The following is the July 29, 2021, Congressional Research Service report, Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress. The aircraft carriers CVN-78, CVN-79, CVN-80, and CVN-81 are the first four ships in the Navy’s new Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs). The Navy’s proposed FY2022 budget requests $2,659.5 million (i.e., about $2.7 billion) in procurement funding for CVN-78 class ships, including $291.0 million for CVN-79, $1,068.7 million for CVN-80, and $1,299.8 million for CVN-81. CVN-78 (Gerald R. Ford) was procured in FY2008...

On November 27, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) released its primer to understanding smart contracts, with a reminder that the technology is covered under financial rules. The primer is part of agency’s fintech initiative LabCFTC. Described as an “educational tool” rather than official policy, it covers the basics of blockchain smart contracts including their history, characteristics, case studies, potential use cases and perceived risks. Stating that the concept of a smart contract...