This is the weekly review of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The big news for the upcoming week is the Walter Reed hearing tomorrow morning. Watch it live on C-SPAN starting at 10:00 AM Eastern. I'll start a Liveblog unless someone else beats me to it.
Make the jump for more about the Hearing and a special tribute to the once and future President: Al Gore!
Week Ahead: Hearings
- Monday, March 5: Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs hearing on "Is this Any Way to Treat our Troops? The Care and Conditions of Wounded Soldiers at Walter Reed"
This issue spurred a lot of diaries at Daily Kos, especially after the firing of the Commander, Major General George W. Weightman. The General is a key witness and the Committee was ready to subpoena him to testify. However, the new Acting Secretary of the Army, Peter Geren, authorized General Weightman to testify before the Committee so the subpoena was withdrawn. For more info I recommend diaries by smintheus and zeus4prez. I expect this to be all over the news on Monday as well.
Witnesses:
- Specialist Jeremy Duncan
- Annette McLeod, Wife of Cpl. Wendell "Dell" McLeod
- Staff Sgt. John Daniel Shannon
- Lieutenant General Kevin C. Kiley, M.D., U.S. Army Surgeon General
- Major General George W. Weightman, Commander (former), Walter Reed Army Medical Center
- Ms. Cynthia A. Bascetta, Director, Health Care, U.S. Government Accountability Office
- General Richard A. Cody, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army
10:00 AM, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
- Tuesday, March 6: Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives business meeting on House Report ---, A Citizen’s Guide on Using the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974 to Request Government Records, H.R. ---, Openness Promotes Effectiveness in our National (OPEN) Government Act of 2007 and H.R. ---, Presidential Records Act Amendment of 2007
2:00 PM, in 2154 Rayburn House Office Building
- Thursday, March 8: Full Committee Business Meeting on The Presidential Donation Reform Act and the Presidential Records Act Amendments
There were hearings last week on both of these Acts (details below). The business meeting is probably just to make additional markups on the bills and then hold a vote to pass it out of Committee.
10:00 AM, in 2154 Rayburn House Office Building
- Thursday, March 8: Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia Subcommittee hearing on The Status of Federal Personnel Reform
2:00 PM, in 2154 Rayburn House Office Building
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Week in Review: 02/26/07-03/02/07
Hearings
February 28: Reforming the Presidential Library Donation Disclosure Process
Witnesses:
- Sharon Fawcett, National Archives and Records Administration
- Celia Viggo Wexler, Common Cause
- Sheila Krumholz, Center for Responsive Politics
Summary: Presidential libraries serve as depositories of presidential documents, museums and centers for historical research. Under current law, private organizations can raise unlimited amounts of money from undisclosed donors while a President remains in office. It is estimated that fundraising for the George W. Bush library will bring in $500 million dollars. In comparison, Clinton's library and Museum cost only $160 million to build. These secret fundraising efforts are ripe for abuse. The Presidential Donation Reform Act of 2007 (H.R.1254) would require that all organizations raising funds for presidential libraries report on a quarterly basis all contributions of $200 or more including: the amount and date of each contribution, the name of the contributor, and if the contributor is an individual, the occupation of the contributor. The National Archives will then make this information publicly available on the Internet. |
March 1: Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives hearing on The Presidential Records Act of 1978: A Review of Executive Branch Implementation and Compliance
Witnesses:
Panel I:
- Harold Relyea, Ph.D., Congressional Research Service
- The Honorable Allen Weinstein, Archivist of the United States
Panel II: Thomas Blanton, National Security Archive, George Washington University
- Scott Nelson, Public Citizen
- Robert Dallek, Ph.D., Author/Historian
- Anna K. Nelson, Ph.D., American University
- Steven L. Hensen, Society of American Archivists
Summary: Presidential records are supposed to be released to the public 12 years after the end of a presidential administration. In November 2001, President Bush issued Executive Order 13233 giving current and former presidents and vice presidents authority to withhold records indefinitely. The Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2007 (HR 1255), aims to nullify Bush's executive order and restore the timely release of presidential records to the public. It limits the ability of the sitting president to withhold presidential records of former presidents through assertions of executive privilege. Finally, it entirely eliminates the executive privilege for the Vice President that Bush authorized in his Order. This was never the intent of the Presidential Records Act in the first place. The right to assert executive privilege over presidential records is a right held only by presidents. |
Legislation - NEW
Here are the bills & resolutions introduced last week - listed under the Subcommittee which has jurisdiction over the matter.
Domestic Policy
- H.R.1200 : To provide for health care for every American and to control the cost and enhance the quality of the health care system.
Sponsor: Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7]
- H.R.1300 : To strengthen national security and promote energy independence by reducing the Nation's reliance on foreign oil, improving vehicle technology and efficiency, increasing the distribution of alternative fuels, bolstering rail infrastructure, and expanding access to public transit.
Sponsor: Rep Hoyer, Steny H. [MD-5]
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Information Policy, Census, and National Archives
- H.R.1254 : To amend title 44, United States Code, to require information on contributors to Presidential library fundraising organizations.
Sponsor: Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30]
- H.R.1255 : To amend chapter 22 of title 44, United States Code, popularly known as the Presidential Records Act, to establish procedures for the consideration of claims of constitutionally based privilege against disclosure of Presidential records.
Sponsor: Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30]
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Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia
| H.RES.197 : Commending Vice President Al Gore on his well-deserved recognition for the Academy Award-winning documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth".
Sponsor: Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17]
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- H.RES.198 : Recognizing the significance of Black History Month.
Sponsor: Rep Green, Al [TX-9]
- H.R.1222 : To restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8]
- H.R.1236 : To make permanent the authority of the United States Postal Service to issue a special postage stamp to support breast cancer research.
Sponsor: Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1]
- H.R.1256 : To amend title 5, United States Code, to increase the level of Government contributions under the Federal employees health benefits program.
Sponsor: Rep Hoyer, Steny H. [MD-5]
- H.R.1258 : To amend title 5, United States Code, to increase the maximum age limit for an original appointment to a position as a Federal law enforcement officer in the case of any individual who has been discharged or released from active duty in the armed forces under honorable conditions, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Bishop, Rob [UT-1]
- H.R.1260 : To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6301 Highway 58 in Harrison, Tennessee, as the "Claude Ramsey Post Office".
Sponsor: Rep Wamp, Zach [TN-3]
- H.R.1271 : To amend title 5, United States Code, to make creditable for civil service retirement purposes certain periods of service performed with Air America, Incorporated, Air Asia Company Limited, or the Pacific Division of Southern Air Transport, Incorporated, while those entities were owned or controlled by the Government of the United States and operated or managed by the Central Intelligence Agency.
Sponsor: Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1]
- H.R.1296 : To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to establish the Office of the District Attorney for the District of Columbia, headed by a locally elected and independent District Attorney, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC]
- S.171 : A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 301 Commerce Street in Commerce, Oklahoma, as the "Mickey Mantle Post Office Building".
Sponsor: Sen Inhofe, James M. [OK]
NOTE: This bill has already passed the Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent |
Legislation - UPDATES
Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia
- H.RES.180 : Honoring the life and achievements of Leo T. McCarthy and expressing profound sorrow on his death.
Sponsor: Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14] (introduced 2/16/2007) Cosponsors (60)
Latest Major Action: 2/28/2007 House committee/subcommittee actions.
Status: Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
- H.RES.162 : Recognizing the contributions of the Negro Baseball Leagues and their players.
Sponsor: Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] (introduced 2/14/2007) Cosponsors (66)
Latest Major Action: 2/28/2007 House committee/subcommittee actions.
Status: Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
- H.CON.RES.62 : Supporting the goals and ideals of a National Children and Families Day, in order to encourage adults in the United States to support and listen to children and to help children throughout the Nation achieve their hopes and dreams, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Tom [VA-11] (introduced 2/8/2007) Cosponsors (50)
Latest Major Action: 2/28/2007 House committee/subcommittee actions.
Status: Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
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