Congressional Research Service reports
The Congressional Research Service is the nonpartisan policy-research arm of Congress. CRS analysts write briefings (long-form Reports, short-form Insights, 2-page In Focus sheets) that members + staff use to understand the substance of every active issue. Until FY2019 NDAA §1141, these were not public; now the Library of Congress publishes them and we mirror via api.congress.gov.
3,293 reports in the mirror. Filtered to Posts. Each report's bill-citation list (curated by CRS in relatedMaterials) projects into cited_in_report edges so every bill page surfaces the CRS briefs Congress had on the topic.
Reports (3,293)
Showing the 100 most recently published.
| Published | ID | Type | Title | Bills cited |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-22 | IN12534 | Posts | Russia’s War Against Ukraine: Diplomatic Talks and U.S. Policy The Russian Federation (Russia) launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. More than four years later, Russia and Ukraine remain engaged in Europe’s largest war in scope and scale since World War II. With estimates ranging from up to 1.3 million to 1.8 million ki… by Andrew S. Bowen, Cory Welt | 7 |
| 2026-05-22 | LSB11248 | Posts | School Employee Discrimination Lawsuits and Title IX: Supreme Court Grants Review The Supreme Court has granted a petition seeking review of a case about how two different federal laws that both ban sex discrimination—one in the workplace, the other in schools—relate to one another. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) bars (among other things… by Jared P. Cole | |
| 2026-05-20 | IN11618 | Posts | Congressional Redistricting Criteria and Considerations Congressional redistricting involves creating geographic boundaries for U.S. House districts within a state. Following each decennial census, House districts are first allocated among states through apportionment (or reapportionment), then allocated within states based upon each … by Sarah J. Eckman | 11 |
| 2026-05-19 | IN12670 | Posts | Parametric Insurance for Natural Disasters: Frequently Asked Questions The Administration and Congress are considering reform to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The FEMA Review Council issued its final report on May 7, 2026. One of the recommendations in the report is to develop a parametric funding model for an up-front lump-sum for… by Baird Webel, Diane P. Horn | |
| 2026-05-19 | IN12689 | Posts | Colombia’s 2026 Presidential Election On May 31, Colombia, a top U.S. security partner in Latin America, is scheduled to convene an election to replace President Gustavo Petro (2022-present), who is constitutionally barred from seeking reelection. U.S. officials and some Members of Congress have expressed concerns ab… by Clare Ribando Seelke | |
| 2026-05-18 | IN12519 | Posts | Section 232 Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum In 2025, President Trump expanded and increased existing steel and aluminum tariffs, imposed since 2018 under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. §1862). Section 232 authorizes the President to impose trade restrictions if the Secretary of Commerce determine… by Keigh E. Hammond, Kyla H. Kitamura | 10 |
| 2026-05-15 | IN12693 | Posts | FEMA Review Council: Final Report On Thursday, May 7, 2026, the FEMA Review Council (FRC), established by President Donald J. Trump to undertake a “full-scale review” of the agency, held its final meeting and voted to approve its final report of findings and recommendations.
Establishment of FEMA Review Council … by Diane P. Horn, Erica A. Lee, Elizabeth M. Webster | 5 |
| 2026-05-15 | LSB11432 | Posts | Congressional Authority to Regulate Presidential Recordkeeping When Richard Nixon stepped from the White House lawn onto Marine One after resigning the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal, he could well have assumed that some of the most familiar remnants of his administration—hundreds of audio tape recordings of conversations he… by Todd Garvey | |
| 2026-05-14 | LSB11431 | Posts | Congressional Redistricting: High Court Narrows Voting Rights Act in Louisiana v. Callais On April 29, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court in Louisiana v. Callais significantly narrowed the circumstances under which a racial vote dilution challenge to a redistricting map can be made under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended (VRA). In Callais, the Court hel… by L. Paige Whitaker | |
| 2026-05-13 | IN12692 | Posts | U.S. Aircraft Combat Losses in Operation Epic Fury: Considerations for Congress Overview
On February 28, 2026, the United States, in coordination with Israel, initiated military operations against Iran under the designation Operation Epic Fury (OEF). The conflict has involved air, maritime, and missile combat engagements across the Middle East. The pace of c… by Jennifer DiMascio, Daniel M. Gettinger | |
| 2026-05-11 | IN10979 | Posts | Year-Round Sale of E15 E15—a fuel blend of up to 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline—generally cannot be sold during the summer driving season (June 1–September 15) because it does not meet gasoline Reid vapor pressure (RVP) requirements, which limit fuel volatility under the Clean Air Act (CAA). The statute … by Kelsi Bracmort | 4 |
| 2026-05-11 | IN12545 | Posts | Section 232 Automotive Tariffs: Issues for Congress In 2025, President Donald Trump imposed 25% tariffs on U.S. imports of automobiles and certain automobile parts under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. §1862). Section 232 authorizes the President to take action (e.g., tariffs, quotas, or negotiations) if … by Kyla H. Kitamura | 6 |
| 2026-05-08 | IN12421 | Posts | Federal Support for Maternal Mortality Review Committees: An Overview Maternal mortality is considered a sentinel health event—one that can signal the overall health status and the broader quality or effectiveness of a nation’s health system. Despite global progress over the past two decades, maternal deaths in the United States remain high and dis… by Alexandria K. Mickler | 7 |
| 2026-05-07 | IN11982 | Posts | Responding to Drought in the Colorado River Basin The Colorado River Basin covers more than 246,000 square miles in seven U.S. states and Mexico. Basin waters are governed by multiple documents, known collectively as the Law of the River. The Colorado River Compact of 1922 established the framework to apportion water supplies be… by Charles V. Stern | |
| 2026-05-07 | LSB11430 | Posts | Congressional Court Watcher: Circuit Splits from April 2026 The U.S. Courts of Appeals for the thirteen “circuits” issue thousands of precedential decisions each year. Because relatively few of these decisions are ultimately reviewed by the Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals are often the last word on consequential legal questions.… by Michael John Garcia, Alexander H. Pepper | |
| 2026-05-06 | IN12688 | Posts | DFC Shipping Reinsurance Facility: Iran Conflict and Strait of Hormuz Background
In February 2026, U.S. and Israeli forces initiated military operations against Iran. Iran responded with retaliatory attacks and threats against commercial shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz, through which more than one-quarter of crude oil and petroleum maritim… by Shayerah I. Akhtar, Nick M. Brown | |
| 2026-05-06 | IN12690 | Posts | The FY2027 President’s Budget in Historical Context: Revenues On April 3, 2026, the Trump Administration submitted its budget for FY2027, which proposes to constrain nondefense spending, maintain spending on border security and immigration enforcement, and increase defense spending. In February 2026, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is… by D. Andrew Austin | |
| 2026-05-05 | IN12660 | Posts | The Child Support Enforcement Passport Denial Program The Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Passport Denial Program is a mandatory enforcement mechanism that applies to noncustodial parents who owe past-due child support. The program was originally enacted as part of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act … by Cory R. Gill, Jessica Tollestrup | 1 |
| 2026-05-05 | IN12687 | Posts | Argentine Beef Import Quota Expansion In February 2026, the average price cattle producers received for their cattle reached a record high. The price increase was in part due to the year-over-year decreases in U.S. cattle inventory, suspended cattle imports from Mexico due to New World Screwworm, and slower pace of U… by Benjamin Tsui, Christine Whitt | 1 |
| 2026-05-05 | LSB11429 | Posts | Artificial Intelligence and the Fourth Amendment: Two Emerging Legal Issues Various law enforcement components at the federal, state, and local levels report using artificial intelligence (AI) for some functions. Legislatures at the state and federal level have considered a variety of proposals relevant to the intersection of law enforcement, crime, and … by Peter G. Berris | |
| 2026-05-04 | IN12682 | Posts | Kings and Queens Addressing Joint Meetings of Congress On April 28, 2026, King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland addressed a joint meeting of Congress. King Charles was jointly invited by Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Minority Lead… by Jacob R. Straus | |
| 2026-05-04 | IN12691 | Posts | President’s FY2027 Budget Request in Historical Context: Outlays On April 3, 2026, the Trump Administration submitted its FY2027 budget request to Congress. That budget proposes increases in defense spending, reductions in most nondefense discretionary spending, and seeks to maintain spending on border security and immigration enforcement, amo… by D. Andrew Austin | |
| 2026-05-04 | LSB11427 | Posts | CDC’s Updated Childhood Vaccine Schedule: Litigation and Potential Implications for Vaccine Injury Compensation Program In December 2025, President Trump issued an executive memorandum in which he instructed the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to “review best practices from peer, developed countries for core childhood vaccine recommendations,” to determine if up… by Hannah-Alise Rogers | |
| 2026-05-04 | LSB11428 | Posts | Vaccine Injury Compensation Program: The Adjudication of Petitions and the 240-Day Deadline The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) was created by Congress via the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986. The VICP is a no-fault compensation program made up of two essential components. First, it allows individuals who suffer vaccine-related injuries or death… by Hannah-Alise Rogers | |
| 2026-05-01 | IN12589 | Posts | Recent Developments in International Tourism to the United States Lengthy visa interview wait times, stricter border and immigration policies, potential tariffs, the dollar’s strength, U.S. travel restrictions for certain countries, as well other policy actions, have led some observers to express concern about the state of international tourism… by Jill H. Wilson, Adam G. Levin | 2 |
| 2026-05-01 | LSB11426 | Posts | The Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause’s Ban on Executing the Intellectually Disabled In 2002, the Supreme Court in Atkins v. Virginia ruled that the imposition of capital punishment on the intellectually disabled constitutes “cruel and unusual” punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment, leaving to the states the responsibility to determine who qualifies as … by Dave S. Sidhu | |
| 2026-04-30 | IN12686 | Posts | The 2/37ths Limitation on Itemized Deductions In July 2025, as part of the FY2025 reconciliation law (P.L. 119-21), Congress enacted a new limitation on itemized tax deductions for high-income taxpayers. This Insight describes itemized tax deductions, explains how the new limitation works, and analyzes the limitation’s effec… by Nicholas E. Buffie | |
| 2026-04-30 | LSB11424 | Posts | Department of Justice Eases Control of Medical Marijuana On April 23, 2026, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a final order easing some controls of medical marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Specifically, the order provides that marijuana and its derivatives are now controlled in Schedule III under the CSA to the… by Joanna R. Lampe | |
| 2026-04-30 | LSB11425 | Posts | Sirius Solutions, L.L.L.P. v. Commissioner: The Fifth Circuit’s Decision Interpreting the Limited Partner Exception to Self-Employment Taxes On January 16, 2026, in Sirius Solutions, L.L.L.P. v. Commissioner, a divided three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (Fifth Circuit) rejected the Tax Court’s interpretation of the limited partner exception to self-employment taxes. Under Internal Re… by Milan N. Ball | |
| 2026-04-29 | IN12685 | Posts | The General Business Credit The general business tax credit represents the sum of 41 separate business credits specified in Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 38(b). Each of these component credits is computed separately under its own IRC section, and then all of the credits are added together. For corpora… by Donald J. Marples, Nicholas E. Buffie | |
| 2026-04-29 | LSB11423 | Posts | Trump v. Barbara: Supreme Court Considers Birthright Citizenship On April 1, 2026, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trump v. Barbara. The question before the Court was whether Executive Order 14160 (E.O. 14160, or the E.O.), “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” is constitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment’s … by Hannah Solomon-Strauss | |
| 2026-04-28 | IN12684 | Posts | Changes to CDC Vaccine Recommendations in 2025 and 2026 Since U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (hereinafter, HHS Secretary) was sworn in on February 13, 2025, HHS has changed several long-standing federal vaccine recommendations. In addition, HHS has issued recommendations for vaccines… by Alexandria K. Mickler, Kavya Sekar | |
| 2026-04-27 | IN12683 | Posts | The FY2027 Mandatory Spending Sequester On April 3, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) submitted its report on the FY2027 mandatory sequester to Congress. On the same day, President Trump issued a sequestration order directing agencies to implement the reductions estimated in OMB’s report.
OMB estimates th… by Drew C. Aherne | |
| 2026-04-23 | IN12614 | Posts | Section 232 National Security Tariffs on Copper Imports Congress has constitutional authority over foreign commerce and tariffs, a power it has partially delegated to the President. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. §1862) authorizes the President to take action if the Secretary of Commerce determines that impo… by Kyla H. Kitamura | 8 |
| 2026-04-21 | IN12669 | Posts | Pentagon-Anthropic Dispute over Autonomous Weapon Systems: Potential Issues for Congress On February 27, 2026, President Donald J. Trump directed federal agencies to “IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of [American AI company] Anthropic’s technology.” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (who is now using “Secretary of War” as a “secondary title” under Executive Order (E.O.) 143… by Kelley M. Sayler | 3 |
| 2026-04-20 | IN12317 | Posts | Family-to-Family Health Information Centers Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2F HICs) receive mandatory appropriations to provide support and information to families of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). Currently, the F2F HIC program receives mandatory appropriations through December … by Alexandria K. Mickler, Alexandria K. Mickler | 2 |
| 2026-04-20 | IN12681 | Posts | Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Response to a Raw Dairy Toxic E. coli Outbreak Introduction
On March 15, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS’s) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and certain state public health officials announced an investigation into a multistate outbreak of tox… by Laura Pineda-Bermudez | |
| 2026-04-20 | LSB11420 | Posts | Congressional Court Watcher: Circuit Splits from March 2026 The U.S. Courts of Appeals for the thirteen “circuits” issue thousands of precedential decisions each year. Because relatively few of these decisions are ultimately reviewed by the Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals are often the last word on consequential legal questions.… by Michael John Garcia, Alexander H. Pepper | |
| 2026-04-20 | LSB11421 | Posts | ESA “God Squad” Exemption for Gulf Oil and Gas Activities: Background and Current Litigation On March 31, 2026, the Endangered Species Committee—colloquially referred to as the “God Squad” because of its power to determine the fate of species—voted to grant an exemption from Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C. §§ 1531-1544) agency consultation requirements for oil and… by Cassandra J. Barnum, Erin H. Ward | |
| 2026-04-20 | LSB11422 | Posts | Parental Rights and Student Gender Transitions at School: Legal Developments How public schools should treat transgender students has generated substantial debate, raising legal questions in contexts such as bathroom access, athletics participation, and pronoun usage. One particular area of legal disagreement concerns whether public schools must notify pa… by Jared P. Cole, Whitney K. Novak | |
| 2026-04-17 | IN12516 | Posts | NIH Indirect Costs Policy for Research Grants: Recent Developments On February 7, 2025, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), published supplemental policy guidance that instituted a 15% indirect cost rate for NIH grants. This policy would have applied to any new grant awards and… by Kavya Sekar, Kavya Sekar, Marcy E. Gallo | 2 |
| 2026-04-15 | LSB11418 | Posts | Recent Developments in Hart-Scott-Rodino Merger Review The Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (the HSR Act) requires parties to mergers and acquisitions that exceed certain size thresholds to file a notification with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and abide by a waiting period bef… by Alexander H. Pepper, Jay B. Sykes | |
| 2026-04-15 | LSB11419 | Posts | Election Law and the Supreme Court in 2026: Pending Cases on Redistricting, Campaign Finance, and Mail-In Ballots As the November 2026 congressional elections approach, three cases addressing various aspects of election law are pending at the U.S. Supreme Court. In Louisiana v. Callais, the Court is considering the constitutionality of a state creating a second majority-minority congressiona… by L. Paige Whitaker | |
| 2026-04-14 | IN12680 | Posts | Recent Regulatory Changes to Bank Capital Requirements Capital requirements are one of the primary ways banks are regulated for safety and soundness. (For background, see CRS Report R47447, Bank Capital Requirements: A Primer and Policy Issues.) Under leadership appointed by President Trump, federal bank regulators have released seve… by Marc Labonte, Andrew P. Scott | |
| 2026-04-13 | IN12423 | Posts | Preliminary Data on the IRA Residential Clean Energy Credit In August 2024, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released preliminary 2023 data on the residential clean energy credit (RCEC) and the energy efficient home improvement credit (EEHIC). The credits were scheduled to expire at the end of 2023 and 2021, respectively, before being r… by Nicholas E. Buffie | |
| 2026-04-13 | IN12679 | Posts | The Length of Major Steps in the Supreme Court Appointment Process (1975-2022) This Insight provides historical data and information related to the length of time it has taken to appoint new Justices to the Supreme Court from 1975 to 2022. Specifically, for individuals nominated to the Court during this period, this Insight provides information about how lo… by Barry J. McMillion | |
| 2026-04-10 | LSB11417 | Posts | Applying the Americans with Disabilities Act to Ridesharing Companies Emerging technology often creates new issues in antidiscrimination law. Technologies like rideshare apps have opened up convenient transportation opportunities for many people with and without disabilities; however, some people with disabilities have alleged that these new servic… by April J. Anderson, Abigail A. Graber | |
| 2026-04-09 | IN12609 | Posts | FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC): Recent Developments This Insight provides a brief summary of developments related to the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program in 2025 and 2026. BRIC funding was awarded FY2020-FY2023 and represented the largest U.S. competitively awarded pre-disaster mitigation fund… by Diane P. Horn | |
| 2026-04-09 | IN12678 | Posts | U.S.-Iran Ceasefire and Negotiations: Assessment and Issues for Congress An April 8 ceasefire between the United States and Iran remains in place but is on “life support,” per President Donald Trump, amid intermittent fighting since May 4 that highlights the potential for a resumption of broader conflict. Moreover, Iran’s de facto closure of the Strai… by Clayton Thomas, Christopher M. Blanchard, Jim Zanotti | 2 |
| 2026-04-08 | IN12422 | Posts | Preliminary Data on the IRA Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit In August 2024, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released preliminary 2023 data on the residential clean energy credit (RCEC) and the energy efficient home improvement credit (EEHIC). The credits were scheduled to expire at the end of 2023 and 2021, respectively, before being r… by Nicholas E. Buffie | |
| 2026-04-08 | IN12539 | Posts | Resolutions of Inquiry in the House A resolution of inquiry is a simple House resolution (H.Res.) making a direct request or demand of the President and/or the head of an executive department to provide to the House specific factual information in the Administration’s possession.
Under clause 7 of House Rule XIII, … by Christopher M. Davis | 1 |
| 2026-04-07 | LSB11416 | Posts | Supreme Court Limits Secondary Copyright Liability for Internet Service Providers On March 25, 2026, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Cox Communications v. Sony Music Entertainment (Cox), which limited the liability of internet service providers (ISPs) for the copyright infringements of their users. Cox clarified the legal standard for contributory inf… by Kevin J. Hickey | |
| 2026-04-03 | LSB11406 | Posts | Prediction Markets and Insider Trading Law The past two years have witnessed the dramatic growth of prediction markets—i.e., online platforms that allow users to buy or sell contracts with payoffs tied to the occurrence or nonoccurrence of specific events, such as sporting event outcomes, political election results, and m… by Jay B. Sykes | 3 |
| 2026-04-03 | LSB11414 | Posts | Birthright Citizenship: Litigation Status Update On April 1, 2026, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trump v. Barbara regarding Executive Order 14160, “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship” (E.O. 14160 or the E.O.), which purports to limit who may be recognized as having U.S. citizenship based on hav… by Hannah Solomon-Strauss, Juria L. Jones | |
| 2026-04-03 | LSB11415 | Posts | SEC Issues Crypto Guidance as Congress Considers MarketStructure Legislation On March 17, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued guidance addressing the application of federal securities law to certain types of crypto-assets and crypto-asset activities. The guidance was joined by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which in… by Jay B. Sykes | |
| 2026-04-02 | IN12674 | Posts | Private Credit Funds Redemption Restrictions: Market Context and Policy Issues Private credit generally refers to a type of lending provided by nonbank financial institutions, such as alternative asset managers of private funds, to small- and medium-sized private companies. Although this nearly $2 trillion U.S. market is a fraction of the more than $120 tri… by Eva Su | |
| 2026-04-01 | IN12304 | Posts | Revisions to Statistical Policy Directive No. 15: Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) oversees the collection of race and ethnicity data through Statistical Policy Directive (SPD) No. 15: Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity. SPD No. 15 intends to “ensure the comparabilit… by Taylor R. Knoedl | |
| 2026-04-01 | IN12676 | Posts | The 2026 Census Test: Overview and Recent Developments The U.S. Census Bureau begins planning for an upcoming decennial census of population and housing more than a decade prior to the census year. Part of this planning includes field tests designed to assess various operational features of the upcoming decennial census. For example,… by Taylor R. Knoedl | |
| 2026-03-31 | IN12677 | Posts | Parliamentary Elections in Nepal Overview
Nepal, a lower-middle income state in South Asia between India and the People’s Republic of China (PRC, or China), held parliamentary elections on March 5, 2026, six months after youth-led protests led to the resignation of Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli. Protestors exp… by Maria A. Blackwood | |
| 2026-03-30 | IN12675 | Posts | Collision at LaGuardia Airport Spotlights Long-standing Concerns Over Runway Safety On the night of March 22, 2026, a Jazz Aviation regional jet landing at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York, NY, struck a firefighting vehicle that had received air traffic control clearance to cross the active runway. The collision killed both pilots and injured a flight attenda… by Bart Elias | 3 |
| 2026-03-26 | IN12673 | Posts | Fixed Term and “For Cause” Removal Provisions Unless otherwise specified in law, presidential appointees to executive branch positions serve for an indeterminate period of time and can usually be removed by the President at any time for any reason (or no stated reason). Congress has periodically chosen to set a specific (or … by Henry B. Hogue, Todd Garvey | |
| 2026-03-26 | LSB11411 | Posts | United States v. Hasbajrami and the Warrant Requirement for Certain FISA 702 Queries Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) (50 U.S.C. § 1881a) governs domestic electronic surveillance targeting non-U.S. persons outside the United States. Under the statute, the Attorney General (AG) and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) “may aut… by Andreas Kuersten | |
| 2026-03-26 | LSB11412 | Posts | Schedule Policy/Career: 2026 Final Rule, Legal Challenges, and Issues for Lawmakers On February 6, 2026, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published a final rule and memorandum for the implementation of Schedule Policy/Career, an appointment classification in the excepted service of the federal civil service. As discussed in more detail below, employees i… by Jimmy Balser, Mainon A. Schwartz, Jon O. Shimabukuro | |
| 2026-03-26 | LSB11413 | Posts | Updates on Litigation over the IRS-ICE Information-Sharing Agreement On February 24, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (D.C. Circuit) affirmed the denial of a preliminary injunction that would have placed restrictions on information sharing pursuant to an agreement between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Immigration and C… by Justin C. Chung | |
| 2026-03-24 | IN12672 | Posts | Section 301 Investigation—Forced Labor and Import Policies of U.S. Trading Partners In March 2026, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) initiated an investigation, under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. §§2411–2420), into the “acts, policies, and practices” of 60 economies (representing 99% of all U.S. imports) related to their alleg… by Danielle M. Trachtenberg, Christopher A. Casey, Cathleen D. Cimino-Isaacs | |
| 2026-03-24 | LSB11410 | Posts | False Claims Act Enforcement Involving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs The Trump Administration has adopted the view that some “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) programs and policies illegally consider protected characteristics in violation of antidiscrimination laws, such as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) and Title IX of… by Madeline W. Donley, Victoria L. Killion | |
| 2026-03-23 | LSB11409 | Posts | Legal Authority for Export Controls and Tariffs on Semiconductor Chips Sold to China Semiconductor chips (also known as computer chips, microelectronic chips, or integrated circuits) have been a focus of U.S. export control policy for several years, partly due to concerns about the value that chips with artificial intelligence (AI) applications may have for malic… by Christopher T. Zirpoli, Jennifer K. Elsea | |
| 2026-03-20 | IN12671 | Posts | H.R. 6955: Main Street Capital Access Act On March 4, 2026, the House Financial Services Committee ordered H.R. 6955, as amended, to be reported. The bill contains a package of bank regulatory relief provisions that, among other things, aim to encourage new bank formation and update regulatory thresholds. This Insight pr… by Andrew P. Scott | |
| 2026-03-19 | LSB11407 | Posts | Litigation Over the Trump Administration’s Grant Terminations Since the beginning of President Trump’s second term, the Administration has paused payments under a number of existing grants and terminated billions of dollars’ worth of grant awards under a variety of different programs. The Administration’s explanations for the pauses and ter… by David H. Carpenter | |
| 2026-03-17 | LSB11405 | Posts | Education Department’s DEI Certification Requirement for Schools: Overview and Legal Challenges Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs that receive federal funding. On February 14, 2025, the Department of Education’s (ED’s) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a “Dear Colleague Letter” (DCL) t… by Jared P. Cole, Madeline W. Donley | |
| 2026-03-13 | LSB11404 | Posts | Congressional Court Watcher: Circuit Splits from February 2026 The U.S. Courts of Appeals for the thirteen “circuits” issue thousands of precedential decisions each year. Because relatively few of these decisions are ultimately reviewed by the Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals are often the last word on consequential legal questions.… by Michael John Garcia | |
| 2026-03-12 | IN12668 | Posts | U.S. Military Operations Against Iran: Munitions and Missile Defense Congress has expressed interest in the status of the U.S. military’s inventories of munitions (e.g., ammunition, bombs, missiles, torpedoes, anti-aircraft weapons, missile interceptors). Since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28, … by Hannah D. Dennis, Daniel M. Gettinger | |
| 2026-03-11 | IN12667 | Posts | The Trump Administration’s Cyber Strategy On March 6, 2026, the White House released President Trump’s Cyber Strategy for America (the strategy). The document builds upon earlier cyber-related actions and describe the Administration’s policies and postures on cybersecurity. This Insight describes these documents and prov… by Chris Jaikaran | |
| 2026-03-11 | LSB11402 | Posts | Trump Administration Actions to Curtail Offshore Wind Energy Development Meet Judicial Resistance In 2025 the Trump Administration took a number of actions that could affect the continued development and use of renewable energy resources, especially offshore wind energy projects. These actions, which include orders halting the development or operation of individual projects, … by Adam Vann | |
| 2026-03-11 | LSB11403 | Posts | International Agreements and Non-binding Instruments: The Case-Zablocki Act (Case Act) In the early 1970s, Congress passed legislation to address concerns that Presidents were increasingly bypassing the Article II treaty process by using executive agreements to make international legal commitments for the United States—sometimes without congressional involvement or… by Karen Sokol | |
| 2026-03-10 | IN10784 | Posts | National Flood Insurance Program Borrowing Authority This Insight evaluates the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) borrowing authority to receive loans from the Treasury and the current financial situation of the NFIP. On February 10, 2025, the NFIP borrowed $2 billion to pay NFIP claims. The debt is now $22.525 billion, with … by Diane P. Horn | |
| 2026-03-10 | LSB11367 | Posts | National Security Exclusions from the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statutes On March 27, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order that excluded 40 agencies and subdivisions from coverage under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute and the Foreign Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (individually and collectively k… by Jon O. Shimabukuro, Tamsin G. Harrington | |
| 2026-03-09 | IN12666 | Posts | Security of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)-Related Materials in the Iran Conflict: Considerations for Congress As U.S. military operations in Iran continue, Congress may examine how U.S. and partner forces plan to address potential loss of control by Iranian authorities of weapons of mass destruction (WMD)-related—or chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN)—materials and rel… by Mary Beth D. Nikitin | |
| 2026-03-09 | LSB11108 | Posts | The Second Amendment at the Supreme Court: Challenges to Federal Gun Laws Ratified in 1791, the Second Amendment provides, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” For over two hundred years, the Supreme Court remained largely silent on the scope … by Dave S. Sidhu, Dave S. Sidhu | |
| 2026-03-06 | IN12665 | Posts | U.S. Military Operations Against Iran’s Missile and Nuclear Programs On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran. The same day, President Donald J. Trump listed among the operation’s objectives preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, destroying Iran’s missiles, and “[razing] their missile i… by Daniel M. Gettinger, Paul K. Kerr | |
| 2026-03-04 | IN11053 | Posts | Redistricting Commissions for Congressional Districts Historically, state legislatures have determined congressional district boundaries, and this remains true in most states. The role of political actors in redistricting at times leads to concerns, by some, about conflicting incentives, if the process is used by incumbents to help … by Sarah J. Eckman | 6 |
| 2026-03-04 | LSB11401 | Posts | The United States’ Prosecution of Nicolás Maduro Moros: United States v. Maduro Following the seizure of Nicolás Maduro Moros (Maduro) by U.S. armed forces in Caracas, Venezuela, on January 3, 2026, a superseding indictment charging him and other defendants with narco-terrorism, narcotics, and weapons offenses was unsealed in the U.S. District Court for the … by Karen Sokol | |
| 2026-03-02 | IN11693 | Posts | The Budget Resolution and the Senate’s Automatic Discharge Process The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (the Budget Act) provides for the annual adoption of a concurrent resolution on the budget that establishes an agreement between the House and Senate on budgetary levels for the upcoming fiscal year (and at least four additional years). The bu… by James V. Saturno, Megan S. Lynch | |
| 2026-03-02 | IN12664 | Posts | Executive Office for Immigration Review Immigration Judge Staffing Issues Immigration judge (IJ) staffing at the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR; immigration courts) has long been insufficient to adjudicate its pending caseload and keep up with the receipt of new immigration cases, particularly removal… by Holly Straut-Eppsteiner | 2 |
| 2026-03-01 | IN12662 | Posts | U.S. and Israeli Military Operations Against Iran: Issues for Congress On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched military operations against targets in Iran. The United States and Iran had been engaged in talks over Iran’s nuclear program, amid broader U.S. concerns over Iran’s missile arsenal, terrorism, and support to armed group… by Clayton Thomas, Christopher M. Blanchard, Jeremy M. Sharp | 3 |
| 2026-02-27 | IN12661 | Posts | Law Enforcement and the Evolving Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Landscape As the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)—commonly referred to as drones—for both commercial and recreational purposes has increased, so too has law enforcement agencies’ use of this technology. Simultaneously, law enforcement has been concerned about the malicious use of dro… by Kristin Finklea | |
| 2026-02-27 | IN12663 | Posts | Elections in Bangladesh Overview
On February 12, 2025, Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority South Asian country of 174 million, held parliamentary elections and a concurrent referendum. Sixty-nine percent of voters endorsed the July National Charter, which proposed changes to “reconstruct the state on the foun… by Maria A. Blackwood | 1 |
| 2026-02-27 | LSB11400 | Posts | Does Federal Law Preempt Negligent Selection Claims Against Freight Brokers? In the trucking industry, freight brokers serve as intermediaries that match clients who have cargo to ship with trucking companies that provide trucks and drivers to complete the shipment. When a truck crash involves a trucking company selected by a freight broker, injured parti… by Bryan L. Adkins | |
| 2026-02-25 | LSB11399 | Posts | Congressional Court Watcher: Circuit Splits from January 2026 The U.S. Courts of Appeals for the thirteen “circuits” issue thousands of precedential decisions each year. Because relatively few of these decisions are ultimately reviewed by the Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals are often the last word on consequential legal questions.… by Michael John Garcia | |
| 2026-02-23 | LSB11398 | Posts | Supreme Court Rules Against Tariffs Imposed Under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump and Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc., two appeals concerning tariffs President Trump had imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). In an opinion auth… by Christopher T. Zirpoli | |
| 2026-02-18 | IN12659 | Posts | U.S. District Court Nominees Confirmed During the First Year of the Second Trump Presidency: Comparative Overview and Statistics This Insight provides information related to the number of U.S. district court nominees confirmed during the first calendar year of the second Trump presidency (2025), as well as information about the number of district court nominees confirmed during the first years of other pre… by Barry J. McMillion | |
| 2026-02-17 | IN12320 | Posts | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Standard Mileage Rates The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides standard mileage rates as optional methods for taxpayers to substantiate their transportation expenses. This Insight reviews how the standard mileage rates are set, who uses them, and a history of the rates.
Who Uses the Standard Mileag… by Anthony A. Cilluffo, Brendan McDermott | |
| 2026-02-17 | IN12657 | Posts | FDA Oversight of General Wellness Products General wellness products, and particularly noninvasive, wearable sensing technologies, have proliferated in recent years. These products may be used for a variety of wellness applications, include products like smartwatches and rings, and increasingly include multiple functions … by Amanda K. Sarata | |
| 2026-02-13 | IN12658 | Posts | Burma’s Election and Possible U.S. Revocation of Temporary Protected Status Against the backdrop of ongoing conflicts across much of Burma (also known as Myanmar), the country’s military government conducted a three-phase national election for national and regional parliaments that concluded on January 25, 2026. Military-backed parties, headed by the Uni… by Ben Dolven | |
| 2026-02-13 | LSB11326 | Posts | Federal Prosecutorial Discretion: A Brief Overview From broad law enforcement priorities embraced by different presidential Administrations to individual choices by Department of Justice (DOJ) attorneys about what charges to bring in specific cases, the executive branch wields broad discretion in how to enforce federal criminal l… by Cassandra J. Barnum | |
| 2026-02-13 | LSB11397 | Posts | Ellingburg v. United States: Supreme Court Holds Criminal Restitution Statute Punitive for Purposes of the Ex Post Facto Clause On January 20, 2026, the Supreme Court decided Ellingburg v. United States, holding that criminal restitution under the Mandatory Victim Restitution Act (MVRA) is a criminal punishment for purposes of the Constitution’s Ex Post Facto Clause. This Legal Sidebar discusses the Supre… by Joanna R. Lampe | |
| 2026-02-12 | IN12484 | Posts | Reauthorizing the Defense Production Act The Defense Production Act of 1950, or DPA (P.L. 81-774; 50 U.S.C. §§4501 et seq.), “provides the President with an array of authorities to shape national defense preparedness programs and to take appropriate steps to maintain and enhance the domestic industrial base.” From its i… by Adam G. Levin, Alexandra G. Neenan, Alexandra G. Neenan | |
| 2026-02-12 | IN12564 | Posts | Statutory PAYGO and Budget Reconciliation Legislation This Insight provides a brief overview of statutory PAYGO, its application to reconciliation legislation, and the ways in which it has been addressed in relation to previously enacted budget reconciliation legislation.
Overview of PAYGO
In 2010, the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act o… by Megan S. Lynch, James V. Saturno | |
| 2026-02-12 | IN12655 | Posts | Financial Stability and Economic Growth The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), an interagency council headed by the Treasury Secretary and composed primarily of financial regulators, has been tasked with monitoring and mitigating systemic risks to financial stability. (For background, see CRS Report R48739, … by Marc Labonte | |
| 2026-02-12 | LSB11394 | Posts | Supreme Court Upholds Warrantless Entry in Emergency Aid Case On January 14, 2026, the Supreme Court in Case v. Montana resolved when, under the Fourth Amendment, law enforcement may enter a home without a warrant to render aid in response to a public safety emergency inside. Prior to the decision, federal appeals courts and state courts of… by Dave S. Sidhu, Cassandra J. Barnum |