Blog Post

The Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security is currently holding a hearing, "War Profiteering and Other Contractor Crimes Committed Overseas."

Watch the hearing live >>

Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Scott gives opening remarks:

From the Science Committee:

In his famous Gettysburg address, President Abraham Lincoln promised a new birth of freedom in our nation. And today we commemorate the day of new birth in which all people in America were made free: June 19, 1865.

Known as Juneteenth, this is the day when Union Major General Gordon Granger landed in Galveston, Texas to issue the President's executive order, known to us as the Emancipation Proclamation. Although the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863, it took almost two and half years for the Proclamation to be enforced throughout all of the United States.

The Education and Labor Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness is currently holding a hearing, "Building on the Success of 35 Years of Title IX," in advance of the anniversary on June 23rd. The House approved H.Res. 406, a resolution celebrating the 35th anniversary and accomplishments of Title IX of the Higher Education Act, last night.

Tonight, the House approved H.Res. 406, a resolution celebrating the 35th anniversary and accomplishments of Title IX of the Higher Education Act. Title IX is not just about access to sports - it prohibits gender discrimination in education programs and is an integral player in gender equity.

From the Judiciary Committee:

GAO Report Shows Power Grab in Presidential Signing Statements

(Washington, DC)- Today, the nonpartisan General Accounting Office (GAO) released a report which found that in a limited number of Presidential signing statements examined, the Bush Administration failed to execute the law as instructed in over 30 percent of the cases. House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Senate Appropriations Chairman Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) requested the report.

The Oversight Committee has been investigating whether White House officials violated the Presidential Records Act by using e-mail accounts maintained by the Republican National Committee and the Bush Cheney '04 campaign for official White House communications. This interim staff report provides a summary of the evidence the Committee has received to date, along with recommendations for next steps in the investigation.

Today, the House is debating HR 2642, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations for FY 2008. This bill will provide veterans with the health care and benefits we promised them, resulting in the hiring of more qualified doctors and nurses to improve medical services to our veterans and to reduce waiting times for doctor appointments, and provide more to help veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and mental health care issues.