DoD – Council on Strategic Risks

Changing Tone, Shifting Priorities and Continuing Progress: Lessons from a House Armed Services Committee Hearing under the New Republican Majority

by Courtney TIllmanMarch 13, 2023March 13, 2023Leave a comment

On February 28, 2023, the Readiness Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee held its first hearing of the new Congress, with new Chairman Mike Waltz (R-FL) presiding, a handful of new Members joining the Subcommittee, and a newly minted Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and Environment, Brendan Owens, joining his service counterparts to discuss the installations portfolio. While the hearing was held in advance of the submission of the President’s Budget Request, there was still much to learn both from new voices and from old voices in new roles.

Unpacking the Pentagon’s $3.1 Billion Climate Request

by Francesco Femia and Caitlin WerrellMay 5, 2022May 4, 2022Leave a comment

By John Conger On March 28, the U.S. Federal Budget request for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY2023) was released, officially kicking off the Congressional budget season and the ensuing posture testimonies, staffer briefs, and associated deep dives into the details of…

New Pentagon Inspector General Report on Climate Resilience in the Arctic: Key Takeaways

by Francesco Femia and Caitlin WerrellApril 21, 2022April 19, 2022Leave a comment

By Erin Sikorsky Last week, the Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General (IG) released a new report evaluating the climate resilience of US military bases in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic that provides a revealing glimpse of some of the challenges…

RELEASE: Top Experts Release Handbook for Ending Catastrophic Biological Risks

by Francesco Femia and Caitlin WerrellDecember 20, 2021December 20, 2021Leave a comment

December 20, 2021, Washington, DC - In a time of daily confusion in the public discourse on the current pandemic, the Janne E. Nolan Center on Strategic Weapons, an institute of the Council on Strategic Risks (CSR), is releasing A…

The U.S. Department of Defense Releases its Climate Adaptation Plan

by Francesco Femia and Caitlin WerrellOctober 7, 2021October 7, 2021Leave a comment

Today, the U.S. Federal Government released Climate Adaptation Plans from all of its agencies. The Department of Defense (DoD) plan can be found here, as well as a statement from Secretary of Defense Austin and the DoD press release. It’s…

BRIEFER: Key U.S. Initiatives for Addressing Biological Threats Part 3 – The Biological Threat Reduction Program

by Francesco Femia and Caitlin WerrellAugust 10, 2021September 10, 2021Leave a comment

By Bill Beaver, Christine Parthemore, and Dr. Nikki Teran Today the Nolan Center, an institute of the Council on Strategic Risks, is releasing a briefer on the future of a key yet little-known U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) program for…

The Pentagon Previews Climate Adaptation Plan in Congressional Hearing

by Francesco Femia and Caitlin WerrellAugust 6, 2021August 8, 2021Leave a comment

By John Conger On July 14, 2021, the Readiness Subcommittee of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee held a virtual hearing on the installations and environment portfolios of the Department of Defense (DoD). The witnesses were: Paul Cramer, the Acting…

Climate Security: A Tale of Two Defense Hearings

by Francesco Femia and Caitlin WerrellJune 3, 2021May 31, 2021Leave a comment

An aerial view of Offutt Air Force Base affected by major flood waters March 17, 2019. (U.S. Air Force photo by TSgt. Rachelle Blake) By John Conger Sometimes you want to hear from the very top, and sometimes you want…

BRIEFER – Definitions Matter: The Role of WMD in Shaping U.S. National Security Strategy

by Francesco Femia and Caitlin WerrellApril 5, 2021April 11, 20211 Comment

By Natasha E. Bajema To develop its national security strategy, the U.S. government typically formulates a set of agreed definitions and concepts about the current threat environment to help delineate top priorities. Once established, these impose clarity on mission spaces,…

U.S. Congress: Bipartisan Support for Investments in Combating Climate Change at the Department of Defense

by Francesco Femia and Caitlin WerrellMarch 19, 2021March 18, 2021Leave a comment

Sherri Goodman, Chair of the Council on Strategic Risks, speaks to the House Appropriations Committee's Defense Subcommittee, March 17, 2021 By John Conger As the Fiscal Year 2022 budget is discussed within the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), a budget…