{
  "id": "RL32704",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL32704",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 102215,
      "date": "2004-12-27",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-07T20:00:47.985216",
      "title": "Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade: Key Issues for the 109th Congress",
      "summary": "The 109th Congress will likely address a number of pressing foreign affairs, defense and trade\nissues. \nThis report identifies the issues most likely to be taken up in the first session, and provides\ninformation and analysis to support Congress in shaping U.S. policy on these key issues. The report\nalso provides lists of selected CRS products that provide more detailed analysis.\n  Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress has increasingly been confronted\nwith issues relating to the war on terrorism and homeland security. Congress will likely be\nparticularly interested in the cost and progress of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan,\nincluding reconstruction efforts, the ongoing war against terrorism in other parts of the world,\nMiddle East stability and peace initiatives, Asian security, and the proliferation of weapons of mass\ndestruction. Each of these topics receives particular attention in this report.\n  In addition to identifying key foreign policy challenges affecting U.S. interests around the\n globe,\nthis report also describes the various means, both legislative and oversight, by which Congress will\nlikely shape U.S. policy. Major decisions relating to foreign economic and security programs are\ndiscussed in the context of authorization legislation, and annual appropriation and supplemental\nappropriation requests, including ongoing military operations, reconstruction efforts, global health\nprograms, and global counter-terrorism activities. The report also examines how U.S. relations with\ncountries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Africa may affect U.S. interests such\nas counterterrorism, non-proliferation, and counter-narcotic programs. It identifies possible flash\npoints -- the Korean Peninsula, Iran, Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts -- that may arise during the year. \n  Defense issues will likely be topics of considerable interest in the 109th Congress, including\nproviding the proper level of funding for current military operations, guiding Department of Defense\n\"transformation\" initiatives, setting priorities on major weapons systems, and determining the proper\nsize of military forces. Other defense issues covered include base realignment and closure and\noverseas basing requirements, special operations forces, ballistic missile defense, military personnel\nissues, and defense business operations.\n  The 109th Congress likely will be faced with an extensive trade agenda which will include the\npossible renewal of the President's trade promotion authority and consideration of bilateral free trade\nagreements with Bahrain, the nations of the Central American Common Market, and the Dominican\nRepublic, as well as the monitoring of ongoing free trade negotiations with a number of other\nnations. Other trade issues covered in the report include World Trade Organization related\nlegislation, the end of textile and apparel quotas, trade deficit concerns, and efforts to rewrite and\nreauthorize the Export Administration Act. This report will not be updated.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
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          "encoding": null,
          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL32704",
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          "images": null
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      ],
      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "African Affairs",
    "Asian Affairs",
    "Economic Policy",
    "European Affairs",
    "Foreign Affairs",
    "Industry and Trade",
    "Intelligence and National Security",
    "Latin American Affairs",
    "Middle Eastern Affairs",
    "National Defense"
  ]
}