A new free trade agreement (FTA) between the European Union and Japan places the US at a disadvantage, at least temporarily, the Congressional Research Service said. The new agreement entered into force this month.

The two trading partners negotiated what Japan called the “world’s largest, free, industrialized economic zone” without the US partly in response to the Trump Administration’s combative trade policy and its withdrawal from existing trade negotiations.

“The EU and Japan have expressed concerns over recent U.S. tariffs imposed on their products and the perceived waning in U.S. support for the multilateral trading system,” according to a new CRS brief.

“In the absence of a U.S. FTA with either major economy, certain U.S. industries could face competitive disadvantages or lost market share. . . as the EU and Japan enjoy preferential access to each other’s markets,” CRS said.

As the new agreement is implemented, “the United States will be under increased stakeholders’ pressure to secure comparable access to these important markets,” the CRS report said. See EU-Japan FTA: Implications for U.S. Trade Policy, CRS In Focus, February 7, 2019.

Other noteworthy new publications from the Congressional Research Service include the following.

A Brief Comparison of Two Climate Change Mitigation Approaches: Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Tax (or Fee), CRS In Focus, February 12, 2019

Mail and Wire Fraud: A Brief Overview of Federal Criminal Law, updated February 11, 2019

Electrification May Disrupt the Automotive Supply Chain, CRS In Focus, February 8, 2019

A Code of Conduct for the Supreme Court? Legal Questions and Considerations, CRS Legal Sidebar, February 6, 2019

Science and Technology Issues in the 116th Congress, February 6, 2019

The World Oil Market and U.S. Policy: Background and Select Issues for Congress, updated February 4, 2019

Venezuela Oil Sector Sanctions: Market and Trade Impacts, CRS Insight, updated February 11, 2019

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, CRS In Focus, updated February 5, 2019

There were no less than 30 “national emergencies” in effect as of February 1, according to a tabulation prepared by the Congressional Research Service. An additional 21 national emergencies that are no longer in effect were also identified by CRS.

Under the National Emergencies Act, a declaration of national emergency can be used to activate presidential powers that would otherwise be unavailable. President Trump has suggested that he could declare a national emergency in order to begin construction of a “wall” along the U.S. border with Mexico without congressional authorization.

See Declarations under the National Emergencies Act, Part 1: Declarations Currently in Effect, CRS Legal Sidebar, February 1, 2019; and Declarations under the National Emergencies Act, Part 2: Declarations No Longer in Effect, CRS Legal Sidebar, February 1, 2019.

Together, the two reports replicate (with some variations) a table prepared lately by the Brennan Center for Justice, which has researched national emergency powers.

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Other new and noteworthy publications from the Congressional Research Service include the following.

The Emoluments Clauses of the U.S. Constitution, CRS In Focus, January 30, 2019

Executive Branch Ethics and Financial Conflicts of Interest: Disqualification, CRS Legal Sidebar, January 31, 2019

Fifth-Generation (5G) Telecommunications Technologies: Issues for Congress, January 30, 2019

Selecting the World Bank President, updated January 23, 2019

Venezuela: Overview of U.S. Sanctions, CRS In Focus, updated February 1, 2019

U.S.-European Relations in the 116th Congress, CRS In Focus, February 4, 2019

The U.S. Intelligence Community: Homeland Security Issues in the 116th Congress, CRS Insight, updated February 1, 2019

“Migrant Protection Protocols”: Legal Issues Related to DHS’s Plan to Require Arriving Asylum Seekers to Wait in Mexico, CRS Legal Sidebar, February 1, 2019

Drug Trafficking at the Southwest Border: Homeland Security Issues in the 116th Congress, CRS Insight, updated January 31, 2019

The CIA has around 140 projects involving or related to artificial intelligence, CRS noted (citing a 2017 story in DefenseOne). See Artificial Intelligence and National Security, updated January 30, 2019

U.S. Withdrawal from the INF Treaty, CRS Insight, updated February 1, 2019

Evaluating Possible U.S. Troop Withdrawals from Hostile Areas, CRS Insight, February 1, 2019

Noteworthy new publications from the Congressional Research Service include the following.

Bribery, Kickbacks, and Self-Dealing: An Overview of Honest Services Fraud and Issues for Congress, January 30, 2019

China’s Retaliatory Tariffs on U.S. Agricultural Products, CRS In Focus, January 29, 2019

New Law Requires Agencies to Report on Outstanding IG Recommendations, CRS Insight, January 30, 2019

Potential Implications of U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, CRS In Focus, updated January 25, 2019

The Trump Administration’s National Strategy for Counterterrorism: Overview and Comparison to the Prior Administration, CRS Insight, January 29, 2019

A Possible Second U.S.-North Korea Summit: What Diplomacy Has and Hasn’t Achieved, CRS Insight, January 23, 2019

The U.S. Army and Multi-Domain Operations, CRS Insight, January 17, 2019

Redirecting Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Resources During National Emergencies, CRS In Focus, January 28, 2019

Noteworthy new and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following.

Congressional Oversight of Intelligence: Background and Selected Options for Further Reform, December 4, 2018

The War Powers Resolution: Concepts and Practice, updated December 11, 2018

U.S. International Food Assistance: An Overview, December 6, 2018

U.S.-Mexico Economic Relations: Trends, Issues, and Implications, updated December 6, 2018

Cryptocurrency: The Economics of Money and Selected Policy Issues, December 7, 2018

Venue: A Legal Analysis of Where a Federal Crime May Be Tried, updated December 6, 2018

Debt and Deficits: Spending, Revenue, and Economic Growth, CRS In Focus, December 4, 2018

U.S. Gun Policy: Framework and Major Issues, CRS In Focus, December 3, 2018

Russian Compliance with the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty: Background and Issues for Congress, updated December 7, 2018

Russia, the Skripal Poisoning, and U.S. Sanctions, CRS In Focus, updated December 4, 2018

Shutdown of the Federal Government: Causes, Processes, and Effects, updated December 10, 2018

The US has imposed several categories of sanctions on Russia in response to malicious or objectionable Russian activity. A new report from the Congressional Research Service provides an overview of US sanction tools and authorities, and their application to the case of Russia. It also discusses the various sanction regimes, their targets, their effectiveness, and the countersanctions that Russia has introduced. See U.S. Sanctions on Russia, November 28, 2018.

Other new and updated products from the Congressional Research Service include the following.

Iran Sanctions, updated November 28, 2018

The “National Security Exception” and the World Trade Organization, CRS Legal Sidebar, November 28, 2018

U.S. Tariff Policy: Overview, CRS In Focus, November 28, 2018

District Court Temporarily Blocks Implementation of Asylum Restrictions on Unlawful Entrants at the Southern Border, CRS Legal Sidebar, November 27, 2018

The Venezuela Regional Migration Crisis, CRS In Focus, November 27, 2018

Brexit at a Pivotal Moment, CRS Insight, November 28, 2018

Revisiting the Doubling Effort: Trends in Federal Funding for Basic Research in the Physical Sciences and Engineering, CRS Insight, November 27, 2018

Administration of the House of Representatives: Actions Taken During a New Congress and Following a Majority Change, CRS In Focus, November 26, 2018

Electing the Speaker of the House of Representatives: Frequently Asked Questions, updated November 26, 2018

Defense Primer: Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, CRS In Focus, updated November 14, 2018

Defense Primer: RDT&E, CRS In Focus, updated November 13, 2018

Defense Primer: Congress’s Constitutional Authority with Regard to the Armed Forces, CRS In Focus, updated November 13, 2018

Defense Primer: Legal Authorities for the Use of Military Forces, CRS In Focus, updated November 13, 2018

Incoming members of Congress face a steep learning curve in trying to understand, let alone master, many diverse areas of public policy such as national defense.

To help facilitate that learning process, the Congressional Research Service has issued a series of “defense primers” that provide a brief introduction to a variety of defense policy topics. Several of them have recently been updated, including these:

Defense Primer: Geography, Strategy, and U.S. Force Design, CRS In Focus, updated November 8, 2018

Defense Primer: Department of the Navy, CRS In Focus, updated November 8, 2018

Defense Primer: Naval Forces, CRS In Focus, updated November 8, 2018

Defense Primer: United States Airpower, CRS In Focus, updated November 7, 2018:

Defense Primer: The United States Air Force, CRS In Focus, updated November 7, 2018

Other new and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following.

Energy and Water Development Appropriations: Nuclear Weapons Activities, updated November 9, 2018

The Posse Comitatus Act and Related Matters: The Use of the Military to Execute Civilian Law, updated November 6, 2018

The DOD’s JEDI Cloud Program, CRS Insight, updated November 5, 2018

Iran: Efforts to Preserve Economic Benefits of the Nuclear Deal, CRS In Focus, updated November 8, 2018

Iran Sanctions, updated November 6, 2018

Global Trends in HIV/AIDS, CRS In Focus, November 6, 2018

21st Century U.S. Energy Sources: A Primer, updated November 5, 2018

Under the 25th amendment to the Constitution, a U.S. President could be declared “disabled” and removed from office against his will by the Vice President acting together with a majority of the Cabinet.

A new report from the Congressional Research Service details the background and provisions of the amendment.

Proponents of the 25th amendment insisted that it was “not intended to facilitate the removal of an unpopular or failed President,” and that safeguards were in place to prevent abuse.

While Presidents have voluntarily and temporarily declared themselves disabled on three occasions — in 1985, 2002 and 2007 — the provisions for involuntary removal from office have never been implemented. See Presidential Disability Under the Twenty-Fifth Amendment: Constitutional Provisions and Perspectives for Congress, November 5, 2018.

Other new and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following.

The Citizenship Clause and “Birthright Citizenship”: A Brief Legal Overview, CRS Legal Sidebar, November 1, 2018

Internships, Fellowships, and Other Work Experience Opportunities in the Federal Government, updated November 1, 2018

U.S. Trade Policy Functions: Who Does What?, CRS In Focus, November 1, 2018

U.S. Foreign Aid to the Palestinians, updated November 2, 2018

The 2020 Decennial Census: Overview and Issues, CRS In Focus, October 31, 2018

Implementation of Treasury’s New Customer Due Diligence Rule: A Step Toward Beneficial Ownership Transparency?, CRS In Focus, October 31, 2018

U.S. Ground Forces Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI): Considerations for Congress, November 1, 2018