FAS

Defense Acquisition Reform, and More from CRS

01.05.18 | 1 min read | Text by Steven Aftergood

Over the last three years, Congress has sharply increased its legislative activity on defense acquisition reform, with an average of 82 new provisions in this area per year, compared to an average of 47 provisions in the previous decade. “Reform” here often means expanded authority to acquire military goods and services with increased flexibility.

A new report from the Congressional Research Service analyzes and summarizes that recent legislation, which affects contracting, auditing, major defense programs, and many other complicated but important topics. See Acquisition Reform in the FY2016-FY2018 National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAAs), January 4, 2018.

If the National Flood Insurance Program is not reauthorized by Congress prior to January 19, 2018, many of its key provisions will expire. See What Happens If the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Lapses?, CRS Insight, updated January 3, 2018

Other recent reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following.

Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2018 Budget and Appropriations, updated January 3, 2018

Cyprus: Reunification Proving Elusive, updated January 2, 2018

Serbia: Background and U.S. Relations, updated January 4, 2018

Membership of the 115th Congress: A Profile, updated January 3, 2018

Clean Air Act Issues in the 115th Congress: In Brief, updated January 3, 2018

Military Service Records and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources, updated January 2, 2018

publications
See all publications
Emerging Technology
Blog
Team Science needs Teamwork: Universities should get in on the ground floor in shaping the vision for new NSF Tech Labs

At a time when universities are already facing intense pressure to re-envision their role in the S&T ecosystem, we encourage NSF to ensure that the ambitious research acceleration remains compatible with their expertise.

12.12.25 | 4 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
Blog
NSF Plans to Supercharge FRO-style Independent Labs. We Spoke with the Scientists Who First Proposed the Idea.

FAS CEO Daniel Correa recently spoke with Adam Marblestone and Sam Rodriques, former FAS fellows who developed the idea for FROs and advocated for their use in a 2020 policy memo.

12.12.25 | 10 min read
read more
Government Capacity
Blog
Demystifying the New President’s Management Agenda

In a year when management issues like human capital, IT modernization, and improper payments have received greater attention from the public, examining this PMA tells us a lot about where the Administration’s policy is going to be focused through its last three years.

12.11.25 | 20 min read
read more
Government Capacity
day one project
Policy Memo
A Digital Public Infrastructure Act Should Be America’s Next Public Works Project

Congress must enact a Digital Public Infrastructure Act, a recognition that the government’s most fundamental responsibility in the digital era is to provide a solid, trustworthy foundation upon which people, businesses, and communities can build.

12.08.25 | 18 min read
read more