Order. The chairs authorized to declare recess at any time. We welcome everyone to the hearing, oversight of the department of justice. Political interference and threats. Before we begin, i want to remind members we have established a distribution list dedicated to circulating written materials members might want to offer as part of the hearing. If you want to submit materials, send them to the email address previously distributed to your offices and we will circulate them to members and staff as quickly as possible. I want to remind all members the nodance of the office says facetoface is required. Required here is to follow guidance. This is for the health and safety of our staff and loved ones we will return to at the end of the day. I expect all members to wear a mask, except when you are speaking. I but recognize myself for an opening statement. Mr. Chairman, the point of last friday,er william barr announced that Geoffrey Berman was stepping down. This was, of course, untrue. He
honor the more than 529,000 people who have lost their lives to covid-19. and address the sacrifices that americans, that all of us have made during this pandemic while recognizing how it has very much changed our lives. that is right. president biden is also expected to tout what just passed and that is his $1.9 trillion covid stimulus package known as the american rescue plan. largely popular with the american people. but it passed only along party lines. there was not a single republican in either chamber that supported the bill. the president will sign it into law tomorrow and then he s going to pennsylvania next week to sell it to the american people. so let s begin at the white house with our john harwood. good morning to you, john. what have you learned in terms of the tone we re going to hear from the president tonight? reporter: well, poppy, pretty consistently president biden has struck a very sober tone about this pandemic, honoring the sacrifice of people, spe
On the foreign intelligence matters. You recently wrote that the Church Committee experienced of your Church Committee experience is its important we recognize the extraordinary power the United States has in the international respect for our constitutional principles. But it often seems in times of crisis we forget that power. Why is that . I think the phrase in times of crisis. We cede we being the other branches of government particularly the congress cede to the executive branch great powers. If we are under assault or perceive ourselves to be under assault. The problem is that then encourages administrations to, i wouldnt say generate crisis, but to elevate a crisis to acquire power. This is where congress is most under pressure to do its job and to ask questions. Not to undermine executive authority but to defend the constitution. And protect the American People. Again, as i said there and ive said many times in other places those of us who have had a chance to travel the world k
Frank church. It is thus known as the Church Committee. They met for 16 months, reviewing more than 10,000 documents and calling 800 witnesses in front of the committee. Legacyacy its a provided ongoing oversight of intelligence agencies and the creation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, and the Church Committee hearings were heard in the oom. Us rim r next we meet kate scott who explained how and why the Church Committee came about and sets the stage for 1975 hearings with the cia director, William Colby. The Church Committee was created in january of 1975 by the senate. In response series of revelations and allegations about Domestic Intelligence abuses in the u. S. And the senate created the committee by an overwhelming 824, to, 82or establish a committee that would examine the abuses of intelligence agencies and maybe how they were violating constitutional protections. The Church Committee, to understand the context of the committee, you need to go back to 1970,
Good morning, everyone. Thank you so much for coming. My name is mike german, a fellow with the Brennan Center for justice at the new york law school. I welcome you to strengthen oversight. This year marks 40th anniversary of the creation of Senate Select committee to study governmental operations with respect to intelligence activities, more simply known as Church Committee after chairman senator church. It was the first and only comprehensive investigation of secret intelligence activities within the United States. This is one of a series of activities that the Brennan Center has undertaken to recognize this anniversary. We published a report called whats wrong with the fisa court with directors, they will be leading a panel two panels on executive oversight activities. We also published a report on strengthening congressional oversight signed by 18 Church Committee staffers, many of whom are in the room with us today and youll notice that they have name tags on. So feel free to talk