Blog Post

Yesterday Chairman Waxman of the Oversight Committee sent a letter to Secretary Rice reiterating his request that the State Department make available information pertaining to the Committee's investigation in Iraq by noon, September 20. A hearing scheduled for today on corruption in Iraq has been rescheduled for September 27, 2007.

Full text of the letter:

The Honorable Condoleezza Rice

Secretary of State

U.S. Department of State

The Financial Services Committee is currently holding a hearing, "Legislative and Regulatory Options for Minimizing and Mitigating Mortgage Foreclosures." Witnesses will include the Secretaries of Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, and Chairman of the Federal Reserve System Ben Bernanke, as well as the heads of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The Foreign Affairs Committee is currently holding a hearing, "Assessment of the Administration's September Report on the Status of U.S. Political and Military Efforts in Iraq."

Watch the hearing live >>

The bicameral Joint Economic Committee has just concluded a hearing, "Evolution of an Economic Crisis?: The Subprime Lending Disaster and the Threat to the Broader Economy." Witnesses included Peter R. Orszag, Director of the Congressional Budget Office; Dr. Robert J. Shiller, Stanley B. Resor Professor of Economics at Yale University; Martin Eakes, Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Responsible Lending; and Alex J.

Speaker Pelosi spoke this afternoon at an enrollment ceremony in the Capitol, in which she signed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, the largest investment in college financial aid since the GI Bill in 1944. She stated, "on behalf of the talented students who joined us today, and for millions more like them, we urge President Bush to support the dreams of middle-class American families by signing the College Cost Reduction and Access Act into law." After the bill was enrolled, it was sent to President Bush for his signature.

From the Budget Committee:

Spratt Statement on the Federal Reserve's Interest Rate Cut

WASHINGTON -- House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt today issued the following statement on the decision by the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.

"The Federal Reserve decision today to cut interest rates is an acknowledgment of the need to counteract the instability in financial markets caused by the subprime mortgage situation.

The Judiciary Committee is currently holding a hearing, "Warrantless Surveillance and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: The Role of Checks and Balances in Protecting Americans' Privacy Rights (Part II)." Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and Assistant Attorney General for National Security Kenneth Wainstein will testify.

Watch the hearing live via committee webcast or on C Span 3.

Today Chairman Waxman of the Oversight Committee wrote a letter to State Department Inspector General Howard Krongard describing allegations that, according to seven current and former officials, Mr. Krongard has repeatedly interfered with on-going investigations to protect the State Department and the White House from political embarrassment.

Excerpts from the letter (pdf) below.

On the broad allegations: