Republicans in Congress “Pull a Sensenbrenner”

      In response to the historically landmark passage of the Health Insurance Legislation Senator “Country First” John McCain, has now told Democrats that Republicans won’t cooperate with Democrats on any legislation throughout the remainder of this year.  Maybe he should take on a new name “Senator - Republican Party and Personal Ambitions First, John McCain”.

     Committees which were set to hold hearings, or which had been in session, were suddenly told that Republican Congressmen were stepping forward to claim that “someone in the Republican Caucus, opposes the continuance of the committee hearings”, while of course not acknowledging that they themselves had any opposition to the committee, but rather were reporting on "some other unknown and unnamed" member of Congress.  Committee meetings were shut down after 2 p.m. today (March 24, 2010), as Republicans called upon an old unused rule in the Senate to shut down committee hearings 2 hours after the Senate convenes. 

      Can we stop paying Republican Members of Congress for REFUSING TO DO THEIR JOBS?  Isn't that what they are paid for - to negotiate for and represent their constituents?  So, if they don't do it, don't the constituents they represent have the right to demand that they not be paid for services NOT PROVIDED under BREACH OF CONTRACT?

      Not only is this a betrayal of the American people, to shut down the business of Congress for politically motivated tactics, but Republican members of Congress refuse to step forward to identify exactly who is opposing these committee hearings, including one Senate hearing regarding our National Defense and the current status of our relationship with North Korea, where the commanding Generals from the regions HQ’d in Korea and Hawaii had to fly in to testify and were prevented from doing so by REPUBLICANS.  Never mind the COST of their flying in for nothing, but what could we have done to STRENGTHEN National Defenses, as a result of their testimony, which we won’t be able to hear because Republicans are “taking their BALLS and GOING HOME”?

     It reminds us of when Jim Sensenbrenner, as Chair of the House Judiciary, shut down his own committee hearing (6-9-2005), regarding the renewal of the Patriot Act, because he didn’t like what he was hearing from the witnesses, first cutting the witnesses off before the end of their testimony, and then stomping out of the hearing, after claiming that the meeting had adjourned, over objections of his committee colleauges, whom he ignored, and then had the mikes and the lights shut off, so that those who remained in the room, could not continue their discussions.

(     Sensenbrenner had repeatedly told his more Liberal crowd in the 5^th CD that he didn’t support the renewal of the Patriot Act, until he voted for it AGAIN -  Dec. 15, 2005 - Gonzales this week joined Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wisconsin, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, in rejecting the idea of reopening negotiations or temporarily extending the bill.  Sensenbrenner said the present proposal should be ratified or the expiring provisions and changes to the bill will die.  That proposal extended most of the Patriot Act INDEFINITELY).

The 2010 appropriations bill contained Transportation Security Administration funding for explosives detection systems and other security measures -- it was opposed by House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.), and Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wi), Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), and Rep. Thomas Petri (R-WI) among others.  All of the Republican Congressmen from Wisconsin VOTED AGAINST THE BILL.  All of the Democratic Congressmen (and women) from Wisconsin VOTED FOR THE BILL.

So Who's Soft on Terror?

The conference bill included more than $4 billion for "screening operations," including $1.1 billion in funding for explosives detection systems, with $778 million for buying and installing the systems.

For necessary expenses of the Transportation Security Administration related to providing civil aviation security services pursuant to the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (Public Law 107–71; 115 Stat. 597; 49 U.S.C. 40101 note), $5,214,040,000, to remain available until September 30, 2011, of which not to exceed $10,000 shall be for official reception and representation expenses: Provided, That of the total amount made available under this heading, not to exceed $4,358,076,000 shall be for screening operations, of which $1,116,406,000 shall be available for explosives detection systems; and not to exceed $855,964,000 shall be for aviation security direction and enforcement: Provided further, That of the amount made available in the preceding proviso for explosives detection systems, $778,300,000 shall be available for the purchase and installation of these systems, of which not less than 28 percent shall be available for the purchase and installation of certified explosives detection systems at medium- and small-sized airports: Provided further, That any award to deploy explosives detection systems shall be based on risk, the airport’s current reliance on other screening solutions, lobby congestion resulting in increased security concerns, high injury rates, airport readiness, and increased cost effectiveness: Provided further, That of the total amount provided, $1,250,000 shall be made available for Safe Skies Alliance to develop and enhance research and training capabilities for Transportation Security Officer improvised explosive recognition training:

…

For necessary expenses of the Transportation Security Administration related to providing transportation security support and intelligence pursuant to the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (Public Law 107–71; 115 Stat. 597; 49 U.S.C. 40101 note), $1,001,780,000, to remain available until September 30, 2011: Provided, That of the funds appropriated under this heading, $20,000,000 may not be obligated for headquarters administration until the Secretary of Homeland Security submits to the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives detailed expenditure plans for air cargo security, and for checkpoint support and explosives detection systems refurbishment, procurement, and installations on an airport-by-airport basis for fiscal year 2010: Provided further, That these plans shall be submitted no later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

Some of the same Republican lawmakers currently criticizing the President for softness on terrorism voted back in July 2007 against legislation that, among other reforms, provided $250 million for airport screening and explosive detection equipment.

The Improving America's Security Act of 2007 was a relatively non-controversial measure that effectively implemented several un-acted-upon recommendations from the 9/11 Commission. Eighty-five Senators voted in favor of the bill's passage. Seven missed the vote (several of whom were on the campaign trail, including Barack Obama, John McCain and Chris Dodd).

Eight Republican Senators, however, voted against passage, including Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Tom Coburn (R-Okl.) Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), James Inhofe (R-Okl.) and Jon Kyl (R-Ari.).

The Improving America's Security Act of 2007 mandated 100 percent inspections of air and sea cargo, authorized $4 billion for rail, transit and bus security, and changed methods of allocating security funds so that states and cities with greater risks received a greater share of money.

More relevant to current times, the bill provided the Transportation Security Administration with the authority to use $250 million in funds to "purchase, deployment, installation, research, and development of equipment to improve security screening for explosives at commercial airport checkpoints." It also urged the TSA to "to deploy such technologies quickly and broadly to address security shortcomings at passenger screening checkpoints."

Additionally, the legislation included provisions that required the Department of Homeland Security to "submit a strategic plan to Congress that describes the system to be utilized for comparing [airline] passenger information to watch lists; explains the integration with international flights; and provides a projected timeline for testing and implementation its advanced passenger prescreening system."

Such synchronicity clearly failed the DHS in detecting the failed attempt by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to blow up a transcontinental flight above Detroit. But casting a vote against a basic reform of watch-list procedure back in 2007 could complicate the capacity for the GOP to criticize the administration's handling of security breaches today.

From the summary of HR 2647 available here it looks like the bill contains a lot of good stuff:

• Provides a 3.4 percent military pay raise
• Expands TRICARE health coverage for reserve component members and their families for 180 days prior to mobilization
• Prohibits fee increases on TRICARE inpatient care for one year
• Provides $2.2 billion for family housing programs
• Provides travel and transportation for three designated persons, including non-family members, to visit hospitalized service members
• Enables seriously injured service members to use a non-medical attendant for help with daily living or during travel for medical treatment
• Authorizes an additional 30,000 Army troops in Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012
• Provides $6.9 billion to address equipment shortfalls in the National Guard and Reserves
• Bans permanent bases in Afghanistan
• Provides funds to train and equip the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF)
• Authorizes up to $50 million in Commanders’ Emergency Response Program (CERP) funds to support the Afghanistan National Solidarity Program
• Authorizes the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Fund to improve the capabilities of Pakistan’s security forces, including Pakistan’s military and Frontier Corps
• Requires a system to register and track all U.S. defense articles provided to Afghanistan and Pakistan
• Bans permanent bases in Iraq and prohibits U.S. control of Iraqi oil revenues
• Requires a report on the responsible redeployment of U.S. Forces from Iraq
• Does not authorize advance procurement or procurement of F-22 aircraft
• Reduces incentive for employees to use excess sick leave as they approach retirement. OPM estimates the current “use it or lose it” system results in $68 million in lost productivity each year.
• Ensures that provisions are PAYGO neutral, resulting in approximately $258 million in deficit reduction over 10 years
• Strengthens DOD’s ability to face cyber threats and vulnerabilities by improving research and promoting military and civilian cyber workforce development 
• Prohibits interrogation of detainees by contractors
• Fully authorizes the Administration’s request of $9.3 billion for missile defense programs
• Provides technical and financial support to local law enforcement and prosecutors so that they can more aggressively try violent crimes which are motivated by a victim’s race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability and expands federal jurisdiction to cover such crimes.

ABC News Reports that Bush APPROVED Torture!

(Note: After years of repeatedly denying that he had knowledge of, or approved of torture techniques being used, and months of an ABC News investigation, Bush finally acknowledged that he APPROVED of torture techniques being used.  Not only did he approve of them, but Condoleeza Rice had meetings that were very specific about what techniques could be used, so that the torture was choreographed according to what they approved!)

April 11, 2008

President Bush says he knew his top national security advisers discussed and approved specific details about how high-value al Qaeda suspects would be interrogated by the Central Intelligence Agency, according to an exclusive interview with ABC News Friday.

"Well, we started to connect the dots in order to protect the American people." Bush told ABC News White House correspondent Martha Raddatz. "And yes, I'm aware our national security team met on this issue. And I approved."

 
As first reported by ABC News Wednesday, the most senior Bush administration officials repeatedly discussed and approved specific details of exactly how high-value al Qaeda suspects would be interrogated by the CIA.

The high-level discussions about these "enhanced interrogation techniques" were so detailed, these sources said, some of the interrogation sessions were almost choreographed -- down to the number of times CIA agents could use a specific tactic.

These top advisers signed off on how the CIA would interrogate top al Qaeda suspects -- whether they would be slapped, pushed, deprived of sleep or subjected to simulated drowning, called waterboarding, sources told ABC news.

The advisers were members of the National Security Council's Principals Committee, a select group of senior officials who met frequently to advise President Bush on issues of national security policy.

  At the time, the Principals Committee included Vice President Dick Cheney, former National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell, as well as CIA Director George Tenet and Attorney General John Ashcroft.

As the national security adviser, Rice chaired the meetings, which took place in the White House Situation Room and were typically attended by most of the principals or their deputies.

The so-called Principals who participated in the meetings also approved the use of "combined" interrogation techniques -- using different techniques during interrogations instead of using one method at a time -- on terrorist suspects who proved difficult to break, sources said.

Contacted by ABC News, spokesmen for Tenet and Rumsfeld declined to comment about the interrogation program or their private discussions in Principals meetings. The White House also declined comment on behalf of Rice and Cheney. Ashcroft could not be reached.

ABC News' Diane Sawyer sat down with Powell this week for a previously scheduled interview and asked him about the ABC News report.

Powell said that he didn't have "sufficient memory recall" about the meetings and that he had participated in "many meetings on how to deal with detainees."

Powell said, "I'm not aware of anything that we discussed in any of those meetings that was not considered legal."

In his interview with ABC News, Bush said the ABC report about the Principals' involvement was not so "startling." The president had earlier confirmed the existence of the interrogation program run by the CIA in a speech in 2006. But before Wednesday's report, the extraordinary level of involvement by the most senior advisers in repeatedly approving specific interrogation plans -- down to the number of times the CIA could use a certain tactic on a specific al Qaeda prisoner -- had never been disclosed.

more... 

 http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/LawPolitics/story?id=4635175&page=1

Condoleeza Rice, then NSC advisor held several high level top-secret meetings regarding what torture techniques could be used and then perjured herself before Congress claiming that it had not been used!  Hear her say in her own words that torture is illegal under U.S. law!  (Click on the arrow in the middle of the video screen to start the video.)

Sign the petition to call on Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice to resign!

http://condimustgo.com/