An updated report from the Congressional Research Service proposes a series of questions to help inform and guide congressional debate on the future of the U.S. war in Afghanistan and its aftermath. See In Brief: Next Steps in the War in Afghanistan? Issues for Congress, June 15, 2012.
Other new and (mostly) updated CRS reports that Congress has not made publicly accessible include the following.
Navy Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Operations: Background and Issues for Congress, June 13, 2012
The Navy Biofuel Initiative Under the Defense Production Act, June 13, 2012
Navy Ship Names: Background For Congress, June 15, 2012
Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress, June 14, 2012
Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress, June 14, 2012
Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress, June 13, 2012
Employee Stock Options: Tax Treatment and Tax Issues, June 15, 2012
Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), June 15, 2012
U.S. Response to the Global Threat of Malaria: Basic Facts, June 15, 2012
U.S. Response to the Global Threat of Tuberculosis: Basic Facts, June 15, 2012
U.S. Response to the Global Threat of HIV/AIDS: Basic Facts, June 15, 2012
U.S.-Taiwan Relationship: Overview of Policy Issues, June 15, 2012
Drought in the United States: Causes and Issues for Congress, June 12, 2012
DNA synthesis and export controls remain the primary regulatory safeguards against de novo production of harmful biological agents, yet governance frameworks lack the situational awareness and enforcement capacity to keep pace with rapidly falling technical barriers.
Called today to speak on behalf of U.S. science and technology, Dr. Jedidah Isler, astrophysicist, educator, strategist, policy-maker, and science communicator, will provide constructive, nonpartisan feedback to the House Committee’s hearing “American Global Competitiveness at 250: Legislative Proposals to Secure U.S. Technology Leadership.”
“Federal data and access to it is not a partisan issue. It is a people issue. Our country cannot achieve greatness without access to the data that measure what we value, who we are, and where we’re heading.”
The United States’ biosecurity governance system is structurally incapable of detecting and responding to certain classes of threats. U.S. biosecurity tools have not kept pace with technological advancements or a changing threat landscape.