FAS

State of the Union: Frequently Asked Questions, and More from CRS

02.04.20 | 1 min read | Text by Steven Aftergood

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

History, Evolution, and Practices of the President’s State of the Union Address: Frequently Asked Questions, updated January 29, 2020

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement: A Summary, January 29, 2020

The Washington Post’s “Afghanistan Papers” and U.S. Policy: Main Points and Possible Questions for Congress, January 28, 2020

Solar Energy: Frequently Asked Questions, January 27, 2020

Challenges to the United States in SpaceCRS In Focus, updated January 27, 2020

Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad, 1798-2020, updated January 13, 2020

National Emergency Powers, updated December 5, 2019

Diplomacy with North Korea: A Status ReportCRS In Focus, January 22, 2020

The U.S. Nuclear Weapons Complex: Overview of Department of Energy Sites, updated February 3, 2020

Presidential Pardons: Overview and Selected Legal Issues, January 14, 2020

Congressional Oversight Manual, updated January 16, 2020

publications
See all publications
Global Risk
Report
Inspections Without Inspectors: A Path Forward for Nuclear Arms Control Verification with “Cooperative Technical Means”

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.

11.10.25 | 3 min read
read more
Government Capacity
Blog
A Research, Learning, and Opportunity Agenda for Rebuilding Trust in Government

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.

11.10.25 | 6 min read
read more
Education & Workforce
day one project
Policy Memo
Analytical Literacy First: A Prerequisite for AI, Data, and Digital Fluency

tudents in the 21st century need strong critical thinking skills like reasoning, questioning, and problem-solving, before they can meaningfully engage with more advanced domains like digital, data, or AI literacy.

11.07.25 | 13 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Behavioral Economics Megastudies are Necessary to Make America Healthy

When the U.S. government funds the establishment of a platform for testing hundreds of behavioral interventions on a large diverse population, we will start to better understand the interventions that will have an efficient and lasting impact on health behavior.

11.06.25 | 10 min read
read more