Military Changes to the Unified Command Plan: Background and Issues for Congress

Publication Date: June 1999

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

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Research Area: Military and defense

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Abstract:

Changing threats to U.S. national security concern Members and committees in Congress; terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, national missile defense, and space issues are new challenges the Department of Defense faces. A key tool to address these concerns has been the Unified Command Plan (UCP), which organizes U.S. military forces geographically and functionally for activities in peace and war. Congress has played a role in shaping this executive document in the past, and may wish to do so again in the future. This report describes the UCP, relevant past legislation, emerging threats, and options and issues for Congress. For discussion of U.S. forces under multinational command arrangements, see CRS Report 94-887, U.S. Forces and Multinational Commands: PDD-25 and Precedents. This report may be updated as events warrant.