Welcome to the next summary of recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports and primers on a range of defense, weapon system, acquisition, sustainment, and product support topics. Several recent issuances of potential interest to the defense acquisition workforce community since our end-of-September DAU LOG Blog post include:

• Navy Virginia-Class Submarine Program and AUKUS Submarine Proposal: Background and Issues for Congress (Oct 12)
• The U.S. Defense Industrial Base: Background and Issues for Congress (Oct 12)
• Defense Primer: Department of the Navy (Oct 10)
• The Defense Production Act of 1950: History, Authorities, and Considerations for Congress (Oct 6)
• Great Power Competition: Implications for Defense: Issues for Congress (Oct 3)
• Navy Columbia-Class Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress (Oct 2)

As regular DAU LOG Blog readers are likely aware, when we share these bi-monthly highlights of their reports (and particularly for those not familiar with the CRS), we like to include a reminder that the organization “…serves as nonpartisan shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.”

Photo courtesy of the Architect of the Capitol