The Obama administration's compromise tax deal with Senate Republicans highlights ongoing debate about potential tradeoffs between tackling U.S. debt and bolstering the U.S. economic recovery.

Michael A. Levi discusses the New START treaty.

John B. Bellinger III argues that the 112th Congress must update and clarify the legal authority for U.S. military and intelligence agencies to kill and detain terrorists who threaten the United States.

Richard N. Haass says that while foreign policy did not materially affect the mid-term elections, the results will influence U.S. foreign policy in inconsistent and even surprising ways.

Dana H. Allin and Steven Simon argue that while the "tea party" agenda in the midterm election focused largely on domestic issues, Republican gains in Congress fueled by the movement will have profound foreign policy consequences.

Leslie H. Gelb says Republican opposition to the New START Treaty endangers national security.

Congress has been steadily failing in its responsibilities on national security issues, says CFR's Kay King, and its new leadership should reform over-politicized rules and procedures as a first step.

Kay King offers recommendations to reset congressional rules, practices, and procedures to address today's dysfunctional Congress and restore it as a full partner to the executive branch in advancing U.S. national security interests.

This series of Backgrounders examines foreign policy issues in light of the 2010 midterm elections.

The economic climate and border security concerns have fueled the immigration debate in the U.S. congressional elections. This Backgrounder examines races where immigration is playing a role and the potential for reform legislation in the next Congress.

Bryan Walsh examines the reasons behind Congress' failure to pass a cap and trade bill in this TIME blog post.

David S. Abraham says the U.S. Congress contributed to the Gulf oil spill by undermining offshore safety and encouraging risky drilling.

Healthcare reform has been seen internationally as a test of President Obama's mettle, writes CFR's global health expert Laurie Garrett, and GOP challenges will force it to be a White House preoccupation until after the November elections.

In a New York Times op-ed, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, former director of the Congressional Budget Office from 2003 to 2005, argues that information claiming the health care bill will save $138 billion dollars is skewed by accounting gimmickry and budgetary games, and laying out his own math, contends the reforms will instead raise deficits by $562 billion.

Robert Carroll of the Tax Foundation outlines the importance of tax deferral and low corporate tax rates for U.S. companies operating abroad to maintain competitiveness, as the provision of tax deferral is targeted for repeal by critics in Congress.

Thank you for the opportunity to present my views on Afghanistan today. Last week, in his speech at West Point, President Obama presented the Administration's strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. His decision came after an intensive, deliberate and far-reaching review of conditions, risks and options available. The course he outlined offers the best path to stabilize Afghanistan and to ensure al Qaeda and other terrorist groups cannot regain a foothold to plan new attacks against our country or our allies. I fully support this approach. It has been welcomed by the Afghan government, which said it will spare no effort to achieve the strategy's key objectives. I hope it will be welcomed here in Congress.

General McChristal talks about the U.S. commitment in Afghanistan.

Listen to Representative Edward J. Markey, Chair, Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming; Chair, Energy and Environment Subcommittee, Energy and Commerce Committee, U.S. House of Representatives (D-MA), deliver his insight into the interplay between domestic and international action on climate change.

This session was part of a CFR symposium, Countdown to Copenhagen: What's Next for Climate Change?, which was made possible through generous support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Alcoa Foundation, and the Robina Foundation.

Listen to Senator John F. Kerry deliver a congressional perspective on U.S. policy and the current situation in Afghanistan as the administration continues to review its strategy in the region.

At a CFR meeting, U.S. Senator John Kerry opposed a major troop increase in Afghanistan, stressing the need for developing the country's security forces and governing capacity.