Above photo: Rise Up Times. President Biden and the Democratic Congress are facing a crisis as the popular domestic agenda they ran on in the 2020 election is held hostage by two corporate Democratic Senators, fossil-fuel consigliere Joe Manchin and payday-lender favorite Kyrsten Sinema. But the very week before the Dems’ $350 billion-per-year domestic package hit this wall of corporate money-bags, all but 38 House Democrats voted to hand over more than double that amount to the Pentagon. Senator Manchin has hypocritically described the domestic spending bill as “fiscal insanity,” but he has voted for a much larger Pentagon budget every […]
Congress
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Above Photo: San Diego Cancel the Rents march. “Stop All Evictions Now!” As part of national days of protest called by Cancel the Rents, more than 60 demonstrations took place in cities and towns across the United States September 24-26 calling on Congress to immediately pass an indefinite nationwide moratorium on evictions. Protesters also demanded the cancellation of the crushing debt to landlords that had built up over the course of the pandemic as tenants’ were unable to work and back rent accumulated. Tens of billions of dollars have already been allocated for renter relief programs by the federal government, but is […]
The U.S. Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced that the U.S. State Department had approved the sale of four CH-47F Chinook helicopters to Australia. The announcements say that the Government of Australia has requested to buy four CH-47F helicopters with customer-unique modifications; eight T55-GA-714A aircraft turbine engines, five AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS); eight Embedded Global Positioning System (GPS)/Inertial Navigation Systems (INS/EGI) +429; and two EAGLE+429 Embedded Global Positioning System (GPS)/Inertial Navigation Systems (INS/EGI). “The total estimated value is $259 million,” the DSCA notice says. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW – Also noted that the proposed sale of this […]
On March 16, 2021, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the Pentagon’s top arms broker, announced that the U.S. State Department has cleared a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Norway of Javelin FGM-148 man-portable anti-tank missile systems and related equipment for an estimated cost of $36 million. The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale to Norway of one hundred twenty Javelin FGM-148 Missiles and two Javelin FGM-148 Missiles Fly to Buy. The announcements say that the complete package will also include are twenty-four Javelin Block 1 Command Launch Units (CLUs) retrofit kits; spare parts; publications and technical […]
US Congress And Corporate Media Claim Venezuela’s Government Threatened To Starve Non-Voters By Max Blumenthal and Anya Parampil, The Grayzone. December 7, 2020 US Congress And Corporate Media Claim Venezuela’s Government Threatened To Starve Non-Voters2020-12-072020-12-07https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/12/venezuela-diosdado-cabello-threat-food-starve-voters-e1607355882439.jpg200px200px Spun out by the US Congress and Wall Street Journal, the cynical deception is part of an assault on Venezuela’s legislative election, in which even opposition politicians were sanctioned for participating. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US corporate media declared Venezuela’s legislative elections a “sham” before results were even announced, opening a new front in the propaganda war on the besieged country and its leftist government. Among […]
Congress Is Deadlocked On COVID-19 Relief By Sarah Lazare, In These Times. December 5, 2020 Congress Is Deadlocked On COVID-19 Relief2020-12-052020-12-05https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/12/military-planes-e1607190497480.jpg200px200px Above photo: Hospital staff look on as the United States Navy Blue Angels pass over Medical City Dallas on May 06, 2020 in Dallas, Texas. Tom Pennington/Getty Images. But Came Together to Fund the Pentagon for $740 Billion. There is always money for war. The annual approval of the gargantuan U.S. military budget is one of the most reliable rituals in Congress. It is so ordinary and overwhelmingly bipartisan, it’s barely considered newsworthy, and few outlets follow the details of […]
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced this week that the U.S. State Department has cleared a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of 76 M2A2 Bradley fighting vehicles. According to DSCA, the Pentagon’s top arms broker, the possible deal has an estimated value of $757 million. The proposed package includes the following according to the DSCA notice: modernization of 76 M2A2 Bradley fighting vehicles and the purchase of close to 2,000 TOW missiles, 84 M240 machine guns, M257 Smoke Grenade Launchers; ammunition; radios; simulator; special armor; Hunter/Killer technology and other equipment and spare parts. – ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW […]
Massive Protests In Guatemala Against President And The Congress By La Izquierda Diario Argentina, Left Voice. November 23, 2020 Massive Protests In Guatemala Against President And The Congress2020-11-232020-11-23https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/11/guatemala.jpg200px200px Above photo: EFE/Esteban Biba. Thousands of Guatemalans demonstrated this Saturday in front of the National Palace of Culture, the seat of the national government in the center of Guatemala City, to express their rejection of the government of President Alejandro Giammattei and the Congress of the Republic. At least 10,000 people rallied in the central square of the country’s capital, in front of the seat of government, to express their dissatisfaction after 10 […]
Guatemala’s Congress Burns Amid Mass Protest November 22, 2020 Guatemala’s Congress Burns Amid Mass Protest2020-11-222020-11-22https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/11/guatemala-e1606055920157.png200px200px Above photo: Fire at Guatemala’s Congress in the capital as protests are held in the main square. November 21, 2020. Twitter / @Sandra_Cuffe. The Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office of the Central American nation called on the police forces to avoid repression. Guatemalans have taken to the streets for a national protest in rejection of President Alejandro Giammattei, and to demand that he veto the controversial general budget for 2021, approved by lawmakers on November 18. A fire broke out at the Congress in the capital city, though the main […]
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced this week that the U.S. State Department recently approved the potential sale to Australia of more than $46 million worth of Javelin anti-tank guided missiles. On October 30, the DSCA, the Pentagon’s top arms broker, has released a statement saying that the State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Australia of Javelin missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $46 million. According to the DSCA, the complete package includes two hundred Javelin FGM-148E missiles with U.S. Government technical assistance and other related elements […]
The predominantly Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh region declared independence from Azerbaijan in 1991 and announced plans to join Armenia. This led to a major war between Yerevan and Baku that lasted until 1994, when the sides agreed to start peace talks on the dispute mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group, headed by Russia, the US, and France. Source link
The U.S. State Department reportedly has informed Congress it plans to sell modern artillery systems to Taiwan. The story was first reported by Reuters, which cited its sources in the Trump administration, said that the State Department recently approved the potential sale of a truck-based rocket launcher made called a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System to Taiwan. The advanced artillery system, commonly known as HIMARS, is a lightweight mobile launcher, transportable via C-130 and larger aircraft for rapid deployment. HIMARS consists of a launcher loader module and fire control system mounted on a five-ton truck chassis. A specialized armored cab provides additional […]
The lack of a widespread testing regimen at the Capitol is in the spotlight as three senators tested positive for COVID-19 in recent weeks. J. Scott Applewhite/AP hide caption toggle caption J. Scott Applewhite/AP The lack of a widespread testing regimen at the Capitol is in the spotlight as three senators tested positive for COVID-19 in recent weeks. J. Scott Applewhite/AP The Republican-controlled Senate returns this month in a high-stakes gamble: Three members tested positive for coronavirus as it’s moving full-steam ahead to confirm a new justice to the Supreme Court. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., one of the GOP senators to […]
Imagine Teresa Sickles, the wife of U.S. congressman Daniel Sickles, gazing out her window overlooking Lafayette Square in D.C. day after day for a year, anxiously awaiting the shake of a handkerchief that would signal another meeting with her lover. At a young age, Teresa had been saddled with a much older husband who was not only a philanderer but someone who used his high-profile position to mask his degenerate behavior. When Philip Barton Key, the well-regarded district attorney, widower father, and son of the author of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” began showing a romantic interest, it must have been a sweet […]
Two local politicians from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh, have defended the accused in a recent alleged gang rape of a young girl in Hathras. A former BJP legislator even held a meeting defending the accused, while another blamed the deceased victim, saying she might have had an affair with one of the accused. India’s main opposition party Congress has said the alleged gang rape victim from Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras deserves justice and not slander. Reacting to the claim of a ruling BJP functionary that the young girl had an “affair” with the accused, Congress […]
India’s principal opposition party, Congress, has been attacking the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on multiple fronts. From organising protests against the gruesome murder of a lower-caste girl in BJP-governed Uttar Pradesh, to opposing farm laws, the sale of state firms, and the economic slowdown, the party has severely upped the ante. Congress Party politician P Chidambaram, who was also India’s former finance minister, has hit out at the Indian Finance Ministry for donning the role of the Health Ministry in making predictions about the pandemic curve. Questioning why the Finance Ministry is making predictions on COVID-19, which should be the job […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/05/1080667801_0:65:2950:1724_1200x675_80_0_0_a176a2becc376202828ac7f5b7c7afad.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Advitya Bahl. Sputnik International https://sputniknews.com/india/202010051080667093-indias-premier-probe-agency-raids-congress-leaders-residences-in-alleged-corruption-case/ India’s main opposition parties, including Congress, have long accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party government of misusing investigation agencies to target political rivals. India’s premier probe agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday conducted raids at the premises of Karnataka’s Congress chief, DK Shivakumar, in connection with a corruption case. According to a senior agency official, parliamentarian DK Suresh’s house is also being searched. Suresh is the brother of Karnataka’s top Congress leader Shivakumar. “A total of 14 premises across the country linked to DK Shivakumar, his family […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107976/42/1079764252_0:303:3072:2031_1200x675_80_0_0_19340c3c76f52b1df062dbdf5cc6a359.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Ashutosh Kumar. Sputnik International https://sputniknews.com/india/202010031080651879-narendra-modi-opens-worlds-longest-tunnel-connecting-ladakh-takes-a-dig-at-congress/ The Manali – Lahaul Spiti tunnel named after former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will make Ladakh more accessible for those on the mainland cutting the travel distance and time significantly. Over the past six months, India and China have been embroiled in a border dispute in Ladakh. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday opened the strategic Manali-Lahaul Spiti tunnel connecting Ladakh. The tunnel reduces the road distance between Manali in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh and Leh in Ladakh by 46 km. It cuts travelling time by between four and […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/03/1080649552_0:0:3000:1688_1200x675_80_0_0_7203e4e091eff277d11d480b33ee2a07.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/us/202010031080649609-facebook-twitter-google-ceos-to-testify-before-congress-in-late-october/ The CEOs of the most prominent social media networks are going to testify on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which is designed to strip online intermediaries of responsibility for what is said/published by other people on their websites. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey have agreed to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee on 28 October concerning Section 230 of the US Communications Decency Act. The announcement comes after the committee voted to subpoena social media CEOs if needed. Twitter has posted that Dorsey is prepared to testify, noting that […]
Seventeen Republican lawmakers declined on Friday to support a measure in the House of Representatives that condemned the pro-Trump QAnon movement as a “collection of unfounded conspiracy theories.” The resolution, which passed nearly unanimously, urged the FBI and intelligence agencies to focus on the threats from fringe conspiracy groups, which have grown in mass as the election has neared. All told, 371 members voted in favor of the resolution—including 225 Democrats and 146 Republicans—and 18 members voted against it. Of those 18, 17 were Republican and one was an independent: Rep. Justin Amash, a libertatrian from Michigan. The resolution, which doesn’t […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo-itemprop.png Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/us/202010021080636174-us-house-of-representatives-passes-democrats-22-trillion-covid-19-relief-bill/ The Democrats’ $2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief bill has been approved by a 214-207 vote on Thursday and now advances to the Republican-controlled US Senate. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) COVID-19 bill advanced in the chamber on October 1, despite opposition from 18 Democratic members of Congress. 214-207: House passes Democrats’ $2.2T COVID-19 relief bill. 18 Democrats joined all Republicans in voting No. Bill now heads to Senate. No agreement has yet to be reached between Speaker Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Mnuchin despite their recent talks. pic.twitter.com/fx9Axxws1b — Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) October 2, 2020 Prior […]
The United States has approved more than $55.3 million dollars in potential surface-to-air missiles sales to Japan. On September28, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the Pentagon’s top arms broker, announced that the U.S. State Department has cleared possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Japan of RAM Block 2 Tactical Missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $55.311 million. According to the DSCA, the complete package includes 51 Rolling Airframe Missiles Block 2 Tactical Missiles, RIM-116C. Also included are RAM Guided Missile Round Pack Tri-Pack shipping and storage containers, operator manuals and technical documentation, U.S. Government and contractor […]
The U.S. State Department recently approved the potential sale to the Netherlands of more than $241 million worth of PAC-3 missiles. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency issued a press release on September 24, that announced that the U.S. State Department had approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the Netherlands of Patriot Advanced Capability‑3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $241 million. The announcements say that the Government of the Netherlands has requested to buy 34 PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles. Also included are 8 kitted 2-pack PAC-3 MSE […]
The clock is ticking for tens of thousands of pilots, flight attendants, reservation agents and other airline employees, who will likely lose their jobs on Oct. 1 if Congress doesn’t extend federal aid for the airlines. Andrew Harnik/AP hide caption toggle caption Andrew Harnik/AP The clock is ticking for tens of thousands of pilots, flight attendants, reservation agents and other airline employees, who will likely lose their jobs on Oct. 1 if Congress doesn’t extend federal aid for the airlines. Andrew Harnik/AP Among the many things that have been radically changed by the coronavirus pandemic is the airline industry. Air travel […]
Jesus Gonzalez of Lexington, Ky., has been struggling to make ends meet after the $600 per week in extra federal unemployment benefits ran out. Stacy Kranitz for NPR hide caption toggle caption Stacy Kranitz for NPR Jesus Gonzalez of Lexington, Ky., has been struggling to make ends meet after the $600 per week in extra federal unemployment benefits ran out. Stacy Kranitz for NPR When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Jesus Gonzalez was about a year into starting a Cuban food catering and “pop-up” business in Lexington, Ky. It’s like “a food truck, but without a truck,” he says. His steadiest gig […]
Congressional staffers have heard State Department representatives say the government has yet to close on the sale of the United States Ambassador’s residence in Israel—but documents obtained by The Daily Beast reveal that State is misleading Congress on the sale. Israeli land registry documents, obtained by The Daily Beast, show legal notification that a Delaware-registered company, Bayit by the Sea, has a lien, or legal claim, to the plush federal property as of Wednesday, September 23rd. The State Department did not respond to a request for comment. Four sources have confirmed that Bayit by the Sea (bayit means “house” in Hebrew) […]
Wray told the Senate Judiciary Committee that the FBI has recorded about 100 domestic terrorism arrests in the last nine months. “A majority of the domestic terrorism cases we’ve investigated are motivated by some version of what you might call white supremacist violence,” he told the panel. Wray said the number of the domestic terrorism arrests has increased and is now close to the number of international terrorism arrests the bureau has made. Wray’s testimony followed a House Homeland Security Committee hearing in May, where FBI counterterrorism chief Michael McGarrity testified that the bureau was investigating 850 potential domestic terrorism cases. McGarrity said […]
Inside The World Uyghur Congress By Ajit Singh, The Grayzone. September 15, 2020 Inside The World Uyghur Congress2020-09-152020-09-15https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/09/wuc-bush-e1600174452532.jpg200px200px The US-backed right-wing regime change network seeking the ‘fall of China’. While posing as a grassroots human rights organization, the World Uyghur Congress is a US-funded and directed separatist network that has forged alliances with far-right ethno-nationalist groups. The goal spelled out by its founders is clear: the destabilization of China and regime change in Beijing. NOTE: This article was written in March of this year. Given the Cold War and propaganda campaign against China, it provides information we all need to have […]
A picture of Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen is seen in Washington, D.C., in July. Congress is launching an investigation into her killing and other deaths at Fort Hood. Aurora Samperio/NurPhoto via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Aurora Samperio/NurPhoto via Getty Images A picture of Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen is seen in Washington, D.C., in July. Congress is launching an investigation into her killing and other deaths at Fort Hood. Aurora Samperio/NurPhoto via Getty Images Congress is launching an investigation into a series of deaths at Fort Hood in Texas. The investigation will look into whether the recent tragedies “may be […]
On 19 August, the Indian cabinet gave its approval to a proposal to lease out the Jaipur, Guwahati, and Thiruvananthapuram airports, currently run by the government agency Airports Authority of India (AAI) to the private sector. In February of this year, India’s Adani Group took over three AAI airports at Ahmedabad, Mangaluru, and Lucknow. Indian opposition Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday slammed a decision by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to privatise state-run companies. Taking to Twitter against the sale of three airports – Jaipur, Guwahati, and Thiruvananthapuram – to private firms, Rahul Gandhi said that “maximum privatisation seems […]
American whiskey makers must have been feeling good in 1970. After suffering through Prohibition and a shutdown for World War II, they were finally back on track, boasting record sales that year. Little did they know the next 30 years would be one hell of ride…straight down. The year 2000 offered a glimmer of hope that whiskey wasn’t completely doomed; a new generation of drinkers who wanted more than just vodka was on the rise. Sales slowly began to grow, but were still overshadowed by sweet cordials and liqueurs. So it was a bit baffling when, 13 years ago, Congress unanimously […]
The move met harsh criticism from the Democrats, with US Speaker of the Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff denouncing the withdrawal as “a shocking abdication of its lawful responsibility to keep the Congress currently informed”. The director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, sent a letter to the House and the Senate, notifying that his office will no longer provide full in-person briefings on possible foreign interference in the upcoming presidential election. Instead, the office will switch to “written finished intelligence products” over concerns of information leaks. “I believe this approach helps ensure, to the maximum extent possible, that […]
New Delhi (Sputnik): India’s main opposition party Congress is grappling with an internal crisis in view of rising demand for a complete overhaul of leadership and to revive and restructure the group. The party’s last full-time chief Rahul Gandhi resigned following the organisation’s debacle in the 2019 parliamentary elections. In a major development, interim Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has made appointments to several positions in the party, in which dissenting leaders who suggested internal reforms have been “largely ignored”, sources familiar with the development have revealed. While the party’s senior leader Jairam Ramesh, who was not part of the dissenting group, […]
In a letter sent to Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun Tuesday, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) said he is launching a probe into the circumstances surrounding Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s decision to address the Republican National Convention from Jerusalem. Castro, the chair of the subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Pompeo’s choice to speak at the convention “may violate the Hatch Act, government-wide regulations implementing that Act, and State Department policies,” according to Castro’s letter, which The Daily Beast obtained. The Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from participating in certain political activities. And as […]
New Delhi (Sputnik): Twenty-three prominent members of India’s main opposition Congress, who wanted sweeping changes, were snubbed by the core decision-making body of the party on Monday. In a resolution, the party rallied behind Sonia Gandhi, Interim President of Congress and her son Rahul Gandhi. A day after India’s Congress party warned 23 of its prominent members over demanding reforms and a change in the party leadership, a few of the dissenters claimed they had actually acted in the “best interest of the party”. These key Congressmen conveyed their demands in a letter sent to party’s interim president Sonia Gandhi. […]
New Delhi (Sputnik): The Congress party is facing a crisis of leadership after interim president Sonia Gandhi is said to have declared that she wants to resign. Her decision is said to have come after key Congress party leaders demanded an overhaul at the top of the party, complaining about policy drift. Source link
Congress: Postal Service Delays ‘Far Worse Than Previously Acknowledged’ By J. Edward Moreno, The Hill. August 23, 2020 Congress: Postal Service Delays ‘Far Worse Than Previously Acknowledged’2020-08-232020-08-23https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/08/dejoy1-e1598183992875.jpeg200px200px Above photo: Postmaster General Louis DeJoy (2nd R) arrives for a meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on August 5, 2020. Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images. House Democrats on the Oversight and Reform Committee released documents Saturday showing that Postal Service delays they say are “far worse than previously acknowledged.” […]
New Delhi (Sputnik): India’s Congress party, which has been associated with the national freedom movement, is now in dire straits over leadership issues. Since 2014, when the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party swept general elections, the Congress has been reduced to an abysmal tally in the Parliament and also lost power in several major states. Nearly 23 senior Congress members and lawmakers have written to the party’s interim chief Sonia Gandhi, urging her to consider the complete overhaul of the party leadership. In the letter, the members of the party stated that the “uncertainty” over the leadership demoralises the cadre and has […]
Appearing before angry members of Congress for the first time, the new head of the U.S. Postal Service was forced to personally state the obvious: that the operational changes he recently implemented did, in fact, lead to the serious delivery delays and other issues that have exasperated people nationwide. But Postmaster General Louis DeJoy insisted on Friday that in no way would his designs on the USPS jeopardize Americans’ reliable access to the mail in a year of a pandemic and a pivotal election. Against the backdrop of President Trump’s repeated attacks on the USPS and the process of mail-in voting—which […]
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and then-Vice President Joe Biden walk through National Statuary Hall on their way to a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2017. Zach Gibson/AP hide caption toggle caption Zach Gibson/AP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and then-Vice President Joe Biden walk through National Statuary Hall on their way to a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2017. Zach Gibson/AP As former Vice President Joe Biden prepares to give his acceptance speech for the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday night, Democratic lawmakers and strategists are preparing for what a Biden administration could look like, what […]
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, recently wrote in an op-ed on Defense News that Congress “cannot panic and hand out blank checks to defense contractors.” They were concerned with a “lack of detail” in the Pentagon’s stimulus funding request. Pentagon officials have responded with said requested detail. It’s clear the defense, shipbuilding and aerospace industrial base — an “essential” workforce as designated by the Department of Homeland Security — is indeed in need of help. These critical firms need financial support to the tune […]
Kimberly Klacik is a young black woman running for Congress in Maryland and you are going to hear a lot about her in the very near future. Klacik is smart, and a very pretty woman. She also has natural instincts for politics, as this new campaign ad shows. The Daily Caller has details: ‘Black People Don’t Have To Vote Democrat’: GOP Challenger In Baltimore Releases Ad Attacking ‘Decades’ Of Dem Rule TRENDING: BREAKING: 4Chan Identifies One of the Portland Rioters Who Attempted to Kill Driver as ‘Keese Love’ Republican Maryland 7th District Congressional candidate Kimberly Klacik released an ad Monday questioning […]
I Was Wrong: Congress Isn’t Cowardly; It’s Evil! By Danny Sjursen, Antiwar.com. August 5, 2020 I Was Wrong: Congress Isn’t Cowardly; It’s Evil!2020-08-052020-08-05https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/07/us-marines-in-afghanistan-e1594064711313.jpg200px200px Above photo: The US 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit after seizing a Taliban forward-operating base Nov. 25, 2001, shortly after U.S. invasion. Sergeant Joseph R. Chenelly, US Marine Corps. Blocking withdrawal from a hopeless Afghan War opposed even by its veterans, counts as criminally heinous – and par for the congressional course. Sometime during my “brief” spell as an imperial-accomplice, zombie-flicks became all the rage. So did tweeting and texting, by the way – which I learned the hard way when […]
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (right) and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows leave the U.S. Capitol Thursday following a meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Samuel Corum/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Samuel Corum/Getty Images Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (right) and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows leave the U.S. Capitol Thursday following a meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Samuel Corum/Getty Images It’s exactly three months until Election Day, but the focus this week is on Capitol Hill. Here are five things to watch: 1. Deal […]
After more than 20 years of advocating for the U.S. Air Force, I continue to be surprised how the world’s most dominant air force has been taken for granted, and even ignored, in Washington, D.C. Congress remains fixated on shipbuilding, and the ground services dominate the military’s senior positions, policy and defense budgets. The Department of the Air Force, responsible for training and equipping two military services — the Air Force and the Space Force — has been underfunded for decades, resulting in significant shortfalls in readiness and modernization. While the Air Force forfeited future modernization to pay for current operations, […]
Politicians who attended the funeral for congressman John Lewis in Georgia won’t have to worry about Washington’s new quarantine rules as they return to the city because they’re deemed too essential to lock down. A Who’s Who of Democrat politicians attended Thursday’s funeral in Atlanta, despite a state ban on gatherings of more than 50 people. Fifty members of Congress attended, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Kamala Harris, a leading candidate to be Joe Biden’s vice presidential running mate. Georgia is among 27 states that Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser deemed coronavirus hotspots and therefore subject to her July 24 […]
With the U.S. election around the corner and the economic impact of COVID-19 mounting, calls for defense spending cuts are on the rise. The practicality of reductions is questionable given the scale and scope of the threat environment, the reality that key elements of the military are decaying, and that defense jobs represent one bright spot in an otherwise bleak economy. If cuts are coming, it is crucial to execute them in a fashion that prioritizes the most effective, efficient and valuable capabilities within the Department of Defense. This requires a new approach to assessing weapon systems’ value. Defense programs are […]
As word spread on Wednesday that another lawmaker had contracted COVID-19, initial concern for his well-being was quickly overwhelmed with a tide of anger and frustration. Because it wasn’t just any lawmaker who contracted the disease. It was Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX). The conservative firebrand has steadfastly refused to wear a face mask while conducting his Capitol Hill business—including while greeting Attorney General William Barr before testimony in the Judiciary Committee just this Tuesday. Gohmert even took pains to force his COVID denialism on his aides, with one staffer suggesting to Politico that those in the office were berated for wearing […]
WASHINGTON – The nominee to lead the nearly year-old U.S. Space Command voiced support for addressing the problem of overclassification in space during a July 28 hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Lt. Gen. James Dickinson, currently serving as deputy commander of SPACECOM, told senators that in his experience, declassification has helped the war fighter on the ground. “In my previous job as commander of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, I saw firsthand how that overclassification, if you will, was actually making it more difficult for us to provide support to the war fighter,” said Dickinson. “We’ve already […]
WASHINGTON — Congress is establishing increased oversight of the Missile Defense Agency’s plans for its homeland missile defense system — designed to protect against possible intercontinental ballistic missile threats from North Korea and Iran — through a handful of provisions in both the House and Senate passed versions of the fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. Displeased with the abrupt cancellation of the agency’s major upgrade to interceptors buried in the ground at Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, lawmakers are demanding the agency show its homework going forward on its plan to build an entirely new interceptor […]
On the eve of a Big Tech antitrust hearing, citing video evidence dug up by Project Veritas, a Republican congressman has referred Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to the Justice Department for lying to Congress about political bias. Zuckerberg allegedly made “materially false statements to Congress while under oath” during the April 10-11 joint hearings in 2018, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) wrote in a letter addressed to Attorney General William Barr on Monday. While on those occasions the Facebook CEO “repeatedly and categorically denied any bias against conservative speech, persons, policies, or politics” and “dismissed the suggestion that Facebook exercises any form […]
Unmanned maritime systems are increasingly allowing military and commercial users alike to go farther and deeper than ever before. Initially proven by the military for their dependability and reliability, they are now also disrupting the commercial sector and enabling applications from mapping to surveillance to port security. In recognition of the many benefits UMS stand to offer, the president’s budget for fiscal 2021 requested strong support for the U.S. Navy’s unmanned programs. Now, as Congress considers the National Defense Authorization Act for FY21, it should fully fund UMS research and development efforts to allow innovation to flourish and for military and […]
The Department of Defense and the Department of Transportation are far from the first to try to upend an independent agency’s proceeding. However, these executive agencies have been far more aggressive than normal in that pursuit in response to the Federal Communications Commission’s April 20 Ligado decision. This dispute significantly compromises the United States’ leadership in global markets — by both undermining domestic initiatives and by undercutting our policy positions internationally. The recent dispute concerning Ligado pits the DoD and DOT on one side, and the Federal Communications Commission, the State Department and Attorney General Bill Barr on the other. This […]
The Department of Defense holds the distinction of enjoying the highest annual budget of any federal agency, while also being the only one to have never passed an audit. Decades of reports detailing wasteful defense spending have demonstrated that this is a dangerous combination. In an effort to get the Pentagon’s business operations in order, members of Congress in fiscal 2018 created the role of chief management officer. Elevated to the third-highest civilian position at the Pentagon from its previous, ineffective deputy secretary level, the CMO is tasked with improving efficiency and locating savings in the “fourth estate,” which is made […]
President John Adams once wrote: “National defense is one of the cardinal duties of a Statesman.” These words are as true now as they were when they were written in 1815. However, unlike in 1815, the weight of these words seems lost on some in Congress. As Congress moves forward with the National Defense Authorization Act and the passage of the defense appropriations bill, there are irresponsible calls for blanket cuts to defense spending that are either misguided or willfully ignorant of the role the U.S. military plays in maintaining global stability. In a time where China continues its unprecedented aggressive […]
It might have only taken a few court fights and a Capitol Hill lobbying campaign, but payday lending companies managed to get a cut of the near-$700 billion relief fund set aside by Washington to help the country’s small businesses weather the coronavirus outbreak. Records of who received loans under the Paycheck Protection Program released last week show that 35 companies that provide payday loans, car title loans, and other high-interest, low-dollar borrowing options netted millions of dollars in federal coronavirus aid—anywhere from $9 billion to $23 billion, in total. The Small Business Administration, which administers the PPP, does not release […]
House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., speaks during a news conference in Washington, D.C., on May 27, 2020. He heads the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., speaks during a news conference in Washington, D.C., on May 27, 2020. He heads the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images Congressional investigators are launching an inquiry into a handful of companies that landed government contracts related to COVID-19, calling the deals “suspicious” because the companies lacked experience and, […]
In delaying any public release of Donald Trump’s financial records on Thursday, the Supreme Court also handed itself a major victory. The loser could be our democratic system of government. The court’s majority in Trump v. Mazars granted the judiciary broad new leeway to decide whether congressional subpoenas against the president will be enforced. The court’s majority found that rigorous judicial oversight is required to ensure that Congress does not harass or overburden presidents with politically motivated demands for information. The result may be a time bomb set to go off under a President Biden, as a judiciary packed with Trump […]
President Donald Trump must release his tax returns and other financial records to the Manhattan district attorney, the Supreme Court has ordered. In a 7-2 vote, the court sided with Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance who requested eight years’ worth of Trump’s business and personal tax records to help investigate whether Trump and his company violated state laws in connection with hush-money payments to several women that allegedly had affairs with the president. However, in a separate ruling, the Supreme Court ruled that it won’t allow Congress to get tax and financial records. Trump has been refusing to release his tax […]
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon’s top leaders are going before Congress for the first time in months to face a long list of controversies, including their differences with President Donald Trump over the handling of protests near the White House last month during unrest triggered by the killing of George Floyd in police hands. The House hearing Thursday will provide the first congressional testimony by Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, since March 4, when they appeared to discuss the administration’s defense budget proposal. That was before the full impact of the coronavirus pandemic became apparent and […]
Introducing himself as Wednesday night’s guest-host on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Billy Eichner said, “Welcome to another night of entertainment in our disease-ravaged fascist state.” Later in his monologue, the comedian and Lion King star explained that he’s always dreamt of hosting a late-night talk show. “So someday I hope to,” he joked. “Because this is not a late-night talk show. This is like hosting the world’s saddest makeup tutorial.” Among Eichner’s guests for the night was South Carolina Democrat Jaime Harrison, who just happens to be running for Senate against Lindsey Graham. Even the night’s first guest, Amy Schumer, was excited […]
On 20 June, Geoffrey Berman, who had been overseeing the prosecution of criminal activity by several Trump associates, including the latter’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, and current lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, was dramatically ousted from his role as the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York by a demand from US Attorney General Barr. The former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), Geoffrey Berman, is scheduled to take part in a closed-door hearing before the House of Representatives next week, The Hill reported on Thursday, citing multiple unnamed congressional sources. Arranged by House Democrats, the hearing […]
Adam Schiff A couple weeks ago The New York Times published a story claiming that Russia secretly offered bounties to Taliban forces to kill US troops, citing “officials briefed on the matter.” President Trump early Sunday morning dismissed the New York Times report on the GRU-Taliban allegations. “Nobody briefed or told me, VP Pence, or Chief of Staff Mark Meadows about the so-called attacks on our troops in Afghanistan by Russians, as reported through an “anonymous source” by the Fake News New York Times.” Trump said in a pair of tweets Sunday morning. House Intel Chairman and impeachment ringleader Adam Schiff […]
The Bernie Beck gate at Fort Hood,Texas. An effort to remove Confederate names from military bases has broad, bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress. President Trump is vowing to veto the defense bill if the provision stays in. Drew Anthony Smith / Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Drew Anthony Smith / Getty Images The Bernie Beck gate at Fort Hood,Texas. An effort to remove Confederate names from military bases has broad, bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress. President Trump is vowing to veto the defense bill if the provision stays in. Drew Anthony Smith / Getty Images President […]
US President Donald Trump’s plan to draw down the US contingent in Germany has been set in motion, with the Pentagon saying that 9,500 troops out of 34,500 stationed there will be removed pending consultations with allies. “The Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff briefed the President yesterday on plans to redeploy 9,500 troops from Germany,” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement on Tuesday, noting that the proposal had already been approved. The plan to scale back the US military presence in Germany was made public by Trump earlier this month. He did not […]
New Delhi (Sputnik): Ever since the global crude oil prices crashed in March, when the Oil Producing and Exporting Countries Plus (OPEC+) failed to agree on production cuts in the wake of the COVID-19 spread, India’s principal opposition party Congress has been demanding that the Modi government cut retail prices. Congress lawmaker Rahul Gandhi has kicked off an online campaign called “Speak Up Against Fuel Hike”. The retail prices of petrol and diesel have hit the roof ever since the country entered the first phase of its unlock on 8 June. Diesel and petrol prices have been revised upwards almost every […]
It has long been true that political parties have quietly ignored wacky candidates within their ranks running for unwinnable seats. But as the Republican Party has gotten progressively more meshugganah under Donald Trump, its candidates have blossomed into a virtual cornucopia of the worst, basest nature of the party. From QAnon nutters to car thieves to white supremacists, these Republican congressional candidates are some of America’s worst selves. Trump no longer carries the same weight in GOP congressional races that he once did. In at least three recent primaries, Republican voters have gone against the candidate Trump endorsed, The Washington Post […]
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., seen on Capitol Hill earlier this month. In an interview with NPR’s Michel Martin, Kaine encouraged Congress to reassert its authority as a co-equal branch of government. Susan Walsh/AP hide caption toggle caption Susan Walsh/AP Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., seen on Capitol Hill earlier this month. In an interview with NPR’s Michel Martin, Kaine encouraged Congress to reassert its authority as a co-equal branch of government. Susan Walsh/AP Presidential power only goes so far — and then Congress has the constitutional duty to assert its authority, Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine told NPR’s Michel Martin in an […]
Legislation to make the District of Columbia a state is poised to pass the House on Friday, a major advance from the last time the measure came before Congress 27 years ago and 40 percent of Democrats joined with all but one Republican to defeat D.C. statehood. After decades of benign neglect, the movement to make D.C. the 51st state has gained new life with Black Lives Matter and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s heightened profile. President Trump’s efforts to use federal force to dominate streets around the White House exposed the subservient status of a city that must answer to Congress […]
It would be hard for any attorney general to withstand a deputy attorney general of the same party calling him “the greatest threat in my lifetime to our rule of law.” It would be harder still to withstand congressional testimony from two serving Justice Department prosecutors about his subordination of justice to the wishes of the president. But Bill Barr had a fantastic day in Congress on Wednesday. That’s not because either official, antitrust prosecutor John Elias and ex-Roger Stone prosecutor Aaron Zelinsky, had their stories unravel. It’s because Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee stood enthusiastically behind Barr. And it’s […]
Donald Trump may be ready to move past their bruising mishandling of America’s coronavirus response, but the sweeping threat of COVID-19 is far from over. That was the point that Dr. Anthony Fauci and a host of senior administration health officials told Congress again and again over a six-hour pandemic hearing on Tuesday, Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee hoping for good news quickly adjusted their expectations as Fauci, Centers for Disease Control Director Robert R. Redfield, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn, and Health And Human Services Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brett P. Giroir repeatedly warned […]
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks as Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., listen at a news conference criticizing GOP leaders for failing to agree to bipartisan talks on police reform. Republicans say Democrats should advance the GOP bill and propose changes. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Alex Wong/Getty Images Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks as Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., listen at a news conference criticizing GOP leaders for failing to agree to bipartisan talks on […]
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107969/97/1079699775_0:81:1651:1009_1200x675_80_0_0_d4f82d73330f83701e35a00d5c2bbe48.jpg Sputnik International https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png Sputnik https://cdn2.img.sputniknews.com/i/logo.png https://sputniknews.com/military/202006231079702279-us-congress-committee-probes-lockheed-martin-failure-to-meet-f-35-contract-demands/ WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Lockheed Martin must face accountability for its continuing and expensive failure to provide enough spare parts for the troubled F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, senior members of the House Oversight and Reform Committee said in a letter on Tuesday. “The military is spending tens of millions of dollars a year to overcome unresolved issues with the system Lockheed Martin built and maintains to track spare parts for the F-35”, the letter said. “It is critical that ongoing issues related to spare parts and the shortcoming of the information technology system […]
Israel is already the US’s closest ally in the Middle East, with Washington committing to provide Tel Aviv with $38 billion in military aid over ten years in 2016. Israel became a major US non-NATO ally in 1987, making it eligible to receive the latest US military hardware as it became available. Bipartisan groups of lawmakers in both the House and Senate are working on legislation which would further expand US-Israeli defence cooperation to include a ‘US-Israel Operations-Technology Working Group’. A bill on a ‘United States-Israel Military Capability Act of 2020’, introduced last month by Senate Armed Services Committee members Gary […]
The Senate Armed Services Committee has finally given the green light to purchase two new missile subs. This is great news. One can only hope that now the defense-industrial base can actually get it done. There is reason for concern. Much has been written about how few major defense contractors are left on the playing field. Where once robust competition occurred, now there is little to drive excellence. Consolidations, mergers and changes of business focus has this critical business sector at the breaking point. A pending call by the Department of the Navy to adjust the procurement process for the vital […]
Army Gen. Gustave Perna testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday on his nomination to oversee the COVID-19 vaccine project. Chip Somodevilla/POOL/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Army Gen. Gustave Perna testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday on his nomination to oversee the COVID-19 vaccine project. Chip Somodevilla/POOL/AFP via Getty Images A headlong race to come up with a viable vaccine for COVID-19 that is being championed by a science-averse American president seeking reelection prompted some skeptical questions Thursday on Capitol Hill. The occasion was a confirmation hearing for […]
FBI Misled Congress: Black Activists Still Under Investigation June 17, 2020 FBI Misled Congress: Black Activists Still Under Investigation2020-06-172020-06-17https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/06/notthreat-e1592411598570.jpg200px200px Above photo: YouTube. By New and Old Extremist Designations. MediaJustice and the American Civil Liberties Union File New FOIA Request Demanding FBI Transparency on Surveillance of Black Activists. As Black activists around the country lead protests for racial justice, following the police murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black people, MediaJustice and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) today reveal that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is still surveilling Black activists using a dated designation they testified to Congress was no […]
Wednesday’s House Judiciary Committee hearing on police reform blew up when Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) took offense to remarks made by Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA) about race, asking the Black congressman “who the hell” he thought he was. Debating the Democratic-backed Justice in Policing Act on Wednesday afternoon, Richmond began his remarks by noting that lawmakers of different parties tend to call each other “good friends” before noting that this may not be the case when he’s done. “By the time I’m finished, you will be clear that we are not good friends,” he added sharply. Taking issue with GOP members […]
New Delhi (Sputnik): In a dramatic turn of events, the Indian and Chinese armies clashed at a disputed territory in eastern Ladakh on Monday night. Per Indian Army sources, 20 soldiers including a commanding officer were killed and an unspecified number of troops were injured or missing. There were also reports of casualties on the Chinese side. India’s main opposition party Congress has questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the violent clashes between the armies of India and China in the Ladakh region. Former Chief of the Congress Party, Rahul Gandhi in a tweet on Wednesday said, “Enough is […]
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The US Congress should include a provision in fiscal year 2021 National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA) to ban any funding for US nuclear testing, the Arms Control Association said. “As Congress now works on the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2021, members should include a provision that prohibits any funding for a US nuclear test,” the Arms Control Association said on Tuesday. Last month, Trump administration officials raised the prospect of conducting the first US nuclear test in 28 years in an attempt to pressure Russia and China into negotiating a trilateral arms control deal, according […]
Amazon confirmed to NPR on Monday that it would make Jeff Bezos available to testify at a hearing with other CEOs this summer. Eric Baradat/AFP/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Eric Baradat/AFP/Getty Images Amazon confirmed to NPR on Monday that it would make Jeff Bezos available to testify at a hearing with other CEOs this summer. Eric Baradat/AFP/Getty Images After long resisting calls for Jeff Bezos to testify in Congress, Amazon says it will make its founder available for a hearing this summer alongside other CEOs. Lawmakers summoned Bezos as part of a wide-ranging inquiry into the market power of U.S. […]
Members Of Congress Receive COVID-19 Small Business Loans By Jessica Buxbaum, Shadowproof. June 15, 2020 Members Of Congress Receive COVID-19 Small Business Loans2020-06-152020-06-15https://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/12/popres-shorter.pngPopularResistance.Orghttps://popularresistance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/06/cares-act-e1592231365864.jpg200px200px Above photo: CARES Act from Hall Benefits Law. Members of Congress obtained disaster loans for their businesses through the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The program has been embroiled in controversy since it launched in March. Large corporations received multimillion-dollar loans. Minority-owned businesses were shut out of aid. According to news reports, Texas Representative Roger Williams and Missouri Representative Vicky Hartzler both received PPP loans for companies they own, indicating a clear conflict of interest regarding the program’s distribution of federal […]
Currently just a flashy idea, the digital dollar is competing with more prosaic but proven 20th-century methods for the job of getting stimulus funds to every U.S. resident. That’s the takeaway from Thursday’s House Financial Services Committee (FSC) hearing, where witnesses advocated different solutions to the problem. Making the case for an electronic greenback was J. Christopher Giancarlo, former chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), now a director with the Digital Dollar Project. As he has in the past, he argued tokenization is a way to future-proof the dollar. Other countries, including China, are working to digitize their currencies, […]
WASHINGTON — Despite howls of criticism from Congress over the Navy’s seven-ship budget request earlier this year, the Senate Armed Services Committee’s markup of the National Defense Authorization Act stopped short of adding extra ships. Instead, lawmakers are opting to authorize the purchase of long-lead-time materials to keep the industrial base healthy. With submarine builders under strain from the coronavirus pandemic and a dearth of suppliers, Congress had sought to add a second Virginia-class submarine. But now the SASC has used its annual defense policy bill to authorize about $472 million for long-lead procurement “so they can be ready to go, […]
A believer in a conspiracy theory the FBI classifies as a possible domestic terrorist threat is in a prime position to soon be elected to Congress, after coming in first in a Republican primary in Georgia on Tuesday. QAnon conspiracy theorist Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has frequently posted messages about the bizarre pro-Trump conspiracy theory on social media, handily leads the primary field of Republicans in Georgia’s heavily Republican 14th district. Greene, who beat her closest opponent by more than 20 percent, will head to an August run-off after receiving 41 percent of the primary vote. Greene is an outspoken supporter […]
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Wednesday called for the removal of Confederate statues from the halls of Congress. The radical left wants to erase our history. There is also a campaign to rename the military bases as radical leftists toppled statues in their push for a Marxist revolution. Now Pelosi is pushing to remove nearly a half a dozen Confederate statues to be removed from the Capitol. TRENDING: Antifa Releases List of Demands After Taking Over 6 Square Block Section in Seattle and Setting Up Armed Security Watch — List Includes Reparations and Ending Police Dept. ABC News reported: House […]
George Floyd’s brother was among the witnesses invited by Democrats to speak at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on police brutality Wednesday morning. Republicans invited Fox News contributor Dan Bongino. Bongino, a former U.S. Secret Service agent who has made several unsuccessful bids for Congress, used his opening statement to endorse the “few bad apples” theory of police misconduct. But by the time he was getting questioned by Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), he was going full “All Lives Matter.” Jeffries listed off the many familiar names of black men and women who have been unjustly killed by police officers. “But Mr. […]
Former State Department Inspector General Steve Linick told Congress that he was “shocked” to find out President Trump decided to remove him from his post last month and that senior officials in the State Department had consistently told him they were satisfied with the office’s work. “I can tell you … that I’ve been given no valid reason that would justify my removal,” Linick said, according to his interview transcripts released by multiple congressional committees Capitol Hill Wednesday. “I had a number of other contacts within the department, senior level, who always commented that we treated people fairly, that we were […]
As the host of a national security podcast literally named “Things That Go Boom,” I spend a lot of my time thinking about what keeps us safe. And usually these thoughts are pretty focused on big, obvious threats — things like bombs. But with the world seemingly imploding, a global pandemic spreading, nationwide protests against police brutality erupting and world economies tanking, it’s clearer than ever that we’ve been preparing for the wrong crisis. You could say we were preparing for World War III, when we got hammered by World War C. Staying safe means recognizing what threats we’re facing — […]
COLOGNE, Germany — NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg wants the alliance to take on a greater political role in world affairs and help nations in the Asia-Pacific region contend with China’s rise. “Military strength is only part of the answer,” Stoltenberg said Monday in a speech during an online event organized by the Atlantic Council and the German Marshall Fund of the United States. “We also need to use NATO more politically.” He said alliance member should adopt a more global approach to security issues, unlike the Europe- and North America-centric tack that has often shaped the alliance’s agenda. “This is […]
EXCLUSIVE: Roger Stone releases statement through the Gateway Pundit regarding former DAG Rod Rosenstein’s testimony in front of Congress on Wednesday: Rod Rosenstein Testified under oath before the Senate Judiciary committee that he did NOT authorize the Mueller investigation into Roger Stone when in fact he signed the second scope memo doing exactly that on October 20, 2017 ,three months AFTER Mueller already knew there was no Russian collusion. This proves that Muller’s investigation and indictment of Stone was a malicious political prosecution they had nothing whatsoever to do with Russian collusion. Mueller Dirty Cop Aaron Zelinsky, who Representativ Devin Nunes […]
WASHINGTON — Capping of a tumultuous week of questions about civil-military affairs and the role of the U.S. military, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, have turned down a request to testify in front of the House Armed Services Committee. A House aide confirmed on background that the two men have “refused” to testify next week, as was requested by HASC Chairman Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., requested Tuesday. In addition, an informal briefing planned for today with Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy was cancelled by the DoD. The House and […]
For would-be U.S. lawmaker Jonathan Herzog, financial exclusion isn’t just a talking point, it’s lived experience. When launching his congressional run, he said, Herzog went to Bank of America and Citibank and tried to open a campaign checking account, but was denied. Herzog saw it as an example of the ways centralized institutions can hold power over people, even someone like him who is privileged. That’s in part why he’s stumping for open, permissionless financial systems as part of his campaign. “There’s acute urgency to ensure that Bitcoin and cryptocurrency have mass adoption and have a regulatory framework that enables their […]
Military members joined police officers in clearing Lafayette Park while, across the street at the White House, President Trump said he would send soldiers to U.S. cities if local officials don’t end unrest. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Military members joined police officers in clearing Lafayette Park while, across the street at the White House, President Trump said he would send soldiers to U.S. cities if local officials don’t end unrest. Alex Brandon/AP Democratic leaders in Congress inveighed Tuesday against what they described as a push by President Trump to use the U.S. military for cracking down on […]
When budgets are tight, we pit current security needs against future security needs. That is dangerous. Source link
Some members of Congress want to let tech startups access federal stimulus loans. But venture-capital-backed startups aren’t like other small businesses — they fail even in good economic times. LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST: Like many small companies, tech startups have been laying off employees – more than 40,000 people by one count. Yet tech startups backed by wealthy investors are not eligible for federal stimulus loans. But about a dozen members of Congress are urging the Small Business Administration to rethink its rules. Rachael Myrow of KQED in San Francisco reports. RACHAEL MYROW, BYLINE: Silicon Valley Congresswoman Anna Eshoo says her experience […]
Congress’ unprecedented fiscal response to COVID-19 has many in the defense community wondering whether belt tightening will hit the Pentagon. Source link
This is really good news!Attorney Todd McMurtry, who represented the Covington Catholic boys in their lawsuits against the perpetrators in the mainstream media, is running for US Congress in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional district. WLWT5 reported: Todd McMurtry represented Covington Catholic student Nick Sandmann after the student sued CNN for defamation for a video taken at a national Right to Life march. The video shows Sandmann with a group of other students who had been approached by a Native American protester… …McMurtry filed to challenge Thomas Massie in the May GOP primary in the 4th District, a conservative bastion that spans the […]
It’s time for resilient positioning, navigation and timing before America’s strategic weakness becomes our national downfall. Source link
On Sunday night, after briefly touching on immunologist Rick Bright’s whistleblower testimony in front of Congress, accusing the Trump administration of ignoring his warnings about the novel coronavirus and their lack of preparedness, Last Week Tonight host John Oliver tackled “a major scandal brewing in Washington”: the curious case of Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. This past week, Sen. Burr was forced to step down as Intelligence Committee chair amid an FBI probe into his stock dealings—confiscating his cellphone in the process. “It’s true: The FBI seized Burr’s cellphone on suspicion that he may have used […]