No First Use of Nuclear Weapons, & More from CRS
Recent reports from the Congressional Research Service that have not been publicly released include the following.
U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy: Considering “No First Use”, CRS Insight, August 16, 2016
Coordinated Party Expenditures in Federal Elections: An Overview, updated August 15, 2016
Introduction to FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), August 16, 2016
The United Arab Emirates (UAE): Issues for U.S. Policy, updated August 16, 2016
Airline Passenger Rights: The Federal Role in Aviation Consumer Protection, August 17, 2016
Legal Status of CEQ’s Final Guidance on Climate Change in Environmental Reviews under NEPA, CRS Legal Sidebar, August 17, 2016
U.S. Trade Deficit and the Impact of Changing Oil Prices, updated August 16, 2016
General Policy Statements: Legal Overview, April 14, 2016
Dude, Where’s My Jurisdiction? Congressional Efforts to Strip Federal Courts of Jurisdiction, CRS Legal Sidebar, August 17, 2016
While it seems that the current political climate may not incentivize the use of evidence-based data sources for decision making, those of us who are passionate about ensuring results for the American people will continue to firmly stand on the belief that learning agendas are a crucial component to successfully navigate a changing future.
In recent months, we’ve seen much of these decades’ worth of progress erased. Contracts for evaluations of government programs were canceled, FFRDCs have been forced to lay off staff, and federal advisory committees have been disbanded.
This report outlines a framework relying on “Cooperative Technical Means” for effective arms control verification based on remote sensing, avoiding on-site inspections but maintaining a level of transparency that allows for immediate detection of changes in nuclear posture or a significant build-up above agreed limits.
At a recent workshop, we explored the nature of trust in specific government functions, the risk and implications of breaking trust in those systems, and how we’d known we were getting close to specific trust breaking points.