Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade: Key Issues for the 108th Congress (Congressional Research Service)

Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade: Key Issues for the 108th Congress

Congressional Research Service Report for Congress

...The 108th Congress will be faced early on with a number of pressing foreign
affairs, defense, and trade issues. This report provides background information on
the issues most likely to be taken up in the first session, analyzes the congressional
role in shaping U.S. policy on these key issues, and lists CRS products that provide
more detailed discussion and analysis.
The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon dramatically
altered the U.S. political environment, pushing issues of war and homeland security
to the top of the policy agenda. Of particular concern to Congress will be the
progress of the ongoing war on terrorism, a possible war with Iraq, the unfolding
crisis with North Korea, and dealing with the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction (WMD) and missiles. Each of these topics receives particular attention
in this report.
This report also describes foreign policy tools that the 108th Congress will
consider in dealing with a wide range of foreign policy challenges affecting U.S.
interests around the globe. It discusses major foreign economic and security
assistance programs which Congress may consider funding, including the
Millennium Challenge Account, global HIV/AIDS programs, humanitarian aid to
Afghanistan, counter-terrorism activities in Southeast Asia and Africa, and possible
reconstruction and humanitarian assistance in Iraq. It examines how U.S. relations
with NATO and policies toward countries such as Iraq, Iran, North Korea, China,
Russia, and Pakistan may affect U.S. counter-terrorism and non-proliferation efforts.
Other issues covered include potential global flash points – such as the Israel-
Palestinian conflict, China-Taiwan relations, and the Balkans – and U.S. concerns in
Latin America, such as drug trafficking.....

Congressional Research Service

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) serves shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. CRS experts assist at every stage of the legislative process — from the early considerations that precede bill drafting, through committee hearings and floor debate, to the oversight of enacted laws and various agency activities.

CRS's analytic capabilities integrate multiple disciplines and research methodologies. In a fast-paced, ever-changing environment, CRS provides Congress with the vital, analytical support it needs to address the most complex public policy issues facing the nation. Its work incorporates program and legislative expertise, quantitative methodologies, and legal and economic analysis.