Government Oversight & Ethics
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Lawmakers increased pressure on the Trump administration over the war in Yemen this week after an airstrike killed dozens of children, urging officials to explain and possibly adjust U.S. support for nations waging war against rebels there.
Democratic members of the House and Senate sent three letters in as many days to administration officials, asking for an accounting of U.S. involvement in a conflict critics say has exposed Washington to claims of responsibility for thousands of civilian deaths.
It wasn’t too long ago when the release of a tape that featured a candidate discussing paying for the silence of a former mistress would be the sort of scandal to end a political career. Instead, we have a president who has so frequently and aggressively breached norms, and potentially laws, that we’re becoming accustomed to the chaos. We can’t let that happen, and we can’t write this off as just another salacious political scandal that Donald Trump can lie his way through.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) announces the passage of a Yemen oversight provision, which he originally introduced as an amendment with Representative Ted Yoho, in the final 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Sec. 1290 requires the White House to certify to Congress that the Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates led military Coalition is making a good faith effort to avoid civilian casualties, support diplomatic efforts and take measures to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) introduced a resolution condemning Vladimir Putin’s attack on United States officials with Reps. Walter B. Jones (R-NC) and Joaquin Castro (D-TX). The bipartisan resolution underscores the importance of defending U.S. officials from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threats and emphasizes the U.S.’s commitment to combating Russia’s harmful attacks on our democracy.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressmen Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) and Ted Yoho (R-FL) sent a letter to Senate and House Armed Services Committee leaders to express support for a National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provision that would establish certification requirements for U.S. assistance to Gulf partners operating in Yemen. The Senate version of the NDAA included Section 1266 (Certifications Regarding Actions by Saudi Arabia in Yemen), which was based on bipartisan legislation reported favorably by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in May 2018.
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) and Congresswoman Kathleen Rice (D-NY) issued the following statement after the FBI charged Russian national Mariia Butina with being an unregistered foreign agent. The FBI alleges that Butina attempted to establish a back channel of communication with American politicians, and allegedly used the National Rifle Association (NRA) as a conduit. In May, Reps.
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement after President Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland.
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement after the Department of Justice announced the indictment of 12 Russian intelligence officers for conspiring to interfere with the 2016 election. President Trump is due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Representatives Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) and Don Beyer (D-Virginia) wrote to the Environmental Protection Agency Inspector General to request an investigation into whether Scott Pruitt violated the Federal Records Act. The letter cited recent reports that Pruitt intentionally hid or falsified records of meetings and discussions with representatives of industries regulated by the EPA.
The lawmakers wrote:
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) led a letter of 51 Members calling for the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General to open an investigation regarding reports that asylum-seekers are being turned away at the U.S.-Mexico border before being referred to an asylum officer. They also expressed dismay at Trump Administration policies that could compel families to choose between pursuing legal asylum claims or being reunited and then deported.
In the letter, the Members write: