Media

Today, attorney George T. Manning, representing former White House Counsel Harriet Miers, rescinded his prior confirmation that Ms. Miers would attend the House Judiciary Committee's hearing on Thursday in response to a subpoena and would assert executive privilege to certain questions posed by the Committee, as directed by the President.

Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers and Subcommittee Chairwoman Linda Sánchez responded to Mr. Manning today:

July 11, 2007

BY FAX AND U.S. MAIL

Mr. George Manning

Jones Day

1420 Peachtree St., NE, Suite 800

Atlanta, GA 30309-3053

Dear Mr. Manning:

As noted when it was announced, the Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing, "The Use and Misuse of Presidential Clemency Power for Executive Branch Officials." Witnesses will include Ambassador Joseph Wilson; Roger Adams, US Department of Justice Pardon Attorney; Douglas A. Berman, William B. Saxbe Designated Professor of Law, Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University; Tom Cochran, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Middle District of North Carolina (Attorney for Vincent Rita, Rita v. US); David Rifkin, partner, Baker & Hostetler LLP, former Justice Department official during the Reagan and Bush Sr. administrations.

The House is currently debating the rule for the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007, H.R. 2669, with debate on the bill beginning immediately after. The bill will provide the single largest increase in college aid since the GI bill in 1944. The legislation invests about $18 billion dollars over the next five years in reducing college costs, helping millions of students and families. It comes at no new cost to taxpayers, and is funded by cutting excess subsidies paid by the federal government to lenders in the student loan industry.

For for information see our current legislation section >>

Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-03) of the Rules Committee spoke about the bill during debate on the rule:

Yesterday Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff was reported to have made the following remarks:

Homeland Security chief warns of 'increased risk'

E.A. Torriero, Chicago Tribune - July 11, 2007

Chertoff bases 'gut feeling' on history, Al Qaeda statements

Fearing complacency among the American people over possible terror threats, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in Chicago Tuesday that the nation faces a heightened chance of an attack this summer.

"I believe we are entering a period this summer of increased risk," Chertoff told the Chicago Tribune's editorial board in an unusually blunt and frank assessment of America's terror threat level.

The House Democratic leadership tonight announced that the House will vote later this week on a bill to change course in Iraq. The legislation, sponsored by Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton, would begin the responsible redeployment of U.S. troops within 120 days and complete redeployment by April 1, 2008. The President would have to report to Congress why troops should remain in Iraq for limited purposes such as to fight terrorism or to train Iraqi forces.

Speaker Pelosi:

Today the Education and Labor Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing, "The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 (H.R. 1424)."

Text of The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 >>

Watch the archived webcast of the hearing >>

Subcommittee Chairman Rob Andrews gives opening remarks: