Congressional Resources

Informing the Public Debate

RAND informs policymakers with research and analysis that is relevant to current Congressional agendas, providing knowledge that is trusted for its objectivity, comprehensiveness, and enduring value.

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Congressional Relations at RAND

RAND Congressional Resources offers an easy way for policymakers to access research and analysis that is relevant to current Congressional agendas. You will find:

Guide to the RAND Corporation: A Resource for Lawmakers
Testimony by RAND staff
Summaries of upcoming and past Briefings to Congress
Easy-to-read Newsletters on topics such as child policy, health, education, national security, terrorism, and more.
A comprehensive Public Policy Experts Guide

Defense in an Age of Austerity

NATO Forces Approach Financial Day of Reckoning

At a time when the United States is expecting its European allies to shoulder more of the burden of defending Europe and its interests, all members of NATO must learn to do more with less.

U.S. Forces Face Strategic Trade-Offs

In the face of economic uncertainties and growing pressures to reduce defense spending, the United States must choose among alternative force postures, each of which has advantages and drawbacks.

U.S. Defense Department Needs to Set Priorities, Weigh Risks

While not advocating further defense cuts, RAND researchers offer three strategies to cut roughly $400-$500 billion from U.S. defense programs over the next decade without crippling the force.

New This Month

Upcoming Event

RAND Behavioral Finance Forum 2013 — May 31, 2013

The BeFi Public Policy Roundtable brings together the brightest minds in behavioral finance to discuss research that combines behavioral science and cognitive psychology with economics and finance.

Terrorist Threat to the United States from Syria Will Likely Increase — May 22, 2013

Syria is attracting a growing cadre of foreign fighters from the West, who could potentially return home with the capability to conduct attacks against the United States and its allies, says Seth Jones.

Testimony

The Cost of Dementia: Who Will Pay? — May 15, 2013

Couple reviewing finances with an advisor

The critical task of designing and building a program to protect Americans from the cost of dementia care most likely will require the help of the federal government. The average annual cost per case for dementia in 2010 was between $41,000 and $56,000.

What Will Immigration Reform Look Like? — May 14, 2013

As Congress debates immigration reform, how to measure border security is just one of many issues to consider. For instance, the passage of immigration enforcement laws by Arizona and other states raises the potential for state and local law enforcement agencies to be accused of racial profiling when enforcing immigration laws.

May Is Mental Health Awareness Month — May 2, 2013

With the arrival of Mental Health Awareness Month, Members of Congress may be looking for ideas for policy proposals to improve the nation's mental health care system. RAND conducts research on trauma, mental health and gun violence, and post-traumatic stress among military veterans.

Syria Used Chemical Weapons—How Will the U.S. Respond? — May 2, 2013

RAND's Christopher Chivvis has noted that Syria's chemical threat goes beyond the immediate battlefield. In a recent USA Today interview, he says that U.S. military intervention to corral chemical weapons could be risky. A more likely response is that the United States would begin training and arming rebel forces.

Recent Findings

Blog

Research Is a Fundamental Component of Suicide Prevention — May 24, 2013

While our research has taught us many things about suicide prevention we think additional research is critically needed in two areas, writes Rajeev Ramchand. The first is gun control. The second area is the quality of behavioral health care available to those who need it.

Blog

NHS 24/7: An Effective Way to Improve Quality of Care? — May 24, 2013

UK nurse taking a woman's blood pressure

There are proposals to have England's National Health Service offer non-emergency service on weekends. Since there is a strong association between the health and well-being of staff and the quality of patient care, 24/7 working could have unintended consequences for patients.

Periodical

Dementia's Mounting Toll on the U.S. Economy — May 24, 2013

Dementia costs Americans hundreds of billions of dollars per year, and the annual cost could top half a trillion by 2040 due to the “graying” of the U.S. population. This infographic shows the soaring economic costs and caseload of dementia.

Full Document

Blog

Applying What Works to Reduce Non-Urgent Emergency Department Use — May 22, 2013

It is likely that communities with low rates of non-urgent ED use not only have better access to primary care, but patients who are educated about appropriate care seeking and convenient alternatives for acute care, writes Lori Uscher-Pines.

Blog

How to Arm Syria's Rebels — May 22, 2013

What is required in Syria now is a program like the one the United States established in the mid-1990s to train and equip the armed forces of the Bosnian Federation, writes Angel Rabasa.

Blog Post

Multimedia

Mapping Egyptian Politics: Where Is Egypt Heading and What Does That Mean for the United States? — Mar 22, 2013

In the March 2013 Congressional Briefing, Jeffrey Martini, a Middle East analyst at RAND, discusses data from Egyptian elections in the post-Mubarak era. After his presentation, he is joined for a panel discussion by Michele Dunn from the Atlantic Council and Samer S. Shehata from Georgetown University.

Adapting to Climate Change on the Coast: Lessons from Louisiana for Federal Policy — Jan 23, 2013

In this January 2013 Congressional Briefing, Jordan Fischbach discusses how RAND helped Louisiana develop its 2012 Coastal Master Plan and key lessons that can make other communities more resilient in the face of natural disasters.

Skin in the Game: How Consumer-Directed Health Plans Can Affect the Cost and Use of Health Care — Dec 10, 2012

In this December 2012 Congressional Briefing, Amelia Haviland presents the results of several RAND studies on cost and quality in consumer-directed health plans, including how a switch to such plans may affect the quality of health care for participating families.

What Are the Prospects for Democratization in the Arab World? — Oct 10, 2012

In this October 2012 Congressional Briefing, Laurel Miller and Jeffrey Martini discuss the challenges to democratization that Arab countries are likely to face in coming years and how the international community can help overcome such challenges.

Marijuana Legalization: What We Know and What We Don't — Jul 17, 2012

In this July 2012 Congressional Briefing, researchers from the RAND Drug Policy Research Center discuss marijuana legalization, how it differs from decriminalization, its possible consequences, and federal response to state initiatives.

Prisoner Reentry and Public Health: Is Your State Ready? — Jun 21, 2012

In this June 2012 Congressional Briefing, Lois Davis discusses the health care needs of prisoners who reenter the general population; the roles that health care providers, other social services, and family members play in successful reentry; and recommendations for improving access to care for this population in the current fiscal environment.

How to Defuse Iran's Nuclear Threat: Bolster Diplomacy, Israeli Security, and the Iranian Citizenry — Jun 7, 2012

In this June 2012 Congressional Briefing, a panel of RAND experts—Lynn Davis, James Dobbins, and Alireza Nader—discuss nuclear negotiations and the long-term prospects for Iranian relations with Israel and the United States.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act: Maintaining Accountability and Nurturing Innovation Through a Reauthorized ESEA — May 22, 2012

In this May 2012 briefing, RAND experts offer recommendations on ways to strengthen the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in light of a renewed push in Congress for reauthorization.

Information Sharing for Cyber-Security: Evidence from Europe — May 7, 2012

In this May 2012 Congressional Briefing, Neil Robinson presented evidence from empirical studies conducted in Europe regarding cyber-security and information exchange, specifically between organizations such as information sharing and analysis centers, computer emergency response teams, and cyber-crime police.

The Outlook for U.S.-Russian Relations in Putin's Third Term — Apr 11, 2012

In this April 2012 Congressional Panel Briefing, Andrew Weiss, director of the RAND Center for Russia and Eurasia, moderates a discussion on the future of U.S. - Russian relationships during Putin's third term. Panelists include Ambassador Stephen Sestanovich (Council on Foreign Relations), Leon Aron (American Enterprise Institute), and Edward Verona (U.S.-Russia Business Council).

Defense Spending Efficiencies — Mar 29, 2012

On March 29, Congressman Adam Smith, Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, discussed the federal budget deficit and its likely impact on national security programs.

Cyberdeterrence and Cyberwar — Feb 22, 2012

In this February 2012 Congressional Briefing, Martin Libicki discusses why traditional warfighting techniques cannot be blindly applied to cyberspace, and actions the United States can take to protect itself in the event of a cyberattack.

More Congressional Briefings Multimedia

Congressional Resources

Informing the Public Debate

RANDom Fact:

Congressional Relations at RAND

RAND Congressional Resources offers an easy way for policymakers to access research and analysis that is relevant to current Congressional agendas. You will find:

Defense in an Age of Austerity

NATO Forces Approach Financial Day of Reckoning

U.S. Forces Face Strategic Trade-Offs

U.S. Defense Department Needs to Set Priorities, Weigh Risks

New This Month

Upcoming Event

RAND Behavioral Finance Forum 2013 — May 31, 2013

Terrorist Threat to the United States from Syria Will Likely Increase — May 22, 2013

The Cost of Dementia: Who Will Pay? — May 15, 2013

What Will Immigration Reform Look Like? — May 14, 2013

May Is Mental Health Awareness Month — May 2, 2013

Syria Used Chemical Weapons—How Will the U.S. Respond? — May 2, 2013

Recent Findings

Research Is a Fundamental Component of Suicide Prevention — May 24, 2013

NHS 24/7: An Effective Way to Improve Quality of Care? — May 24, 2013

Dementia's Mounting Toll on the U.S. Economy — May 24, 2013

Applying What Works to Reduce Non-Urgent Emergency Department Use — May 22, 2013

How to Arm Syria's Rebels — May 22, 2013

Multimedia

Mapping Egyptian Politics: Where Is Egypt Heading and What Does That Mean for the United States? — Mar 22, 2013

Adapting to Climate Change on the Coast: Lessons from Louisiana for Federal Policy — Jan 23, 2013

Skin in the Game: How Consumer-Directed Health Plans Can Affect the Cost and Use of Health Care — Dec 10, 2012

What Are the Prospects for Democratization in the Arab World? — Oct 10, 2012

Marijuana Legalization: What We Know and What We Don't — Jul 17, 2012

Prisoner Reentry and Public Health: Is Your State Ready? — Jun 21, 2012

How to Defuse Iran's Nuclear Threat: Bolster Diplomacy, Israeli Security, and the Iranian Citizenry — Jun 7, 2012

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act: Maintaining Accountability and Nurturing Innovation Through a Reauthorized ESEA — May 22, 2012

Information Sharing for Cyber-Security: Evidence from Europe — May 7, 2012

The Outlook for U.S.-Russian Relations in Putin's Third Term — Apr 11, 2012

Defense Spending Efficiencies — Mar 29, 2012

Cyberdeterrence and Cyberwar — Feb 22, 2012

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Congressional Resources

Informing the Public Debate

RANDom Fact:

Congressional Relations at RAND

RAND Congressional Resources offers an easy way for policymakers to access research and analysis that is relevant to current Congressional agendas. You will find:

Defense in an Age of Austerity

NATO Forces Approach Financial Day of Reckoning

U.S. Forces Face Strategic Trade-Offs

U.S. Defense Department Needs to Set Priorities, Weigh Risks

New This Month

Upcoming Event

RAND Behavioral Finance Forum 2013 — May 31, 2013

Terrorist Threat to the United States from Syria Will Likely Increase — May 22, 2013

The Cost of Dementia: Who Will Pay? — May 15, 2013

What Will Immigration Reform Look Like? — May 14, 2013

May Is Mental Health Awareness Month — May 2, 2013

Syria Used Chemical Weapons—How Will the U.S. Respond? — May 2, 2013

Recent Findings

Research Is a Fundamental Component of Suicide Prevention — May 24, 2013

NHS 24/7: An Effective Way to Improve Quality of Care? — May 24, 2013

Dementia's Mounting Toll on the U.S. Economy — May 24, 2013

Applying What Works to Reduce Non-Urgent Emergency Department Use — May 22, 2013

How to Arm Syria's Rebels — May 22, 2013

Multimedia

Mapping Egyptian Politics: Where Is Egypt Heading and What Does That Mean for the United States? — Mar 22, 2013

Adapting to Climate Change on the Coast: Lessons from Louisiana for Federal Policy — Jan 23, 2013

Skin in the Game: How Consumer-Directed Health Plans Can Affect the Cost and Use of Health Care — Dec 10, 2012

What Are the Prospects for Democratization in the Arab World? — Oct 10, 2012

Marijuana Legalization: What We Know and What We Don't — Jul 17, 2012

Prisoner Reentry and Public Health: Is Your State Ready? — Jun 21, 2012

How to Defuse Iran's Nuclear Threat: Bolster Diplomacy, Israeli Security, and the Iranian Citizenry — Jun 7, 2012

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act: Maintaining Accountability and Nurturing Innovation Through a Reauthorized ESEA — May 22, 2012

Information Sharing for Cyber-Security: Evidence from Europe — May 7, 2012

The Outlook for U.S.-Russian Relations in Putin's Third Term — Apr 11, 2012

Defense Spending Efficiencies — Mar 29, 2012

Cyberdeterrence and Cyberwar — Feb 22, 2012

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