With the number of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans already at 1.6 million, soldiers’ advocates say a new U.S. health care crisis looms.  

The U.S. Farm Bill arouses criticism that it is counterproductive and detrimental to global trade interests. But Congress is expected to renew it soon.

A Wisconsin congressman says the time is ripe to reform the massive farm bill to make U.S. farmers more independent and competitive

Listen to experts discuss suggested measures the U.S. government could take to react to and function after a catostrophic event in the nation's capital.

Shannon O’Neil, CFR’s Mexico expert, says Washington’s $1.4 billion multiyear plan to bolster Mexico’s crackdown on drug and criminal rings, while drawing criticism, is likely to win congressional approval. 

Charles Kupchan and Peter Trubowitz write that “the greatest challenge facing the next president will be bringing the nation’s foreign policy back into balance with its political will,” in the Los Angeles Times.

The odds are high that humans will warm Earth’s climate to worrisome levels during the coming century. Policy makers in the United States, which historically has produced more CO₂ emissions than any other nation while doing relatively little to tame the flow, can in particular learn much about creating viable carbon-cutting markets by studying Europe’s recent experience. In this Scientific American article, David Victor and Danny Cullenward offer several concrete suggestions on how the U.S. should go about constructing an effective national climate policy.

Aside from Iraq, Congress will be the scene of likely sparring over initiatives on domestic surveillance, Guantanamo detainees, energy security, and trade.

Since the Democrats regained control of Congress, the Hill has been alive with the sound of hearings. Congress' earlier slumber and recent awakening should come as no surprise: for the last six decades, the partisan composition of Congress has defined the politics of war. Now facing a Democratic majority, President George W. Bush will find it far more difficult to stay in Iraq.

This special report from the United States Institute of Peace says that Iraq’s neighbors are playing a major role—both positive and negative—in the country’s worsening crisis, and reviews the interests and influence of the countries surrounding Iraq and the impact on U.S. bilateral relations.

U.S. and Iraqi lawmakers prepare to recess with little sign of compromise on critical Iraq policy issues.