Congress
Just Security’s expert authors offer analysis of U.S. Congress’ role in national security, foreign affairs, the rule of law, and rights. Coverage includes analysis and informational resources related to the legislative process, oversight and investigations of the executive branch, and major debates on the separation of powers and Congress’ constitutional role.
2,549 Articles
The New US Anti-Torture Law: A Genuine Step Forward
Just over two months ago, on the day before Thanksgiving, President Obama signed into law an important provision concerning torture that has garnered surprisingly little attention.…
National Security-Related Congressional Hearings, February 8–12
Below is a calendar of congressional hearings on national security matters for this week. Tuesday, February 9 9:30am – Senate Armed Services – Worldwide Threats (here) 2:30pm…
A New UK-US Data Sharing Agreement: A Tremendous Opportunity, If Done Right
This post is the latest installment of our “Monday Reflections” feature, in which a different Just Security editor examines the big stories from the previous week or looks…
When the NSA Merges Its Offense and Defense, Encryption Loses
How do you create strong encryption standards when the organization tasked to build them finds itself absorbed into an organization that dedicates huge quantities of resources…
Questions Congress Should Ask About Section 702
After passing a surveillance reform bill last year, Congress appears poised to turn to examine another controversial surveillance authority — Section 702 of FISA. Using Section…
National Security-Related Congressional Hearings, February 1–5
Below is a calendar of congressional hearings on national security matters for this week. Monday, February 1 5:00pm – House Intelligence – Consideration of Budget Views and…
It’s All About the Associated Forces
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell quietly joined the battle over authorizing the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant last week. To the surprise of many given…
National Security-Related Congressional Hearings, January 25–29
Editor’s Note: This post has been updated to reflect the latest hearing cancelations and postponements. Below is a calendar of congressional hearings on national security…
Fast and Furious Litigation: Losing the Battle to Win the War?
Last week, Judge Amy Berman Jackson issued an important opinion in Oversight Committee v. Lynch, the subpoena enforcement litigation related to the House Oversight and Government…
What the Senate Preserved in Blocking the SAFE Act
Too often, when political decisions are driven by fear, the pressure on lawmakers to do “something” outweighs efforts toward creating sound public policy that takes practical…
A Wider Talent Pool Means a Stronger Marine Corps: A Response to Rep. Hunter
In a January 8 interview with Politico, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) asserted that Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus’s support for opening all combat roles in the Marine Corps…
National Security-Related Congressional Hearings, January 19–22
Below is a calendar of congressional hearings on national security matters for this week. The Senate is in session, but the House is not. Wednesday, January 20 9:30am – Senate…