Elaine McCusker gives three reasons this week’s debt-ceiling deal is good news for America’s national defense and one reason it’s not. McCusker explains how the deal not only safeguards America’s economy, security, and reputation but also removes legislative delays in appropriations and “arbitrary requirements linking defense and non-defense spending.” The deal’s biggest drawback, she says, is its low defense spending caps.

Marc A. Thiessen presents the “America First” case for supporting Ukraine in 10 compelling points. From deterring China’s aggression to strengthening our defense industrial base, Thiessen argues that conservatives focused on US national interests have clear reasons to get behind US aid to Ukraine.

Questionable government data have impeded research into the problem of homelessness in America. Breaking through this impasse, Bruce D. Meyer, Kevin Corinth, and Angela Wyse evaluate federal datasets and develop a new approach to estimating the size of the US homeless population living in shelters. The coauthors also provide a rough estimate of the homeless population living on the streets.

In a new report from AEI’s Critical Threats Project, Nicholas Carl analyzes Iran’s alarming pivot toward preparing for offensive warfare. Carl warns that “Iran is building an increasingly capable and cohesive coalition of state security services and foreign militias” to adapt to modern threats and expand its regional influence.

Philip Wallach’s Why Congress (Oxford University Press, 2023) came out on May 30. Embracing the founders’ vision for a deliberative legislature, Wallach reveals the history of Congress’s institutional strength, how it was weakened, and how it might be restored. Get the book now to read Wallach’s comprehensive case for revitalizing Congress.