senators from the home states of federal district and circuit court nominees before the process moves to the Senate floor. The report provides historical information and analysis as to how blue slips have been used in the past for judicial nominations, with a focus on the various blue slip policies used during recent presidencies. This report also discusses potential changes that might occur in the Senate and in the confirmation process for judicial nominees if there is a lesser role for home state Senators in approving some, or all, of a President's judicial nominees from their respective states.

This report provides a general overview of the child and dependent care tax benefits, focusing on eligibility requirements and benefit calculation. The report also includes some summary data on these benefits which highlight some of the characteristics of claimants.

This report discusses major holidays in Christianity and their significance as well as how American Christians celebrate them. This fact sheet is designed to assist congressional offices with work related to Christian holidays. It contains sample speeches and remarks from the Congressional Record, presidential statements and remarks, and selected historical and cultural resources.

Quarterly report outlining tax revenues and remittances for alcoholic beverages, listed by city, for July-September 2017. It also compares the statistics to the same period for the previous year.

This report discusses disposal of nuclear waste, primarily highly radioactive spent fuel from nuclear power plants. Presidential and Congressional actions regarding nuclear waste disposal sites and the Yucca Mountain Project, other alternatives previously proposed by the Obama Administration, and temporary solutions are discussed.

This report discusses the Coast Guard's plan build a new polar icebreaker to replace a nonoperational one. Costs, past and proposed appropriations, and the general icebreaker program are discussed.

This report discusses the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) which is a presidential advisory body consisting of nine cabinet members, two ex officio members, and other members appointed by the President to oversee direct investments by foreign countries in the United States. The President has the power to block a direct investment by another country if such an acquisition would pose a threat to U.S. national security. The basics of the committee's operations and laws governing their conduct and power, presidential blocks of investment, previous reforms to the original law governing the committee and its actions and current propositions in Congress to further amend the laws regarding the committee are discussed.

This report shows the 2016 fiscal year Department of Homeland Security (DHS) budget amounts and the requests for DHS for the 2017 fiscal year. The main chart only shows the original budget request by the Obama Administration and shows supplemental funding requests by the Trump Administration in March 2017 and September 2017 separately.

This report discuses recently proposed bills in the Senate (KIDS Act) and the House (HEALTHY KIDS Act) to extend funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) which is currently unfunded for the 2018 fiscal year and running off of unused funds in each state from previous years. On October 4, 2017, both the Senate Finance Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee had markups on different bills that would extend CHIP federal funding through FY2022, among other provisions.

This report discusses funding for the Health Centers Program and the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) which provide medical care to underserved populations through health centers and provide scholarships and loan repayment to physicians in exchange for working in underserved areas for at least two years through the NHSC.

This report discusses cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS). It includes the formulas used to calculate rates of inflation, amounts paid, and a table of retirement benefits.

This report discusses series of short primers developed by CRS to give Members of Congress an overview of key aspects of the Department of Defense and how Congress exercises authority over it. A consolidated list of these primers is contained in this report, along with links to each document.

This report discusses military pay raises and the annual statutory basic pay raise based on changes in the Employment Cost Index. It includes descriptions of information related to the topic along with a table of historical increases in basic pay.

This report discusses the the case "House of Representatives v. Hargan" which was a case by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) appealing the House's decision to end cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments. Questions regarding the status of the case and possible legal and legislative methods of restoring CSR payments are addressed.

This report outlines the legislative process in Congress of Homeland Security appropriations for fiscal year 2018 which have passed the House as part of a consolidated appropriations bill while the Senate version is still awaiting subcommittee markup.

This report discusses Department of Interior Secretarial Order 3356 which was issued on September 15, 2017 and directs bureaus and offices that manage public lands to enhance opportunities for hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting while also promoting conservation activities on all public lands including National Monuments. Past orders and related legislation and reactions to the order are also discussed.