The Department of Defense reportedly expects to increase its use of unmanned aerial systems (“drones”) by nearly 50% in the next few years. At the same time, however, the rate of DoD’s procurement of drones is projected to decline sharply from FY2016-2020.
The Congressional Research Service takes note of the seeming contradiction and proposes several possible explanations to resolve it. See How Many UAVs for DoD?, CRS Insights, August 27, 2015.
Other new and updated CRS publications that became public last week include the following.
Policy Implications of the Internet of Things, CRS Insights, August 25, 2015
Health Insurance: Small is the New Large, CRS Insights, August 26, 2015
Gold King Mine Spill May Renew Interest in “Good Samaritan” Legislation, CRS Insights, August 27, 2015
Financial Regulatory Improvement Act Included in Senate Appropriations Bill, CRS Insights, August 27, 2015
Terrorism Victims Sue to Enjoin Sanctions Relief under the Iran Nuclear Agreement, CRS Legal Sidebar, August 27, 2015
District of Columbia: A Brief Review of Provisions in District of Columbia Appropriations Acts Restricting the Funding of Abortion Services, updated August 27, 2015
Drug Testing and Crime-Related Restrictions in TANF, SNAP, and Housing Assistance, updated August 28, 2015
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s Essential Health Benefits (EHB), August 27, 2015
Navy Ship Names: Background For Congress, updated August 26, 2015
To strengthen federal–state alignment, upcoming AI initiatives should include three practical measures: readiness assessments before fund distribution, outcomes-based contracting tied to student progress, and tiered implementation support reflecting district capacity.
“FAS is very pleased to see the Fix Our Forests Act, S. 1426, advance out of Committee. We urge the Senate to act quickly to pass this legislation and to ensure that federal agencies have the capacity and resourcing they need to carry out its provisions.”
Using visioning, world-building, scenario planning, and other foresight tools, participants set aside today’s constraints to design blue-sky models of a future American government.
With summer 2025 in the rearview mirror, we’re taking a look back to see how federal actions impacted heat preparedness and response on the ground, what’s still changing, and what the road ahead looks like for heat resilience.