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CD180: How Congress Spent Your Taxes in 2018 Sep 10, 2018

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Every year, the President submits a budget request to Congress, but how much attention does Congress pay to those requests? In this episode, we compare the Trump administration requests to the amounts actually provided by Congress for fiscal year 2018. Please Support Congressional Dish - Quick Links Click here to contribute a lump sum or set up a monthly contribution via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North Number 4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD062: The Farm Bill Additional Reading Report: Feds to give $1.5 million for Mississippi town's gas line, MyPlainview, September 4, 2018. Article: Federal grant aims to build drone industry near Del. River & Bay's NJ airport, Delaware Business Now, September 4, 2018. Community Bulletin: U.S. Department of Commerce awards $2 million for workforce training in Sylva, Mauntain Xpress, September 4, 2018. Article: How rising inequality has widened the justice gap by Robert H. Frank, The New York Times, August 31, 2018. Report: Agency gets $3.6M for affordable housing in NM by ABQJournal News Staff, Albuquerque Journal, August 30th, 2018. Report: BGSU helps get $1 million grant for Delta water improvements by BGSU Marketing and Communications, Sentinel-Tribune, August 29, 2018. Report: Agriculture department will pay $4.7 billion to farmers hit in trade war by Bill Chappell, NPR, August 28, 2018. Ranking: The 25 richest American families, ranked by Hillary Hoffower, Business Insider, July 28, 2018. Article: Got drones that can man the border? The DHS may have an opportunity for you. by Robert J. Terry, Washington Business Journal, May 4, 2018. Report: DHS is putting the finishing touches on a new personnel system for its cyber workforce by Nicole Ogrysko, Federal News Radio, March 8, 2018. Article: Michigan gambled on charter schools. Its children lost. by Mark Binelli, The New York Times, September 5, 2017. Article: CDFIs rack up colossal returns for the American people by Anthony Price, New York Business Journal, April 27, 2017. Article: If Trump cuts this little-known federal program, it will gut low-income communities by Eillie Anzilotti, Fast Company, March 16, 2017. Article: A sobering look at what Betsy DeVos did to education in Michigan - and what she might do as secretary of education by Valerie Strauss, The Washington Post, December 8, 2016. Article: Drones, so useful in war, may be too costly for border duty, by Ron Nixon, The New York Times, November 2, 2016. Report: DHS: 'We're not looking for the 30-year-career employee' by Nicole Ogrysko, Federal News Radio, July 5, 2016. Report: Do the employment requirements for eligibility apply to everyone? [Food Stamps], Eligibility.com, February 6, 2016. Report: OPM's Bailey to take on DHS' morale, engagement challenges by Jason Miller, Federal News Radio, January 6, 2016. Report: OPM OKs 1,000 cyber positions at DHS by Meredith Somers, Federal News Radio, November 10, 2015. Article: Teenage stowaway said to survive 2,300-mile flight to Hawaii in the wheel well of jet by Lindsey Bever, The Washington Post, April 21, 2014. Report: Walmart workers cost taxpayers $6.2 billion in public assistance by Clare O'Connor, Forbes, April 15, 2014. Resources About Page: CDFI Fund American Council on Education: A brief guide to the federal budget and appropriations process The American Presidency Project: Franklin D. Roosevelt Analysis: An analysis of the President's 2018 budget, Congressional Budget Office, July 13, 2017. Aviation Security International Info: Perimeter Intrusion Detection Systems for Airports, June 10, 2014. Congress.gov Resources: Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2018 Congressional Research Service: The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction Congressional Research Service: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations: FY2018 EDA.gov: U.S. Economic Development Administration FedBizOpps.gov: Robotic Aircraft Sensor Program (RASP) - Borders (B) Medicaid.gov Info: Eligibility National & Community Service Info: What is Americorps? Office of Community Service Programs: Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) Programs Report: Nutrition Assistance Programs Repost May 2018 TSA Info: Screening Partnership Program U.S. Department of Labor Info: Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers Budget Outline Department of Agriculture Child Nutrition Programs School breakfast program equipment grants Trump administration requested to eliminate the grants Congress increased funding by 20%, to a total of $30 million Total for all Child Nutrition Programs Trump administration requested a 6% increase Congress increased the budget by a little less than Trump wanted to a total of $24.2 billion Food Stamps: Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women (SNAP) Trump administration requested a 6.5% cut, or almost $5 billion Congress cut by a little under 6% for a total of a little over $74 billion Foreign Food Assistance Trump administration requested an almost 90% cut Congress increased the budget by almost 8%, to a total of a little over $2 billion Food and Drug Administration Trump administration requested to change how the FDA is funded Trump administration requested that the FDA's tax money cut by 34% but then wanted to make up the almost $1 billion shortfall and add funding by increasing fees on drug producers. All of these fees are paid by the companies in order to fund the expedited FDA approval process for their products: Medical devices and drugs for humans: Trump administration requested a 67% increase in prescription drug user fees Congress increased by 21% Trump administration requested a 90% increase in generic drug user fees Congress increased by 53% Trump administration requested an almost 350% increase in medical device user fees Congress increased by 53% Animal drugs: Trump administration requested an over 300% increase in animal drug user fees Congress decreased by 23% Trump administration requested a 163% increase in animal generic drug user fees Congress decreased by 17% Tobacco fees Trump administration requested an almost 6% increase in fees Congress enacted Trump's request Crop Insurance Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Trump administration requested an about 5% cut, or $422 million Congress increased the budget by about 3%, to a total of almost $9 billion Commodity Credit Corporation Fund Trump administration requested to cut "Reimbursement for net realized losses" by almost 18%, an almost $4 billion cut Congress cut it more, by 33%, or $7 billion, to a total of $14.3 billion Department of Commerce Total funding: $11.1 billion Economic Development Administration Trump administration requested an 89% cut Congress increased the budget by 9%, to a total of a little over $300 million Minority Business Development Administration Trump administration requested an 82% cut Congress increased the budget by about 15% to a total of $39 million Department of Justice Total funding: $30.3 billion Legal Services Corporation Trump administration requested a 91% cut Congress increased its funding by 6%, to a total of $410 million State and local law enforcement assistance Trump administration requested an over 30% cut Congress increased funding by over 30%, to a total of over $1.6 billion Juvenile justice programs Trump administration requested a 44% cut Congress increased the funding by over 14% to about $280 million Science Total funding: $28.5 billion National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Trump administration requested a 16% cut Congress increased the funding by 4%, to a total of almost $6 billion National Science Foundation Trump administration requested an 11% cut Congress increased their budget by 4%, to a total of $7.7 billion Department of Defense Total funding: $647.4 billion Total Funding Trump administration requested a 6% funding increase Congress increased by over 10%, by more than $61 billion, to a total of over $647 billion Global War on Terror Funding Total funding Trump administration requested a 5% funding increase Congress increased funding just slightly more than Trump's request, to a total of over $65 billion War on Terror "Space procurement" A new category requested by the Trump administration, Congress provided the over $2.2 million request. War on Terror National Guard and Reserve Equipment Trump administration requested to eliminate all $750 million in funding Congress almost doubled the National Guard's War on Terror equipment fund to $1.3 billion. War on Terror "Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative" Trump administration requested to eliminate all $150 million in funding Congress increased the funding by a third to $200 million War on Terror Afghanistan Security Forces Fund Trump administration requested to increase funding by 16% Congress increased funding by over 9%, to a total of over $4.6 billion War on Terror Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund Trump administration requested to increase by 83% Congress increased funding by Trump's exact request, to a total of over $1.7 billion Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Trump administration requested a 14% increase, by more than $10 billion Congress increased funding by 22%, to a total of over $88 billion Procurement Total Trump administration requested a 5% increase Congress increased funding by over 23%, to a total of $133.8 billion Army aircraft Trump administration requested a 9% cut Congress increased the budget by 21%, to $5.5 billion Navy aircraft Trump administration requested a 7% cut worth over $1 billion Congress increased funding by almost 24%, by almost $4 billion, to a total of almost $20 billion Navy shipbuilding Trump administration requested a 3.5% cut Congress increased the budget by 13% to a total of $23.8 billion Army weapons and combat vehicles Trump administration requested a 8% increase Congress almost doubled the funding, to a total of almost $4.4 billion Air force aircraft Trump administration requested an 8% increase Congress decided to increase the budget by almost 30%, to a total of $18.5 billion Military Construction and Veterans Defense Construction: $11 billion Department of Veterans Affairs: $185 billion Grand total: $205.8 billion "Overseas Contingency Operations" Navy Trump administration requested Navy OCO funding be eliminated Congress cut funding by 87%, to a total of $13 million Army Trump administration requested $124 million, up from $0 in 2017 Congress provided 5% more than the request, a total of over $130 million Air Force Trump administration requested funding to double Congress increased funding by 164%, to a total of over $275 million Reserve funding for every branch was eliminated Total Trump administration requested a 7% increase Congress increased funding by 8%, to a total of $750 million European Deterrence / Reassurance Initiative Army Trump administration requested a 16% cut Congress granted the Trump administration's request for almost $16 million Navy Trump administration requested a 13% cut Congress cut funding by 7%, to a total of almost $20 million Air Force Trump administration requested a 300% increase Congress granted the Trump administration's request for over $270 million Total Congress increased funding by 153%, to a total of over $306 million Military Construction Trump administration requested a 40% increase Congress provided a 42% increase, to a total of over $11 billion Veterans Administration Medical and prosthetic research Trump administration requested a 5% cut Congress increased funding by 7%, to a total of $722 million Veterans Administration Total: Mandatory and Discretionary Trump administration requested a 3% increase Congress provided 4.5% increase, to a total of over $185 billion Department of Energy Total funding: $34.5 billion Energy Programs Sustainable Transportation Trump administration requested a 70% cut Congress increased funding by 10%, to a total of $674 million Energy Efficiency Trump administration requested a 70% cut, including the complete elimination of weatherization programs and energy program grants to the states. Congress increased funding by 13%m to a total of $858 million Renewable Energy Trump administration requested a 70% cut Congress increased funding by 15%, to a total of $519 million Solar energy: $241 million Water power: $105 million Wind energy: $92 million Geothermal technologies: $81 million Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Total Trump administration requested almost a 70% cut Congress increased funding by 11%, to a total of over $2.3 billion Fossil Energy: Research and Development Trump administration requested a 58% cut Congress increased funding by 9%, to a total of $726 million Nuclear Energy: Research and Development Trump administration requested to cut funding almost in half Congress increased funding by about 20%, to a total of $669 million Coal Research, including Carbon Capture and Storage Trump administration requested a 73% cut Congress increased funding by 14%, to a total of over $481 million Fusion Energy Sciences: Research Trump administration requested a 25% cut Congress increased funding by 25%, to a total of over $410 million Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Transmission Reliability Trump administration requested a 64% cut Congress increased funding by 8%, to a total of $39 million Resilient distribution systems Trump administration requested an 80% cut Congress cut funding by 25%, to a total of $38 million Energy Storage Trump administration requested a 75% cut Congress increased funding by 30%, to a total of $41 million Total Trump requested research be cut almost in half Congress increased funding by almost 8%, to a total of $248 million Department of the Treasury Total funding: $727 million Community Development Financial Institutions Fund Trump administration requested a 94% cut Congress increased funding by less than 1%, to a even total of $250 million Federal Election Commission Trump administration requested a 10% cut Congress granted his exact request, for a total of about $71 million Small Business Administration: Entrepreneurial Development Program Trump administration requested a 22% cut Congress increased funding by less than 1%, to a total of $247 million Department of Homeland Security Total funding: $59.3 billion DHS Management: Operations and Support Trump administration requested to increase management budgets over 16% Congress increased their budgets by almost 19% Chief Financial Officer: 12% increase Chief Readiness Support Officer: 31% increase Chief Human Capital Officer: 82% increase Cybersecurity Trump administration requested a 19% cut Congress increased by 21%, to a total of $362 million DHS Intelligence Trump administration requested a 4% cut Congress cut funding by 6%, to a total of almost $246 million Note: Congress instructed DHS to continue increasing field personnel to State and Major Urban Area Fusion Centers that provide outreach to "critical infrastructure owners and operators" U.S. Customs and Border Protection Total funding: $16.3 billion Border Patrol Operations Border Patrol Assets and Support Trump administration requested an increase of 17% Congress increased funding by 9%, to a total of $625 million Border Patrol Office of Training and Development Trump administration requested an increase of 43% Congress increased funding by 19%, to a total of $64 million Total Border Patrol Operations Trump administration requested an increase of 4.5% Congress increased funding by a little over 1%, to a total of $4.4 billion Procurement, Construction, and Improvement Trump adm…

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CD179: Hearing: Who's Tracking the Immigrant Kids? Aug 27, 2018

Show notes

In an experimental follow-up episode, listen along with Jen and Joe to the highlights of a Senate hearing examining the progress that has been made towards caring for the immigrant children who have been either taken from their immigrant parents or who arrived in the U.S. alone. Please Support Congressional Dish - Quick Links Click here to contribute a lump sum or set up a monthly contribution via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North Number 4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD177: Immigrant Family Separations CD176: Target Venezuela: Regime Change in Progress Additional Reading Article: Tom Carper's 40-year record of defending banks is being challenged by Kerri Harris in a Democratic primary by David Dayen, The Intercept, August 22, 2018. Report: More than 500 children are still separated. Here's what comes next. by Amrit Cheng, ACLU, August 21, 2018. Staff Report: Oversight of the care of unaccompanied alien children by Rob Portman and Tom Carper, Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, August 15, 2018. Article: 'I want to die': Was a 5-year-old drugged after being separated from his dad at the border? by Michael E. Miller, The Washington Post, August 9, 2018. Report: Trump administration must stop giving psychotropic drugs to migrant children without consent, judge rules by Samantha Schmidt, The Washington Post, July 31, 2018. Report: Grassley, Feinstein seek investigation into alleged abuse at immigrant detention facilities, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, July 30, 2018. Article: Investigation sought into sexual abuse allegations at Texas immigrant detention center by Dianne Solis and James Barragan, Dallas News, June 25, 2018. Report: Police reports tell of sexual abuse, harassment at Arizona facilities for migrant children by Agnel Philip, AZCentral, July 25, 2018. Article: Sexual assault inside ICE detention: 2 survivors tell their stories by Emily Kassie, The New York Times, July 17, 2018. Article: Young immigrants detained in Virginia center allege abuse by Michael Biesecker, Jake Pearson, and Garance Burke, USA Today, June 21, 2018. Article: Alliance for prosperity plan: Hope for curbing Northern Triangle emigration? by Kausha Luna, Center for Immigration Studies, June 21, 2017. Article: US coaxes Mexico into Trump plan to overhaul Central America, CNBC, May 4, 2017. Article: The alliance for prosperity will intensify the Central American refugee crisis by Dawn Paley, The Nation, December 21, 2016. Report: CBP appointes two new officers to senior leadership by Alex Murtha, Homeland Preparedeness News, September 23, 2016. Article: The Alliance for Prosperity Plan: A failed effort for stemming migration by Laura Iesue, COHA, August 1, 2016. Resources Court Settlement Agreement: Jenny Lisette Flores v. Janet Reno, August 15, 2018. Organization Overview: IADB.org Regional Plan: Plan of the Alliance for Prosperity in the Northern Triangle: A Road Map White House Fact Sheet: Support for the Alliance for Prosperity in the Northern Triangle, March 3, 2015. Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Unaccompanied Immigrant Children, Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee, August 16, 2018. Hearing: Oversight of Efforts to Protect Unaccompanied Alien Children from Human Trafficking and Abuse, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, August 16, 2018. Witnesses: Richard Hudson: Acting Chief of Law Enforcement Operations, US Border Patrol, US Department of Homeland Security Robert Guadian: Acting Deputy Assistant Diretor for Field Operations West, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, US Dept of Homeland Security Commander Jonathan D. White: U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Federal Health Coordinating Official for the 2018 Reunification Effort, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services James McHenry: Director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review, US Dept of Justice Hearing: Prescription Drug Supply and Cost, Senate Finance Committee, C-SPAN, June 26, 2018. Witness: Alex Azar - Health and Human Services Secretary Sound Clips: 27:50 Senator Ron Wyden (OR): How many kids who were in your custody because of the zero-tolerance policy have been reunified with a parent or a relative? Alex Azar: So, I believe we have had a high of over 2,300 children that were separated from their parents as a result of the enforcement policy. We now have 2,047. Hearing: Stopping the Daily Border Caravan: Time to Build a Policy Wall, Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee, May 22, 2018. Witnesses: Ronald Vitiello - Acting Depury Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection Lee Francis Cissna - Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Thomas Homan - Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Sound Clips: 41:33 Thomas Homan: They're separating families for two reasons. Number one, they can't prove the relationship—and we've had many cases where children had been trafficked by people that weren't their parents, and we're concerned about the child. The other issues are when they're prosecuted, then they're separated. 37:40 Representative Filemon Vela (TX): So, with this new policy in place, at the point that you're in a situation where you decide to separate the families, where do the minors go? Vitiello: The decision is to prosecute 100%. If that happens to be a family member, then HHS would then take care of the minor as an unaccompanied child. 39:58 Thomas Homan: As far as the question on HHS, under the Homeland Security Act 2002, we're required, both the Border Patrol and ICE, to release unaccompanied children to HHS within 72 hours. So, we simply—once they identify within that 72 hours a bed someplace in the country, our job is to get that child to that bed. Then HHS, their responsibility is to reunite that child sometime with a parent and make sure that child gets released to a sponsor that's being vetted. Speech: Sessions Says 'Zero Tolerance' for Illegal Border Crossings, CBS SF BayArea, May 7, 2018. Attorney General Jeff Sessions Today we are here to send a message to the world: we are not going to let this country be overwhelmed. People are not going to caravan or otherwise stampede our border. We need legality and integrity in the system. That's why the Department of Homeland Security is now referring 100 percent of illegal Southwest Border crossings to the Department of Justice for prosecution. And the Department of Justice will take up those cases. I have put in place a "zero tolerance" policy for illegal entry on our Southwest border. If you cross this border unlawfully, then we will prosecute you. It's that simple. Hearing: Oversight of HHS and DHS Efforts to Protect Unaccompanied Alien Children from Human Trafficking and Abuse, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, C-SPAN, April 26, 2018. Witnesses: James McCament - Deputy Under Secretary of the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans at the Dept. of Homeland Security Steven Wagner - Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration for Children and Facilities at the Dept. of Health and Human Services Kathryn Larin - Director for Education, Workforce, and Income Security Team at the U.S. Government Accountability Office Sound Clips: 45:05 Kathryn Larin: In 2015, we reported that the interagency process to refer unaccompanied children from DHS to ORR shelters was inefficient and vulnerable to error. We recommended that DHS and HHS develop a joint collaborative process for the referral and placement of unaccompanied children. In response, the agencies recently developed a memorandum of agreement that provides a framework for coordinating responsibilities. However, it is still under review and has not yet been implemented. 1:51:28 Sen. Portman: Mr. Wagner, give me a timeframe. Wagner: Sir, we have to incorporate the new MOA in the draft JCO. Honestly, we are months away, but I promise to work diligently to bring it to a conclusion. 1:57:15 Senator Rob Portman (OH): Okay, we learned this morning that about half, maybe up to 58%, of these kids who are being placed with sponsors don't show up at the immigration hearings. I mean, they just aren't showing up. So when a sponsor signs the sponsorship agreement, my understanding is they commit to getting these children to their court proceedings. Is that accurate, Mr. Wagner? Steven Wagner: That is accurate. And in addition, they go through the orientation on responsibilities of custodians. Sen. Portman: So, when a child does not show up, HHS has an agreement with the sponsor that has been violated, and HHS, my understanding, is not even notified if the child fails to show up to the proceedings. Is that accurate? Wagner: That is accurate, Senator. Sen. Portman: So you have an agreement with the sponsor. They have to provide this agreement with you, HHS. The child doesn't show up, and you're not even notified. So I would ask you, how could you possibly enforce the commitment that you have, the agreement that you have, with the sponsor if you don't have that information? Wagner: I think you're right. We have no mechanism for enforcing the agreement if they fail to show up for the hearing. Community Suggestions See more Community Suggestions HERE. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

CD178: Election Insecurity Aug 01, 2018

Show notes

Since the 2016 election, our country has been questioning whether our elections are secure, fair, and accurate. In this episode, we examine the threats to our election administration, both real and overblown. Please Support Congressional Dish - Quick Links Click here to contribute a lump sum or set up a monthly contribution via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North Number 4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD175: State of War CD172: The Illegal Bombing of Syria CD167: Combating Russia (NDAA 2018) LIVE CD108: Regime Change CD041: Why Attack Syria? Additional Reading Report: Dramatic increase in voters purged from voter rolls between 2014 and 2016 by Adia Robinson, ABC News, July 24, 2018. Article: Mueller's latest indictment suggests Russia's infiltration of U.S. election systems could get worse by Lawrence Norden, Slate, July 26, 2018. Article: State election officials didn't know about Russian hacking threat until the read it in the news, emails show by Sam Biddle, The Intercept, June 20, 2018. Article: Supreme court upholds Ohio's purge of voting rolls by Adam Liptak, The New York Times, June 11, 2018. Article: What we know and don't know about election hacking by Clare Malone, FiveThirtyEight, April 10, 2018. Report: America's voting machines at risk - An update by Lawrence Norden and Wilfred U. Codrington III, Brennan Center for Justice, March 8, 2018. Article: The dark roots of AIPAC: America's Pro-Israel Lobby by Doug Rossinow, The Washington Post, March 6, 2018. Article: Wyden presses leading US voting machine manufacturer on potential hacking vulnerabilities by Olivia Beavers, The Hill, March 6, 2018. Article: They myth of the hacker-proof voting machine by Kim Zetter, The New York Times, February 21, 2018. Article: No instant profits in US electronic voting machines, Financial Times, 2018. Article: Virginia is replacing some of its electronic voting machines over security concerns by Andrew Liptak, The Verge, September 10, 2017. Report: It took DEF CON hackers minutes to pwn these US voting machines by Iain Thomson, The Register, July 29, 2017. Article: Russian hackers broke into elections company used in Miami-Dade, Broward by Tim Elfrink, Miami New Times, June 6, 2017. Report: Exclusive: Trump says Clinton policy on Syria would lead to world war three by Steve Holland, Reuters, October 25, 2016. Article: The best Congress AIPAC can buy by L. Michael Hager, Foreign Policy Journal, March 22, 2016. Article: AIPAC-linked group launches $5 million ad campaign against nuke deal by Adam Kredo, The Washington Free Beacon, July 17, 2015. Article: The non-pliticians who profit from Election Day by Megan McCarthy, Fortune, November 4, 2014. Report: Diebold indicted: Its spectre still haunts Ohio election by Bob Fitrakis, Columbus Free Press, October 31, 2013. Article: The mysterious case of Ohio's voting machines by Kim Zetter, Wired, March 26, 2008. Letter: Elections: Federal efforts to improve security and reliability of electronic voting systems are under way, but key activities need to be completed, GAO, September 2005. Article: Ohio's odd numbers by Christopher Hitchens, Vanity Fair, March 2005. Article: Diebold's political machine by Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman, Mother Jones, March 5, 2004. Resources Brennan Center for Justice: The Help America Vote Act Congress.gov: S.2261 - Secure Elections Act GovTrack: H.R. 3295 (107th): Help America Vote Act of 2002 Internet Research Agency Indictment: Mueller John Husted, Secretary of State of Ohio Report: President/Vice President Voting Report: November 2, 2004 Justice.gov: New Indictment of Mueller Source Watch: Ashcroft Group Info Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Election Security Preparedness, Senate Rules and Administration Committee, C-SPAN, June 20, 2018. Witnesses: Matthew Masterson - National Protection and Programs Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security Jim Condos - Vermont Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft - Missouri Secretary of State Steve Simon - Minnesota Secretary of State Connie Lawson - Indiana Secretary of State Shane Schoeller - Clerk for Greene County, Missouri Noah Praetz - Director of Elections for Cook County, Illinois 2:40 Senator Roy Blunt (MO): January of 2017, the Department of Homeland Security designated our country's election infrastructure to be critical infrastructure. This designation began the formalization of information sharing and collaboration among state, local, and federal governments through the creation of a Government Coordinating Council, some of our witness this day are already sitting on that newly formed council. More recently, in the 2018 omnibus, Congress appropriated right at $380 million to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to help states enhance their election infrastructure. As of this week, 38 states have requested $250 million of that money, and about 150 million of it has already been disbursed to the states. 6:45 Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN): So, we have a bill, Senator Lankford and I along with Senator Harris and Graham and Warner and Burr, Heinrich, and Collins. It's a bipartisan bill called the Secure Elections Act, and we have been working to make changes to it along the way and introduce it as amendment, but it really does four things. First of all, improves information sharing between local election officials, cyber-security experts, and national-security personnel. Second, providing for development and maintenance of cyber-security best practices. We all know, I think there's five states that don't have backup paper ballots, and then there's something like nine more that have partial backup paper ballots. And while we're not mandating what each state does, and we do not want each state to have the exact same election equipment—we think that would be a problem and could potentially lend itself to more break-ins—we think it's really important that we have some floor and standards that we set that given what we know, I don't think we'd be doing our democracy any good if we didn't share that and we didn't put in some floors. Third, the bill will promote better auditing our election's use of paper backup systems, which I mentioned, and finally, it's focused on providing election officials with much-needed resources. As you all know, we were able to get $380 million to be immediately distributed to the state, not play money, money that's going out right now to states across the country, based on populations. We didn't have some complicated grant process that would have slowed things down. The money went directly to state election officials as long as the state legislature authorizes it to get accepted and get to work to update their systems. 11:50 Jay Ashcroft: But before we move forward, we should briefly look back to the impetus of why we are all here today: allegations that outside actors threaten the integrity of our elections during the 2016 election cycle. While these are serious allegations, it is vitally important to understand that after two years of investigation, there is no credible—and I could strike "credible" and just put "evidence"—there is no evidence that these incidents caused a single vote or a single voter registration to be improperly altered during the 2016 election cycle. It was not our votes or our election systems that were hacked; it was the people's perception of our elections. 30:50 Matthew Masterson: For those voters who have questions or concerns regarding the security or integrity of the process, I implore you to get involved. Become a poll worker; watch pre-election testing of the systems, or post-election audits; check your registration information before elections; engage with your state- and local-election officials; and most importantly, go vote. The best response to those who wish to undermine faith in our democracy is to participate and to vote. 1:08:00 Senator Roy Blunt (MO): Should the federal government make an audit trail, a paper audit trail, a requirement to have federal assistance? Jay Ashcroft: I don't think so. Jim Condos: I do think so. Steve Simon: I think there is a federal interest in making sure that there's some audit process. Sen. Blunt: Well, now, what I'm asking about is, should there be a way to recreate the actual election itself? And I don't know quite how to do that without paper, even if you had a machine that was not accessible to the web. Jay Ashcroft: I believe states are moving to do that, without federal legislation. So that's why I don't think that federal legislation needs to be done to that. 1:23:30 Shane Schoeller: I do want to address one area that concerns Secure Elections Act, that is on page 23, lines three, four, and five. It says, "Each election result is determined by tabulating marked ballots, hand or device." I strongly recommend for post-election auditing purposes that a state-marked paper ballots, because I believe the opportunity for fraud in electronic ballot-casting system that does not have a paper trail's too great. *1:32:00 Shane Schoeller: Even if you do a post audit with the machine, how would you know if something's been compromised if you can't at least compare the results of the paper ballot. And I think that's the assurance it gives. Clearly, the machine, when you have an accurate election, does do a better job of counting the ballots. I'm talking about in the case where clearly fraud has occurred, then the paper ballot is going to be the evidence you need in terms of if your system inside that machine is compromised. 1:32:30 Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN): I think for a while people were talking about, well, why doesn't everyone just vote from home, which is great when you can mail in a ballot, we know that, but vote from home just from your computer, and that would mean no paper records of anything. Could you comment about that? Noah Praetz: I think that's 100% inappropriate for civil elections. Sen. Klobuchar: Got it. Shane Schoeller: I find it ironic because this is my first term, although I ran for this office in 2014, that was actually a common theme that I heard. Sen. Klobuchar: Right. I was hearing it, and I was—I kept thinking— Schoeller: Mm-hmm. Sen. Klobuchar: —about our state with, they're not going to keep dwelling on it, with that high voter turnout. But, you know, that involved a paper ballot— voice off-mic: incredible integrity. Sen. Klobuchar: —and incredible integrity. But it involved people—they could vote by mail, and we've made that even easier, but they had actual paper ballots that they did, and then they were fed into this machine to count, with auditing. But you're right. That's what people were talking about. Why can't you just do it from your home computer and have no backup, right? Schoeller: Right. And that was one of the things I actually had to disagree when that viewpoint was put forth, particularly in one city that I remember. And even after I became elected, I went to a conference of other elected officials, and there was a group of speakers, and they all were talking about this, and there was actually one speaker— Sen. Klobuchar: Like voting from Facebook. Schoeller: Correct. Sen. Klobuchar: Just kidding... Schoeller: But they actually disagreed, and I went up, and I think I was the only election official that day—this was prior to 2016—that didn't think that it was a good idea. But I think we have evidence now from 2016 that clearly—that's a convenience that we just can't afford. 1:35:05 Noah Praetz: We've got a piece of paper that every voter looked at. Senator Amy Klobuchar: Mm-hmm. Praetz: So worst-case scenario, a Sony-type attack with full meltdown of all systems, we can recreate an election that's trusted and true. Hearing: Election Security, Senate Judiciary Committee, C-SPAN, June 12, 2018. Witnesses: Adam Hickey - Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division at the Department of Justice Matthew Masterson - National Protection and Programs Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security Kenneth Wainstein - Partner at Davis Polk & Wardwell, LLP Prof. Ryan Goodman - New York University School of Law Nina Jankowicz - Global Fellow at the Wilson Center 9:00 Senator Dianne Feinstein (CA): We know that Russia orchestrated a sustained and coordinated attack that interfered in our last presidential election. And we also know that there's a serious threat of more attacks in our future elections, including this November. As the United States Intelligence Community unanimously concluded, the Russian government's interference in our election—and I quote—"blended covert intelligence operations, such as cyber activity, with overt efforts by the Russian government agencies, state-funded media, third-party intermediaries, and paid social-media users or trolls." Over the course of the past year and a half, we've come to better understand how pernicious these attacks were. Particularly unsettling is that we were so unaware. We were unaware that Russia was sowing division through mass propaganda, cyber warfare, and working with malicious actors to tip scales of the election. Thirteen Russian nationals and three organizations, including the Russian-backed Internet Research Agency, have now been indicted for their role in Russia's vast conspiracy to defraud the United States. 39:40 Senator Mike Lee (UT): First, let's talk a little bit about the integrity of our election infrastructure. We'll start with you, Mr. Masterson. Were there any known breaches of our election infrastructure in the 2016 election? Matthew Masterson: Thank you, Senator. Yes, there was some publicly discussed known breaches of election infrastructure specifically involving voter-registration databases. Sen. Lee: Are there any confirmed instances of votes being changed from one candidate to another? Masterson: There are no confirmed instances of that. Sen. Lee: And were any individual voting machines hacked? Masterson: No, not that I know of. 42:55 ** Senator Mike Lee**: One approach to some of this, to the threat, the possibility of election infrastructure or voting machines being hacked from the outside is to go low-tech. Some states have gravitated toward that. For example, some states have started making moves back toward paper ballots so that they can't be hacked. Is this something that's helpful? Is it something that's necessary that you think more states ought to consider? Matthew Masterson: Yeah. Senator, the auditability and having an auditable voting system, in this case, auditable paper records, is critical to the security of the systems. In those states that have moved in that direction have implemented means by which to audit the vote in order to give confidence to the public on the results of the election. In those states that have non-paper systems have indicated a desire—for instance, Pennsylvania—to more to auditable systems. And so at this point, resources are necessary to help them move that direction. Sen. Lee: By that, you mean either a paper-ballot system or a system that simultaneously creates a paper trail. Masterson: An auditable paper record. Correct, sir. 1:22:08 Senator Kamala Harris (CA): Will you talk a bit about what you have seen in terms of the risk assessments you've been doing around the country? I believe 14 states have been completed. Is that correct,…

Full show notes at the publisher

CD177: Immigrant Family Separations Jul 08, 2018

Show notes

A new policy change by the Trump administration on May 7th has resulted in thousands of children being separated from their want-to-be-immigrant parents who crossed the U.S. southern border in the wrong location. In this episode, hear from officials in every branch of government involved to learn why this is happening, why it's proving to be so difficult to return the children to their parents, and what we can do to help this situation. Please Support Congressional Dish - Quick Links Click here to contribute a lump sum or set up a monthly contribution via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North Number 4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Letter to Representative/Senators Jen's letter that she sent to her members of Congress. You are welcome to use this as you wish! Additional Reading Report: Trump administration: Migrant families can be detained for more than 20 days by Tanya Ballard Brown, NPR, June 29, 2018. Article: Federal judge enjoins separation of migrant children, orders family reunification by Devlin Barrett, Mike DeBonis, Nick Miroff and Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Washington Post, June 27, 2018. Article: Trump aims to dismantle protections for immigrant kids and radically expand the family detention system by Ryan Devereaux, The Intercept, June 26, 2018. Article: With prosecutions of parents suspended the status quo returns at the border, The Washington Post, June 25, 2018. Article: Separated immigrant children are all over the U.S. now, far from parents who don't know where they are by Maria Sacchetti, Kevin Sieff and Marc Fisher, The Washington Post, June 24, 2018. Article: U.S. officials separated him from his child then he was deported to El Salvador, The Washington Post, June 23, 2018. Article: Yes, Obama separated families at the border, too by Franco Ordonez and Anita Kumar, McClatchy, Jue 21, 2018. Report: Governor orders probe of abuse claims by immigrant children by Michael Bisecker, Jake Pearson and Garance Burke, AP News, June 21, 2018. Report: Migrant children at the border - the facts by Graham Kates, CBS News, June 20, 2018. Report: The facilities that are housing children separated from their parents by Andy Uhler and David Brancaccio, Marketplace, June 20, 2018. Article: How private contractors enable Trump's cruelties at the border by David Dayen, The Nation, June 20, 2018. Article: Separating migrant families is barbaric. It's also what the U.S. has been doing to people of color for hundreds of years. by Shaun King, The Intercept, June 20, 2018. Report: Trump's executive order on family separation: What it does and doesn't do by Richard Gonzales, NPR, June 20, 2018. Report: U.S. announces its withdrawal from U.N. Human Rights Council by Colin Dwyer, NPR, June 19, 2018. Article: Detainees in Oregon say they followed asylum process and were arrested by Conrad Wilson, OPB, June 19, 2018. Report: Fact-checking family separation by Amrit Cheng, ACLU, June 19, 2018. Article: The U.S. has taken more than 3,700 children from their parents - and has no plan for returning them by Ryan Devereaux, The Intercept, June 19, 2018. Article: Exclusive: US officials lost track of nearly 6,000 unaccompanied migrant kids by Franco Ordonez and Anita Kumar, McClatchy, June 19, 2018. Article: The government has no plan for reuniting the immigrant families it is tearing apart by Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, June 18, 2018. Report: U.N. rights chief tells U.S. to stop taking migrant children from parents by Nick Cumming-Bruce, The New York Times, June 18, 2018. Article: Taking migrant children from parents is illegal, U.N. tells U.S. by Nick Cumming-Bruce, The New York Times, June 5, 2018. Article: Parents, children ensnared in 'zero-tolerance' border prosecutions by Curt Prendergast and Perla Trevizo, Arizona Daily Star, May 28, 2018. Statement: By HHS Deputy Secretary on unaccompanied alien children program, HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan, HHS, May 28, 2018. Report: Trump administration using contractors accused of abuse to detain undocumented children by TYT Investigates, TYT Network, May 28, 2018. Testimony: Ronald D. Vitiello on Stopping the daily border caravan: Time to build a policy wall, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, May 22, 2018. Report: ICE has already missed two detention reporting deadlines set by Congress in March, National Immigrant Justice Center, May 17, 2018. Article: As Gaza death toll rises, Israeli tactics face scrutiny by Josef Federman, The Seattle Times, May 15, 2018. News Report: Attorney General Sessions delivers remarks discussing the immigration enforcement actions of the Trump administration, Department of Justice, May 7, 2018. Statement: Steven Wagner of Administration for Children and Families U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, April 26, 2018. Article: Hundreds of immigrant children have been taken from parents at U.S. border by Caitlin Dickerson, The New York Times, April 20, 2018. Article: Trump's first year has been the private prison industry's best by Lauren-Brooke "L.B" Eisen, Brennan Center for Justice, January 15, 2018. Article: Private-prison giant, resurgent in Trump era, gathers at president's resort by Amy Brittain and Drew Harwell, The Washington Post, October 25, 2017. Report: Trump administration warns that U.S. may pull out of U.N. Human Rights Council by Merrit Kennedy, NPR, June 6, 2017. Article: Private prisons were thriving even before Trump was elected by Alice Speri, The Intercept, November 28, 2016. Article: Mexican migrant kids swiftly sent back by Sandra Dibble, San Diego Union Tribune, July 12, 2014. Article: Immigrant surge rooted in law to curb child trafficking by Carl Hulse, The New York Times, July 7, 2014. Resources Agency Details: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services GovTrack: H.R. 4760: Securing America's Future Act of 2018 GovTrack: H.R. 7311 (110th): William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 Human Rights First: The Flores Settlement Publication: Betraying Family Values: How Immigration Policy at the United States Border is Separating Families Snopes.com: Did the U.S. government lose track of 1,475 migrant children? U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Organizational Chart U.S. Customs and Border Protection: Southwest Border Migration FY2018 Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Prescription Drug Supply and Cost, Senate Finance Committee, C-SPAN, June 26, 2018. Witness: - Alex Azar - Health and Human Services Secretary 27:50 Senator Ron Wyden (OR): How many kids who were in your custody because of the zero-tolerance policy have been reunified with a parent or a relative? Alex Azar: So, I believe we have had a high of over 2,300 children that were separated from their parents as a result of the enforcement policy. We now have 2,047. Sen. Wyden: How many have been reunified? Azar: So, they would be unified with either parents or other relatives under our policy, so, of course if the parent remains in detention, unfortunately under rules that are set by Congress and the courts, they can't be reunified while they're in detention. Sen. Wyden: So is the answer zero? I mean, you have— Azar: No, no. No, we've had hundreds of children who had been separated who are now with—for instance, if there was a parent— Sen. Wyden: I want an— Azar: —parent who's here in the country, they'd be with that parent. Sen. Wyden: I want to know about the children in your department's custody. Azar: Yeah. Sen. Wyden: How many of them have been reunified? Azar: Well, that's exactly what I'm saying. They had been placed with a parent or other relative who's— Sen. Wyden: How many? Azar: —here in the United States. Sen. Wyden: How many? Azar: Several hundred. Sen. Wyden: Of the 2— Azar: Of the 2,300-plus that— Sen. Wyden: Okay. Azar: —came into our care. Sen. Wyden: How many— Azar: Probably of 2,047. 49:20 Senator Ben Nelson (FL): So, what is the plan to reunite 2,300 children? Alex Azar: Absolutely. So, the first thing we need to do is, for any of the parents, we have to confirm parentage. So that's part of the process. With any child in our care, we have to ensure—there are traffickers; there are smugglers; there're, frankly, just some bad people occasionally—we have to ensure that the parentage is confirmed. We have to vet those parents to ensure there's no criminality or violent history on them. That's part of the regular process for any placement with an individual. At that point, they'll be ready to be reconnected to their parents. This is where our very broken immigration laws come into play. We're not allowed to have a child be with the parent who is in custody of the Department of Homeland Security for more than 20 days, and so until we can get Congress to change that law to—the forcible separation there of the family units—we'll hold them or place them with another family relative in the United States. But we are working to get all these kids ready to be placed back with their parents, get that all cleared up, as soon as—if Congress passes a change or if those parents complete their immigration proceedings, we can then reunify. 1:11:52 Alex Azar: If Congress doesn't change the 20-day limit on family unification, then it depends on—the process for any individual parent going through their immigration proceedings, as long as they're in detention, they can't be together for more than 20 days—absurdly, but it is the case. 2:03:31 Senator Ron Wyden (OR): You told me a little bit ago that the Department has 2,047 kids in its custody, so— Alex Azar: That are separated. We've got about 12,000 unaccompanied minors in our program. Hearing: EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program, C-SPAN, June 19, 2018. Witnesses: Lee Francis Cissna - Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security 17:17 Senator Dianne Feinstein (CA): Citizenship should not be for sale like a commodity on the stock exchange. There are millions—in fact, 4 million—of individuals who are waiting in line to immigrate lawfully to the United States. They have paid their required fees, they are in line, they wait patiently for a day that a visa becomes available, so they can be reunited with their families here in this country. However, because they don't have a half a million dollars to buy their way in, they will continue to wait, some as long as 24 years. Yet, under the EB-5 system, the wealthy can cut to the front of the line. 49:45 Lee Francis Cissna: I did not play any role in deciding whether there was going to be a zero-tolerance initiative. What I recommended was, since there is one, what we need to do is decide which cases to refer in fulfillment of the zero-tolerance initiative directed by the attorney general, and I suggested that—I and the other officials who were involved in these discussions suggested that we refer all cases. Senator Dick Durbin: All cases. Cissna: Yes. Anybody who violates 8 U.S.C. 1325(a) will be prosecuted. Sen. Durbin: Which is—simply presenting themselves illegally at the border, without legal authorization at our border. Is that what you're saying? Cissna: Between ports of entry, yes. Sen. Durbin: And you're not just limiting this to those who may have committed some other crime, involved in some activity dangerous to the United States, but merely presenting themselves at these places is enough for you to believe this administration should treat them as criminals and remove their children. Cissna: I believe anyone crossing the border illegally who is apprehended doing so, whether they're presenting themselves or not presenting themselves or trying to evade capture, if they are apprehended, they're violating the law and should be prosecuted. Sen. Durbin: But if a person came to this border, seeking asylum— Cissna: Mm-hmm. Sen. Durbin: —is that person per se a criminal? Cissna: If they cross illegally, yes. Sen. Durbin: The premise was they presented themselves. Cissna: If they present themselves at the port of entry, no. 57:58 Senator Mazie Hirono (HI): So there are two ways that 1325 violations can proceed: either as a civil matter, which is what was happening with the Obama administration, that did not require separating children from their parents; or you can go the criminal route, and this administration have chosen the criminal route. Isn't that correct? Lee Francis Cissna: Well, I would have to defer to DOJ on the appropriate interpretation of 1325, but as I read it, it looks like a misdemeanor to me, and, therefore, would be a criminal— Sen. Hirono: Well, I'm reading the statute right here, and it says that it can be considered as a civil penalty's provision; under civil, not criminal. That's what the plain meaning of that section says to me that I'm reading right now. So, this administration has chosen to follow the criminal route, and that is the excuse, or that is the rationale, being given for why children have to be separated at the border. Now, you did not have to go that route, and in fact, from your testimony, you sound really proud that this administration has a zero-tolerance policy that is resulting in children being separated from their parents. Am I reading you wrong? You think that this is a perfectly—humane route to go to implement Section 1325? Cissna: It's the law. I'm proud of it, yeah. Sen. Hirono: No, the law, this law allows for a civil process, and you are attributing _____(01:27). Cissna: I'm not sure that interpretation is correct, and I would, again, defer to DOJ for the final answer. 1:10:30 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse: So, asylum seekers. They're often refugees, correct? Lee Francis Cissna: Asylum seekers fall into the same definition of refugee at 101(a) (42), yeah. Sen. Whitehouse: Yep. And they often have very little in the way of resources, they're often frightened, correct? Cissna: Yes. Sen. Whitehouse: Very few have legal degrees or are familiar with the United States' immigration law, correct? Cissna: Yes. Sen. Whitehouse: And so if you're a lost and frightened refugee and you see the U.S. border and you think, ah, this is my chance to get across to safety—which has long been something that our country's been associated with—there could be a perfectly innocent reason for crossing the border in that location. And in that circumstance, would it not be perfectly reasonable for immigration officials who intercept them to say, "Ah, you seem to be a legitimate asylum seeker; you're just in the wrong place. We'll take you to the port of entry, and you can join the other asylum seekers at the port of entry"? But to arrest them and separate them from their children is a different choice, correct? Cissna: Well, I think if the person is already at that point where they're apprehended and making their asylum case known, they've already crossed into the country illegally. If they've already crossed the border and made their asylum claim, they've already violated the law. They violated 1325. They're here illegally. Sen. Whitehouse: Because they crossed in the wrong place. Cissna: Correct. Sen. Whitehouse: And they may not know that it's illegal to cross in the wrong place, correct? They may simply be coming here because they're poor and frightened and seeking safety, and for a long time, that's what the United States has been a symbol of, has it not? Cissna: I cannot get into the minds of the people tha…

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CD176: Target Venezuela: Regime Change in Progress Jun 25, 2018

Show notes

Venezuela, home to the world's largest oil reserves, is a country that has been experimenting with a new so-called "socialist" economic model for twenty years. For this sin, two consecutive Venezuelan Presidents have been targeted for regime change by the architects of the "free market" World Trade System, an economic system they intend to be global. In this episode, learn the recent history of Venezuela and hear the highlights of a March 2017 Congressional hearing (which was not aired on television in the United States) during which strategies for a Venezuelan regime change were discussed, and then learn about the regime change steps that have been taken since that hearing which have unfolded exactly how the witnesses advised. Pat Grogan joins Jen for Thank Yous. Please Support Congressional Dish - Quick Links Click here to contribute a lump sum or set up a monthly contribution via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North Number 4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Additional Reading Report: OAS adopts resolution, could bring suspension of Venezuela by Luis Alonso Lugo, AP News, June 6, 2018. Article: Venezuela scores victory as US fails to secure votes for OAS suspension, TeleSUR, June 6, 2018. Opinion: It's time for a coup in Venezuela by Jose R. Cardenas, Foreign Policy, June 5, 2018. Report: Venezuela's 2018 presidential elections, FAS, May 24, 2018. Article: Trump's team gets payback for Rubio on Venezuelan assassination plot by Marc Caputo, Potlitico, May 22, 2018. Article: U.S. places new sanctions on Venezuela day after election by Julie Hirschfeld Davis, The New York Times, May 21, 2018. Opinion: Marco Rubio: It's time to hasten Maduro's exit from power by Marco Rubio, CNN, May 16, 2018. Article: ConocoPhillips could bring deeper trouble to Venezuela by Nick Cunningham, Business Insider, May 12, 2018. Report: ConocoPhillips wins $2 billion ruling over Venezuelan seizure by Clifford Krauss, The New York Times, April 25, 2018. Article: Exclusive: Russia secretly helped VEnezuela launch a cryptocurrency to evade U.S. sanctions by Simon Shuster, Time, March 20, 2018. Article: Tillerson floats possible Venezuelan military coup, says US does not advocate 'regime change' by Max Greenwood, The Hill, February 1, 2018. Report: Venezuela's economic crisis: Issues for Congress by Rebecca M. Nelson, Congressional Research Service, January 10, 2018. Article: Venezuela's ruling party wins surprise victory in regional elections by Scott Neuman, NPR, October 16, 2017. Report: New financial sanctions on Venezuela: Key issues, FAS, September 1, 2017. Article: Venezuela's pro-Maduro assembly seizes congressional powers by Colin Dwyer, NPR, August 18, 2017. Article: Pence vows to end 'the tragedy of tyranny' in Venezuela through 'peaceable means' by Philip Rucker, The Washington Post, August 13, 2017. Report: Trump alarms Venezuela with talk of a 'military option,' The New York Times, August 12, 2017. Article: The battle for Venezuela and its oil by Jeremy Scahill, The Intercept, August 12, 2017. Article: Venezuela's dubious new constituent assembly explained by Jennifer L. McCoy, The Washington Post, August 1, 2017. Article: In wake of 'sham election,' U.S. sanctions Venezuelan President Maduro by Colin Dwyer, NPR, July 31, 2017. Report: U.S. Petroleum trade with Venezuela: Financial and economic considerations with possible sanctions, FAS, July 27, 2017. Article: Venezuela row as National Assembly appoints judges, BBC News, July 22, 2017. Report: Exxon blocked from enforcing Venezuela arbitration award: U.S. appeals court by Jonathan Stempel, Reuters, July 11, 2017. Article: Maduro wants to rewrite Venezuela's constitution, that's rocket fuel on the fire, The Washington Post, June 10, 2017. Article: Venezuela eyes assembly vote in July; man set ablaze dies by Alexandra Ulmer and Deisy Buitrago, Reuters, June 4, 2017. Article: Riven by fire and fiery rhetoric, Venezuela decides its future in the streets by Colin Dwyer, NPR, May 5, 2017. Report: AP explains: Venezuela's 'anti-capitalist' constitution by Hannah Dreier, Yahoo News, May 4, 2017. Article: Venezuela plan to rewrite constitution branded a coup by former regional allies by Jonathan Watts and Virginia Lopez, The Guardian, May 2, 2017. Article: Venezuela's Maduro sees local elections later in 2017 by Andrew Cawthorne, Reuters, April 30, 2017. Article: Opposition parties in Venezuela prepare for elections, hoping they will come by John Otis, NPR, April 8, 2017. Article: Venezuelan court revises ruling that nullified legislature by Nicholas Casey and Patricia Torres, The New York Times, April 1, 2017. Article: Venezuela's top court and president reverse course, restore powers to legislature by Jason Slotkin, NPR, April 1, 2017. Article: Venezuela muzzles legislature, moving closer to one-man rule by Nicholas Casey and Patricia Torres, The New York Times, March 30, 2017. Article: Venezuelan political crisis grows after High Court dissolves Congress by Richard Gonzelez, NPR, March 30, 2017. Article: Venezuela court effectively shuts down congress as opposition cries 'coup' by Jim Wyss, Miami Herald, March 30, 2017. Article: Order for Venezuela to pay Exxon $1.4 bln in damages overturned - lawyer by Reuters Staff, CNBC, March 10, 2017. Report: Venezuela President Maduro hikes wages, distributes social housing, DW, January 5, 2017. Article: Did Hilary Clinton stand by as Honduras coup ushered in era of violence? by Nina Lakhani, The Guardian, August 31, 2016. Article: Inside the booming smuggling trade between Venezuela and Colombia by Ezra Kaplan, Time, March 31, 2016. Article: Venezuela's constitutional crisis: How did we get here? by Juan Cristobal Nagel, Caracas Chronicles, January 12, 2016. Article: Venezuela: What changes will the new Congress bring?, BBC News, January 7, 2016. Article: Oil giants punish Venezuela through Dutch treaty by Frank Mulder, Inter Press Service News Agency, January 4, 2016. Report: Venezuela top court blocks four lawmakers-elect from taking office by Reuters Staff, Reuters, December 30, 2015. Report: Venezuela's departing legislature approves 13 new justices by Patricia Torres and William Neuman, The New York Times, December 23, 2015. Report: Venezuela's outgoing Congress names 13 Supreme Court justices by Diego Ore, Reuters, December 23, 2015. Article: Venezuela: Curb plan to pack Supreme Court, Human Rights Watch, December 10, 2015. Article: Venezuela election: Opposition coalition secures 'supermajority' by Associated Press, The Guardian, December 8, 2015. Article: Venezuela's high-life hope hard-hit poor will abandon Chavez's legacy by Sibylla Brodzinsky, The Guardian, December 5, 2015. Article: Snowden leak reveals Obama government ordered NSA, CIA to spy on Venzuela oil firm by Charles Davis and Andrew Fishman, Common Dreams, November 19, 2015. Article: The long war: Venezuela and ExxonMobil, Telesur TV, November 18, 2015. Article: Obama vs. Chavismo by Boris Munoz, The New Yorker, March 18, 2015. Article: A tale of two countries: Venezuela, the United States and international investment by John G. Murphy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, October 17, 2014. Article: The dirty hand of the National Endowment for Democracy in Venezuela by Eva Golinger, Counter Punch, April 25, 2014. Article: The 2002 oil lockout: 10 years later by Yuleidys Hernandez Toledo, Venezuelan Analysis, December 7, 2012. Article: Declassified documents show that the US finances groups opposed to Chavez since 2002, Grupo Tortuga, September 2, 2006. Article: Documents show C.I.A knew of a coup plot in Venezuela by Juan Forero, The New York Times, December 3, 2004. Report: Documents show C.I.A knew of a coup plot in Venezuela by Juan Forero, The New York Times, December 3, 2004. Article: The coup connection by Joshua Kurlantzick, Mother Jones, November/December 2004. Article: Pyrrhus of Caracas, The Economist, January 2, 2003. Article: Strike cripples Venezuela's oil industry by Jarrett Murphy, CBS News, December 10, 2002. Article: The coup that wasn't by Marc Cooper, The Nation, September 11, 2002. Article: Our gang in Venezuela? by David Corn, The Nation, July 18, 2002. Article: American navy 'helped Venezuelan coup' by Duncan Campbell, The Guardian, April 29, 2002. Article: Venezuela coup linked to Bush team by Ed Vulliamy, The Guardian, April 21, 2002. Article: Chavez rises from very peculiar coup by Alex Bellos, The Guardian, April 15, 2002. Resources Congressional Research Service: Venezuela: Issues for Congress, 2013-2016, Mark P. Sullivan, January 23, 2017. Congressional Research Service: Venezuela: U.S. Policy Overview, May 20, 2015. Global Affairs Canada: Canadian Sanctions Related to Venezuela Government of Canada: Venezuela Sanctions House Foreign Relations Committee Hearing Transcript: The State of Democracy in Venezuela, June 24, 2004. Human Development Report 2016: Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) Library of Congress: Crude Oil Royalty Rates Organization of American States: Inter-American Democratic Charter Resolution of San Jose, Costa Rica Organization of American States: Historic Background of the Inter-American Democratic Charter Public Citizen Report: Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS): Extraordinary Corporate Power in "Trade" Deals USAID Report: Venezuela 2002-2010 Venezuelan Constitution: Title IX: Constitutional Reforms (Art. 340-350) WikiLeaks: The Global Intelligence Files Re: Reliable Source for Venezuelan Inflation Statistics? WikiLeaks: USAID/OTI Programmatic Support for Country Team 5 Point Strategy, Public Library of Diplomacy, November 9, 2006. Visual References Data: How did Venezuela change under Hugo Chavez, The Guardian, October 4, 2012 Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Democracy Promotion in a Challenging World, House Foreign Affairs Committee, June 14, 2018. Video: Debunking John Oliver on Venezuela, The Real News Network, June 9, 2018. Hearing: Advancing US Business Investment and Trade in the Americas, House Foreign Affairs Committee, June 7, 2018. Video: Pompeo calls for kicking Venezuela out of OAS and more sanctions, The Washington Post, June 4, 2018. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: "In addition to suspension, I call on member states to apply additional pressure on the Maduro regime with financial sanctions and diplomatic isolation until such time as it takes the actions necessary to return genuine democracy and provide people desperately needed access to international humanitarian aid" Hearing: Advancing U.S. Interests Through the Organization of American States, House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, February 14, 2018. Hearing: The Venezuela Crisis: The Malicious Influence of State and Criminal Actors, House Foreign Affairs Committee, September 13, 2017. Empire Files: Constituent Assembly Dictatorship or Democracy in Venezuela? TeleSUR English, July 19, 2017. Hearing:The Collapse of The Rule of Law in Venezuela: What the United States and the International Community Can Do to Restore Democracy, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Subcommittee, July 19, 2017. 07:15 Senator Marco Rubio: I also know this, and I do not speak for the president, but I've certainly spoken to the president, and I will only reiterate what he has already said, and I've been saying this now for a number of days: it is my—I have 100% confidence that if democracy is destroyed once and for all in Venezuela on the 30th in terms of the Maduro regime, the president of the U.S. is prepared to act unilaterally in a significant and swift way. And that is not a threat; that is the reporting of the truth. 10:38 Senator Bob Menendez: Even as their president prevents international support for the basic humanitarian needs of its citizens—blocking an effort by the National Assembly to facilitate international systems—they are voting to demand fundamental freedoms. Despite the suffering of his people, and the international outcry, Maduro insists on clinging onto the shreds of a failed ideology his predecessor and a few colleagues in the region still champion. Empire Files: Abby Martin Meets the Venezuelan Opposition, TeleSUR English, July 3, 2017. Empire Files: Venezuela Economy Minister-Sabotage, Not Socialism, is the Problem, TeleSUR English, June 17, 2017. Hearing: Venezuela's Tragic Meltdown, House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, March 28, 2017. Hearing: Venezuela: Options for U.S. Policy, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, March 2, 2017. 21:30 Shannon O'Neil: The United States can and should also delve into Venezuela's recent financial transactions, and specifically, its use of U.S.-based Citgo assets to collateralize its loans. CFIUS should investigate bond purchases by the Russian state-controlled oil company, Rosneft, who may, in the case of default, actually gain majority control of this critical refinery infrastructure here in the United States. 21:53 Shannon O'Neil: Multilateral initiatives are perhaps more important and potentially more fruitful as a means to influence Venezuela. This will mean working behind the scenes to galvanize opposition and condemnation for the Maduro regime. This'll be more effective than U.S. efforts alone as it will be much harder for the Venezuelan government to dismiss the criticisms and the actions of its South American neighbors as imperialist overreach. And such a coalition is much more possible today than in any time in the recent past, due both to the accelerating repression and the breaking of the last democratic norms in Venezuela, and due to the very different stances of South America's recently elected leaders, particularly in Peru, in Brazil, and in Argentina. The OAS remains a venue and an instrument to focus these efforts. The U.S. should call on the organization to again invoke the Inter-American Charter to evaluate Venezuela's democratic credentials and its compliance with them, and this could lead, potentially to sanctions and suspension of Venezuela from this multilateral body. 23:00 Shannon O'Neil: And then, finally, the United States should begin preparing for change. If the Maduro regime is forced out or it collapses, the country will likely face humanitarian, economic, and financial chaos. And there're two particular things the United States can start preparing for. The first is a wave of refugees. This will hit Venezuela's neighbors the hardest—Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, nearby Caribbean nations. It's important to help them with money, with supplies, potentially with personnel, and to back international NGOs in multilateral efforts to ease the suffering of these people. The second aspect to prepare for is a restructuring of Venezuela's finances and its economy. A new government will need to renegotiate 140 billion dollars' worth of external debt, whether or not the government has already defaulted upon it or not. And this massive undertaking will likely require an IMF rescue package and the baking of the international community and creditors. The U.S. will be vital in facilitating this as well as in helping a new government take the tough economic policy choices to turn the economy around. These will include, freeing the exchange rate, reinducing market prices, creating sustainable policies for the poor, and rooting out corruption. And thought this is complicated, the faster it occurs, the faster Venezuela's economy will grow again. 25:30 Senator Ben Cardin: We look at ways…

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CD175: State of War Jun 11, 2018

Show notes

The State Department is known as the agency that solves conflicts with words but a closer look reveals that it's much more connected to war than most of us think. By examining the State Department's funding for 2018, discover the State Department's role in regime changes past, current, and future. In this episode, you'll also get an introduction to the National Endowment for Democracy, a scandalous organization with a noble sounding name. Mike Glaser joins Jen for the Thank You's. View the updated Omnibus Please Support Congressional Dish - Quick Links Click here to contribute a lump sum or set up a monthly contribution via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North Number 4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Additional Reading Article: It's time for a coup in Venezuela by Jose R. Cardenas, Foreign Policy, June 5, 2018. Opinion: Venezuela needs a new government after rigged election keep socialist criminal Maduro in power by Roger F. Noriega, Fox News, May 23, 2018. Opinion: Venezuela's sham election by The Editorial Board, The New York Times, May 21, 2018. Report: Trump bans purchase of Venezuelan debt in new sanctions by John Paul Rathbone, Financial Times, May 21, 2018. Article and Video: Pompeo vows U.S., Mideast allies will 'crush' Iranian operatives around the world by Carol Morello, The Washington Post, May 21, 2018. Article: Venezuaela's Maduro re-elected amid outcry over vote by Luc Cohen and Andreina Aponte, Reuters, May 20, 2018. Opinion: It's time to hasten Maduro's exit from power by Marco Rubio, CNN, May 16, 2018. Letter: 34 organizations oppose rescission of Complex Crises Fund, FCNL, May 14, 2018. Report: Egypt population surge must be met with job growth, IMF says by Ahmed Feteha, Bloomberg, May 6, 2018. Opinion: A new hope for NGOs in Egypt by Andrew Miller, The Hill, April 23, 2018. Article: John Bolton is cleaning at the National Security Council by Eliza Relman, Business Insider, April 12, 2018. Opinion: The observer view: The west's ill-founded support for Sisi and his brutal regime, The Guardian, April 2, 2018. Article: John ("Bomb Iran") Bolton, the new warmonger in the White House by Robin Wright, The New Yorker, March 23, 2018. Report: State Dept. announces $1B in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia by Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, March 22, 2018. Report: Here's how many Americans don't have access to a 401(k) plan by Emmie Martin, CNBC, March 12, 2018. Report: Egypt's IMF program: Assessing the political economy challenges by Bessma Momani, Brookings, January 30, 2018. Article: Egypt: Time to entrench growth and make it more inclusive, IMF, January 23, 2018. Report: Arab Republic of Egypt : 2017 Article IV Consultation, Second Review Under the Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility, and Request for Modification of Performance Criteria-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for the Arab Republic of Egypt, International Monetary Fund, January 22, 2018. Article: Beyond the Iran nuclear deal by John Bolton, WSJ, January 15, 2018. Article: Allison's goal: Keep Summit Point humming by Tim Cook, The Journal, December 11, 2017. Interview: An interview with Carl Gershman '65, President of the National Endowment for Democracy by Adrianne Owings, The Politic, November 20, 2017. Working Paper: Household wealth trends in the United States, 1962 to 2016: Has middle class wealth recovered? by Edward N. Wolff, The National Bureau of Economic Research, November 2017. Article: Millions of Americans are left out of the stock market boom by Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, October 20, 2017. Article: Egypt's Sisi meets Kushner after U.S. holds back aid by Ahmed Aboulenein, Reuters, August 23, 2017. Article/Video: Trump alarms Venezuela with talk of a 'military option' by The New York Times, August 12, 2017. Article: Why is Egypt's new NGO law controversial? by Farah Najjar, Aljazeera, May 31, 2017. Video: Construction progress on the new Foreign Affairs Security Training Center (FASTC), U.S. Department of State, April 1, 2017. Article: An actual American war criminal may become our second-ranking diplomat by Eric Alterman, The Nation, February 2, 2017. Report: National Endowment for Democracy is first 'undesirable' NGO banned in Russia by Alec Luhn, The Guardian, July 28, 2015. Article: Did State Dept. mislead Congress about findings in an OMB report? This lawmaker says so. by Colby Itkowitz, The Washington Post, May 12, 2015. Report: Two years after Benghazi, State battles lawmakers over training site for agents by Ben Kamisar, The Hill, April 12, 2015. Article: To stop Iran's bomb, bomb Iran by John R. Bolton, The New York Times, March 26, 2015. Article: Price to avoid another Benghazi? House leaders question $461 million training center by Josh Siegel, The Daily Signal, June 25, 2014. Report: CIA admits role in 1953 Iranian coup by Saeed Kamali and Richard Norton-Taylor, The Guardian, August 19, 2013. Article: Egyptian military ousts Morsi, suspends constitution by Abigail Hauslohner, William Booth, and Sharaf al-Hourani, The Washington Post, July 3, 2013. Report: McCain's rules on lobbying face test by Matthew Mosk and Jeffrey H. Bimbaum, The Washington Post, May 23, 2008. Article: Bush aims to raise whose budget? by Brendan Koerner, Slate, January 22, 2004. Article: The networks of "democratic" interference by Thierry Meyssan, Voltairenet, January 22, 2004. Article: Venezuala coup linked to Bush team by Ed Vulliamy, The Guardian, April 21, 2002. Article: Venezuela gets big I.M.F credit, backing market reforms by Paul Lewis, The New York Times, July 13, 1996. Resources Archive.org: National Endowment for Democracy: Form 990 (2002-2015) Campaign Contributions: Maurice Tempelsman Political Campaign Contributions 2016 Election Cycle Congressional Research Service: State, Foreign Operations Appropriations: A Guide to Component Accounts Energy Report: BP Statistical Review of World Energy June 2017 Friends Committee on National Legislation: The Complex Crisis Fund International Republican Institute: Board of Directors International Republican Institute: FAQs LinkedIn Profile: Alison Fortier LinkedIn Profile: Judy Black National Democratic Institute: Board of Directors National Democratic Institute: FAQs National Endowment for Democracy: History National Endowment for Democracy: William Blum Paladin Capital Group Info: Michael Steed Publication: Journal of Democracy USAid: Office of Program, Policy, and Management U.S. Department of State: Foreign Affairs Security Training Center (FASTC) U.S. Government Accountability Office: Retirement Security Reports Website: National Endowment for Democracy Sound Clip Sources Testimony: State Department Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request, Foreign Affairs Committee, C-SPAN, May 23, 2018. 5:32 Chairman Ed Royce (CA): The National Endowment for Democracy in particular should be strongly supported. Let's face it: democracy is on the ropes worldwide; supporting it is a moral and strategic good. NED is backing critical programming in Venezuela and Nigeria and worldwide. It is no time to cut this programming. 6:00 Chairman Ed Royce (CA): The administration has rightly provided lethal arms to Ukraine, which remains under siege by Russian proxies. 6:16 Chairman Ed Royce (CA): A far more severe threat is Moscow's information war. This committee has heard that Moscow's goal isn't so much to make Western citizens think this or think that; Russia's goal is to destroy all confidence in objective thought. By undermining fact-based discussions with lies, our enemies hope to gravely damage Western democracies. The State Department must aggressively counter disinformation through its global engagement center, other means, and with department officials speaking out for the truth. 18:05 Mike Pompeo: On Monday I unveiled a new direction for the president's Iran strategy. We will apply unprecedented financial pressure; coordinate with our DOD colleagues on deterrents efforts; support the Iranian people, perhaps most importantly; and hold out the prospect for a new deal with Iran. It simply needs to change its behavior. 19:40 Mike Pompeo: This budget request seeks $2.2 billion to help stimulate American economic growth by expanding markets for U.S. investment and ensuring the partner countries can fully participate in the global economy. 19:55 Mike Pompeo: America's message, a noble one, must be shared with the world at all times. Gentleman Royce, you mentioned the global engagement center. We will work with the 55-plus-million dollars available to cover both its original mission, counter extremism, plus countering state-sponsored disinformation campaigns. We will not tolerate Russian interference in our 2018 elections. Much work has been done; there's more to do. Rest assured that we will take the appropriate countermeasures in response to the continued Russian efforts. 35:05 Mike Pompeo: First, with respect to Venezuela, we did this morning receive a formal notification that our charged affairs had been PNG'd. We will respond appropriately, certainly reciprocally, but perhaps more than that. Perhaps proportionately. We understand that there's a second U.S. officer who will also be PNG'd. We're well aware. We're watching the Maduro regime continue to engage in destructive behavior for the Venezuelan people. 1:44:35 Paul Rep. Cook (CA): Foreign military sales. A number of the countries are concerned. Peru is— Mike Pompeo: Mm-hmm. Rep. Cook: —I think they're putting in a plug for the C-130Js. Very, very interested. And so I obviously am very, very concerned. Before, in the past, we're much more involved in that. And as I said, there's a lot of countries, most notably China and Iran, that are involved in that. What can we do to increase foreign military sales in that region? Pompeo: I, for one, would advocate for working closely with them and encouraging them to purchase U.S. equipment that fit their country, that was the right tool set for them, for themselves and their security interests. I hope that we can, across the board, streamline the State Department's process connected with foreign military sales. There's work to do. Rep. Cook: And I brought up this subject before in regards to NATO. You know, Eastern Europe, they're still reliant on the parts from Russia. Once you go with another country, you're going to be dependent on that. So, I think we've got to look at that whole situation, or once they buy, they're going to be buying there for the next five generations or something. Pompeo: Yes, sir. Rep. Cook: Thank you very much. I yield back. 1:54:17 Rep. Scott Perry (PA): And in Bosnia, I'm concerned that there's an October election and there's a problem with the constitution. The date and accords were never supposed to last 20 years. They have. But I'm concerned that we're not headed in the right place there. And I just want to get your thoughts on that, if we're going to wait to see what happens, if we're going to take preemptive action. I would hate to see that thing burn down and then—with the United States having troops on the ground there to try and secure the peace, and also if we're interested in pursuing putting some forces there, again, to thwart Russia, and if that's a consideration. So, those two topics, sir. Mike Pompeo: So, let me start first with Bosnia. We're working on the very issue you described. I can't say a lot about it, but know that the State Department, others, Department of Defense are there. We understand the risk. We think the region's very important. We know the—and this transitions to your second part of the question which is, we know the Russians are hard at work there destabilizing— Rep. Perry: As are the Turks, right? Pompeo: Yes. And so there are a handful, although admittedly not sufficiently sized levers currently being employed, and we're working to develop a strategy that puts us in a better place. 1:55:35 Rep. Scott Perry (PA): Mr. Secretary, this is a picture—I'm sure you're well aware—of an M1 tank manufactured right here in the United States, paid for by the citizens of the United States, with their taxes. That is a Hezbollah flag on it. I am concerned and have written letters regarding the Train and Equip Program in Iraq and the Shia Crescent and the land bridges they're building across Iraq with the militias there again. Many of the Iranian people want freedom, they want peace, and the don't agree with the regime that they're working—living under. But I offered amendments in the NDAA to stop the funding and the Train and Equip Program. One was found in favor; one was not. So we leave it up to you. I want to make sure that you're aware that this is happening, including militias like Kata'ib Hezbollah, listed as a terrorist organization for killing American soldiers. And if the Congress is unwilling to stop it, I hope you will be willing to stop the funding and the Train and Equip Program in Iraq and funding the Iranian militias that are willing to kill Americans and Jews and everybody across the Crescent that disagrees with them. Mike Pompeo: I'll say this: it is the case that when we perform Train and Equip functions from time to time, equipment ends up in the hands of the wrong people. It's a risk inherent in those operations. The question becomes, is the value we're getting from that training, those exercises, outweigh the risk that that happens? You should know that the U.S. government works diligently to put rules and processes in place to make that picture, or pictures like that, as infrequent as possible. Rep. Perry: I don't think the Iraqis are complying. 2:03:45 Rep. Ron DeSantis (FL): In terms of what's going on in Venezuela, there's a pretty significant Cuban presence of military intelligence. Is that your estimation? Mike Pompeo: I'm sorry. Could you repeat the question? Rep. DeSantis: In terms of the situation in Venezuela, propping up the Maduro regime, is part of that the Cuban military and intelligence apparatus? Pompeo: In this setting I can say there are a great deal of Cuban influence that is working alongside the Maduro regime. Rep. DeSantis: And it's not helpful to what America wants. Pompeo: It runs adverse to U.S. interests, directly adverse to U.S. interests. 2:05:42 Rep. Ron DeSantis (FL): The Iranian people, obviously, are not happy with this regime. I mean, this is a militant, Islamic regime that's been really imposed on relatively pro-Western populous, educated middle class. We see the protests. The president has spoken out, I think correctly. What can we do to help, because it seems like the regime cracks down on the social networks, they don't want there to be a free flow of information, but I think it's certainly in our interests to empower people who view this regime as illegitimate and not representative of their ideals. Mike Pompeo: It's long been U.S. deeply held position that we will do the things we can to ensure that peoples all around the world have their human rights, their political rights, their capacity to express themselves. We shouldn't shy away from that with respect to Iran, either. There are a number of tools that we can use, some of which I'm now responsible for their implementation; others exist other places in government. We…

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CD174: Bank Lobbyist Act May 28, 2018

Show notes

The Bank Lobbyist Act was just signed into law and as the nickname suggests, it is a banker's wet dream. In this episode, learn the details of this new law including the many favors to banks big and small - which undoubtedly make our entire financial system riskier - along with a few good provisions that can help you protect your identity and maybe even increase your credit score. Joe Briney joins Jen for the thank you's. Please Support Congressional Dish - Quick Links Click here to contribute a lump sum or set up a monthly contribution via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North Number 4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD099: April Takes a Turn CD160: Equifax Breach CD161: Veterans Choice Program CD129: The Impeachment of John Koskinen Recommended Reading Chain of Title: How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall Street's Great Foreclosure Fraud by David Dayen Additional Reading Article: Investors throwing caution to the wind when shopping for CLOs by Glen Fest, Asset Securitization Report, May 24, 2018. Report: The finance 202: Banks give richly to three Senate Democrats who backed deregulation by Tory Newmyer, The Washington Post, May 23, 2018. Article: Insurers welcome global regulation provision in banking reform bill by Andrew G. Simpson, Insurance Journal, May 23, 2018. Report: House passes Dodd-Frank reform bill, approval now pending from President Trump by Caroline Basile, Housing Wire, May 22, 2018. Report: Reg relief bill S. 2155 passes House; monumental win for credit unions by CUNA, CUInsight, May 22, 2018. Report: Dodd Frank rollback passes house, moves to President's desk for signature to become law by JD Alois, Crowdfund Insider, May 22, 2018. Letter: Oppose S. 2155, the "Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act" by Vanita Gupta, President & CEO of The Leadership Conference, CivilRights.org, May 21, 2018. Article: Bill aimed at saving community banks is already killing them by David Dayen, The Intercept, May 16, 2018. Opinion: Big banks crying wolf over another key Dodd-Frank regulation by Mayra Rodreguez Valladares, The Hill, May 12, 2018. Report: At $1 trillion, leveraged loans are closing in on junk bonds by Yakob Peterseil and Cecile Gutscher, Yahoo Finance, May 3, 2018. Article: Bank earnings are rising, but look past the obvious players by David Borum, NASDAQ, May 1, 2018. Report: Elliot eyes push into Wall Street's hottest debt trade by Sridhar Natarajan, Sally Bakewell, and Katia Porzecanski, Bloomberg, April 30,2018. Article: Washington wants to weaken bank rules. Not every regulator agrees by Peter Eavis, The New York Times, April 24, 2018. Article: Revenge of the stadium banks by David Dayen, The Intercept, March 2, 2018. Article: Behind a key anti-labor case, a web of conservative donors by Noam Scheiber and Kenneth P. Vogel, The New York Times, February 25, 2018. Article: Lower tax rate fuels record profit for Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, CNBC, February 24, 2018. Report: The richest 10% of Americans now own 84% of all stocks by Rob Wile, Money, December 19, 2017. Report: H.R. 477, the Small Business Mergers, Acquisitions, Sales, and Brokerage Simplification Act of 2017, Republican Policy Committee, December 4, 2017. Brief: Clayton buys CO's Oakwood Homes in latest site-build deal by Mary Tyler March, Construction Drive, July 7, 2017. Opinion: Who will benefit from the newly passed supporting America's Innovators Act? by James Murphy, Forbes, May 3, 2017. Article: Minorities exploited by Warren Buffet's mobile-home empire by Mike Baker and Daniel Wagner, The Seattle Times, December 26, 2015. Article: The mobile-home trap: How a Warren Buffett empire preys on the poor by Mike Baker and Daniel Wagner, The Seattle Times, April 2, 2015. Article: Furor over move to aid big banks in funding bill by Jonathan Weisman, The New York Times, December 11, 2014. Article: Citigroup wrote the Wall Street giveaway the House just approved by Erika Eichelberger, Mother Jones, December 10, 2014. Article: Testing theories of American politics: Elites, interest groups, and average citizens by Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Princeton Scholar Publication, September 2014. Article: See how Citigroup wrote a bill so it could get a bailout by Erika Eichelberger, Mother Jones, May 24, 2013. Report: Banks' lobbyists help in drafting financial bills by Eric Lipton and Ben Protess, The New York Times, May 23, 2013. Bill Outline S. 2155: Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act ("The Bank Lobbyist Act") TITLE I: IMPROVING CONSUMER ACCESS TO MORTGAGE CREDIT Section 101: Exempts banks with under $10 billion in assets from ability-to-pay documentation requirements for mortgages as long as the loans do not have interest-only or principal increasing features. The bank is also supposed to keep the loan in their portfolio but there is a loophole that allows the loan to be sold as long as the next bank keeps the loan in their portfolio. Section 103: Exempts banks from having do to appraisals of property located in rural areas for transactions under $400,000 Section 104: Exempts banks and credit unions from reporting data about credit scores, debt-to-income ratios, and loan-to-value ratios of their loans if the bank issues fewer than 500 loans per year, which includes 85% of all banks and credit unions. Section 107: Allows people selling manufactured homes to guide their customers towards getting loans from certain banks as long as they disclose to the customer in writing that they have a corporate affiliation with the bank and as long as they do not directly negotiate the loan terms. The home seller would be allowed to be paid for steering customers to the bank. TITLE II: REGULATORY RELEIF AND PROTECTING CONSUMERS ACCESS TO CREDIT Section 201: Exempts banks with less than $10 billion in reported assets from rules limiting their stock market trading with deposits, reporting requirements, and other standards as long as they hold on to (maintain a "community bank leverage ratio") of between 8 and 10 percent. Section 202: Frees banks that accept "broker deposits" from other banks (banks that help rich people get around FDIC insurance limits -specifically Promontory) from having to hold onto more money to make up for the risk these accounts pose to the banks who accept them. TITLE III - PROTECTIONS FOR VETERANS, CONSUMERS, AND HOMEOWNERS Section 301: Requires that credit reporting agencies place a security freeze, free of charge, for consumers within 1 business day if requested by phone or Internet or 3 business days if requested by mail. Within 5 business days, the agencies must then inform the consumer that the freeze has been placed and inform the consumer how to remove the freeze. Removals must be done within one hour of a phone or Internet request and 3 business days if requested by mail. Temporary removal requests must be granted for the time requested by the consumer. Credit freezes will not stop law enforcement, debt collectors, or "any person using the information for employment, tenant, or background screening purposes" from accessing a "frozen" credit report. Requires that the credit reporting agencies each set up a website for requesting freezes, requesting fraud alerts, and opting out of having their personal information sold to marketers. The Federal Trade Commission will also set up a single website linking to the websites of the credit reporting agencies (likely www.identitytheft.gov) Section 302: In response to the reporting of medical debt of veterans due to delayed payments to non-VA doctors as part of the Veteran's Choice Program, if a medical service is delinquent by less than a year, the veteran can submit information to the credit rating agencies and have that medical debt removed from their report. Within 1 year, the Secretary of Veteran's Affairs must create a database to allow credit reporting agencies to verify veterans' medical debt. Within 1 year, the Federal Trade Commission will have to create regulations requiring that active duty military members be given credit monitoring services for free Section 303: Grants immunity to people and the banks who employ them for reporting financial fraud against a senior citizen as long as they have received training for spotting financial abuse. TITLE IV: TAILORING REGULATIONS FOR CERTAIN BANK HOLDING COMPANIES Section 401: By the beginning of 2020, the threshold for a bank to be subjected to stress tests and extra requirements for holding onto actual cash will be changed so that the only banks subject to those regulations are ones with over $250 billion in assets, as opposed to the $50 billion threshold enacted by Dodd-Frank. Also changes the frequency of stress tests for big banks (over $250 billion in assets) from "semiannual" to "periodic", which could be as little as once every three years. It also reduces the number of scenarios to be test from 3 to 2. Sec. 402: Loosens the definition of a "custodial bank" in a way that allows the big banks to qualify. It then allows the money the banks have in a the Federal Reserve or other central banks to be omitted from calculations for their supplementary leverage ratio, allowing the banks to cook the books in order to hold onto less money. TITLE V: ENCOURAGING CAPITAL FORMATION Section 504: The "Supporting America's Innovators Act" allows venture capital funds with up to 250 investors to get out of registering with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The previous threshold was 100 individual investors. Section 507: Doubles from $5 million to $10 million the amount of securities a company can sell in a year before having to give additional information to investors, which will increase along with inflation. TITLE VI: PROTECTIONS FOR STUDENT BORROWERS Section 601: Prohibits private banks from declaring an automatic default or accelerated repayment of student loans in the case of a co-signer's death and banks will have to release from responsibility a co-signer if the student dies. This will only apply to student loans that are created in 2019 or after. Section 602: Allows banks to remove a customer's student loan debt from their credit report if the bank decides to give the student a new monthly loan repayment program and the student makes their payments. Resources Amicus Brief: Mark Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Council 31, et al. Company Info: Vanderbilt Mortgage Congressional Budget Office: Cost Estimate of S. 2155 Congressional Budget Summary: S. 2155, Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act Graph: Commercial and Industrial Loans, All Commercial Banks, FRED, May 18, 2018. Govtrack: H.R. 2954: Home Mortgage Disclosure Adjustment Act Govtrack: S. 2155: Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act Govtrack: H.R. 650 (114th): Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act of 2015 OpenSecrets.org: Commercial Banks Info OpenSecrets.org: Manufactured Housing Institute OpenSecrets.org: Citigroup Inc. Senate Archives: Class I - Senators Whose Term of Service Expire in 2019 Sound Clip Sources Video: Dark Money and the Federal Courts: The Secret Push to Weaponize the First Amendment, May 21, 2018. Sheldon Whitehouse: I think what has very clearly happened is that unlimited money—and its nasty big brother, unlimited dark money—have showed up since the Citizens United decision and basically driven Congress into a state of servitude to those who have the wherewithal to engage with us with all that dark money. So, parity _____(01:07) the problem. It's just not capable of being—reaching a state of parity by its nature, which is why spotlighting it and going after it and explaining it to the American people is so important, because there is a winning and important story to be told here. And if we win this issue—this is like the Death Star. In Star Wars, they didn't go fight the evil empire on every single planet; they went after the Death Star, and once they won the Death Star, everything else moved in a better direction. If we can solve the dark-money problem, then we can start to win on pharmaceuticals, on Wall Street, on environment, on fossil fuels, on a whole variety of other issues. And that's why they fight so desperately to protect this, because they know it's their Death Star, too. If you look out at the American public, you see a very large segment of the American public that feels it is not being listened to. They don't believe that Washington is listening, they don't believe that the powers of government reflected here are listening to them, and they're not wrong. If you look at the Bartels' Princeton study, it shows that there is essentially zero statistical correlation between what we do in Congress and what regular people want Congress to do. Move up to the one percent, move up to the big corporations, and suddenly there's a very, very powerful statistical correlation. So it is very clear that in fact in many significant ways the government of the United States has indeed been captured by big special interests. The DISCLOSE Act, requiring transparency for all political contributions, is permitted by the Citizens United decision. And if you live in a tropical climate and go into the kitchen at night and turn on the light, you will often see cockroaches skittering for the shadows and for the corners when you turn on the light at night in the kitchen. In the same way, you turn on the light of disclosure—and I think a lot of the cockroaches skitter for the shadows, and probably, and my guess, two-thirds of the unlimited spending supported by Citizens United goes away when it's not anonymous any longer. The dark-money operation is all over. It is after us in elections, it is after us in administrative agencies, it is after us with lobbying in the halls of Congress, it is after us in all these different ways I've just described in the courts. We are taking essentially dark money, artillery fire, every single moment on multiple fronts. In artillery, there is a thing called counter battery, where you fire back at the artillery that is firing at you. That needs to be a priority for Democrats. We need to make sure that the spotlight of disclosure is on these webs, on these networks, focused on the special interests behind the front groups, focused on the creepy billionaires who are spending this money, so that the American public sees what is really going on. That is our job, and every day that we are not doing that job, we are losing and we are failing in our duty to this country. Video: LinkedIn Lobbyist Group and Dodd Frank, Laws and Sausage TV, April 24, 2018. Jeffrey Taylor: Well, again, that's the other thing: trying to get on the—try to get support for your bill from the industry associations and the think tanks that weigh in on these kinds of things. Early on, we had the more free market, the more—well, free market, like the Chamber of Commerce and other financial services groups, but a little later in the process, we also had on a group that is considered left of center, the national state securities secretaries association called NASAA. And the minute they came on the bill, "Katy, bar the door!" All of a sudden, a number of Democrats had to say, "Well, if they're on the bill, there must be some merit here." And that's actually when we started to hav…

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CD173: War & Prairie Chickens May 14, 2018

Show notes

The law that funded the government for 2018 is 2,232 pages and Jen has finished reading a quarter of it. In this episode, learn about the most interesting provisions she found in the Department of Defense and environmental sections of the quickly passed funding law. Please Support Congressional Dish Click here to contribute using credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Bitcoin Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! The 2018 Government Funding Law Read the latest 2018 Omnibus Provisions Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD171: 2,232 Pages CD168: Nuclear Desperation CD167: Combating Russia (NDAA 2018) LIVE CD145: Price of Health Care CD131: Bombing Libya Additional Reading Report: DOE recommends pit production at SRS and Los Alamos; plan kills, repurposes MOX facility by Colin Demarest, Aiken Standard, May 11, 2018. Statement: Joint statement from Ellen M. Lord and Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty on recapitalization of plutonium pit production, National Nuclear Security Administration, May 10, 2018. Report: Israel launches massive military strike agains Iranian targest in Syria by Loveday Morris, Ruth Eglash, and Louisa Loveluck, The Washington Post, May 10, 2018. Article: Calls for restraint after Israel raids on 'Iranians' in Syria by Laurent Lozano, Yahoo News, May 10, 2018. Report: Israel and Iran, newly emboldened, exchange blows in Syria face-off by Isabel Kershner and David M. Halbfinger, New York Times, May 10, 2018. Article: Will scrapping atomic fuel plant actually bring jobs to SC? by Sammy Fretwell, The State, May 10, 2018. Report: SRS, Los Alamos recommended for pit production; MOX facility would be repurposed by Staff Reporst, The Augusta Chronicle, May 10, 2018. Article: Syria blames Israel for missile strike near Damascus, BBC News, May 9, 2018. Report: Israel strikes Iranian targest in Syria after rocket fire by Dan Williams and Angus McDowall, Reuters, May 9, 2018. Report: Israeli preemptive strike thwarts Iranian attack by Yochanan Visser, Israel Today, May 9, 2018. Article: Sage Grouse once again land at heart of public lands dispute by Rachel Christiansen, Nevada Public Radio, May 9, 2018. Report: Israel attacked Syria an hour after the Iran deal was ended, says report by Zeina Karam, Time, May 8, 2018. Article: For Netanyahu, vindication and new risk after Trump's Iran decision by David M. Halbfinger, New York Times, May 8, 2018. Analysis: In first meeting, Pompeo thrills Netanyahu with hawkish talk on Iran - and what he doesn't say about Palestinians by Allison Kaplan Sommer, Haaretz, April 29, 2018. Report: Iran-Israel conflict escalates in shadow of Syrian civil war by Ben Hubbard and David M. Halbfinger, New York Times, April 9, 2018. Article: Aiken leaders met with NNSA's chief, discussed pit production at SRS by Colin Demarest, Aiken Standard, March 14, 2018. Report: DOE announces notice of sale of crude oil from the strategic petroleum reserve, Office of Fossil Energy, March 8, 2018. Article: US takes steps to resume plutonium pit production for nukes, Aljazeera, February 23, 2018. Article: Israel air force says seized Iranian drone is a knockoff of US Sentinel by Barbara Opall-Rome, Defense News, February 12, 2018. Report: Minister: Iran will need 'time to digest' how Israel hit covert military sites by TOI Staff and Agencies, The Times of Israel, February 11, 2018. Report: Israeli jet shot down after bombing Iranian site in Syria by Maayan Lubell and Lisa Barrington, Reuters, February 10, 2018. Report: Israel hits back at Iran and Syria as border region boils by Donna Abu-Nasr and Gwen Ackerman, Bloomberg, February 10, 2018. Article: U.S. oil reserve would fall nearly in half under budget deal by Ari Natter and Catherine Traywick, Bloomberg, February 8, 2018. Opinion: What we owe the innocent victims of America's wars by Patrick Leahy, The New York Times, November 22, 2017. Article: The uncounted by Azmat Khan and Anand Gopal, New York Times, November 16, 2017. Analysis: Israel's new missile defense system is a clear message to Iran, but it isn't perfect by Amos Harel, Haaretz, April 3, 2017. Article: Israeli army probing whether unprecedented use of arrow missile system was justified by Gili Cohen and Almog Ben Zikri, Haaretz, March 19, 2017. Article: Iran to stop using US dollar in response to Donald Trump's 'Muslim ban' by Bethan McKernan, Independent, February 1, 2017. Article: Measuring methane emissions from cows is elusive, but we're getting closer by Robert Parkhurst, Environmental Defense Fund, December 13, 2016. Article: Half-built fuel plant in South Carolina faces test on its future, The New York Times, February 9, 2016. Report: Iran, India to settle outstanding crude oil dues in rupees by Amitav Ranjan, The Indian Express, January 5, 2016. Article: Oil backers, conservationists battle over fate of greater sage-grouse by Sandra Fish, Aljazeera, December 13, 2013. Article: Only one currency is still backed by gold by Simon Black, Business Insider, March 29, 2012. Report: Iran ends oil transactions in U.S. dollars, CBS News, April 30, 2008. Report: Iran stops selling oil in U.S. dollars - report by Reuters Staff, Reuters, December 8, 2007. Report: SYRIA dollar dropped as primary hard currency by Items copiled from Tribune news services, Chicago Tribune, February 15, 2006. Report: Iraq nets handsom profit by dumping dollar for euro by Faisal Islam, The Guardian, February 15, 2003. Resources Bill: H.R. 1314 (114th): Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 Bill: H.R. 22 (114th): FAST Act Bill: H.R. 34 (114th): 21st Century Cures Act Bill: H.R. 1892: Further Extension Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018... International Atomic Energy Agency: Verification and Monitoring in Iran National Nuclear Security Administration: Plutonium Pit Production Mission Office of Fossil Energy: Strategic Petroleum Reserve Open Secrets: Boeing Co Profile for 2018 Election Cycle Open Secrets: Chicago Bridge & Iron Open Secrets: Orano Group Open Secrets: Raytheon Co Profile for 2018 Election Cycle Open Secrets: Steve Cohen Press Release: We are now Orano! Visual Resources Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Authorization for Use of Military Forces; Senate Foreign Relations Committee; October 30, 2017. 8:00 Chairman Bob Corker (TN): In his last War Powers Resolution letter to Congress, the president identified the following 19 countries where U.S. military personnel were deployed and equipped for combat: Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Kenya, Niger, Cameroon, Uganda, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Djibouti, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, Cuba, and Kosovo. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

CD172: The Illegal Bombing of Syria Apr 30, 2018

Show notes

On Friday the 13th of April, President Trump bombed the government of Syria… Again. In this episode, learn some of the little-discussed history of and reasons for the on-going attempts to overthrow the government of Syria. Please Support Congressional Dish Click here to contribute using credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Bitcoin Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD167: Combating Russia (NDAA 2018) LIVE Additional Reading Article: 'Obscene masquerade': Russia criticised over Douma chemical attack denial by Patrick Wintour, The Guardian, April 26, 2018. Article: Why does Syria still have chemical weapons? by Patrick Wintour, The Guardian, April 18, 2018. Report: Russia rejects UN resolution for independent Douma investigation, Aljazeera, April 18, 2018. Report: Pentagon warns of IS resurgence in regime areas of Syria, France24, April 17, 2018. Interview: Legal questions loom over Syria strikes, Interview by Jonathan Masters of John B. Bellinger III, Council on Foreign Relations, April 15, 2018. Letter: Text of a letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, April 15, 2018. Report: Trump bombs Syria hours after 88 lawmakers urged him to first consult Congress by Jennifer Bendery, Huffpost, April 13, 2018. Interview: What are U.S. Military options in Syria? Interview by Zachary Laub of Mona Yacoubian, Council on Foreign Relations, April 13, 2018. Report: Thousands of US troops and Marines arrive in Jordan by Shawn Snow, Marine Times, April 13, 2018. Report: Global chemical weapons watchdog 'on its way to Syria', Aljazeera News, April 12, 2018. Report: Pentagon strips Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria troop numbers from web by Tara Copp, Military Times, April 9, 2018. Press Release: Press release on Israeli air strikes in Syria, MFA Russia, February 20, 2018. Article: Kurds pull back from ISIS fight in Syria, saying U.S. 'let us down' by Liz Sly, The Washington Post, March 6, 2018. Report: US has no evidence of Syrian use of sarin gas, Mattis says by Robert Burns, AP News, February 2, 2018. Article: The pundits were wrong about Assad and the Islamic State. As usual, they're not willing to admit it by Max Abrahms and John Glaser, Los Angeles Times, December 10, 2017. Report: [Syria investigator del Ponte signs off with a sting](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-, mideast-crisis-syria-investigator/syria-investigator-del-ponte-signs-off-with-a-sting-idUSKCN1BT29Q) by Reuters Staff, Reuters, September 18, 2017. Article: Trump's red line by Seymour M. Hersh, Welt, June 25, 2017. Article: The 'Pipelineistan' conspiracy: The war in Syria has never been about gas by Paul Cochrane, Middle East Eye, May 10, 2017. Article: MIT expert claims latest chemical weapons attack in Syria was staged by Tareq Haddad, Yahoo, April 17, 2017. Report: MIT expert claims latest chemical weapons attack in Syria was staged by Tareq Haddad, International Business Times, Yahoo, April 17, 2017. Report: Dozens of U.S. missiles hit air base in Syria by Michael R. Gordon, Helene Cooper, and Michael D. Shear, The New York Times, April 6, 2017. Report: ISIS used chemical arms at least 52 times in Syria and Iraq, report says by Eric Schmitt, The New York Times, November 21, 2016. Article: How the White Helmets became international heroes while pushing U.S. Military intervention and regime change in Syria by Max Blumenthal, Alternet, October 2, 2016. Meetings Coverage: Security council unanimously adopts resolution 2254 (2015), endorsing road map for peace process in Syria, setting timetable for talks by UN Security Council, December 18, 2015. Article: How Syria's 'geeky' President Assad went from doctor to dictator by Sarah Burke, NBC News, October 30, 2015. Report: Declared Syrian chemical weapon stockpile now completely destroyed by Thomas Gibbons-Neff, The Washington Post, August 18, 2014. Article: Analysts question US intel on Syria chem attack, DW, January 18, 2014. Book Review: Whose Sarin? by Seymour M. Hersh, London Review of Books, December 19, 2013. Article: UN report says sarin likely used in five locations in Syria, DW, December 13, 2013. Article: Assad did not order Syria chemical weapons attack, says German press by Simon Tisdall and Josie Le Blond, The Guardian, September 9, 2013. Article: Cameron forced rule out British attack on Syria after MPs reject motion by Nicholas Watt and Nick Hopkins, The Guardian, August 29, 2013. Article: Spooks' view on Syria: what wikileaks revealed by Alex Thomson, Channel 4, August 28, 2013. Article: Obama weighs 'limited' strikes against Syrian forces by Thom Shanker, C.J. Chivers, and Michael R. Gordon, The New York Times, August 27, 2013. Report: Moscow rejects Saudi offer to drop Assad for arms deal by Agence France-Presse, Hurriyet Daily News, August 8, 2013. Analysis: UN's Del Ponte says evidence Syria rebels 'used sarin' by Bridget Kendall, BBC News, May 6, 2013. Report: Syrian rebels used nerve gas, UN investigator says by TOI Staff, Times of Israel, May 6, 2013. Report: UN sources say Syrian rebels - not Assad - used sarin gas by Adam Clark Estes, The Atlantic, May 5, 2013. Report: U.N. has testimony that Syrian rebels used sarin gas: investigator by Reuters Staff, Reuters, May 5, 2013. Letter: Text of White House letter on Syria to senators by The Associated Press, The Seattle Times, April 25, 2013. Article: How economic reforms are contributing to the conflict in Syria by Rodrigo Abd, NPR, May 29, 2012. Article: The only remaining online copy of Vogue's Asma al-Assad profile by Max Fisher, The Atlantic, January 3, 2012. Report: IMF gives Syria high grade for economic reform by Stephen Glain, The National, January 6, 2009. Report: REFILE-LIberalised Syria banks "on sound track" by Reuters Staff, Reuters, May 26, 2008. Article: The redirection: Is the Administration's new policy benefitting our enemies in the war on terrorism? by Seymour M. Hersh, The New Yorker, March 5, 2007. Article: Syrian Arab Republic -- IMF article IV consultation, mission's concluding statement, International Monetary Fund, May 14, 2006. Report: Investigator says Syria was behind Lebanon assassination by Warren Hoge, The New York Times, December 12, 2005. Article: Reform hinges on Syria's leader by Evan Osnos, Chicago Tribune, April 22, 2005. Resources Congressional Research Service: Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response Council on Foreign Relations: Syria's War: The Descent into Horror by Zachary Laub Country Reports on Terrorism: Chapter 6 -- State Sponsors of Terror Overview Gov. Publishing Office: Counter-ISIS Training and Equipment Fund IMF Working Paper: Syria's Conflict Economy by Jeanne Gobat and Kristina Kostial Pipeline Report: Arab Gas Pipeline (AGP), Jordan, Syria, Lebanon Public Law: 9/11 AUMF Public Law: Iraq War AUMF Scientific Advisory Board: OPCW 27th Session March 23, 2018 Wikileaks Tweet on OPCW UN News: Action Group for Syria Final Communique June 30, 2012 UN Security Council Report: Goal in Syria Sound Clip Sources Hearing: US Policy Toward Middle East; House Foreign Affairs Committee; April 18, 2018. Witnesses: -David Satterfield - Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State - Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs - Wess Mitchell - Assistant Secretary of State of European and Eurasian Affairs 15:25 David Satterfield: While preventing the use of chemical weapons in Syria is our immediate concern, the administration's priority remains the defeat of ISIS. ISIS has lost nearly all of the territory it once controlled in Iraq and Syria, but the fight in Syria still has to be pursued to its conclusion. More broadly, the United States supports a unified and territorially whole Syria. This objective is served by U.S. support for the UN-led Geneva political process, established by UN Security Council Resolution 2254, in which process the U.S. believes strongly that representatives of all Syrians, including all its Kurdish components, should fully participate. 16:30 David Satterfield: The Iraqi government is stabilizing communities, including minority communities that suffered greatly from ISIS, and now we're beginning private-sector-led, investment-driven reconstruction. 34:15 Representative Eliot Engel (NY): To me, ISIS is one prong of something, an important prong, but one prong of what we should be doing. I really think to rid Syria of the butcher Assad ought to be as important as our ISIS concerns. David Satterfield: I strongly agree with you that a Syria in which Assad remains as leader of this regime is not a Syria which we would predict to be meaningfully secure or stable, or not a source of generation of threat and violent extremism under whatever name in the future, and it's why we have strongly supported a political process led by the UN. Unfortunately, that political process has been blocked, and the parties responsible for blocking it are quite clear: it's the Syrian regime itself and the Russians, who through their absence of pressure on the regime in Damascus contributes to, enables this freezing of a Geneva process which, virtually, the entire international community supports. Engel: And through the veto in the United Nations. Satterfield: Exactly, sir. 1:02:20 Representative Dana Rohrabacher: What is our purpose in Syria? Will we accept anything less than—would we accept a compromise that would keep Assad in power, at least in part of Syria, or is our goal and our purpose only to totally eliminate the Assad government? David Satterfield: Mr. Rohrabacher, our purpose of our forces in Syria, as Secretary Mattis, Chairman Dunford have stated repeatedly, is to defeat ISIS. The purpose of our diplomacy, of our international engagement, with respect to Syria, is to support a political process, which at its end has a revised constitution, elections conducted under the auspices of the United Nations. And our belief is that those elections, if freely and fairly conducted amongst all Syrians, including the émigré Syrian communities, would not produce the survival of the Assad regime. Rohrabacher: Okay, let me just note, what you described wasn't just Syria, but probably three-quarters of the countries of the Middle East. And if we made those demands of—why is it that Syria, we have to make those demands against Syria and not against all these other countries in the Middle East? Satterfield: Because, sir, of the extraordinary depredations of this regime in this country against its citizens, because of the extraordinary and historically unprecedented, in modern times, outflow of— Rohrabacher: You don't think the rest of the countries in the Middle East have similar track records? You're trying to tell me that—well, we heard the same thing, of course, about Saddam Hussein, we heard the same thing about Gaddafi, and we ended up creating total chaos—total chaos—in that part of the world. Satterfield: No regime in modern history in the Middle East, including Saddam Hussein's— Rohrabacher: Yes. Satterfield: —has killed as many of its own citizens, has produced external and internal displacement of its own citizens on the scale of the Assad regime. No. It's unique, sadly. Rohrabacher: Well, let me just say, Mr. Ambassador, you read history differently than I do. That is an area that is filled with dictators, it's filled with authoritarian regimes, filled with our allies, that if people rose up against them as they're rising up against Assad—he's a bad guy, he's a dictator, he's everything you said, but he's not that different from these other regimes once they are challenged. Once they were challenged, don't tell me the Qatar government wouldn't mow down all of their guest workers if there was an uprising in Qatar, and vice versa with these other regimes. I'm very disturbed by the fact that we're sliding into a war and not having an out that will not lead us to major military commitments to that region. That would be a disaster, and I think it's based on the analysis that you just said: that Assad is somewhat different than everybody else. I don't think so. News: Rand Paul Says Syrian Gas Attack was False Flag, or Assad is Dumbest Dictator on the Planet; CNN News; April 17, 2018. Meeting: U.N. Security Council on Airstrikes in Syria; U.N. Security Council; April 14, 2018. Testimony: Secretary Mattis and General Dunford on 2019 Budget Request; House Armed Services Committee; April 12, 2018. Witnesses: - James Mattis - Secretary of Defense - General Joseph F. Dunford Jr. - Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 41:42 Secretary of Defense James Mattis: On Syria, sir, both the last administration and this one made very clear that our role in Syria is the defeat of ISIS. We are not going to engage in the civil war itself. Now, you can look back to a year ago when we did fire missiles into Syria, unrelated to ISIS, and that was, of course, the use of chemical weapons. And some things are simply inexcusable, beyond the pale, and in the worst interest of not just the Chemical Weapons Convention but of civilization itself. 42:48 Secretary of Defense James Mattis: And the only reason Assad is still in power is because of the Russians' regrettable vetoes in the UN, and the Russian and Iranian military. So, how do we deal with this very complex situation? First of all, we are committed to ending that war though the Geneva process, the UN orchestrated effort. It has been unfulfilled because, again, Russia has continually blocked the efforts. 50:10 Representative Niki Tsongas (MA): So as you're considering possible steps forward—military actions you might take— what do you hope to achieve by any military action that the administration might eventually decide to take? Secretary of Defense James Mattis: Congresswoman, I don't want to get, as you'll understand, into the details of a potential decision by the commander in chief, due to this latest attack, which is absolutely inexcusable. There have been a number of these attacks. In many cases, you know we don't have troops. We're not engaged on the ground there, so I cannot tell you that we had evidence, even though we certainly had a lot of media and social-media indicators that either chlorine or sarin were used. As far as our current situation, if, like last time, we decide we have to take military action in regard to this chemical weapons attack, then, like last time, we will be reporting to Congress just as we did when we fired a little over a year ago, slightly over a year ago. As far as the counter violent extremists, counter ISIS— Tsongas: So, let me go back to this. So, before taking any action, you would report to Congress as to the nature of what that action might be. Mattis: I will speak only to the fact that we will report to Congress. We'll keep open lines of communication. There will be notification to the leadership, of course, prior to the attack. But we'll give a full report to the Congress itself, probably as rapidly as possible. 54:05 Secretary of Defense James Mattis: I believe there was a chemical attack, and we're looking for the actual evidence. The OPCW—this is the organization for the Chemical Weapons Convention—we're trying to get those inspectors in, probably within the week. 1:00:42 Representative Jackie Speier (CA): Mr. Secretary, a Military Times article this week revealed that the Defense Manpower Data Center failed to report the number of combat troops deployed in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan last quarter. That website was also stripped of deployment data from previous quarters. I…

Full show notes at the publisher

CD171: 2,232 Pages Apr 14, 2018

Show notes

In a special crossover episode of The David Pakman Show on YouTube, hear the infuriating story of how the 2,232 page "omnibus" government funding bill became law , discover a provision snuck into law that further erodes privacy rights, learn why only some stoners and legit medical marijuana patients are protected by the omnibus, and hear about some strange provisions that appear to give free reign to the intelligence agencies for the next six months. Executive Producer: Anonymous Please Support Congressional Dish Click here to contribute using credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Bitcoin Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Listening The David Pakman Show: Budget Disaster: When Congress Can't Do It's Job - Jen guest hosting for David OR listen on Libsyn Additional Reading Article: How will the CLOUD Act work? by Lauren C. Williams, FCW, April 5, 2018. Article: Members literally don't have enough time to read some bills before a vote is held. This change would require they do by Jesse Rifkin, GovTrack Insider, March 29, 2018. Article: Two more wildfire seasons will pass before deal to fix federal funding kicks in by Kate Irby, McClatchy DC, March 27, 2018. Article: Sen. James Risch's decades-old grudge briefly derailed the big spending bill by Mike DeBonis, The Washington Post, March 23, 2018. Article: Trump signs $1.3 trillion spending bill despite veto threat on Twitter by John Wagner and Mike DeBonis, The Washington Post, March 23, 2018. Article: As the CLOUD Act sneaks into the omnibus, big tech butts heads with privacy advocates by Taylor Hatmaker, Tech Crunch, March 22, 2018. Press Release: Goodlatte statement on inclusion of CLOUD Act in Omnibus, House Judiciary Committee, March 22, 2018. Article: READ: House releases 2,232-page spending bill by The Hill Staff, The Hill, March 21, 2018. Article: Congresional negotiators reach deal on $1.3 trillion spending bill ahead of Friday government shutdown deadline by Mike DeBonis and Erica Werner, The Washington Post, March 21, 2018. Article: Microsoft's supreme court case has big implications for data by Louise Matsakis, Wired, February 27, 2018. Article: Military injuries and deaths off the battlefield are increasing by Erika I. Ritchie, Military.com, October 15, 2017. Article: Mattis: Unclear if budget cuts play role in military crashes by Lolita C. Baldor, Military.com, September 19, 2017. Article: Five Marines in critical condition after AAV catches fire by Hope Hodge Seck, Military.com, September 13, 2017. Article: Legal battle haunts MOX project 10 years later by Michael Smith, Aiken Standard, August 2, 2017. Article: Project Maven to deploy computer algorithms to war zone by year's end by Cheryl Pellerin, Department of Defense, July 21, 2017. Article: Israeli air force deploys operational Arrow-3 missile defense by Barbara Opall-Rome, Defense News, January 18, 2017. Article: Pentagon's black budget tops $56 billion by Noah Shachtman, Wired, February 1, 2010. Issue: Into the black, The Atlantic, September 2002 Bill Outline H.R. 1625: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 DIVISION B - Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Explanatory Statement Sec. 521: Money appropriated by this Act for intelligence activities are "deemed to be specifically authorized by Congress "during fiscal year 2018 until the enactment of the Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal year 2018". Sec. 537: "None of the funds made available under this Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with respect to any of the States of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, or with respect to the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico, to prevent any of them from implementing their own laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana." DIVISION C - Department of Defense Sec. 8018: Prohibits the Department of Defense from disposing of M-1 Carbine rifles, M-1 Garand rifles, M-14 rifles, .22 caliber rifles, .30 caliber rifles, or M-1911 pistols or to destroy ammunition that is allowed to be commercially sold. Sec. 8071: Over $705 million will be spent on missile defense for Israel, with requirements that $420 million of that be shared with U.S. war equipment manufacturers, including at least $120 million to be shared with Boeing for the Arrow 3 Upper Tier system. Sec. 8073: Money appropriated by this Act for intelligence activities are "deemed to be specifically authorized by the Congress" during fiscal year 2018 until the enactment of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. Sec. 8107: Allows local military commanders - if the Defense Secretary creates regulations allowing it - to provide payments to people for damage, injuries, and deaths caused by the Armed Forces. Sec. 8115:: Prohibits the Defense Department from initiating or expanding support to foreign forces, irregular forces, groups, or individuals without informing Congress 15 days in advance, but the Defense Secretary can waive this and tell Congress within 72 hours. Sec. 8119: Military and civilian employees of the Defense Department can't use their Government Travel Charge Card on gambling or strippers. AFGHANISTAN SECURITY FORCES FUND - $4.666 billion will be provided to the "security forces of Afghanistan, including the provision of equipment, supplies, services, training, facility and infrastructure repair, renovation, construction, and funding." COUNTER-ISIS TRAIN AND EQUIP FUND - $1.769 billion will be provided for "assistance, including training; equipment; logistics support, supplies, and services; stipends; infrastructure repair and renovation; and sustainment, to foreign security forces, irregular forces, groups, or individuals participating, or preparing to participate in activities to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and their affiliated or associated groups" - The money can also be used to "enhance the border security of nations adjacent to conflict areas including Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, and Tunisia." Sec. 9007: Prohibits the US Government from creating any permanent military bases in Iraq or Afghanistan or from exercising "United States control over any oil resource of Iraq." Sec. 9011: Allows $500 million to be given to Jordan "to support the armed forces of Jordan and to enhance security along its borders." Sec. 9013: Provides $200 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative to "provide assistance , including training; equipment; lethal weapons of a defensive nature; logistics support, supplies and services; sustainment; and intelligence support to the military and national security forces of Ukraine, and for replacement of any weapons or defensive articles provided to the Government of Ukraine from the inventory of the United States" Sec. 9022: Allows the money in the Afghanistan Security Forces fund to be used to provide training, equipment, and "other assistance" that is legally prohibited because the "Secretary of Defense has credible information that he unit has committed a gross violation of human rights." . This is allowed as long as the Defense Secretary notifies Congress within 30 days. Defense Explanatory Statement Provides over $131 million ($100 million more than requested ) for Project Maven Classified appropriations total $46,659,168,000, which is $2.3 billion more than requested. DIVISION D - Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Sec. 108: Prohibits permits from being required for the release of dredged or mill material from farming, ranching, construction and maintenance of dikes, dams, levees, and "transportation structures", construction or maintenance of farm or stock ponds or irrigation ditches, construction of farm roads or forest roads, or for temporary roads for moving mining equipment. Sec. 302:: Money appropriated for intelligence "by this or any other Act" are "deemed to be specifically authorized by the Congress" for ["intelligence or intelligence-related activity](http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:50%20section:3094%20edition:prelim) for the rest of fiscal year 2018 (until September 30, 2018) or until the enactment of the Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal year 2018. Sec. 306: Prohibits the Secretary of Energy from creating any new regional petroleum reserve unless the "reserve is explicitly requested in advance in an annual budget submission and approved by the Congress in an appropriations Act." Sec. 309: Allows money to be used for the construction of the 99-D-143 Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility in South Carolina. Sec. 311: Allows the Secretary of Energy to sell oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve if the President determines that a regional supply shortage exists and there will be severe increase in the price of oil. Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Explanatory Statement Funding Levels by Energy Type Geothermal Energy: $80 million Wind Energy: $92 million Water Power: $105 million Solar Energy: $241 million Total Renewable Energy = $2.3 billion (Trump administration requested only $636 million) Fossil Fuel Energy Unconventional fossil fuels: $40 million Natural Gas: $50 million Coal: $481 million Fossil Fuels: $726 million Nuclear Energy: Over $1.2 billion DIVISION F - Department of Homeland Security Department of Homeland Security Explanatory Statement Sec. 506: Money appropriated by this Act for intelligence activities are "deemed to be specifically authorized by the Congress" during fiscal year 2018 until the enactment of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. DIVISION G - Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Sec. 113: Allows the Secretary of the Interior to remove wild horses and burros from public land and transfer them to other governmental agencies to be used a work animals. Sec. 120: Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from protecting the sage grouse using the Endangered Species Act Sec. 121: Enacts several provisions and full bills into law, including a bill that renames the White Clouds Wilderness in Idaho after Cecil D. Andrus. Sec. 416: Prohibits money from this or "any other Act" from being used to implement any regulation requiring permits for livestock producers to emit carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, water vapor, or methane. Sec. 417: Prohibits money from being used to implement any regulation requiring mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from manure management systems. Sec. 418: Prohibits money from being used to regulate the lead content of ammunition or fishing tackle. Sec. 432: Prohibits permits from being required for the release of dredged or mill material from farming, ranching, construction and maintenance of dikes, dams, levees, and "transportation structures", construction or maintenance of farm or stock ponds or irrigation ditches, construction of farm roads or forest roads, or for temporary roads for moving mining equipment (this provision was also in Division D) Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Explanatory Statement DIVISION R - TARGET Act Sec. 3: Adds human trafficking to the definition of "transnational organized crime" in order to allow the State Department to pay snitches. - Current law allows the State Department to appropriate "such amounts as many be necessary" - Payments are capped at $25 million except as personally authorized by the Secretary of State. The cap is $50 million for information leading to the capture of a leader of a foreign terrorist organization. - Payments under $100,000 do not need approval from the Secretary of State. - The decisions made by the Secretary of States are final and can not be reviewed by the courts. - The original law from 1984 allowed payments capped at $500,000. Payments over $100,000 had to be approved by the President. DIVISION S - Other Matters Title V: Stop School Violence Act Sec. 502: Provides grants to States, local governments, and Indian tribes to train school personnel and students to prevent school violence, develop and operate systems for anonymous reporting of threats (including apps, hotlines, and websites), placement of metal detectors, locks and lighting, and new technologies and "any other measure" that "may provide significant improvement in security". Authorizes $75 million in funding for 2018 and $100 million per year from 2019-2028. Title VI: Fix NICS ACT Other Matters Explanatory Statement DIVISION V - Cloud Act Sec 103: Requires that providers of electronic communication services "preserve, backup, or disclose the contents of a wire or electronic communication" regardless of if that information is stored inside or outside of the United States. - Service providers can challenge the orders in court if they think the target is not a United States person and does not live in the United States and that the disclosure would break the law of a foreign government. Sec. 104: It will be legal for electronic communication providers "to intercept or disclose the contents of a wire or electronic communication in response to an order from a foreign government". - Electronic communications providers can not be sued in court for complying with these information requests. Sec. 105: In order for information sharing to occur between the US Government and a foreign government, the countries must enter into an "Executive Agreement" - The Executive Agreement will be valid if the Attorney General submits a written certification to Congress that the country has, among other qualifications, "robust substantial and procedural protections for privacy and civil liberties" and is a party to the Convention on Cybercrime. - Determinations made by the Attorney General are not subject to judicial review. - The Executive Arrangement can not take effect until after 180 days after Congress is notified. - Congress can enact a joint resolution of disapproval to stop it. - An order issued by a foreign government has to identify a specific person, account, address, or personal device and the order must be for a fixed, limited duration. Orders by foreign governments are subject to review by our courts. Resources Bill Overview: H.R. 1625 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 Bill History: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, Congress.gov Bill Summary: Omnibus 2018 Summary by GOP Staffers Bill Summary: H.R. 1625, Targeted Rewards for the Global Eradication of Human Trafficking Act, Congressional Budget Office, May 10, 2017 Amendment: Senate amendment to H.R. 1625 Video: Sen. Bob Corker is Sleepy, H.R. 1625 Senate Committee Hearing, March 22, 2018. Hearing: Rules Committee Hearing Senate amendment to H.R. 1625, March 21, 2018. OR watch on Youtube Video: Intelligence Blank Check, US Select Committee on Intelligence, Jan 22, 2018 Sales Info: Sales & Services, Civilian Marksmanship Program, 2017. Budget Info: Budget Justification for Military Construction, FY 2018. Budget Info: Link Plumeria funding from 2015 Public Law: 115-31 115th Congress, May 5, 2017 Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

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