The Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the House Judiciary Committee met today in a hearing on Administration Lawyers and Administration Interrogation Rules. Chairman Jerrold Nalder led the discussion of experts in the field to discuss what is known and what the law says about torture and the Bush Administration’s use of torture in Guantanamo Bay in the context of international law.

The Bush Administration’s policies regarding interrogation techniques for captured suspected terrorists have ben sanctioned by various secret legal opinions and memoranda, making questionably illegal methods approved by the highest levels of government. These policies have been discussed by the news media and Nalder is making it a Congressional duty to oversee these actions and determine if they are constitutional.

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The House Foreign Affairs Committee, Middle East and South Asia Subcommittee, and the International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight Subcommittee held a joint hearing entitled, “No Direction Home: An NGO Perspective on Iraqi Refugees and IDP’s (internally displaced persons).” The hearing examined whether or not the United States should accept Iraqi refugees into our nation, or if we would instead be better off making IDP’s stay in Iraq to help with the nation’s rebuilding efforts.

The members of Congress responded in ways that often conflicted with one another at the hearing. Some congressmen, such as Chairman Gary Ackerman (D-NY), called the President’s response to relocating displaced Iraqi’s “pathetic,” saying that the United States should accept Iraqis searching for homes. Other members of Congress, like Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), felt that the Iraqi government should begin to take accountability for rebuilding their country, which should start with the people “above the bloodshed,” like the refugees.

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The Iraq Campaign 2008 held an event today in front of the White House in which a fifty foot long replica banner of the “Mission Accomplished” sign, that was aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln five years ago today, was on display. Protesters were present on this five year anniversary on the revealing of the sign to demonstrate that the mission is not yet indeed accomplished. Plenty of media were on hand to witness a protester against the protest, whom was immediately drowned out by the overwhelmingly outnumbering crowd in support of the protest.

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Congressman John P. Murtha (D-PA), chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, discussed the five years of violence in Iraq after President Bush declared “Mission Accomplished” in 2003, in a discussion at the Center for American Progress today.

Murtha talked about the wars in Vietnam, Lebanon, Beirut and Somalia and compared them to the current situation in Iraq. Similar to the military actions taken in those countries, in Iraq the U.S. went in without an exact strategy, the mission remained undefined and the U.S. military ended up becoming nation builders without a clear exit strategy.

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Latvian President Valdis Zatlers is making his first official state trip to the U.S. While he has been here before, as he was educated in the U.S., this trip is his first since being elected President. His visit to the National Press Club was to mark the 100 year anniversary of the press club and to discuss Latvia’s relationship with NATO and U.S.-Latvia relations. He thanked the U.S. and said he has been satisfied with his visit and with his meetings with President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Defense Secretary Gates.

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The White House Summit on Inner-City Children and Faith-Based Schools was held today and President Bush addressed the crowd with a thirty minute speech. The summit is being held to discuss the benefits of educational programs that benefit lower income families and the advantages of faith-based schools. President Bush reiterated his support for the No Child Left Behind initiative and was emotional in his beliefs and support for ensuring education to those that wouldn’t normally have the opportunities.

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President Bush, during a press availability with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, addresses “rumors” that the United States is willing to accept less than a full declaration of North Korea’s nuclear programs. President Bush says that North Korea must first make a declaration, and only then will the United States determine whether the declaration is adequate. (1:34)

 

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While speaking to the America’s Small Business Summit President George W. Bush says the economy had 52 months of uninterrupted job growth, and has now slowed down. He thanked Congress and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for working on a pro-growth stimulus package. (0:46)

 

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President George W. Bush says economic advisers say much the impact of a pro-growth stimulus package will be felt beginning in July. He says there should be “no doubt in anyone’s mind” that America’s economy will “bounce back strong” and that small businesses will lead the way. (0:31)

 

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While speaking to the America’s Small Business Summit President George W. Bush says that the “last thing small business owners need” is higher taxes. He says that he believes there should be certainty in the tax codes and that Congress should make “the tax relief we passed permanent.” (0:54)

 

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