U.S. Congress

Blocking the Sunshine

Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on

A recent study by the National Security Archive of George Washington University finds that U.S. government agencies are stalling on public requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act. Five U.S. agencies — the State Department, the C.I.A., the criminal division of the Justice Department, the Air Force and the F.B.I.

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Main Source: 
National Security Archive
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U.S. Congress
Democracy
Secrecy
U.S. Government

Senate Dems Will Keep Pressing for Withdrawal; Some Pro-Withdrawal GOP Senators Not Voting That Way

When the dust settled after Tuesday night's filibuster, the Senate appeared to be basically where it was the day before; Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) tabled the controversial measure to set timelines for the withdrawal of most American troops from Iraq and the legislators went home to get some sleep before preparing to take up other business. Looking back just a year, however, it becomes clear an inexorable momentum has started to build in that chamber towards using its power of the purse (i.e.

Coming Up This Week in Congress: Iraq, Energy, and Labor

The House and Senate are in session this week, with both chambers expected to debate and consider several important bills and resolutions. Highlights include:

  1. An amendment, sponsored by Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), which would mandate that U.S. troops begin leaving Iraq within 120 days and have only a "limited presence" in the country by Apr. 1, 2008.
  2. An amendment, sponsored by Sens. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) and John Warner (R-Va.), which would direct the Bush administration to file a report to Congress detailing an exit strategy from Iraq by Oct. 16, 2007.
  • The Senate is expected to consider a bill, sponsored by Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), which would call for the implementation of the Iraq Study Group's 79 recommendations.
  • The House will consider a $31.6 billion Energy and Water spending measure, which includes $1.1 billion in earmarks.
  • The House will consider a $153.7 billion Labor-HHS measure. The bill exceeds the Bush administration's spending request by about $10.6 billion, and faces a veto threat.

    • After the jump is a full listing of this week's House and Senate hearings, courtesy of GovTrack and Thomas:

    Debate Over Iraq War Continues to Surge in Congress

    The Iraq War is once again the hottest issue on Capitol Hill, as numerous bills and amendments aimed at ending the four and a half year-old conflict have been introduced. Earlier this year, both chambers passed a supplemental appropriations bill which required President Bush to begin removing U.S. combat troops from Iraq later in 2007, and also provided nearly $100 billion for the war through Sept. 30 of this year. When Bush promptly vetoed the measure, Congressional Democrats sent him a new bill which provided the funds with no troop withdrawal requests or mandates but vowed to revisit the issue, which they are doing now.

    The key question is whether enough Republicans will defect and vote with the Democrats to get a majority that could override Bush's expected veto. Most recently, Sens. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), and George Voinovich (R-Ohio) have called for a change in policy, though Lugar, at least, has stated that this doesn't mean he will vote for a Democratic withdrawal bill.

    Which Republicans have publicly supported a withdrawal? Help us keep track by adding to the list on Congresspedia's congressional actions to end the Iraq War article, which also contains information on the current proposals and how your members of Congress voted.

    Those current proposals include:

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