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.

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Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as people try to storm the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. The insurrectionists wear riot gear as do the police. One insurrectionist raises a police baton attacking the police.

The Next Best Option if a January 6 Commission Fails

"On balance, a House select committee is not the optimal vehicle to investigate the January 6 insurrection.... but it might be the best one available." How this path could be made…
U.S. Capitol police officers point their guns at a door that was vandalized in the House Chamber during the January 06, 2021 attack on the Capitol in Washington, DC.

The World Is Watching: The US Should Follow Its Own Advice and Establish a 1/6 Commission

Overseas, the U.S. government has repeatedly advocated for – and even demanded – commissions in the wake of national crises similar to Jan. 6.
The 9-11 Commission sits at the front of a lecture hall on a pannel. The seats in the hall are nearly filled.

Interview with Philip Shenon: Lessons from the Uncensored History of the 9/11 Commission

Bestselling author of behind-the-scenes book on the 9/11 Commission discusses internal operations and informal powers with lessons for a 1/6 Commission.
Senator James E. Risch (R-ID), Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), and Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) attend a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on US-Venezuela Relations and the Path to a Democratic Transition on Capitol Hill March 7, 2019 in Washington, DC.

The Hidden Rules that Govern Our Supply Chains

Despite the explosion in the use of hidden trade deals in recent years, Congress has only barely spoken to the problem. It doesn’t have to be that way. But proposed changes in…
A Colonial Pipeline storage site in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 12, 2021.

The New Cyber Executive Order is a Good Start, But Needs a Supercharge from Congress

Implementation can strengthen the data contractors have to provide. And Congress should pass legislation to apply these measures across the economy.
Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as people try to storm the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. The insurrectionists wear riot gear as do the police. One insurrectionist raises a police baton attacking the police.

Getting to the Bottom of Jan. 6 Is Proving Too Difficult for Congress

If Wednesday’s House hearing on “unanswered questions” about the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was good for anything, it showed why an independent commission is needed…
: National Counterterrorism Center Director Christopher Miller testifies before the House Homeland Security Committee during a hearing on 'worldwide threats to the homeland' in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill September 17, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Investigating Jan. 6 — Key Unanswered Questions for Congress and Media to Ask

Dozens of questions to focus on in Wednesday's congressional hearing.
Giuliani and Parnas walk together as they arrive for the funeral of late US President George H.W. Bush at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC on December 5, 2018.

Giuliani’s FARA Problem

Rudy Giuliani's communications – in the form of emails, WhatsApp messages, and phone logs between Giuliani and his associates – show that, in seeking Yovanovitch’s removal,…
Demonstrators hold signs reading, “Narco Government makes the people emigrate;” “Extradition for Juan Orlando Hernandez;” “Justice for Victims;” “No Clemency for Narcos;” and more as they rally outside the Manhattan federal court in New York City on March 19, 2021 during the trial of Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, a Honduran accused of drug trafficking and firearms possession. The demonstrators wear face masks due to COVID-19.

To Thwart the Illegal Narcotics Trade, Expose the Dark Economy

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse on the need to combat drug trafficking and corruption by confronting the powerful economics that drive them. 
Syrian refugees watch from their window as others get tested for the covid-19, during a testing campaign organised by Lebanon's health ministry and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the southern city of Sidon, on May 28, 2020.

Big Shoulders — How the US Can Remedy Its Failures on Refugee Admissions

Despite its size and wealth, America consistently fails to do its part in upholding the terms of an international convention it helped create.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks with two other participants at the JCPOA Iran nuclear talks on April 27, 2021 in Vienna, Austria. They wear face masks but do not social distance. Various countries’ flags stand behind a table set up for the meeting.

Senate Bill Threatens Sensitive U.S. Diplomacy

Section 310 of the bill sweeps too broadly and would have unintended consequences by chilling the most sensitive types of diplomacy that have always been entrusted to the executive…
A US army instructor walks next to Malian soldiers on April 12, 2018 during an anti-terrorism exercise at the Kamboinse - General Bila Zagre military camp near Ouagadougo in Burkina Faso. The Malian soldiers stand facing a hill while holding guns.

Twenty Years After 9/11, the US Needs a Better Strategy to Prevent and Counter Violent Extremism

Five steps the Biden-Harris administration should take to ensure that it is developing and implementing a more up-to-date and effective approach to P/CVE.
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