Media

Latest News

Blog Post
House Wounded Warrior Program
February 27, 2008
Speaker Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Committee on Administration Chairman Robert A. Brady announced today the appointment of Retired Master Gunnery Sergeant Patricia Orsini as the Director of the U.S. House of Representatives' new Wounded Warrior Program. Pelosi, Hoyer and Brady directed Chief Administrative Officer Dan Beard to develop the program in November saying, "from our visits with our wounded military over the past several years, we are well aware that these service men and women possess a wide range of valuable skills and experiences, as well as enthusiasm for hard work, which would be enormously valuable to any employer."

The Wounded Warrior Program aims to employ as many as 50 veterans to work with Members of Congress, Committee and Leadership offices, and in support services. Pelosi, Hoyer, and Brady released a statement saying:

Blog Post
Judiciary Hearing on Voter Suppression
February 26, 2008
The Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties held an oversight hearing on voter suppression this morning. The Subcommittee voted 6-4 to authorize the Chairman of the Committee to issue a subpoena to J. Kenneth Blackwell, former Ohio Secretary of State, for testimony and related documents at a hearing before the Subcommittee regarding voter suppression. On January 29, Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers and Subcommittee Chairman Jerrold Nadler wrote a letter inviting J. Kenneth Blackwell to explore the state of voting rights and the allocation of resources to end voter suppression and voter fraud. J. Kenneth Blackwell has refused to appear voluntarily.
Blog Post
Senior Intelligence Officials Write to DNI McConnell
February 26, 2008
Yesterday, Rand Beers, former Senior Director for Combating Terrorism at the National Security Council, Richard A. Clarke, former head of counterterrorism at the National Security Council, Lt. Gen. Don Kerrick, former Deputy National Security Advisor, and Suzanne Spaulding, former assistant general counsel at the CIA, wrote to Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell regarding distortions he and President Bush have made on FISA and the issue of telecom immunity. The four former senior level intelligence officials state, "America's security cannot be captive to partisan bickering and distortions." Read the full letter:

February 25, 2008

The Honorable Mike McConnell

Director of National Intelligence

Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Washington, DC 20511

Blog Post
U.S. Troops Levels in Iraq to Remain Increased
February 25, 2008
Today, the Pentagon acknowledged that it will maintain a force of 140,000 troops in Iraq through July 2008--8,000 more than the pre-surge troop level in January of last year. The AP reports:

The Pentagon is projecting that when the U.S. troop buildup in Iraq ends in July there will be about 8,000 more troops on the ground than when it began in January 2007, a senior general said Monday.

Lt. Gen. Carter Ham, operations chief for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that by July the troop total is likely to be 140,000. That compares with 132,000 when President Bush approved orders to send an additional five Army brigades to Iraq to improve security and avert civil war.

Speaker Pelosi on the extended troop levels:

Blog Post
Correcting the Record on FISA
February 25, 2008
In a letter last week to Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), Attorney General Michael Mukasey and Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell warned that some telecommunications companies have refused to cooperate with surveillance orders. But less than 24 hours later, the Department of Justice and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a statement confirming that telecommunications companies are in fact continuing to cooperate with the government.

Democrats believe the FISA law should be focused on giving our intelligence community the legal tools necessary to protect our national security, not on protecting the telecommunications companies or the Administration.

Fact Checking the Statement by Department of Justice & Office of Director of National Intelligence

Press Release
Pelosi Statement on U.S. Troops Levels in Iraq
February 25, 2008
"The statement from the Pentagon today on troop levels in Iraq is an admission that the President's troop surge was not a temporary measure. There will be more U.S. troops in Iraq this summer than there were at the end of 2006, when the American people demanded a New Direction in Iraq. "
Read More
Articles
Washington Post: Scare Tactics and Our Surveillance Bill
February 25, 2008
"Nothing is more important to the American people than our safety and our freedom. As the chairmen of the House and Senate intelligence and judiciary committees, we have an enormous responsibility to protect both."
Blog Post
Scare Tactics and Our Surveillance Bill
February 25, 2008
Chairmen John Conyers, Silvestre Reyes, Jay Rockefeller, and Patrick Leahy wrote a column published in the Washington Post this morning on the President's "scare tactics and political games" over surveillance legislation.

Scare Tactics and Our Surveillance Bill

The Washington Post - February 25, 2008

Nothing is more important to the American people than our safety and our freedom. As the chairmen of the House and Senate intelligence and judiciary committees, we have an enormous responsibility to protect both.

Unfortunately, instead of working with Congress to achieve the best policies to keep our country safe, once again President Bush has resorted to scare tactics and political games.

Blog Post
Chairman John Conyers Delivers Democratic Radio Address
February 23, 2008
Congressman John Conyers (MI-14), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, delivered the Democratic Radio Address this morning. In his address, Chairman Conyers discussed Democratic efforts to work in bipartisan manner to pass legislation that will ensure our nation's security while protecting civil liberties. He explains, "You may have heard dire warnings about our national security from the President - but let me assure you that FISA remains in effect today and allows for rapid court-approved wiretapping to collect foreign intelligence information, while protecting Americans' civil liberties."

Listen:

Full transcript:

Blog Post
Pelosi Statement on FISA Negotiations
February 22, 2008
Washington, D.C -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today on negotiations on a new Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA):

View more