Executive and LEGISLATIVE Branch ACTIVITY Navy Yard Tragedy On September 16, Aaron Alexis, a lone shooter, opened fire at the U.S. Navy Yard in Washington, DC. His attack resulted in 13 deaths, including his own, and eight injuries. Alexis was a former Navy reservist turned contractor with a security clearance that allowed him access to … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Syria Last week, the United Nations released its inspectors’ report on the August 21 attack in Syria. The report did not place responsibility on any one side but clearly determined chemical weapons had been used. Secretary of State John Kerry said it offered “crucial details” that make the case implicating … Continue Reading
Executive and LEGISLATIVE Branch ACTIVITY Syria Last week, the Russian Government acted on Secretary of State John Kerry’s Monday, September 9 suggestion that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could avert a U.S. strike if he were to turn over all chemical weapon stockpiles to international control. President Assad said he would accept the Russian four-point plan … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Syria Last week, the Russian Government acted on Secretary of State John Kerry’s Monday, September 9 suggestion that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could avert a U.S. strike if he were to turn over all chemical weapon stockpiles to international control. President Assad said he would accept the Russian four-point plan … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Syria Interrupting the congressional recess one week early and after two days of debate, last Wednesday, September 4, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed by a vote of 10-7 its Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) in Syria resolution. Members in both the Senate and House, however, remain … Continue Reading
Executive and LEGISLATIVE Branch ACTIVITY Syria Last Wednesday, September 4, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, after a hearing and two days of debate held during a congressional recess, passed by a vote of 10-7 its Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) in Syria. Senators and Congressmen remain deeply divided on U.S. military action … Continue Reading
Legislative and Executive Branch Activity Defense Appropriations This week, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense will mark up its FY 2014 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill. Last week, the House passed its FY 2014 Defense spending measure (H.R. 2397). The House bill provides $3.55 billion less for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO), which some say is … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Egypt Last week, the Obama Administration dealt with possible U.S. legal ramifications connected to the Egyptian military’s intervention on July 3 that led to the removal of Mohamed Morsi as the President of Egypt, specifically whether the intervention should be classified as a coup d’état. President Obama encouraged all political, … Continue Reading
Legislative Branch Activity Defense Budget Last week, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel sent a letter to the Senate Armed Services Committee in which he “strongly” opposed the $52 billion sequester cuts to the Defense Department’s FY 2014 Budget. He particularly cited risks to U.S. military readiness and technological superiority. Secretary Hagel noted the adverse effects … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Syria Leaders at the G-8 Summit last week reiterated their support for a political solution to the Syrian civil war and for the transitional government plan agreed to last year in Geneva. The G-8 Leaders Communiqué condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria, but it did not identify the … Continue Reading
Legislative Branch Activity National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) The Senate Armed Services Committee filed its bill, S. 1197, on Thursday, June 20. Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) and Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-OK) would like to bring the bill to the Senate floor in July, but that remains uncertain at this time. Defense Appropriations Last week, … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Syria Last week, the United Nations confirmed nearly 93,000 deaths in Syria since the start of hostilities there. On Tuesday, June 18, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission will hold a briefing on the human rights and internally displaced persons situation in Syria. Last week, the Syrian opposition continued losing … Continue Reading
Legislative Branch Activity National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Over the course of two days last week, the House debated over 150 amendments to its FY 2014 NDAA bill (H.R. 1960). Notably, the House approved by 305-121 an amendment to transfer all combat operations to Afghans by the end of this year and withdraw all U.S. … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Syria Austria said it is pulling its troops out of the United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping mission to Syria after increased battles between Syrian troops and rebels in the Golan Heights. The White House condemned the Assad regime’s assault on the city of Qusayr, noting the attack has killed “untold numbers … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Syria During last week’s Congressional recess, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) slipped over the Turkish border into Syria to meet with the leaders of the Free Syrian Army. Syrian opposition leaders reportedly called on the United States to increase its support by providing heavy weapons, instituting a no-fly zone and employing … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Pentagon Budget This Wednesday, June 5, the House Armed Services Committee will mark up its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 1960). That same day, the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee will also mark up, in a closed session, a spending bill for the Department of Defense (DOD). It … Continue Reading
