Testifying before the House Judiciary Committee Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) says that the war in Iraq was totally unnecessary, unprovoked and unjustified. (0:32)

 

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House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) held his weekly pen and pad briefing today. He spoke in support of presumptive democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s visit to Iraq and Afghanistan, saying Obama’s comments were measured, responsible and well received by the international community.

On the recent oil and gas prices, Hoyer said, “Republicans are not being honest with the American people.” He said all Republicans voted against extending renewable tax incentives, and are speaking poorly about the Democratically held Congress to deflect attention from their failed energy policies. Hoyer said that the United States is currently not drilling the 68 million acres of land available, and should focus on getting that oil before moving on to the Outer Continental Shelf or drilling in ANWR.

Hoyer spoke about the housing crisis and said that the economy will be deeply effected if we do not stabilize Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac. Hoyer spoke positively about a housing bill currently going through Congress, President Bush has said he will not veto the bill. The housing bill will be a major stimulus bill and is expected to pass is great bipartisan support.

Honoring America’s African American men and women of the Armed Forces was the theme in the Capitol’s rotunda as members of Congress, former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell and Defense Secretary Robert Gates celebrated the 60th anniversary of President Truman’s Executive Order which integrated the U.S. Armed Forces. Prior to the start of the event, patriotic anthems played including “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful” with a Revolutionary War procession kicking off the ceremony.

The speakers spoke of President Truman’s actions in signing Executive Order Number 9981 as “remarkable and worthy of praise,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Defense Sec. Robert Gates said “no aspect of black American’s quest for justice and equality under the law has been nobler than has been called the fight for the right to fight.” Gates said that in commemorating the 60th anniversary of the integration of the U.S. Armed Services, it reminds us of what it took to get there and “yet how much remains to be done,” said Gates.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) honored two African Americans who served in World War II. Captain Spencer Moore and Sergeant A. Williams Perry, who had been Buffalo soldiers of the 92nd infantry division in World War II were recognized for having served in racially segregated units. While speaking Moore said “God truly blessed us with the leadership of President Truman.” Moore posed the question though at the end of his speach that led to the standing ovation of the audience “What took us so long to live up to our creed?” said Moore.

After receiving a standing ovation, former Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke of the effects that Truman’s Executive Order had on him personally. “When I went in [to the Armed Forces] they no longer cared whether I was black or white, immigrant or not, the only thing my commanders ever told me from 1958 to the rest of my career was ‘can you perform?’ And that’s all we have ever asked for and throughout our history we have demonstrated, we can perform, let there be no doubt about it,” said Powell.

Powell’s remarks concluded when he stated “let us remember that there is still minorities in our country, African Americans, Hispanics others who are not in the military who are still looking for that dream who still need to be helped, let us not rest on our laurels. Let’s not rest on our laurels as long as there is one kid out there who grows up wondering ‘can I dream in America? Can I go to the very top?’ The answer has to be yes you can.”

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks about the obligation America has towards protecting its citizens and helping each citizen fulfill the American Dream. “Let us remember that there is still minorities in our country, African Americans, Hispanics others who are not in the military who are still looking for that dream who still need to be helped, let us not rest on our laurels. Let’s not rest on our laurels as long as there is one kid out there who grows up wondering ‘can I dream in America? Can I go to the very top?’ The answer has to be yes you can,” stated Powell. (1:41)

 

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Former Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks of the effects that President Truman’s Executive Order 9981 which integrated the Armed Forces had on him personally. “When I went in [to the Armed Forces] they no longer cared whether I was black or white, immigrant or not, the only thing my commanders ever told me from 1958 to the rest of my career was ‘can you perform?’ And that’s all we have ever asked for and throughout our history we have demonstrated, we can perform, let there be no doubt about it,” said Powell. (0:24) (more…)

 

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At a hearing today in the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, T. Boone Pickens, founder and CEO of BP Capital Management, spoke out in support of alternative energy. Pickens unveiled his “Picken’s Plan” which focuses on capturing the abundant domestic renewable energy resources to reduce the role of imported oil in the United States. Pickens supports every available means to use American resources instead of foreign oil such as wind, solar, natural gas, drilling in ANWR and the Outer Continental Shelf.

The United States currently imports approximately 70 percent of its oil from nations who aren’t always friendly towards the U.S., which is a recipe for national disaster, Pickens said. His plan calls for investing in power generation from domestic renewable resources such as wind and using the abundant American supplies of natural gas as a transportation fuel. Pickens said that 22 percent of electrical energy can be gained from wind power in the Great Plains regions. Building up wind energy in that region will also revitalize rural America and jump start the economy.

Pickens called the government to action in supporting the plan, give a 10 year extension on Production Tax Credits, which will allow private enterprises to invest in renewable energy. The current energy crisis was recently compared to the space race of 30 years ago by former vice-president Al Gore, and if the U.S. could put a man on the moon then it should be able to invest in renewable, American energy, he said. “I am for everything that is American” and “I only have one enemy and that is foreign oil,” Pickens said.

Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) talks about a plan he is putting forth to allow American’s to have more options on health care. Shays is co-sponsoring this legislation with Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) that would give American’s the same options for health care as federal employees. (1:06)

 

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Former Attorney General John Ashcroft spoke at the fifth part of a hearing entitled “From the Department of Justice to Guantanamo Bay: Administration Lawyers and Administration Interrogation Rules.” Ashcroft defended the Department of Justice’s action in Guantanamo Bay, saying that they worked within the framework of the law and never supported torture. (more…)

The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing today about how the Bush Administration’s railed detainee policies have hurt the fight against terrorism. The witnesses discussed the lower credibility of the United States’ action in Guantanamo Bay from a legal perspective. (more…)

John Sammon, assistant administrator for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, spoke today about the TSA’s actions toward fulfilling the air cargo security provisions of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007. The act mandates that 100 percent of all air cargo aboard passenger aircraft be screened by the year 2010.

The major challenges faced by the TSA is that there is not enough capacity at all the airports to do all the screening that needs to be done, Sammon said. The lack of capacity makes it impractical to attempt to break down, screen and reassemble large consolidated loads on airport property with any timelines or efficiency and it also poses a security threat, he said.

Cathleen Berrick, director of the Homeland Security and Justice Issues at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, said that TSA faces five major challenges: TSA has noted some technologies that will be allowed but has not finished that assessment, TSA has not finished it’s air cargo vulnerability assessments, TSA may face resource challenges, TSA is working with outbound and domestic air cargo but more work is needed on inbound international flights, and finally TSA needs to set standards that all air cargo companies are willing to work with.